Bundle breaker with scrap chute

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12427690-B2
Application number	US-202318121386-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 14, 2023
Priority date	Mar 15, 2022
Publication date	Sep 30, 2025
Grant date	Sep 30, 2025

Abstract

A bundle breaker has downstream and upstream breaking supports, first and second platens located over the respective breaking supports and first and second actuators to move the platens to selectively clamp portions of a log against the breaking supports. A third actuator shifts the downstream breaking support relative to the upstream breaking support from a first position to a second position to break a bundle from the log. A scrap chute is mounted below a junction of the upstream and downstream breaking support to catch scrap material falling between the upstream support and the downstream breaking support. Each time the downstream breaking conveyor is shifted to the second position, scrap in the chute is jolted and is shifted toward a discharge opening of the scrap chute and, optionally, into a scrap drawer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A bundle breaker having an upstream end and a downstream end and comprising:
an downstream breaking support having an input end and an output end,
a first platen located above the downstream breaking support,
a first actuator operably connected to the first platen and configured to shift the first platen toward a raised position above the downstream breaking support and toward a lowered position above the downstream breaking support to selectively clamp a first portion of a log between a bottom contact surface of the first platen and the downstream breaking support,
an upstream breaking support having an input end and an output end,
a second platen located above the upstream breaking support,
a second actuator operably connected to the second platen and configured to shift the second platen toward a raised position above the upstream breaking support and toward a lowered position above the upstream breaking support to selectively clamp a second portion of the log between a bottom contact surface of the second platen and the upstream breaking support,
a third actuator configured to shift the downstream breaking support relative to the upstream breaking support from a first position to a second position to break the first portion of the log from the second portion of the log,
a scrap chute below a junction of the output end of the upstream breaking support and the input end of the downstream breaking support configured to catch scrap material falling between the upstream support and the downstream breaking support, and
wherein the scrap chute is mounted to the downstream breaking support so that the scrap chute moves with the downstream breaking support when the downstream breaking support shifts from the first position to the second position.

2. The bundle breaker according to claim 1 ,
wherein the scrap chute has a floor facing the downstream breaking support and at least one side wall extending from the floor toward the downstream breaking support, the at least one side wall having a first end and a second end spaced from the first end to define a discharge opening of the scrap chute.

3. The bundle breaker according to claim 2 ,
including an upstream end wall at an upstream end of the scrap chute.

4. The bundle breaker according to claim 3
wherein the scrap chute comprises a unitary structure formed from sheet metal or plastic.

5. The bundle breaker according to claim 1 ,
including a scrap drawer having a top opening positioned such that scrap exiting the scrap chute through the discharge opening falls into the scrap drawer,
wherein the scrap chute includes a discharge opening, and
wherein the discharge opening is located a first distance from the top opening when the downstream breaking support is in the first position and is located a second distance from the top opening when the downstream breaking support is in the second position, the second distance being less than the first distance.

6. The bundle breaker according to claim 5 ,
wherein the scrap drawer includes an upstream wall and a downstream wall taller than the upstream wall,
wherein a lip depends from the floor of the scrap chute at the discharge opening,
wherein when the downstream breaking support is in the first position, the lip is located outside the scrap drawer, and
wherein when the downstream breaking support is in the second position, the lip extends into the scrap drawer.

7. The bundle breaker according to claim 6 ,
wherein the scrap drawer is slidably supported by a frame of the bundle breaker, and
wherein the downstream breaking support is movable independently of the scrap drawer.

8. The bundle breaker according to claim 1 ,
wherein an upstream end of the scrap chute has a first width substantially equal to a width of the downstream bundle breaker,
wherein a discharge opening of the scrap chute has a second width less than the first width, and
wherein a portion of the at least one side wall extending from the first end of the at least one side wall is angled relative to the downstream direction to guide scrap toward the discharge opening.

9. The bundle breaker according to claim 1 ,
wherein, when the downstream breaking conveyor is in the first position, an upstream end of the scrap chute extends under the upstream breaking support.

10. The bundle breaker according to claim 1 ,
wherein the upstream breaking support comprises an upstream conveyor and the downstream breaking support comprises a downstream breaking conveyor.

11. The bundle breaker according to claim 1 ,
wherein the scrap chute has a floor facing the downstream breaking support and at least one side wall extending from the floor toward the downstream breaking support, the at least one side wall having a first end and a second end spaced from the first end to define a discharge opening of the scrap chute, and
wherein an angle of the floor of the scrap chute relative to a horizontal plane is too small to cause scrap falling into the scrap chute to slide out of the discharge opening when the downstream breaking support is in the first position.

12. The bundle breaker according to claim 11 ,
wherein the angle is about 10 degrees.

13. A bundle breaker having an upstream end and a downstream end and comprising:
a downstream breaking support having an input end and an output end,
a first platen located above the downstream breaking support,
a first actuator operably connected to the first platen and configured to shift the first platen toward a raised position above the downstream breaking support and toward a lowered position above the downstream breaking support to selectively clamp a first portion of a log between a bottom contact surface of the first platen and the downstream breaking support,
an upstream breaking support having an input end and an output end,
a second platen located above the upstream breaking support,
a second actuator operably connected to the second platen and configured to shift the second platen toward a raised position above the upstream breaking support and toward a lowered position above the upstream breaking support to selectively clamp a second portion of the log between a bottom contact surface of the second platen and the upstream breaking support,
a third actuator configured to shift the downstream breaking support relative to the upstream breaking support from a first position to a second position to break the first portion of the log from the second portion of the log,
a scrap chute below a junction of the output end of the upstream breaking support and the input end of the downstream breaking support configured to catch scrap material falling between the upstream support and the downstream breaking support,
wherein the scrap chute has a floor facing the downstream breaking support and at least one side wall extending from the floor toward the downstream breaking support, the at least one side wall having a first end and a second end spaced from the first end to define a discharge opening of the scrap chute,
wherein the scrap chute is mounted relative to the downstream breaking support such that the third actuator shifting the downstream breaking support relative to the upstream breaking support jolts the scrap chute, and
wherein an angle of the floor of the scrap chute relative to a horizontal plane is too small to cause scrap falling into the scrap chute to slide out of the discharge opening when the downstream breaking support is in the first position.

14. The bundle breaker according to claim 13 ,
wherein the scrap chute comprises a unitary structure formed from sheet metal or pla

Assignees

• A G Stacker Inc

Inventors

• Blosser Jerry
• Wunder Joseph
• Senger Randall Donn

Classifications

• B26D7/0675 Primary

  specially adapted for piles of sheets · CPC title

• B26D7/04

  providing adjustable clamping pressure · CPC title

• B26F2210/02

  of stacked sheets · CPC title

• B26D7/18

  Means for removing cut-out material or waste · CPC title

• B26F3/002 Primary

  Precutting and tensioning or breaking · CPC title