US1615489A - Control mechanism for veneer-cutting machines - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 25, 1927.

, 1,615,489 C. STRAUB CONTROL MECHANISM 4FOR VENEER CUTTING MACHINES Filed June l. 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 25,- 1927.

' 1,615,489 C. STRAUB CONTROL MECHANISM FOR VENEER CUTTING vMACHINES V Filed June 1. 1925 I5-ShetsSheet 2 D. u m A n n *s a n u .i o l vwantoz l Y CHR/s row/E@ 5TH/:a5

1,615,489 Jan. 25,1927- c. sTRAuB l CONTROL MECHANISM FOR VENEER CUTTING MACHINES Filed June 1. 1925 Patented Jan. 25, 1927.

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,PATENT office;

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*CONTROL .MECHANISM TQR VEEER-QUTTING MACHINES.

Application filed June 1, 19,25.

rlhis invention relates to `control mec`hamism ,for vveneer cutting machines and 'has for its particular object to provide devices for automatically Yadvancing the cutteror knifetowald the'log'from Awhich the slices of meneer are removed `,after each cut. The invention is particularly applicable to veneer slicing Imachines of the type disclosed in the U. ,patents to AllVjilliam H. lllilliams No. 269,368 dated December 19, 1882, and No, .551,287 dated .June 5, 1900, wherein 1`the log issrnoved transversely of .the'knife edge andafter cachent .theknife edge is advanced preparatory .to the :next Vcut- 'The Objects and advantages of the invention V`and the means `f0.1 their attainment will Yloe more apparent from ,the Afollowing detailed description .ojf .a preteircd embodiment thereof illustrated ,inthe accompanying drawmgs in which.:

'LF-,ignite l 'is a View vin.sideelevation allowing 'f'sucjh A4`.details of .the vveneer slicing ma chine Ias [is necessary to an understanding olf theappl'ication of the invention thereto .as Wellas .the automatic means for advancin. thelmilefalter each out.

figure 2 is View ,showing the -machine illustrated Figure .1 and the inven- .tfQn applied thereto.

iignite ,3 Iis a View taken lin they lane indicated 'by the .line 3 3 fin Figure and lolilingfnfthe direction of the arrows and showing fthe means lor Aactuating 'the control ,mechanism .from the .reciprocating bad of the veneerslicing;.machine Figure bis .a View-:taken in the plane ndicateld by the line lin Figure il and looking 'in .the di- 11ection ,o f the 'arrows and showing 'Cletails of the `clutch mechanism involved. Y

'lfigireg isa view taken 5in the plane Lin dicateld lby the line x5-*5 in .Figure '4c and showing 'further details of the clutch mechanism.

jlefcrring to 'Figure '1 a log a from which slices of veneer areto be taken is illustrated ,as secured to the `face of the stay'log` b which iseapzbleofreciprocation in a lvertical plane alon-ggn'ides or Ways a: in Well known manner, the neciprocat'ion being effected -by means .of Epitn-ien vand cranks, for instance actuated rom a reciprocating bed c. rr-lhe I,iknijgte 4or -cutter d is .carried upon a knife Carrier d' adapted to he moved toward or Serial No. 34,082.

fromt'heflog a along tracks d2 mounted upon the ibase et." At either side of base ethere are mounted rotatable Worm shafts f and carried -With the knife carrier d' 'areinteriorly threaded members Z3 through which the Worm shafts 7 pass. The Nvorn shafts gf carry at one end thereof -bevel pi-nions '7' which mesh with *bevel gears f2 carriedupon a transyerse'ly extending vsha-ft f3 upon the end of which a jghand Wheel f4 ris mounted. Rotation ofthe hand Wheel f4 causing frotation or' the shaft f3 and bevel "pinions'z will cause. synchronous rotation ofthe-lJeyelpinions f .and Worm shafts f v5which 4barn mesh with the interiorly threaded mein-bers Z3 and cause the knife carrierd to Ire cip rocate along the tracks d2. iSo 4n-iuch of the machine 'as 'has just been described iS Well known in the art and Aforms no Vpart of the present invention. Automatic 'control -devices or *actuating .devices -obviating the `rcquirement of manual operation ofthe 1li-and Wheel ff* comprise the subject matter of the present `invention and Willnow loe rdescribed in detail.

