Barking machine

A drum barker in which a receiving container is open at the bottom portion thereof, a drum-like rotary member having a number of barking teeth mounted thereto is arranged to partly enter the bottom opening of the receiving container, and the rotary member is rotated in such a state to raise logs loaded in the receiving container while rolling those logs for barking.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to a barking machine in which a receiving container 
is open at the bottom portion thereof, a drum-like rotary member having a 
number of barking teeth mounted to the outer circumference thereof is 
arranged to partly enter the bottom opening of the receiving container, 
and the rotary member is rotated in such a state to raise logs loaded in 
the receiving container while rolling those logs for barking. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Heretofore, there is known a barking machine in which logs are supplied to 
a rotating drum for barking, but the machine of this type has low 
efficiency and produces very large noises. 
There is also known such a barking machine in which a rotary shaft is 
mounted parallel to and below a log receiving container horizontally 
mounted to a body frame, a number of beaters are attached to the rotary 
shaft, and the rotary shaft is arranged causing those beaters to pass 
slits bored in the bottom of the log receiving container. 
This barking machine has higher barking efficiency than the first mentioned 
machine, but accompanies with several disadvantages as follows. The 
circumferences of logs are strongly beaten by the beaters, thus resulting 
in a fear that the woody parts would be damaged and a drive for the 
beaters would be failed due to strong shocks. When hitting upon logs, the 
beaters are withdrawn by reaction forces, thus resulting in less rolling 
and circulation of logs. In particular, logs of heavy weight will not move 
so that only one part of the log is badly damaged leaving a bark on the 
remaining part. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
To solve the above mentioned disadvantages, the present invention is 
characterized in that a container fixed to a body frame for receiving logs 
is formed with an opening at the bottom portion thereof, rotary members 
are arranged in parallel below the receiving container causing the top 
portion thereof to enter the opening of the latter, the rotary members are 
each provided on the outer circumference thereof with a number of barking 
teeth each of which has a height gradually increased in the reverse 
direction of rotation, and logs loaded in the receiving container are 
rolled while being raised for barking.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Embodiment I 
Referring to FIGS. 1-17, designated at reference numeral 1 is a log 
receiving container (hereinafter referred to as receiving container) which 
is horizontally mounted to a body base 2 while being lowered or inclined 
toward the feeding-out side. Two units of receiving containers are 
connected in series, each of which has an opening 3 bored at the bottom 
portion thereof to extend substantially over the entire length, and a 
hopper 4 laterally projecting is attached to a loading inlet provided on 
the upstream side of receiving container 1 at the leading end thereof. The 
receiving container 1 may be composed of left and right side plates 
arranged to widen upwardly into a V shape, and front and rear end plates. 
In this case, the hopper 4 is similarly provided above the receiving 
container on the leading side. 
The opening 3 of the receiving container 1 is displaced, as viewed in the 
lengthwise direction thereof, from the vertical center line of the 
receiving container 1 transversely (toward the side opposite to the hopper 
4). A drum-like rotary member 5 (standard radius of 730 mm) is rotatably 
supported below the receiving container such that the top portion of the 
former enters the opening 3 of the latter. The rotary member 5 includes on 
the outer circumference thereof a number of high barking teeth 6 having 
saw-like bits 6a (a representing a locus of rotation thereof) and welded 
or bolted to the rotary member in the spiral form, the barking teeth 6 
each having a height gradually increased in the reverse direction of 
rotation. With an arrangement that barking teeth 7 having a 1/2-2/3 height 
of the barking teeth 6 are arranged midway a train of the barking teeth 6 
in the spiral form with the same lead angle as that of the barking teeth 
6, as shown in FIG. 5(b), when a bent log is obliquely placed on the 
rotary member 5, the log is barked by the low barking teeth 7 at both ends 
thereof and by the high barking teeth 6 at the intermediate part thereof 
as seen from the figure, and when only one end of a log is placed on the 
high barking teeth 6, its intermediate part is barked by the low barking 
teeth 7. In order to carry out such barking, the pitch P of the respective 
teeth trains (2400 mm at standard) is set substantially equal to or 
slightly shorter than the length of log. 
For example, in case of a forming the barking teeth 6 and 7 with a plate 
material of 22 mm thickness, the higher barking teeth 6 are set to take 
the highest portion of 100 mm-120 mm and the lower barking teeth 7 are set 
to take the highest portion of 50-60 mm or 67-80 mm. 
The barking teeth 6, 7 are soon abraded even when they are formed of steel 
materials of high hardness or subjected to hardening treatment. Therefore, 
the barking teeth 6, 7 are preferably mounted as follows. As shown in 
FIGS. 7, 8(a) and 8(b), a base plate 8 is welded to the rotary member 5 
and an addendum plate 9 including a number of bits 6a is detachably 
screwed thereto using a plurality of bolts 10. Alternatively, as shown in 
FIG. 9, a base plate 8 having the stepped upper surface is welded to the 
circumference of the rotary member 5, and a set of addendum plate 9 having 
the stepped upper and lower surfaces is fitted to the base plate 8 in a 
socket and spigot relation and then detachably screwed thereto using a 
plurality of bolts 10. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 10, a base plate 8 
is formed into the same shape as that of the barking teeth 6, 7, and 
blocks 12 integrally provided with addendum tips 11 of high hardness are 
fitted to cut-out recesses in the stepped portions of the base plate 8 and 
then detachably screwed thereto by means of bolts 10. Alternatively, as 
shown in FIG. 11, a groove is bored in each stepped portion of the base 
plate, and a block 12 having an addendum tip 11 is fitted at a leg part 
11a thereof to the groove and then detachably screwed thereto. And 
alternatively, as shown in FIG. 12, a tapered cut-out groove 8a having a 
narrower width at the distal end portion is bored in each angled corner of 
a base palte 8, and a tapered addendum tip 11a is fitted to the cut-out 
groove 8a and then detachably screwed thereto by means of a bolt 10. Any 
of such arrangements ensures easy replacement of each addendum when it has 
been worn, and can improve the barking efficiency for a short time at the 
reduced cost. 
