Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for feeding lumber, especially in connection with a four-band saw for separating and feeding side boards. The problem in four-band sawing is how to separate the boards of a pair of side boards sawed off from the sides of a log or block for further processing such as trimming. This problem is solved so that the side boards that are sawed off from the log are dropped by opening side guards and then directed the side boards by means of adjustable dropping flaps onto a transverse conveyor so that they remain on the conveyor with the cant edge focus up. The boards are then piled on top of each other and/or in a laminating fashion. The side boards are arranged, by shifting them against transient stops of the transverse conveyor, into a pile wherefrom the side boards can be suitably fed further by means of stopping members arranged in connection with the conveyor on a sloping plane. The stopping members can be adjusted into at least two different positions.

Abstract: An apparatus for aligning lumber, especially blocks from which the first pair of cants is removed, comprising a conveyor for transferring the blocks in longitudinal direction, a measuring station and a microprocessor or equivalent. Before feeding the blocks into a saw mill, they have to be aligned correctly in order to ascertain a maximum amount of wood products. In conventional apparatuses for aligning blocks, the alignment is performed on the unsawed surfaces of the block. In practice this leads to errors. In the present invention the errors can be eliminated by arranging the aligning members to comprise one or several short conveyors located in connection to the conveyor. The short conveyor can be shifted transversally both below and above the level of the conveyor, and it can be given a horizontal adjusting movement impulse according to the adjusting values received from the calculating unit.

Abstract: An apparatus for feeding individual pieces of timber from a mat of a plurality of interconnected or closely adjacent timber pieces, comprises a feed conveyor for feeding the timber mat through a feed path which, for example, may comprise an inclined plane along which the timber mat moves by gravity. A cam or arm member is oscillated periodically to engage in front of the foremost edge of the foremost piece of the timber mat in order to position it at a location in which it will be engaged by a respective projection member which forms a part of an endless conveyor having a plurality of such projection members which are advantageously formed by pivoting them together. The projection members are shaped in a triangular fashion so that the apex of the triangular part engages directly adjacent the trailing edge of the foremost piece of lumber which is fed along the feed path and it aids in separating this piece from the remaining pieces.

Abstract: System of transferring wane-edged boards through a control station for edging to detect the wane consistent and possibly other characteristics of the board automatically. The board is first aligned automatically by transporting each board separately and sequentially against a first group of fixed transversal stops to provide the same sawing line for each sequentially fed board; then each is moved sequentially from the transversal stops to and through a control station where the wane consistent and other features may be detected. The information is recorded in a data processing unit memory, and then the board is transferred to an edging station and aligned against a second group of transversely positioned adjustable stops. The movable stops are optimized on the basis of information supplied by the data processing unit based on quantities measured at the control station and other information so that each of the boards is transferred to the same sawing line.

Abstract: A transferring and assorting apparatus for sawn timber, having been fitted to grip one piece of timber at a time from a feed conveyor and to transfer and deliver it to a certain point and having, at even intervals in the longitudinal direction of an endless conveyor, a minimum of two substantially L-shaped support hooks at a distance from each other in the transverse direction, each hook comprising an arm which protrudes from the endless conveyor and has at its outer end a support parallel to the conveyor, the support having been fitted to be pushed under the piece of timber on the feed conveyor and to support and transfer it to the delivery point, where the support hooks have been fitted to turn about a transverse axle to drop the piece of timber, the pivot axle of the support hook being fitted at such a point that the distance between the support hooks does not substantially decrease when the support hook is turned for tipping the piece of timber.

Abstract: An apparatus for single feeding of timber from a single layer mat of the timber is disclosed, the apparatus having a rigid frame on a base, a first conveyor for transferring the single layer mat of timber against a stop, a second conveyor, and a third conveyor between the first and the second conveyor for transferring one timber at a time at even intervals from the first conveyor onto the second conveyor, the third conveyor being provided with members for lifting a piece of timber retained by the stop to transfer it past the stop.