Log charging apparatus for sawmills
OwnerAdrian L. Landersinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved log charging system for a sawmill having a sharp chain infeed conveyor includes a log turning station for scanning and rotating a horizontally supported log about its longitudinal axis to a desired orientation that will produce maximum lumber yield, and a charging system for clamping the log in the desired position, lowering the horizontal log, while clamped in the desired orientation, forwardly and downwardly relative to the sharp chain, and pressing the log downwardly toward embedded engagement with the teeth of the sharp chain by a continued travel hand-off device. To increase the speed of the log charging operation, the log is preliminarily scanned prior to transport to the log turning station, thereby to permit adjustment of the log support device for size before it receives a given log.
Claims10
A log charging apparatus for placing a log onto the horizontal upper run of an endless sharp-toothed chain conveyor continuously traveling in a given direction toward the vertical saw means of a sawmill, comprising:
- (a) first support means for supporting a log horizontally at an upper log turning station above, parallel with, and spaced from the sharp chain conveyor;
- (b) primary scanning means for scanning the log at said log turning station to determine that optimum plane of orientation of the log about its horizontal longitudinal axis that would permit the saw means to produce from the log the optimum amount of usable wood;
- (c) log turning means for rotating the horizontal log at said log turning station about its longitudinal axis toward a desired charging orientation in which said optimum plane of orientation is vertical;
- (d) clamping means operable from a released condition to a clamped condition to clamp the log in its desired charging orientation;
- (e) charging means for lowering said clamping means, while in said clamped condition, in such a manner as to transport the horizontal log longitudinally forwardly and downwardly toward a lower hand-off station adjacent the sharp chain conveyor;
- and
- (f) overtravel hand-off means at said hand-off station for simultaneously:
- (1) pressing the log forwardly and downwardly into engagement with the teeth of the sharp chain conveyor, and
- (2) operating said clamping means to its released condition.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.