Method of making roller

Abstract

A method of making an in-feed roller for a wood chipper. The roller has seven, eight, or nine perimetric planar sides. It is made by providing a pair of end plates having a plurality of perimetric edges equal to the number of sides and a plurality of other plates equal to the number of sides. Each of the other plates has a first portion for extending between respective edges of the end plates and a second portion extending radially outwardly of the roller and terminating in a cutting blade. A junction or junction portion is defined between the first and second portions. Each of the end plate edges is provided with at least one first tab extending therefrom. The first portion of each of the other plates is provided with at least one first slot in each of ends thereof. Each junction is provided with at least one second slot therein. The first portion of each of the other plates has an edge opposite the junction, and the edge of the first portion of each of the other plates is provided with at least one second tab extending therefrom. The first tabs are inserted into the first slots respectively. The second tabs are inserted into the second slots respectively.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of forming a roller having an axis of rotation, the method comprises the steps of:
 spacing a pair of end plates axially along the axis of rotation, wherein each of the end plates has a plurality of end plate edges disposed about a perimeter thereof;   positioning a plurality of other plates relative to the end plates, wherein each of the other plates includes a first portion which extends between the end plates and engages respective ones of the end plate edges of the end plates and further includes a second portion which extends from the first portion in a direction radially outwardly of the roller and terminates in a cutting blade, whereby a junction is defined between the first and second portions of each of the other plates, and the first portion of each of the other plates has an edge opposite the junction;   attaching the first portion of each of the other plates to the respective ones of the end plate edges of the end plates; and   attaching the edge of the first portion of each of the other plates to the respectively adjacent one of the junctions.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1  further comprising adapting the roller for attachment to a wood chipper to pinch and grasp wood branches and advance and feed them into a wood chipping chamber of the wood chipper. 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the plurality of other plates comprises one of seven, eight, and nine of said other plates. 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 3  further comprising adapting the roller for attachment to a wood chipper to pinch and grasp wood branches and advance and feed them into a wood chipping chamber of the wood chipper. 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the plurality of other plates comprises eight of said other plates. 
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 5  further comprising adapting the roller for attachment to a wood chipper to pinch and grasp wood branches and advance and feed them into a wood chipping chamber of the wood chipper. 
     
     
         7 . A method of forming a wood chipper in-feed roller having an axis of rotation, the method comprises the steps of:
 spacing a pair of end plates axially along the axis of rotation, wherein each of the end plates has a plurality of end plate edges disposed about a perimeter thereof;   positioning a plurality of other plates relative to the end plates, wherein each of the other plates includes a first portion which extends between the end plates and engages respective ones of the end plate edges of the end plates and further includes a second portion which extends from the first portion in a direction radially outwardly of the roller and terminates in a cutting blade, whereby a junction is defined between the first and second portions of each of the other plates, and the first portion of each of the other plates has an edge opposite the junction;   attaching the first portion of each of the other plates to the respective ones of the end plate edges of the end plates; and   attaching the edge of the first portion of each of the other plates to the respectively adjacent one of the junctions; and   adapting the roller for attachment to a wood chipper to pinch and grasp wood branches and advance and feed them into a wood chipping chamber of the wood chipper.   
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 7  wherein the plurality of other plates comprises one of seven, eight, and nine of said other plates. 
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 7  wherein the plurality of other plates comprises eight of said other plates. 
     
     
         10 . A method of forming a roller having an axis of rotation, the method comprises the steps of:
 spacing a pair of end plates axially along the axis of rotation, wherein each of the end plates has a plurality of end plate edges disposed about a perimeter thereof, wherein each of the end plate edges has at least one first tab extending therefrom;   positioning a plurality of other plates relative to the end plates, wherein each of the other plates includes a first portion which extends between the end plates and engages respective ones of the end plate edges of the end plates and has at least one first slot in each of ends thereof and further includes a second portion which extends from the first portion in a direction radially outwardly of the roller and terminates in a cutting blade, whereby a junction is defined between the first and second portions of each of the other plates, wherein the junction has at least one second slot therein, and the first portion of each of the other plates has an edge opposite the junction, and wherein the edge of the first portion of each of the other plates has at least one second tab extending therefrom;   inserting the first tabs into the first slots respectively; and   inserting the second tabs into the second slots respectively.   
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 10  further comprising adapting the roller for attachment to a wood chipper to pinch and grasp wood branches and advance and feed them into a wood chipping chamber of the wood chipper. 
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 10  wherein the plurality of other plates comprises one of seven, eight, and nine of said other plates. 
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 12  further comprising adapting the roller for attachment to a wood chipper to pinch and grasp wood branches and advance and feed them into a wood chipping chamber of the wood chipper. 
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 10  wherein the plurality of other plates comprises eight of said other plates. 
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 14  further comprising adapting the roller for attachment to a wood chipper to pinch and grasp wood branches and advance and feed them into a wood chipping chamber of the wood chipper.