Patent Application
20180050465
This invention generally relates to a feed roller head and more specifically to a system and method for using a feed roller head to shift a work piece in a predetermined direction.
Typically, saw-teeth are required on the feed roller heads used in lumber mills in order that cants (or squared-off logs which have two opposed planar surfaces) may be securely gripped for accurately positioned feeding into a band saw or saw cluster.
At present, in commercial operations, the saw-teeth are available in short strips of the various lengths. One or more strip lengths, depending on the length of the feed roller head, are forced into a tight-fitting groove in the body of the feed roller head by hammering or pinch clamping. The saw-teeth become blunted and ineffective after about six months to a year's use and require replacement.
In order to replace the worn saw-teeth, it is necessary to first remove the feed roller head from the machine. The technique for removing the inserts involves manually (or less commonly, pneumatically) chiseling the inserts out of the groove. Manual chipping is slow and inflicts damage to the groove. Pneumatic removal poses potential hazards to the operators due to the danger of flying metal fragments. Replacement of an insert can only be conducted by the conventional manual technique about three times before excessive damage to the groove has resulted. Usually at this point the saw-teeth strips are welded into the groove, for a final usage and upon dulling of these welded teeth the whole feed roller head usually is discarded.
Feed roller heads having are well known, as exemplified, by U.S. Pat. App. No. 2015/0210474 teachings a tapered feed roller head; U.S. Pat. No. 4,509,574 that teaches an improvement in a debarking machine wherein feed roll spikes having plus-shaped cutting edges are provided; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,385,650, which describes an improved feed roller head for logs that has a plurality of radially extending trapezoidally shaped pyramids spaced circumferentially about the surface.
However, there still exists the need for a feed roller head having a gripping insert that is more durable, can be easily replaced to extend the usable life of the feed roller head, and replacement of the gripping insert is speedier and less labor intensive. The invention provides such a feed roller head. These and other advantages of the invention, as well as additional inventive features, will be apparent from the description of the invention provided herein.
In one aspect the invention provides a system for working on a work piece having a feed roller having a feed roller head. The feed roller head having a body including at least one gripping insert and at least one clamping element for clamping at least one gripping insert to the body of the feed roller. The feed roller head having a rotary axis. The feed roller is capable of shifting a workpiece in a predetermined direction when the at least one gripping insert contacts the work piece and the feed roller head is rotated about its rotary axis. The system further comprising a machining system downstream of said feed roller having a machining element capable of working on the work piece being fed in the predetermined direction by the feed roller head.
In another aspect the system has a helical gripping insert is made from carbide.
According to another aspect the machining element of the system is a cutting tool capable of cutting the work piece.
According to another aspect the feed roller head in the system can shift the work piece in the predetermined direction between 50 feet per minute and 400 feet per minute.
In yet another aspect, the feed roller head in the system rotates about the rotary axis between 1 and 100 rotations per minute.
According to one aspect the work piece processed in the system is a piece of wood.
In another aspect the clamping element of the feed roller head used in the system is coupled to the feed roller head by a compound screw.
In yet another aspect a feed roller head having a feed roller body configured to rotate in a predetermined direction about an axis of rotation. The feed roller head having at least on clamp arranged to provide support along a helical path. The feed roller head having a helical slot formed by the combination of the feed roller body and the at least one clamp along the helical path. The slot having a front wall formed by the feed roller body and a rear wall formed by the at least one clamp and the front wall is forward of the rear wall relative to the predetermined direction. The feed roller head having a helical gripping insert clamped into the slot by the at least one clamp.
According to another aspect the feed roller head has a helical gripping insert is made from carbide.
In yet another aspect the clamp comprises a plurality of clamping wedges residing in a helical channel defined by the feed roller body.
According to one aspect the multiple helical channels clamping wedges and helical gripping inserts are arranged at different angular positions about the axis of rotation.
In yet another aspect a second helical gripping insert is clamped into a second slot by the clamp.
According to another aspect the second slot is formed by a combination of the feed roller body and the at least one clamp along the helical path, the second slot having a rear wall formed by the feed roller body and a front wall formed by the at least one clamp, wherein the front wall is forward of the rear wall relative to the predetermined direction.
In yet another aspect, the body of the feed roller head has a connection portion to connect with a feed roller of a machining system.
According to yet still another aspect, the connection portion of the feed roller head is a through bore.
According to yet another aspect a method including powering a feed roller causing at least one feed roller head to rotate about its rotary axis. Placing the work piece on the feed roller such that it comes into contact with at least one gripping insert coupled to the feed roller head. Shifting the work piece a predetermined direction toward the machining system through contact with the gripping insert. Releasing the work piece from the gripping insert of the feed roller head such that the work piece shifts the predetermined direction and is completely received by the machining system. Processing the work piece through the machining system.
According to yet another aspect a method of advancing sheet material including engaging the sheet material with a feed roller. The feed roller having a feed roller head having a body. The feed roller head includes at least one gripping insert and at least one clamping element for clamping the at least one gripping insert to the body of the feed roller. Rotating said feed roller head about a rotary axis and feeding the sheet material in a predetermined direction with the at least one gripping insert contacting the work piece during said rotating.
According to another aspect a method where the sheet material is a wood material, and wherein the gripping insert indents the wood material leaving an indentation.
According to yet another aspect a method where the indentation is between 0.1 millimeter and 2 millimeter deep.
In yet another aspect a method including machining a layer from the wood material and removing the indentation during machining.
According to another aspect a method where the machining comprises utilizing a rotating cutter having a plurality of knives disposed about a cutter body, and during an operation mode, the feed roller is operated at a rotational speed of between 1 and 100 rpm; and wherein the rotating cutter is operated at a rotational speed of between 3,000 rpm and 12,000 rpm.
According to another aspect a plurality of gripping inserts and a plurality of the clamping elements are provided at a regular angular spacing around the body of the feed roller. The regular angular spacing is provided such that at least one of the gripping inserts is in contact with the sheet material at all times to ensure continuous feeding of the sheet material.
Other aspects, objectives and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
The accompanying drawings incorporated in and forming a part of the specification illustrate several aspects of the present invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:
While the invention will be described in connection with certain preferred embodiments, there is no intent to limit it to those embodiments. On the contrary, the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
Referring to
The feed roller 102 has a motor 108 (see
As illustrated, the feed roller head 10 is configured to rotate in a single predetermined direction 38 about the axis of rotation 14. The direction of rotation for the disclosed embodiment, as viewed in
As shown in
As is best illustrated with reference to
Further, the channels 24 provide a second area/void for partially receiving the clamping wedges 18. The second area/void of the channel 24 includes a second leading wall 33 and a second trailing wall 35 extending radially inward. The second leading wall 33 is forward of the second trailing wall 35 relative to the predetermined direction of rotation of the feed roller head. In addition, the second leading wall 33 extends along a helical path that is substantially parallel to a helical path of the second trailing wall 35.
As shown in
At least one clamp and preferably multiple clamps in the form of clamping wedges 18 secure the gripping inserts 12, 12′ within the helical channel 24. The gripping inserts 12, 12′ have a helical shape and extend along a helical path. In a preferred embodiment, the gripping inserts 12, 12′ are manufactured from carbide. As best illustrated with reference to
The gripping insert 12 is secured and locked to the feed roller body 16 by being wedged in a first slot 76. In the illustrated embodiment the first slot 76 is defined between the leading wall 26 of the helical channel 24 and the front face/wall 54 of the clamping wedges 18 collectively. The gripping inset 12′ is secured and locked to the feed roller body 16 by being wedged in a second slot 77 that is defined between the trailing wall 28 of the helical channel 24 and the rear face/wall 56 of the clamping wedges 18 collectively.
The first receiving slot 76 and the second receiving slot 77 are wider radially inward towards the axis of rotation 14. Furthermore, the width of a radially outer portion of the first receiving slot 76 and the second receiving slot 77 are narrower than the width of the bottom 62 of the respective gripping inserts 12, 12′ inserted in the first and second receiving slots 76,77. By having the gripping inserts 12, 12′ with a wider bottom 62 than a radially outer portion of their respective first receiving slot 76 and second receiving slot 77, the clamping wedges 18 act to positively lock the gripping inserts 12, 12′ in the radial direction. This inward positive locking arrangement opposes centrifugal forces applied to the gripping inserts 12, 12′ resulting from high speed rotation of the feed roller head 10 during use.
Best illustrated with reference to
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, the clamping wedges 18 are located between the gripping inserts 12, 12′. Further, in accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the top surface 19 of the clamping wedge 18 is located radially inward of the top surface 90 of the gripping inserts 12, 12′ relative to the axis of rotation 14 of the feed roller head 10. Importantly, this helps to protect the clamping wedges 18 by preventing the top surface 19 of the clamping wedges 18 from making unnecessary contact with the work piece that is being shifted, which can lead to wearing of the clamping wedges 18.
Each of the clamping wedges 18 are threadedly secured to the feed roller body 16 by a fastener that may take the form of a compound screw 66, as illustrated in
As the compound screw 66 is concurrently threaded into the clamping wedge 18 along a bottom surface 34 of the helical channel 24 of the feed roller body 16, the clamping wedge 18 is tightened, and specifically, drawn radially inward and towards the feed roller body 16 and into the helical channel 24. The clamping wedge 18 in combination with the helical channel 24 form the first receiving slot 76 between the leading wall 26 of the helical channel 24 and the front face 54 of the clamping wedge 18 where the gripping insert 12 can at least partially rest on bottom surface 27 of the helical channel 24. Likewise, the clamping wedge 18 in combination with the helical channel 24 form a second receiving slot 77 between the trailing wall 28 of the helical channel 24 and the rear face 56 of the clamping wedge 18 where the gripping insert 12′ can at least partially rest on bottom surface 29 of the helical channel 24.
