Variable opening reducer for logs and stems

A Variable Opening Reducer (VOR) for chipping excess fibers on a piece of wood periphery is described, the VOR comprising an infeed portion for securing and moving the piece of wood, along a longitudinal log axis thereof, inside the VOR, a chipping portion disposed sequentially after the infeed portion for receiving therein the piece of wood and for chipping and removing peripheral sections of the piece of wood, the chipping portion comprising a plurality of cutting tools, each of the cutting tools being adapted to revolve about a rotation axis thereof that is substantially perpendicularly located in respect of the longitudinal log axis of the log, each of the cutting tools being radially located in a position interfering with the piece of wood periphery to chip and remove excess fibers and an outfeed portion, disposed after the chipping portion, for receiving, securing and moving the piece of wood along the longitudinal log axis thereof A kit and a method of use thereof are also presented in the present application.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to a variable opening reducer for a debarking machine adapted to remove excess fibers on a log. More particularly, the present invention relates to a variable opening machine to reduce the flare butt of a log or a stem.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Trees that are cut to produce lumbers and other wood pieces are collected from the woods. Generally, a tree is getting wider at its base where roots are emerging from the trunk and getting in the ground. Some other portions of the tree might also be wider than the general diameter of the trunk.

The variable opening reducer for logs and stems is a machine designed to remove excess portions from the log that form anomalies undesirable to log positioning and processing. The variable opening reducer is a machine that generally runs in line with the main log line at a sawmill. Usually the reducer would be placed right before a debarker machine but does not have to be located at this precise location. Conventionally, various reducers were designed to remove excessive fibers on a wood log with tools revolving around a longitudinal log axis of the wood log. The tools are revolving around the wood log in addition to their own cutting rotation to cut off any portions of fibers around the log that are exceeding a general sensed diameter of the wood log. These reducer apparatuses are complex given the required revolving motion that needs to be done around the wood log in addition to managing the rotating cutting tools.

There are also apparatuses and systems for removing excessive fibers around a wood log that are using replaceable tool-supporting rings to accommodate different wood log diameters. These apparatuses are configured to use cutting tools fixedly secured to the tool-supporting ring and need to be adjusted manually on the tool-supporting ring to match a desired diameter for accommodating the wood log that needs to be trimmed. Such adjustments must be done when the apparatus is not in operation, hence increasing the down time of the apparatus. The downside to all of the machines that do not adjust on the fly, is that you are limited to wood logs within the dimension the cutting tools are set to. One would have to batch run and sort the wood logs through the machine to effectively remove the flare based on the actual diameter of the wood log. One of the downsides of the variable adjustable ring machine type as disclosed by US 2016/0031116, is that it is a very complex system and you have no opportunity to remove material from only one side, or just the top or bottom of the wood log. There are also offline machines that spin the logs at a fixed relationship to the wood log diameters. This requires a lot of space in the mills, remove the unwanted material and then re-enter the wood log into the process line.

Another type of apparatuses uses a tool-supporting ring of different diameters with cutting tools secured thereto that are not rotating around the wood log to process the wood log over its entire periphery; the wood log is rotating about its longitudinal log axis against the cutting tools in such apparatuses while the cutting tools are remaining at a fixed distance from the longitudinal log axis of the wood log. However, this system can remove only material at the end of the wood log, or the stem, since a mechanism needs to secure the wood log at the other end to make it rotate in the process. Yet, some systems use rollers which are rotating along an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the log. Cutting tools allows removing parts of the logs at specific location along the longitudinal axis of the logs. The rollers drive the rotation of the logs.

It is believed needs exist for improvements in wood log reducer apparatus, including wood log reducer apparatuses, to ensure the log are rounded or at least reduced to optimize other downstream operation on the work line such as chipping, cutting and/or planning. They is also needs for log reducer apparatus aiming at limiting the maintenance time and down time of the downstream machines executing operations on the rounded log in order to maximize production and to manage a wide range of wood log diameters without having to change or adjust cutting tools therein. One or more such needs are believed to be met by one or more embodiments of the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention includes many aspects and features.

According to at least one other aspect of the invention, in accordance with at least one embodiment thereof, is provided as infeed portion, a chipping portion and an outfeed portion arranged in series thereof for managing, positioning and moving a wood log for trimming and removing excess fibers from the wood log.

