U-shaped board unscrambler
First Claim
1. A board unscrambler adapted for unscrambling boards comprising:
- a frame having an entrance and an exit for the boards, the frame comprising;
a U-shaped accumulator portion in which the boards accumulate after the entrance, the U-shaped accumulator portion having a lowermost point and sloped surfaces on both sides of the lowermost point; and
an upward slope portion between the U-shaped accumulator portion and the exit; and
a powered conveyor comprising;
driving chains;
rails guiding the driving chains; and
catches mounted to the driving chains for carrying forward the boards along the frame from the U-shaped accumulator portion through the upward slope portion toward the exit;
wherein boards which are not directly or indirectly carried forward by the catches will fall back in the U-shaped accumulator portion thereby resulting in an unscrambling of the boards which are carried forward.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A board unscrambler for sorting a plurality of boards comprises a frame having an entrance and an exit. The frame comprises a U-shaped accumulator near the entrance and an upwardly substantially longitudinal slope connecting the U-shaped accumulator portion to the exit. The board unscrambler further comprises a powered conveyor which substantially adopts the shape of the frame, comprising driving chains and a plurality of spaced apart catches mounted on the driving chains for mating with and displacing the boards along the frame from the U-shaped accumulator portion toward the exit. Accordingly, the board unscrambler features accumulation capability, thereby increasing efficiency and regulating performance.
15 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A board unscrambler adapted for unscrambling boards comprising:
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a frame having an entrance and an exit for the boards, the frame comprising; a U-shaped accumulator portion in which the boards accumulate after the entrance, the U-shaped accumulator portion having a lowermost point and sloped surfaces on both sides of the lowermost point; and an upward slope portion between the U-shaped accumulator portion and the exit; and a powered conveyor comprising; driving chains; rails guiding the driving chains; and catches mounted to the driving chains for carrying forward the boards along the frame from the U-shaped accumulator portion through the upward slope portion toward the exit; wherein boards which are not directly or indirectly carried forward by the catches will fall back in the U-shaped accumulator portion thereby resulting in an unscrambling of the boards which are carried forward. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of unscrambling boards comprising:
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providing boards perpendicularly to a forward direction of movement of the boards; accumulating boards in a U-shaped accumulator, wherein the U-shaped accumulator has a lowermost point and sloped surfaces on both sides of the lowermost point; and a conveyor comprising driving chains, rails guiding the driving chains, and catches mounted to the driving chains catching at least some boards for carrying them forward on an upward slope still perpendicularly to a forward direction of movement of the boards; wherein boards which are not directly or indirectly carried forward by the catches will fall back from the upward slope or remain in the U-shaped accumulator thereby resulting in an unscrambling of the boards which are carried forward.
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19. A board unscrambler adapted for unscrambling boards comprising:
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guides defining a conveyor surface comprising; a U-shaped accumulator in which the boards accumulate after entering the board unscrambler, the U-shaped accumulator having a lowermost point and sloped surfaces on both sides of the lowermost point; an upward slope after the U-shaped accumulator; and a powered conveyor comprising catches for carrying forward the boards from the U-shaped accumulator through the upward slope; wherein boards which are not directly or indirectly carried forward by the catches will fall back from the upward slope or remain in the U-shaped accumulator thereby resulting in an unscrambling of the boards which are carried forward.
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Specification