Apparatus and method for taking out a single sheet from a stack of veneer sheets

Claim 1

A method of taking out sheets of veneer from a stack of sheets of veneer, said stack of sheets of veneer being arranged such that a butt end of each layer of said sheets is positioned a predetermined stepped distance with respect to a butt end of the next successive layer in a direction parallel to the direction of fiber of the veneer sheets; the method comprising the successive steps of disposing a plurality of picking-up means above and opposite one of the butt ends of the topmost layer of said stack of veneer sheets, each of said picking-up means having a reference surface and a tapered element disposed in the direction of fiber of the veneer sheets, the pointed end of the tapered element being arranged below said reference surface; lowering said picking-up means to contact said reference surface with the upper surface of said topmost layer of veneer sheets to place the tapered element directly opposite said one of the butt ends thereof; moving the picking-up means toward said one of the butt ends of said topmost layer and parallel to the upper surface of said topmost layer to thrust the pointed ends of said tapered elements into the butt end of the topmost layer of veneer sheets; lifting the picking-up means to separate the butt end of the topmost layer of said stack of veneer sheets from the butt end of the adjacent layer; and moving the picking-up means and topmost layer of veneer sheets in a horizontal direction and toward the delivery position.

Claim 2

A method of taking out sheets of veneer from a stack of sheets of veneer, said stack of sheets of veneer being arranged such that a butt end of each layer of said sheets is positioned a predetermined stepped distance with respect to a butt end of the next successive layer in a direction parallel to the direction of fiber of the veneer sheets; the method comprising the successive steps of disposing a plurality of picking-up means above and opposite one of the butt ends of the topmost layer of said stack of veneer sheets, each of said picking-up means having a reference surface and a tapered element disposed in the direction of fiber of the veneer sheets, the pointed end of the tapered element being arranged below said reference surface; lowering said picking-up means to contact said reference surface with the upper surface of said topmost layer of veneer sheets to place the tapered element directly opposite said one of the butt ends thereof; moving the picking-up means toward said one of the butt ends of said topmost layer and parallel to the upper surface of said topmost layer to thrust the pointed ends of said tapered elements into the butt end of the topmost layer of veneer sheets; lifting the picking-up means to separate the butt end of the topmost layer of said stack of veneer sheets from the butt end of the adjacent layer; and moving the picking-up means and topmost layer of veneer sheets in a horizontal direction and toward the delivery position.

Claim 4

An apparatus for taking out sheets of veneer from a vertical stack of sheets of veneer and comprising a plurality of picking-up means arranged parallel to each other in a horizontal direction, each picking-up means comprising a supporting member movable vertically and horizontally, and a picking-up member resiliently connected to the supporting member, the picking-up member having a lower surface adapted to act as a reference surface with respect to the upper surface of the uppermost sheet of veneer and a tapered element having a sharply pointed end and horizontally positioned below said lower surface of the picking-up member at a level at which the distance of the pointed end from the reference surface is less than the thickness of a sheet of said veneer; said plurality of picking-up means being arranged such that the tapered elements are parallel to each other in a horizontal direction and point in the same direction perpendicular to a line between the pointed ends and adapted to oppose a butt end of the uppermost sheet of veneer; and means suitable for supporting said picking-up means.

Claim 5

An apparatus for taking out sheets of veneer from a vertical stack of sheets of veneer and comprising a plurality of picking-up means arranged parallel to each other in a horizontal direction, each picking-up means comprising a supporting member movable vertically and horizontally, and a picking-up member resiliently connected to the supporting member, the picking-up member having a lower surface adapted to act as a reference surface with respect to the upper surface of the uppermost sheet of veneer and a tapered element having a sharply pointed end and horizontally positioned below said lower surface of the picking-up member at a level at which the distance of the pointed end from the reference surface is less than the thickness of a sheet of said veneer; said plurality of picking-up means being arranged such that the tapered elements are parallel to each other in a horizontal direction and point in the same direction perpendicular to a line between the pointed ends and adapted to oppose a butt end of the uppermost sheet of veneer; and means suitable for supporting said picking-up means.

Claim 9

An apparatus for taking out sheets of veneer from a vertical stack of sheets of veneer, said stack of sheets of veneer being arranged such that a butt end of each layer of said sheets is positioned a predetermined stepped distance with respect to a butt end of the next successive layer in a direction parallel to the direction of fiber of the veneer sheets, said apparatus comprising a carrier member (10) having a frame-like shape and adapted to be moved in a horizontal direction; spaced apart vertical cylinders (14) connected to said carrier member along the length thereof; each of said cylinders comprising a rod (14') movable vertically; and picking-up means (11) connected to the lower ends of said rods; each of said picking-up means comprising a base having a lower surface (12) adapted to act as a reference surface with respect to the upper surface of the uppermost sheet of veneer, a projecting portion (11') extending downwardly from one end of said base, and a tapered element (13) extending horizontally from said projecting portion along the lower surface of said base and having a sharply pointed end spaced apart from said lower surface of the base a distance less than the thickness of a sheet of said veneer, said picking-up means being arranged such that the tapered elements are parallel to each other in a horizontal direction and point in the same direction perpendicular to a line between the pointed ends and adapted to oppose a butt end of the uppermost sheet of veneer.

Claim 10

An apparatus for taking out sheets of veneer from a vertical stack of sheets of veneer, said stack of sheets of veneer being arranged such that a butt end of each layer of said sheets is positioned a predetermined stepped distance with respect to a butt end of the next successive layer in a direction parallel to the direction of fiber of the veneer sheets, said apparatus comprising a carrier member (10) having a frame-like shape and adapted to be moved in a horizontal direction; spaced apart vertical cylinders (14) connected to said carrier member along the length thereof; each of said cylinders comprising a rod (14') movable vertically; and picking-up means (11) connected to the lower ends of said rods; each of said picking-up means comprising a base having a lower surface (12) adapted to act as a reference surface with respect to the upper surface of the uppermost sheet of veneer, a projecting portion (11') extending downwardly from one end of said base, and a tapered element (13) extending horizontally from said projecting portion along the lower surface of said base and having a sharply pointed end spaced apart from said lower surface of the base a distance less than the thickness of a sheet of said veneer, said picking-up means being arranged such that the tapered elements are parallel to each other in a horizontal direction and point in the same direction perpendicular to a line between the pointed ends and adapted to oppose a butt end of the uppermost sheet of veneer.