Accordingly, in aspects of the present invention, an improved variable opening reducer for wood log and stems is provided. The variable opening reducer uses four separately positioned chipping hourglass shaped cutting tools configured to match an exterior contour of the wood log. Each of these four cutting tools is independently adjustable by an actuator where the exterior hourglass “concave” shape of the cutting tools is adapted to contour a portion of the wood logs. The logs are scanned by either a 3d scanner or could be by photo eyes, laser sensing or other comparable means. The 3d scanner allows to investigate the exterior shape of the log and be a support to decide which parts of the log are undesirable and must be removed. Using this information, the chipping heads is managed to be positioned to whatever position required to remove the unwanted materials. One, some, or all of the heads of the cutting tool heads can be repositioned accordingly to the scanned log. When placed in front of a debarking machine, the variable opening reducer can be used to make sure no logs can jam in the debarking machine. Anything over a maximum predetermined diameter will be removed from the log, saving downtime and preventing machinery damage.

According to at least another aspect of the invention, in accordance with at least one embodiment thereof, is provided a variable opening reducer for logs and stems that is using a plurality of pairs of cutting tools to reduce logs and stems without rotating the log about its longitudinal log axis.

According to at least one other aspect of the invention, in accordance with at least one embodiment thereof, is provided a variable opening reducer for logs and stems that is including a plurality of pairs of cutting tools to reduce logs and stems without rotating the log, wherein each of the pairs of cutting tools are configured to radially move to adjust a distance between each of the pair of cutting tools to process logs of various diameters without changing a size of the cutting tools.

According to at least one aspect of the invention, in accordance with at least one embodiment thereof, is provided a variable opening reducer for logs and stems that is using cutting tools adapted to rotate about respective cutting tool axes that are generally perpendicular to an axial direction of the log.

According to at least one aspect of the invention, in accordance with at least one embodiment thereof, is provided a variable opening reducer for logs and stems that is using plurality of cutting tools that are shaped with a concave portion therein for adapting to a curved exterior shape of a wood log.

According to at least one aspect of the invention, in accordance with at least one embodiment thereof, is provided a variable opening reducer for logs and stems that is using plurality of cutting tools that are shaped with a concave portion therein for adapting to a curved exterior shape of a wood log, wherein the combination of all cutting tools are adapted to cut an entire periphery of the wood log in a single passage.

According to at least one aspect of the invention, in accordance with at least one embodiment thereof, is provided a variable opening reducer for logs and stems that is using at least one pair of cutting tools that are shaped with a concave portion therein for adapting to a curved exterior shape of a wood log, wherein the position of the pair of cutting tools are managed to radially locate the cutting tools in respect with a sensed signal of a shape of the periphery of the wood log.

According to at least one aspect of the invention, in accordance with at least one embodiment thereof, is provided a variable opening reducer for logs and stems that is using at least one pair of cutting tools that are shaped with a V shaped or a U shaped section and adapted to rotate about a rotation axis that is non-parallel with a longitudinal log axis of the wood log. The distance between each of the cutting tools being managed on a basis of a sensed signal reflecting an exterior periphery of a wood log to trim and shred portions of the wood log that are identified to be trimmed and reduced.

In addition to the aforementioned aspects and features of the present invention, it should be noted that the present invention further encompasses the various logical combinations and subcombinations of such aspects and features. Thus, for example, claims in this or a divisional or continuing patent application or applications may be separately directed to any aspect, feature, or embodiment disclosed herein, or combination thereof, without requiring any other aspect, feature, or embodiment.

In yet another aspect of the invention, a variable opening reducer (VOR) for chipping excess fibers on a piece of wood periphery is provided. The VOR comprises an infeed portion for moving the piece of wood, along a longitudinal log axis thereof toward the VOR, a reducing portion disposed sequentially after the infeed portion for receiving therein the piece of wood and for removing peripheral sections of the piece of wood, the reducing portion comprising a plurality of cutting tools, each of the cutting tools being adapted to revolve about a rotation axis thereof that is substantially perpendicularly located in respect of the longitudinal log axis of the log, each of the cutting tools being radially located in a position interfering with the piece of wood periphery to remove excess fibers. The VOR further comprises an outfeed portion, disposed after the chipping portion, for receiving, securing and moving the piece of wood along the longitudinal log axis thereof.

The piece of wood may be axially movable through the VOR while remaining substantially fixed in respect with an angular rotation about the longitudinal log axis. The cutting tools may comprise a plurality of teeth thereon.

The revolving cutting tools may comprise a concave portion adapted to contour a portion of the piece of wood periphery or may comprise a plurality of sequentially positioned heads, each head being shape to provide a portion of a concave portion adapted to contour a portion of the piece of wood periphery. The cutting tools may further be radially movable about the longitudinal log axis.

