EP0477166A1 - Apparatus for reducing root swellings on tree logs - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus for reducing root swellings on tree logs possesses a plurality of drivers (5), aligned obliquely to the tree log, and lateral support rollers (8) on which the tree log rests. By actuating the drivers (5), the tree log is turned about its longitudinal axis and moved in the longitudinal direction, so that it is guided by its root swelling towards a cutting tool (3) which is set obliquely to the longitudinal axis of the tree log and is aligned so as to be inclined upwards towards the drivers (5), so that its enveloping surface substantially tangentially touches from below the plane defined by the drivers (5). <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a device for reducing the root ends of tree trunks with a device for supporting and rotating the tree trunk, and with at least one rotating milling tool that can be adjusted against the root end of the tree trunk.

The purpose of such devices is to remove swellings at the root end of tree trunks with the aid of the milling tool, the rest of the conical shape of the tree trunk not being changed.

Such a device is known from EP-B 112 365 (= WO 84/0127). In this known device, the tree trunk to be processed is held by a holding device which engages the tree trunk from below and from above. By rotating and lowering the tree trunk, it is moved onto a milling device fixedly arranged in the machine frame of the known device with a milling tool, so that swellings are milled off at the root end of the tree trunk.

Another device for processing the root ends of tree trunks is known from AT-PS 366 951. In this known device, too, the tree trunk is held from above and below and rotated about its longitudinal axis with the aid of the holding devices. In the device known from AT-PS 366 951, the milling tool for machining the root end is pivoted from a rest position located under the trunk into an effective position adjacent to the trunk.

In both known devices, the tree trunk is held from below and from above and not during processing, ie when reducing the root end in its longitudinal direction moves and the milling tool rotates in an axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tree trunk, so that there is an unfavorable pressure angle for the cutting of the knives with which the milling tool is equipped, namely an engagement transverse to the wood fibers.

The invention has for its object to provide a device of the type mentioned, with which, if necessary fully automatically, swellings at the root end of tree trunks of any diameter can be removed without a holding-down device acting from above on the tree trunk to be processed, and in which a favorable pressure angle of the milling tool results.

According to the invention, this object is achieved in that the device for supporting and rotating the tree trunk has a plurality of endless, circumferential drivers which are inclined to the horizontal and to the longitudinal axis of the tree trunk, which are preferably designed as toothed conveyor chains, and several which are arranged at the lower end of the driver, Support rollers can be placed laterally on the tree trunk, that the axis of rotation of the milling tool is oriented obliquely to the plane defined by the drivers and to the longitudinal axis of the tree trunk, and that the envelope surface of the milling tool on the end adjacent to the drivers, the plane defined by the drivers from below, is essentially tagential touched.

When using the device according to the invention, it is sufficient to place the tree trunk on the endless, circumferential drivers, the latter lying against the support rollers with its long side and freely projecting with its root end to be machined above the driver adjacent to the milling tool. When the drivers are put into operation, the tree trunk is not only set in rotation about its longitudinal axis, but it is turned by the inclined position of the drivers in cooperation with the lateral support rollers also moved in the longitudinal direction so that it is gradually moved against the milling tool. Due to the inclined position of the milling tool and the special design of the device for supporting and rotating the log, hold-down or lowering devices for the log are no longer required in the device according to the invention.

Another advantage of the device according to the invention is that the inclined position of the milling tool results not only in a wood-friendly machining of the root end (more favorable cutting angle than in the known devices), but also in a continuous workflow.

In one embodiment of the invention, it can be provided that the milling tool is oriented from the bottom to the plane defined by the drivers, rising obliquely upwards. With this measure it is achieved without additional precautions that the root end is reduced to a conicity which corresponds to the overall conicity of the tree trunk.

If, as proposed in the context of the invention, it is provided that the drivers are guided in guides which can be pivoted about essentially vertical axes in the machine frame, then the feed speed can be adjusted as required by the choice of the inclined position of the drivers and it is appropriate An inclination of the tree trunk is also possible.

In a practical embodiment, it can be provided that the ends of the guides for the drivers, which are opposite the pivot axes, are connected in an articulated manner to a bar which is adjustable for pivoting the drivers by a drive in the direction of the longitudinal extent of the device. This embodiment of the invention The device allows the drivers to be kept parallel and at the same time set in the desired inclination to the longitudinal direction of the device or the longitudinal axis of the tree trunk.

