Patent ID: 6945410
Filing Date: 2005-09-20
Classification: B07C,B27M,B65G

Abstract:
1. An automatic transfer table for a finger joint machine to receive block in coherent order and to align the said blocks against a fence, to detect the moisture content of the said blocks and to reject any said blocks having an unacceptable moisture content and to dispense the said blocks with acceptable moisture content to a woodworking machine at controlled, precise intervals throughout the said woodworking machine's operating speed range and comprising: a powered slat chain comprised of two endless, same length, powered chains exactly spaced apart and connected by a plurality of slats located at regular, equal intervals on the said chains; a slat chain head shaft assembly, comprising a rotatable shaft and a plurality of drive sprockets, bearings and a driven sprocket, which causes the said slat chain to move within the invention; a plurality of slat chain idler assemblies, comprising shafts, idler sprockets and shaft collars, which support and guide the said slat chain within the invention; a support structure, to which the said slat chain head shaft assembly and the said slat chain idler assemblies are attach, comprising an infeed end and an outfeed end and a plurality of columns, including height adjusting means located on a foot plate of each of the said columns, a working table attached to the columns and an upper horizontal frame attached to the said columns; an even ending conveyor, supported by the working table, which receives the said blocks from an independent supply conveyor and carries the said blocks towards one of the said spaced apart chains and which is located adjacent to the infeed end of the apparatus and lies transversely within the said lower horizontal frame and between the said spaced apart chains and which may be driven by an electric motor through a gearbox, sheave and belt means; the said working table further comprised of a plate extending the width of the invention and from the said even ending conveyor to an outfeed plate and further comprising an unacceptable block moisture drop out gap; a plurality of slat chain wear strips supporting the said slat chains and running longitudinally beneath the said spaced apart chains from the infeed end of the working table to the outfeed end of the said outfeed late adjacent to the sides of the said working table; one or more moisture detecting means, located adjacent to the outfeed side of the said even ending conveyor, which detect the moisture content of the said blocks; a door, located on the outfeed side and adjacent to the said moisture detecting means, which closes the said unacceptable block moisture drop out gap thereby allowing the said slats to push the said blocks containing acceptable moisture across the said unacceptable block moisture drop out gap and onto the outfeed plate; a first slat sensing means, adjacent to and transversely in line with the said moisture detecting means, which enable the said moisture detecting means, if no slat is above the said moisture detecting means; a pressure cylinder means, attached to the said door and the said working table, which is operated by a solenoid valve means and causes the said door to open and close; a second slat sensing means, located in the said working table, which is enabled by the said moisture detecting means and, if it detects a said slat, activates the said solenoid valve means, thereby causing the said pressure cylinder to operate and open the said door to allow said blocks containing unacceptable moisture to fall through; a third slat sensing means, located in the said working table, which is enabled by one of the said first or second slat sensing means and, if it detects a said slat, activates the said solenoid valve means, thereby causing the said pressure cylinder to operate and close the said door; an over height sensing means, located adjacent to the outfeed side of the said door, which causes the said slat chain to stop, if it senses any object protruding above the said blocks; the said outfeed plate comprising a plate, extending the width of the said working table and from the outfeed side of the said door to the outfeed end of the invention and adjusted, by the said height adjusting means, to lie superior to the said finger joint machine's lug chain or said finger joint machine's slat chain which permits the said slats to push the said blocks over and off the said outfeed plate onto the said finger joint machine's lug chain or said finger joint machine's slat chain; a plurality of slots cut in the said outfeed plate, if a finger joint lug chain is employed by the said finger joint machine, to accommodate the passage of the said finger joint lug chain's lugs through the said outfeed plate; a plurality of chain carriers, located on the said upper frame, which support the said slat chain; a plurality of slat chain wear strips attached longitudinally to the upper face of the said chain carriers and supporting said slat chain.