Furthermore, if it is so arranged that all or a part of the barking teeth 
6, 7 are inclined, as shown by chain lines Y in FIG. 5, for the tailing 
side (higher side) of each tooth to deviate toward the forward side in the 
direction of traveling of logs, the logs are promoted in their movements. 
On the other hand, in case that it is difficult to bark depending on the 
kinds of logs, cutting period or from other reasons, or that there is a 
small amount of logs, a barker is prefereably operated in a batch mode to 
prolong a barking time by raising a shutter 13 provided at a discharge 
outlet 1c of the backward receiving container 1 by means of a motor 14 
through a chain 15, thereby blocking discharge of logs. In this case, the 
barking teeth 6, 7 near the discharge outlet 1c are preferably deviated 
for the leading side thereof in the direction of rotation toward the 
discharge outlet 1c in an opposite manner to the above, so that the 
inversely deviated barking teeth 6, 7 push back the logs moving toward the 
discharge outlet 1c. As a result, the logs are uniformly dispersed without 
being accumulated only in the vicinity of the discharge outlet 1c, thus 
ensuring good barking. 
A lower part 1a of the receiving container 1 on one side (the side where 
the barking teeth 6, 7 enter the receiving container 1 while rising) is 
inclined downwardly from a position opposite to the uppermost portion of 
the rotary member 5 to a position substantially equal to a level of the 
axis, while a lower part 1b thereof on the other side is descended while 
curving at a slight inclination to a location somewhat spaced outwardly 
from the vertical diameter of the rotary member 5. The lower part 1a on 
one side and the lower part 1b on the other side are both formed at the 
lower edges thereof with slits 16 for passage of the barking teeth 6, 7, 
so that the barking teeth 6, 7 enter the receiving container 1 through the 
slits 16 formed in the steeply inclined lower part 1a on one side and then 
go out through the slits 16 formed in the lower part 1b on the other side. 
Fixed to the inner circumference surface at each end of the rotary members 
5, 5 longitudinally connected to each other, as shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 
13, is a shaft 18 through which a plurality of rectangular plates 17 are 
radially arranged as seen in the axial direction, the shaft 18 being 
rotatably supported to the body base 2 by a bearing 19. As shown in FIGS. 
13 and 14, the upper portion between the rotary members 5 and 5 is covered 
with a circular cover 20 having the outer circumference in alignment with 
that of each rotary member 5. Fixed to both the shafts 18, 18 at positions 
near the receiving containers 1, 1 and the projected portion of either one 
shaft 18 are barking discs 21 each having a plurality of teeth similar to 
the barking teeth 6 formed on the outer circumference thereof in such a 
manner that the barking disc 21 fixed to the projected end of either one 
shaft 18 is projecting upwardly through a slit 22 bored in the cover 20, 
and the barking discs 21, 21 near the rotary members 5, 5 are projecting 
through gaps 23, 23 between the cover 20 and the rotary members 5, 5 
whereby logs are barked while being promoted in the movement thereof from 
one receiving container 1 to another receiving container 1. 
Although a cover 24 provided at the discharge side of the rotary member 5 
has the same shape as that of the cover 20 as seen in the axial direction, 
a guide plate 25 is welded to a lower recessed part 24' of the cover 24, 
which guide plate is, as seen from side, fitted at its leading end into a 
bottom part 24" of the recessed part 24' and raised up at its tailing end 
to a level corresponding to a 2/3 position of the depth l of the bottom 
part as shown in FIG. 2 by a chain line, and which is triangular as seen 
from above, so that the discharged timbers will not be erected by striking 
at the leading ends thereof against the bottom part 24" and can be 
smoothly discharged out in turn while being slidably guided. 
When interconnecting two receiving containers 1, 1 in series, if the shafts 
18, 18 are supported by the bearings 19, 19 at the connection between the 
rotary members 5 and 5, a spacing between the rotary members 5 and 5 is 
increased and hence the width of the cover 20 must be enlarged, as a 
consequence of which the barker is increased in its entire size and the 
movement of logs toward the downstream receiving container 1 becomes less 
smooth correspondingly. In this respect, reinforcing plates or rods are 
welded at each end of the rotary members 5, 5 and, as shown in FIG. 4(b), 
the circumference of the end is supported by rollers 30 from at least 
three directions, thus making it possible to support the rotary members 5, 
5 with their ends more close to each other. In other words, the cover 20 
can be formed to have narrower width enough to cover two rows of rollers 
30, thereby resulting in the reduced entire length of the barker and the 
smooth transfer of logs. 