The VOR may further comprise a sensor for reading/identifying a shape of the piece of wood. The sensor may be adapted to read the shape of the piece of wood to identify the outside sections of the piece of wood that are distally extending a predetermined diameter to be chipped. The sensor may be sequentially located before the reducing portion. The sensor may be a 3D scanner.

The infeed portion may be longitudinally aligning the piece of wood with a central portion of the reducing portion. The reducing portion may comprise a pair of cutting tools.

The pair of cutting tools may be arranged in a pair of opposed cutting tools. Thee pair of opposed cutting tools may be radially movable about the longitudinal log axis.

The infeed portion and the outfeed portion may comprise a first pair of opposed centering rolls. The infeed portion and outfeed portion further comprise a second pair of opposed centering rolls perpendicularly positioned with the first pair of opposed centering rolls.

Each cutting portion may comprise opposed frustoconical cutting portions forming a recessed portion therebetween. The revolving rotation axis may be at angle ranging from 80 to 110 degrees in respect of the longitudinal log axis of the log.

In another aspect of the invention, a method for reducing excess fibers on a piece of wood periphery is provided. The method comprises determining a baseline diameter of the piece of wood, positioning a plurality of rotating cutting tools to form a passageway along a longitudinal log axis thereof, the passageway having a diameter about equal to the baseline diameter and being about perpendicular to the longitudinal log axis, moving the piece of wood in the passageway along the longitudinal log axis and reducing any excess fibers in peripheral portions of the piece of wood having a diameter greater or equal to the baseline diameter.

The determination of the baseline diameter may further comprise scanning the piece of wood. The piece of wood periphery may comprise a flared butt, the baseline diameter being determined as being the diameter of the piece of wood adjacent to the flared butt.

The method may further comprise identifying the extremity at which the flared but is found on the piece of wood.

Other and further aspects and advantages of the present invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiments about to be described or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A novel variable opening reducer for logs and stems will be described hereinafter. Although the invention is described in terms of specific illustrative embodiments, it is to be understood that the embodiments described herein are by way of example only and that the scope of the invention is not intended to be limited thereby.

As a preliminary matter, it will readily be understood by one having ordinary skill in the relevant art (“Ordinary Artisan”) that the invention has broad utility and application. Furthermore, any embodiment discussed and identified as being “preferred” is considered to be part of a best mode contemplated for carrying out the invention. Other embodiments also may be discussed for additional illustrative purposes in providing a full and enabling disclosure of the invention. Furthermore, an embodiment of the invention may incorporate only one or a plurality of the aspects of the invention disclosed herein; only one or a plurality of the features disclosed herein; or combination thereof. As such, many embodiments are implicitly disclosed herein and fall within the scope of what is regarded as the invention.

Accordingly, while the invention is described herein in detail in relation to one or more embodiments, it is to be understood that this disclosure is illustrative and exemplary of the invention, and is made merely for the purposes of providing a full and enabling disclosure of the invention. The detailed disclosure herein of one or more embodiments is not intended, nor is to be construed, to limit the scope of patent protection afforded the invention in any claim of a patent issuing here from, which scope is to be defined by the claims and the equivalents thereof. It is not intended that the scope of patent protection afforded the invention be defined by reading into any claim a limitation found herein that does not explicitly appear in the claim itself.

With regard solely to construction of any claim with respect to the United States, no claim element is to be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) unless the explicit phrase “means for” or “step for” is actually used in such claim element, whereupon this statutory provision is intended to and should apply in the interpretation of such claim element. With regard to any method claim including a condition precedent step, such method requires the condition precedent to be met and the step to be performed at least once during performance of the claimed method.

The detailed disclosure herein refers to the concept of chipping. In the present disclosure, chipping refers to the operation of removing chunks from a log as opposed to shredding which refers to reducing or cut into very small strips or reducing to shreds. In the present disclosure, chipping may also refer to grinding, which means rubbing or wearing an external surface of the wood log, to cutting and/or to reducing,

Referring to the drawings, one or more preferred embodiments of the invention are next described. The following description of one or more preferred embodiments is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its implementations, or uses. Hence, a novel variable opening reducer for logs/stems will be described herein after.

Referring toFIG. 1andFIG. 2, a preferred embodiment of a Variable Opening Reducer10, hereinafter referred to VOR, is illustrated. In typical embodiments, the VOR10comprises an infeed portion14, a chipping portion18and an outfeed portion22. The infeed portion14, the chipping portion18and the outfeed portion22are all aligned along a longitudinal log axis26.

The infeed portion14generally comprises a plurality of centering rolls30adapted to receive, feed and locate a log34entered in the infeed portion14. Understandably, any type of log feeding system may be used to move logs toward the chipping portion18, such as conveyors, rollers or other conveying system.

