Patent Publication Number: US-7909551-B2

Title: Apparatus and method for shaving the inside of barrels

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     The present application is continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/271,367 filed Nov. 14, 2008, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,771,146. 
    
    
     The present invention relates to barrel reconditioning and, in particular, to an apparatus and method for controllably shaving the inside surface of barrels. The present invention is intended for particular use on wine barrels, however, is not intended to be limited to such use. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The applicant is the owner of a co-pending Australian patent application 2006202071 relating to the production of barrel staves. The contents of this co-pending application are incorporated by reference herein. 
     Wine is traditionally aged in oak barrels. The oak is integral to aging and imparting certain flavours to the wines. Wine fermenting and aging in wood barrels extracts flavour components from the wood and leaves a residue of precipitated materials such as tartrates, fining agents or yeast. Wine processing often leaves undesirable bacterial infections in the barrels for which there is no current remedy. 
     Wine penetrates into a solid barrel stave approximately 0.5-0.8 centimeters. Over time (typically after two to three uses), all components which can be extracted from the oak will be, and the residue left in the wood can begin to sour or block the membrane exchangeability of the wood. The barrel is then considered exhausted and is viewed either as a liability because of contamination, or as neutral storage for additional vintages. 
     Currently, reconditioning involves transporting used barrels from vineyards to cooperage plants where the internal surfaces of the barrels are shaved and then toasted for reuse. Shaving methods vary from more simple techniques involving bottom cutting routers and rotating wire brushes, to more complex methods involving motorised cutting apparatus. Although inadequate, however, these services remain available because they are able to remove a small amount of the barrel&#39;s inner surface for a very modest fee. Conventional cutting devices suffer from some of the following drawbacks:
         Current techniques, particularly manual shaving methods, often result in uneven surfaces and do not provide a shaved surface that is reflective of the pre-shaved surface.   Such techniques are also problematic because they do not ensure that all areas of the barrel are shaved to a depth where the exposed wood is uncontaminated from previous wine.   The quality of the surface is often compromised using traditional shaving techniques. Sometimes, the shaved surface requires sanding and this causes greater deterioration to the barrel surface because it grinds the exhausted wood into the pores of the newly exposed wood. When the barrel is re-toasted, very undesirable “off” flavours are baked into the new surface.   The time taken to completely shave the inside of a barrel is significant, given that this is often done manually. The skilled addressee would realise the benefits in being able to quickly and efficiently recondition a barrel back to a useful state without the need for manual labor.       

     It is an object of the present invention to overcome this problem or to at least provide the public with a useful alternative. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Therefore in one form of the invention there is proposed an apparatus for shaving the inside surface of barrels, said apparatus including:
     a first robotic arm;   a scanning means attached to a free end of the first robotic arm and adapted to scan the internal dimensions of the barrel to thereby provide mapped internal dimensions of the inside surface to a controller for the robotic arm;   a second robotic arm;   a cutting means in the form of a router attached to the free end of the second robotic arm and adapted to shave the inside surface of the barrel to a predetermined depth relative to the scanned internal dimensions, the cutting means and scanning means being rotatable about the vertical axes of their respective robotic arms.   