There is a possibility that a wood piece such as a backboard may bite into 
a gap between the lower edge of the lower part 1b on the other side of the 
receiving container 1 and the outer circumference of the rotary member 5, 
as well as the slits 16. As shown in FIG. 4(c), therefore, bands 5a are 
fitted round the rotary member 5 at locations corresponding to midway the 
slits 16, 16 and the outer circumference of each band is brought into 
slide contact with the lower edges of both lower part 1a on one side and 
lower part 1b on the other side, or each band 5a is made thicker than a 
gap between the aforesaid lower edges and the outer circumference of the 
rotary member 5 and a part of the band 5a is caused to fit into a shallow 
slot 1d formed in the lower edges, thereby surely eliminating the 
occurrence of such a biting phenomenon. 
Although in this embodiment the receiving containers 1, 1 are fixed to the 
body base 2, such an arrangement is also possible that, as shown in FIG. 
16 (showing the upstream side only), the motors, rotary members 5, 
bearings 19, etc. of each receiving container 1, 1 are mounted on a 
tilting base 28, the connection side of the tilting base 28 is vertically 
tiltably supported by a support shaft 29, the leading portion of the 
tilting base 28 on the upstream side is supported by a jack 27 to be 
adjustable in rising and falling, and the tailing end and the bearing 19 
of the receiving container 1 on the downstream side is supported by 
another jack 27 to be capable of rising and falling. With this 
arrangement, an inclination angle of the receiving containers 1, 1 can be 
adjusted depending on the difference in difficulty of barking due to the 
cutting period and kinds of logs, or the difference in mobility of logs 
due to variations in diameter thereof, thus making it possible to prevent 
insufficient barking or damage of logs resulted from excessive barking. In 
still another embodiment, the barking machine may be tiltable with the 
fulcorum at an intermediate portion, as shown in FIG. 17. 
In the barking machine as mentioned above, when logs are loaded from the 
hopper 4 into the receiving container 1 by means of a loading conveyor or 
lift, the barking teeth 6, 7 enter the receiving container 1 through the 
slits 16 formed in the steeply inclined lower part 1a on one side of the 
receiving container 1 to bark the logs while pushing up them toward the 
other side, during which time the rotary members are rotated while 
supporting the logs. When the barking teeth 6, 7 reach the lower part 1b 
on the other side, they go out through the slit 16 on that side. At this 
time, preceding logs are pushed by the subsequent logs to ride over the 
lower part 1b on the other side and, simultaneously, sprung up by the 
barking teeth 6 to roll toward the lower part on one side. During that 
time the log is subjected to the above mentioned barking process as seen 
from FIG. 5(b) and then returned back to the lower part 1a to be barked 
once again. 
When logs come over the cover 20 at the tailing end of the receiving 
container 1 on the upstream side, they are smoothly transferred to the 
receiving container 1 on the downstream side for similar barking, because 
the barking discs 21 serve to promote the movement of logs while barking 
them. 
Such an arrangement, in which the barking teeth 6 in the downstream barking 
section dispose near the discharge outlet are reduced in their height to 
be comparable with the barking teeth 7, or their bites 6a are made 
smaller, ensures finish barking to remove the remaining bark without 
damaging the woody parts. After such barking process, the logs are 
discharged out through the discharge outlet 1c while being guided by the 
cover 24 and the guide plate 25, and then fall on a discharge conveyor 30 
where they are selected so that those logs having barks left thereon are 
placed on a return conveyor 31 to be fed back to the hopper 4 for 
re-treatment. 
Furthermore, the removed barks fall through between the slits 16 as well as 
rotary members 5 and the receiving container 1 onto a conveyor 32 
stretched in the lower section to be thereby transported out. 
When the barking teeth 6, 7 have been worn as a result of such repeated 
barking operation, they can be replaced by new ones in accordance with any 
of the arrangements shown in FIGS. 7-12, whereby the barking efficiency is 
greatly improved by simple operation. 
Embodiment II 
Referring now to FIGS. 18 and 19, designated at reference numeral 33 is a 
receiving container which is widely open at the top and bottom portions 
thereof substantially over the entire length, and which is somewhat 
inclined such that the discharge outlet side at its tailing end becomes 
lower than the loading inlet side at its leading end. Below an opening 34 
at the bottom portion, there are rotatably supported a pair of rotary 
members 35, 36 comprising parallel drums with one member being positioned 
higher than the other member, the top portions of which are caused to 
enter the receiving container 33 through the opening 34. The lower part of 
one side plate 33a is descended while curving toward a position somewhat 
spaced outwardly from the vertical diameter of the higher rotary member 
34, so as to approach the outer circumference of the rotary member 34, 
whereas the lower part of the other side side plate 33b is inclined (or 
curved) toward a position at a higher level than the horizontal diameter 
of the rotary member 36 on the same side, so as to approach the outer 
circumference of the rotary member 36. Fixed to the outer circumference of 
each of the rotary members 35, 36 are a number of barking teeth 6 each 
having a plurality of bites and a height gradually increased in the 
reverse direction of rotation, which are arranged in the spiral form 
similarly to the embodiment I. Assuming that a spacing between every two 
adjacent barking teeth 6 (formed of a plate material 19 mm thick) is 100 
mm, the rotation locus a of the barking teeth 6 of one rotary member 35 is 
deviated by 50 mm relative to the rotation locus b of the barking teeth 6 
of the other rotary member 36. Stated differently, the rotary members 35 
and 36 are supported to be close to each other, as shown in FIG. 18, such 
that the barking teeth 6 projected on one rotary member 35 pass between 
rows of the rotation locus b of the barking teeth 6 projected on the other 
rotary member 36, with the section above the crossing point p of both 
rotation locuci a and b forming a V shape. A number of slits 37 are bored 
at the lower ends of the respective side plates 33a, 33b of the receiving 
container 33 for passage of the barking teeth 6. 
