Tissue log saw conveyor with independent lane control cutting and variable conveyor flight length

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10272585-B1
Application number	US-201815919424-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Mar 13, 2018
Priority date	Oct 11, 2017
Publication date	Apr 30, 2019
Grant date	Apr 30, 2019

Abstract

A conveyor system for advancing tissue logs has a first log advancement member that conveys a lead tissue log toward a discharge end of a lane via a first drive, and a second log advancement member that conveys a successive tissue log after the lead tissue log toward the discharge end of the lane via a second drive. A controller is coupled to the first and second drives. The controller is adapted and configured to control: the first drive to move the first log advancement member between a start and finish position, the second drive to move the second log advancement member between the start and finish position, and the first drive independently of the second drive. A plurality of like lanes may be provided and the controller may also control the first and second drives of one lane independently of the first and second drives of another lane.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A conveyor system for advancing tissue logs, the conveyor system comprising:
a lane having a receiving end and an opposite discharge end and a length extending between the receiving end and the discharge end, the lane being configured to receive a tissue log at the receiving end of the lane, the lane being configured to discharge a tissue log from the lane at the discharge end of the lane;
a first log advancement member for the lane, the first log advancement member being adapted and configured to engage a lead tissue log received in the lane at the receiving end of the lane and convey the lead tissue log toward the discharge end of the lane, the first log advancement member being movable between a start position and a finish position, wherein in the start position, the first log advancement member is positioned in the lane so as to allow the lead tissue log to be received in the lane at the receiving end of the lane, and wherein in the finish position, the first log advancement member is positioned in the lane so as to advance the lead tissue log to the discharge end of the lane;
a first drive for the first log advancement member of the lane, the first drive being adapted and configured to move the first log advancement member between the start position and the finish position;
a second log advancement member for the lane, the second log advancement member being adapted and configured to engage a successive tissue log received in the lane at the receiving end of the lane after the lead tissue log and convey the successive tissue log toward the discharge end of the lane, the second advancement member being movable between the start position and the finish position, wherein in the start position, the second log advancement member is positioned in the lane so as to allow the successive tissue log to be received in the lane adjacent the receiving end of the lane, and wherein in the finish position, the second log advancement member is positioned in the lane so as to advance the successive tissue log to the discharge end of the lane;
a second drive for the second log advancement member of the lane, the second drive being adapted and configured to move the second log advancement member between the start position and the finish positions; and
a controller coupled to the first drive and the second drive, the controller being adapted and configured to control the first drive to move the first log advancement member between the start position and the finish position, the controller being adapted and configured to control the second drive to move the second log advancement member between the start position and the finish position, the controller being adapted and configured to control the first drive independently of the second drive.

2. The conveyor of claim 1 wherein the controller is adapted and configured to control the second drive of the lane to advance the second log advancement member of the lane toward the finish position before the first log advancement member of the lane arrives at the finish position.

3. The conveyor of claim 1 wherein the controller is adapted and configured to control the first drive of the lane to maintain the first log advancement member of the lane at the finish position to engage the successive tissue log and to advance the first log advancement member of the lane to the start position after engaging the successive tissue log.

4. The conveyor system of claim 1 further comprising a log saw having a blade, the log saw blade being positionable adjacent to the discharge end of the lane and configured to cut a log in the lane.

5. A conveyor system for advancing tissue logs comprising:
a plurality of lanes, each lane having a length extending between a receiving end and a opposite discharge end of the lane, the receiving end being configured to receive a log in the lane, the discharge end being configured to expose tissue logs in the lane to a blade of a log saw;
a first log advancement member for each lane, the first log advancement member being adapted and configured to engage a lead tissue log received in the lane at the receiving end of the lane and convey the lead tissue log toward the discharge end of the lane, the first log advancement member being movable between a start position and a finish position, wherein in the start position, the first log advancement member is positioned in the lane so as to allow the lead tissue log to be received in the lane at the receiving end of the lane, and wherein in the finish position, the first log advancement member is positioned in the lane so as to advance the lead tissue log to the discharge end of the lane;
a first drive for the first log advancement member of each lane, the first drive being adapted and configured to move the first log advancement member between the start and finish positions;
a second log advancement member for each lane, the second log advancement member being adapted and configured to engage a successive tissue log received in the lane at the receiving end of the lane after the lead tissue log and convey the successive tissue log toward the discharge end of the lane, the second advancement member being movable between the start position and the finish position, wherein in the start position, the second log advancement member is positioned in the lane so as to allow the successive tissue log to be received in the lane at the receiving end of the lane, and wherein in the finish position, the second log advancement member is positioned in the lane so as to advance the successive tissue log to the discharge end of the lane;
a second drive for the second log advancement member of each lane, the second drive being adapted and configured to move the second log advancement member between the start position and the finish positions; and
a controller coupled to the first drive and the second drive of each lane, the controller being adapted and configured to control the first drive of each lane to move the first log advancement member of each lane between the starting and finish positions, the controller being adapted and configured to control the second drive of each lane to move the second log advancement member of each lane between the starting and finish positions, the controller being adapted and configured to control the first drive of each lane independently of the second drive of each lane, the controller being adapted and configured to control the first and second drive of one lane independently of the first and second drive of another lane.

6. The conveyor of claim 5 wherein the controller is adapted and configured to control the second drive of each lane to advance the second log advancement member of the lane toward the finish position before the first log advancement member of the lane arrives at the finish position.

7. The conveyor of claim 5 wherein the controller is adapted and configured to control the first drive of each lane to maintain the first log advancement member of the lane at the finish position to engage the successive tissue log and to advance the first log advancement member of each lane to the start position after engaging the successive tissue log.

8. The conveyor of claim 5 wherein the first log advancement member of each lane is operatively connected to a first continuous loop, and the second log advancement member of each lane is operatively connected to a second continuous loop.

9. The conveyor of claim 8 further comprising a wheel for moving each of the continuous loops of the lane, the wheel being operatively connected to the drive associated with the log advancement member of the lane.

10. The conveyor of claim 9 further comprising a rail extending along each lane upon which the

Assignees

• Paper Converting Machine Co

Inventors

• Chike Matthew J
• Gussert Cory P

Classifications

• B26D7/0683

  specially adapted for elongated articles · CPC title

• B26D1/16

  mounted on a movable arm or the like · CPC title

• B65G47/31

  by varying the relative speeds of the conveyors forming the series · CPC title

• B26D7/01

  Means for holding or positioning work · CPC title

• B26D2007/013

  the work being tubes, rods or logs · CPC title