A simple embodiment of the device according to the invention is characterized in that the drivers on which the tree trunk rests when reducing its root end are driven by a common drive via cardan shafts. In this embodiment, there is no need to assign each driver its own drive without impairing its pivotability.

In order to simplify the ejection of the tree trunk after its processing (reducing the end of the root), it can be provided in one embodiment of the device according to the invention that the support rollers are freely rotatably mounted in supports and that the supports are mounted on a common shaft and about a to the longitudinal axis of the Tree trunk parallel axis are pivotable.

In their position of use, the lateral support rollers can enclose a substantially right angle with the plane defined by the drivers.

In order to improve the guidance of the tree trunk in the area of the milling tool, the device according to the invention can also be characterized in that at least one roller is arranged in the area of the milling tool to support the guidance of the tree trunk during its processing, said at least one roller being freely rotatable in the machine frame is stored. When such a roller, preferably two such rollers, which are not adjustable in the machine frame and are freely rotatable, is arranged, excessive swellings in the area of the root end are prevented from striking the milling tool with its full height. These rollers can also be driven in rotation be.

In another initial form of the device according to the invention it can be provided that lifting arms are provided between the drivers, which can be raised from a rest position under the conveyor chains for transferring the tree trunk into an obliquely upward-pointing position. These lifting arms can be used both for inserting a tree trunk onto the carriers and also for ejecting the processed tree trunk onto the side of the device opposite the support rollers. The lifting arms are preferably mounted on a common shaft, this shaft being mounted parallel to the longitudinal extension of the device in the region of the upper end of the drivers.

In the device according to the invention it can also be provided that a milling tool for reducing the root ends of tree trunks is provided at both ends of the device. In this embodiment, it is no longer necessary to turn tree trunks in order to align the root end so that it is arranged in the region of the milling tool. This results in considerable labor and space savings.

In practice, it will be provided in the device according to the invention that a lateral support roller is assigned to each driver.

Advantageously, the device according to the invention is also provided that support arms pointing towards the lower ends of the catches are provided, the upper edges of which are aligned essentially parallel to the catches, and that the support arms, when support rollers are pivoted downward from their operative position, in are aligned substantially parallel to the upper edges of the support arms. It is preferred that the support arms are laterally offset from the drivers in the machine frame are mounted. These support arms result in an essentially continuous support after the lateral support rollers have been tipped for the removal of a finished tree trunk, since the support arms space between the lower ends of the drivers and the ends of the support rollers facing them - these ends point in the case of tilted support rollers from Bridge the lower ends of the drivers a distance so that the tree trunk can easily be rolled out of the device and fed for further processing.

• Fig. 1 eine Draufsicht der erfindungsgemäßen Wurzelreduziervorrichtung,
• Fig. 2 eine Seitenansicht der Vorrichtung aus Fig.1,
• Fig. 3 eine Stirnansicht im vergrößerten Maßstab und
• Fig. 4 einen Schnitt längs der Linie IV-IV in Fig.1.

Further details and advantages of the invention result from the following description of the exemplary embodiment shown schematically and by way of example in the drawings. It shows:

• 1 is a plan view of the root reduction device according to the invention,
• 2 shows a side view of the device from FIG. 1,
• Fig. 3 is an end view on an enlarged scale and
• Fig. 4 is a section along the line IV-IV in Fig.1.

The device shown in the drawings for reducing the root ends 2 of tree trunks has a milling tool 3 which is fixedly mounted in the machine frame and has a drive motor and a double-bearing rotor shaft, in which turning knives are inserted, the turning knives being offset and arranged against one another. The rotor shaft (cutter body) is made, for example, from one piece.

As the figures show, the axis of the oblique tool is oriented obliquely both in plan view (FIG. 1) to the longitudinal extent of the device, and ascending obliquely away from the motor (see FIG. 2), the envelope surface of the Milling tool touches the plane formed by drivers 5 from below substantially tangentially.

The machine frame 10 is a solid steel frame on which the various components of the device according to the invention are mounted.

As shown in particular in FIG. 1, in addition to the milling tool 3 there is also a roller 4 which can be both freely rotatable and driven. This roller 4, which can also be oriented at an angle to the milling tool 3, serves as additional support in the region of the milling tool 3. Two rollers 4 can also be provided.