Short shafts 39, 39 are welded to both ends of each of the rotary members 
35, 36 through a number of rectangular plates radially arranged, the 
shafts 39, 39 being at their outer ends supported to the mody base by 
respective bearings. A pulley mounted to either one shaft 39 is driven by 
a pulley of a motor. On this occasion, the higher rotary member 35 is 
rotatably driven at a higher speed than the lower rotary member 36, so 
that any log will not be bitten at the rotation locus p. 
In the above mentioned double-drum type barking machine, when a number of 
logs are loaded on the leading side of the receiving container 33 with the 
rotary members 35, 36 being rotatably driven for the top portions thereof 
to move toward one side plate 33a, they are first barked while being 
pecked and sent leftwardly by the barking teeth 6 of the lower rotary 
member 36, and then smoothly transferred to the rotary member 35 rotating 
at a higher speed in a higher position where they are pushed up obliquely 
upwardly while being barked by the barking teeth 6 thereof, as shown in 
FIG. 18. After undergoing such barking process, the logs are returned back 
to the lower rotary member 36 for subsequent barking. 
During the above barking process, it is a matter of course that logs of 
larger diameter, along with small diameter logs, will not fall through 
between the rotary members 35 and 36, because they are held by the barking 
teeth 6 of either one rotary member 35 or 36 at a location where the 
rotation loci a and b of the respective barking teeth 6 provides a 
V-shaped space. On the other hand, if the barking teeth of the left and 
right rotary members 35, 36 are set to have the difference of 180 degrees 
in their phases, the removed bark pieces may easily fall through a gap 
between the circumferences of both rotary members 35, 36 so as to be then 
discharged out. 
When transferring from the lower rotary member 36 to the higher rotary 
member 35, each log of large diameter is pecked at one side thereof 
downwardly obliquely by the barking teeth 6 of the lower rotary member 36 
and at the other side thereof upwardly by the barking teeth 6 of the 
higher rotary member 35, so that the large diameter log may be very 
satisfactorily rolled to surely bark the complete circumference thereof, 
although it has heavy weight and is not susceptible to roll. Moreover, the 
large diameter log is smoothly transferred to the higher rotary member 35 
by a combination of the facts that it is pushed against the higher rotary 
member 35 by the barking teeth 6 of the lower rotary member 36, that the 
subsequent log is pushed into under the concerned large diameter log by 
the barking teeth 6 of the lower rotary member 36, and that the higher 
rotary member 35 is rotating at a higher speed than the lower rotary 
member 36, whereby it can be circulated in a state comparable to logs of 
average diameter and hence barked with high efficiency. 
FIG. 19 shows another double-drum type barking machine in which logs are 
barked while being pecked up leftwardly and rightwardly. This barking 
machine is similar to the above mentioned embodiment in structure of the 
rotary members 35, 36 and the barking teeth 6 themselves, but different in 
that the rotary members 35, 36 are arranged at an equal level. 
In case logs to be barked have all a standard diameter and large diameter 
ones are not included, when the rotary members 35, 36 are rotated in the 
opposite directions such that the barking teeth 6 of the respective rotary 
members are both turned upwardly at a location where the rotation loci of 
the barking teeth 6, 6 are overlapped with each other, when looked at from 
front as shown in the FIG. 19, the logs are scratched up toward the side 
plates 33a, 33b while being barked by the barking teeth 6, 6, and then 
fall to the central section, whereupon circulation is repeated. Because 
the barking teeth 6 are all turned upwardly at a location between the 
rotary members 35 and 36, any log will not fall therebetween. Moreover, 
even when an amount of logs pushed up by the left and right rotary members 
35, 36 is not uniform, they are adequately distributed to the left and 
right in response to the then existing situation at the time when they 
have been returned back to the center, thereby ensuring rational barking 
process. 
In case of including large diameter ones among logs loaded into the 
receiving container 33, by rotating the left and right rotary members 35, 
36 in the same direction, it becomes possible to satisfactorily bark even 
those large diameter logs while rolling and circulating them in a desired 
fashion, similarly to the arrangement as shown in FIG. 18. 
Embodiment III 
A barker of this embodiment is suitable to bark elongated logs such as 
timbers for building. Designated at 41 is a receiving container which is 
substantially horizontally mounted to a body base 42, and which is formed 
to take a length less than two times the length of logs lumbered into 
pillar or plate timbers, preferably to take a length larger than that of 
logs in order of 1/3-1/5 thereof. The receiving container 41 is formed at 
the bottom portion thereof with an opening 43 extending substantially over 
the entire length, and at the top portion thereof with a hopper open 
upwardly. 
As shown in FIG. 20, the lower parts of side walls of the receiving 
container 41 are transversely symmetrical when looked at in the lengthwise 
direction, and are gradually curved to make narrower a spacing 
therebetween so as to provide the opening 43. The opening 43 includes a 
number of cut-out recesses 44 for passage of later-described barking teeth 
47 therethrough. 