     In preference the scanning means is adapted to vertically traverse the inside surface of the barrel to thereby scan a portion thereof with each pass. 
     In preference the cutting means is adapted to vertically traverse the inside surface of the barrel to thereby shave a portion thereof with each pass. 
     In preference movement of said scanning and cutting means relative to the inside surface of the barrel is controlled using the controller. 
     In preference said apparatus includes a computing device into which at least one movement parameter for the scanning means is input and subsequently processed to form a first set of movement data to be communicated to the control means. 
     In preference scanning said at least one movement parameter includes a start angle, a stop angle, and a pitch of said scanning means. 
     In preference at least one movement parameter for the cutting means can also be input into said computing device and subsequently processed, together with dimensional data from the scanning means, to form a second set of movement data to be communicated to the controller. 
     In preference at least one movement parameter for the cutting means includes a cut depth for each vertical pass of the cutting means. 
     In preference said at least one movement parameters for the cutting means include cut depth for a first pass of the cutting mans and a cut depth for a second pass of the cutting means. 
     In preference the router is electrically driven and the first robotic arm is capable of a range of controlled movements inside the barrel. 
     In preference the first and second robotic arms are hydraulically driven. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate several implementations of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the advantages and principles of the invention. In the drawings, 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of an apparatus for shaving the inside of a barrel in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a side view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1  wherein the barrel is in a raised position; 
         FIG. 3   a  illustrates an enlarged perspective view of a router assembly forming part of the apparatus of  FIG. 1  whereby the laser cover is open; 
         FIG. 3   b  illustrates an enlarged perspective view of a router assembly forming part of the apparatus of  FIG. 1  whereby the laser cover is closed; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a side view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1  performing a scan of the inside surface of the barrel; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a side view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1  shaving the inside surface of the barrel; 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a second embodiment of the present invention when the scanner and router are each supported by a separate robotic arm mounted on a single platform; and 
         FIG. 7  illustrates a third embodiment of the present invention when the scanner and router are each supported by a separate robotic arm mounted on separate platforms. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The following detailed description of the invention refers to the accompanying drawings. Although the description includes exemplary embodiments, other embodiments are possible, and changes may be made to the embodiments described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings and the following description to refer to the same and like parts. 
     The present invention relates to an apparatus  10  and method for shaving the inside surface  11  of barrels, in particular, used wine barrels  12  which require reconditioning for re-use. Referring firstly to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the apparatus  10  comprises a base frame  14  having a height adjustable barrel mounting means  16  associated therewith, a robotic arm  18  mounted above the base frame  14 , and a router assembly  20  positioned at the free end of the robotic arm  18 , the router assembly  20  including a laser  22  suspended therefrom. The robotic arm  18  is capable of a range of controlled movements. In brief, the router assembly  20  and laser  22  are controllably moved along the inside surface  11  of the barrel  12  to: 
     1) scan the internal dimensions of the barrel using the laser  22 ; and 
     2) shave the inside surface to a predetermined depth using the router assembly  20 . 
     The base frame  14  is in the form of a substantially rectangular table having a top surface  24  supported above four vertical legs  26  having horizontal reinforcing beams  28  extending therebetween, including at the base of the frame  14 . The configuration of the base frame  14  is not critical, provided it is robust enough to support the weight of the robotic arm even when the arm is at full extension away from the frame  14 . The top surface  24 , as well as the lowermost reinforcing beams  28  on the left and right hand sides of the robotic arm  18 , extend forwardly from the frame  14  in the same direction as that of the robotic arm  18  to facilitate its support. 
     The height adjustable barrel mounting means  16  is in the form of a sub-frame  30  housed inside the base frame  14 , the sub-frame  30  being capable of vertical movement relative to the base frame  14  through actuation of a pneumatic cylinder  32 . Upward and downward movement is aided through the use of guide rollers  34  which slideably engage the inside surfaces of the legs  26  as shown in the drawings. A portion of the sub-frame  30  also extends forwardly from the base frame  14  in the direction as the robotic arm  18 , to which a pair of spaced apart straps  36  for wrapping around and engaging the barrel  12  are attached. The straps  36  may be attached to the sub-frame  30  by any suitable means and may include a tensioning means  38  for tightening the straps  36 . 
     It is to be understood that there may well be a plurality of straps used, or other alternate means of supporting the barrel  12 . For example, a barrel floor support (not shown) extending out from the sub-frame  30  could be used. The benefit of the embodied configuration though is that the router assembly  20  can be moved vertically past the bottom end of the barrel  12  if need be, as there is no base structure below to prevent such movement. Furthermore, a floor structure would require further material, would increase the weight of the apparatus, and would possibly require a stronger pneumatic cylinder. 
     As mentioned, the sub-frame  30  is capable of vertical movement through actuation of a pneumatic cylinder  32 . The pneumatic cylinder  32  is positioned centrally inside the base frame  14 , and includes a ram  40  adapted to engage a portion of the sub-frame  30  such that when the ram  40  is in a retracted position inside the cylinder  42 , the attached barrel  12  is grounded in the position shown in  FIG. 2  in hidden lines, and when the ram  40  is extended upwardly, the barrel  12  is at a height suitable for it to undergo scanning and cutting in accordance with the present invention. 
