Abstract: Embodiments provide a log positioning system configured to transport a log through one or more chipper/profiler modules to produce a cant with four chipped/profiled sides. In some embodiments, a log processing system may include an infeed, a positioning feed module downstream of the infeed, and one or more chipper/profiler modules disposed proximal to the positioning feed module. The positioning feed module may include a sharp chain coupled to one or more pairs of vertical positioning rolls. The positioning feed module may be selectively skewed, slewed, and/or tilted to match the vertical and angular orientation of the infeed.

Abstract: Embodiments of an electric linear actuator may include a roller screw assembly, an electric motor coupled to the roller screw assembly, and a linear transducer operatively coupled with the roller screw assembly. The motor may be configured to drive the roller screw assembly to extend and retract another component, such as a rod. In some embodiments, the linear transducer may be configured to detect a position of the rod. The roller screw assembly may be coupled directly to the motor via a gear coupling, with the motor disposed generally in axial alignment with the roller screw assembly. Other embodiments disclosed herein include a veneer lathe carriage with electric linear actuators and corresponding apparatuses, methods, and systems.

Abstract: Embodiments provide systems, methods and apparatuses for positioning boards and other wood pieces in preparation for sawing/trimming. In embodiments, a continuous track loop conveys board stops slideably mounted to board stop guides positioned perpendicular to the direction of flow. A horizontal frame member provides a series of positioning guides through which a cam follower coupled to a board stop is diverted, thus adjusting the position of board stops in a direction perpendicular to the direction of flow without the use of braking devices or other added sources of mass, friction or vibration.

Abstract: Embodiments provide a pre-cut infeed system for a machine center, such as an edger. A pre-cut infeed system may include an infeed, one or more saws arranged along the infeed, and a scanner optimizer system. The scanner optimizer system may scan a workpiece and determine whether greater value can be obtained from the workpiece by cutting the workpiece transversely into two or more pieces upstream of the machine center. If so, the workpiece may be cut transversely by the saw(s) positioned along the infeed, and the cut pieces may be fed sequentially into the machine center.

Abstract: Embodiments provide methods, apparatuses, and systems for identification of wood species based on one or more pitch characteristics. A workpiece may be exposed to a beam of radiation from a radiation source. The beam of radiation may cause pitch on or within the workpiece to emit visible light. The emitted light may be imaged and used to determine pitch content, pitch location. a pitch deposition pattern, pitch emission wavelength, and/or other characteristics of the workpiece. One or more of these characteristics may be used to identify a tree species or group of tree species from which the workpiece was cut or manufactured.

Abstract: Embodiments of a pusher device may include a frame, guide rails coupled to the frame, a carriage slideable along the guide rails, and a linear positioner coupled to the carriage and frame and operable to move the carriage along the guide rails. Two or more lugs may be mounted to the carriage and rotatable between a resting position, in which the forward ends of the lugs can contact the transverse supports of a tram above the carriage, and a lowered position in which the lugs can pass below the transverse supports. In the resting position, the longitudinal axis of each lug may be inclined from rear to front, such that the lugs contact the tram with the front end (as opposed to a longitudinal side) of the lugs. The lugs be generally triangular, trapezoidal, or concave polygonal in profile. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed herein.

Abstract: Embodiments provide a veneer dryer system and methods of constructing, relocating, and replacing veneer dryers and other constructs such as lumber kilns, machinery, and processing lines or parts thereof. Embodiments of a veneer dryer system may include a track and a veneer dryer movably coupled with the track. The track may extend between the desired location of the veneer dryer and a construction location. Movers may be coupled with the track at the construction location. The veneer dryer may be partially or fully constructed on the movers and moved to the desired location for use. A pre-existing veneer dryer at the desired location may remain operational during the construction and removed before the new veneer dryer is moved into place, substantially reducing downtime and costs as compared to prior methods of replacing veneer dryers.

Abstract: Embodiments of a self-cleaning jet tube may include an elongate hollow body that is generally rectangular in cross-section and tapered from an open first end to a second end generally opposite the first end. The elongate hollow body may have an upper wall, a lower wall, side walls, a plurality of apertures arranged along the upper wall, an end plate coupled with the walls at the second end, and at least one through-slot. A through-slot may be disposed through the end plate or a wall, between the end plate and a wall, or between two walls. The jet tube may be configured for use with the through-slot(s) open and unblocked, thereby allowing debris to be expelled from the jet tube during operation of the jet veneer dryer. Corresponding systems and method are also provided herein.

Abstract: Embodiments provide a unidirectional multi-path kiln with two or more chambers and generally parallel flow paths extending through the kiln, on opposite sides, from charge entry portals at a first end of the kiln to charge exit portals at a second end of the kiln. Moist heated air flowing from the second heated chamber is received in the first chamber and circulated around the lumber charges with one or more fans. The lumber charges proceed in the same direction on the flow paths through the heated second chamber, which may be an existing kiln. Charge exit portals at the distal end of the kiln and/or intermediate charge portals between the second chamber and a third chamber may be provided with insulating members configured to reduce airflow from the second chamber through the charge exit portals.

