US1769927A - Mechanism for controlling the press rolls or like elements of edgers - Google Patents

Description

July 8, 1930.A R. E. LANGILL ET AL MECHANISM FOR CONTROLLIG THE PRESS ROLLS OR LIKE ELEMENTS OF EDGERS v 2 shuts-snee: 1

vFiled Aug. 10, 1925 July 8, 1930. R. la. LANGILL Er AL 1,769,927

MECHANISM FOR GONTROLLING THE PRESS ROLLS oR LIKE ELEMENTS 0F EDGBRS Filed Aug. 10, 1925 2 Shoots-Shut 2 Patented July 8, 1930 unirse STATES* PATENT OFFICE" ROSS E. LANGILL AND WILLIAM B. GRUETER, OF MENOMINEE, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNORS T0 THE PRESCOTT COMPANY, 0F MENOMINEE, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION 0F MICHIGAN l i MECHANISM FOR CONTROLLING THE PRESS ROLLS OR LIKE ELEMENTS OF EDGERS Application filed August 10, 1925.y Serial No. 49,171.A

This invention relates to improvements in mechanism for controlling the press rolls or like elements of edgers.

In sawing up a log into boards of the desired thickness, the log is dogged on a sawmill log carriage and about one-third thereof sawed off. Thelog is then given a quarter p turn on the carriage and a like amount of the log sawed off to form more boards. The sawing of the log is continued in this manner until it is completely sawed up into boards. The edges of many of these boards are part of what was formerly the outer surface of the log, and are rough and provided with some of the bark. These boards are, therefore, run through a machine known as an edger which removes the rough edges and bark and cuts the boards to the various widths desired. These edgers comprise, generally, a table provided with live rolls, a number of circular saws extending above and arranged between and transversely of the live rolls, means for shifting the saws transversely of the table, press rolls pivotally supported over the live rolls and arranged in front of and back of the saws,`and suitable means such as a fluid-pressure cylinder and connections between the cylinder and press rolls for raising the latter into position to receive the lumber and to permit the same to drop into inoperative position after the lumber has passed e from beneath the back or rear press roll, these press rolls acting to hold the lumber down upon the live rolls and in proper operaf tive position with respect to the saws as the lumber is fed through the latter by the live rolls. In edgers constructed heretofore, the various types of connections to the power means for raising the press rolls to operative position to receive the lumber, have been such that the press rolls are fixed for movement together and cannot move into either their respective operative or inoperative positions independently'o'f a like movement of the other.

i In these edgers, therefore, the front press roll still remains in raised position and is not permitted to drop after the lumber has passed from beneath the same for the reason that the rear press roll is still engaging the lumber and. held raised position thereby, and

cause of the connections between the press roll yokes and the'flu'd-pressure cylinder. When the end of the lumber passes from beneath the front press roll and reaches the saws, there is a tendency forl the' latter to break away a portion of the lumber at this end, in which case the piece of wood or lug broken oil' is violently thrown or hurled back toward the operator through the opening between the Ylive rolls and the front press roll which is still held in raised position on account of its interconnection with the rear press roll, the speed of the lug approximating the peripheral velocity of the saws. In somevinstances these pieces of wood or lugs have been thrown backward by the saw and have severely Iinjured or killed the operators. One of the objects of the present invention, therefore, is vto provide improved mechanism for 'controlling the press rolls or like elements of edgers whereby the front press roll is permitted to drop to inopverative position while the rear press roll is still engaging the lumber and is held in raised or operative position thereby, the front press roll and the supporting means or yoke therefor thus effectively closing the opening in the front of the machineubefore the uncut end of the lumber passes, through the saws and thereby preventing injury and possible death `to the operator by the4 pieces ofwood or lugsv which the saws tend to break off from this end of the lumberv and hurl backward toward the operator ata high velocity.

Another obj ectis to provide mechanism for cont-rolling the press rolls of edgers whereby movement of the front press roll into inoperative position is permitted, as soon vas the same is cleared by the lumber being fed through the machine vand while the rear press roll is still engaging the lumber and is held in raised or operative position thereby, thus permittinginsertion between the live rolls and front ress roll of a piece of lumber having a thicllgness less than that of the preceding piece of lumber which is still passing through the machine and is still between the live rolls and rear press roll, thereby permitting the feeding of pieces of lumber butt to buttf desired. Y j

Another object is to provide the press rolls ADI of an edger with mechanism for controlling the same which is simple in construction, efficient, and which may be manufactured at a comparatively small cost.

Other objectsand advantages will hereinafter appear. i i v For the purpose of illustrating the invention an embodiment thereof is shown in the drawings, inlwh'ich: f

#Figure 1 .is aside elevation, partly in `section, showing the front and rear press rolls in their v tions;`

Fig. 2 is a plan View.;A i Fig. 3 is a view similar to `Fig.'1,'showing eachof the pressrolls engaged'by `agpiece .of lumber and in Atheirrespective ,raisedor op .erative positions; v Y

Fig..4is .a v iewsimilarto Fig. I1, .showing the front 1.press rollin its rest .orinoperative .position .to close the `openingin itle '.frentv of the machine, andthe rear pressroll stillen- .gaged 1.by .the lumber and heldin its raised or.operative .position thereby; ,and

Fig. 5 gisanenlarged sectionon'iline 5-5 .0f Fig.12. .Y :Side frame .members V1 and.2 are secured-.to va suitable table 3 bymeans of bolts 4 and areconnected by .means cfa cross member 5 arrangedtransversely .of lmembers 1 `and `2 .connected .tothe 1latter-by any suitable lmeans such 1 as' bolts -6 extendingethrough members `il and 2 and inte .the Iends .of .meer ber ,5. gLiye rolls Tareiarranged 4as shown, androtatably mounted on .shaft-s 18 usecured between .members .1.'and,2, circular saws 9 being supported and driven in .theusualmane ner ,and arranged fbetween thelive .rolls yand extending above ethe'` latter. A yoke 10 comprises Aa sleeve llrlooselymounted on a shaft 12 `extending .transversely .of members 'f1 and 2 1and having itsends ixedin. the .upper front .cornensfthereo an upwardly extending arm 13fixed tosleevell, anddownwardlyextend ing spaced arms .14 also fixed to sleeve y11 .and supporting at their lower endsashaft 15 upon wich .the `f-ront'press roll l16 fis rotatably mounted in ,any suitable manneigthe yoke 10 helieprerided with .a p1-.ate .7 which. may be @est .integrally v.t1lerewth .and which [extends between arms' 14 .andfnomsleeve .l1-.1.0 within y leShQrt distance ofrolllhV 'Referring more particularlyto Figs..3 and 4, ,it .will be .seen that .whenpthe `front l,press ,roll .has dropped to its :restpr inoperative.pnsition after the uncutendopf the .pieceyof lumber haspa.ssed from ,beneath the -sama-.that jplate 1.7- and rell 16 eonipgletely .close the epenngin the front @fthe maehne .before ...the wasnt end ef .the piece. ef lumber eeeehee eleve thv-.e

Preventing any .-Pieees ,of weed er .lugs from. beleg ,hurled haekwrard .by .thesans thrmigh thefirent-9penngi1.the .readline audtaward the operator; A similar yoke 'rliproyi'ded will einander feeteefieeferli .and

respective inoperative or restposiT Y Athe same tothe press roll yokes 10 and 18 whereby the press rolls may be raised together to theirA respective operative positions to receive the'lumber and the front press roll permitted .to-drop vby its own weight into rest or inoperative position, as shown in Fig. 4, ;whil e,.t he-rear pressroll is still engaging the lumber ,and isheld in raised oroperative position thereby, lwill now be described, referring' more particularly to Figs. .1 and 5. .Cylinders 24 and .25 which may be cast 1n one piece, are arranged asshown andlsecured in Aany suitableV manner to framemember 1 Vand cross `member 5 .and provided respectively with inlet-passages 26..,and27 and exhaust . passages 28 and 29, which latter .passages .epen Lintoythese cylinders at points somewhat iremoved from the .adjacent ends thereof for .the purpose Vhereiiiafter explained. A pis- ItonV 30 is looselyjfitte'd 1in cylinder 25 `and provided with .a piston rod 31 .extend-ing vloosely through aflug 321cast integrally. with :the cross head 33, a split socketmember 34 being y,fitted uponthe .end of piston Yrod A31 .and fixedtheretoby -fmeans of a clamping bolt 35 extending through lugs 36 on opposite .split portions of member 34. A pin37 Vextends .through the .outer end off member 34 and through--Lshaped pieces 38-whichare connected by means of rods 39 t-o .similar L- shaped pieces 40 pivotally Vconnected by means .oa pin .411 -to .the upper endofarm 19 yof the rear press roll yoke 18. Acoil spring 42 ,i.s ,arranged .upon `piston rod 3l between lng32 of ,cross .head 33 and socket member Apiston .43 is ,loosely fitted fin cylinder 24 andprovicled with a piston rod 44 fixed to -cross 'head 33 which, in turn, is connected Abymeans of links 45 Iand pins .46 and 47 .to the .upperend of -arm 13 ofthe front press roll l'yoke 10. The .respective downwardly .extending spaced arms'14 .and 20 .of the press roll .yokes -1maylbe 'provided with `laterally extending lugs 4,8 Iarranged to engage .suitalble cushion members .such as rubber l pieces 49 inserted into.inwardlyextending recessed lugs .50 `which .may be cast Aintegrally. with frame members 1 and 2, when the press yrolls drop Ato their4 rest or inoperativepositions. A gvalvefchest .51 issecuredrto oneend of the cylinders and provided with `an inlet opening `5 2 andanexhaustopening 53 and a passage `54`,corn municating with inlet .passage 5,2and .having its yends-arranged. to Abe closed byitllhead v55 andthe,central portion 56 .of a' {pist-on naive A5( .when the latter ,is in its lowermost position, as shown in Fig. 5, the valve being provided with a suitable stem 58 pivotally connected at 59 to an actuating lever 60 having a weight 61 at one end thereof and pivotally mounted by means of a pin 62 to lugs 63 which may be cast integrally with cylinder 25. The valve 57 is provided with annular recesses 64 and 65 which communicate with similar recesses 66 and 67, respectively, in the valve chest, these latter recesses communicating with the respective inlet passages y26 and 27 of the cylinders. The valve 57 is hollow and provided with openings 68 extending through the heads 55 and 69 thereof, an opening 70 in the valve being arranged to communicate with the eX- haust passages 28 and 29 of the cylinders to connect the latter to exhaust opening 53 when the valve is in its lowermost position, as'shown in Fig. 5.

Theoperation of the improved mechanism for controlling the press rolls will now beA explained, assuming that the latter are in their respective rest or inoperative positions, as shown in Fig. 1, and valve 57 held in its lowermcst position by weight 61 on lever 60 whereby cylinders 24 and 25 are connected with exhaust 'opening 53. When the piece of lumber lis in proper position and ready for movement through the machine, the operator presses down upon lever 60 to raise valve 57 against the action of weight 61, thereby closing exhaust passages 28 and 29 of the cylinders by means of head 69 of the valve and connecting the respective inlet passages 26 and 27 of the cylinders with inlet opening 52 through passage 54 and annular recesses 64, 65, 66 and 67. Pistons 30 and 43 will thenmove to the right and raise press rolls 16 and 23 to their respective operative positions, as shown in Fig. 3, to receive the lumber. 7When the'piece of lumber is between live rolls 7 and front press roll 16, the operator releases lever 60 so that valve 57 drops to its lowermost position, as shown in Fig. 5, under. the action o-f weight 61, in which position of the valve the cylinders are shut off from the fluid pressure supply and connected with the outlet or exhaust opening 53. The

1'. rear press roll 23 will then drop a certain amount by its Vown weight and compress spring 42 between member 34 .fixed to the end vof piston rod 31 and lug 32 of cross head 33 which kis held against movement to the left 1 reasonA of its connection with the front press roll yoke 10. TvVhenAthe piece of lumber engages press roll 23, the latter will be swung upwardly to the position thereof shown in Fig. 3 and act with the front press roll 16 to hold the lumberk down upon live rolls`7. When the piece of lumber passes from beneath front press roll 16, as shown in Fig. 4, the latter will instantly drop by its own weight to rest or inoperative position, during which movement 'of the front pressroll and the parts associated therewith, lug 32 forming part of cross head 33 will slide along piston rod 31 and permit spring 42 to expand. Exhaust passage 29 of cylinder 24 communicates with the latter at a point slightly removed from the end thereof so that when piston 43 covers exhaust passage 29, the air thereby7 confined between the end of the cylinder and the piston provides a cushion to let front press roll 16 down easily into its rest position and to prevent sudden impact of lugs 48 with the rubber pieces 49. From the foregoing it will be seen that the front opening in the machine is closed by press roll r16 and plate 17 the instant the uncut end of the lumber passes from beneath this press roll and before it passes through saws 9, thus preventing the catapulting of pieces of wood or lugs byv the saws backward through the front opening in the machine and toward the operator. When the piece of lumber passes from beneath rear press roll 23.y the latter will be free to drop by its own weight to rest or inoperative position, as shown in Fig. 1, piston 30 being thereby movedfto the position thereof shown in Fig. 5, and spring 42 compressed between lug 32 of cross head 33 an d member 34 secured to the end of piston rod 31, the spring thereby acting as a cushion to break the'fall of the rear press roll. The exhaust passage 28 of cylinder 25 also opens into the latter at a point removed from the end thereof to provide an air cushion when piston 30 covers this passage, yoke 18 and press roll 23 carried thereby finally coming to rest against the rubber cushion members 49.

From the foregoing it will be seen that an improved mechanism has been pro-vided for controlling the press rolls of Vedgers and which permits movement `of the front press roll into its rest'or inoperative position to close the opening in the front of the machine at the instant at which the piece of lumber passes from beneath this roll and before the same passes through the saw and from benea-th the rear press roll, thereby preventing the hurling of pieces of wood or lugs back through the front opening in the machine and toward the operator and permitting the feeding of pieces of lumber of varying'thickness butt to butt through the machine if desired.

The mechanism shown in the drawings and described above represents one embodiment of the invention, but of course various changesin the size, shape and arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a supporting table for lumber and a saw associated therewithand arranged to cut said lumber'as the same is moved-with respect to said table, of a plural- Huid-pressure cylinders for admitting andV exhausting iiuid under pressure to and from the latter, oneV of said members being adapted to move into inoperative position while the other of said members is in operative position and upon movement of said means to eX- haust the fluid from. said cylinders. Y

42. In a machine yof the character described,

a supportingtable for lumber, a saw associated therewith and ,arranged to out said lumber as the same is moved with respect-to said table, a plurality of membersy pivotally mounted for movement toward and away from said table and arranged when in operative position to engage the lumber and to hold the same in proper position with respect to said saw, a fluid-pressure .cylinder for effecting movement of one 4of said membersto operative'position, means connecting said member to said fluid-pressure cylinder,

a second lfluid-pressure cylinder for effecting movement- ,of the other ofV said members to operative position, means connecting said last-mentionedmember to said second fluidpressure cylinder, and means for admitting andexhausting fluid under pressure to and from said cylinders,`said first and secondmentioned connecting means being so related and arranged as to move together in eifecting movement of saidniembers to their respective operative positions andV to permit movement of said second-mentioned member to inoperative position while said first-mentioned member is in operative-position and upon exhaust ofthe fluid from said cylinders. t v Y 3. In a machine ofthecharacter described, a supporting table for lumber, a saw associated therewith `and arranged to kcutlsaid lumber as the same is moved with respect .to said table, a pluralityof members pivotally mounted for movement toward and away from said tableand 1arranged when in operat-ive position to engage the lumber and to hold the-same 1in proper position with respectto said-saw, a lfluid-.pressure cylinder providedwitha piston-rodand a crosshead fixed thereto, means. connecting one of,Y said members to saidfluid-vpressure cylinder for movement into operative position by thev f latter upon admission to the same of fluid under pressure, a ysecond fluid-pressure cylinder Ahaving a piston rod extending loosely through ,said cresshead ,and connected to the other ef slidmembers whereby the latter is meres vvto .erstatve mation 11111011 admission of fluid under pressure to said second fluidpressure cylinder, said first-mentioned member being adapted for movement into inoperative position upon exhaust of the fluid from said first-mentioned fluid-pressure cylinder and while said second-mentioned member is in operative position, and means for admitting and exhausting fluid under pressure to and from said cylinders. Y

4. i Ina machine of the character described, a supporting table for lumber, a saw associated therewith and arranged to cut said lumber 4as the same is moved with respect to said table, a plurality of members pivotally mounted for movement toward and away from said table and arranged when in operative position to engage the lumber and to Vhold the same in proper position with respect to said saw, a fluid-pressure cylinder provided with a piston rod and a crosshead fixedthereto, means connecting-one of said members to said huid-pressure cylinder for movement into operative position by the latter upon vadmission to the same of fluid under pressure, a second fluid-pressure cylinder having a piston rod yextending loosely through said crosshead and connected to the other of said'members whereby the latter is moved tooperative position upon admission of fluid under pressure to said second fluidpressure cylinder, a spring arranged yupon said second-mentioned piston rod and adapted for coaction with said crosshead to provide a cushion for said second-mentioned member upon movement thereof 'into inoperative position, said first-mentioned member being adapted for movement into inoperative position upon exhaust ofthe Huid from said firstmentioned iuid-pressure cylinder and while said second-mentioned member is in operative position, and means for admitting and exhausting fluid under pressure to and from said cylinders.

5. An edger having a front press roll, a rear press roll, power means for lifting said rolls and a one-way connection between said rolls restraining lowering of the rear press roll as long as the front press roll is elevated but permitting the front press roll to lower independently ofthe rear press roll.

6. -An edger comprisinga supporting table for the lumber having the usual live rolls and the `usual press rolls swingably-mounted in cooperable relation with respect to the live rolls, mechanism for swinging press rolls including shiftable members, a cross head fixed to one of said members and connected to one of the press rolls, said cross head having a sliding connection with the other shiftable member, an abutment on the last mentioned shiftable member-for limiting the movement of the cross head thereon in one direction and means for shifting said members to cause the press yrolls to be swung to a position to have operative engagement with the lumber.

7. An edger having a front press roll, a rear press roll, power means for lifting said rolls, motion transmission mechanism between said power means and said front and rear press rolls, and means interconnecting and coordinating the action of said front and rear press rolls to restrain lowering of the rear press roll as long as the front press roll is elevated but permitting the front press roll to lower independently of the rear press roll.

8. An edger having a front press roll, a rear press roll, a separate motor unit for each roll, a separate motion transmission train between each motor unit and its roll, and a connection between said motion transmission tra-ins acting to restrain lowering of the rear press roll as long as the front press roll is elevated but permitting the front press roll to lower independently of the rear press roll.

In witness whereof we hereto ax our signatures.

WILLIAM B. GRUETER. ROSS E. LANGILL.

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