Board inverter for use in lumber processing machine
US5482140A · kind A · utility
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 1, 1995 |
| Grant date | Jan 9, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 1, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB65G47/252
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A rotary board inverter is provided for use in a conveyor for a lumber processing machine, with the motive force to invert the boards being provided by the forward motion of the boards themselves as they are transported along the conveyor. The device comprises a rotatable hub with regularly spaced, co-planar arms radiating outwardly from the hub. Each of the arms incorporates a board retainer adapted to sequentially receive boards from the board transporter of the conveyor; to releasably retain a board as the arm rotates about the hub; and to redeposit the now-inverted board on the conveyor downstream of the inverter. Rotation of the device is driven by the forward movement of the boards as they sequentially engage the inverter. The inverter is particularly adapted for use in a conveyor having an array of evenly spaced, longitudinally-displaceable lugs extending upwardly from the conveyor to transport the boards along the conveyor. The lugs are adapted to continue driving the board forwardly even as it is being elevated from the table by the rotation of the inverter. The invention further comprises a conveyor having an inverter mounted to its frame.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.