Lug loader

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10450145-B2
Application number	US-201816140367-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 24, 2018
Priority date	Jun 5, 2014
Publication date	Oct 22, 2019
Grant date	Oct 22, 2019

Abstract

Embodiments provide an electric lug loader system. An electric lug loader may include a shaft assembly rotatably mounted to a frame that extends across a flow path. The shaft assembly may have shafts arranged radially around, and parallel to, the rotational axis of the shaft assembly, clamp members arranged along each of the shafts, support members arranged radially around the rotational axis and across the flow path, and electric drives coupled to the shafts. Conveyors may be coupled with the frame and spaced apart across the flow path upstream and/or downstream of the shaft assembly. Additional drives may be coupled with the shaft assembly and the conveyors. A controller may be configured to synchronize the drives to engage successive workpieces between the clamp members and the support members and deposit the workpieces onto a lugged conveyor. Other embodiments provide related methods and systems.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A control system for use with an apparatus for singulating elongate workpieces traveling along a flow path in a generally transverse orientation, wherein the apparatus includes a shaft assembly rotatable about a first rotational axis and a drive system, the shaft assembly
has a plurality of clamp members mounted to first shafts that are arranged radially around the first rotational axis within a circular path of rotation of the shaft assembly, and the drive system is operable to rotate the first shafts independently of one another,
wherein the control system includes:
a controller configured to control the drive system to move a first one or more of the clamp members to a clamping position at a clamp actuation point, and to a releasing position at a release actuation point, along the circular path while the shaft assembly is rotated around the rotational axis,
wherein the controller is further configured to determine one or more of the clamping position, the clamp actuation point, the releasing position, or the release actuation point based at least in part on one or more workpiece characteristics or input entered by an operator.

2. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the drive system includes a plurality of first drives, and each of the first drives is operatively connected to a respective one of the first shafts, and wherein the controller is a programmable logic controller (PLC) or a computer.

3. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is programmed with predetermined actuation points for respective workpiece types or dimensions, and the controller is configured to select the clamp actuation point or the release actuation point from among said predetermined actuation points based on the one or more workpiece characteristics or the input.

4. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the drive system includes a plurality of first drives operatively coupled with respective ones of the first shafts, and wherein the controller is configured to determine the clamp actuation point or the clamping position for each of the workpieces and to control each of the first drives based at least in part on the respective clamp actuation points or clamping positions determined for the respective workpieces.

5. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the drive system includes a plurality of first drives operatively coupled with respective ones of the first shafts, and the controller is configured to determine the clamp actuation point or the clamping position for a batch of the workpieces and to control the first drives based at least in part on the clamp actuation point or the clamping position determined for the batch of workpieces.

6. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more workpiece characteristics includes one or more dimensions of a workpiece to be engaged by the one or more clamp members, and wherein the controller is configured to determine the clamp actuation point or the release actuation point based at least in part on the one or more workpiece dimensions.

7. The control system of claim 6 , further including one or more sensors configured to detect the one or more dimensions, wherein the one or more dimensions includes width or thickness.

8. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus further includes a conveyor positioned to transport the workpieces in the transverse orientation to the shaft assembly, wherein the controller is further configured to control a speed of the conveyor based at least in part on the one or more workpiece characteristics or the input.

9. The control system of claim 8 , further including one or more sensors positioned to view the workpieces upstream of the shaft assembly along the flow path and configured to detect the one or more workpiece characteristics, wherein the one or more workpiece characteristics is one or more workpiece dimensions.

10. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more workpiece characteristics includes one or more dimensions of a workpiece to be engaged by the one or more clamp members, and wherein the dimensions include width or thickness.

11. The control system of claim 10 , wherein each of the first drives has an adjustable maximum current limit, and the controller is configured to adjust the maximum current limit based at least on the one or more workpiece characteristics or said input.

12. The control system of claim 10 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the clamp actuation point or the release actuation point based on at least on said workpiece characteristic or said input, the clamping position is defined as an amount of torque to be applied to the respective first shaft, and the controller is configured to rotate the respective first shaft to the clamping position based at least in part on a measurement of current on the respective first drive.

13. A method of controlling an apparatus for singulating elongate workpieces traveling along a flow path in a generally transverse orientation, wherein the apparatus includes a shaft assembly rotatable about a first rotational axis and a drive system, the shaft assembly has a plurality of clamp members mounted to first shafts that are arranged radially around the first rotational axis within a circular path of rotation of the shaft assembly, and the drive system is operable to rotate the first shafts independently of one another, wherein the method includes:
operatively coupling the drive system with a controller, wherein the controller is configured to control the drive system to move the clamp members to a clamping position at a clamp actuation point, and to a releasing position at a release actuation point, along the circular path while the shaft assembly is rotated around the rotational axis,
wherein the controller is further configured to determine one or more of the clamping position, the clamp actuation point, the releasing position, or the release actuation point based at least in part on a workpiece characteristic or input entered by an operator.

14. The method of claim 13 , further including programming the controller with predetermined actuation points for respective workpiece types or dimensions, wherein the controller is configured to select the clamp actuation point or the release actuation point from among said predetermined actuation points based on the one or more workpiece characteristics or the input.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the drive system includes a plurality of first drives operatively coupled with respective ones of the first shafts, and the controller is configured to determine the clamp actuation point or the clamping position for each of the workpieces individually.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the drive system includes a plurality of first drives operatively coupled with respective ones of the first shafts, and the controller is configured to determine the clamp actuation point or the clamping position for a batch of the workpieces based on the input.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the one or more workpiece characteristics includes one or more dimensions of a workpiece to be engaged by the one or more clamp members, and wherein the controller is configured to determine the clamp actuation point or the release actuation point based at least in part on the one or more workpiece dimensions.

18. The method of claim 17 , further including operatively coupling the controller with one or more sensors configured to detect the one or more dimensions of the workpiece.

19. The method of claim 13 , further including operative

Assignees

• Usnr Llc
• Usnr Lc

Inventors

• Petryshen Larry
• Jackson James
• Howes David
• Congdon Thomas

Classifications

• B65G47/8846

  with a pivoting pusher element which lifts or releases the article · CPC title

• B65G2201/0217

  Elongated · CPC title

• B65G47/847 Primary

  the article-engaging elements being grippers · CPC title

• B65G2201/0282

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

• B65G47/904

  provided with rotary movements only · CPC title