Patent ID: 6681977
Filing Date: 2004-01-27
Classification: B27F

Abstract:
An end plating machine for a wood tie having opposite ends, comprising:a frame means including horizontally spaced-apart first and second end frames; said frame means having tie in-feed and out-feed portions; said first and second end frames adapted to receive a tie therebetween; a first tie clamping means adjacent said first end frame for clamping one end of a tie positioned between said end frames; a second tie clamping means adjacent said second end frame for clamping the other end of the tie positioned between said end frames; a first horizontally disposed, power ram means associated with said first end frame for driving an end plate into one end of the tie while said first tie clamping means is clamping the one end of the tie positioned therein; a second horizontally disposed, power ram means associated with said second end frame for driving an end plate into the other end of the tie while said second tie clamping means is clamping the other end of the tie positioned therein; a first end plate hopper on said first end frame for supporting a first group of vertically stacked end plates; a second end plate hopper on said first end frame for supporting a second group of vertically stacked end plates; a third end plate hopper on said second end frame for supporting a third group of vertically stacked plates; a fourth end plate hopper on said second end frame for supporting a fourth group of vertically stacked end plates; the first and third groups of end plates having the same dimension; the second and fourth groups of end plates having the same dimension; said first and third groups of end plates having a different dimension than said second and fourth groups of end plates; a first shuttle plate assembly associated with said first end frame; a second shuttle plate assembly associated with said second end frame; said first shuttle plate assembly including a horizontally movable magnetic shuttle plate which is selectively horizontally movable beneath said first and second end plate hoppers for selectively receiving the lowermost end plate from either said first or second end plate hoppers; said second shuttle plate assembly including a horizontally movable magnetic shuttle plate which is selectively horizontally movable beneath said third and fourth end plate stations for selectively receiving the lowermost end plate from either said third or fourth end plate stations; each of said magnetic shuttle plates adapted to magnetically support an end plate thereon; each of said magnetic shuttle plates of said first and second shuttle plate assemblies being selectively movable from a horizontally disposed position to a vertically disposed condition; a first end plate transporter movably mounted on said first end frame for successively transporting individual end plates from said magnetic shuttle plate of said first shuttle plate assembly, when said magnetic shuttle plate is in its vertically disposed position, to a position adjacent first power ram means so that said first power ram means may drive the end plate into one end of the tie positioned in said tie clamping means; a second end plate transporter movably mounted on said second end frame for successively transporting individual end plates from said magnetic shuttle plate of said second shuttle plate assembly, when said magnetic shuttle plate is in its vertically disposed position, to a position adjacent the other end of said second power ram means so that said second power ram means may drive the end plate into the other end of the tie positioned in said second tie clamping means.