In some embodiments, the log34is first introduced in a scanner38detecting different parameters of the log34, such as sensing periphery of the log34to manage the centering rolls30and the cutting tools42operatively disposed in the VOR10for trimming the excess fibers around the log34. The centering rolls30may be shaped as cylinders or hourglass shape, with fluted traction aids to allow the log34to slide to a centered position in the horizontal plane of the VOR10.

Generally, the log34will be scanned by either a 3D scanner or could be scanned by photo eyes or other comparable means. The signal from the scanner38is material to determine, individually or collectively, a transversal position for each cutting tool42.

In some embodiments, the log34may be scanned along its entire length. The data captured by the scanner may be communicated to a computer program or a controller configured to identify the general shape of the log and to determine at which extremity of the log is located the flare butt. The controller further determines the required width between the cutting tools42to allow reducing the flare butt. Upon determining the extremity comprising the flare butt, the controller commands the movement of the cutting tool42to be positioned at the predetermined width prior to the extremity comprising the flare butt passes through the cutting tools42.

In some embodiments, the plurality of centering rolls30are working in opposed pairs in respective transversal (vertical) plans to properly apply pressure on the log34for moving the log34in the VOR10in a desirable direction and a proper angle. Each pair of centering rolls30are driven by a single or a plurality of motors (not illustrated) and are also pivotably assembled in the infeed portion14along a pivot path43between a narrow position and a wide position adapted to manage a wood log with a large diameter. The illustrated embodiment is using a first pair54of centering rolls30acting vertically, a second pair58of centering rolls30acting horizontally and a third pair62of centering rolls30acting vertically as well. These three pairs54,58,62of centering rolls30in the infeed portion14are actuated collectively to position and properly align the log34for the chipping operation.

In yet other embodiments, an impair number of centering rolls30could be used to guide and position the log34prior to being reduced. As an example, three rollers30generally positioned as a triangle could be used to align and position the log34.

The chipping portion18of the VOR10is where actual chipping of the log34is performed. The chipping portion18is provided with two pairs of opposed rotating cutting tools42. Each cutting tool42is operatively connected to a motor78via a drive portion82, the motor78being secured to a support74. The cutting tools42are also assembled in the chipping portion18with a mechanism adapted to vary or manage a distance between each of the cutting tools42to chip and reduce a diameter of the log34to a calculated predetermined diameter.

In the shown embodiment, a first pair68of cutting tools42is cutting the lateral sides of the log34whereas a second pair70of cutting tools42is cutting the upper and lower sides of the log34. The distance between each of the cutting tools42, from a pair of cutting tools68,70in the chipping portion18, is actuated with a plurality of actuators86. The cutting tools42are disposed in the chipping portion18with a rotation axis that is generally perpendicular to the log axis26and the cutting tools42. The cutting tools42may be rotated either in a direction against the movement of the log34or in a same direction as the movement of the log, where the wood log34is fed against the cutting tools42. It is contemplated within the scope of this description that at least two cooperating cutting tools42properly shaped with a recessed portion122deep enough in their central portion126are rotating to cut a periphery of the wood log34when the wood log34is axially moved toward the cutting tools42.

In other embodiments, the VOR10could work with three cutting tools42although their 120-degree arrangement might be challenging to drive and operate. A VOR10with four cutting tools42is illustrated as a preferred embodiment because of, inter alia, its two pairs symmetry and cutting tool axes parallelism in addition to require cutting tools42of concave portions of limited depth and overall size. In yet other embodiments, any other number of cutting tools42could be used to chip the log34, such as having five (5) cutting tools assembled as a pentagon or six (6) cutting tools assembled as a hexagon.

One can appreciate the drive portion82driving the cutting tools42is equipped with a pair of universal joints90to allow movement of the cutting tools42in a desired cutting position to set a log working diameter100adapted to the sensed outside contour of the wood log34to be trimmed. Each pair of cutting tools42is operatively supported by a carriage104slidably secured to a plurality of linear rails108to allow transversal displacements of the cutting tools42to a desired radial position to accommodate the dimensions of the scanned log34. Understandably, any other mechanism or means adapted to move the cutting tools toward each another or away from one another could be used within the scope of the present invention.

