Abstract: A grinding apparatus for side grinding the cutting teeth of band saw blades, in which the band saw blade is oriented in a vertical loop. The apparatus is controlled by a programmable controller and includes redundant indexing mechanisms capable of feeding both right-handed and left-handed saw blades past dual, opposed side grinding elements that side grind the working portion of the sawtooth to predetermined radial and tangential clearance angles and desired dimensions.

Abstract: Wear-resistant tips, preferably comprising preformed pellets of Stellite in square configuration, are welded, cooled and subsequently annealed to a saw tooth at a single machine station in rapid succession. A head assembly manipulates the individual pellets and positions them properly on the saw blade for forging thereto. The square configuration of the pellets permits their reliable manipulation and orientation by the automated equipment. The duration of the pellet welding phase is determined by the displacement of the pellet into the saw blade, rather than by reliance on a predetermined time period. After cooling, the annealing is accomplished by using the same electrical power supply as is employed for the welding. The duty cycle of this power supply, however, is regulated to produce the amount of annealing heat required for the particular steel being worked.

Abstract: Wear-resistant tips, preferably comprising preformed pellets of stellite in square configuration, are welded, cooled and subsequently annealed to a saw tooth at a single machine station in rapid succession. A head assembly manipulates the individual pellets and positions them properly on the saw blade for forging thereto. The square configuration of the pellets permits their reliable manipulation and orientation by the automated equipment. The duration of the pellet welding phase is determined by the displacement of the pellet into the saw blade, rather than by reliance on a predetermined time period. After cooling, the annealing is accomplished by using the same electrical power supply as is employed for the welding. The duty cycle of this power supply, however, is regulated to produce the amount of annealing heat required for the particular steel being worked.

Abstract: An apparatus for grinding saw teeth of a saw blade measures and grinds the tip of each tooth independently before advancing successively each tooth on the saw blade for grinding. The apparatus includes a pair of grinding wheels movable toward and away from a sawtooth secured in the grinding position. The grinding wheels are under the control of programmable controller which moves the grinding wheels in response to measurements of the side clearances on the tooth made by a tip measurement probe. The method includes measuring the side clearance of a sawtooth in the grinding position with the probe, comparing the measured dimension to a preselected dimension, and moving the grinding wheels to grind the tooth if the measured dimensions exceeds the preselected dimension. Another measurement is taken and the steps are repeated for each tooth until the sawtooth is ground within the preselected dimension. The next tooth is then advanced to the grinding position.