Patent Application
20230126731
The present invention generally relates to apparatuses and methods for automatically greasing kiln carts.
Wood dry kilns are well-known in the wood industries. Conventional wood dry kilns typically comprise rails on which carts carry wood charges inside a hot chamber. To maintain carts in a good state of operation, the cartwheels must be regularly greased. Typically, an operator greases the kiln cartwheels after each passage through a kiln, such as a continuous dry kiln. The greasing process is time consuming and involves risks for the operator, especially when performed in icy conditions.
Some grease systems are mobile and could be moved close to the cartwheels. However, such mobile grease systems are sensitive to high temperatures and therefore cannot be used in a continuous dry kiln where temperature can reach over 240° F.
Some other prior art kiln carts comprise plastic bushings. The plastic bushings require less grease but are typically still greased to improve their lifespan.
There is therefore a need for an improved system and method to grease kiln cartwheels with minimum or no human intervention.
The shortcomings of the prior art are generally mitigated by a system for automatically lubricating a cartwheel of a kiln cart. The system comprises a frame proximate to a pathway of the kiln cart, a cartwheel presence detector and a lubricant delivery assembly comprising a cartwheel hub coupler, the coupler being movable in relation to the frame to fluidly mate with the hub of the cartwheel upon detection of the presence of the cartwheel by the detector.
The system may further comprise a controller, the controller being in signal communication with the cartwheel presence detector and the lubricant delivery system. The lubricant delivery assembly may further comprise a coupler position sensor to detect position of the coupler in relation to the hub. The system may further comprise a pump configured to pressurize the lubricant to deliver to the hub upon detection of an engagement position of the coupler to the hub.
The system may further comprise a lubricant line comprising a first end in fluid communication with a lubricant supply source and a second end in fluid communication with the lubricant delivery assembly. The lubricant delivery assembly may further comprise a resilient member pushing against the hub of the cartwheel when the delivery assembly is engaged with the hub.
The coupler may comprise a nozzle. The cartwheel detector may comprise at least one of a photocell and a laser.
The system may comprise a positioning system configured to move the lubricant delivery system between a retracted position and an engaged position. The positioning system may comprise an actuator.
The system may further comprise a controller in signal communication with the cartwheel presence detector, the pump and the coupler position sensor.
The lubricant delivery assembly may be pivotable along a vertical axis. The system may further comprise a detector assembly adapted to detect pivoting movement of the lubricant delivery assembly.
In another aspect of the invention, a method of lubricating a cartwheel of a kiln cart is provided. The method comprises detecting presence of a cartwheel within a predetermined distance, automatically moving a coupler to mate with a hub of the detected cartwheel and delivering a lubricant to the hub of the cartwheel through the mated coupler.
The method may further comprise detecting the mating of the coupler with the hub of the cartwheel. The method may further comprise pressurizing the lubricant when the mating of the coupler to the hub of the cartwheel is detected.
The method may comprise moving the coupler away of the hub of the cartwheel once a predetermined volume of lubricant has been delivered to the cartwheel or the hub of the cartwheel.
The method may further comprise impelling the coupler towards the hub of the cartwheel when the coupler is mating with the hub. The moving the coupler may further comprise activating an actuator. The method may further comprise pivoting the coupler along a vertical axis to avoid breakage of the said coupler.
Other and further aspects and advantages of the present invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiments about to be described or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.
The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent from the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which:
A novel system and method to automatically lubricate a kiln cartwheel will be described hereinafter. Although the invention is described in terms of specific illustrative embodiments, it is to be understood that the embodiments described herein are by way of example only and that the scope of the invention is not intended to be limited thereby.
Referring to
Broadly the lubrification system 100 comprises a delivery assembly or coupler assembly 200 adapted to deliver a lubricant to the cartwheel 10, and a positioning system 300 adapted to position the coupler assembly 200 toward the cartwheel 10 when the said cartwheel 10 is located near the lubrification system 100.
The positioning system 300 allows the coupler assembly 200 to move towards and away from the passing cartwheel 10. The positioning system 300 generally comprises an actuator 310. In certain embodiments, the actuator 310 may be electric, hydraulic or pneumatic. In embodiments wherein the actuator 310 is hydraulic or pneumatic, the positioning system 300 further comprises a hydraulic or pneumatic valve 320 adapted to selectively control the delivery of a hydraulic or pneumatic fluid. In such embodiments, the valve 320 may be mounted directly on or adjacent to the actuator 310. Understandably, the valve 320 may be positioned in any other suitable position.
In some embodiments, the hydraulic valve 320 allows the control of the movement of a cylinder 312 of the actuator 310. The cylinder 312 moves the coupler assembly 200 toward and away from the passing cartwheel 10.
In certain embodiments, the positioning system 300 further comprises a position sensor 340 adapted to detect a position of the actuator 310 when moved. The position sensor 340 may comprise a proximity switch, a photosensor, a potentiometric position sensor, an encoder or any other suitable system for detecting an object's position. The position sensor 340 may be used to determine if the actuator 310 is in an extended or collapsed position. Alternatively, the proximity sensor 340 or another sensor may be configured to determine a position of the coupler assembly 200.
