Patent ID: 7143796
Filing Date: 2006-12-05
Classification: B02C,B27L,D21B

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for reducing the size of wood chips, comprising: a saw assembly having an array of blades disposed upon a shaft and configured to be driven at a cutting speed in a first rotational direction, said shaft defining a shaft interference zone; a feeder assembly configured to direct a flow of said wood chips along a feeder path, said feeder path passing into and through said array of blades, said feeder assembly defining a feeder zone at least partially intersecting said array of blades; and a topper assembly positioned proximate said feeder path, said topper assembly located upstream of said saw assembly relative to said feeder path, said topper assembly configured to reduce the height of said flow of said wood chips such that said flow of wood chips does not tend to extend into said shaft interference zone; wherein said feeder assembly comprises one or more paddle assemblies configured to be driven along said feeder path at a feeder speed in a direction generally opposing said first rotational direction, each of said one or more paddle assemblies defining an array of slots therethrough, positioned to accept insertion of said array of blades, said apparatus reducing said wood chips into a plurality of cut chips.