Patent ID: 6238174
Filing Date: 2001-05-29
Classification: B65G,Y10T

Abstract:
A lumber stacker for stacking lumber in a stack comprising:a stacker fork assembly, a lumber conveyor conveying lumber to the stacker fork assembly, said fork assembly oscillating between a receiving position proximal to the lumber conveyor and a depositing position over a stack for conveying tiers of lumber from the conveyor to the stack;a sticker conveyor conveying stickers to a position proximal to the receiving position of the fork assembly, and a sticker transfer apparatus transferring stickers from the sticker conveyor to the receiving position for transfer of the stickers to the fork assembly;said stacker fork assembly, said sticker conveyor and said sticker transfer apparatus cooperatively cycled to transfer the stickers to the fork assembly as the fork assembly is maneuvered to receive tiers of lumber;said sticker transfer apparatus comprising transfer arms having holding fingers provided on a front section of the transfer arms that is projected into the path of the sticker conveyor to receive stickers from the sticker conveyor, and said front section projected into the path of the fork assembly to transfer the stickers to the fork assembly;said transfer arms further including a rear section pivotally connected to the front section and including a biasing feature urging the front and rear sections of each transfer arm to a stationary relationship for normal operation in transferring the sticks from the conveyor to the stacker fork assembly, said biasing member responsive to an abnormal crash as between the front section and one of the conveyor and stacker fork assembly to resistively permit pivotal movement of the front section relative to the rear section for pivoting of the front section out of the defined path of said one of the conveyor and stacker fork assembly.