Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
276 words
A combination lumber stacker, sticker placer and unloading machine comprising a substantially L-shaped framework, said framework carrying a lumber unstacker assembly, a multiplicity of sticker placer assemblies, a lumber stacker assembly, an unloading assembly and an elevator means, said lumber unstacker assembly being juxtapositioned to said lumber stacker assembly and being operable to deliver separate successive courses of lumber transversely with respect to directions of travel of said stacker assembly onto said stacker assembly, said sticker placer assemblies being disposed at spaced intervals on said framework vertically above said lumber stacker assembly, said lumber stacker assembly being mounted on wheels carried by said framework for rectilinear movement thereon, said lumber tacker assembly including a table-like platform including a multiplicity of rectilinear channel grooved recesses spaced at intervals coincident with respective said sticker placer assemblies, means operable to reciprocatingly drive said lumber stacker assembly rectilinearly with respect to the framework, said sticker placer assemblies being operable to place stickers in respective channel groove recesses in said stacker assembly, said unloading assembly being mounted on wheels carried by said framework for rectilinear movement thereon and being distally disposed on said framework at the terminal end opposite said multiplicity of sticker placer assemblies, said unloading assembly being juxtapositioned to saiD lumber stacker assembly, said unloading assembly and said stacker assembly being operable to unload a course of lumber having stickers therebeneath from said lumber stacker assembly, said elevator assembly being mounted on said framework vertically below said unloading assembly and the path of travel of said lumber stacker means, said elevator means including means for moving said elevator means vertically upwardly and downwardly with respect to said unloading assembly.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
276 words
A combination lumber stacker, sticker placer and unloading machine comprising a substantially L-shaped framework, said framework carrying a lumber unstacker assembly, a multiplicity of sticker placer assemblies, a lumber stacker assembly, an unloading assembly and an elevator means, said lumber unstacker assembly being juxtapositioned to said lumber stacker assembly and being operable to deliver separate successive courses of lumber transversely with respect to directions of travel of said stacker assembly onto said stacker assembly, said sticker placer assemblies being disposed at spaced intervals on said framework vertically above said lumber stacker assembly, said lumber stacker assembly being mounted on wheels carried by said framework for rectilinear movement thereon, said lumber tacker assembly including a table-like platform including a multiplicity of rectilinear channel grooved recesses spaced at intervals coincident with respective said sticker placer assemblies, means operable to reciprocatingly drive said lumber stacker assembly rectilinearly with respect to the framework, said sticker placer assemblies being operable to place stickers in respective channel groove recesses in said stacker assembly, said unloading assembly being mounted on wheels carried by said framework for rectilinear movement thereon and being distally disposed on said framework at the terminal end opposite said multiplicity of sticker placer assemblies, said unloading assembly being juxtapositioned to saiD lumber stacker assembly, said unloading assembly and said stacker assembly being operable to unload a course of lumber having stickers therebeneath from said lumber stacker assembly, said elevator assembly being mounted on said framework vertically below said unloading assembly and the path of travel of said lumber stacker means, said elevator means including means for moving said elevator means vertically upwardly and downwardly with respect to said unloading assembly.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
182 words
The apparatus of claim 1 in which said unstacker assembly comprises an endless chain conveyor including a lumber guide bar means suitably fastened to said conveyor and carried transversely with respect to the direction of travel of said conveyor, means driving said conveyor, a hopper distally mounted on the framework at the forwardmost discharge end of said conveyor adjacent said lumber stacker assembly, said hopper including a forward wall mounted transversely to the framework with respect to the direction of travel of said conveyor and disposed distally above said conveyor to provide an exitway between said conveyor and said wall being operable to permit movement of one course of lumber through said exitway and to retain other courses of lumber in said hopper and a pair of opposing sidewalls mounted on said framework contiguous with said forward wall, said transversely mounted guide means being operable to engage the lowermost course of lumber in said hopper and to feedingly move said course rectilinearly with respect to the direction of travel of said conveyor in response to movement of said conveyor through said exitway.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
160 words
The apparatus of claim 1 in which each of said sticker placer assemblies comprise an upstanding magazine rack assembly having open upper and lower ends, said magazine assembly being rectilinearly disposed with respect to the directions of travel of said lumber stacker assembly, said magazine being operable to receive a plurality of stickers in a stack, resilient means mounted on said rack assembly operable to engage the uppermost sticker in said rack assembly and to urge said sticker downwardly in said rack assembly into a respective channel groove recess in said lumber stacker assembly, and a stop dog assembly pivotally mounted at the lowermost terminal corner of the forwardmost portion of said rack assembly being operable to pivotally move forwardly in response to the forward movement of a sticker carried in a respective channel groove recess in said lumber stacker assembly and to prevent movement of said sticker when said lumber stacker assembly is reciprocatingly driven in the direction opposite.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
179 words
The apparatus of claim 1 in which said lumber stacker assembly includes sticker engaging means mounted in each of said respective channel groove recesses, means operable to selectively move said sticker engaging means upwardly and downwardly in each of said respective channel groove recesses, a pivotally mounted stop dog disposed at the lower forwardmost portion of each of said sticker placer assemblies operable to engage the terminal end of a sticker in respective channel groove recesses, a multiplicity of sticker engaging members carried by a frame distally carried by said framework at the terminal end opposite said table-like framework, each of said sticker engaging means being disposed on said frame coincident with a respective channel groove recess in said table-like platform and being operable to engage and lift a sticker in said respective channel groove recess, driving means selectively operable to reciprocatingly move said frame, said platform and said sticker engaging means being operable to be moved in directions opposite to unload a course of lumber having stickers at intervals thereunder from said platform and said sticker engaging means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
63 words
The apparatus of claim 1 in which said elevator means is distally disposed on said framework below said table-like moving platform and said sticker engaging means, said elevator means comprising a multiplicity of outwardly projecting arms carried by said framework, and means to selectively move said arms upwardly and downwardly on said framework with respect to said platform and said sticker engaging means.