EP1824649A1

EP1824649A1 - Method and device for conveying and processing logs

Info

Publication number: EP1824649A1
Application number: EP05817747A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Hans Dietz; Jean Gunnar Bergvall
Original assignee: Esterer WD GmbH and Co
Current assignee: Esterer WD GmbH and Co
Priority date: 2004-12-15
Filing date: 2005-12-13
Publication date: 2007-08-29
Anticipated expiration: 2025-12-13
Also published as: ATE448061T1; WO2006063795A1; EP1824649B1; DE102004062373A1; DE102004062373B4; ES2333661T3; DK1824649T3

Abstract

Disclosed are a device and a method for conveying and processing logs (14) having a natural conical angle (2alpha). The logs (14) are conveyed on a longitudinal conveyor (12) in a direction of travel (18) that runs substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis (20) thereof and are fed to a processing station which is located downstream from the longitudinal conveyor (12). The processing station is equipped with a horizontal milling unit (30) that rotates about a vertical axis (28) and a vertical milling unit (34) which rotates about a horizontal axis (32), said two units (30, 34) being disposed immediately behind each other. According to the inventive method, the logs (14) are conveyed in a direction of travel (18) that extends essentially parallel to the longitudinal axis thereof (20) and are delivered to a processing station which is located downstream. The logs (14) are milled on the top side/bottom side and on the right/left side thereof in immediate succession in the processing station.

Description

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR PROMOTING AND WORKING TREE BARS

The invention relates to a device for conveying tree trunks with natural cone angle, with a longitudinal conveyor on which the tree trunks are conveyed in a substantially parallel to its longitudinal axis extending conveying direction and a downstream of the longitudinal conveyor arranged processing station. The invention further relates to a method for conveying tree trunks with natural cone angle, in which the tree trunks are conveyed in a conveying direction extending substantially parallel to their longitudinal axis and fed to a downstream processing station.

Methods and devices of the aforementioned type are generally known, for example from DE 102 03 871 Al.

In plants for processing and cutting tree trunks longitudinal conveyors are used as standard assemblies, for example, to feed unprocessed or already partially processed tree trunks downstream processing stations such as chippers or saws in the longitudinal direction.

In the already mentioned DE 102 03 871 Al longitudinal conveyor are used to process curved logs. For this purpose, with regard to their rotational position arbitrarily oriented incoming, curved tree trunks are first rotated so that they point with their bow upwards, so their plane of curvature lies in a vertical plane. They are flattened in this rotational position on the first pages, profiled and partially dissected on the profiled pages. The logs are then rotated 90 ° so that they are positioned on a longitudinal conveyor so that they lie on the side, ie with their curved center line in a horizontal plane. The logs are then first linearly fed and fed to a first processing station. In this, the tree trunks are flattened by means of chipper heads on second, consequently rotated by 90 ° with respect to the first sides, wherein the chipper heads are laterally movable and / or pivotable about a vertical axis are. They can therefore follow the lateral convex or the opposite concave curvature of the linearly supported by tree trunks. By means of a further conveyor, the thus pre-processed logs are then conveyed non-linearly, namely along its curved center line. They pass through a second processing station, namely a profiling station, in which the processing tools are fixed in space.

Thus, in this known system, one side, e.g. the lower and upper sides and the other sides, e.g. the right and the left side, processed in different stations, the logs between these stations are promoted by conveyors.

It is also not directly taken into account that the tree trunks have a natural conicity. Namely, in the aforementioned known apparatus, the log is oriented upwardly in the first processing with the convex arc, so it rests only at both its ends and is only laterally processed, while in the second processing it lies on an already flattened side and laterally is processed.

By contrast, if a conical tree trunk rests on a longitudinal conveyor with a surface line, then its center line is inclined to the horizontal by half the cone angle. If the tree trunk is then fed in the horizontal direction to a chipper or profiling unit, a model is created which is not located in the center line but is also inclined at half the cone angle to it. This has a worse timbering as well as an undesirable course of the annual rings and the fibers in the finished wood product.

In this context, it has already been proposed to make the machining tools by half the cone angle and to move relative to the tree trunk in height when the resting on a surface line tree trunk passes in a horizontal direction. However, this procedure is complicated and can not be used for such cases or only with considerable effort in which curved tree trunks are processed. In this case, namely, the machining tools would have to be tilted about several axes and performed with a multi-coordinate control.

Furthermore, it has been proposed in DE 37 30 865 C2, lower the thicker end of the trunk, in particular the trumpet-like so-called. Erdende. However, this requires a very special design for the conveyor.

