Abstract: Apparatus for processing a log after scanning dimensionally by feeding the log along a longitudinal axis through a cutting means mounted adjacent the axis. The apparatus has a carriage mounted on rails for movement along the rails parallel to the longitudinal axis, and a clamp on the carriage which clamps the log on side faces thereof for feeding into the cutting means. The apparatus has orienting structure cooperating with the carriage and clamp to move the clamp relative to the longitudinal axis to re-position the log in a desired orientation relative to the axis and in accordance with the scanned dimensions. The cutting device initially cuts a lower datum face of the log which supports a forward end of the log when released from a respective clamp, and then cuts two side datum faces which engage guides to prevent rotation of the log after release by the clamp.

Abstract: A saw and chipping device to convert veneer peeler logs into pieces of lumber of dimensions to produce maximum useful products and minimum waste and comprising a pair of similar sets of saws and intervening chippers on a pair of parallel power driven arbors respectively above and below a path of travel for said logs and one arbor trailing the other a predetermined distance, said saws respectively sawing said logs in common planes from opposite sides to a depth slightly greater than half the diameter thereof to form complete cuts to form adjacent boards varying in diameter in accordance with the sections of the logs in which they occur, feed rollers power driven in directions to feed logs to said sets of saws and chippers, and auxiliary guide rollers downstream from said sets of saws and chippers provided with stepped circular surfaces above and below said path of travel, the diameters of said stepped surfaces increasing in diameter from the center toward the opposite ends of said rollers in accordance with th

Abstract: Log processing apparatus comprises a cutting machine that defines a substantially vertical cutting plane, feed mechanism that feeds a log through the cutting machine in substantially lengthwise horizontal motion parallel to the cutting plane, a measuring station spaced horizontally and vertically from the cutting machine, and transfer mechanism by which a log is carried in horizontal translatory motion from the measuring station to the feed mechanism. At the measuring station, or before the log reaches that station, it is established in an optimum rotational orientation which is thereafter maintained through transfer of support of the log to a set of jaws on the feed mechanism. At the measuring station a relationship is ascertained between a calculated plane that extends lengthwise in the log and a reference plane defined at the measuring station that has a fixed relationship to the cutting plane.

Abstract: A plate-like rotary chipping head has removable chipping knives mounted on its circumferential periphery for chiseling a flat face on a log or other wooden workpiece as the head rotates with a flat workpiece-confronting face thereof in a plane parallel to the direction of relative linear movement between the head and workpiece. Replaceable planing bit inserts are carried on such face for smoothing the flattened surface of the workpiece formed by the chipping knives. The chipping and planing functions are carried out simultaneously as the head rotates into the workpiece. Chips and planer shavings of a quality suitable for use as pulp chips are produced.

Abstract: Apparatus for shaping a flat surface on a workpiece includes a rotary chipper head having a plurality of radially oriented chipper knives having facing edges and chipping edges, and a circular saw blade having a diameter greater than that of the end of the chipper head closest to the workpiece. The circular saw blade is attached to the hub of the chipper head and apertures are defined in the circular saw blade to receive the ends of the knives of the chipper head, so that the chipper knives extend into the apertures in the circular saw blade. The surface formed on the workpiece is that cut by the teeth of the circular saw, and material cut from the workpiece by the saw blade is cut into chips by the chipper knives. The saw blade is thus allowed some freedom of movement relative to each chipper blade, and the facing edges of the chipper blades rotate within the kerf of the circular saw blade.

Abstract: A log is moved forwardly in a longitudinal path through a saw while engaged between a pusher dog and a holdback dog. The dogs are supported respectively by a pair of endless carriers which are parallel and adjacent to each other on one side of the log path. The log is scanned and rotationally oriented before being engaged by simultaneous forward movement of the pusher dog and rearward movement of the holdback dog. Forward movement carries the log first to a chipper head and then to a guide surface which engages the face cut by the chipper head for stabilizing the log during sawing.

Abstract: Starting from a loading position, a door carriage moves a door sideways between a pair of saws to trim the ends of the door. Then the carriage remains stationary while a pair of planer heads move across the carriage to trim the side edges of the door. Finally, in a lower path of travel, the carriage returns to its loading position for unloading the door, with the door passing with clearance under the saws. During these operations the door is secured by a vacuum table on the carriage.

