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US 7,448,532 B2Granted
360 degree rotatable lifter arm for log singulator
AssigneePSI Sales, Inc.
InventorVan Woodham
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention discloses a log sawing system comprising multiple cutting blades. The multiple cutting blades are positioned to cut laterally or perpendicular to the centerline of the log which is to be cut. The logs are transported into cutting position using some type of log positioner. The multiple cutting blades are rotatably mounted on an arm which is pivotally mounted on a shaft in groups, being driven by an electrical or like motor, all of which are mounted onto a platform positioned adjacent to the log to be cut. Hydraulic lifters are used to partially rotate the saw blades into the cutting position adjacent the log. Means utilizing a computer and lasers are provided to develop a log cutting solution to best utilize the logs.
Claims25
An apparatus for cutting a log, the apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of rotational drive devices;
- a plurality of drive shafts, wherein each drive shaft is a rotationally separate member from the other drive shafts, and each drive shaft is operably connected to a respective one of said drive devices;
- a plurality of cutting blades, at least two of said blades being operably connected to each of said drive shafts, each of said cutting blades being moveable between first and second positions such that said cutting blades in the second position are configured to cut the log in a cutting position, each cutting blade operably connected to a respective one of said drive shafts being configured to be moved to the second position while at least one of said blades operably connected to the respective drive shaft is in the first position such that the log in the cutting position is cut by less than all of the cutting blades operably connected to each of said drive shafts;
- and
- a plurality of arms rotatable relative to said drive shafts, each cutting blade being mounted on a respective one of said arms such that rotating each arm moves the respective cutting blade between the first and second positions,
- wherein said cutting blades are configured at consecutive positions in a direction generally parallel to a centerline of the log in the cutting position with a nominal distance of 2 feet between adjacent cutting blades.
3 more elements
An apparatus for cutting a log, the apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of rotational drive devices;
- a plurality of drive shafts, wherein each drive shaft is a rotationally separate member from the other drive shafts, and each drive shaft is operably connected to a respective one of said drive devices;
- and
- a plurality of cutting blades, at least two of said blades being operably connected to each of said drive shafts, each of said cutting blades being moveable between first and second positions such that said cutting blades in the second position are configured to cut the log in a cutting position, each cutting blade operably connected to a respective one of said drive shafts being configured to be moved to the second position while at least one of said blades operably connected to the respective drive shaft is in the first position such that the log in the cutting position is cut by less than all of the cutting blades operably connected to each of said drive shafts,
- wherein said cutting blades are configured at consecutive positions in a direction generally parallel to a centerline of the log in the cutting position with a nominal distance of 2 feet between adjacent cutting blades, and said cutting blades are configurable such that at least two of said cutting blades are moved to the second position while the remaining cutting blades are in the first position such that the log in the cutting position is cut into at least three portions.
2 more elements
An apparatus for cutting a log, the apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of rotational drive devices;
- a plurality of drive shafts, wherein each drive shaft is a rotationally separate member from the other drive shafts, and each drive shaft is operably connected to a respective one of said drive devices;
- a plurality of cutting blades, at least two of said blades being operably connected to each of said drive shafts, each of said cutting blades being moveable between first and second positions such that said cutting blades in the second position are configured to cut the log in a cutting position, each cutting blade operably connected to a respective one of said drive shafts being configured to be moved to the second position while at least one of said blades operably connected to the respective drive shaft is in the first position such that the log in the cutting position is cut by less than all of the cutting blades operably connected to each of said drive shafts;
- and
- a log even end configured to restrain a motion of an end of the log in a direction parallel to the centerline of the log such that the end of the log in the cutting position is about an even integer number of feet from the second position of each cutting blade,
- wherein said cutting blades are configured at consecutive positions in a direction generally parallel to a centerline of the log in the cutting position with a nominal distance of 2 feet between adjacent cutting blades.
3 more elements
An apparatus for cutting a log, the apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of rotational drive devices;
- a plurality of drive shafts, wherein each drive shaft is a rotationally separate member from the other drive shafts, and each drive shaft is operably connected to a respective one of said drive devices;
- and
- a plurality of cutting blades, at least two of said blades being operably connected to each of said drive shafts, each of said cutting blades being moveable between first and second positions such that said cutting blades in the second position are configured to cut the log in a cutting position, each cutting blade operably connected to a respective one of said drive shafts being configured to be moved to the second position while at least one of said blades operably connected to the respective drive shaft is in the first position such that the log in the cutting position is cut by less than all of the cutting blades operably connected to each of said drive shafts,
- wherein said cutting blades are configured at consecutive positions in a direction generally parallel to a centerline of the log in the cutting position with a nominal distance of 2 feet between adjacent cutting blades, and a cutting blade operably connected to one of said drive shafts is spaced apart by about 2 feet from an adjacent cutting blade operably connected to another of said drive shafts.
2 more elements
An apparatus for cutting a log, the apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of rotational drive devices;
- a plurality of drive shafts, wherein each drive shaft is a rotationally separate member from the other drive shafts, and each drive shaft is operably connected to a respective one of said drive devices;
- and
- a plurality of rotatable saw blades, at least two of said blades being operably connected to each of said drive shafts, each of said saw blades being moveable between first and second positions such that said saw blades in the second position are configured to cut the log in a cutting position, each saw blade operably connected to a respective one of said drive shafts being configured to be moved to the second position while at least one of said blades operably connected to the respective drive shaft is in the first position such that the log in the cutting position is cut by less than all of the saw blades operably connected to each of said drive shafts,
- wherein said saw blades are configured at consecutive positions in an axial direction generally parallel to a centerline of the log in the cutting position with a blade separation distance between adjacent saw blades, the blade separation distance being less than a length of each drive device in the axial direction.
2 more elements
An apparatus for cutting a log, the apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of rotational drive devices;
- a plurality of drive shafts, wherein each drive shaft is a rotationally separate member from the other drive shafts, and each drive shaft is operably connected to a respective one of said drive devices;
- and
- a plurality of cutting blades, at least two of said blades being operably connected to each of said drive shafts, each of said cutting blades being moveable between first and second positions such that said cutting blades in the second position are configured to cut the log in a cutting position,
- wherein each cutting blade operably connected to a respective one of said drive shafts is configured to be moved to the second position while at least one of said blades operably connected to the respective drive shaft is in the first position such that the log in the cutting position is cut by less than all of the cutting blades operably connected to each of said drive shafts, each of said blades being operably connected to the respective drive shaft by a chain.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.