Abstract: A saw guide assembly includes a stack of saw guides with bodies having a second portion with lubricant holes and coolant holes extending between the first and second surfaces on opposite sides thereof. The lubricant and coolant holes are aligned so that fluid supplied to any of the lubricant or coolant holes of a saw guide at one end of the stack passes into the corresponding holes of at least some of the remaining saw guides in the stack. The first portion has a first saw blade engagement surface with a lubricant distribution region and a coolant distribution region. Coolant and lubricant transfer paths extend from selected coolant and lubricant holes for that saw guide to the coolant and lubricant distribution regions. The coolant and lubricant transfer paths are different for at least some of the saw guides for separate delivery to the distribution regions.

Abstract: A combination canting and profiling apparatus includes a cutter assembly, including a profiler and a canter, supported by a support frame for movement in unison with the support frame. The profiler and the canter each have first and second cutter heads respectively rotatable about first and second axes and positioned at work piece profiling and canting stations along a workpiece feed path next to one another without any workpiece drivers therebetween. The profiler and the canter can be mounted to the support frame for movement relative to one another along a lateral positioning path oriented generally perpendicular to the workpiece feed path. Structure can also be included to facilitate curve sawing. In some examples motors driving the cutters can be arranged for load sharing.

Abstract: A saw blade mounting assembly includes a saw spindle assembly, including a saw hub rotatable in a chosen direction about a drive axis and having a first, driving engagement member, and a saw blade collar assembly, to which a saw blade is mountable, having a second, driven engagement member. The first and second engagement members are complementary tapered engagement members so that rotating the saw spindle assembly in the chosen direction causes the saw blade collar assembly any saw blade to rotate. One of the first and second tapered engagement members include tapered receiver slots having tapered portions with entrance openings into the tapered portions. The other of the tapered engagement members include tapered locking tabs sized for engagement within the tapered portions of the tapered receiver slots. The locking tabs may move axially and then rotationally through the tapered receiver slots.

Abstract: A sawing apparatus for a wood products sawing system comprises a frame, a sawing table, a workpiece clamping element, and an overhead saw assembly. A workpiece can be supported on the sawing table and releasably secured to the table by the workpiece clamping element. The overhead saw array is supported by the frame and includes a saw driver and a row of at least three saw assemblies so to sever the workpiece along the cut line by movement of the saw blades along two dimensional paths. A variable width sawing table comprises a driving assembly and a row of support arm assemblies mounted to the frame member and coupled to the driving assembly for movement to at least first and second positions.

Abstract: An optimizing planer infeed system for feeding an array of workpieces downstream to a planer includes an apparatus for setting the size of the gaps between successive linearly aligned workpieces so that each gap between successive workpieces provides enough time for at least one of movable cutting elements in the planer and movable guiding elements to be moved to their optimized position corresponding to the next successive workpiece.

Abstract: A wood product assembly includes a cutter subassembly and a skewing assembly. A cutter positioning body is movable by a slewing assembly along a slewing axis. A spindle housing is mounted to the cutter positioning body for pivotal movement about a pivot axis. A spindle, to which a cutter, such as a sawblade or chipper head, is affixed, is mounted to the spindle housing for rotation about a spindle rotation axis by a cutter driver. The skewing assembly is coupled to the spindle housing to position the spindle rotation axis to a selected angular orientation to position the cutter at a selected skew angle. In some examples the cutter driver comprises a drive source fixedly secured to a frame and an extendable length universal-joint driveline assembly.

Abstract: A wood product assembly includes a cutter and skewing assemblies. A cutter positioning body is movable by the slewing assembly along a slewing axis. A spindle housing is mounted to the cutter positioning body for pivotal movement about a pivot axis. A spindle, to which a cutter, such as a sawblade or chipper head, is affixed, is mounted to the spindle housing for rotation about a spindle rotation axis by a drive assembly. The drive assembly includes a fixed position drive motor and a drive shaft assembly. The drive shaft assembly comprises a hollow drive shaft sleeve and a drive shaft. The drive shaft sleeve extends at least part way through the drive motor and is rotatable by the drive motor. An end of the drive shaft is slidably housed within and rotated by the drive shaft sleeve. The skewing assembly is coupled to the spindle housing to position the spindle rotation axis to a selected angular orientation to position the cutter at a selected skew angle.

Abstract: An optimizing planermill system includes a control system and a workpiece feed path for feeding an array of workpieces linearly downstream to an optimizing planer. The gap size between successive workpieces is set so that each gap provides enough time for relative movement of at least one of movable cutting elements in the planer and movable guiding elements so as to obtain relative movement between the cutting elements and the workpiece being next fed in for optimized positioning.

Abstract: A wood cutter assembly includes a saw assembly, a slewing assembly and a skewing assembly. The saw assembly includes a cutter assembly rotated about a drive axis by a drive shaft passing through an open region therein. The cutter assembly includes a cutter mounted to a cutter spindle for rotation about the open region. The cutter assembly is mounted to a spindle housing, which is pivotally mounted to a saw positioner for movement about a pivot axis. The pivot axis passes through the drive shaft transversely to the drive shaft axis. The cutter is slewed so to move the saw positioner, and the spindle housing and cutter assembly therewith, along the drive shaft. The cutter is skewed relative to the drive shaft axis over a range of skew angles by selectively rotating the spindle housing, and the cutter assembly therewith, about the pivot axis.