From EP 0 634 254 Al a device with feed cars and a method for producing wood products from logs are known. The feed carriage is upstream of a Doppelwellenkreissägeeaggregat. It contains a base frame on which a tree trunk can be clamped at both ends. This base frame is adjustable in height so that the tree trunk can be aligned in a vertical plane.

AT 382 106 B discloses a method and an apparatus for producing wood products processed on all sides. This is a tree trunk on a longitudinal conveyor over a Abrichtspaner promoted, which at the thicker end of the tree trunk the so-called. "Erdende" on the underside abspant.

The invention is the object of developing a device and a method of the type mentioned above to the effect that these disadvantages are avoided. In particular, it should be possible, a tree trunk in a common station on all sides, i. To cut on all four sides in order to realize more compact systems and to guarantee a high dimensional accuracy. Furthermore, wood products are to be produced from conical, especially from additionally curved tree trunks, which run in a sectional view parallel to the center line of the raw tree trunk.

In a device of the type mentioned, this object is achieved in that the processing station immediately after one another has a horizontal milling cutter unit (30) rotating about a first vertical axis and a vertical milling cutter unit rotating about a horizontal axis.

In a method of the type mentioned above, this object is achieved in that the tree trunks are milled in the processing station immediately behind one another at its top / bottom and on its right / left side.

The object underlying the invention is completely solved in this way. By said arrangement of the two milling cutter units without intervening conveyor and the immediate consequence of said processing steps, a compact processing station for all four sides is realized.

Although in principle the order of the two cutter units in the conveying direction can be chosen arbitrarily, the Horizontalfräser- aggregate is arranged in the conveying direction upstream of the vertical conveyor unit in a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In a manner known per se, the horizontal milling unit has an upper horizontal milling cutter as well as a lower horizontal milling cutter arranged in a folding symmetry therewith.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the horizontal milling unit is spatially fixed during processing of a tree trunk in the conveying direction.

This measure has the advantage that a particularly simple structure is created, however, in this case, the diameter of the horizontal milling cutter must be so large that it covers not only the respective diameter of the tree trunk but also its curvature, because the tree trunk in its plane of curvature at the stationary held horizontal milling unit is conveyed over.

Therefore, in an alternative embodiment with slightly higher mechanical complexity, the horizontal milling unit can be moved transversely to the conveying direction during processing of a tree trunk. This measure has the advantage that the Horizontalfräser- aggregate can follow by lateral process of curvature of the tree trunk, so that only smaller Horizontalfräser are required.

In a known manner, the vertical milling unit has, analogously to the horizontal milling unit, preferably a left vertical milling cutter and a folding vertical symmetrical arranged right vertical milling cutter.

In a preferred group of embodiments, the vertical milling unit is pivotable about a second vertical axis.

This measure has the advantage that even tree trunks with a high curvature can be processed.

In a first variant of this embodiment, the second vertical axis intersects the horizontal axis of rotation.

In a second variant, the second vertical axis in an upstream position is substantially tangential to a cylindrical surface defined by flight circles of teeth of circular saw blades disposed on a radial face of the vertical cutters.

Finally, in a third variant, the second vertical axis coincides at least approximately with the first vertical axis. This third variant has the advantage that a common turntable can be provided, so that only two instead of three cylinders are required for adjusting.

Finally, the vertical milling unit can be moved transversely to the conveying direction in a horizontal direction.

In further embodiments of the invention, which can be used independently of the features described so far, in the apparatus according to the invention, the longitudinal conveyor to the conveying direction employed by half the cone angle and movable depending on the position of the logs on the longitudinal conveyor in height. According to the inventive method, the tree trunks of the processing station are inclined by half the cone angle to the conveying direction, and proceed in dependence on the conveying position of the tree trunks in height, supplied.

This measure has the advantage that the conical trunk is inclined and adjusted in height. As a result, an exact horizontal guidance of the center line of the tree trunk can be achieved. This applies regardless of the shape of the tree trunk on its sides, so that the invention can be used with particularly great advantage in installations of the aforementioned type, as sold by the applicant under the name "Arcoline".

In a preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention hold-down for pressing the tree trunks are arranged on the longitudinal conveyor above the longitudinal conveyor, or procedurally the tree trunks are held down during conveying.

This measure has the advantage that the tree trunks are immovably held on the conveyor so that the processing tools can be controlled in accordance with a previously performed measurement of the contour of the tree trunk.

In a further embodiment of the invention, means for twisting curved tree trunks are provided such that a curved center line of the logs on the longitudinal conveyor comes to lie in a horizontal line, or there are procedurally curved tree trunks twisted such that a curved center line of the logs in conveying in a horizontal line comes to rest.