     The robotic arm  18  comprises a base  44 , an attached shoulder  46 , a first arm member  48  pivotably linked to the shoulder  46 , an elbow  50  pivotably linked to the opposed end of the first member  48 , and a second arm member  52  rotatably linked to the elbow  50 . The router assembly  20  is pivotably linked to the free end of the second arm member  52 . Therefore, the robotic arm  18  is capable of pivoting in three ways, whereby each pivot axes extends transversely to the forward direction of the arm  18 . The present invention is not intended to be limited to this particular robotic arm configuration, for example, the arm may be made to pivot in four or five ways, or along different axes, if desired. 
     The router assembly  20  is shown most clearly in  FIGS. 3   a  and  3   b . The assembly  20  includes an electric motor  54 , a drive shaft  56  driven by the motor  54 , and twin router blades  58  removably attached to the end of the drive shaft  56 . As mentioned, a laser  22  is mounted beneath the motor housing  60  and points in the same direction as the twin blades  58 . The laser  22  includes a shutter  62  that is pivotable from the open position shown in  FIG. 3   a , to the closed position shown in  FIG. 3   b . Movement of the shutter  62  is controlled so that it opens during scanning of the internal surface  11  of the barrel  12 , and closed at all other times. The motor housing  54  is suspended from a bracket  64  pivotably linked to the second arm member  52  as described above. 
     The robotic arm  18  is shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  in a rest position when not in use, that is, when the first member  48  extends substantially upwardly and outwardly with respect to the base frame  14 , and the second member  18  extends downwardly and outwardly.  FIGS. 4 and 5  illustrate the robotic arm  18  when in use. It can be seen that in the in-use position, the first arm member  48  is more extended because it has been pivoted downwardly, as has the second member  52  which now extends inwardly slightly to ensure the router assembly  20  is positioned centrally inside the barrel, and the router blades  58  and laser  22  are aligned substantially horizontally. As will become apparent though, the router assembly  20  and laser  22  are pivoted to account for the barrel pitch and are aligned horizontally only when moving past the mid-section of the barrel  12 . 
     The way in which the robotic arm  18  operates will not be described in great detail as this should be known to those skilled in the art. In a preferred embodiment, the joints are controlled pneumatically. At the base  44  of the arm  18  is a control box  23  which is connected to an external computing device  25 . The computing device includes software into which different scanning and cutting parameters may be input by an operator, such data being transmitted to the control box  23  to operate the pneumatic joints accordingly. The control box  23 , computing device  25  and associated software is also used to control movement of the pneumatic cylinder  32 , and the shutter  62 . 
     According to the present invention, the internal surface of the barrel is to be scanned so that the internal dimensions are recorded, and then material removed to a depth relative to the scanned dimensions. Those skilled in the art would realise that if a pre-scan of the surface did not take place, movement of the router would be based on a prediction of the internal dimensions and an inaccurate cut would result. By firstly scanning the surface, it can be shaved to a uniform depth all the way around the barrel. The process ensures that the same amount of wood is removed at every point along the barrel surface, resulting in a barrel which has substantially the same internal relative dimensions to that of the original barrel, ready for re-crozering, re-toasting and re-use. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the router assembly  20  is moved into the centre of the barrel. Then, using upward and downward strokes, the laser  22  is able to map the dimensions of the internal surface  11 . Once the router assembly  20  has completed one downward stroke, it is rotated a predetermined distance corresponding approximately with the width of the laser beam on the internal surface, and then an upward stroke is commenced. This is continued until the router assembly has rotated 360 degrees and the entire internal surface  11  scanned. This data is recorded and transmitted to the computing device, and is processed together with data which is input by the operator, to produce cutting data which is subsequently transmitted to the control box  23 . The cutting data defines the required movements of the robotic arm to shave the inside surface  11  of the barrel  12 . 
       FIG. 5  illustrates the router assembly in use. As with the scanning process, the shaving process involves vertical strokes along the internal surface  11 , until the router assembly has rotated 360 degrees to complete the cut. It is to be understood that any appropriate sequence can be set up by an operator. For example, the scan and cut may be achieved using any number of vertical passes rather than just one. In fact, as will become apparent, it is preferred that the shave take place in two passes whereby half the material is moved in a downward stroke, for example, and the remaining depth of material is removed in an upward stroke. The present invention is not intended to be limited to any particular start angle, stop angle, pitch, or cut depth as these parameters are all variable and may be adjusted to suit different barrels. 
     The scan parameters which may be input by an operator are as follows:
         Start Angle (0-359 degrees)—this is the initial angle which is typically first set to zero, but may be set at any required angle. For example if a barrel shaving process is started and stopped at a specific angle, then it can be recommenced at that start angle at a later time.   Stop Angle (0-359 degrees)—this is the angle by which the second arm member  52  and hence the router assembly  20  and laser  22  are rotated, following each vertical scan. For example, if the start angle is set to 0 degrees and the stop angle is set to 12 degrees, the laser  20  will perform a first vertical scan and then rotate about its axis by 12 degrees before commencing a second vertical scan, and so on. At this setting, the router assembly will perform thirty vertical scans per barrel.   Pitch (1-36 degrees)—this parameter accounts for the curve of the internal surface, and for a standard wine barrel is typically set to 10 degrees whereby when the router assembly is at the top of the barrel it is angled upwardly by 10 degrees, when lowered to the middle of the barrel is aligned horizontally at 0 degrees, and when lowered to the bottom of the barrel is angled 10 degrees downwardly. Alteration of this angle is achieved by way of controlled pivot of the bracket  64  relative to the second arm member  52 .       

