# US 5,699,919 A · Method and apparatus for removing bark balls from a log flow > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,699,919 A - Document ID: US5699919A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/507,203 - Filed: 1995-07-26 - Granted: 1997-12-23 - Earliest claimed: 1995-01-16 - Assignees: Andritz-Pantentverwaltungs-Gesellschaft m.b.H. - Inventors: Matti Pylkkanen; Lennart Thornquist - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5699919A ## CPC - B27L 1/04: by rubbing the trunks in rotating drums {(B27L1/025 takes precedence)} - B07B 13/003: {Separation of articles by differences in their geometrical form or by difference in their physical properties, e.g. elasticity, compressibility, hardness} - B07B 13/04: according to size - B07B 15/00: Combinations of apparatus for separating solids from solids by dry methods applicable to bulk material, e.g. loose articles fit to be handled like bulk material (using wet methods B03B7/00; using gas currents B07B9/00) - B27L 1/00: Debarking or removing vestiges of branches from trees or logs (debarking by chemical treatment B27L3/00 {; peeling osier rods B27J3/00}); Machines therefor - B27L: REMOVING BARK OR VESTIGES OF BRANCHES (forestry A01G); SPLITTING WOOD; MANUFACTURE OF VENEER, WOODEN STICKS, WOOD SHAVINGS, WOOD FIBRES OR WOOD POWDER - B07B: SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS BY SIEVING, SCREENING, SIFTING OR BY USING GAS CURRENTS; SEPARATING BY OTHER DRY METHODS APPLICABLE TO BULK MATERIAL, e.g. LOOSE ARTICLES FIT TO BE HANDLED LIKE BULK MATERIAL (wet separating processes, sorting by processes using fluent material in the same way as liquid B03; combinations of dry separating apparatus with wet separating apparatus B03B; using liquids B03B, B03D; sorting by magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges or vortex apparatus for carrying out physical processes B04; hand sorting, postal sorting, sorting by switching or other devices actuated in response to detection or measurement of some feature of articles or samples of material B07C) ## Abstract The invention relates to a method and apparatus for removing bark balls from a log flow traveling on a conveyor (3) which extends from a debarking drum (1) to a chipper (2), said conveyor (3) including a roller assembly (4) provided with an opening (5) for dumping from the conveyor (3) a sub-flow consisting of wood pieces and bark balls. The apparatus comprises an adjustable dispenser device (6) for further dividing the sub-flow falling from the conveyor (3) into a portion including mainly wood pieces and a portion including mainly bark balls. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for removing bark balls from a log flow traveling on a conveyor comprising the steps of: conveying the log flow from a debarking drum to a chipper on a conveyor, said conveyor including a roller assembly disposed at a pre-determined distance upstream from said chipper and having an opening for dumping from said conveyor a sub-flow consisting of wood pieces and bark balls, and dividing the sub-flow dumped from said conveyor by a dividing means into a first portion including mainly wood pieces and a second portion including mainly bark balls. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the dividing means is a controllable dispenser device (6). ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method as set forth in claim 2, further comprising the step of scanning the log flow with detection means to detect the presence of bark balls therein. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method as set forth in claim 3, further comprising the step of controlling said dispenser device on the basis of the detection by said detecting means. ### Claim 5 An assembly for removing bark balls from a log flow comprising a debarking drum, a chipper, a conveyor extending between said drum and said chipper, said conveyor including a roller assembly provided at a pre-determined distance upstream from said chipper with an opening for dumping therefrom a sub-flow containing wood pieces and bark balls, and a controllable dispenser device for dividing the sub-flow falling from said conveyor into a first portion including mainly wood pieces and a second portion including mainly bark balls. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The assembly as set forth in claim 5, wherein the dispenser device includes a pivotable gate. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The assembly as set forth in claim 6, wherein the dispenser device is provided with two positions. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The assembly as set forth in claim 6, wherein the dispenser device is adapted to be manually controlled. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The assembly as set forth in claim 6, further comprising a detection element for scanning the log flow, wherein the dispenser device is adapted to be controllable by the detector element. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The assembly as set forth in claim 6, further comprising a breakage conveyor and a bark conveyor, wherein the dispenser device is adapted to deflect the wood pieces onto said breakage conveyor and the bark balls onto said bark conveyor. ### Claim 11 (depends on 5) The assembly as set forth in claim 5, wherein the dispenser device is provided with two positions. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The assembly as set forth in claim 11, wherein the dispenser device is adapted to be manually controlled. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The assembly as set forth in claim 11, further comprising a detection element for scanning the log flow, wherein the dispenser device is adapted to be controllable by the detector element. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The assembly as set forth in claim 11, further comprising a breakage conveyor and a bark conveyor, wherein the dispenser device is adapted to deflect the wood pieces onto said breakage conveyor and the bark balls onto said bark conveyor. ### Claim 15 (depends on 5) The assembly as set forth in claim 5, wherein the dispenser device is adapted to be manually controlled. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The assembly as set forth in claim 15, further comprising a detection element for scanning the log flow, wherein the dispenser device is adapted to be controllable by the detector element. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The assembly as set forth in claim 15, further comprising a breakage conveyor and a bark conveyor, wherein the dispenser device is adapted to deflect the wood pieces onto said breakage conveyor and the bark balls onto said bark conveyor. ### Claim 18 (depends on 5) The assembly as set forth in claim 5, further comprising a detection element for scanning the log flow, wherein the dispenser device is adapted to be controllable by the detector element. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The assembly as set forth in claim 18, further comprising a breakage conveyor and a bark conveyor, wherein the dispenser device is adapted to deflect the wood pieces onto said breakage conveyor and the bark balls onto said bark conveyor. ### Claim 20 (depends on 5) The assembly as set forth in claim 5, further comprising a breakage conveyor and a bark conveyor, wherein the dispenser device is adapted to deflect the wood pieces onto said breakage conveyor and the bark balls onto said bark conveyor.