US 7,153,086 B2Granted

High speed turnover apparatus and method

OwnerRichard W. Kauppila, Daniel L. Hintsalainventors

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Abstract

A turnover apparatus and method for inverting articles such as lumber or board pieces being conveyed sideways on two or more conveyor chain loops in which each article is advanced on the conveyor chain loops by speed up belts engaging the underside of the articles to force a leading side against a pair of lugs mounted on a respective conveyor chain loop, the article thereafter flipped up to an on edge position by flipper arms also mounted on the conveyor chain loops which each engage an adjustable cam ramp at a turnover station, the article thereafter tipped over backward by being driven by the speed belts against an elevated overhung trailing edge on the lugs to complete the turnover. Optional pivoted let down elements may be arranged to engage the trailing side of the articles to controllably lower the same by motion induced by a second cam ramp at the turnover station.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A turnover apparatus for turning over articles conveyed sideways on one or more recirculating conveyor loops by frictional engagement therewith, comprising:

a series of spaced apart lugs attached along each of said conveyor loops and projecting above an upper surface of said conveyor loops to be able to be engaged by articles being advanced on said upper surface of said conveyor loops;
one or more speed-up belts located adjacent to a turnover station located along said conveyor loops, said speed-up belts positioned and driven so as to frictionally engage said articles on said conveyor loops and advance said articles into contact with a next ahead lug attached to said conveyor loops;
a series of flipper arms pivotally mounted to at least one of said one or more conveyor loops to be carried along with said recirculating conveyor loops, said flipper arms pivotably mounted at a pivot point adjacent a respective associated lug so that said pivot point has a fixed relative position with respect to said associated lug, said flipper arms each having a one portion able to engage and lift a portion of an article after being driven against an associated lug by said speed up belts when said flipper arm portion is pivoted up from a normally retracted position below said conveyor loop surface;
a stationary cam ramp adjacent to each conveyor loop having said series of flipper arms mounted thereto and located at said turnover station to be positioned to engage another portion of each flipper arm as said conveyor loops carry each flipper arm past said stationary cam ramp to cause said one portion of each of said flipper arms to be successively pivoted up into engagement with an article located above said one portion to raise said article to on an edge position, each flipper arm pivoting back down to said normally retracted position after being carried past an associated cam ramp.

1 more element

A method of turning over articles at a turnover station alongside a conveyor including one or more recirculating conveyor loops supporting and frictionally engaging said articles positioned on said conveyor loops to convey the same, including:

mounting a series of spaced apart lugs to each conveyor loop, said lugs each having a portion projecting above said conveyor loops;
loading each article into aligned spaces between successive lugs to be carried along on said conveyor loops;
pivotally mounting a series of flipper arms to at least one of said one or more conveyor loops to be carried along with said conveyor loop to which said flipper arms are pivotably mounted, said flipper arms pivotably mounted at a point adjacent a respective associated lug so that said point has a fixed position with respect to said associated lug, each flipper arm having an article engagment portion normally positioned below a rear side of each lug;
driving each article so as to be advanced on said one or more conveyor loops into abutment with a next ahead lug;
fixedly locating a cam ramp adjacent each conveyor loop having said flipper arms pivotally mounted thereto at a turnover station so as to engage one portion of each flipper arm moving into said turnover station as an article is moved through said turnover station and past said cam ramp, each adjacent conveyor loop cam ramp configured to cause an upward movement of each of said flipper arms from a normally retracted position to engage an article engagement portion of each of said flipper arms with a leading side of an article abutting a lug to elevate said leading side of said article when engaged therewith, said flipper arms each moving back to said retracted position after moving past said cam ramp.

2 more elements

Apparatus for flipping over articles on a loop conveyor having an upper surface frictionally engaging said articles resisting thereon to convey said articles by advance of said loop conveyor, comprising a series of spaced apart lugs mounted to said loop conveyor defining intervening spaces able to receive an article to be turned over;

a series of flipper elements pivotally mounted to said loop conveyor to be carried along therewith as said loop conveyor is advanced, each flipper element located adjacent an associated lug and pivotable at a fixed relative position with respect to said associated lug to raise a first portion of each flipper element from a lowered retracted position into engagement with a leading side of an article abutting an associated lug;
a cam surface mounted at a turnover station to engage each flipper element moved past said turnover station by said loop conveyor, said cam surface causing pivoting raising motion of each flipper element from a retracted lowered position, said pivoting raising motion of each flipper element flipping up an article located adjacent a respective lug on said loop conveyor, and each flipper element again assuming said lowered retracted position upon moving past said cam surface.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/728,183Filed 4 Dec 2003 · us provisional application
Priority: 3 Dec 2002
Published: US 2005/0135917 A123 Jun 2005
Granted: 26 Dec 2006
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

B65G 47/248
Orientating the articles: by turning over or inverting them
B65G 47/24
Devices influencing the relative position or the attitude of articles during transit by conveyors: orientating the articles
B65G 47/252
By turning over or inverting them: about an axis substantially perpendicular to the conveying direction
B65G 2201/0282
Articles: wooden articles, e.g. logs, trunks or planks