     Similarly, the variable cutting parameters are as follows:
         Start Angle (0-359 degrees)—This is as per the scan start angle and is typically first set to 0 degrees.   Stop Angle (0-359 degrees)—This angle is determined by the width of the shave resulting from contact between the router blades and the surface. In the embodiment shown, an angle of 10 degrees is input into the software.   Pitch (1-36 degrees)—A pitch angle of approximately 5 degrees is typically used here for a standard wine barrel.   Cut depth pass 1 (mm)—As mentioned the router assembly can perform one or more passes on the internal surface during the cutting process. Therefore in order to shave 8 mm off the surface, the pass 1 cut depth will be set to −4 mm.   Cut depth pass 2 (mm)—If 8 mm is to be shaved off and 4 mm has already been shaved in the first pass, then −8 mm should be input here.       

     Those skilled in the art should now realise the benefits of the present invention. 
     The apparatus  10  provides a means of partially reconditioning a used wine barrel by shaving the inside surface to a predetermined depth, ready for re-crozering, toasting, and re-use. Conventional shaving methods typically involve routing the internal surface by hand, but this technique is problematic in that it is a very slow process, the quality of the wood is often adversely affected, and there is no way of ensuring that the surface will be shaved to the same depth across the entire surface. Therefore, the resultant internal dimensions of the barrel are not reflective, relatively, of the original barrel surface. 
     In first scanning the internal dimensions, and then applying a controlled shave across the internal surface as a function of the scanned dimensions, an extremely accurate cut can be performed. The robotic arm of the present invention can move at approximately 1 meter/second, which means the internal surface of one barrel can be shaved within a time frame of 15-30 minutes. Operation of the apparatus can be modified to suit particular barrels in that parameters such as the scan/cut start and stop angles, the pitch, and the cut depth are variable, and can be input into the system. 
     It is to be understood that the apparatus used to shave the barrel need not be limited to a twin blade router assembly  20  as embodied herein. Any suitable shaving device can be used. 
     It is to be further understood that the shaving and scanning apparatus could remain stationary and the barrel itself could be moved relative thereto, thereby scanning and shaving the internal surface. For example, a platform upon which the barrel rests may be rotatable and vertically moveable with respect to the scanner and router. 
     A more sophisticated laser sensor could also be used, in particular, one which is capable of scanning around 360 degrees of the barrel surface instead of only a radial portion. In using such a laser, only one vertical movement of the laser would be required to scan the entire cross-sectional internal dimension. 
     The computing device  25  could also be used to save data relating to such things as the amount of material removed from the barrel, the date and time a particular barrel was shaved, and the physical state of the barrel including how many more times the barrel may be reconditioned, if any. All of this data could be stored and potentially used for future reference. 
     The present applicant currently manufactures barrels using an improved barrel stave jointing apparatus, including hardware and software capable of capturing and storing a number of different stave and barrel properties. It is envisaged that data relevant to a particular manufactured barrel is stored, so that when that barrel is used and returned to the cooperage for reconditioning, it can be accessed again. In such circumstances, a pre-scan of the internal dimensions may not even be necessary. 
     In a further embodiment of the invention and as illustrated in  FIG. 6 , the laser  22  may be mounted on a separate robotic arm  68  supported by platform  14 . The particulars of the robotic arm  68  are the same as those described earlier for robotic arm  18  and it is not the intention to herein describe the arm in more detail. The advantage of a robotic arm having a separate laser is in that during the operation of routing there may be a lot of debris flying about and having the laser to scan the internal dimensions of the barrel on a separate robotic arm may assist in keeping it free of debris. 
     In a further embodiment and as shown in  FIG. 7  the robotic arm  68  may be mounted on a separate platform  76 . Of course such an arrangement needs to ensure that the robotic arm holding the router and the robotic arm supporting the scanning laser share a common point of origin to ensure that the routing follows the scanning 
     Housing the scanning assembly and the cutting assembly may also be advantageous in that the scanning may occur just before the routing thus saving on time in shaving the inside surface of the barrel. Of course one would need to ensure that the scanning occurs on a section of the inside surface before any routing to avoid the situation where the scan may “look” at an inside area that has already been routed. 
     Further advantages and improvements may very well be made to the present invention without deviating from its scope. 
     Although the invention has been shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope and spirit of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and apparatus. 
     In any claims that follow and in the summary of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word “comprising” is used in the sense of “including”, i.e. the features specified may be associated with further features in various embodiments of the invention.