A rotary member 45 is constituted into the form of a drum and rotatably 
supported causing the top portion thereof to enter the opening 43. 
Mountain-like barking teeth 47 each having a height gradually reduced in 
both the forward and backward directions of rotation are welded to or 
detachably screwed by means of bolts to the outer circumference of the 
rotary member 45 in the spiral form. Each of the barking teeth 47 has 
saw-like bits 47a engraved at the outer edge thereof. 
As shown in FIG. 20, the barking teeth 47 are each inclined when looked at 
in the direction normal to the axis of the rotary member 45, and they 
enter the receiving container 41 through the cut-out recesses 44 on one 
side and then go out to the outside through the cut-out recesses on the 
other side. 
The rotary member 45 is rotataly driven by a motor, which is rotatable in 
both the forward and backward directions, causing logs to reciprocate in 
the lengthwise direction while barking them. Such forward and backward 
rotations are switched over automatically or manually so that the motor is 
immediately turned forwardly or backwardly after it has been once stopped. 
The lower part of side wall of the receiving container 41 is formed as an 
openable plate 41a, which is screwed at either lower or upper end thereof 
so that it may be opened after barking process to smoothly discharge the 
lumbered logs. 
In the foregoing barker, when a number of elongated logs for lumbering are 
loaded into the receiving container 41 through the top opening by means of 
a loading conveyor or forklift with the rotary member 45 rotating in 
either one direction, the barking teeth 47 enter the receiving container 
41 through the cut-out recesses 44 in the lower part of the receiving 
container 41 on one side and then go out through the cut-out recesses 44 
on the other side, during which time the bits 47a on the forward side in 
the direction of rotation serve to push up and bark the loaded logs toward 
the other side while rolling them and, after passing the top of the 
barking teeth 47, the logs are barked while being descended by the 
downwardly inclined bits 47a on the backward side in the direction of 
rotation. 
Reaching the other side from one side, the preceding logs are pushed up by 
the subsequent logs in turn to roll now back to one side, so that barking 
process is completed by repeating such a circulation. 
During that recirculation, the deviated plate surfaces of the barking teeth 
47 function to shift the logs little by little in the lengthwise direction 
thereof. When the end faces of logs and projections such as corugated bark 
surfaces or knots strike against the barking teeth at the forward surface 
in the direction of rotation. Finally, the end faces of most logs come to 
abut with the end wall of the receiving container 41. 
At that time, the motor 46 is switched off to stop the rotary member 45 and 
then reversely turned to rotate the rotary member 45 also in the backward 
direction. Because of the mountain-like barking teeth 47, the opposite 
inclined bits now bark the logs while pushing them and the opposite 
deviated plate surfaces function to move the logs in the reverse 
direction, so that the opposite end faces of logs come to abut with the 
other end wall of the receiving container 41. At that time, the motor 46 
is again reversed in the direction of rotation in a similar manner to the 
above. 
After logs have been completely barked by repeating such barking steps to 
reciprocate them, the openable plate 41a is opened to discharge the barked 
timbers transversely. 
In a barker of the type that an end plate of the receiving container 41 is 
formed as the openable plate 41a, by opening it in the final barking step, 
the barked timbers are discharged in turn out through one end of the 
receiving container 41 in the lengthwise direction thereof similarly to 
the conventional beating type. 
The above mentioned barker is particularly fit to bark elongated logs, but 
it is also applicable to bark short logs for chips. 
In this case, an end plate of the receiving container 41 is formed as an 
openable plate, and the rotary member 45 is rotated such that the barking 
teeth 47 serve to move the logs toward the openable plate. 
FIG. 22 shows another embodiment of the receiving container 41, in which it 
is tapered to widen upwardly in cress section and at least one side wall 
is formed to include an openable plate 41a. Both a pivoted part 41c of the 
openable plate 41a in this example and a screwed part 41b thereof in the 
foregoing example may be provided in either one of the upper and lower 
portions of the side wall. 
FIGS. 23 and 24 show still another embodiment of the receiving container 41 
and the barking teeth 47. Each side of this receiving container 41 is 
composed of a number of longitudinal ribs A arranged with a spacing 
therebetween through which several barking teeth 47 are able to pass, and 
a plurality of horizontal ribs B for interconnecting those longitudinal 
ribs A and forming horizontal open edges of the cut-out recesses 44. 
The longitudinal and horizontal ribs A, B are both of angle bars and iron 
plate 48 are welded to the inner surfaces of the side walls at both end 
portions thereof. Each of the iron plates 48 has such a horizontal width 
that, when one end of any log reaches the end plate of the receiving 
container on that side, the other end of the log will not come out of the 
iron plate 48 on the opposite side. Similarly to the embodiment as shown 
in FIG. 1, the iron plate has at the lower edge thereof a number of narrow 
cut-out recesses for independent passage of the respective barking teeth 
47. 
Even when elongated logs move in the lengthwise direction of the rotary 
member 45, the end of any log will not front the side walls of the 
receiving container 41 in the intermediate portion thereof, thus resulting 
in no fear that the log end may protrude to the outside even with the log 
being placed somewhat obliquely. The receiving container 41 composed of 
longitudinal and horizontal angle bars makes it possible to discharge the 
removed barks through a larger space with good efficiency, thereby 
improving the barking efficiency and reducing the cost. 