Referring now toFIG. 1, a preferred embodiment with four shaped cutting tools42mounted in pairs is shown, respectively the vertical upstream pair and the horizontal downstream pair, to completely work the contour the log34in one passage of the log34in the VOR10. Each cutting tool42comprises an optionally shaped anvil130(seeFIG. 3(A)) to stabilize the log34after it is chipped by the cutting tools42and also to direct the wood chips produced by the chipping operation toward a suitable exit to be collected. As best seen inFIGS. 3(A) and 3(B), the shape of the cutting tips118, such as but not limited to a carbide tooth, is adapted to cut and chip the contour of the log34according to the cutting tips118layout on the cutting tools42. Each of the cutting tool42is generally rotatably secured to a support shaft140adapted to rotate about a rotation axis144thereof. The cutting tool42may comprise a series of radially extending tooth supports148having a collective profile shaping the recessed portion122to create a substantially round or another cutting shape. The tips118are angled in accordance with the desired end shape resulting from the chipping of the log34. In another embodiment, the tips118may be positioned at a similar angle but be offset to form a generally concave or recessed shape to accommodate the periphery of the log. Each of the tooth supports148is adapted to secure thereon one or many cutting tips118on a tip-receiver portion152held in place with a fastener156. It can be appreciated the cutting tips118are alternated and somehow interfering with each other to achieve the desired cut with the plurality of cutting tips118in a compact arrangement thereof. All parts are assembled on the shaft140while the components can alternatively be welded together or be shaped in as a shaft140(not illustrated) designed to include means for cutting with a cutting shape embedded in the shaft140.

A typical wood log34is illustrated inFIG. 4(A)throughoutFIG. 7(B)in various chipping stages.FIG. 4(A)andFIG. 4(B)are illustrating a log34with a wider portion160from a natural flare butt164before being chipped with the VOR10.FIG. 5(A)andFIG. 5(B)are illustrating the log34ofFIG. 4(A)with the wider portion160beginning being chipped in a first transformation with the VOR10when it is cut by the first pair68of lateral cutting tools42chipping the log34to remove excess material on each side of the log34.FIG. 6(A)andFIG. 6(B)are illustrating the log34ofFIG. 5(A)with the wider portion160beginning being chipped with the VOR10with a second transformation using both the first pair68of lateral cutting tools42and the second pair70of cutting tools42chipping the log34.FIG. 7(A)andFIG. 7(B)are illustrating the log34ofFIG. 6(A)with the wider portion160being chipped with the VOR10with both the first pair68of cutting tools42and the second pair70of cutting tools42chipping the log34, hence having reduced the wider portion160of the log34. When the log34has passed completely through the VOR10, the wider portion flare butt160of the log34is completely removed. If the diameter of the log34is too big, the VOR10can reduce the diameter of the log34to the desired diameter. One can appreciate the final shape represents the external shape of the cutting tools42and is consequently not perfectly round. Other shapes reflecting alternative other cutting tool shapes are encompassed by the present description.

FIGS. 8 and 9are illustrating the two pairs68,70of cutting tools42in isolation to better appreciate their operations to set a desired diameter to chip the log34according to the data provide by the sensor38. The two pairs68,70of cutting tools42are proximally closer inFIG. 8to set a cutting diameter168of, illustratively, about 30 centimeters (12 inches). The two pairs68,70of cutting tools42are proximally further inFIG. 9to set a cutting diameter168of, illustratively, about 30 centimeters (20 inches). This change in cutting diameter168opening is made by managing the distances between each of the cutting tools42of each of the pairs68,70.

Still referring toFIGS. 8 and 9, each cutting tool42may have a general hourglass shape or at least a central portion being thinner than the extremity to provide a peripheral shape of the log. When rotatably mounted, all cutting tool42forms a central enclosure or passage for the log34. The diameter of the enclosure or passage is determined by the general average diameter of the log34to be conserved. As an example, if the scanner identifies that an extremity of the log34has a diameter of 40 inches while has an average diameter of 34 inches, the cutting tools42are positioned to form a general passage having a diameter of about 34 inches and thus shall chip any portion of the log34having a diameter of more than 34 inches.

Based on the foregoing description, it will be readily understood by those persons skilled in the art that the present invention is susceptible of broad utility and application. Many embodiments and adaptations of the present invention other than those specifically described herein, as well as many variations, modifications, and equivalent arrangements, will be apparent from or reasonably suggested by the present invention and the foregoing descriptions thereof, without departing from the substance or scope of the present invention. Accordingly, while the present invention has been described herein in detail in relation to one or more preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that this disclosure is only illustrative and exemplary of the present invention and is made merely for the purpose of providing a full and enabling disclosure of the invention. The foregoing disclosure is not intended to be construed to limit the present invention or otherwise exclude any such other embodiments, adaptations, variations, modifications or equivalent arrangements, the present invention being limited only by the claims appended hereto and the equivalents thereof.