US4231464A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Conveyor with laterally adjustable flights
Assignee: KOCKUMS CANCAR CORP KING STREET AND COCHRAN AVE TALLADEGA AL A CORP OF
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Filing: 1979-01-15
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Granted: 1980-11-04
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Expires: 1999-01-15
Abstract
Abstract An infeed conveyor feeds logs lengthwise toward a sawing, chipping or other log processing machine. The infeed conveyor has two endless conveyor chains which circulate in an infeed conveyor path carrying flights along low-friction guides. To assist in obtaining optimum lumber recovery from logs, each flight has a load-engaging portion for cradling logs which is movable transversely of the infeed path so that a tapered log is laterally and angularly positioned as desired with respect to the centerline of the moving conveyor. Line bars along the conveyor, moved by manually or automatically-actuated cylinders engage the load-engaging portion of the flights to shift them and a supported log laterally to a desired alignment. The load-engaging portion of each flight is held in an adjusted lateral position after the line bars retract by friction blocks compressed between the load-engaging portion and the base portion. The load-engaging portion has low-friction bearing pads which slidingly support it on stationary support surfaces of the conveyor frame as a log is conveyed.
Inventors
- 👤 Jay C. Neilson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 22:09
CPC Classifications
B; B27; B27L; B27L5/00; B27L5/02; B27L5/022; B23; B23Q; B23Q7/00; B23Q7/16; B23Q7/18; B27B; B27B31/00; B27B31/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
121 words
A conveyor system comprising: endless flexible conveyor means movable along a conveyor path; multiple flight means spaced apart along said path, each said flight means including a base portion and a load-engaging portion, said load-engaging portion being movable relative to said base portion transversely between a centered position in said path and a position laterally offset from said centered position; and a line bar extending lengthwise along the conveyor path; the line bar being movable transversely to said path to laterally engage said load-engaging portion to move said load-engaging portion to a selected lateral position; whereby an object supported on said flight means can be transported on said conveyor means along said path and laterally reoriented with respect to said path.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
121 words
A conveyor system comprising: endless flexible conveyor means movable along a conveyor path; multiple flight means spaced apart along said path, each said flight means including a base portion and a load-engaging portion, said load-engaging portion being movable relative to said base portion transversely between a centered position in said path and a position laterally offset from said centered position; and a line bar extending lengthwise along the conveyor path; the line bar being movable transversely to said path to laterally engage said load-engaging portion to move said load-engaging portion to a selected lateral position; whereby an object supported on said flight means can be transported on said conveyor means along said path and laterally reoriented with respect to said path.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
A conveyor system according to claim 1 including control means for sensing the position of an object transported on said conveyor means and actuating said line bar in response to said sensing to control the lateral positioning of said load-engaging portions.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
A conveyor system according to claim 1 including holding means for retaining said load-engaging portion in a selected lateral position until urged to a new lateral position, said line bar being operable to override said holding means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
A conveyor system according to claim 1 wherein said line bar is operable to engage and then disengage said load-engaging portion while said conveyor means is in motion to reposition said load-engaging portion.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
A conveyor system according to claim 1 wherein said line bar is operable to move the load-engaging portions of successive flight means simultaneously to different lateral positions with respect to said conveyor path.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
A conveyor system according to claim 1 wherein said line bar comprises a pair of laterally opposed line bars, one along each of the opposite sides of said conveyor means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
49 words
A conveyor system according to claim 1 in which said line bar is movable from a position parallel to said conveyor to a position askew of said path to move a first load-engaging portion to a first lateral position and a second load-engaging portion to a second lateral position.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
149 words
A conveyor system comprising: endless flexible conveyor means movable along a conveyor path; multiple flight means spaced apart along said path and connected to said conveyor means for movement therewith, each said flight means including a base portion and a load-engaging portion, the load-engaging portion being movable relative to the base portion transversely between a centered position in said path and a position laterally offset from said centered position; holding means for retaining said load-engaging portion in a selected lateral position until urged to a new lateral position; and a pair of laterally opposed line bars, one along each of the opposite sides of said conveyor means; said line bars having mutually opposing faces between which said flight means move on said conveyor path; said opposing faces being slidingly engagable with opposite side faces of said load-engaging portions to override said holding means to laterally reposition said load-engaging portions.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