Abstract: An optimizing planer system includes a control system; a workpiece feed path; and, an optimizing planer. The optimizing planer is operably coupled to the control system. The optimizing planer is located along the workpiece feed path and has an entrance, for receipt of a rough workpiece, and an exit, for discharge of an at least partially finished workpiece. The optimizing planer includes a cutting element. A workpiece interrogator is situated along the workpiece feed path, upstream of the entrance. The interrogator is operably coupled to the control system so to provide the control system with workpiece property information for each workpiece entering the optimizing planer. The control system provides the optimizing planer with control information based upon the workpiece property information for each workpiece.

Abstract: A forest products lineal cutter assembly comprises a work piece scanning assembly, an outfeed conveyor assembly and a cutting station. The lineal cutter assembly also includes first and second work piece hold down elements above the scan belt at a first exit end of the scan belt and above the outfeed belt at a second entrance end of the scan belt. In some embodiments the first and second work piece hold down elements comprise hold down rollers.

Abstract: A wood product assembly includes a cutter subassembly and a skewing assembly. A cutter positioning body is movable by a slewing assembly along a slewing axis. A spindle housing is mounted to the cutter positioning body for pivotal movement about a pivot axis. A spindle, to which a cutter, such as a sawblade or chipper head, is affixed, is mounted to the spindle housing for rotation about a spindle rotation axis by a cutter driver. The skewing assembly is coupled to the spindle housing to position the spindle rotation axis to a selected angular orientation to position the cutter at a selected skew angle. In some examples the cutter driver comprises a drive source fixedly secured to a frame and an extendable length universal-joint driveline assembly.

Abstract: A sawguide assembly includes a plurality of sets of sawguides, the sawguides within each set positioned adjacent to one another to create an array of laterally-abutting sawguides. Corresponding sawguide biasing assemblies bias the sawguides in each set against one another. The arrays are supported for independent movement along a lateral path generally parallel to the axis of the arbor. Lateral drivers are used to move each array in unison along the lateral path but independent of the other arrays. A sawguide array skewing assembly couples the sawguides of each array to one another so that the sawguides can be pivoted in unison about their respective pivot axes by a corresponding skewing driver.

Abstract: A sawguide assembly includes a set of sawguides positioned adjacent to one another to create an array of laterally-abutting sawguides. A sawguide biasing assembly biases the sawguides against one another. The array is supported for movement along a lateral path generally parallel to the axis of the arbor. A lateral driver is used to move the entire array in unison along the lateral path. A sawguide array skewing assembly couples the sawguides to one another so that the sawguides can be pivoted in unison about their respective pivot axes by a skewing driver.

Abstract: A sawguide assembly includes a set of sawguides positioned adjacent to one another to create an array of laterally-abutting sawguides. A sawguide biasing assembly biases the sawguides against one another. The array is supported for movement along a lateral path generally parallel to the axis of the arbor. A lateral driver is used to move the entire array in unison along the lateral path. A sawguide array skewing assembly couples the sawguides to one another so that the sawguides can be pivoted in unison about their respective pivot axes by a skewing driver.

Abstract: An optimizing planer system includes a control system; a workpiece feed path; and, an optimizing planer. The optimizing planer is operably coupled to the control system. The optimizing planer is located along the workpiece feed path and has an entrance, for receipt of a rough workpiece, and an exit, for discharge of an at least partially Finished workpiece. The optimizing planer includes a cutting element. A workpiece interrogator is situated along the workpiece feed path, upstream of the entrance. The interrogator is operably coupled to the control system so to provide the control system with workpiece property information for each workpiece entering the optimizing planer. The control system provides the optimizing planer with control information based upon the workpiece property information for each workpiece.

Abstract: A log processor and log processing method scans a log (L) at a first station (18) so that the longitudinal centerline (32) and a sawing scheme for the log can be automatically determined by a controller (4). The log is oriented at a second station (24) so that the longitudinal centerline is oriented with respect to a vertical plane passing through the feed line. The position of the log is automatically adjusted at third and fourth stations (36, 42) so that the saw blade path (56) through the log is generally parallel to the feed line as the log passes a log exit (12) and through a saw (14). The sawing scheme can include variable tapering sawing from split taper sawing to full taper sawing. Differential steering chain assemblies (37) may be used at the fourth station and may each include continuous loop, log-engaging chains (106) which engage the log above and below the log. Log chipping, profiling heads (62) may be used on either side of the feed line, such as at a fifth station.

Abstract: A sawguide assembly includes a set of sawguides positioned adjacent to one another to create an array of laterally-abutting sawguides. A sawguide biasing assembly biases the sawguides against one another. The array is supported for movement along a lateral path generally parallel to the axis of the arbor. A lateral driver is used to move the entire array in unison along the lateral path. A sawguide array skewing assembly couples the sawguides to one another so that the sawguides can be pivoted in unison about their respective pivot axes by a skewing driver.

Abstract: A sawguide assembly includes a set of sawguides positioned adjacent to one another to create an array of laterally-abutting sawguides. A sawguide biasing assembly biases the sawguides against one another. The array is supported for movement along a lateral path generally parallel to the axis of the arbor. A lateral driver is used to move the entire array in unison along the lateral path. A sawguide array skewing assembly couples the sawguides to one another so that the sawguides can be pivoted in unison about their respective pivot axes by a skewing driver.

Abstract: A saw guide pad seal enables recycling of the coolant/lubricant used in a lumber sawing operation. The saw guide pad seal directs the coolant to coolant return chambers. The coolant return chambers have a negative pressure developed from the motion of the saw blade or provided by a vacuum pump or blower, and return the coolant to the coolant tank. A heat-exchanger is optionally used to control the temperature of the coolant, providing more consistent operation of the saw, and a filter is optionally used to remove contaminants before the recycled coolant is provided to the saw blade(s).