To support the tree trunk with the root end 2 to be machined, which is entered into the device in the direction of arrow 1 in FIG. 1, a plurality of endlessly rotating carriers 5 mounted in guides are provided, the carriers 5 in the exemplary embodiment shown being included as endless conveyor chains sawtooth-like assemblies are executed. The guides for the conveyor chains 5 each consist of two steel plates which are mounted on the machine frame 10 so as to be pivotable about vertical axes. Bolts fastened in the machine frame 10 and steel bushes inserted in the guides can be provided as pivot bearings for the guides of the conveyor chains 5.

The endless conveyor chains of the carriers 5 run around chain wheels and around deflection wheels which are equipped with a chain tensioning device. Lateral guide rails for the conveyor chains 5 are also provided in the steel plates.

The conveyor chains of the carriers 5 are driven by a common drive via cardan shafts 6, the drive motor being, for example, an electric motor (continuously adjustable), a hydraulic drive or the like. is provided. As indicated in FIG. 3, the conveyor chains of the carriers 5 are set in rotation by the drive 6 such that the tree trunk 2 rotates with its root end 2 counter to the direction of rotation of the milling tool 3.
In order to be able to change the guides for the conveyor chains of the carriers 5, which, as can be seen from FIG Embodiment shown is designed as a U-profile, and which is displaceable in the direction of the longitudinal extent of the device by a drive, not shown, which can be a hydraulic, an electric or a rack and pinion drive, so that the guides and thus the driver 5 in the desired inclination can be moved. It is also possible to move the conveyor chains 5, as indicated by dashed lines in FIG. 1, against the inclined position shown in FIG. 1.

The upper dreams of the conveyor chains of the carriers 5 attacking the tree trunk define a plane which is oriented obliquely from the task side (FIG. 1 arrow 1).

In the area of the lower ends of the conveyor chains 5, roller-shaped support rollers 8 are provided, which are freely rotatable in supports. The supports for the support rollers 8 are mounted on a common shaft which is rotatably mounted in the machine frame 10 parallel to the longitudinal extent of the device. By a drive, not shown, the support rollers 8 can be tilted backwards and downwards into the position shown in FIG. 4, in which they are aligned essentially parallel to the strands of the conveyor chains of the carriers 5 that engage the tree trunk.

As can be seen from FIG. 1, a support roller 8 is assigned to each driver 5. In Fig.l the support rollers 8 are shown in their operative position and dashed lines in their pivoted-out position. In the active position, the axes of the support rollers 8 run essentially perpendicular to the plane defined by the conveyor chains of the carriers 5.

In order to bridge the space between the lower ends of the carriers 5 and the support rollers 8 when they are in their tilted position according to FIG. 4, support arms 11 are also provided, the upper edges of which are aligned essentially parallel to the conveyor chains 5. The support arms 11 are fastened to the machine frame and project too freely in the direction of the lower ends of the carriers 5 (see FIG. 4).

In the area of the milling tool 3, at least one further carrier 5 'which is inclined upwards is installed with a toothed conveyor chain. This conveyor chain is driven, for example, by a hydraulic or electric drive. The attacking root end 2 of the conveyor chain of the carrier 5 'moves upwards and is aligned essentially parallel to the support rollers 8 and is preferably in the support plane 8 defined by the support rollers for the tree trunk.

Furthermore, lifting arms 9 are provided in the device according to the invention, which are mounted on a shaft rotatably mounted in the machine frame 10 parallel to the longitudinal extent of the device. By means of these lifting arms 9, it is possible to remove the processed tree trunk on the side from the device from which it was previously introduced into it. For this purpose, these lifting arms 9 are raised to the position shown in broken lines in FIG. 4.

According to an embodiment not shown, a milling tool corresponding to the milling tool 3 can also be attached to the the other end of the device according to the invention can be mounted in the area of the drive 6 for the conveyor chains 5. In this embodiment there is no need to turn a tree trunk, which may be necessary, in order to arrange its root end 2 on the side of the device on which the milling tool 3 is provided.

The device according to the invention can be used as follows:

A tree trunk is placed in the direction of arrow 1 in Fig.1 on the driver 5, so that its root end 2 is in the area of the milling tool 3 and overhanging the milling tool 3 adjacent driver 5 'freely. The tree trunk is supported from below by the driver 5 and laterally by the support rollers 8, with the driver 5 'and the roller 4. The conveyor chains of the carriers 5 are now set in motion by the common drive 6, as shown in FIG. 3, and the milling tool 3 is put into operation, so that the root end 2 is gradually reduced by the combined rotary and longitudinal movement of the tree trunk. The rotational and longitudinal speed of the tree trunk can be adjusted to the most favorable level with the aid of the continuously variable drive 6 and / or by changing the inclined position of the drivers 5.

