US 6,641,065 B2Granted

Wood processing systems and methods of constructing and using them

AssigneeMorbark, Inc.

InventorsGary M. Bardos, Michael L. Hockstra

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A generally horizontal wood comminuter has a crosswise rotor with comminuting knives moving in a path of rotation and a crosswise coacting anvil. A feed works provides a material support surface and a power-driven feed member above it for feeding material toward the rotor. The rotor is driven in an uphill path of rotation relative to the feed works. Lift arms pivotally carry the feed member for swinging vertical movement toward and away from the material support surface. A crosswise deflector plate is carried independently of the lift arms and extends toward the anvil and a crosswise lift arm plate coacts with the deflector plate to contain fragmented material. The anvil and a grate retainer preferably are pivotal to move together from an operative to an inoperative position. A torque limiting device controls the drive of the rotor.

Claims6

Dependent claims

A method of controlling a generally horizontal wood material comminuting machine having a generally longitudinally disposed frame with spaced apart side walls having front and rear ends, a crosswisely extending rotatably mounted rotor shaft having a rotor with a periphery comprising comminuting members movable with said rotor in a path of rotation, a crosswisely extending anvil carried on said frame to coact with said comminuting members and reduce said material, a drive for moving said rotor shaft and rotor in a path of rotation past said material support surface, a feed works connected with said frame in front of said rotor including a power-driven feed member having a generally horizontal axis extending generally parallel to said rotor axis mounted above said support surface, support arms pivoted on said frame rearwardly of said feed member pivotally carrying said feed member for swinging vertical movement toward and away from said material support surface, and a grate assembly downstream from said anvil supported by said frame adjacent said path of comminuter rotation to embrace a portion of said rotor path downstream from said anvil, including:

a. providing a disengagable torque limiting device;
and
b. connecting said device between a drive sheave at one end of said rotor shaft and a plate fixed on said rotor shaft, said torque limiting device comprising a series of ball receiving circumferentially spaced wells in one of said plate and sheave, and a series of balls urged normally by spring-pressed plunger members partly into said wells in shaft driving position, there being plunger housings carried by the other of said plate and sheave in which said plungers are slideable between an operative position maintaining said balls in shaft driving position in said wells and an inoperative position in which said plungers are forced to an inoperative position by said balls to disengage said drive from said plate and rotor shaft when said rotor shaft is prevented from rotating by foreign material jams.

A generally horizontal wood material comminuting machine comprising:

a. a generally longitudinal frame with front and rear ends and spaced apart side walls;
b. a transversely extending rotatably mounted rotor shaft comprising a rotor with a periphery of comminuting members moving in a path of rotation;
c. an anvil plate assembly including a transversely extending anvil pivotally carried on said frame above said rotor shaft to coact with said comminuting members in reducing said material;
d. a feed works connected with said frame forwardly of said rotor including a material support surface on which said material is supported and a power-driven feed member having a generally horizontal axis extending generally parallel to said rotor axis mounted above said support surface for engaging said material and feeding it along said support surface towards said rotor;
e. a drive for moving said rotor shaft and rotor in an uphill path of rotation upwardly past said material supply surface;
f. supports pivoted on said frame rearwardly of said feed member carrying said feed member for swinging vertical movement toward and away from said material support surface;
g. a grate assembly downstream from said anvil comprising a series of crosswisely extending curvilinear grate plates supported by said frame adjacent said path of comminuter rotation and including an upper grate;
and
h. a grate retainer housing fixed to said anvil plate for pivotal movement therewith releasably holding said upper grate in position when said anvil is in operative position.

6 more elements

A method of operating a generally horizontal wood comminuting machine having a generally longitudinally disposed frame with front and rear ends and spaced apart side walls, a crosswisely extending rotatably mounted rotor shaft on said frame mounting a rotor having a periphery comprising comminuting members movable in a path of rotation, a crosswisely extending anvil plate carried on said frame above said rotor shaft to coact with said comminuting members in reducing said material movable from a generally vertical operative position to a raised position, a feed works connected with said frame forwardly of said rotor including a material support surface on which said material is supported and a power-driven feed roll member having a generally horizontal axis extending generally parallel to said rotor axis mounted above said support surface for feeding material along said support surface towards said rotor, a drive for moving said rotor shaft and rotor in an uphill path of rotation upwardly past said material support surface, a support assembly pivoted on said frame rearwardly of said feed roll member pivotally carrying said feed roll member for swinging vertical movement toward and away from said material support surface, a grate assembly downstream from said anvil comprising a series of crosswisely extending curvilinear grate plates supported by said frame adjacent said path of comminuter rotation and including an upper grate, a grate retainer housing for releasably holding said upper grate in operative position fixed to said anvil to pivot therewith, and a link carried by one of said feed member support assembly and said anvil plate and grate retainer assembly which is connectable between them, comprising:

a. raising said feed member roll to an upper position;
b. connecting said link disengageably between said support assembly and said anvil plate and retainer housing assembly;
and
c. lowering said feed member roll from raised position to permit its weight to assist swinging movement of said anvil plate upwardly to inoperative position and said retainer housing upwardly to an inoperative position permitting removal of said upper grate.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/141,887Filed 9 May 2002 · division
Priority: 10 Dec 1999
Published: US 2002/0125356 A112 Sep 2002
Granted: 4 Nov 2003
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

B02C 13/095
And throwing the material against an anvil or impact plate: with an adjustable anvil or impact plate
B02C 13/284
Shape or inner surface of mill-housings: built-in screens
B02C 13/286
Details: feeding or discharge
B02C 18/225
Feed means: of conveyor belt and cooperating roller type

Family

Application60/170,043Us provisional application · filed 10 Dec 1999
Application09/716,532Parent of this division · filed 20 Nov 2000
US 2002/0125356 A1Pre-grant publication · published 12 Sep 2002
US 6,474,759 B2Parent of this division
US 6,474,579 B1Related patent
US 6,641,065 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.