US3812964A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Veneer sorter and stacker
Assignee: CABAX MILLS
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Filing: 1973-06-27
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Granted: 1974-05-28
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Expires: 1993-06-27
Abstract
Abstract A veneer sorting and stacking machine includes photoelectric apparatus for detecting veneer sheets of greater than a preselected minimum width and an endless belt tipple which elevates to transport sheets of the minimum width into the machine. Moisture detecting means determine if individual sheets are wet or dry. An overhead ribbed belt frictionally engages the top sides of the veneer sheets and transports them along the machine on a pair of guide rails faced with low friction polymer material. Depending on the moisture determination, a given sheet is transported to a selected stacking station where rotatable gates divert it into one of a pair of bins at the station. Each stacking station includes a stacking hoist including pairs of hoist arms disposed in each bin and interconnected by chains for vertical movement with respect to a support. The chains operate to insure that as the hoist arms lower in one bin, those in the other bin are raised. The hoists are gravity operated solely by the weight of the veneer sheets stacked thereon and each hoist includes an air brake for selectively adjusting movement thereof. Electrical circuitry is provided to select the appropriate gate according to the moisture characteristic detected by the moisture detecting apparatus. Such circuitry further reverses the operation of the stacking hoists at each stacking station as a given bin is filled and causes the appropriate gate to close the the gate at the other bin correspondingly to open. Means are also provided automatically to remove the stack of sheets as soon as a bin is filled.
Inventors
- 👤 C Woodruff
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 06:37
CPC Classifications
B; B07; B07C; B07C5/00; B07C5/04; B07C5/12; B07C5/14; B65; B65H; B65H2701/00; B65H2701/10; B65H2701/19; B65H2701/1938
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
157 words
A machine for sorting and stacking wood veneer sheets comprising: first detecting means for identifying veneer sheets of a minimum selected size; infeed means responsive to said first detecting means for feeding into said machine only veneer sheets having said minimum selected size; second detecting means for identifying which one of two or more characteristics each selected veneer sheet has; an overhead conveying belt frictionally engaging the top side of the selected veneer sheet for conveying said selected sheet through said machine; low friction faced rails for supporting said selected veneer sheet as it is conveyed by said endless belt; a plurality of stacking bins for receiving the selected veneer sheets; a plurality of gate means, electrically operable, positioned along said rails for diverting the selected veneer sheets from said rails into said stacking bins; and electric circuit means for activating selected ones of the gate means according to the characteristic detected by said second detecting means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
157 words
A machine for sorting and stacking wood veneer sheets comprising: first detecting means for identifying veneer sheets of a minimum selected size; infeed means responsive to said first detecting means for feeding into said machine only veneer sheets having said minimum selected size; second detecting means for identifying which one of two or more characteristics each selected veneer sheet has; an overhead conveying belt frictionally engaging the top side of the selected veneer sheet for conveying said selected sheet through said machine; low friction faced rails for supporting said selected veneer sheet as it is conveyed by said endless belt; a plurality of stacking bins for receiving the selected veneer sheets; a plurality of gate means, electrically operable, positioned along said rails for diverting the selected veneer sheets from said rails into said stacking bins; and electric circuit means for activating selected ones of the gate means according to the characteristic detected by said second detecting means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
The machine of claim 1 wherein the first detecting means comprise: photoelectric means for determining the width of said veneer sheets.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
55 words
The machine of claim 2 wherein said infeed means includes an endless belt tipple which moves to a non-infeeding position when said photoelectric means detects veneer sheets of less than a minimum width and which moves to an elevated feeding position when said photoelectric means detects veneer sheets that are at least said minimum width.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
56 words
The machine of claim 3 wherein said infeed means further includes a second conveying belt to receive sheets from said tipple when the same is in said elevated feeding position and to carry them to a point of engagement by said overhead conveying belt, and means for aligning the selected sheets as they enter said machine.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
137 words
A machine for sorting and stacking wood veneer sheets having variable quality charaCteristics comprising: infeed means for feeding veneer sheets having a selected size into said machine; means for conveying said selected veneer sheets through said machine; a plurality of stacking stations each having a pair of bins for alternately receiving said selected veneer sheets; a plurality of gate means, each operable between a first position and a second position, said gate means being located along said conveying means at each of said stacking stations for diverting, when in said second position, said selected veneer sheets from said conveying means into a selected one of said pair of bins; and electric circuit means for selecting a station according to the quality characteristic of each sheet and for operating said gate means between said first and second positions.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
