Fiber drum chime removing system

A fiber drum chime removing system for disassembling a fiber drum having a fiber sidewall with an upper edge and a lower edge, an upper metal chime mounted continuously around the upper edge of the sidewall and extending down an outer surface of the sidewall, and a lower metal chime continuously mounted around the lower edge of the sidewall and extending up the outer surface of the sidewall, the fiber drum chime removing system comprising:

• a cutting assembly support structure;
• a movable cutting assembly mounted to the cutting assembly support structure and being movable along the cutting assembly support structure along a first linear, longitudinal axis;
• the movable cutting assembly including a chime cutter having
• a fixed blade that is fixed in position relative to the movable cutting assembly,
• a pivoting knife having a lever arm and a shearing blade, the pivoting knife being pivotally attached to the fixed blade,
• a knife air cylinder pivotally mounted to the movable cutting assembly, and
• a knife piston rod attached to the lever arm of the knife and actuated by the knife air cylinder.

A fiber drum chime removing system for disassembling a fiber drum having a fiber sidewall with an upper edge and a lower edge, an upper metal chime mounted continuously around the upper edge of the sidewall and extending down an outer surface of the sidewall, and a lower metal chime continuously mounted around the lower edge of the sidewall and extending up the outer surface of the sidewall, the fiber drum chime removing system comprising:

• a cutting assembly support structure;
• and
• a movable cutting assembly including a movable cutting assembly support bracket mounted to the cutting assembly support structure and being movable along the cutting assembly support structure along a first linear, longitudinal axis, the movable cutting assembly including
• a rotatable drive wheel having a position adjustable along the first linear, longitudinal axis to dispose the rotatable drive wheel for engagement with an outer surface of the lower metal chime by moving the movable cutting assembly along the cutting assembly support structure,
• a rotatable cutting wheel having a cutting head disposed to engage an inside surface of the fiber sidewall opposite the rotatable drive wheel of the movable cutting assembly,
• means for enraging the drive wheel against the outside surface of the lower chime and the cutting head against the inside surface of the fiber sidewall to cut the fiber sidewall,
• means for driving the rotatable drive wheel and rotating the drum so that the cutting head cuts the sidewall around the drum;
• means for moving the movable cutting assembly along the cutting assembly support structure to position the drive wheel and cutting head of the movable cutting assembly for cutting engagement;
• and
• a chime sensor that senses the position of the lower chime so that the movable cutting assembly can be properly positioned along the first linear, longitudinal axis for cutting engagement.

A fiber drum chime removing system for disassembling a fiber drum having a fiber sidewall with an upper edge and a lower edge, an upper metal chime mounted continuously around the upper edge of the sidewall and extending down an outer surface of the sidewall, and a lower metal chime continuously mounted around the lower edge of the sidewall and extending up the outer surface of the sidewall, the fiber drum chime removing system comprising:

• a stand having a drum platform for placing a fiber drum such that the upper metal chime of the fiber drum lays on the drum platform with the fiber drum sidewall and the lower metal chime disposed thereabove;
• a vertical cutting assembly support structure extending upwards from the stand;
• a stationary cutting assembly which is located at a base of the vertical cutting assembly support structure and positioned to engage the upper metal chime of the fiber drum;
• and
• a movable cutting assembly slidably mounted to the vertical cutting assembly support structure above the stationary cutting assembly in a vertical direction to move along the vertical cutting assembly support structure in the vertical direction;
• wherein the movable cutting assembly slides in the vertical direction along the vertical cutting assembly support structure to engage the lower metal chime of the drum at the same time the stationary cutting assembly is positioned to engage the upper metal chime of the drum.