Abstract: A woodworking machine to convert round logs to square or rectangular cants by initially cutting with initial chipping cutters pairs of adjacent grooves respectively in the opposite upper and lower surfaces of each log to form corners of said cant thereon and also form the side edges of four boards to be sawed from the log incident to forming the cant, and then delivering the log to a conveyor extending between the inlet and discharge ends of the machine and having support elements thereon complementary to the lower cant corner of said logs and additional series of guide elements above and coextensive with said conveyor which engage the upper corner of said cant on the log, whereby the log is securely and accurately held between said conveyor and guide elements during a single passage through the machine during which, downstream from the inlet end of the machine, additional chipping cutters form other pairs of grooves respectively in the opposite sides of said logs to define side corners of the cant and also r

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for sawing logs having a curved longitudinal length to obtain maximum recovery of sawed planks therefrom. There are provided several sawing stations for handling the curved log including edge sawing, heart split sawing along the curved center line of the log and perpendicular to the edge sawed surfaces to produce two sections having curved center cut surfaces, and dividing sawing each section parallel to the center cut surface.

Abstract: A process and apparatus are described wherein an integrated saw mill includes conveyor means for feeding debarked logs, classifying the logs and storing them according to size, advancing a particular log, scanning and analyzing the log and determining its cut pattern, squaring off the log by chipping heads, collectively cutting the log in line in accordance with the predetermined cut pattern, simultaneously advancing on separate conveyor means each piece of lumber so produced, sorting and storing each piece of lumber in accordance with its size, and further discharging the lumber onto a sticker-stacker for transferring stacks to drying kilns.

Abstract: A log is moved forwardly in a longitudinal path through a saw while engaged between a pusher dog and a holdback dog. The dogs are supported respectively by a pair of endless carriers which are parallel and adjacent to each other on one side of the log path. The log is scanned and rotationally oriented before being engaged by simultaneous forward movement of the pusher dog and rearward movement of the holdback dog. Forward movement carries the log first to a chipper head and then to a guide surface which engages the face cut by the chipper head for stabilizing the log during sawing.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a cant forming machine wherein logs are cut in advance to the predetermined length of the wood slats and pieces to be formed, after which the logs are automatically moved through a series of saws and molding heads to first cut guide grooves in the lower portion of each log, after which the log is moved onto guides where it is under full control. Following this, necessary cuts are made in the log to define a plurality of cants, followed by a final cutting of the log to separate the plural cants. The machine is adapted to continuously receive cut lengths of logs with there being conveyor means for presenting logs to the machine and a cut-off saw for cutting the logs to the predetermined length. Also, the machine has a reciprocating pusher carried by an endless conveyor chain with the pusher being connected to the conveyor chain in a manner wherein the conveyor chain may slip relative thereto in the event of a jam.

Abstract: A portable sawmill system comprising at least three wheeled, independently movable modules is disclosed. The modules are independently maneuverable to a land site having a ready source of logs to be processed and are arranged in a preselected geometrical configuration adjacent one another and the source of logs. A log from the source is received on the first module and debarked. The debarked log is moved axially and transversely off the first module and onto a second module. A plurality of saw means are carried by the second module to form boards from a log being processed. A third module is located at the output side of the second module and is adapted to receive and further process the boards formed on the second module.

Abstract: For feeding logs to a sawing machine, two parallel horizontal I-beams, at a level above the sawing machine, guidingly support an inner and an outer feed carriage. From each carriage pincers-like log supporting jaws extend obliquely downwardly and in the feed direction. The I-beams provide an inner track that has its rails between the rails of an outer track. The inner carriage is wholly between the rails of the inner track and rides thereon. The outer carriage bridges over both tracks and rides on the outer one, and its jaw operating mechanism has portions above the level of the inner track and other portions extending down from said level that are laterally outside the outer track. The carriages can therefore pass one another and exchange leading/trailing relationship for each successive log. Mechanism is disclosed for causing carriage jaws to close on a positioned log without shifting it but by which the closed jaws can be laterally shifted as desired.

