Patent ID: 6941987

Claim:
Apparatus for processing logs to manufacture wood chips that includes: a circular disc containing a series of blades; a chipping station through which said series of blades are passed seriatim; a conveyor; a chute and spout assembly for feeding logs from the conveyor into the chipping station along a given flow path; a lifting mechanism that is mounted for rotation upon a shaft, said shaft being located outside said spout and chute assembly, said lifting mechanism including at least one lifting member and at least one drive unit; for turning said shaft so that the at least one lifting member is rotated between a retracted position wherein the at least one lifting member is outside of said flow path and an extended position wherein the at least one lifting member is rotated into engagement with logs located within said spout and chute assembly to move said logs generally contra to the direction of flow, said at least one lifting member having a width that substantially extends across the flow path when rotated into the extended position by said at least one drive unit.