Moreover, the barking teeth 47 in this embodiment are arranged on the outer 
circumference of the rotary member 45 in the spiral form with the plate 
surfaces thereof being perpendicular to the axial direction of the rotary 
member 45. When the rotary member 45 is intermittently driven forwardly 
and backwardly in such arrangement, causing the barking teeth 47 to act 
upon logs in both the forward and backward directions, the logs are 
repeatedly to move toward both ends in an alternate manner to thereby 
surely bark all the parts, because they are placed to take irregular 
attitudes, have knots or corrugated surfaces and are different from one 
another in their diameters. 
Also in the barker shown in FIGS. 20 to 22, the barking teeth 47 may be set 
to have their plate surfaces perpendicular to the axial direction of the 
rotary member 45. 
Embodiment IV 
This embodiment relates to a barker intended to improve the loading 
attitude of logs and to bark them while cutting the removed barks. Two 
receiving containers 51 each similar to that in Embodiment I are 
interconnected in series with the feeding-out side being slightly lowered. 
Each receiving container is formed at the bottom portion thereof with an 
opening 52 extending substantially over the entire length, and a hopper 53 
laterally projecting is mounted a loading inlet provided on the upstream 
receiving container 51 at the leading end thereof. The upstream receiving 
member 51 may be composed of left and right side plates arranged to widen 
upwardly into a V shape, and front and rear end plates. Also in this case, 
the hopper 53 is provided at the top of the receiving container on the 
leading side. 
The opening 52 of the receiving container 51 is displaced, as looked at in 
the length wide direction thereof, from the vertical center line of the 
receiving container 51 transversely (toward the side opposite to the 
hopper 53). A drum-like rotary member 55 (standard radius size of 739 mm) 
is rotatably supported by shafts 54 below the receiving container such 
that the top portion of the former enters the opening 52 of the latter. 
The rotary member 55 includes on the outer circumference thereof a number 
of barking teeth 6 having saw-like bits 6a (a representing a locus of 
rotation thereof) and welded or detachably bolted to the rotary member in 
the spiral form, the barking teeth 6 each having a height gradually 
increased in the reverse direction of rotation. The standard pitch of the 
teeth train is set substantially equal to or slightly longer than the 
length of logs, e.g., 2400 mm. 
On the same circumference line as each of the barking teeth 6, there is 
mounted a barking cutter 56 which has a lower height of about 15-20 mm on 
the assumption that the barking teeth 6 has a height of about 100-120 mm. 
The bark cutter 56 is formed on the forward side in the direction of 
rotation to provide a lip angle equal to or less than 90 degrees with 
respect to the outer circumference of the rotary member 55 as looked at in 
the axial direction thereof. The forward end of the bark cutter in the 
direction of rotation, which provides a lip, may be formed into the face 
perpendicular to the plate surface of the bark cutter 56, as shown in FIG. 
28(b). Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 28(c), the forward cutter end may 
be ground at both side edges thereof to form a lip such that the lip line 
locates at the depthwise center of of the bark cutter 56. Moreover, as 
shown in FIG. 29, the upwardly inclined portion of the barking teeth 6 may 
be ground at the outer circumference thereof from both sides into a 
mountain-like shape so as to form the lip line at the depthwise center of 
the teeth plate. In the example shown in FIG. 28, the lip angle .theta. on 
the forward side in the direction of rotation with respect to the 
circumference of the rotary member is set equal to or less than 90 
degrees, and preferably in a range of 50-75 degrees when an acute angle 
has been selected for the lip angle .theta.. Although a plurality of 
barking cutters 56 may be provided with a larger spacing than that of the 
barking teeth, it is desired that plural pairs of bark cutters are 
disposed in locations corresponding to a pair of barking teeth 6, 6 
adjacent to each other through several barking teeth 6 and also 
substantially coinciding with each other as looked at in the axial 
direction of the rotary member 55. With this arrangement, the paired bark 
cutters 56, 56 serve to cut the long bark simultaneously with it being 
caught on adjacent cut-out recesses 57, 57 (later described), thereby 
surely cutting the bark of strong fibers. 
If it is so arranged that all or a part of the barking teeth 6 are 
inclined, as shown in FIG. 26, for the tailing side (higher side) of each 
tooth to deviate in the direction of traveling of logs toward the forward 
side, the logs can be promoted in their movements. In case that it is 
difficult to bark depending on the kinds of logs, cutting period or from 
other reasons, or that there is a small amount of logs, a shutter provided 
at a discharge outlet of the downstream receiving container 51 is raised 
by means of a motor 59 through a chain to thereby block discharge of the 
logs. 
A lower part of the receiving container 51 on one side round the opening 52 
(the side where the barking teeth 6 and the bark cutter 56 enter the 
receiving container 51 while rising) is inclined downwardly from a 
position opposite to the uppermost portion of the rotary member 55 to a 
position substantially equal to a level of the axis thereof, while a lower 
part of the receiving container on the other side is desceded while 
curving at a slight inclination to a location somewhat spaced outwardly 
from the vertical diameter of the rotary member 55. The lower parts on one 
side and on the other side are both formed at the lower edges thereof with 
a number of cut-out recesses 57 for passage of the barking teeth 6 and 
bark cutters 56, so that the respective barking teeth 6 and the bark 
cutters 56 enter the receiving container 51 through the cut-out recesses 
57 formed in the steeply inclined lower part on one side and then go out 
through the cut-out recesses 57 formed in the lower part on the other 
side. 