Shaft f3 also carries a bevel pinion constant-ly 'in mesh with a bevel pinion g carried uponvithe .shaft g. Upon the lvshalt g there is mounted af-'pu'lleypz driven as bythe belt Vg3 from a Ymotor, :Iflot -s'hoW-nfby which the shaft g' may `'loefrota-ted in one direction to cause the' knife carrie-r d `to travel from one extreme position to the other. 4Ste-pe -by ste-p movement of the vearrier whereby the knife -is advanced aft-er each slice of Aveneer is cut, lpreparatory to making .a second cut, A'is also 'effected Eby rotation ofthe shaft g. -Sllidable upon fthe shaft g is a sleeve vit having -a peripheral groove it and Vformed Witha `Wedge horn 711?. Entering the groove Zr are 'lugs carried upon a bifurcated member al carri-ed'vvith a lever i2 pivoted at one end as at 21a-tothe (frame of the machineand 4at-the other end connected vto a link A secured -to a vhand levier 5. By `throwing` Vthe Vlever "1? iin one direction or the l.other about its pivot Y i, the sleeve 7L mayjbe moved longitudinally `of the shaft g. Mounted upon-the :end of the track (Z2 is a bell-crank lever -one armo-f which is secured to the link tgt-he other end y'being in the Ypath :of movement of the "knife carrier so that when the knife carrier j'ihas reached 4vthe end of its inw-ard stroke it will lil engage with the end of the bell-crank lever l causing movement of the link if* to slide the sleeve it relative to shaft g. Freely rotatable upon shaft g is an annular member j formed outwardly with ratchet teeth 7" and inwardly upon the side adjacent the sleeve ZL with a clutch surface jz adapted to be engaged by a split ring Za keyed to the shaft g. rlChe split ring 7c is adapted to be expanded by the wedge horn Zig to cause the split ring t-o engage the clutch surface jg and in this manner cause the rotation in unison of the ratchet j and shaft g. An inverted U-shaped frame Z is adapted to surround a portion of the ratchet and carries a plurality of pawls Z so spaced that at least one of them is at all times adapted to engage the ratchet teeth j to prevent rotation of the ratchet in one direction. Adjacent the frame Z there is disposed a housing m loosely mounted upon the shaft g and carrying a plurality of feeding pawls m at least one of which is at all times also adapted to engage the ratchet teeth j. Housing m is preferably annular in form and, encircling the same for approximately half its perimeter, is a chain n secured at one end to a spring or other yielding' device n. The other end of the chain a is connected to an arm o rigidly carried upon a shaft 0 also carrying rigidly a second arm 02 having preferably a roller 03 at its end. Shaft 0 is disposed above the reciprocating bed c transversely thereol and an adjustable cam surface c is adapted to be engaged by the roller 03 on the end of the arm 02. In order to vary the inclination of the cam devices c any convenient devices may be adapted, that disclosed in the illustrated embodiment taking the form of a threaded rod ci. lt will be apparent that as the bed c reciprocates the cam c will cause the rotation of the arm 02 and with it the shaft 0 about the axis of the shaft thereby causing the arm o to draw the chain against the action of the spring n and rotate the housing m about the shaft g. Rotation of the housing is transmitted through the pawls m to the ratchet j/'rwhereby ratchet and housing are caused to rotate together about the shaft g. rlhus as the bed c moves in one direction, as to the left in Figure 3, the rotation of the shaft o causes the chain n to rotate housing m and ratchet j in a clockwise direction. When the bed c has reached the limit of its stroke and started in the return direction the spring n will tend to draw the chain in the opposite direction thereby rotating housingl mi in a counterclockwise direction. ln this instance, the

ratchet j does not rotate with the housing the lock pawls Z insuring against such rotation.

There is, of course, the possibility of rotative movement of the ratchet j in a counterclockwise direction (Fig, 5) when the housing m is rotating under the action of the spring n since the locking pawls Z prevent rotation only in one direction i. e. clockwise. To insure against such relative movement, immediately upon the release of the feeding pawls m, a brake is provided which positively engages the ratchet at that instant. This brake is illustrated in Figure l as taking the form of a wooden brake shoe p carried with an arm p pivoted at one end in the frame Z and connected by link p2 with a bell crank p3. Bell crank QJ may be rotated about the pivot U4 in any convenient manner. In the illust ated einbodiment it is disclosed as adjustably connected by one arm to a link p5 connected with the arm o. So soon as the arm 0 starts to return in a clockwise direction about the axis o the brake shoe will be caused to engage the ratchet.

The operation of the device is as follows: Movement of the bed c along the track c, which is effected in any convenient manner as by a pitman connected to a crank rotated by a motor or the like (not shown), causes the relative movement by other connections of the stay log` b along the track a2. The knife carrier CZ is brought to its initial position either manually through the hand Wheel y or by means of the electric motor rotating the pulley g2 preparatory to taking the initial slice of veneer from the log a. After the stay log is moved downwardly along the track m and a slice of veneer is removed from the log and the log returned to the position indicated in Figure l, the knife edge Z must be moved forwardly a distance equal to the thickness of a slice of veneer preparatory to the next cut. rl"his movement has heretofore been effected by rotation of the hand wheel f in a manner which will be understood from the foregoing description. ln order to affect automatic step by step movement of the knife carrier CZ the shaft g is clutched to the ratchet j by means of the expansible split ring Zc which is expanded and brought int-o clutching engagement with the interior surface jz by means of the wedge horn h2 which is moved forwardly into engaging position with the split ring by throwing the lever toward the right in Figure l. Movement of the bed c toward the left in Figure 3 initiates the upward movement of the stay log ZJ and as the bed c moves toward the left the cam member c comes in Contact with the arm o2, (the wheel o3 permitting the arm to travel easily over the surface of the cain c) to rotate the arm 02 in a counter-clock wise direction about the axis of the shaft o. Being carried rigidly with the shaft o the counterclockwise rotation of the arm 0-2 causes a similar eounterloclnvise rotation of the arm 0, also carried rigidly with the 't2-wise direction causes appropriate .,rota-.

" (Figure 3) -ment of thelpawlsl-m, .beinguin epnstant engagement nular member y',the.retationof thehousing L.

. lft-causes the-rotation therewith of. the. ratchet which `turn .isclutched tothe which is engaged -within the .,enpansible member 7e, at this .time tightlyengaging .the .o inner surface. j2.of theratchet. Movement, -`thereforeVof lthe arm o in a connterclock-y tion -of -the shaft g vin i a. clockwise I ffdirectiorn which in turn effects the rota- Y tion ofthe-Worm shafts .to-move. the. knife carrier Eal Vtoward the, right intlignre. l. iAGlThe `effective radial lengthI of the .arm o and the variouscomponent. elements of `the vclutch mechanism disclosed in Vignres L and 45 are sufcli lthat when .the bed c has .reached the llimit-of its stroke toward the left v the bed will .have .been movedk a distance equivalent to the :thickness of the slice of veneertolbe cut from the log. At

`this instant the brake. p' is appliedto the. ratchet to yinsure against undesirable movebecl whichwould affect the eX- actness ofthe next cut. This braking action as has been pointed out hereinbefore` is also --effected byf the4 'rotation of the arm o in. a counterclockwise direction. .As the ,bedv c startstowardzthe right the pawlszZ engagn ing the ratchet teeth j prevent .relative v movement ofthe ratchet. as Ithe. housing fm is rotated in. a counterclockwise direction, Iunder the action of thek spring. n. The movementof the armv o in clockwise directionreleases the tensioni-of the chain n and per-mits it to bedrawn under the action. of the-spring n. to rotate thehousing fm, in counterclockwise. direction .preparatory to 4.5- vthe 'nextl feed-ingstep. As the knife carrier d reaches the forwardlimit of its stroke it engages thev end of thecrank lever 7 which effects the-withdrawal of the wedge hornV and theunclutching ofthe actuating mechf 5C anism'fromV the shaft gfthus preventing-any further movement ofthe knife carrier; The knife carriermay Vthen be returned to the outward limit ofits stroke preparatory to `inserting a new log by the` rotation of the shaft g through the belt driven pulley g2. The degree of movement of the knife carrier and thereby the thickness ofthe slice of veneer removed at each ,stroke is con- .trolledby the cam c `whichis 4.affected .by 30 thelsetA devices c2. A. pointer g carried with the shaft 0 is adapted to gage the extent of.: movement-of=the .arm @by travel over a scale gf and'thus an accurate indication of the setting required is afforded.

55 To facilitate the rotation` ofthe housing incorporated votllerwtll,

nu.by-.1the,..chainm. ai, sprocket .,wheel, maybe ,chain engages. t

Itwillthus be seenthat an eeti-re-aiit0- matic device is provided v vhich.,causesf` Step, by step movement of .the knife'. carrier thronghr predetermined J distances .n in I,synchronism with ,'...thev x inovementl of- Athe loO VV I lb. a a

@Various modificationsmay be madern they particular forniwtaken by theassoeiatedffinstru,mentalitiesA ,whose ,pperation, 4is initiated tation, is. intendedby the tirfesoflegr description l or accompanying illustrations but, it

to,be understood that. typefof tmechanism which will eaect intermittent1 movementtof .thekknife Acarrierdel'qendceynt upon V movement of thestay log isvwithin the. scope .of Lthe inerenti@- I,Vilhat l cla-im 1s:

1. ln alveneergslicing.machine havinga movable stay log, the combinationavith: vactuating.` means therefor inclndmg a ,reciprocating vbed, anda relatively movablejknife icar-` rierof means to move the l,carrier comprising a rotatableshaft, means tonotate'aid shaft. inone direction dependentmnpon,fthe actuating ,meansl for` .the jstay log, means to prevent rotation, Y posite direction, and clutching, means @ibe- .tween the shaft and the means to rotate the same.

2.' Inl a veneer slicing.,machine.liaving a movable stayrjlog,4 .actuating meansv 'tlierefdre andv a` relativelymoyable. knife carrieraof meanstomove the carrierfcomprising arotatable shaft, K means to rotate. ysaid 'shaft in one direction dependent.,uponthe actuating means for the sta-y log,` meansto prevent io-l.-

tation vof the shaft 1n theopposite direction, clutching Y means` between the shaft yand the meansto rotate'the same, anda b akeshoe to engageftheratchet. i'

3. In a veneer.slicinganachine having ag movable staylog actuating means 'therefore and` a lrelatively .movable knife carrien'jof means to move the .carrier comprising a `rotatable shaft, a ratchet `wheel carriecl-miith the shaft and rotatable with respect thereto a and formed with an annular recess [in one side thereof, ant, enpansible ring ,y .keyed .f to the shaft within the recess means, to expand,

the ring to. frictionally engage theratchet,

a relativelystationary frame, a pawlcarried with the frame and engageable withthe ratchet teeth, an annularv housing. rotatable freely on the shaft, a. pawl carried .withl the housing and engaging the shaft, andfmeans to rotatethe housing dependent Vuponniove-\.

ment of the stay log.

L 41. In aveneer slicing maclnnerhaving a movablefstay logactua t1ng,means th Fore including a, reciprocatingi bed, anita Irela tively movable knife learner.

ofl the `shaft ,in .the op- 4les move the carrier comprising a rotatable shaft, a ratchet Wheel carried with the shaft and rotatable with respect thereto and formed with an annular recess in one Iside thereof, an expansible ring keyed to the shaft Within the recess, means to expand the ring to frictionally engage the ratchet, a relatively stationary frame, a payvl carried with the frame and cngageable with the ratchetl teeth, an annular housing' rotatable freely on the shaft, a paWl carried with the housing and engaging the shaft, and means to rotate the housing comprising cam devices carried with the reciprocating bed, a rotatable arm actuated by said cam devices and a chain connected to said arm and encircling said housing.

5. In a veneer slicing machine having a movable stay log, actuating means therefore including a reciprocating bed and a relatively movable knife carrier, of means to move the carrier comprising' a rotatable shaft, a ratchet Wheel carried with the sha ft and rotatable with respect thereto and formed with an annular recess in one side thereof, an expansible ring keyed to the shaft Within the recess, means to expand the ring to frictionally engage the ratchet, a relatively stationary frame, a paWl carrie(y With the frame and engageable With the ratchet teeth, an annular housing rotatable freely on the shaft, a pawl carried with the housing and engaging the shaft, means to rotate the housing comprising cam devices carried with the reciprocating bed, a rotatable arm actuated by said cam devices, a chain connected to said arm and encircling said housing, and a brake shoe to engage the ratchet and operative connections between the brake shoe and the rotatable arm.

6. ln a veneer slicing machine having a movable stay log, actuating means therefore including a reciprocating bed and a relatively movable knife carrier, of means to move the carrier comprising a rotatable shaft, a ratchet Wheel carried with the shaft and rotatable with respect thereto and formed with an annular recess in one side thereof, an expansiblc ring keyed to the shaft Within the recess, means to expand the ring to frictionally engage the ratchet a relatively stationary frame, a paivl carried with the frame and engageable with the ratchet teeth, an annular housing rotatable freely on the shaft, a pawl carried with the housing and engaging the shaft, means to rotate the housing' comprising cam devices carried with the reciprocating bed, a rotatable arm actuated by said cam deviY s, a chain connected to said arm and encircling said housing and secured at its end to a yieldingdevice, and a brake shoe to engage the ratchet and operative connections between the brake shoe and the rotatable arm.

7. In a veneer slicing machine having a movable stay log, the combination with actuating means therefor and a relatively movable knife carrier, of means to move the carrier comprising a rotatable shaft, a toothed Wheel freely rotatable on said shaft, clutching means between said toothed Wheel and said shaft, a relatively stationary pawl engageable With said toothed Wheel, a housing freely rotatable about said toothed Wheel, a pawl carried With the housing and engagable With the toothed Wheel, and means to rotate the housing'.

8. ln a veneer slicing machine having a movable stay log, the combination With actuating means therefor and a relatively movable knife carrier, of means to move the knife carrier comprising a rotatable shaft, a ratchet Wheel freely rotatable on said shaft, clutching means between said toothed Wheel and said shaft, a relatively stationary paivl engageable with said ratchet, a housing freely rotatable about said ratchet, a payvl carried with the housing and engageable with the ratchet, and means to rotate the housing dependent upon said actuating means.

9. In a veneer slicing machine having a movable stay log, the combination with actuating means therefor including a reciprocating bed and a movable knife carrier comprising a shaft, means to cause rotation of the shaft in one direction and operable connections between said means and the actuating means for the stay log effective upon predetermined movement of the stay log.

lO. ln a veneer slicing machine, in combination, a stay log, actuating means therefor including a reciprocating bed, a movable knife carrier, operable connections between the knife carrier and the reciprocating bed, and means to control the degree of movement of the knife carrier dependent upon movement of the bed.

ll. In a veneer slicing machine,'in combination, a stay log, actuating means therefor including a reciprocating bed, a movable knife carrier, operable connections between the knife carrier and the reciprocating bed, means to control the degree of movement of the knife carrier dependent upon movement of the bed, comprising a cam carried With the bed, and yielding devices to maintain said connections in operative relation With the cam.

l2. In a veneer slicing machine, in combination, a stay log, actua-ting means therefor including a reciprocating bed, a movable knife carrier, connections between the knife carrier and reciprocating bed operative upon movement of the bed in one direction, and means to control the degree of movement of the knife carrier dependent upon movement of the bed.

13. ln a veneer slicing machine having a movable stay log, the combination with actuating means therefor including a reciprocating bed and a relatively movable knife carrier, of means to move the carrier including a sha-ft and operative connections between the bed and shaft to rotate the shaft in one direction comprising cam devices carried with the bed, a rotatable arm actuated by said cam devices and a chain connected to said arm and encircling said housing.

14. In a veneer slicing machine having a movable stay log, the combination with actuatingA means therefor including a reciprocating bed and a relatively movable knife carrier, of means to move the carrier including a shaft and operative connections between the bed and shaft to rotate the shaft in one direction comprising cam devices carried with the bed, a rotatable arm actuated by said cam devices, a chain connected to said arm and encircling said housing, and means to vary the cam.

15. In a veneer slicing machine having a movable stay log, the combination with actuating means therefor including a reciprocating bed and a relatively movable knife carrier, of means to'move the carrier including a shaft, and operative connections between the bed and shaft to rotate the shaft in one direction comprising cam devices carried with the bed, a rotatable arm and brake mechanism effective upon predetermined movement of the bed to control rotation of said shaft.

16. In a veneer slicing machine having a movable stay log, the combination with actuating means therefor including a reciprocating bed and a relatively movable knife carrier, of means to move the carrier including a shaft and operative connections between the bed and shaft to rotate the shaft in one direction including cam devices carried with the reciprocating bed, a rotatable arm actuated by said cam devices and a chain connected to said arm and operatively connected with the shaft to rotate the same and being secured at its end to a yielding device.

17. In` a veneer slicing machine having a movable stay loQ', the combination with actuating means therefor including a reciprocating bed and a relatively movable knife carrier, of means to move the carrier comprising a rotatable shaft, a ratchet wheel carried with the shaft and rotatable with respect thereto and formed with an annular recess in one side thereof, an expansible ring keyed to the shaft within the recess, means to expand the ring to frictionally engage the ratchet, a relatively stationary frame, a pawl carried with the frame and engageable with the ratchet teeth, an annular housing rotatable freely on the shaft, a pawl carried with the housing and engaging the shaft, and means to rotate the housing comprising` cam devices carried with the reciprocating bed, a rotatable arm actuated by said cam devices, and a connection between the housing and the arm to rotate said housing.

18. In a veneer slicing machine having a movable stay log, the combination with actuating means therefor including a reciprocating bed and a relatively movable knife carrier, of means to move the carrier comprising a rotatable shaft, a ratchet wheell carried with .the shaft and rotatable with respect thereto and formed with an annular recess in one side thereof, an expansible ring keyed to the shaft within the recess, means to expand the ring to frictionally engage the ratchet, a relatively stationary frame, a pawl carried with the frame and engageable with the ratchet teeth, an annular housing rotatable freely on the shaft, a pawl carried with the housing and engaging the shaft, and means to rotate the housing comprising cam devices carried with the reciprocating bed, a rotatable arm actuated by said cam devices, a connection between the housing and the arm to rotate said housing, and a flexible connection between the arm and the housing.

19. In a veneer slicing machine having a movable stay log, the combination with actuating means therefor including a reciprocating bed and a relatively movable knife carrier, of means to move the knife carrier including` a rotatable shaft and operative connections between the bed and shaft to rotate the shaft in one direction comprising cam devices carried with the bed, a shaft transverse to the direction of movement of the bed, an arm carried with the shaft and contacting with the cam, a second arm carried with the shaft, flexible connections between the second arm and the first named shaft, and yielding means against which said second arm operates.

This specification signed this 27th day of May A. D. 1925.

CHRISTOPHER STRAUB.

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