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US 7,143,796 B2Granted
Wood-reducing apparatus with continual feeder assembly
OwnerStanley D. Arasmithinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatuses, methods, and systems for producing wood chips are disclosed. The invention in one embodiment produces smooth wood chips of generally uniform size and shape, suited for use in making paper, cardboard, and other recyclable materials. An apparatus is disclosed for collecting, aligning and guiding wood scraps through an array of spaced-apart saw blades using a feeder assembly operating on a continual basis. The feeder assembly may include one or more paddle assemblies shaped to align and guide the wood scraps along a feeder path toward the saw blades. A system for controlling the inventive apparatus is also disclosed. A method for reducing wood scraps into cut chips is also disclosed.
Claims52
An apparatus for reducing the size of wood chips, comprising:
- a saw assembly having an array of blades disposed upon a shaft and configured to be driven at a cutting speed in a first rotational direction, said shaft defining a shaft interference zone;
- a feeder assembly configured to direct a flow of said wood chips along a feeder path, said feeder path passing into and through said array of blades, said feeder assembly defining a feeder zone at least partially intersecting said array of blades;
- and
- a topper assembly positioned proximate said feeder path, said topper assembly located upstream of said saw assembly relative to said feeder path, said topper assembly configured to reduce the height of said flow of said wood chips such that said flow of wood chips does not tend to extend into said shaft interference zone;
- wherein said feeder assembly comprises one or more paddle assemblies configured to be driven along said feeder path at a feeder speed in a direction generally opposing said first rotational direction, each of said one or more paddle assemblies defining an array of slots therethrough, positioned to accept insertion of said array of blades,
- said apparatus reducing said wood chips into a plurality of cut chips.
3 more elements
An apparatus for reducing the size of wood chips, comprising:
- a saw assembly having an array of blades disposed in spaced-apart relation upon a shaft and configured to be driven at a cutting speed in a first rotational direction, said shaft defining a shaft interference zone;
- a feeder assembly configured to direct a flow of said wood chips along a feeder path, said feeder path passing into and through said array of blades, said feeder assembly defining a feeder zone at least partially intersecting said array of blades, wherein said saw assembly is positioned such that said shaft interference zone nearly intersects tangentially with said feeder zone;
- a topper assembly positioned proximate said feeder path, said topper assembly located upstream of said saw assembly relative to said feeder path, said topper assembly configured to reduce the height of said flow of said wood chips such that said flow of wood chips does not tend to extend into said shaft interference zone, said topper assembly defining a topper zone, said topper assembly positioned such that said topper zone nearly intersects tangentially with said feeder zone;
- and
- a chute disposed in an engaged position to guide said flow of said wood chips toward said feeder assembly, said chute comprising a floor and a lower chute edge,
- wherein said feeder assembly comprises one or more paddle assemblies configured to be driven along said feeder path at a feeder speed in a direction generally opposing said first rotational direction, each of said one or more paddle assemblies defining an array of slots therethrough, positioned to accept insertion of said array of blades,
- said apparatus reducing said wood chips into a plurality of cut chips.
4 more elements
An apparatus for reducing the size of wood chips, comprising:
- a saw assembly having an array of blades disposed in spaced-apart relation upon a shaft and configured to be driven at a cutting speed in a first rotational direction, said shaft defining a shaft interference zone;
- a feeder assembly configured to direct a flow of said wood chips along a feeder path, said feeder path passing into and through said array of blades, said feeder assembly defining a feeder zone at least partially intersecting said array of blades, wherein said saw assembly is positioned such that said shaft interference zone nearly intersects tangentially with said feeder zone;
- a topper assembly positioned proximate said feeder path, said topper assembly located upstream of said saw assembly relative to said feeder path, said topper assembly configured to reduce the height of said flow of said wood chips such that said flow of wood chips does not tend to extend into said shaft interference zone, said topper assembly defining a topper zone, said topper assembly positioned such that said topper zone nearly intersects tangentially with said feeder zone;
- and
- a chute disposed in an engaged position to guide said flow of said wood chips toward said feeder assembly, said chute comprising a floor and a lower chute edge,
- wherein said topper assembly comprises one or more topper blades disposed upon a shaft and configured to be driven at a topping speed in said first rotational direction,
- said apparatus reducing said wood chips into a plurality of cut chips.
