US3904046A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Lumber stacking apparatus
Assignee: MOORE INTERNATIONAL Corp
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Filing: 1974-08-16
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Granted: 1975-09-09
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Expires: 1994-08-16
Abstract
Abstract A lumber stacking apparatus for successively placing courses of boards one on another to form an upright stack. The apparatus includes a course support means operated by a drive means to: (1) engage and lift a course of boards from a course pickup station; (2) hold the course elevated while moving it forwardly to a stacking station; (3) lowering the course toward the top layer of a stack; and (4) retracting the course support means from beneath the course of boards to deposit it onto the stack. The apparatus includes a horizontally oriented drive crank means for reciprocating the course support means in a forward and backward direction. A ''''crown'''' cam and follower arrangement operatively cooperate with the drive crank means to affect upward and downward movement of the course support means at the course pickup and stacking stations.
Inventors
- 👤 Sidney L Lunden
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 16:12
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65G; B65G57/00; B65G57/02; B65G57/09; B65G57/10; B65G57/16; B65G57/18
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
356 words
A lumber stacking apparatus for receiving a course of boards at a course pickup station and for successively moving the courses of boards to a course stacking station and stacking the courses one on top of the other to form a lumber stack, comprising: a. a frame; b. a carriage movably mounted on the frame for reciprocating in a horizontal direction between the courses pickup station and the course stacking station; c. course support means mounted on the carriage for reciprocating movement with the carriage and for up and down movement relative to the carriage; d. drive means operatively connected to the carriage, frame, and course support means for: (1) moving the course support means relative to the carriage to an elevated position at the course pickup station to pick up a course of boards; (2) moving the carriage from the course pickup station to the course stacking station while maintaining the support means in the elevated position to carry the course to the course stacking station; (3) moving the course support means downward at the course stacking stAtion to lower the course; and (4) moving the carriage from the stacking station to the pickup station to prepare for a subsequent course of boards; said drive means comprising: e. a crankshaft supported for rotation about a vertical crankshaft axis; f. drive crank means operatively connecting the crnakshaft, the frame and the carriage, and movable in a substantially horizontal plane for reciprocating the carriage in a translational path; g. a cam follower operatively connected to the course support means; h. cam means operatively connected to the crankshaft for engaging the cam follower as the crankshaft is being rotated to sequentially raise the course support means to the elevated position at the course pickup station, maintain the course support means elevated as the carriage is moved from the course support station to the course stacking station, and finally lower the course support means at the course support station; and i. a motor operatively connected to the crankshaft for rotating the crankshaft about the vertical crankshaft axis to reciprocate the carriage and raise and lower the course support means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
356 words
A lumber stacking apparatus for receiving a course of boards at a course pickup station and for successively moving the courses of boards to a course stacking station and stacking the courses one on top of the other to form a lumber stack, comprising: a. a frame; b. a carriage movably mounted on the frame for reciprocating in a horizontal direction between the courses pickup station and the course stacking station; c. course support means mounted on the carriage for reciprocating movement with the carriage and for up and down movement relative to the carriage; d. drive means operatively connected to the carriage, frame, and course support means for: (1) moving the course support means relative to the carriage to an elevated position at the course pickup station to pick up a course of boards; (2) moving the carriage from the course pickup station to the course stacking station while maintaining the support means in the elevated position to carry the course to the course stacking station; (3) moving the course support means downward at the course stacking stAtion to lower the course; and (4) moving the carriage from the stacking station to the pickup station to prepare for a subsequent course of boards; said drive means comprising: e. a crankshaft supported for rotation about a vertical crankshaft axis; f. drive crank means operatively connecting the crnakshaft, the frame and the carriage, and movable in a substantially horizontal plane for reciprocating the carriage in a translational path; g. a cam follower operatively connected to the course support means; h. cam means operatively connected to the crankshaft for engaging the cam follower as the crankshaft is being rotated to sequentially raise the course support means to the elevated position at the course pickup station, maintain the course support means elevated as the carriage is moved from the course support station to the course stacking station, and finally lower the course support means at the course support station; and i. a motor operatively connected to the crankshaft for rotating the crankshaft about the vertical crankshaft axis to reciprocate the carriage and raise and lower the course support means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
The lumber stacking apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the crankshaft is rotatably mounted on the carriage with the drive crank means extending from the crankshaft to a wrist pin connection affixed on the frame.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
The stacking apparatus set out in claim 2 wherein the crankshaft is located on the carriage with its vertical axis maintained in a vertical plane parallel to the translational path of the carriage.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
The lumber stacking apparatus defined in claim 3 wherein the drive crank means includes a connecting link pivotally connected to the frame at the wrist pin connection for pivotal movement about a vertical wrist pin axis.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
71 words
The lumber stacking apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein the vertical wrist pin axis is laterally offset from the vertical crankshaft axis with reference to the vertical plane, to increase the period of forward stroke of the carriage from the course pickup station to the course stacking station and to decrease the period of the rearward stroke of the carriage from the course stacking station to the course pickup station.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
The stacking apparatus set out in claim 4 wherein the drive crank means includes a crank arm affixed to the crankshaft that extends therefrom to an outer end pivotably mounted to the connecting link by a crank pin.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
The stacking apparatus set out in claim 6 wherein the distance between the vertical crankshaft axis and the crank pin is less than the distance between the crank pin and vertical wrist pin axis.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
46 words
The stacking apparatus set out in claim 2 wherein the cam is mounted to the crankshaft for rotation therewith and the cam follower is fixed relative to the course support means, said support means being vertically movable along an upright guide track affixed to the carriage.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
The stacking apparatus set out in claim 8 wherein the cam includes a cam face extending coaxially about the crankshaft axis to effect axial movement of the follower with respect to the crankshaft axis.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
The stacking apparatus set out in claim 6 wherein the motor is mounted to the carriage and is connected to the crankshaft by a sprocket and roller chain assembly..
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
119 words
The stacking apparatus set out in claim 2 wherein the drive means further comprises a second crankshaft on the carriage parallel to the laterally spaced from the first named crankshaft with respect to the translational path in which the second crankshaft is operatively connected to the frame by a second drive crank means at a second wrist pin on the frame for pivotal movement about a second vertical wrist pin axis spaced laterally from the first named wrist pin with respect to the translational path; said second drive crank means corresponding to the first-named drive crank means; and wherein said motor is mounted to the carriage and is operatively connected to both crankshafts for affecting their rotatIon in unison.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
46 words
The stacking apparatus set out in claim 11 further including a second cam mounted on the second crankshaft for rotation therewith, and a second follower affixed to the course support means to engage the second cam; and said second cam operatively corresponding to said first-named cam.
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) | 1978-09-08 | 1979-03-10 | 1979-09-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-09-08 | 1983-03-10 | 1983-09-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-09-08 | 1987-03-10 | 1987-09-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |