Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6283353
-
Patent Number
6,283,353
-
Date Filed
Tuesday, July 20, 199924 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, September 4, 200122 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
- Walsh; Donald P.
- Pham; Minh-Chau
Agents
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 198 624
- 198 6881
- 198 782
- 198 788
- 198 722
- 144 2461
- 144 25013
- 144 25014
- 144 25016
- 226 186
- 226 187
- 226 190
- 226 191
- 226 188
- 414 14
- 414 7467
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A press roll device for applying pressure on a piece of wood moving along a path. The device has a frame mounted in proximity to the path of the piece of wood and a lower and an upper arm both pivotally connected to the frame. A roller is rotationally mounted on the end of the lower arm and a jack is resiliently connected to the corresponding end of the upper arm. A bag of compressed air is disposed between the ends of the lower and upper arm, resiliently separating the roller and the jack. In this manner, the bag of compressed air absorbs the vibration of the roller caused by unevenness in the piece of wood, at least partially.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the field of machinery for the wood processing industry and particularly concerns a press roll device for applying pressure on a moving piece of wood.
BACKGROUND
Pieces of wood of all kinds moving through wood processing machinery need to be carried at a controlled speed and to follow a well defined path to be properly processed. There is known in the art to provide conveying systems with a motorised pressing roll mounted on a pivoting frame. The press roll both moves the wood along its path and applies a pressure thereon to keep it on track. The pivoting movement of the frame is resiliently controlled, for example, through a pneumatic or a hydraulic jack. In these systems a lot of strain is imposed on the jack since its movement has to compensate for the unevenness of the wood surface and keep the pressure thereon constant. The jack often fails to react quickly enough to the bigger bumps on the wood's surface, temporarily loosing its grip on the piece of wood which may then deviate from the right path.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a press roll device that applies a more constant pressure on a piece of wood than conventional devices.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide such a device which has a better response time to unevenness in the piece of wood.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide such a device that puts less strain on the jack, thereby increasing its durability.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a press roll device for applying pressure on a piece of wood moving along a path, the device comprising:
a frame mounted in proximity to the path of the piece of wood;
a lower arm having a first end and a second end, the first end being pivotally connected to the frame;
a roller for applying pressure on the piece of wood as said piece of wood moves along the path, the roller being rotationally mounted on the second end of the lower arm;
an upper arm having a first end and a second end, the first end of the upper arm being pivotally connected to the frame, and the second end of the upper arm extending in proximity to and above the second end of the lower arm;
resilient means disposed between the second ends of the lower and upper arms; and
a jack resiliently connected to the second end of the upper arm, for applying a pressure on the piece of wood via the second end of the upper arm, the resilient means, the second end of the lower arm and the roller.
The advantages and features of the present invention will be better understood upon reading the following description of preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the appended drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a front and side perspective view of a device in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 2
is a partial exploded view of the device of FIG.
1
.
FIG. 3
is a side elevational view of the device of FIG.
1
.
FIG. 4
is a front view of the device a FIG.
1
.
DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
With reference to
FIGS. 1
to
4
, there is shown a press roll device
10
in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The device
10
is used for applying pressure on a piece of wood
12
moving along a path
14
. In the illustrated embodiment, the action of the roller is the force used to push the piece of wood
12
along the path
14
. Alternatively, the piece of wood
14
may be carried on a conveyor and the press roll device, motorized or not, is used only to keep it on the path
14
.
Referring more particularly to
FIGS. 1 and 2
, the device
10
has a frame
16
which is mounted in proximity to the path of the piece of wood. The frame
16
preferably has a top wall
18
and two generally parallel side walls
20
and
22
. The device further includes a lower arm
24
and an upper arm
26
, both pivotally connected to the frame
16
. In the preferred embodiment, the frame includes a main shaft
28
extending between the side walls
22
and
24
, each of the lower and upper arms
24
and
26
having a first end
30
and
32
connected thereto. The second end
34
of the lower arm
24
projects away from the frame
16
, and is provided with a roller
36
rotationally mounted thereon. The second end
35
of the upper arm
26
also projects away from the frame
16
, and extends in proximity to and above the second end
34
of the lower arm
24
.
The lower arm
24
preferably has a pair of generally parallel side members
38
and
40
, having their respective first ends
42
and
44
rotationally mounted around the main shaft
28
. The second ends
46
and
48
and the side members
38
and
40
are projecting away from the frame
16
. A roller shaft
50
is rotationally mounted between the second ends
46
and
48
, the roller
36
extending therearound. A top member
52
extends over the second ends
46
and
48
of the side members
38
and
40
.
