Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~lSS~39
Various types of infeed assemblies or mechanisms have
been and are in use for advancing work of random length, such
as wood sticks and/or blocks through end shaping machines and
many of these assemblies are of the endless conveyor types while
others are of the planar reciprocal or shuttle type having
retractable work pushing elements pivotally mounted on a
slidable rail, rack or other member. Heretofore, the infeed
assemblies of end shaping machines or woodworking apparatuses
have been unable to handle sticks that vary appreciably in length
without expensive and complicated construction.
The invention provides an infeed assembly or mechanism
for advancing wood sticks of random length through an end shaping
machine or woodworking apparatus that has at least one end
shaper and means for holding the sticks against displacement,
while permitting travel thereof through the machine, in coaction
with an underlying table that supports said sticks during the
shaping of their ends as well as throughout the advancement
thereof. The infeed assembly comprises an elongate shuttle
movable longitudinally in a generally elliptical path or rhombic
orbit and having upstanding path elements adapted to project
above the table for engagement with the sticks during the feed
stroke and for retraction below said table during the return
stroke of the shuttle. Reciprocably mounted blocks underlie and
support the elongate shuttle and is connected thereto by a pair
of spaced parallel links of equal length extending between and
pivotally connecting said shuttle to the supporting blocks in
spaced parallel relationship. One end of each link has pivotal
connection with the shuttle and the opposite end of said link
has pivotal connection with one of the supporting blocks
for maintaining the parallel relationship of said shuttle and
blocks. The infeed assembly includes actuating means for
initially pivoting each link upwardly about the axis of its
r~
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pivotal connection with its supporting block to an upright
position so as to elevate the shuttle and protract its upstand-
ing push elements above the table for engagement with the
sticks. A stop is provided for engagement by the upright links
to prevent continued pivotal movement of said links and thereby
impart straight line longitudinal forward movement to the
shuttle as well as reciprocal movement to said supporting blocks
to complete the feed stroke of said shuttle. The actuating
means is reversible so as to initially pivot each link downwardly
in a reverse direction from its upright position and thereby
lower the shuttle and retract its push elements below the table.
Limit means is provided for engagement by the downwardly pivoted
links to prevent continued pivotal movement thereof whereby
straight line lingitudinal rearward movement is imparted to
said links and shuttle to complete the return stroke of said
shuttle.
The shuttle means may be in the form of an elongated
rectangular rack having parallel longitudinal members at its
lateral margins with upstanding push means at spaced intervals
for engaging and advancing the wood sticks upon the feed stroke
of the rack. The push means extend or project above the table
throughout the feed stroke of the rack including the initial
portion thereof when the links means is swung upwardly from the
nonfeeding or retracted position to the feeding or protracted
position of said racki said push means are retracted below said
table throughout the return stroke of said rack including the
initial portion thereof when said links means is swung downwardly
from said feeding or protracted position to said nonfeeding
or retracted position of said rack.
The invention also provides a pusher mechanism for
translating work objects lengthwise of a slotted work table
comprising
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an elongate support beneath the work table in sub-
stantially parallel alignment therewith,
a pair of pivot member mounting blocks reciprocally
mounted on the support, a pivot member pivotally mounted on
each block for swinging movement about axes orthogonal to said
path of reciprocation,
said pivot members being substantially equal in length,
a shuttle pivotally mounted beneath said work table
on the swinging ends of said pivot membersl
the pivotal mountings having axes spaced a fixed
distance apart on the shuttle in parallel relation to the pivot
axes of said pivot members on said mounting blocks,
said shuttle having at least one pusher element
mounted thereon in alignment with a slot in said work table;
said pivot members, shuttle, and the portion of said
support lying between said mounting blocks at any given time
constituting together a four-pin lever system in which said
shuttle is movable toward and away from said support while being
maintained parallel therewith in a four-pin lever system move-
ment pattern having a component of translation along said support
each of said mounting blocks being provided with stops
for limiting the degree of pivoting-of said pivot members in both
directions of movement, and
drive means working between one of said pivot members
and said support
first, to move said four-pin lever system through said
four-pin lever system movement to displace the shuttle away from
said support so as to project the pusher element through the
table slot until said pivot members engage one pair of said stops,
second, to translate said four-pin lever system along
said support a selected distance,
third, to move said four-pin lever system through
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said four-pin lever system movement to displace said shuttle
toward said support to withdraw said pusher element through
said table slot until said pivot members engage said other pair
of stops,
and fourth, to translate said four-pin lever system
back along said support said selected distance.