The positioning system 300 may further comprise a cartwheel detector 330. The cartwheel detector 330 is preferably positioned within a retracted location in the frame 130 such as to be protected from snow, rain, wood board, debris or any other element which may damage said cartwheel detector 330. The cartwheel detector 330 may comprise a photocell, a laser or any other suitable system for detecting the presence of a kiln cartwheel 5.
Now referring to
Referring now to
When the actuator 310 is retracted, the resilient member 235 pulls the coupler assembly 200 away from the cartwheel hub 7 to disengage the said coupler assembly 200.
The coupler assembly 200 may further comprise a lubricant line 240 with a first end in fluid communication with the elongated portion 210 adapted to supply lubricant to said elongated portion 210. The lubricant line 240 may comprise a second end fluidly connected to a lubricant supply source (not shown). In certain embodiments, the lubricant supply source may comprise a pump 242 to pressurize the lubricant supplied within said lubricant line 240.
Referring now to
The coupler assembly 200 may similarly comprise a position sensor 250 adapted to detect a position of the elongated portion 210. The position sensor 250 may comprise a proximity switch, a photosensor, a potentiometric position sensor, an encoder or any other suitable system for detecting an object's position. In operation, the controller may be configured to allow delivery from the lubricant supply source when the position sensor 250 detects a predetermined position of the elongated portion 210 representative of an engagement with the cartwheel hub 7. The controller may be configured to activate a pump 242 or to open a valve 244 from the lubricant supply source to the nozzle 212.
In embodiments where the position sensor 250 is embodied as a proximity switch, the proximity switch is configured to communicate a signal when the nozzle 212 is not pushed in the cartwheel hub 7. The proximity switch is further configured to stop sending a signal when the nozzle 212 is inserted in the cartwheel hub 7. As such, when no signal is received from the proximity switch, the pump 242 is activated to pressurize the lubricant or grease in the lubricant line 240. Understandably, any other type of position sensor 250 may be used to sent or stop sending a signal in order to activate or deactivate the pump 242.
The nozzle 212 may be shaped to align between the elongated portion 210 and the cartwheel hub 7. The interlocking bushing 8 is made in plastic but can be made in any other suitable materiel.
In other embodiments, a proximity sensor 250 detects that the nozzle 212 is locked in the hub 7 and send a signal to the system 100 (or a controller of the system 100). Upon receiving the signal, the system 100 activates the pump to pressurize the lubricant. The pressurized lubricant then moves in the hub.
After the greasing is completed, the coupler assembly 200 may be unlocked from the hub 7, such as by the actuator pulling on the elongated member away from the hub 7.
Now referring to
Referring now to
The guiding system 221 generally comprises a guiding member 223 and a guiding track 224 slidingly mating with the guiding member 223. The guiding member 223 is typically embodied as a rod downwardly extending from the elongated member 210. The guiding track 224 is typically located on a body or frame of the automatic lubrication system 100. As illustrated, the guiding track 224 is a groove in an external panel 110 of the automatic lubrication system 100. The groove 110 comprise stoppers 112 for limiting the pivoting movement of the elongated member 210. As such, the guiding member 223 abuts against each of the stoppers 112 when the elongated member 212 pivots.
The pivot point 222 generally comprises a conduit (not shown) in fluid communication with the lubricant line 240 and the inner conduit 214 of the elongated member 210. As such, the lubricant fluid may circulate to the nozzle 212 even if the coupler assembly 200 is pivoted.
The pivoting system 220 may further comprise a sensing element adapted to detect pivoting of the coupler assembly 200. In the illustrated embodiment, the sensing element comprises a limit switch 225 and a detectable member 226 attached to the coupler assembly 200. When the coupler assembly 200 moves, the detectable member 226 moves away from the limit switch 225 which then notify the system 100 that the coupler assembly 200 has pivoted. Understandably, the limit switch 225 may be replaced with any other known detector or sensor, such as but not limited to a proximity switch, a laser-based sensor, etc. The sensing element is configured to send a signal to the system 100 meaning presence or absence of the detectable member 226.
The pivoting system 220 may further comprise a roll-back mechanism adapted to reposition the pivoted coupler assembly 200 to a non-pivoted position. The roll-back mechanism may comprise a resilient member or an actuator for moving the coupler assembly 200 back to a working position.
While illustrative and presently preferred embodiments of the invention have been described in detail hereinabove, it is to be understood that the inventive concepts may be otherwise variously embodied and employed and that the appended claims are intended to be construed to include such variations except insofar as limited by the prior art.
The present patent application claims the benefits of priority of U.S. patent application No. 63/262,892, entitled “KILN AUTOMATIC GREASE SYSTEM”, and filed at the United States Patent and Trademark Office on Oct. 22, 2021, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63262892 | Oct 2021 | US |