This measure has the already mentioned advantage that the invention can preferably be used for processing curved tree trunks.

In embodiments of the invention, the longitudinal conveyor is a chain conveyor or a roller conveyor.

Further advantages will become apparent from the description and the accompanying drawings.

It is understood that the features mentioned above and those yet to be explained below can be used not only in the particular combination given, but also in other combinations or in isolation, without departing from the scope of the present invention. Embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings and are explained in more detail in the following description. Show it:

Figure 1: an extremely schematic side view of an apparatus for processing curved logs, in a first operating position;

FIG. 2 shows the device according to FIG. 1 in a plan view;

FIG. 3 shows the device in a representation of FIG. 1, but in a second operating position;

FIG. 4 shows the device according to FIG. 3 in a plan view;

Figure 5: on a greatly enlarged scale and in a side sectional view of a chipper head, as used in the apparatus according to Figures 1 to 4; and

FIG. 6 shows an enlarged detail from FIG. 4 with the chipper head according to FIG. 3.

In the figures 1 to 4 10 designates as a whole an embodiment of a device according to the invention.

On a first conveyor 12 is a tree trunk 14, with a leading thin end 16 and thus a trailing thick end 17. However, this is only to be understood as an example, because within the scope of the present invention, tree trunk stem with thick end 17 can be processed in advance. An arrow 18 indicates the conveying direction on the first conveyor 12, which runs in the figures 1 to 4 from left to right. The first conveyor 12 may be a conveyor belt, a conveyor chain or a roller conveyor with corresponding conveyor rollers.

For reasons which will be explained, the first conveyor 12 is preferably inclined by an angle α to the horizontal and in total z height adjustable, as indicated by arrows 13 in Figure 1. This measure is independent of the other features of the device 10 and can also be used in other devices.

In the context of the present invention, logs 14 are of interest which are naturally curved. In Figure 2, the radius of curvature R is located. In practice, this can be down to 70 m for European trees or even further down to about 25 m for special trees overseas. Tree trunks with even smaller radius of curvature are nowadays not commercially viable under industrial standards as sawmill lumber. On the other hand, trees with a radius of curvature of more than about 900 m are processed by today's standards as "straight" wood, that is to say plants which are not specially designed for the processing of curved tree trunks.

When the log 14 enters the area of the device 10, it has already been measured in advance with corresponding units (not shown) and rotated so that its curved center line 20 lies in a horizontal plane. The tree trunk 14 also has a natural conicity with a half cone angle α. As a result, when the center line 20 is to lie in a horizontal plane, the first conveyor 12 must also be inclined by the cone angle α to the horizontal, as Figure 1 shows.

In the first operating position shown there, the thick end 17 of the log is located slightly downstream of a rearmost support point 22 of the first conveyor 12. The vertical distance of the rearmost support point 22 to the center line 20 is in this position Z _1st The log 14 is now transported on the first conveyor 12 in the conveying direction 18 and thereby pressed by means of pressure rollers 24 and 26 fixed to the first conveyor 12. This means that the tree trunk 14 does not change its orientation relative to the conveying direction 18 when it is transported on the first conveyor 12 because the pressure rollers 24 and 26 press the tree trunk 14 firmly onto the first conveyor 12. This orientation in the conveying direction 18 is maintained throughout the passage through the device 10.

Downstream of the first conveyor 12 there is a horizontal milling unit 30 rotating about a vertical axis with two milling cutter or chipper heads arranged in a symmetrical manner with respect to one another, namely an upper horizontal milling cutter 30a and a lower horizontal milling cutter 30b. The horizontal milling unit 30 is spatially fixed during processing in the conveying direction 18. Of course, this does not preclude the horizontal milling unit 30 from being adjustable in one or more directions between machining operations for adjustment purposes or for optimizing differently shaped logs 14. While the arrangement described above is mechanically simpler, it suffers from the disadvantage that the horizontal cutters 30a, 30b of the horizontal milling unit 30 fixed during machining must have such a large diameter that they cover both the diameter of the log 14 and its curvature ,

Thus, alternatively, the horizontal milling cutter assembly 30 may also be laterally, i. transverse to the conveying direction 18, be designed to be displaceable, as indicated by arrows 33 in Figure 2. Then the horizontal milling unit 30 can follow the curvature of the tree trunk 14 and the horizontal cutters 30a, 30b only have to be dimensioned in their diameter so large that they cover the diameter of the tree trunk 14.

Immediately behind the horizontal milling unit 30, the device 10 has a vertical milling unit 34 with a left vertical milling cutter 34a and a folding vertical symmetrical arranged right vertical milling cutter 34b.