FIG. 1 is a rear perspective view of a dual random
length end shaping machine or woodworking apparatus having an
infeed assembly or mechanism constructed in accordance with the
invention,
FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the end shaping machine
and the feed assembly,
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FIG. 3 is an elarged perspective view, partly
broken away, of said infeed assembly in its retracted nonfeeding
position,
FIG. 4 iS an elarged side elevational view, partly
broken away, of said infeed assembly,
FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view, on an enlarged
scale, taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4,
FIG. 6 is a schematic side elevational view of said
infeed assembly in its nonfeeding position with its upright
pusher lugs retractedl
FIG. 7 is a view, similar to FIG. 6, showing said
assembly in its initial feeding position with said pusher
lugs protracted,
FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 and illustrating
said assembly at the terminal end of the infeed stroke of
said protracted pusher lugs,
FIG. 9 iS a view, similar to FIG. 8, showing said
assembly in its initial reverse reciprocal position with
said pusher lugs retracted to nonfeeding position, and
FIG. 10 is a transverse vertical sectional view on
an enlarged scale and taken on the line 10-10 of FIG. 2.
In FIGS. 1, 2, 4, 5 of the drawings, the numeral 1
designates the elongate rectangular base frame or housing of
a dual random length end shaping machine or woodworking
apparatus comprising an infeed assembly or mechanism 2
emodying the principles of the invention adjacent one end of
the base frame, first and second or anterior and posterior
spaced end shapers 3, 4 for serrating or cutting finger
joints or otherwise shaping the ends of wood sticks of
30 random length such as relatively short sticks and/or blocks W,
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a transverse transfer conveyor 5 for shifting said sticks or
blocks linerly between the end shapers, an adhesive or glue
app:Licator 6 adjacent the outfeed end of said base frame,
and a horizontal row of holddown rollers 7 extending transversely
across said outfeed end in overlying parallel spaced alignment
with a discharge conveyor 8. The elongate narrow rectangular
housing or frame 9 of a pressure head assembly overlies the
longitudinal medial portion of base frame 1 in parallel spaced
relationship, being supported by a pair of angular anterior
and posterior upright frame members or pedestals 10, 11
upstanding from said base frame adjacent and downstream of
first end shaper 3 on the anterior side of the housing and
between the second end shaper 4 and the glue applicator 6 on
the posterior or opposite side of said housing.
As shown in FIGS. 1, 5, an upright slide plate 12
is secured to the inwardly projecting upper end 13 of each
pedestal 10, 11 and is slidably confined between a pair of
spaced upright guides 14 mounted on the contiguous upright
side wall 15 of housing or frame 9 to permit vertical adjust-
ment of the pressure head assembly in accordance with thethickness of wood sticks and/or blocks W. A horizontal
plate 16 underlies and is fastened to the underside of each
inwardly projecting upper end 13 of each pedestal and extends
inwardly therefrom through the adjacent housing side wall 15
into said housing for screwthreaded engagement with an
upright screwthreaded short rod or stud 17 that projects
therethrough. The latter has an unthreaded upper end portion
that is adapted to project through a horizontal support
member 18 extending transversely within the interior of
housing 9. A miter gear 19 is fixed to the upper end of
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each stud 17 and overlies each support member 18 for coacting
therewith to rotatably suspend said stud. Miter gear 19
meshes with a complementary gear 20 secured to one end of a
horizontal shaft 21 extending longitudinally within the pressure
head assembly housing and through the opposite end wall of the
latter. The projecting end of horizontal shaft 21 has a hand
wheel 22 mounted thereon for turning said shaft to impart
rotation to the miter gears 20, 19 and screwthreaded rod 17
of each pedestal, as shown in broken lines in FIG. 4, to
adjest the relative elevation of housing 9.
Preferably, elongate rectangular guide brushes 23
extend longitudinally and horizontally of the housing and
depend below the lower margins of housing walls 15 for
engaging wood sticks and/or blocks W, whereby travel of said
sticks or blocks is resisted sufficiently to maintain them
in relative perpendicular relationship. As shown at 24, in
FIGS. 1, 2, 4, a pair of the brushes may project from the
infeed end of the housing for initial engagement with the
blocks and/or sticks, and the endmost or leading brush may
be elevated so as to provide a tactile warning of the proximity
of moving parts of the machine.
Brushes 23 are continuous with the lower margin of
housing 9 except at or in transverse alignment with spaced
end shapers 3, 4 where pressure elements or holddown shoes
25, 26, respectively, are pivotally suspended within housing
9 adjacent their end portions from the lower ends of respective
pivotally connected links 27, 28 so as to depend below said
housing for engaging and preventing displacement of sticks
and/or blocks W during the shaping of the ends thereof. Each
holddown shoe 25, 26 may be of elongate generally rectangular
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configuration and have the lower margins of its ends relieved
so as to provide inclined or slanted surfaces 29, 30, respect-
ively, to facilitate riding of the blocks or sticks beneath
said shoes. For constantly urging each of the pressure
elements or shoes downwardly relative to the pressure head
assembly housing, a pneumatic assembly or other suitable
pressure responsive member 31, 32 is pivotally suspended
between the housing walls 15 with its projecting lower end or
rod pivotally connected to each respective shoe 25, 26. It
is noted that these pressure head assemblies form no part
of the present invention other than for cooperating with
infeed assembly 2.
As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, base frame or housing 1
of the dual end shaping mechanism has horizontal generally
flat first or anterior and second or posterior beds or
tables 33, 34 at its respective infeed and outfeed portions or
sections for coacting with infeed assembly 2 as well as with
end shapers 3, 4, transfer conveyor 5 and glue applicator
6. Tables 33, 34 are oblong, rectangular and disposed in
offset or staggered relationship with the transfer conveyor
extending ransversely of the inner or discharge end portion
of the first or infeed table 33 for directing sticks and/or
blocks W from said infeed table transversely onto the inner
or infeed end portion of said second or outfeed table 34.
A rectangular corner portion 35 of the posterior outer
end of the infeed table may be elevated to provide space for
accommodating the drive mechanism (not shown) of the infeed
assembly. A wide slot or elongate rectangular opening 36
(FIGS. 1, 2, 10) extends longitudinally of tables 33, 34 -
in spaced parallel relation to their lateral margins - from
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the inner corner of elevated table end portion 35 to the
discharge end portion of the second or outfeed table in
spaced underlying vertical alignment with pressure head
assembly housing 9 whereby the wide slot has an open right
or outfeed end. As shown at 37, a fence or guide rail for
contact by the anterior ends of sticks or blocks W is
coextensive with the anterior longitudinal margin of wide
slot 36 from its infeed end to first or anterior end shaper
3.
One or more relatively narrow slots or elongate
openings 38, of slightly less length than fence 37, may be
provided in table 33 in spaced parallel relation to the wide
slot as well as to one another; and these slots coact to
accommodate infeed assembly 2 and particularly the operation
thereof. A similar guide rail or fence 39 (FIGS. 1, 2)
for contact by the posterior end.s of the blocks or sticks
is provided at the posterior ongitudinal margin of the wide slot
between transverse transverse transfer coneyor 5 and posterior
or second end shaper 4.
The infeed assembly, as best shown in FIGS. 3, 6-10,
includes an elongate rectangular shuttle or feed rack 40
disposed within wide slot 36 in parallel spaced relationship
and having a pair of spaced parallel horizontal rails or
longitudinal members 42 at its lateral margins fast~ned
together by suitable transverse rods or struts 41 at suitable
intervals. Upstanding push lugs or block backups 43, 44
rest on and are secured to rails 42, such as by screws 47
(FIG. 3) extending through flanged bases or feet 45, 46,
respectively, of the lugs at suitable intervals and at the
ends of said rails. Push lugs 44 are of greater height or
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upright length than push lugs 43 so as to project thereabove
for coaction with holddown shoes 25, 26 to prevent displacement
of the short sticks and/or blocks during shaping of the ends
of said sticks and/or blocks. As shown, the lugs of each rail
of the shuttle rack are equally spaced and are aligned trans-
versely with the lugs of the other rail.
As best shown in FIG.10, shuttle or feed rack 40
straddles an elongate rectangular horizontal bed rail or bar
48 that is mounted in and is generally coextensive with the
wide slot in spaced parallel relationship between rails 42 of
said rack. Bed rail 48 is adapted to support the inner ends of
short sticks and/or blocks W and coact with brushes 23 and
pressure elements or holddown shoes 25, 26 to maintain said
blocks and/or sticks against upward displacement and sluing or
pivotal movement during end shaping thereof. Shuttle or feed
rack 40 is mounted for clockwise reciprocal movement in a
generally elliptical path or rhombic orbit, as indicated in
FIGS. 6-9 and as will be explained hereinafter, for feeding and
advancing the sticks or blocks through the end shaping machine.
Infeed assembly 2 overlies and is reciprocally
mounted by spaced horizontal rectangular saddle members or
blocks 50, 51 overlying and slidably connected to spaced
complementary slide members or plates 52, 5~, respectively,
that rest on and are secured to a suitable support 49 (FIGS.
6-9). Each slide member is of greater length than its
saddle member to permit reciprocation of each saddle member
from the retracted nonfeeding position of the infeed assembly
(FIG.6) to the protracted infeed position of pusher lugs 43,
44 (FIGS.7, 8) of said assembly. A horizontal rod 54 extends
between and joins together reciprocal saddle members.
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As best shown in FIG. 3, each saddle member is
pivotally attached to longitudinal rails 42 of rack 40 by
a suitable upright link or hinge plate 55 having a relatively
wide transverse yoke 56 projecting from its lower end and
straddling said saddle member. Pivot pins 57 project
laterally from the ends of a transverse bar 58 overlying and
secured to each saddle member 50, 51 for connection with the
free lower ends of the arms of yoke 55. The upper end of
each yoke is pivotally fastened to the transverse rail
connecting rod 41 at the left end of the rack by a clevis
59 at the upper outer end of a piston rod 60 projecting
from a pnuematic cylinder 61, having its lower end pivotally
mounted as shown at 62 in FIGS. 3, 6-9, that is adapted to
reciprocate the rack elliptically for protracting and
retracting push lugs 431 44 to feed and advance sticks and/or
blocks W through the end shaping machine.
For supporting rack 40 and its push lugs in the
retracted position shown in FIGS. 3, 6, an angular bumper 63
upstands from the infeed or left end portion of each saddle
member adjacent its overlying transverse bar 58 and has an
inclined upper surface 64 for engagement by link or hinge
plate 55. The rack is swung from its retracted to its
protracted position by clockwise pivoting of the link or
hinge plate to its upright position (FIG. 7) upon outward
reciprocation of piston rod 60 from cylinder 61 until said
link strikes the upright surface of a shock absorber 65 supported
by an upright bumper 66 upstanding from the right end portion
of each saddle member 50, 51. During this forward movement
or feed stroke of rack 40, its lugs engage short sticks and/or
blocks W.
~L~5503~
As shown in FIG. 8, additional or continued outward
movement of the piston rod from its cylinder imparts
reciprocal movement to the saddle members relative to slide
plates 52, 53 in a right hand direction whereby push lugs
43, 44 of the feed rack advance sticks or short blocks W
to and through the end shaping machine so as to outfeed
said sticks or short blocks onto discharge conveyor 8. It
is noted that wide slot 36 of tables 33, 34 is of greater
length than shuttle or feed rack 40 so that the left end
of the retracted rack (FIG. 6) is at the left end of said
slot and that the right end of said rack when fully protracted
(FIG. 8) is at the right end of said slot. Although the
feed rack and its push lugs are in a protracted position in
FIG. 7, the piston rod is not extended to its full length
whereby said rack and lugs are merely elevated and the slide
plates remain stationary.
As shown in FIG. 9, initial inward reciprocation
of piston rod 60 relative to its cyliner 61 pivots each
line 55 counterclockwise to toward the left into engagement
with inclined surface 64 of each bumper 63 and merely
swings the rack with its push lugs to the left toward
retracted position. Continued inward movement of the
piston rod returns rack 40 with its lugs 43, 44 (FIG. 6)
to nonfeeding position. It is noted that the spacing between
adjacent push lugs and the stroke or travel of the feed
rack or shuttle are of the same length, whereby the wood
short sticks and/or blocks are advanced by the push lugs
upon each stroke of said rack a distance sufficient to
permit engagement of said sticks and/or blocks by the next
preceding lugs.
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As mentioned, one or more relatively narrow short
elongated openings or slots 38 may be provided in table 33
to c~ccommodate one or more complementary outrigger members
or bars 70 (FIG. 3) having a push lug or block backup 73,
similar to push lugs 43 of rails 42 of feed rack 40, upstanding
from each of its ends in transverse alignment with the push
lugs at the inner ends of said rails and the adjacent preceding
lugs. Outrigger bars 70 may be connected to the adjacent
rail of the feed rack or shuttle by suitable transverse
members 71 extending therebetween for reciprocal movement
therewith. Although not illustrated, it is noted that one
or more similar outriggers may be provided at the outfeed
end of the feed rack for coacting with said rack and second
or outfeed table 34. These outriggers or outriggers members
are adapted to engage the outer portions of wood sticks of
greater length than the short blocks to prevent sluing of
said sticks. The spacing between transversely aligned push
lugs of the parallel rails of the rack is sufficient to
control the movement of short blocks.
The foregoing description of the invention is
explanatory thereof and various changes in the size, shape and
materials, as well as in the details of the illustrated
construction may be made, within the scope of the appended
claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.
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