149 words
A conveyor system comprising: endless flexible conveyor means movable along a conveyor path; multiple flight means spaced apart along said path and connected to said conveyor means for movement therewith, each said flight means including a base portion and a load-engaging portion, the load-engaging portion being movable relative to the base portion transversely between a centered position in said path and a position laterally offset from said centered position; holding means for retaining said load-engaging portion in a selected lateral position until urged to a new lateral position; and a pair of laterally opposed line bars, one along each of the opposite sides of said conveyor means; said line bars having mutually opposing faces between which said flight means move on said conveyor path; said opposing faces being slidingly engagable with opposite side faces of said load-engaging portions to override said holding means to laterally reposition said load-engaging portions.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
148 words
A conveyor system comprising: endless flexible conveyor means movable along a conveyor path; multiple flight means spaced apart along said path and connected to said conveyor means for movement therewith, each said flight means including a base portion and a load-engaging portion, the load-engaging portion being movable relative to the base portion transversely between a centered position in said path and a position laterally offset from said centered position; holding means for retaining said load-engaging portion in a selected lateral position until urged to a new lateral position; and a pair of laterally opposed line bars, one along each of the opposite sides of said conveyor means; and powered means operable to laterally move each set of ends of said line bars a selectable distance, to move any of said load-engaging portions engaged by said line bars and override said holding means to laterally reposition said load-engaging portions.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
148 words
A conveyor system comprising: endless flexible conveyor means movable along a conveyor path; multiple flight means spaced apart along said path and connected to said conveyor means for movement therewith, each said flight means including a base portion and a load-engaging portion, the load-engaging portion being movable relative to the base portion transversely between a centered position in said path and a position laterally offset from said centered position; holding means for retaining said load-engaging portion in a selected lateral position until urged to a new lateral position; and a pair of laterally opposed line bars, one along each of the opposite sides of said conveyor means; and powered means operable to laterally move each set of ends of said line bars a selectable distance, to move any of said load-engaging portions engaged by said line bars and override said holding means to laterally reposition said load-engaging portions.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
146 words
A conveyor system comprising: endless flexible conveyor means movable along a conveyor path; multiple flight means spaced apart along said path and connected to said conveyor means for movement therewith, each said flight means including a base portion and a load-engaging portion, the load-engaging portion being movable relative to the base portion transversely between a centered position in said path and a position laterally offset from said centered position; holding means for retaining said load-engaging portion in a selected lateral position until urged to a new lateral position; a pair of laterally opposed line bars, one along each of the opposite sides of said conveyor means; and powered means operable to move said line bars into engagement with multiple load-engaging portions of the said flights to override said holding means and to simultaneously move said portions to different lateral positions with respect to said conveyor path.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
146 words
A conveyor system comprising: endless flexible conveyor means movable along a conveyor path; multiple flight means spaced apart along said path and connected to said conveyor means for movement therewith, each said flight means including a base portion and a load-engaging portion, the load-engaging portion being movable relative to the base portion transversely between a centered position in said path and a position laterally offset from said centered position; holding means for retaining said load-engaging portion in a selected lateral position until urged to a new lateral position; a pair of laterally opposed line bars, one along each of the opposite sides of said conveyor means; and powered means operable to move said line bars into engagement with multiple load-engaging portions of the said flights to override said holding means and to simultaneously move said portions to different lateral positions with respect to said conveyor path.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
81 words
A conveyor system comprising: endless flexible conveyor means movable along a conveyor path; multiple flight means spaced apart along said path; and a stationary bearing surface means along said path; said flight means including a base portion connected to said conveyor means and a load-engaging portion movable relative to said conveyor means transversely of said path; the load-engaging portion including bearing means for supporting the load-engaging portion on said surface means for movement both along and transversely of said conveyor path.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
