Patent ID: 8978872
Filing Date: 2015-03-17
Classification: B65G

Abstract:
1. A board feeder comprising: a first conveyor having a board discharge end and being constructed and arranged to convey boards in edge-to-edge relation; a second conveyor having a board receiving end, the board discharge end of the first conveyor overlapping the board receiving end of the second conveyor, the second conveyor having a plurality of spaced apart lugs constructed and arranged for conveying boards in a spaced relation; a lug sensor for sensing the location of the lugs and speed of the second conveyor; a stop constructed and arranged for stopping boards on the first conveyor at the discharge end of the first conveyor such that when boards are stopped by the stop during operation the first conveyor slides under a plurality of boards stopped by the stop; a cam wheel having a periphery, and camming lobes formed on the periphery constructed and arranged to engage a leading edge of a leading board that is engaging the stop to lift the leading edge of the leading board over the stop during operation and the first conveyor urging continued movement of the plurality of boards to move the leading board over the stop and onto the receiving end of said second conveyor during operation; a cam wheel variable speed drive constructed and arranged for driving the cam wheel at variable speeds; a cam wheel sensor in communication with the cam wheel to sense the location of the cam wheel; and a programmable control unit in communication with the lug sensor, the cam wheel sensor and the cam wheel variable speed drive for controlling operation of the cam wheel independent of the first and second conveyors.