In the barker as mentioned above, when logs are loaded from the hopper 53 
into the receiving container 53 by means of a loading conveyor or lift, 
the barking teeth 6 enter the receiving container 51 through the cut-out 
recesses 57 formed in the steeply inclined lower part on one side of the 
receiving container 51 to bark the logs while pushing up them toward the 
other side, during which time the rotary member 55 is rotated while 
supporting the logs. When the barking teeth 6 reach the lower part on the 
other side, they go out through the cut-out recesses 57 on that side. At 
this time, preceding logs are pushed by the subsequent logs to ride over 
the lower part on the other side and, simultaneously, sprung up by the 
barking teeth 6 to roll toward the lower part on one side. Such a 
circulation is repeated to complete the barking process. 
The removed small barks are discharged to the outside through the cut-out 
recesses 57 by their own weight or by the sweeping action of the barking 
teeth 6, whereas those barks comprising long or strong fibers will still 
reside in the receiving container 51 as they are left in an elongated 
state. In this respect, the bark cutters 56 catch the elongated barks and 
then cut them while passing the cut-out recesses 57 with the barks being 
held by the edges on both sides of each cut-out recess, so that the bark 
cutters 56 each inclined upwardly at the depthwise center thereof force 
forwardly and then cut the barks while pushing up the logs. The cut barks 
are discharged in a twice-folded state while being caught by the bark 
cutters 56, or swept out through the cut-out recesses 57. 
Accordingly, the barking teeth 6 function to bark logs with high efficiency 
without a possibility that a large amount of barks may reside in the 
receiving container 51. 
Furthermore, the barks falling through between the cut-out recesses 57 as 
well as rotary member 55 and the receiving container 51 are transported 
out by a conveyor 61 stretched thereunder. 
When loading logs into the hopper 53, they are loaded in parallel to the 
lengthwise direction of the receiving container 51, but some of them may 
be oftenly oriented perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the 
receiving container 51 as shown in FIG. 30(b), or brought into an attitude 
obliquely crossing it. How to cope with such a condition will now be 
described. 
Upon continuation of the barking process, some log may be come into a 
bridged state as shown in FIG. 30(a) due to the circulating action caused 
by rotation of the barking teeth 6, and the subsequently loaded log can 
not contact with the barking teeth. If the rotary member 55 is stopped at 
that time, the log in such a bridged state may lose its balance to be 
fallen sidelong. This interrupt during operation of course results in the 
lowered efficiency and, to find such a phenomenon, the loading condition 
must be monitored at all times, which is very troublesome. 
In order to prevent the above bridging phenemonon, an angle bar 62 in the 
inverted-V form is fixed to a sloping plate 55a of the hopper 53 in such a 
manner that it is inclined with the feeding-out side thereof being lowered 
as shown in FIG. 25, or that it is bent into the umbrella-like form as 
shown by dotted lines. With this arrangement, the log loaded 
perpendicularly or obliquely to the axis of the rotary member 55 strikes 
at the foreend thereof against the angle bar 62, so that it slides along 
an inclination of the bar in the lengthwise wise direction of the rotary 
member 55, thus coming into a proper attitude. 
As shown by chain lines in FIGS. 25 and 27, if the angle bar 62 is replaced 
by a roller having spiral ribs 63 projected on the circumference thereof 
such that the roller 64 receives the end of the loaded log and the spiral 
ribs 63 serve to transfer it, it becomes possible to prevent the above 
mentioned sidelong falling phenomenon of logs with still higher 
efficiency. 
It is to be noted that the rotational direction of the roller 64 is set for 
the the spiral ribs 63 to pick up the log, and the lead direction of the 
spiral ribs 63 is set to guide the end of the log toward the lowered side 
of the roller 64. 
Embodiment V 
Referring now to FIGS. 31 and 32, designated at 65 is a receiving container 
which is substantially horizontally mounted to the body base 2, and which 
is formed to take a length less than two times the length of logs lumbered 
into pillar or plate timbers, preferably to take a length larger than that 
of logs in order of 1/3-1/5 thereof. The receiving container 65 is formed 
at the bottom portion thereof with an opening 66 extending substantially 
over the entire length, and it is open at the top portion thereof. 
As shown in FIG. 31, the lower parts of side walls of the receiving 
container 65 are transversely symmetrical when looked at in the lengthwise 
direction thereof. and are gradually curved to make narrower a spacing 
therebetween so as to provide the opening 66. The opening 66 includes a 
number of cut-out recesses 67 for independent passage of later-described 
barking teeth 6 therethrough. 
A rotary member 68 is constituted into the form of a drum and rotatably 
supported causing the top portion thereof to enter the opening 66. 
Mountain-like barking teeth 6 each having a height gradually reduced in 
both the forward and backward directions of rotation are welded to or 
detachably screwed by means of bolts to the outer circumference of the 
rotary member 68 in the spiral form. Each of the barking teeth 6 has 
saw-like bits engraved at the outer edge thereof. 
Similarly to the foregoing embodiment, the barking teeth 6 are each 
inclined when looked at in the direction normal to the axis of the rotary 
member 68, and they enter the receiving container 65 through the cut-out 
recesses 67 on one side and then to out to the outside through the cut-out 
recesses 67 on the other side. 
