Abstract:
A conveyor includes a plurality of belt support assemblies each having a drive wheel assembly at one end and an idler wheel assembly at the other end. Each of the drive and idler wheel assemblies includes a motion converter for converting the rotational movement of a shaft into linear motion along the shaft and an actuator for selectively engaging the motion converter and the shaft. A controller controls the operation of the shafts and the actuators to selectively and individually control the location of each end of each belt assembly relative to one another and to a centerline of the conveyor.
Abstract:
A front end conveyor includes a frame having a first side and a second side, a lower deck and an upper deck. The lower deck includes a plurality of sheet supports, and upper portions of the sheet supports lie in a first plane. The upper deck includes a plurality of sheet guides that define with the sheet supports a sheet transport path through the front end conveyor. A chad wall extends transversely to the sheet transport direction and has a top edge located below the sheet transport path and a front surface facing in the upstream direction and a plurality of fingers projecting from the front surface in the upstream direction. The top edge of the chad wall is positioned relative to the sheet transport path such that hanging chads depending from the sheets will impact the chad wall.
Abstract:
A conveyor includes a first conveyor deck having a first plurality of contact elements, each having a contact surface movable around a closed path from a contact region to a non-contact region, the first contact regions lying in a plane or being bounded by the plane and a second conveyor deck having a second plurality of contact elements, each having a contact surface movable around a closed path from a contact region to a non-contact region, these contact regions lying in a second plane or being bounded by the second plane. The transport path of the conveyor is defined by the contact surfaces of the first and second contact elements in the contact regions, and the first plurality of contact elements are belts and the second plurality of contact elements are wheels.
Abstract:
A front end conveyor has an upstream end and a downstream end, a lower deck including a plurality of primary sheet supports and an upper deck including a plurality of sheet guides. Upper portions of the primary sheet supports lie in a first plane and the sheet supports and sheet guides define a sheet transport path for moving sheets in a sheet transport direction. A pivotable sheet support extends from an upstream end of the lower deck and has at least one surface lying in a second plane. The pivotable sheet support is pivotable from a first position in which the second plane forms a first angle with the first plane and a second position in which the second plane forms a second angle with the first plane, the second angle being different than the first angle.
Abstract:
A bundle breaker has upstream and downstream breaking supports and first and second platens located above the breaking supports that are configured to be raised and lowered by actuators to selectively clamp a log between the platens and the breaking supports. A third actuator applies a shifting force to the downstream breaking support to shift an input end of the downstream breaking support relative to an output end of the upstream breaking support to break a second portion of the log from a first portion of the log. A controller controls the first actuator and the second actuator and the third actuator. Also, the controller is configured to stop or reduce the application of the shifting force in response to a determination that the second portion of the log has broken off the first portion of the log.
Abstract:
A bundle breaker has upstream and downstream breaking supports each having an input end and an output end. A first platen is located above the upstream breaking support, and a second platen is located above the downstream breaking support, and each platen has an actuator for moving the respective platen toward and away from the breaking supports to selectively clamp a log between the platens and the breaking supports. A third actuator is configured to apply a shifting force to the downstream breaking support to shift the input end of the downstream breaking support relative to the output end of the upstream breaking support from a first position toward a second position to break the second portion of the log from the first portion of the log. The first actuator and/or the second actuator and/or the third actuator includes at least one servo motor.
Abstract:
A sheet stacking system for transporting sheets and depositing them in a stack includes a layboy, a transport conveyor downstream of the layboy, and a main conveyor downstream of the transport conveyor, the main conveyor having a frame and being supported by a conveyor support, a discharge end of the main conveyor being movable between a lowered position and a raised position relative to the conveyor support. The main conveyor intake end is configured to move from a first position when the main conveyor discharge end is in the lowered position to a second position when the main conveyor discharge end is in the raised position, and also a variable length conveyor between the transport conveyor and the main conveyor, the variable length conveyor having a discharge end connected to and movable with the main conveyor intake end and movable relative to the transport conveyor discharge end.
Abstract:
A bundle breaker has upstream and downstream breaking supports and first and second platens located above the breaking supports that are configured to be raised and lowered by actuators to selectively clamp a log between the platens and the breaking supports. A third actuator applies a shifting force to the downstream breaking support to shift an input end of the downstream breaking support relative to an output end of the upstream breaking support to break a second portion of the log from a first portion of the log. A controller controls the first actuator and the second actuator and the third actuator. Also, the controller is configured to stop or reduce the application of the shifting force in response to a determination that the second portion of the log has broken off the first portion of the log.
Abstract:
A sheet stacking system includes a conveyor for carrying sheets from a conveyor intake end to a conveyor discharge end and a hopper at the discharge end for receiving the sheets and guiding them as they fall in a cascade path onto a platform. The hopper has a backstop facing the discharge end of the conveyor and a first accumulator that includes a carrier and a support extending from the carrier through the backstop. The support is configured to rotate from a retracted position to an extended position relative to the backstop, and the carrier is movable linearly and vertically relative to the backstop with the support in the extended position from a raised location with the support outside the cascade path to a lowered location with the support in the cascade path.
Abstract:
A diverter conveyor includes a frame supporting an upper conveyor that has an upstream end and a downstream end and that is configured to carry sheets in a first, downstream, direction. A plurality of nip rollers are mounted on the frame upstream of the upstream end of the upper conveyor and are spaced from the upstream end of the upper conveyor by a gap. The nip rollers feed the sheets along a main path to the upstream end of the upper conveyor. A rejection conveyor is supported by the frame and has a portion beneath the gap and extends away from the upper conveyor at an acute angle. A plurality of paddles are mounted at the first gap, and an actuator is operably connected to the paddles and configured to shift the paddles from a first position out of the main path to a second position in the main path.