Patents by Inventor Robert M. Smelcer

Robert M. Smelcer has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6401906
    Abstract: A board unscrambler for lumber processing provides an upwardly and forwardly extending S-shaped curvilinear conveyor with a rearward horizontal portion to receive an agglomeration of scrambled boards, a medial uprising portion to unscramble and align the boards and a forward portion to deliver the boards at an elevated position. The conveyor provides at least two spaced link chains and interconnecting bars that are carried on an S-shaped conveyor support surface defining spaced parallel open top channels where each link chain is supported and maintained by synchronously driving both the lower rearward input portions of the chains to push the lower chain portions and the upper output portions to pull the upper chain portions to maintain the chains in the channels without vertical restraints. The unscrambled boards are delivered in an aligned single layer from the forward elevated portion of the conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2002
    Inventors: Timothy G. Franz, Robert M. Smelcer