If necessary, the tree trunk can also be moved in the direction of the milling tool 3 without the direction of movement of the conveyor chains of the drivers 5 having to be changed by bringing the drivers 5 into an inclined position, as is indicated by the dashed lines for a driver 5 in FIG. 1 .

Due to the inclined position of the milling tool 3 and the rotary movement of the tree trunk, the end of the root to be reduced is, in particular, without additional aids through the combined rotary and longitudinal movement of the tree trunk processed gently by milling without a hold-down device.

As soon as the tree trunk is entirely on the carrier 5, that is, its root end has been reduced to the desired size, the processed tree trunk can be tilted by the support rollers 8 into the position shown in FIG. 4 in a downstream transport device or in a storage box or be delivered to another processing device.

If desired, the tree trunk can also be removed from the device against the direction of arrow 1 of FIG. 1 with the aid of the lifting arms 9, which are pivoted up into the position shown in dashed lines in FIG. 4.

A particular advantage of the device according to the invention is the simple workflow and the wood-friendly processing of swellings of tree trunks, in particular in the region of the root end thereof, with high output. Among other things, the inclined ones are essential. Carriers 5, which also determine the extent of the feed, and the fact that the tree trunk can be processed with cantilevered root end without holding-down devices.

Claims (15)

Device for reducing the root ends (2) of tree trunks with a device for supporting and rotating the tree trunk and with at least one rotating milling tool (3) which can be adjusted against the root end (2) of the tree trunk, characterized in that the device for supporting and Rotating the tree trunk several endless, circumferential drivers (5) inclined to the horizontal and longitudinal axis of the tree trunk, which are preferably designed as toothed conveyor chains, and several support rollers (8) arranged at the lower end of the drivers (5) and laterally attachable to the tree trunk ) has that the axis of rotation of the milling tool (3) is oriented obliquely to the plane defined by the drivers (5) and to the longitudinal axis of the tree trunk and that the envelope surface of the milling tool (3) on its end adjacent to the drivers (5) is that of the drivers (5) touches the defined level from below essentially in a tagential manner. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the milling tool (3) is oriented from the bottom to the plane defined by the drivers (5), rising obliquely upwards. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the drivers (5) are guided in guides which can be pivoted about essentially vertical axes in the machine frame (10). Device according to claim 3, characterized in that the ends of the guides for the drivers (5) opposite the pivot axes are articulated to a bar (7) which is adjustable by a drive for pivoting the drivers (5) in the direction of the longitudinal extension of the device is. Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the drivers (5) on which the tree trunk rests when reducing its root end (2) are driven by a common drive (6) via cardan shafts. Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the support rollers (8) are freely rotatably mounted in supports and that the supports are mounted on a common shaft and can be pivoted about an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tree trunk. Device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the support rollers (8) form an essentially right angle with the plane defined by the drivers (5). Device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that at least one roller (4) is arranged in the region of the milling tool (3) to support the guidance of the tree trunk during its processing. Device according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that between the drivers (5) lifting arms (9) are provided, which lie from a rest position lower than the drivers (5) for transferring the tree trunk into an obliquely upward position, can be raised. Device according to claim 9, characterized in that the lifting arms (9) are mounted on a common shaft. Device according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that a milling tool (3) for reducing at each end of the device from root ends (2) of tree trunks is provided. Device according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that a support roller (8) is assigned to each driver (5). Device according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that in the area of the milling tool (3) an endless, circumferential driver (5 ′), which is preferably designed as a toothed conveyor chain, and which is aligned parallel to the support rollers (8), is provided. Device according to one of claims 6 to 13, characterized in that support arms (11) pointing towards the lower ends of the drivers (5) are provided, the upper edges of which are aligned essentially parallel to the drivers (5), and in that the support rollers (8), when pivoted downward from their operative position, are aligned essentially parallel to the upper edges of the support arms (11). Device according to Claim 14, characterized in that the support arms (11) are laterally offset from the drivers (5) and are fixedly mounted in the machine frame (10).

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