machine woods logs grinding

wood logs grinning machin esum 1 [IF 2 JAMES 'w BE'RRY ATTORNEY cnmuan ron MECHANICAL PULPQMAKING CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is a continuation-in-part of my application Ser. No. 775,624 entitled "Ring Grinder for Mechanical Pulp Making, filed Nov. I4, 1968, and now abandoned.
BACKGROUND or THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention relates to pulp-grinding machines and particularly to spaced log-guidingmeans and side pulp-clearing pockets for enhancing the efficiency of the pulp grinder.
2. Description of the Prior Art Various types of grinding machines have been developed for reducing a log to a pulp, it being desirable to separate the fibers from the log and from each other without breaking the individual fibers. Once conventional machine is a ring grinder, which is sometimes referred to as a Roberts grinder, wherein a large grinding wheel is rotated about a horizontal axis inside an eccentrically disposed rotatably driven ring. Logs are cut to a predetermined length approximately equal to the width of the grinding wheel surface and are fed horizontally into the wedgeor hom-shaped bight formed between the surface of the wheel and the external ring. The ring is disposed relative to the wheel such that the logs can be fed into'the wider upper portion of the horn-shaped pocketand the logs are moved by gravity downwardly to be directed by the converging wall of the ring to move against the surface oft'he grinding wheel with their longitudinal axes disposed generally parallel to the axis of the grinding wheel. Simultaneously the wheel and ring are driven to rotate in the same direction but at relatively much different speeds such that the grinding surface of the wheel in contact'with the logs moves in-a downwardly directionre'lative to the surface of the log whereby due to the gravityfeed, the motion-of theouter-ring and frictionalcontact with thewhee'l, the logs are positively driven into the constantly narrowing bight between the wheel and ring so thattheside facesor'surfaces of the logs are pressed againstthegrindingwheel with an appropriate degree ofpressure to accomplish fiber separation.
Flushing fluid is constantly suppliedin'thearea of the grinding'operation'to assist in the fiberseparation and removal. The fluid conditions the surface portion of the wood for fiber separation and also acts as a conveying medium to'carry the separated fibers to the 'outlet-of-the machine. The fluid conditions the woods surface, by penetrating into this portion of the log to soften the resins and lign ins which bond'the'fibers together. The shower :fluid also serves to prevent burning of the wood.
I In the operation of ring grinders heretofore,'the logs have SUMMARY or The INVENTION I have found that the efficiency of the grinding operation can'be considerably improved by spacing-the sidepIatesforming the'vertical walls of the pockets-slight distance'away from the'ends of the logs. It has heretofore "been-deemed necessary to'usesaid sideplates in close juxtaposition' to itheends o f the grinding wheel to hold'the logs in-place lengthwisein front of the-grinding