4 more elements
An apparatus for reducing the size of wood chips, comprising:
- a saw assembly having an array of blades disposed in spaced-apart relation upon a shaft and configured to be driven at a cutting speed in a first rotational direction, said shaft defining a shaft interference zone;
- a feeder assembly configured to direct a flow of said wood chips along a feeder path, said feeder path passing into and through said array of blades, said feeder assembly defining a feeder zone at least partially intersecting said array of blades, wherein said saw assembly is positioned such that said shaft interference zone nearly intersects tangentially with said feeder zone;
- a topper assembly positioned proximate said feeder path, said topper assembly located upstream of said saw assembly relative to said feeder path, said topper assembly configured to reduce the height of said flow of said wood chips such that said flow of wood chips does not tend to extend into said shaft interference zone, said topper assembly defining a topper zone, said topper assembly positioned such that said topper zone nearly intersects tangentially with said feeder zone;
- and
- a chute disposed in an engaged position to guide said flow of said wood chips toward said feeder assembly, wherein said chute comprises:
- a floor;
- a lower chute edge;
- a chute actuator configured to move said chute relative to said feeder assembly between said engaged position and a disengaged position, said disengaged position characterized by said chute guiding said wood chips away from said feeder assembly;
- a chute controller operably connected to said chute actuator;
- and
- a chute load sensor positioned along said chute near said flow of wood chips, said chute load sensor operably connected to said chute controller, said chute load sensor capable of transmitting at least a normal signal and a fault signal,
- said apparatus reducing said wood chips into a plurality of cut chips.
9 more elements
An apparatus for reducing the size of wood chips, comprising:
- a saw assembly having an array of blades disposed upon a shaft and configured to be driven at a cutting speed in a first rotational direction, said shaft defining a shaft interference zone;
- a feeder assembly configured to direct a flow of said wood chips along a feeder path, said feeder path passing into and through said array of blades, said feeder assembly defining a feeder zone at least partially intersecting said array of blades;
- and
- a topper assembly positioned proximate said feeder path, said topper assembly located upstream of said saw assembly relative to said feeder path, said topper assembly configured to reduce the height of said flow of said wood chips such that said flow of wood chips does not tend to extend into said shaft interference zone;
- wherein said topper assembly comprises one or more topper blades disposed upon a shaft and configured to be driven at a topping speed in said first rotational direction,
- said apparatus reducing said wood chips into a plurality of cut chips.
3 more elements
An apparatus for reducing the size of wood chips, comprising:
- a saw assembly having an array of blades disposed upon a shaft and configured to be driven at a cutting speed in a first rotational direction, said shaft defining a shaft interference zone;
- a feeder assembly configured to direct a flow of said wood chips along a feeder path, said feeder path passing into and through said array of blades, said feeder assembly defining a feeder zone at least partially intersecting said array of blades;
- a topper assembly positioned proximate said feeder path, said topper assembly located upstream of said saw assembly relative to said feeder path, said topper assembly configured to reduce the height of said flow of said wood chips such that said flow of wood chips does not tend to extend into said shaft interference zone;
- and
- a chute disposed in an engaged position to guide said flow of said wood chips toward said feeder assembly, said chute comprising a floor, a lower chute edge, a chute actuator, and a chute controller operably connected to said chute actuator,
- said chute actuator configured to move said chute relative to said feeder assembly between said engaged position and a disengaged position, said disengaged position characterized by said chute guiding said wood chips away from said feeder assembly;
- said apparatus reducing said wood chips into a plurality of cut chips.
4 more elements
A method of reducing the size of wood chips, comprising:
- directing a flow of said wood chips along a feeder path, said feeder path passing into and through a saw assembly, said saw assembly having an array of blades disposed upon a shaft and configured to be driven at a cutting speed in a first rotational direction, said shaft defining a shaft interference zone;
- providing a feeder assembly configured to direct said flow of said wood chips along said feeder path, said feeder assembly defining a feeder zone at least partially intersection said array of blades;
- positioning a topper assembly proximate said feeder path, said topper assembly located upstream of said saw assembly relative to said feeder path, said topper assembly configured to reduce the height of said flow of said wood chips such that said flow of wood chips does not tend to extend into said shaft interference zone, said topper assembly defining a topper zone;
- equipping said feeder assembly with one or more paddle assemblies configured to be driven along said feeder path at a feeder speed in a direction generally opposing said first rotational direction, each of said one or more paddle assemblies defining an array of slots therethrough;
- and
- positioning said slots to accept insertion of said array of blades.
3 more elements
A method of reducing the size of wood chips, comprising:
- directing a flow of said wood chips along a feeder path, said feeder path passing into and through a saw assembly, said saw assembly having an array of blades disposed upon a shaft and configured to be driven at a cutting speed in a first rotational direction, said shaft defining a shaft interference zone;
- providing a feeder assembly configured to direct said flow of said wood chips along said feeder path, said feeder assembly defining a feeder zone at least partially intersection said array of blades;
- positioning a tapper assembly proximate said feeder path, said topper assembly located upstream of said saw assembly relative to said feeder path, said topper assembly configured to reduce to height of said flow of said wood chips such that said flow of wood chips does not tend to extend into said shaft interference zone, said topper assembly defining a topper zone;
- and
- equipping said topper assembly with one or more topper blades disposed upon a shaft and configured to be driven at a topping speed in said first rotational direction.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.