Woodworking – Veneer lathe – Log loading or centering
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-25
2001-01-23
Bray, W. Donald (Department: 3725)
Woodworking
Veneer lathe
Log loading or centering
C144S209100, C144S357000, C144S400000, C144S365000, C700S160000, C700S167000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06176282
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an apparatus for centering and feeding a log and to a method for centering and feeding a log, which are adapted to be used in combination with a working machine for turning a log while chucking the log by means of cutting spindles.
There is known a veneer lathe provided with cutting spindles having, in the direction of Z thereof, an axial center for chucking a log to be cut or peeled into a monolithic veneer (hereinafter referred simply to as a veneer). There is also known an apparatus for centering and feeding a log (or a log centering and feeding apparatus), which is designed to feed a log to the cutting spindles of the veneer lathe in such a manner that the log can be properly centered.
FIG. 23
shows part of one example of the conventional log centering and feeding apparatus which is disclosed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication H4-60001, wherein one side portion of the log-chucking section of the apparatus is illustrated. According to this log centering and feeding apparatus, a pair of centering spindles
100
(only one of them is shown) having an axial center in the same Z direction as that of the cutting spindles (not shown) of the veneer lathe are disposed away from the cutting spindles by a predetermined distance in the direction of X. The centering spindles
100
are mounted on a guiding shaft
103
which is horizontally interposed between a pair of frames
101
erected vertically (in the direction of Y), and the position of centering spindles
100
is made adjustable by means of an X-axis adjustor comprising a fluid cylinder (not shown), etc. A pair of transporting claws
104
(only one of them is shown) are disposed over the centering spindles
100
in such a manner that the position of each of the transporting claws
104
can be adjusted in the vertical direction (in the direction of Y) by means of a Y-axis adjustor comprising a fluid cylinder
105
, etc. and the transporting claws
104
are made entirely movable along the rail
110
or in the direction of X toward the cutting spindles of the veneer lathe.
Further, a plurality of log center detecting means each provided with a displacement detector
121
for detecting the position of center of a log (not shown) while the log is being kept chucked by the centering spindle
100
is mounted on a proximal end of each rocking arm
120
which is positioned at a desired interval along the longitudinal direction (in the direction of Z) of the log. In this case, the centering spindle
100
holding the log is rotated at least one revolution thereby enabling each log center detecting means to determine, through processing, each position of axial center which is assumed to constitute the axial centers at both end faces of the log, thus obtaining coordinate values on the axial center throughout the full length of log, on the basis of which the pair of centering spindles
100
are respectively shifted along the horizontal guiding shaft
103
by making use of the X-axis adjustor thereby performing the positional correction in the direction of X. Thereafter, each of the transporting claws
104
is moved downward to a predetermined degree so as to allow the log (that has been determined regarding the positional correction in the direction of X) to be held using the transporting claws
104
, after which the log is moved in the vertical direction (in the direction of Y) up to a predetermined position by making use of the Y-axis adjustor (comprising the fluid cylinder
105
), thereby performing the positional correction in the direction of Y. After finishing the alignment of axial center of log in both X and Y directions, the transporting claws
104
is moved, while maintaining this state of log. in the direction of X toward the cutting spindle of the veneer lathe so as to transfer the log to the cutting spindle.
As described above, according to the conventional log centering device, the adjustment data is output to the X-axis adjustor as well as to the Y-axis adjustor on the basis of data of axial center of log which have been obtained through the processing of data obtained from the displacement detector and from the rotation angle detector, whereby the log is shifted in the directions of X-axis and Y-axis so as to make the axial center of the log agree or align with the cutting spindle, thus performing the centering of the log.
However, since the aforementioned conventional centering device requires not only the X-axis adjustor for moving the holding claw (centering spindle
100
) in the direction of X-axis but also the Y-axis adjustor for moving the transporting claw
104
in the direction of Y-axis, the log centering device itself inevitably becomes large in size and at the same time, becomes complicated in structure, thus inviting an increase in cost.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been accomplished with a view to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art, and therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and a method for centering and feeding a log, which are capable of omitting the aforementioned exclusive X-axis adjustor, capable of miniaturizing the apparatus, and capable of simplifying the structure of the apparatus, thus making it possible to save the manufacturing cost of the apparatus.
With a view to achieve the aforementioned problems, the present invention provides a log centering and feeding apparatus which is fundamentally featured in that a reference virtual line in the direction of Y is set in a pair of log transporting members which correspond to the aforementioned transporting claw
104
, in that the centering spindle holding a log is rotated at least one revolution thereby enabling each log center detecting means to determine, through processing, each position of axial center which is assumed to constitute the axial centers at both end faces of the log, and in that the centering spindle is further rotated so as to render the direction of the virtual line passing through every positions of axial centers as viewed from the aforementioned direction of Z to align with the reference virtual line that has been set in advance to the pair of the log transporting members, thus making it possible to omit the X-axis adjustor comprising the fluid cylinder, etc. which is provided in the conventional log centering apparatus.
The means for further rotating the centering spindle so as to render the direction of the virtual line passing through every positions of axial centers as viewed from the direction of Z to align with the reference virtual line that has been set in advance to the pair of the log transporting members can be substituted by making use of a centering spindle-rotating means that has been attached in advance to the log centering and feeding apparatus, so that any additional device is not required, thus making it possible to miniaturize the apparatus and to simplify the construction of the apparatus.
Namely, the present invention provides a log centering and feeding apparatus which is designed to be employed in combination with a veneer lathe provided at least with a cutting spindle having an axial center in the direction of Z for chucking a log constituting a raw material for producing a veneer, said log centering and feeding apparatus being used for feeding the log to the cutting spindle under a condition where the centering of the log has been determined, and comprising a centering spindle disposed away from the cutting spindle by a predetermined distance in the direction of X and having an axial center in the same Z direction as that of said cutting spindle, log center detecting means for detecting the position of axial center of the log under a condition where the log is kept chucked by said centering spindle, a pair of log transporting members which are rendered movable in the direction of Z as well as in the direction of Y including a component orthogonally intersecting the direction of Z thereby enabling the log transporting members to receive the log from said centering spindle
Nakamura Tsuyoshi
Suzuki Shunichi
Armstrong, Westerman Hattori, McLeland & Naughton
Bray W. Donald
Meinan Machinery Works Inc.
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