Board turner

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10239703-B2
Application number	US-201615351378-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 14, 2016
Priority date	Nov 13, 2015
Publication date	Mar 26, 2019
Grant date	Mar 26, 2019

Abstract

A board turner assembly may include an endless chain, first and second groups of turning arms pivotably coupled with the endless chain and disposed along opposite sides thereof, an upper guide with an inclined surface, an actuator selectively operable to move the upper guide between a resting position and an extended position, and one or more endless belts. The turning arms may be spaced apart at regular intervals that are offset on one side of the chain relative to the other. The groups of turning arms may be operated in an alternating fashion to turn selected boards to a desired orientation (e.g., wane side up). Corresponding methods and systems are also described.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A board turner assembly comprising:
an endless chain rotatable in a flow direction within a reference plane;
a plurality of first turner arms pivotably coupled to the endless chain at first intervals and disposed along a first side of the endless chain; and
a plurality of second turner arms pivotably coupled to the endless chain at second intervals and disposed along an opposite second side of the endless chain, such that the first and second turner arms are generally parallel to the reference plane and movable along respective rotational paths by rotation of the endless chain,
wherein the first intervals are offset from the second intervals such that the first turner arms and the second turner arms are arranged in an alternating manner along the endless chain, and wherein the first and second turner arms are pivotable, relative to the endless chain, in a first rotary direction from a retracted position to an extended position.

2. The board turner assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the turner arms has a first arm portion and a second arm portion that meet at an angle to form a bend, and a first terminal end defined by the first arm portion, and a second terminal end defined by the second arm portion, and the second arm portion has an arcuate guide surface that extends along the second arm portion between the bend and the second terminal end.

3. The board turner assembly of claim 2 , wherein each of the turner arms is coupled to the endless chain by a respective pair of first and second pivot members spaced apart along the endless chain, the first pivot member is coupled to the first arm portion near the first terminal end, and the second pivot member is movably coupled with the arcuate guide surface such that the arcuate guide surface is movable along the second pivot member as the respective turner arm is pivoted about the respective first pivot member in the first rotary direction, and wherein the turner arms are pivotable about the respective first pivot members in a second rotary direction opposite to the first rotary direction from the extended position to the retracted position.

4. The board turner assembly of claim 3 , wherein the arcuate guide surface is an arcuate slot, channel, or groove, and the second pivot member extends into the arcuate slot, channel, or groove.

5. The board turner assembly of claim 1 , wherein the pivot members are pins or rods disposed through the endless chain and the respective turner arms.

6. The board turner assembly of claim 5 , further including:
a first guide disposed along the first side of the endless chain;
a second guide disposed along the second side of the endless chain, the first and second guides having respective longitudinal guide surfaces that extend generally parallel to the reference plane;
a first actuator operatively coupled to the first guide; and
a second actuator operatively coupled to the second guide,
wherein each of the first and second actuators is independently and selectively actuable to move the corresponding one of the guides from a resting position to an elevated position, in which at least part of the respective longitudinal guide surface is inclined and positioned to contact a guide engaging portion of a respective one of the turner arms as said turner arm is carried in the flow direction, to thereby pivot said turner arm from the retracted position to the extended position.

7. The board turner assembly of claim 6 , wherein the first and second arm portions are generally planar and meet at an angle, and the guide engaging portion is a cam follower, a pin, a roller, or a bearing.

8. The board turner assembly of claim 7 , further including a first return guide disposed along the first side of the endless chain and a second return guide disposed along the second side of the endless chain, wherein the first and second return guides are configured to engage the guide engaging portions of the first and second turner arms, respectively, as said turner arms move along a portion of the rotational path in a second direction opposite to the flow direction, to thereby maintain the turner arms in the retracted position along the portion of the rotational path.

9. A system for turning a board about its longitudinal axis as the board is traveling in a transverse orientation along a flow path in a flow direction, the system comprising:
an endless chain rotatable in the flow direction within a first plane;
a plurality of first turner arms pivotably coupled to the endless chain at first intervals along a first side of the endless chain;
a plurality of second turner arms pivotably coupled to the endless chain at second intervals and disposed along an opposite second side of the endless chain, such that the first and second turner arms are movable along respective rotational paths by rotation of the endless chain, wherein the first intervals are offset from the second intervals such that the first turner arms and the second turner arms are arranged in an alternating manner along the endless chain;
an elongated first guide disposed proximal to the first side of the endless chain and oriented generally parallel to the first plane; and
a first actuator operatively coupled with the first guide, wherein the first actuator is selectively actuable to move the first guide from a resting position, in which an engaging surface of the first guide is below a path of travel of the guide engaging portions of the first turner arms moving in the flow direction, to an engaging position, in which at least a portion of the engaging surface is positioned to contact the guide engaging portion of a corresponding one of the first turner arms moving in the flow direction, to thereby move the corresponding one of the first turner arms in the first rotary direction from the retracted position to the extended position.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the first actuator is coupled to a first torque arm, the first torque arm is fixedly coupled to a first shaft that extends transverse to the flow direction, and a downstream end of the first guide is coupled to the first shaft by a second torque arm, and wherein the first actuator is operable to rotate the first shaft in opposite rotational directions to thereby move the first guide between the resting position and the engaging position.

11. The system of claim 9 , further including:
an elongated second guide disposed proximal to the second side of the endless chain and oriented generally parallel to the first plane; and
a second actuator operatively coupled with the second guide, wherein the second actuator is selectively actuable independently of the first actuator to move the second guide from a respective resting position, in which an engaging surface of the second guide is below a path of travel of the guide engaging portions of the second turner arms moving in the flow direction, to an engaging position, in which at least a portion of the engaging surface is positioned to contact the guide engaging portion of a corresponding one of the second turner arms moving in the flow direction, to thereby move the corresponding one of the second turner arms in the first rotary direction from the retracted position to the extended position.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the first and second actuators are coupled to respective first and second shafts that are generally parallel to one another and transverse to the flow direction, and each of the shafts is coupled to a respective one of the guides by a respective torque arm, and wherein each of the actuators is independently operable to rotate the respective shaft in opposite rotational directions to thereby move the respective

Assignees

• Usnr Llc

Inventors

• Staal Tim
• Congdon Thomas

Classifications

• B65G47/248 Primary

  by turning over or inverting them (B65G47/244 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65G19/265

  for article conveyors, e.g. for container conveyors · CPC title

• B65G2201/0282

  Wooden articles, e.g. logs, trunks or planks · CPC title

• B65G17/16

  comprising individual load-carriers which are pivotally mounted, e.g. for free-swinging movement (guides inverting or tilting load-carriers for emptying {B65G47/38; B65G17/20 takes precedence}) · CPC title

• B65G2201/022

  Flat · CPC title