Abstract: A novel sawmill carriage knee and dog positioning system using a chain knee drive that allows vertical access to chain tension adjustment screws, provides a chain mounting attachment plate connected to an adequately sized air cylinder attached to a dogs in/out carrier slide increasing structural rigidity and reducing component count, weight and unit cost, and providing a novel method to taper the knees relative to the sawline.

Abstract: A resaw apparatus and method of sawing a succession of boards from a cant of a succession of cants. A band saw is vertically positioned to cut the succession of boards from the cant as the cant is reciprocated through the saw. A pivoted raker gate downstream of the band saw's blade engages the cut board and prevents it from passing through the saw in the reverse direction. A vertically movable live hold-down roller upstream of the saw blade presses down on the cant during sawing. A measuring device measures the cant's height prior to sawing the first board from the cant. When the raker gate moves into its vertical position after the cut board passes, the saw blade is raised slightly to avoid contact with cant splinters on the reverse pass. Each cant is processed to completion before sawing the next cant.

Abstract: A resaw apparatus and method of sawing a succession of boards from a cant of a succession of cants. A band saw is vertically positioned to cut the succession of boards from the cant as the cant is reciprocated through the saw. A pivoted raker gate downstream of the band saw's blade engages the cut board and prevents it from passing through the saw in the reverse direction. A vertically movable live hold-down roller upstream of the saw blade presses down on the cant during sawing. A measuring device measures the cant's height prior to sawing the first board from the cant. When the raker gate moves into its vertical position after the cut board passes, the saw blade is raised slightly to avoid contact with cant splinters on the reverse pass. Each cant is processed to completion before sawing the next cant.

Abstract: An edger for use with a conventional sawmill, including upper and lower chippers or cutters for forming the upper and lower edges of a board to be removed from a log, mechanical or optical sizers for automatically determining the location of the upper and lower edges of the board, and a control mechanism, responsive to the sizers, for positioning the cutters. The cutters have horizontal or vertical motors with associated blades, and the motors are mounted on carriages which ride up and down on a mast, positioned by a hydraulic cylinder. Mechanical sizing wheels are mounted on separate carriages, and the wheels are urged to contact the log's surface to determine extreme points of narrowness thereof. The extreme motion points of the sizing wheels are recorded by frictionally secured pistons which are sensed by metallic sensors which are input to the control mechanism. An electric eye causes the sizing wheels to move toward and away from the log.

Abstract: A sawmill edger for making a plurality of parallel substantially horizontal cuts in a log. The edger includes a plurality of cutting blades; a drive assembly coupled to the cutting blades for rotatably driving the cutting blades; and an adjustable support assembly coupled to the cutting blades for supporting the cutting blades and for allowing the position of the cutting blades to be varied. The drive assembly includes a drive shaft with at least one of the cutting blades fixedly and nonslidably attached thereto for preventing wear between the respective cutting blade and the drive shaft when the position of said cutting blades is varied.

Abstract: A vertical edger for cutting parallel horizontal kerfs in a log. The edger includes a first horizontal cutting blade; a second horizontal cutting blade; drive structure coupled to the horizontal cutting blades for rotatably driving the horizontal cutting blades; a first vertical column; a second vertical column spaced from the first vertical column; slide structure for attaching the first horizontal cutting blade to the vertical columns and for allowing the first horizontal cutting blade to move vertically along the vertical columns; the side structure including a first sleeve member slidably attached to the first vertical column, a second sleeve member slidably attached to the second vertical column, and a connector extending between the first and second sleeve members; and structure coupled to the slide structure for causing the slide structure to move vertically along the vertical columns and for causing the first horizontal cutting blade to move vertically along the vertical columns.

Abstract: A lifter coupled to a log carriage for lifting one end of a log relative to the log carriage. The lifter includes a base member fixed to the carriage for movement therewith; a support member supporting the end of the log; and a lift mechanism associated with the base member and the support member for lifting the support member between a lowered position and a raised position and for causing the end of the log to be lifted between a lowered position and a raised position.