The first receiving slot 76 and the second receiving slot 77 are helical having the same helical shape and contour as the helical channel 24 and the gripping insert 12. With the clamping wedges 18 aligned sided by side and secured to the feed roller body 16 within the helical channel 24, as illustrated in
The leading wall 26 of the helical channel 24 and the leading face 54 of the clamping wedge 18 cooperate and co-act to secure the gripping insert 12 illustrated in
During assembly, the clamping wedge 18 is tightened down causing it to wedge between the trailing face 52 of the first gripping insert 12 and the leading face 42 of the second gripping insert 12′. As the clamping wedge is wedged against the trailing face 52 of the first gripping insert 12 it imparts a tangential load on the gripping insert 12 that presses the leading face 42 of the gripping insert 12 against the leading wall 26 of the helical channel 23. Likewise, as the clamping wedge 18 is wedged against the leading face 42 of the second gripping insert 12′ it imparts a tangential load on the second gripping insert 12′ that presses the trailing face 52 of the second gripping insert against the trailing wall 28 of the helical channel 24. The tangential load applied to the gripping inserts 12, 12′ further secures the gripping inserts 12, 12′ to the feed roller body 16.
When the gripping inserts 12, 12′ are clamped to the feed roller body 16, the gripping inserts 12, 12′ extends radially beyond a portion of the outer periphery 22 of the feed roller body 16, as shown in
As best illustrated in
Turning to
In use, the feed roller heads 10 rotate about their axis of rotation 14 (see
In the illustrated embodiment, the processing system 104 consists of a cutting tool 105, which can be for example a band saw or cluster saw. The feed roller 102 has a motor 108 and belts 109 and 111 to rotate the feed roller heads 10 in a predetermined direction 38 that correspond with the predetermined direction 112 that the piece of lumber or work piece 106 needs to be shifted.
Further, it should be noted that some processing systems 104 require the feed roller 102 to shift the work piece in the predetermined direction 112 with sufficient force to drive the work piece through the processing system 104, such as for example, when a feed roller head 10 is required to shift a piece of lumber or work piece 106 in a predetermined direction 112 as the piece of lumber or work piece 106 is ripped by a cutting tool 105, such as a band saw or cluster saw.
According to one embodiment, it is envisioned that the feed roller head 10 can rotate between 1 and 100 rotations per minute.
According to another embodiment, it is envisioned that the feed roller head 10 can shift a work piece in a predetermined direction 112 between 50 and 400 feet per minute.
According to another embodiment, it is envisions that the gripping inserts 12,12′ can indent a piece of lumber or work piece 106, such as a sheet material, such that the piece of lumber or work piece 106 is left with an indentation.
In yet another embodiment, it is envisioned that the indentation left in the lumber or work piece 106, such as a sheet material, by the gripping inserts 12,12′ can be between 0.1 millimeter and 2 millimeter deep.
In yet another embodiment, it is envisioned the processing system 104 can machine a layer from the piece of lumber or work piece 106, such as a sheet material, to an indentation made in the piece of lumber or work piece 106, such as a sheet material, by the gripping inserts 12,12′ during machining.
According to another embodiment the processing system 104 utilizes a cutting tool 105, such as a rotating cutter having a plurality of knives disposed about the rotating cutter.
According to another embodiment, it is envisioned that the cutting tool 105, such as a rotating cutter having a plurality of knives disposed about the rotating cutter, can operate at a rotational speed of between 3,000 rpm and 12,000 rpm.
According to another embodiment, it is envisioned that in operation the feed roller head 10 can have a rotational speed of between 1 and 100 rpm.
According to another embodiment, it is envisioned that gripping inserts 12,12′ and clamping elements, such as clamping wedges 18, are provided at a regular angular spacing around the body 16 of the feed roller head 10. The regular angular spacing of the gripping inserts 12,12′ and the clamping elements, such as clamping wedges 18, allow for at least one of the gripping inserts 12,12′ to be in contact with a piece of lumber or work piece 106, such as a sheet material, at all times to ensure continuous feeding of the piece of lumber or work piece 106, such as a sheet material.
All references, including publications, patent applications, and patents cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein.
The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) is to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “containing” are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning “including, but not limited to,”) unless otherwise noted. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention.
Preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the invention. Variations of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description. The inventors expect skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventors intend for the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context