The order of the cutter units 30, 34 is arbitrary per se. Preferably, however, when in the order shown in the drawing, i. when the horizontal milling unit 30 is arranged upstream in the conveying direction 18.

The vertical milling unit 34 is not spatially fixed, but pivotable about a vertical axis. With 36 is a first variant is referred to, in which the vertical axis is centric, so the horizontal axis of rotation 32 intersects. The swiveling movement is indicated by an arrow 38

However, at 36 'is shown a second variant in which the vertical axis in an upstream position is substantially tangent to a cylindrical surface defined by flight circles of teeth 70 of circular saw blades 68 resting on a radial face 63 of the vertical cutters 34a, 34b are arranged, as will be explained below with reference to FIG 5. The pivoting movement is indicated for this case by an arrow 38 '. The vertical milling unit 34 can furthermore be movable transversely to the conveying direction 18 in a horizontal direction, as indicated by arrows 40.

36 "indicates a third variant in which the second vertical axis coincides at least approximately with the first vertical axis 28 of the horizontal milling unit 30. The pivoting movement is indicated here by an arrow 38".

Immediately behind the vertical milling unit 34 is a second conveyor 42, on which the processed tree trunks 14 can be conveyed away in a direction indicated by an arrow 44 conveying direction.

The horizontal milling cutter unit 30 has the purpose of cutting off an as yet unprocessed tree trunk 14 from an upper area 52a and a lower area 52b in order to produce a flat upper side or lower side there. The vertical milling unit 34, on the other hand, shoulders off a left-hand region 54a and a right-hand region 54b, in order to produce there likewise a flat right or left-hand surface. After passing through the two units 30 and 34 thus remains of the unprocessed tree trunk 14 in a cross-section example square or rectangular model 50th

Since the tree trunk 14, as already mentioned, lies with its center line 20 in a horizontal plane and the orientation of the tree trunk 14 relative to the conveying direction 18 remains unchanged, only in the area of the vertical milling unit 34 the natural curvature must be taken into account. This is done by adjusting the vertical milling cutter assembly 34 continuously in position and orientation as a function of the curvature of the log 14 along its axis 20. For this purpose, the vertical milling cutter assembly is one in the manner already mentioned Vertical axis 36 and 36 'and 36 "pivoted and / or horizontally transversely to the conveying direction 18 movable.

Now, when the log 14 advances from the position in Figures 1 and 2, then moves the lower generatrix of the conical tree trunk 14 on the first conveyor 12 to the right. Thus, the centerline 20 of the log 14 would shift upward due to the wedging action (angle α) and would come out of the center between the horizontal cutters 30a and 30b.

To compensate for this, the first conveyor 12 is designed to be adjustable in height z, as already mentioned. For this purpose, the movement of the tree trunk 14 on the first conveyor 12th detected and driven a lifting mechanism (not shown) for the first conveyor 12, which lowers it in the direction of the arrows 13 (thin end 16 ahead) or raises (thick end 17 ahead).

In the example shown, when the tree trunk 14 'advances, the first conveyor 12 is lowered to 12' or its rearmost support point 22 to 22 ', as shown in FIG. The vertical distance of the rearmost support point 22 'to the center line 20 is then Z ₂ . In this position, the front end 16 'has already passed the corresponding tilted and / or moved vertical milling unit 34' and assumed the shape of the model 50.

After complete passage through the vertical milling unit 34 ', the model 50 is carried away on the second conveyor 42.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show the situation in the area of the vertical milling unit 34. FIG. 5 shows one of the two vertical milling cutters, namely the left vertical milling cutter 34a in cross-section. It can be seen that the vertical milling cutter 34a essentially consists of an approximately truncated conical base body 60 , The base body 60 has a right side processing page 62 on which the wood is spanked. The drive shaft, the drive itself, etc. are not shown for clarity.

The base body 60 is provided on the machining side 62 with a radial end face 63 into which a region 64 is sunk. The sunken portion 64 is rotationally symmetrical about the axis 32 around and at its periphery by an annular shoulder 65 limited. The recessed area 64 thus occupies a substantially circular cylindrical volume. This volume has a diameter D and a height h. As a result, only a circumferential edge 66, whose width is b, remains physically of the radial end face 63. The width b is exaggerated in Figure 5 shown wide. In reality, she is as narrow as possible.

On the edge 66, an annular circular saw blade 68 is mounted, whose teeth are designated 70. The circle of teeth of the teeth lies in the plane of the radial end face 63. A frustoconical jacket 72 of the base body 60 is provided in a known manner with Spanermessern 74.