The rotary member 68 is rotatably driven by a motor which is rotatable in 
both the forward and backward directions, causing logs to reciprocate in 
the lengthwise direction thereof while barking them. Such forward and 
backward rotations are switched over automatically or manually so that the 
motor is immediately turned forwardly or backwardly after it has been once 
stopped. 
Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 31, at the top of the receiving container 65 
on both sides thereof there are provided restriction members 69 arranged 
in the lengthwise direction between a spacing therebetween and each 
comprising two or more arms 69a. Each of the arms 69a is curved downwardly 
as shown by solid lines or upwardly as shown by chain lines, whereas it is 
rotatably supported at its proximal portion to a horizontal shaft 70 and 
connected at its external end to a single-acting or double-acting air 
cylinder 71. When the rotary member 68 is rotated clockwisely as shown by 
an arrow a, the right-hand air cylinders 71 are extended so that the 
restriction members 69 on that side are descended to press the logs. On 
the other hand, when the rotary member 68 is rotated counterclockwisely as 
shown by an arrow b, the left-hand air cylinders 71 are extended so that 
the restriction members 69 on that side are descended to presse the logs 
which have been picked up by the barking teeth 6. 
Furthermore, a plurality of balance weights 72 are suspended at each outer 
end of the arm 69a so as to adjust the pressing force of the restriction 
member 69. 
Incidentally, a plurality of rolls 73 coming into contact with the logs are 
rotatably supported to each of the arms 69a, so that the movement of logs 
in the lengthwise direction thereof will not be hampered. 
FIG. 32 shows an another embodiment of the restriction 69, in which a 
support shaft 70a is horizontally mounted above the receiving container 65 
and a plurality of pivotable arms 74 are projected from the support shaft 
70a, each pivotable arm 74 having an arm 69a pivoted at its intermediate 
portion thereto by means of a fulcrum pin 75. With such an arrangement, 
when the air cylinder 71 is extended to tilt the pivotable arm 74 
downwardly, each arm 69a presses the logs by its own weight in conformity 
with the circulated barking process with the air cylinder 71 being of a 
single-acting type. In case of a double-acting air cylinder, it becomes 
possible to forcibly press the logs under the substantially constant 
pressure, or to hold the arm 69a in a suspended state at a certain level 
in accordance with the amount of logs, thereby preventing the logs from 
jumping up or swelling up abnormally. 
A lower part of side wall of the receiving container 65 is formed as an 
openable 65a, which is screwed at the top or bottom portion thereof to the 
side wall. The openable plate 65a is opened after completion of the 
barking process to discharge the barked timbers. 
In the barker as mentioned above, logs of small diamter such as Japanese 
cedars (sugis) or white cedars (hinokis) lumbered into building materials 
are loaded into the receiving container 65 through the top opening by 
means of a loading conveyor or forklift with the rotary member 68 being 
rotated in either one direction, and the restriction member 69 on one side 
are descended in accordance with the rotational direction of the rotary 
member 68 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 31, or the pivotable arm 74 is 
tilted downwardly in the embodiment shown in FIG. 32. This causes the 
barking teeth 6 to enter the receiving container 65 through the cut-out 
recesses 67 formed in the lower part of the receiving container 65 on one 
side and then go out through the cut-out recesses 67 on the other side, 
during which time the bits 6a on the upstream side in the direction of 
rotation function to bark the logs while rolling and pushing up them 
toward the other side and, after passing the top of the barking teeth 6, 
the logs are barked by the downwardly inclined bits 6a on the downstream 
side in the direction of rotation while being descended along the teeth 
flank. 
Reaching the other side from one side, the preceding logs are pushed up by 
the subsequent logs in turn to roll now back to one side, so that barking 
process is completed by repeating such a circulation. 
During that recirculation, the deviated plate surfaces of the barking teeth 
6 function to shift the logs little by little in the lengthwise direction 
thereof, when the end faces of logs and projections such as corrugated 
bark surfaces or knots strike against the barking teeth at the forward 
surface in the direction of rotation. Finally, the end faces of most logs 
come to abut with the end wall of the receiving container 65. 
At that time, the motor is switched off to stop the rotary member 68 and 
then reversely turned to rotate the rotary member 68 also in the backward 
direction. Because of the mountain-like barking teeth 6, the opposite 
inclined bits now bark the logs while pushing up them and the opposite 
deviated plate surfaces function to move the logs in the reverse 
direction, so that the opposite end faces of logs come to abut with the 
other end wall of the receiving container 65. At that time, the motor is 
again reversed in the direction of rotation in a similar manner to the 
above. 
After logs have been completely barked by repeating such barking steps to 
reciprocate them, the air cylinders 71 are operated to raise the 
restriction members 69 and the openable plate 65a is then opened to 
discharge the barked timbers transversely. 
In a barker of the type that one end plate of the receiving container 65 is 
formed as the openable plate 65a, by opening it after completion of 
barking, the barked timbers are discharged in turn out through one end of 
the receiving container 65 in the lengthwise direction thereof similarly 
to the conventional beating type. 
The above mentioned barker is particularly fit to bark elongated logs, but 
it is also applicable to bark short logs for chips. In this case, an end 
plate of the receiving container 65 is also formed as an openable plate, 
and the rotary member 68 is rotated such that the barking teeth 6 serve to 
transfer the logs toward the openable plate.