Abstract: In band ironers, laundry items are moved along a pressing surface of a stationary ironer roller by an ironer band that entrains the laundry items, wherein the laundry items slide with slip along a lateral surface of the ironer roller. As the speed of the ironer increases, slip between the laundry items and the lateral surface of the ironer roller increases. When the desired ironing quality makes less slip necessary, the circumferential speed of the ironer band has to be reduced, and the throughput of the band ironer suffers. The invention is to drive the ironer roller in a circumferential manner wherein the slip between the ironer roller and the laundry items is adjusted in an arbitrary manner as a result of adjusting the rotational speed of the drive of the ironer roller and/or the circumferential speed of the ironer band without reducing the throughput of the band ironer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus (10) for determining a best focus position of an object (30) relative to a reference position (e.g., axis A) of a dark-field optical imaging system (20), with an effective focusing range up to 10 times of the depth of field of the system. The method includes the steps of first forming a dark-field image of the object at different focus positions (zm). Each dark-field image has a corresponding image intensity distribution with an average intensity and a variance of intensity. The next step is forming a set of contrast values by calculating a contrast value (Cm) for each dark-field image based on the variance and the average intensity. The last step is determining the best focus position by fitting a Lorentzian function to the set of contrast values plotted as a function of the different focus positions and identifying the focus position associated with the maximum contract value (Cmax).

Abstract: An apparatus for increasing the flexibility of and straightening wooden flooring strips of the type having a top surface having a decorative finish and a base surface opposed to the top surface. The base surface has a multiplicity of closely spaced-apart scores extending into the flooring strip from the base surface transverse to the length of the flooring strip along substantially the entire length of the flooring strip to relieve stress and increase flexibility in the wood strip for more closely adhering to irregularities of a sub-floor. The apparatus has an infeed zone for feeding flooring strips downstream from an upstream processing station and an outfeed zone for discharging the flooring strips to a downstream processing station. A conveyor conveys the flooring strips downstream from the infeed zone to the outfeed zone.

Abstract: A machine and method for forming a variety of predetermined shapes of curved laminations formed from a plurality of individual laminates bonded together by an adhesive. The laminating machine comprises a support frame, a rotating RF-conducting capstan mounted in the support frame, and an RF-conducting anvil supported by the support frame in opposing relation to the capstan. An RF energy source is operatively connected to the capstan, and a ground terminal is operatively connected to the anvil. Custom template flanges serve both as determinants of a particular lamination's curved shape and also preferably as components of the completed laminated structure, which includes the curved lamination. Each template flange includes a laminate retainer, preferably an elongated groove, which holds a foundation laminate in a predetermined curved shape.

Abstract: A truss bend correction system having a pair of in-feed correction rollers, a pair of finish rollers, and an out-feed correction roller define a path for counterbending the joints of a truss to reform the nail plates and thereby flatten the overall truss. The in-feed correction rollers and the out-feed correction roller are oriented downwardly with respect to the finish rollers so that an undesired upward bow of a truss joint is counterbent downwardly, thereby straightening the joints of the truss.

Abstract: An apparatus and method flatten a twisted veneer directly from the device which cuts the veneer from a board. In a particular implementation, the veneer is counter-twisted through a curved channel formed between two roller assemblies whose rollers are discretely disposed through a predetermined sector.

Abstract: Wooden boards which are deformably twisted about their longitudinal axes straightened by being passed through a path that is twisted in a direction opposite that of the boards. The degree of twist of the boards is automatically adjusted as a function of the humidity of the boards and possibly also as a function of the temperature of the boards.

Abstract: A plurality of wood truss members and metal connector plates are assembled on a relatively flat conveyor surface and are transported to a first pressing station having two pairs of pressing rollers for partially embedding the connector plates into the wood members. The truss is then moved to a second pressing station having another pair of pressing rollers, where the plates are substantially completely embedded into the wood members. All of the rollers have substantially the same diameter and preferably have a diameter of at least ten inches to reduce the "rocking action" on the ends of the plates, particularly during the initial stages of the pressing operation. A plurality of guide rails are disposed beneath the conveyor surface for journally supporting the conveyor surface and the truss.

Abstract: Boards that have been separated by a chipless cutting method using an inced blade, are twisted and, in most instances, this twist has to be corrected before boards that have been produced in this manner can be used. An apparatus in which a plurality of pairs of rollers are arranged in tandem withing a main frame is used to do this. Each pair of rollers can be pivotted about the longitudinal axis of the main frame relative to the proceding pair. This forms a board guide channel that extends in the longitudinal direction of the main frame and which is twisted approximately about the longitudinal axis of the main frame. The boards that are to be straightened pass through the board guide channel and are permanently deformed, which compensates for the twist that originally existed in the board.

Abstract: As a preparatory step to rigid substrate application, indefinite length strips of wood veneer are tenderized by cross-grain stressing through a roll nip wherein the surface of a steel roll is corrugated with circumferentially extending flutes bearing against the veneer strip and backed by a medium hard rubber roll. Such treatment fractures the natural, transverse or cross-grain fiber in the veneer along longitudinal strip increments of the veneer surface.