In Figure 5, a circular arc 75 is also shown in phantom, which represents the convex curvature of the tree trunk 14 with the radius R. The radius R is the minimum radius of curvature permissible for the vertical splitter 34a, for example 25 m. It can be clearly seen that at this minimum radius of curvature R, the circular arc 75 is just inscribed in the axial section of the recessed area 64, i. the circular arc 75 just touches the bottom of the region 64 and just passes by the upper edge of the annular shoulder 65.

It can be clearly seen that the tree trunk 14 with the curvature of its left side in FIG. 6 extends into the recessed area 64a and thereby a collision between the tree trunk 14 and the vertical splitter 34a in FIG whose center is avoided.

Claims

claims

1. Device for conveying logs (14) with natural cone angle (2α), with a longitudinal conveyor (12) on which the tree trunks (14) in a substantially parallel to its longitudinal axis (20) extending conveying direction (18) and a downstream of the longitudinal conveyor (12) arranged processing station, characterized in that the processing station immediately after one another about a first vertical axis (28) rotating horizontal milling unit (30) and about a horizontal axis (32) rotating Vertikalfräser aggregate (34) ,

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the horizontal milling unit (30) in the conveying direction (18) upstream of the vertical conveyor unit (34) is arranged.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the horizontal milling unit (30) has an upper horizontal milling cutter (30a) and a folding symmetrically arranged lower horizontal milling cutter (30b).

4. Device according to one or more of claims 1 to

3, characterized in that the Horizontalfräser- aggregate (30) during the processing of a tree trunk (14) is arranged fixed in space in the conveying direction.

5. Device according to one or more of claims 1 to

4, characterized in that the Horizontalfräser- aggregate (30) during processing of a tree trunk (14) transversely to the conveying direction movable (33)

6. Device according to one or more of claims 1 to

5, characterized in that the Vertikalfräser- aggregate (34) has a left vertical cutter (34a) and a folding symmetrically arranged right vertical milling cutter (34b).

7. Device according to one or more of claims 1 to

6, characterized in that the Vertikalfräser- aggregate (34) about a second vertical axis (36, 36 ', 36 ") is pivotable.

8. The device according to claim 7, characterized in that the second vertical axis (36) intersects the horizontal axis of rotation (32).

9. The device according to claim 7, characterized in that the second vertical axis (36 ') substantially tangentially on a cylindrical surface, of flight circles of teeth (70) on a radial end face (63) of the vertical cutter (34 a, 34 b) arranged circular saw blades (68) is settled in an upstream position.

10. The device according to claim 7, characterized in that the second vertical axis (36 ") coincides at least approximately with the first vertical axis (28).

11. The device according to one or more of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the Vertikalfräser- aggregate (34) can be moved in a horizontal direction transversely to the conveying direction (18) (40).

12. Device, in particular according to one or more of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the longitudinal conveyor (12) to the conveying direction (18) by half the cone angle (α) employed and in dependence on the position of the tree trunks (14) on the Longitudinal conveyor (12) in the height (z) is movable.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, characterized in that above the longitudinal conveyor (12) down device for pressing the tree trunks (14) on the longitudinal conveyor (12) are arranged.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 or 12, characterized by means for rotating curved logs (14) such that a curved center line (20) of the tree trunks (14) on the longitudinal conveyor (12) comes to rest in a horizontal line.

15. Device according to one or more of claims 11 to 15, characterized in that the longitudinal conveyor (12) is a chain conveyor.

16. The device according to one or more of claims 11 to 15, characterized in that the longitudinal conveyor (12) is a roller conveyor.

17. A method for conveying tree trunks (14) with natural cone angle (2α), wherein the tree trunks (14) in a substantially parallel to its longitudinal axis (20) extending conveying direction (18) conveyed and fed to a downstream processing station, characterized characterized in that the tree trunks (14) are milled in the processing station immediately one behind the other at its top / bottom and on its right / left side.

18. The method according to claim 17, characterized in that the tree trunks (14) are first milled on its top / bottom and then on its right / left side.

19. A method, in particular according to claim 17 or 18, characterized in that the tree trunks (14) of the processing station inclined by half the cone angle (α) to the conveying direction (18), and in dependence on the conveying position of the tree trunks (14) in height (z) method to be supplied.

20. The method according to claim 19, characterized in that the tree trunks (14) are held down during conveying.

21. The method according to claim 19 or 20, characterized in that curved tree trunks (14) are rotated such that a curved center line (20) of the tree trunks (14) comes to lie in conveying in a horizontal line.