The upper arm
26
is preferably a generally V-shaped member oriented sideways and having its central portion
54
rotationally mounted around the main shaft
28
. The lower leg
56
of the V-shaped member projects under the top member
52
of the lower arm
24
, and the upper leg
58
projects over the top member
52
.
Referring again to
FIGS. 1
to
4
, the device
10
also includes resilient means, here embodied by a bag
60
filled with compressed air, disposed between the second ends
34
and
35
of the lower and upper arms
24
and
26
. In the illustrated embodiment, the bag
60
is disposed on the top member
52
of the lower arm
24
and the upper leg
58
of the upper arm
26
contacts it from above. A jack
62
is resiliently connected to the second end
35
of the upper arm
26
. The jack
62
may, for example, be a pneumatic jack or a hydraulic jack, and is preferably provided with a screw
64
for adjusting the pressure it applies on the components underneath. Preferably, the jack
62
is pivotally connected to the frame
16
, as better seen in FIG.
3
. For this purpose, a housing
64
is provided on the top wall
18
of the frame
16
and the jack
62
is mounted therein on additional shaft
66
.
In this manner, the jack
62
applies a pressure on the piece of wood
12
via the second end
3
of the upper arm
26
, the bag of compressed air
60
, the second end
34
of the lower arm
24
and the roller
36
. However, when the roller
36
encounters unevenness in the piece of wood
12
, the reaction movement of the lower arm
24
is absorbed by the compressed air bag
60
, keeping the strain on the jack
62
at a minimum. Advantageously, this system allows a better reaction time to unevenness in the wood and keeps the pressure on the piece of wood more constant than with conventional press rolls. The lifetime of the jack is also increased since it is not solicited by every small movement of the roller.
Referring to
FIG. 4
, there is shown that the device
10
of the present embodiment is designed so that the roller
36
applies the moving force conveying the piece of wood
12
along the path
14
. For this purpose, means to rotate the roller
36
are provided, which preferably include a motor
68
having a gear
70
connected to an outer gear
72
of the main shaft
28
via a first driving belt
74
. The main shaft
28
also has an inner gear
76
which is connected to the roller gear
78
on the roller shaft
50
via a second driving belt
80
. In this manner, both the main shaft
28
and the roller shaft
50
are rotated by the motor
68
.
Of course, numerous modifications can be made to the preferred embodiments disclosed hereinabove without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.
Claims
- 1. A press roll device for applying pressure on a piece of wood moving along a path, the device comprising:a frame mounted in proximity to the path of the piece of wood; a lower arm having a first end and a second end, the first end being pivotally connected to the frame; a roller for applying pressure on the piece of wood as said piece of wood moves along the path, the roller being rotationally mounted on the second end of the lower arm; an upper arm having a first end and a second end, the first end of the upper arm being pivotally connected to the frame, and the second end of the upper arm extending in proximity to and above the second end of the lower arm; a bag filled with compressed air disposed between the second ends of the lower and upper arms; and a jack connected to the second end of the upper arm, for applying a pressure on the piece of wood via the second end of the upper arm, the bag, the second end of the lower arm and the roller.
- 2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the jack is provided with a screw for adjusting the pressure applied on the piece of wood.
- 3. A device according to claim 1, wherein the jack is a pneumatic jack.
- 4. A device according to claim 1, wherein the jack is pivotally connected to the frame.
- 5. A device according to claim 1, further comprising a main shaft mounted on the frame, the first ends of the lower and upper arms being both mounted around said shaft.
- 6. A device according to claim 5, wherein the frame comprises a top wall and two generally parallel side walls, the main shaft extending between said side walls.
- 7. A device according to claim 6, wherein the lower arm comprises:a pair of generally parallel side members, each side member having a first end rotationally mounted around the main shaft and a second end projecting away from the frame; a roller shaft rotationally mounted between the second ends of the side members, the roller extending around said roller shaft; and a top member extending over the second ends of the side members, said top member contacting the bag.
- 8. A device according to claim 7, wherein the upper arm comprises a generally V-shaped member having a central portion rotationally mounted around the main shaft, a lower leg projecting under the top member of the lower arm and an upper leg projecting over said top member of the lower arm, the upper leg contacting the bag.
- 9. A device according to claim 7, further comprising rotating means for rotating the roller.
- 10. A device according to claim 9, wherein the rotating means comprise:a motor; a first driving belt connecting the main shaft to the motor for rotating said main shaft; a second driving belt connecting the main shaft to the roller shaft for rotating said roller shaft, thereby rotating the roller.
US Referenced Citations (19)