137 words
A machine for sorting and stacking wood veneer sheets having variable quality charaCteristics comprising: infeed means for feeding veneer sheets having a selected size into said machine; means for conveying said selected veneer sheets through said machine; a plurality of stacking stations each having a pair of bins for alternately receiving said selected veneer sheets; a plurality of gate means, each operable between a first position and a second position, said gate means being located along said conveying means at each of said stacking stations for diverting, when in said second position, said selected veneer sheets from said conveying means into a selected one of said pair of bins; and electric circuit means for selecting a station according to the quality characteristic of each sheet and for operating said gate means between said first and second positions.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
46 words
The machine of claim 5 wherein said conveying means comprises: an overhead endless belt for frictionally engaging the top sides of said veneer sheets, and a pair of low friction faced rails on which said veneer sheets ride as they are pulled by said overhead belt.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
The machine of claim 5 wherein said infeed means comprise aligning means for correctly positioning said selected veneer sheets prior to their being engaged by said overhead belt.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
The machine of claim 7 wherein said aligning means comprises a pair of endless belts located on each side said machine, said belts each having a vertical axis of rotation.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
The machine of claim 5 wherein said gate means are disposed along said conveying means, one of said gate means being disposed above each of said bins.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
55 words
The machine of claim 9 wherein said first position of said gate means is horizontal whereby said veneer sheets conveyed by said conveying means pass over said gate means without being affected thereby, and said second position is elevated whereby veneer sheets will be diverted downward beneath said gate means into the stacking bin therebelow.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
119 words
The machine of claim 9 further including drop arms rotatable between a retaining and a releasing position, said drop arms being positioned above each bin beneath said gate means, said drop arms being disposed in pairs and being adapted to receive a veneer sheet diverted by said gate means when in said retaining position, said sheet remaining upon said pairs until it is substantially at rest, and means positioned at the downstream end of said drop arms and adapted to contact the leading end of said sheet to rotate said drop arms to said releasing position only when said sheet is resting completely on said drop arms, whereby said sheet passes vertically downwardly into said bin without horizontal velocity.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
45 words
The machine of claim 5 wherein each of said stacking stations includes a stacking hoist having two pairs of hoist arms vertically movable with respect to said hoist, each of said pairs of said hoist arms being disposed in a respective one of said bins.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
32 words
The machine of claim 12 wherein said stacking hoists further include chain means for movably connecting said hoist arm pairs so that when one pair is lowered the other pair is raised.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
41 words
The machine of claim 13 wherein said hoist arm pairs are gravity operated by the weight of the veneer sheets thereon and each of said stacking hoists further includes an air brake for selectively preventing movement of said hoist arm pairs.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
50 words
The machine of claim 14 wherein each of said hoists includes circuit means for releasing said air brakes when the stack of veneer sheets on a pair of hoist arms reaches a selected level, and for reapplying said brakes when said pairs of hoist arms have dropped a selected distance.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
80 words
The machine of claim 5 wherein said electric circuit means comprises: a detecting means for determining a quality characteristic of a sheet; a plurality of switch means disposed at predetermined locations along said conveying means for detecting the location of a sheet as it moves along said conveying means; and relay means responsive to said switcH means for electrically operating said gate means according to the detected quality characteristic only as said sheet reaches said predetermined locations in said machine.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
75 words
The machine of claim 16 wherein said circuit means further includes: second switch means for detecting the presence of a full stack of veneer sheets in each bin of a stacking station, and latch means responsive to said additional switch means for causing said relay means to close said gate means corresponding to a bin having said full stack of veneer sheets and to open said gate means of the other bin of said pair.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
31 words
The machine of claim 17 further including means responsive to said second switch means for removing said full stack of sheets from said bin having said full stack of veneer sheets.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3583562A
Cited
US3717249A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-05-27 | 1977-11-26 | 1978-05-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-05-27 | 1981-11-26 | 1982-05-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-05-27 | 1985-11-26 | 1986-05-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |