US2087321A - Splitting machine - Google Patents

Description

July 20, 1937. C, HILKE v007,321

SPLITTING MACHINE A TTORNE Y July 20, 1937. H. c. HILKE 2,087,321

- SPLITTING MACHINE Filed April 1, 1935 z sheetssheet 2 v wellig/flux lizzy/1111.6

so Y f' FL? 3 INI/.ENTO'R F11/y /fem a .//J//fe BY fdl Maw N A TT ORNE Y Patented July 20, 1937 NHTE STTES l orifice 7 Claims.

This invention relates to mill machinery the purpose of which is to trisect log blocks in the production of sectors. Stated generally, the invention has for its object the provision of irnproved structure for this purpose which is inexpensive in construction, having increased elliciency and especially simplied operation.

It is, more particularly, an object of the invention to devise means for splitting log blocks and lo in furtherance thereof, to provide means peculiarly co-acting with power-operated cleaving knives for handling the work to locate the same in the splitting plane of the knives.

The foregoing, together with more specific objects and advantages, will become apparent in the course of the following detailed description and in the claims annexed thereto, the invention consisting in the novel construction, adaptation,

and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings:-

Figure 1 is a side elevation representing the now preferred embodiment of the invention, parts' being broken away and parts shown in longi- J tudinal vertical section.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinalvertical section to an enlarged scale taken through the steam cylinder and related structure by means of which the cleaving knives are operated.

.3 Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section detailing the block-supporting structure and the elevating foot by means of which the log blocks are located vfor splitting the same.

Fig. 4 is an underside plan View of the splitting knives.

Fig. 5 is a plan View of a log block representing the manner in which the same is trisected to produce sectors; and f Y Fig. 6 is a detail view of a slide utilized in Y@ connection with a projection lantern for casting a shadow in the splitting plane of the knives upon the surface of the blocks.

` In a prior application for Letters Patent of the United States led October 10th, r1933, Ser. No.

692,944, now Patent No. 2,051,256 issued Aug. 18, 1936, I illustrated an arrangement employing saws for trisecting logs and described therein the peculiar advantages ofv trisection as compared with the quartering methods generally employed.

5"@ AWhile such saw` arrangement operates to advantage and was especially designed `to handle work of relatively extended length, the herein described splitting machine, aside from its simplifedconstruction, negligible cost of up-keep, and

5545 rapidity of operation, effects a material increase in shingle output through an elimination of loss by saw-dust.

Having reference Yto the drawings and particularly to the work-supporting structure, the present invention provides a ring-shaped thrust 5 block, indicated by the numeral and preferably of iron, supported by transverse beams II in spaced disposition above a floor l2 upon which the operator stands, said block being formed in its upper surface with parallel longitudinally ex- 10 tending channels I3 lying at Aopposite sides of the annular opening lli which extends in a vertical plane through the block, said channels providing bearing surfaces for the links of companion endless chains l5 in the travel of the 15 chains over the thrust-block. The channels are ci a depth to locate the upper surface of the chains slightly above the surface of the thrustblock, the chains operating about sprocket wheels IB with their travel being controlled by 0 the operator through a suitable clutch arrangement (not'shown).

Slidably supported for vertical movement in the opening I4 oi said thrust-block and normally lying flush or approximately so as respects the 25 surface of the latter is a cap ll rotatively carried by an elevating foot member I8, said foot member being formed at its lower end with a cylinder acting to receive a piston 26 carried by a stationary base plate 2l, the chamber of the cylinder above the piston having communication through the piston with a pipe 22 leading through a control valve 23 to a pressure source of air supply. VA foot-operated pedal for the Valve is indicated at 24. Bolts 25 extending through the 35 base plate 2l into the foot member I8 operate to limit the elevation of the latter.

Located in spaced disposition above the thrustblock, I provide a stationary vertical cylinder 26 within which is a double-acting trunk piston 21,-the piston carrying a connecting rod 28 on the lower end of which is a splitting head 29.

'Said head, `as indicated, is `formed with three radially disposed blades 3l lying in vertical planes at angles of 120 to one another, the blades having a knife-forming taper at the lower edge which inclines downwardly from the outer to the `inner or meeting termini of the respective blades to locate the leading point of the splitting head on Vthe axial line of the same.` The blades are desirably formed integral, one with another, with their root ends being fast to a horizontal plate S2 `formed with a hub extension 33 inwhich the Circumferentially f5-5 spaced guides 30 are provided to co-act with the connecting rod in supporting the splitting head for reciprocatory vertical movement.

More especially as respects the cylinder 26, said cylinder being of an extended length to obtain momentum in the splitting travel of the blades, the same is formed with steam-admission ports All, 4| and steam-exhaust ports Q2, 43 in opposite ends, the port 63 being spaced a material distance above the lower limits of the piston travel for cushioning purposes and being provided with a rotary valve 44 for regulating the exhaust capacity of the opening. In controlling the admission and discharge of steam through the ports, I employ sliding valves 5 and 45 of the doubleported character working at opposite ends o-f the cylinder in steam chests l1 and 43, the Valves being designed to operate through the controlled admission to and discharge from the end chambers of the chests of compressed air. For this purpose I provide a master valve comprising a spring-pressed piston (not shown) working in a cylinder 50 and normally lying, under the iniluence of the spring, to communicatively connect a pressure air line 5I with pipes 52 leading to the upper ends of the steam chests, simultaneously exposing the lower ends of the steam chests to the atmosphere through exhaust pipes 53. Acting in opposition to the spring, a pull rod 54 controlled by the operator operates the master valve to expose the upper ends of the steam chests to the atmosphere through pipes 55 with pipes 56 being co-mmunciatively connected with the supply line 5l to supply air under pressure to the lower ends of the chests. Steam pipes to and from the chests are indicated by 5l and 58. To assure collective movement of the valves d5 and d6, the same are coupled through a connecting rod 59.

In operation the blocks of wood constituting the work and indicated by the letter W are delivered to the admission end of the conveyor chain with the chain travel being interrupted as the block lies above the thrust member. The log blocks, following depression of the foot pedal 2d to elevate the foot member I8, clear the chains and are easily handled by the operator tol rotate or slide the same with proper positioning being obtained through the use of a projection lantern designed to cast a shadow over the surface of the log block. I indicate in Fig. 6 a transparent plate acting as the slide for the lantern and upon the surface of which lines are painted or otherwise provided. Log blocks used in the production of shingles conventionally are of either 16", 18, or 24" depth which means that the surface of these blocks receiving the splitting impact of the Vknives will lie in one of three vertically-spaced horizontal planes. Were it feasible to locate a shadow-casting device above and in the vertical center line of the work, single shadows for each of the knives could be used from the fact that variation in the plane in which the knife-impinging surface of the work lies would not alter the positionl of the shadow on the work surface, in other words the vertical projection of the shadow would resultinthe shadow intersecting each of the three work surfaces in a common vertical plane. It is to be understood, however, that the shadowcasting lantern is located in laterally off-set disposition of the vertical center line of the work in order that the same may lie out of the path of travel of the knives and in order to accommodate this positioning of the lantern I form the slide used therewith such as to provide a medial line adap-ted to lie in the longitudinal plane of the particular splitting knife which is disposed longitudinally as respects the direction of work feed and, co-active therewith, provide on the slide three companion pairs of lines to extend laterally of the medial line at angles of to the same, the lines of each of said pairs which lie at the same side of the medial line being disposed parallel to one another and to the plane of the knife related thereto and spaced from one another relatively with the various depths of the blocks whereby to cast shadows, the slide being supported obliquely, which intersect the related plane of a knife-impinging work surface in the vertical plane of the related knife. More especially, the medial line which extends the approximate length of the slide projects a shadow which is used by the operator in positioning each of the three block depths while the laterally extending angular lines project shadows which are selectively used in that each pair of the same accommodates a particular depth of block.

The blocks normally are placed to locate the core of the same in the axial center of the splitting head. Where a portion of the block is spongy or otherwise marred, the block is disposed such that the faulty section lies in the space between two of the knives in a manner to remove the faulty portion only. The knives readily cleave knots and, through the design of the splitting head which acts to initiate the split in the center of 'the block at a point common to each of the several blades, the line of split is substantially rectilineal. The momentum of the head requires movement of the knives through a minor portion only of the block, the splitting shock of the blades, following operation of the pull rod 5A to locate the valves l5 and l as shown with an admission of steam to the upper end of the cylinder 2B, being transmitted through the chain links on which the work rests to the thrust-block I0.

The machine is particularly designed for the purpose of trisecting the log blocks but obviously might be used to advantage for quarterng or as might otherwise be desired.

Modications of the invention will readily suggest themselves and I accordingly intend-that the appended claims be given the breadth in their construction which is commensurate with the scope of the invention within the art.

What I claim, is:-

1. In a machine for splitting log sections, in combination with a splitting knife arranged for reciprocatory movement in a vertical plane, a block channeled in its upper surface and located below the knife for supporting the work in the path of travel of the knife, a conveyor chain for the work arranged for movement through the channel of the block to locate the upper surface of the chain above the surface of the block, and power-operated elevating means journaled for rotary movement to lift the work from the chain to facilitate regulation of the work in positioning the same relative to the splitting plane of the knife.

2. In a machine for splitting log sections, in combination with a splitting knife arranged for reciprocatory movement in a vertical plane, a thrust-receiving member located below the knife for supporting the Work in the path of travel of the knife, and vertically-movable elevating means normally disposed below the work-supporting surface of the thrust-receiving member and disposed co-axially as respects the splitting knife for elevating the work from the surface of the block, said elevating means being journaled for rotary movement and operating to facilitate regulation of the work in positioning the same relative to the splitting plane of the knife.

3. In a machine for splitting log sections, in combination with a splitting knife arranged for reciprocatory movement in a vertical plane, nonrotary thrust-receiving means located in the ver# tical plane of the knife adapted to support the work, and means independent of said thrust-receiving means normally supported below the worksupporting surface of the same and arranged to elevate the work above the work-supporting surface of the thrust-receiving meansto facilitate regulation of the work in positioning the work relative tothe splitting plane of the knife.

4. In a splitting machine adapted for use with varying standard depths of log sections, the combination of a splitting head arranged for reciprocatory movement in a vertical plane and formed with a plurality of blades extending angularly from one another radially of the axial center of the head, a work-support disposed below the head to locate the work in the path of travel of the head, and means operating to facilitate regulation of the varying standard depths of log sections on said support for positioning the same relative to the splitting planes cf the blades, said means comprising a transparent slide adapted for use with a projection lantern and provided on its surface with longitudinally spaced sets: of lines, the lines of each o-f said sets being disposed at angles to one another conforming to the angular relativity between the blades with the related lines of the several sets being disposed in parallel planes, said plural sets of lines operating to. accommodate location of the lantern` above the blade-impinging surface of the supported work and laterally of the splitting head to cast plural longitudinally spaced sets of shadows at an oblique angle to the path of travel of the splitting head in defining Work-regulating lines upon the surface of the work, a selected set of which are used by the operator according to the depth of the block being split.

5. In a machine for splitting log sections of variable predetermined lengths, in combination with a splitting head arranged for reciprocatory Vertical movement and providing a plurality of blades disposed angularly of one another in fixed vertical planes, a support for the work disposed below the blades to locate the blade-impinging surfaces of the several depths of work in predetermined vertically-spaced horizontal planes, and means disposed above the work and in laterally oiset disposition of the line of travel of the splitting blades to facilitate regulation of the work on the support for locating the work relative to the splitting planes of the blades, said means comprising a transparent slide formed with plural sets of lines thereon and adapted for use with a source of light to cast obliquely-projected shadows upon the blade-impinging surface of the supported work, said sets of lines being disposed to project selectively used shadows which severally define, in the intersected horizontal planes in which the blade-mpinging surfaces of the several depths of work lie, the splitting planes 0f the blades.

6. In a machine for splitting log sections, in combination with a splitting knife arranged for reciprocatory vertical movement, means for supporting the work in the vertical plane of the knife travel and acting to receive the thrust of the knife in the splitting action of the same, and means relatively co--axial with the knife and independent of the last-named means for elevating the work above the surface of the supporting means for positioning the work relative to the knife, said positioning means having, as respects the diameter of the work, a proportionately smaller surface area to facilitate movement of the work relative to the positioning means.

7. A machine for splitting log sections comprising the Vcombination of a work-support, a splitting head arranged for reciprocatory movement into and from the space occupied by the supported work, said head providing a plurality of fixed splitting blades extending radially from the axial center of the head, and means by which shadows, designating lines which lie in the path of reciprccatory travel of the radially disposed splitting blades, are cast on the surface of the supported work, said shadows acting as gages to facilitate a location of the work in definite corelation to the blades of the splitting head to have such blades strike the work on predetermined lines, the splitting head being guidably supported against rotary movement to maintain the path of travel of the blades in constant planes to which the cast shadows are related.

HENRY C. HILKE.

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