US3814153A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for performing a series of operations on a succession of wood workpieces
Assignee: Maschinenfabrik Zuckermann KG
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Filing: 1972-07-24
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Granted: 1974-06-04
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Expires: 1992-07-24
Abstract
Abstract A succession of wooden workpieces are each retained on a carriage forming part of a train of carriages pushed stepwise along an upper guide track along which are arranged a plurality of woodworking machines. A workpiece is loaded automatically onto the furthest upstream carriage and prepared as it moves along and is finally removed from its carriage when this carriage reaches the downstream end of the track. The carriage is then turned over and sent upstream to take on a new workpiece. Midway in the working track there is provided an apparatus having two arms each provided with a rotatable head having jaws which grip the workpiece''s ends. Then the arms lift and turn the workpiece over and set it back on its carriage so that its other face can be worked on.
Inventors
- 👤 E Schmidt
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 05:05
CPC Classifications
B; B27; B27M; B27M1/00; B27M1/08; B23; B23Q; B23Q7/00; B23Q7/14; B23Q7/1426; B23Q7/1478; B23Q7/1489; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/51
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
261 words
An apparatus for shaping a succession of workpieces, said apparatus comprising: an elongated working track having an upstream end and a downstream end; a plurality of carriages displaceable along said working track; means for advancing said carriages stepwise as a train along said working track from said upstream end to said downstream end with each carriage abutting at least one other carriage; a plurality of shaping machines spaced along said working track intermediate said ends; means at said upstream end of said working track for laying a workpiece on a carriage at that end; means at said downstream end of said working track for removing a shaped workpiece from a carriage at that end; clamp means on each of said carriages for retaining a workpiece thereon; an elongated return track extending along said working track between said ends; means for displacing said carriages along said return track from said downstream end of said working track to the upstream end thereof; means at the ends of said tracks for transferring a carriage from one of said tracks to the other of said tracks, said tracks being each a pair of parallel rods, said carriages riding on said rods, said means for transferring including a rotatable body at each end of said tracks, each body having two pairs of storing rods simultaneously alignable with both of said tracks, whereby a carriage may ride off one track onto the storing rods of said body, and means for rotating said body and bringing each of its pairs of storing rods into alignment with either track.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
261 words
An apparatus for shaping a succession of workpieces, said apparatus comprising: an elongated working track having an upstream end and a downstream end; a plurality of carriages displaceable along said working track; means for advancing said carriages stepwise as a train along said working track from said upstream end to said downstream end with each carriage abutting at least one other carriage; a plurality of shaping machines spaced along said working track intermediate said ends; means at said upstream end of said working track for laying a workpiece on a carriage at that end; means at said downstream end of said working track for removing a shaped workpiece from a carriage at that end; clamp means on each of said carriages for retaining a workpiece thereon; an elongated return track extending along said working track between said ends; means for displacing said carriages along said return track from said downstream end of said working track to the upstream end thereof; means at the ends of said tracks for transferring a carriage from one of said tracks to the other of said tracks, said tracks being each a pair of parallel rods, said carriages riding on said rods, said means for transferring including a rotatable body at each end of said tracks, each body having two pairs of storing rods simultaneously alignable with both of said tracks, whereby a carriage may ride off one track onto the storing rods of said body, and means for rotating said body and bringing each of its pairs of storing rods into alignment with either track.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus defined in claim 1, further comprising means along said working track intermediate said ends for inverting a workpiece.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
53 words
The apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein the inverting means includes a pair of arms each having a rotatable head, means on said head for grasping a workpiece, means for lifting said arms with the grasped workpiece, and means for rotating heads through 180* with the lifted grasped workpiece thereby inverting said workpiece.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus defined in claim 3, further comprising means for advancing said arms up to said workpiece from a position alongside said working track.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said means for transferring further comprises means for turning over the carriages.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus defined in claim 5, further comprising fluiD-operated cylinder means for pushing a workpiece off said body and onto one of said tracks.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus defined in claim 1, further comprising means for maintaining all of said carriages on said working track in snug contact with one another.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
40 words
The apparatus defined in claim 9 wherein said means for maintaining snug contact between said carriages includes a stop at said downstream end and a stop at said upstream end, and means for operating said stop at said downstream end.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
226 words
An apparatus for shaping a succession of elongated wooden workpieces, said apparatus comprising: an elongated working track having an upstream end and a downstream end; a plurality of elongated carriages displaceable along said working track in end-to-end contiguous relationship whereby said carriage forms a longitudinally rigid train extending along said track; a plurality of wood-shaping machines spaced along said working track intermediate said ends and including means shiftable parallel to said track for imparting longitudinal contours to a workpiece on a carriage disposed opposite one of said machines in accordance with a template, said carriages each being provided with longitudinally spaced clamps for retaining a respective elongated wooden workpiece thereon; a return track below said working track and extending from said downstream end to said upstream end; a conveyor engageable with carriages on said return track for displacing same independently of the carriages on said working track; means for advancing said carriages on said working track intermittently; means at said upstream end for elevating a carriage returned by said return track to the plane of said working track; means at said upstream end for feeding individual workpieces onto carriages returned to said working track; means at said downstream end for lowering carriages from said working track onto said return track; and means at said downstream end for removing workpieces from the carriages on said working track.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
226 words
An apparatus for shaping a succession of elongated wooden workpieces, said apparatus comprising: an elongated working track having an upstream end and a downstream end; a plurality of elongated carriages displaceable along said working track in end-to-end contiguous relationship whereby said carriage forms a longitudinally rigid train extending along said track; a plurality of wood-shaping machines spaced along said working track intermediate said ends and including means shiftable parallel to said track for imparting longitudinal contours to a workpiece on a carriage disposed opposite one of said machines in accordance with a template, said carriages each being provided with longitudinally spaced clamps for retaining a respective elongated wooden workpiece thereon; a return track below said working track and extending from said downstream end to said upstream end; a conveyor engageable with carriages on said return track for displacing same independently of the carriages on said working track; means for advancing said carriages on said working track intermittently; means at said upstream end for elevating a carriage returned by said return track to the plane of said working track; means at said upstream end for feeding individual workpieces onto carriages returned to said working track; means at said downstream end for lowering carriages from said working track onto said return track; and means at said downstream end for removing workpieces from the carriages on said working track.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
79 words
The apparatus defined in claim 9, further comprising means along said working track intermediate said ends for inverting said workpiece, the inverting means including a pair of arms each having a rotatable head and adapted to straddle the ends of a workpiece juxtaposed therewith; means on each head for grasping a workpiece; means for lifting the arms with the workpiece grasped therebetween; and means for rotating said heads through 180* with the workpiece grasped therebetween to invert the workpiece.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus defined in claim 9 wherein the means for lowering said carriages at said downstream end for displacement along said return track includes means for turning the carriages over.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-06-03 | 1977-12-03 | 1978-06-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-06-03 | 1981-12-03 | 1982-06-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-06-03 | 1985-12-03 | 1986-06-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |