The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 20, 1982
Filed:
Dec. 11, 1980
Theodore C Foster, Eugene, OR (US);
Opcon, Inc., Everett, WA (US);
Abstract
A first conveyor moves cants to a delivery position adjacent to a second conveyor whose axis of movement is transverse to that of the first conveyor. A cant movement and aligning mechanism, which includes an overhead support that supports at least two positioning heads for movement in a direction transverse to the axis of movement of the second conveyor, moves the cant onto the second conveyor. The positioning heads are moved between a position beyond the trailing edge of a cant located at the delivery position and a position overlying the second conveyor. Each of the positioning heads includes a pusher pin and a hold-down pin mounted such that the longitudinal axis of the pusher and hold-down pins are vertically oriented and such that the pusher pin lies beyond the trailing edge of a cant located at the delivery position and the hold-down pin lies in a position between the pusher pin and the second conveyor. Each of the positioning heads includes an extension and retraction mechanism for extending and retracting the pusher and hold-down pins. A control system connected to the positioning heads and the extension and retraction mechanism moves the positioning heads to a position such that the pusher pins lie beyond the trailing edge of a cant at the delivery position. The pusher and hold-down pins are then extended such that the lower end of the pusher pins lie beyond the upper surface of a cant at the delivery position and the lower end of the hold-down pins lie atop the upper surface of a cant at the delivery position. The positioning heads are then moved toward the second conveyor so that the pusher pins impinge on the trailing edge of the cant and move the cant from the delivery position towards the second conveyor. The movement continues until the cant lies in a predetermined position above the second conveyor. Thereafter, the pusher and hold-down pins are retracted.