Abstract: In various embodiments, a dynamically directed workpiece positioning system may include a transport, a sensor positioned to detect a workpiece on the transport, a cutting member positioned along or downstream of the transport, and a computer system. The sensor may scan the workpiece as the workpiece is moved relative to the transport by a human operator or a positioning device. Based on the scan data, the computer system may generate commands to guide the human operator or positioning device in moving the workpiece to a desired position corresponding to a cut solution for the workpiece. Optionally, the computer system may cause the cutting member to be repositioned while the workpiece is being moved relative to the transport. Once the workpiece is in the desired position, the transport may be used to move the workpiece toward the cutting member. Corresponding methods and apparatuses are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems, methods and assemblies comprising one or more tapered feed rolls. Tapered feed rolls may be used to change the rate and direction of workpiece travel along a processing line while retaining the workpieces in sequential order. Routing workpiece flow with tapered feed rolls may allow the workpieces to be tracked along one or more processing lines, and may reduce the operational space required for workpiece processing.

Abstract: Embodiments provide an electric lug loader system. An electric lug loader may include a shaft assembly rotatably mounted to a frame that extends across a flow path. The shaft assembly may have shafts arranged radially around, and parallel to, the rotational axis of the shaft assembly, clamp members arranged along each of the shafts, support members arranged radially around the rotational axis and across the flow path, and electric drives coupled to the shafts. Conveyors may be coupled with the frame and spaced apart across the flow path upstream and/or downstream of the shaft assembly. Additional drives may be coupled with the shaft assembly and the conveyors. A controller may be configured to synchronize the drives to engage successive workpieces between the clamp members and the support members and deposit the workpieces onto a lugged conveyor. Other embodiments provide related methods and systems.

Abstract: Embodiments provide a log positioning system configured to transport a log through one or more chipper/profiler modules to produce a cant with four chipped/profiled sides. In some embodiments, a log processing system may include an infeed, a positioning feed module downstream of the infeed, and one or more chipper/profiler modules disposed proximal to the positioning feed module. The positioning feed module may include a sharp chain coupled to one or more pairs of vertical positioning rolls. The positioning feed module may be selectively skewed, slewed, and/or tilted to match the vertical and angular orientation of the infeed.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a workpiece singulator with one or more movable stairs. A first one of the movable stairs may include an outer step member and an inner step member that is positioned between the outer step member and a second one of the movable stairs. The step members may be movable synchronously as a single stair to transport larger workpieces and asynchronously to transport smaller workpieces on the outer step member. Optionally, the workpiece singulator may further include a sensor configured to detect the size and/or position of a workpiece. In some embodiments, the workpiece singulator may be coupled with a controller configured to control the position of the outer step member independently of the position of the inner step member. In various embodiments, a workpiece singulator as disclosed herein may be operable to selectively singulate workpieces of different sizes.

Abstract: Embodiments provide a pre-cut infeed system for a machine center, such as an edger. A pre-cut infeed system may include an infeed, one or more saws arranged along the infeed, and a scanner optimizer system. The scanner optimizer system may scan a workpiece and determine whether greater value can be obtained from the workpiece by cutting the workpiece transversely into two or more pieces upstream of the machine center. If so, the workpiece may be cut transversely by the saw(s) positioned along the infeed, and the cut pieces may be fed sequentially into the machine center.

Abstract: An apparatus for drying wood veneer includes an elongate drying chamber including a conveyor for conveying material to be dried from an input end to an output end; and a cooling section for cooling veneer leaving the output end of the drying chamber, the cooling section including a pressure controller for maintaining a pressure in the cooling section that is slightly higher than pressure in the drying chamber while maintaining a near-zero pressure differential between the drying chamber and the cooling section.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to systems, methods, and apparatuses for shape sawing wood. Specifically, embodiments include an infeed with laterally displaceable positioning rolls and a longitudinal axis between the positioning rolls. The embodiments further include a saw box with a frame and a plurality of saws coupled with a plurality of vertical arbors within the frame. In certain embodiments, the frame is operable to move laterally or rotationally with respect to a horizontal axis of rotation.

Abstract: Embodiments provide a multi-pass kiln with two or more chambers, an entrance and an exit at a proximal end of the kiln, and a reciprocal flow path extending through the kiln from the entrance to the exit. Lumber charges traveling along the reciprocal flow path may travel in a first direction along one side of the heated second chamber before traveling in a substantially opposite second direction along the opposite side of the second chamber. The distal end of the kiln may be substantially sealed, and a pressure differential between the distal end and the proximal end may draw moist heated air from the heated chamber toward the exit and entry to preheat and/or condition lumber charges traveling through the first chamber.

Abstract: Embodiments provide methods, systems, and apparatuses for loading workpieces in a flow direction into the spaced apart lugs on a lugged conveyor with the workpieces oriented transverse to the flow direction. The lug loader includes an array of pairs of endless conveyors configured to convey workpieces toward a lugged conveyor. The first and second endless conveyors of each pair are spaced laterally apart across the flow direction and aligned substantially in the flow direction. The array can form a continuous or discontinuous transport surface. Some pairs of endless conveyors in the array may overlap one or more other pairs of endless conveyors in the array. At least one pair of endless conveyors in the array may include two or more endless conveyors that are independently driven at different speeds and/or in different directions to de-skew a workpiece.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems, methods and assemblies comprising one or more tapered feed rolls. Tapered feed rolls may be used to change the rate and direction of workpiece travel along a processing line while retaining the workpieces in sequential order. Routing workpiece flow with tapered feed rolls may allow the workpieces to be tracked along one or more processing lines, and may reduce the operational space required for workpiece processing.