Abstract: A safety railing for attachment to a vehicle roof mounted rack to reduce the likelihood of fall injuries to workers who have mounted to roof of the vehicle has a pair of side railings joined by a front railing and supported by balusters that pivotally attach to the roof rack. A crank operated mechanism is provided for shifting the balusters between an erect, vertical orientation and a collapsed orientation where the safety railing lies flat against the roof rack.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and process for handling and/or manufacturing articles. At least one article support configured to support an article is coupled to a transfer beam configured to reciprocally move along a first axis. The reciprocal movement of the transfer beam moves the at least one article support between two stations, such that an article supported by the article support may be conveyed between the two stations.

Abstract: An apparatus for reconditioning barrels, said apparatus including a means to lockingly engage a barrel in a first position, a moving means to move the locked barrel into a second position, a scanner to scan the internal surface of the locked barrel when in the second position and collect scanned data, the moving means then moving the locked barrel to a third position and a means to cut a selected depth of the internal surface of the locked barrel when in the third position according to the collected data. The moving means is a turnstile with three section enabling three barrels to be in the apparatus at any one time, so that whilst one barrel is being scanned, one is being cut and a third is being unloaded/loaded into the apparatus.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for shaving the inside of barrels. The invention relates to reconditioning used wine barrels by shaving the inside surface to a predetermined depth, ready for re-crozering, toasting, and re-use. Conventional shaving methods typically involve routing the internal surface by hand, but this technique is problematic in that it is a very slow process, the quality of the wood is often adversely affected, and there is no way of ensuring that the surface will be shaved to the same depth across the entire surface. The resultant internal dimensions of the barrel are not reflective, relatively, of the original barrel surface. The invention includes a scanning device to scan the internal dimensions of the barrel, and a cutting device to shave the internal surface to a predetermined depth relative to the scanned internal dimensions and where the scanning device and the cutting device may be supported by different robotic arms.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for shaving the inside of barrels. In particular, the present invention relates to reconditioning used wine barrels by shaving the inside surface to a predetermined depth, ready for re-crozering, toasting, and re-use. Conventional shaving methods typically involve routing the internal surface by hand, but this technique is problematic in that it is a very slow process, the quality of the wood is often adversely affected, and there is no way of ensuring that the surface will be shaved to the same depth across the entire surface. Therefore, the resultant internal dimensions of the barrel are not reflective, relatively, of the original barrel surface. The apparatus of the present invention includes a scanning device adapted to scan the internal dimensions of the barrel, and a cutting device adapted to shave the internal surface to a predetermined depth relative to the scanned internal dimensions.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for shaving the inside of barrels. The invention relates to reconditioning used wine barrels by shaving the inside surface to a predetermined depth, ready for re-crozering, toasting, and re-use. Conventional shaving methods typically involve routing the internal surface by hand, but this technique is problematic in that it is a very slow process, the quality of the wood is often adversely affected, and there is no way of ensuring that the surface will be shaved to the same depth across the entire surface. The resultant internal dimensions of the barrel are not reflective, relatively, of the original barrel surface. The invention includes a scanning device to scan the internal dimensions of the barrel, and a cutting device to shave the internal surface to a predetermined depth relative to the scanned internal dimensions and where the scanning device and the cutting device may be supported by different robotic arms.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a machine and method for selecting and organizing staves for making barrels. The machine includes an input unit, including a stave-measuring station, a storage assembly for storing the staves awaiting allocation and receiving the staves from the input and measuring unit, a calculation unit able to select staves from those measured in such a way as to form a collection of staves ready to assemble into a barrel, and an output unit, in relation with the storage assembly, equipped with a stave-reorientation system. Staves used by the machine and in the method may be asymmetric about a horizontal axis. The staves selected by the calculation unit are advantageously delivered to the output unit in an order and a configuration that make for easy assembly of the barrel.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for shaving the inside of barrels. In particular, the present invention relates to reconditioning used wine barrels by shaving the inside surface to a predetermined depth, ready for re-crozering, toasting, and re-use. Conventional shaving methods typically involve routing the internal surface by hand, but this technique is problematic in that it is a very slow process, the quality of the wood is often adversely affected, and there is no way of ensuring that the surface will be shaved to the same depth across the entire surface. Therefore, the resultant internal dimensions of the barrel are not reflective, relatively, of the original barrel surface. The apparatus of the present invention includes a scanning device adapted to scan the internal dimensions of the barrel, and a cutting device adapted to shave the internal surface to a predetermined depth relative to the scanned internal dimensions.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a machine and method for selecting and organizing staves for making barrels. The machine includes an input unit, including a stave-measuring station, a storage assembly for storing the staves awaiting allocation and receiving the staves from the input and measuring unit, a calculation unit able to select staves from those measured in such a way as to form a collection of staves ready to assemble into a barrel, and an output unit, in relation with the storage assembly, equipped with a stave-reorientation system. Staves used by the machine and in the method may be asymmetric about a horizontal axis. The staves selected by the calculation unit are advantageously delivered to the output unit in an order and a configuration that make for easy assembly of the barrel.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an apparatus and method of barrel toasting. In particular, an apparatus and method for consistently toasting the inside surface of a barrel, generally a barrel made of oak. Barrel toasting has traditionally been carried out on a barrel by barrel basis, by the cooper, according to wine or spirit-makers' specifications. The cooper draws upon his/her experience in order to determine the length of time and intensity of heat the barrel should be subjected to, so that the barrel is subjected to a reasonably consistent light, medium, medium plus or heavy toast. The present invention attempts to provide an apparatus and method for repeatability and uniformity in barrel toasting by monitoring the temperatures of the barrel being toasted and comparing these against a predetermined optimum range.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a portable system for reconditioning used barrels, in particular used wine barrels. The present inventor has realised a need in the wine industry for a portable system of reconditioning barrels which would provide a vineyard owner, for example, with the ability to have used barrels reconditioned within a day or two on site, as opposed to weeks or longer in the case of barrels transported to and from a cooperage facility. What is disclosed is a mobile barrel reconditioning system including at least a portable shaving apparatus to uniformly shave a predetermined depth of material from an internal surface of said barrel to thereby form a new internal surface, and a portable toasting apparatus to recondition said new internal surface ready for re-use. In a preferred form of the invention, the system includes a portable crozing apparatus.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reconditioning wood wine barrels. An open wine barrel is placed on a barrel rotator stand and positioned into a planer-cutter apparatus. Cutting parameters are set, and a horizontal screw advances the cutter into the barrel, cutting a swath the length of the barrel stave. The cutting process is repeated through the number of passes required. The barrel is dried, placed on a toasting rotator stand, and positioned under a toaster so that the toaster elements are inside the barrel. An expansion mechanism places the toaster elements adjacent the barrel interior surface, and the barrel ends are closed. After toasting, the expansion assembly is retracted and the barrel is removed. The barrel heads are run through a planer, dried, and sanded, and placed in a head toaster. The head toaster doors swing closed placing the heads adjacent oscillating firebars.