81 words
A conveyor system comprising: endless flexible conveyor means movable along a conveyor path; multiple flight means spaced apart along said path; and a stationary bearing surface means along said path; said flight means including a base portion connected to said conveyor means and a load-engaging portion movable relative to said conveyor means transversely of said path; the load-engaging portion including bearing means for supporting the load-engaging portion on said surface means for movement both along and transversely of said conveyor path.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
35 words
A conveyor system according to claim 11 including friction block means biasedly interengaging said base and load-engaging portions for retaining said load-engaging portion in a selected lateral position until urged to a new lateral position.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
100 words
A conveyor flight for a flighted conveyor having endless flexible conveyor means movable along a path, comprising: a base portion including two transverse members joined at their opposite ends by spacer means to define a space therebetween, said members having inwardly-opposed transversely-extending parallel sides bounding said space; a load-engaging portion contained between said members and transversely movable within said space between said spacer means; and friction block means carried by said load-engaging portion and urged against said transverse member by a spring to interengage said portions to frictionally hold the load-engaging portion in a selected lateral position within said space.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
100 words
A conveyor flight for a flighted conveyor having endless flexible conveyor means movable along a path, comprising: a base portion including two transverse members joined at their opposite ends by spacer means to define a space therebetween, said members having inwardly-opposed transversely-extending parallel sides bounding said space; a load-engaging portion contained between said members and transversely movable within said space between said spacer means; and friction block means carried by said load-engaging portion and urged against said transverse member by a spring to interengage said portions to frictionally hold the load-engaging portion in a selected lateral position within said space.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
60 words
A conveyor flight for a flighted conveyor having endless flexible conveyor means movable along a path, comprising: a base portion connected to said conveyor means; and a load-engaging portion movable relative to said base portion transversely of said path; the load-engaging portion including low-friction bearing means for supporting said portion on a stationary bearing surface means extending along said path.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
60 words
A conveyor flight for a flighted conveyor having endless flexible conveyor means movable along a path, comprising: a base portion connected to said conveyor means; and a load-engaging portion movable relative to said base portion transversely of said path; the load-engaging portion including low-friction bearing means for supporting said portion on a stationary bearing surface means extending along said path.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
14 words
A flight according to claim 14 wherein said bearing means includes low-friction pad means.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
29 words
A flight according to claim 14 including friction block means carried by said load-engaging portion and urged against said base portion by a spring for frictionally interengaging said portions.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
120 words
A conveyor system comprising: endless flexible conveyor means movable along a conveyor path, multiple flight means spaced apart along said path, each flight means including a base portion connected to the conveyor means, a laterally movable load-engaging portion and a friction block yieldably interengaging said portions to hold the load-engaging portion in a selected lateral position until urged to a different lateral position; a stationary bearing surface extending along said path slidingly supporting said load-engaging portions; and a pair of line bars extending along opposite sides of the conveyor path and operable to engage a lateral side of at least one of said load-engaging portions to override the friction block and urge said load-engaging portion to a different lateral position.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
120 words
A conveyor system comprising: endless flexible conveyor means movable along a conveyor path, multiple flight means spaced apart along said path, each flight means including a base portion connected to the conveyor means, a laterally movable load-engaging portion and a friction block yieldably interengaging said portions to hold the load-engaging portion in a selected lateral position until urged to a different lateral position; a stationary bearing surface extending along said path slidingly supporting said load-engaging portions; and a pair of line bars extending along opposite sides of the conveyor path and operable to engage a lateral side of at least one of said load-engaging portions to override the friction block and urge said load-engaging portion to a different lateral position.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1983-11-04 | 1984-05-05 | 1984-11-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1987-11-04 | 1988-05-05 | 1988-11-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1991-11-04 | 1992-05-05 | 1992-11-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |