The Price Companies, Inc.

Robert Stone, Jr

John P Price

The present invention is a system and method for the automatic control of a debarking system for use in a chip mill, paper mill, or the like. The present invention comprises one or more programmable logic controllers (PLCs) that receive input from ultrasonic sensors that measure the quantity of wood present at various locations within the system. Based on this data, the PLCs reference look-up tables that contain information on start, stop, speed up, and slow down times for various system components based on such criteria as wood variety and season. The control system optimizes the fiber yield from the debarking system while also reducing mechanical wear on components of the system by reducing the time at which components are run at high speed.

Automatic fiber yield system and method

An improved lifter and a method of repairing a damaged lifter employed in a rotary drum debarker of the type which removes the bark of logs by introducing logs into a rotating drum wherein the the logs tumble and flail against one another so that the bark is removed by the tumbling and rubbing action of one log against another. A plurality of lifters are arranged around the interior surface of the drum so that the point or vertex of the lifter is facing toward the axis of rotation of the drum. The lifters are provided with cleats on the vertex of the lifter in the direction of rotation of the drum to protect the lifter from excessive wear. In addition the cleat lifts the logs higher in the drum which improves the tumbling action. Damaged lifters may be repaired by the addition of the cleat to the vertex of the lifter.

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Crosby, MS, United States of America

Robert Stone, Jr