Abstract: Logs are advanced substantially in the direction of their longitudinal axes through a saw while engaged between a driven pusher dog and a retarded holdback dog.The pusher dog is on an endless carrier chain located above an initial log support, and the holdback dog is on an endless carrier chain located below the log path and forwardly of the support. Logs on the support are movable angularly and laterally from the machine axis to displaced positions which are unobstructed by the carrier chains, to permit offset sawing and taper sawing.Chipper heads produce planar surfaces on logs approaching the saw. A retractible preliminary holdback dog engages the forward end of a log and moves past a bottom-flattening chipper head to a transfer area where the chain-carried holdback dog engages the log and the preliminary holdback dog is retracted.

Abstract: A machine for forming beveled webs, particularly for use in truss structures, includes a feed table upon which a wooden board is placed. A saw is shifted into cutting relation with the board to sever a web which drops into a hopper. A pusher displaces the web from the hopper and along a guide surface and eventually forms a row of webs which is pushed toward a beveling station. At the beveling station, a pair of cutters are situated at opposite sides of the guide surface and each include co-axially arranged router heads. The router heads are of frusto-conical configuration and form a cutting angle through which the webs pass. Top and bottom bevels are cut in the ends of the web by the router heads. The vertex of each cutting angle is spaced from the respective web end to form a flat on the web between the top and bottom bevels. The cutters are mounted for rotary adjustment to vary the inclinations of the router heads, and thus of the bevels being formed.

Abstract: A log feed mechanism that will longitudinally move successive logs toward the cutting and/or chipping mechanisms of a sawmill while holding the successive logs along a prescribed path of movement such that the successive logs may be efficiently sawed into standard size lumber. The feed mechanism includes a roller device by which the successive logs may be rotated about their longitudinal center axes in order to determine the most desirable position for the log to be in when cut into lumber. The successive logs are fed onto a first conveyor assembly that performs the functions of centering the successive logs and moving the logs in a forward direction while maintaining the centered condition. Press rolls are provided over the first conveyor on either side of a rosser. The rosser operates to remove knots and enlarged butts of successive logs to provide a relatively smooth surface for gripping by a downstream second conveyor.

Abstract: A sawmill for cutting finished boards from logs in a single operation. The log is mounted on a reciprocating carriage which is also laterally adjustable to control the thickness of each board. Two vertically adjustable circular chippers are mounted on a vertical shaft. The spacing of the chippers controls the width of each board. A vertical saw is positioned with respect to the chippers so that the sides of the saw cut made through the log span the vertical cuts made by the chippers. The operation produces a maximum of sawdust.

Abstract: A woodworking machine capable of simultaneously making a number of cuts through stock material and shaping opposed edges simultaneously to form a plurality of pieces finished on all sides. The woodworking machine includes feeding means capable of feeding stock material into and through a cutting zone, first and second arbors disposed in the cutting zone to either side of the feed path of the stock material, each of the arbors being provided with a plurality of saws and shapers aligned with corresponding saws and shapers on the other arbor to saw individual pieces from the stock material and to shape opposed edges. The feed means is driven by a reversible variable speed hydraulic motor and is capable of feeding the stock through the cutting zone at varying speeds. An improved dust collection apparatus is also disclosed herein.

Abstract: This invention is directed to apparatus and method for working pieces of wood and which pieces of wood may have a flat side or may be a log.The apparatus and method are directed to the climb cutting or climb milling, on the face of the wood, and the rotary milling, cutting through the wood, to the working of said pieces of wood so as to form useable lumber and to form useable wood chips, and which wood chips can be further processed to make useful products of manufacture.One of the side features of this invention is the utilization of small pieces of wood and which small pieces of wood, prior to this invention, were either chipped or burned instead of being further processed to more economically valuable lumber.

Abstract: In an automatic sawmill, a caliper device measures the diameter of an incoming log and the log is then positioned against a pair of backstands over a log receiving carriage. A plurality of cutting devices are positioned relative to the carriage, and the speed control for the carriage is predetermined, in response to the log diameter. The diameter measurement is supplied to data processing circuitry which provides outputs indicative of "sets" to be taken by the aforementioned backstands and cutting devices for sawing the log into a number of cants, boards, or slabs in a manner making optimum use of the log content.

Abstract: A method for producing rough cut lumber from small diameter poles of varying size at the pole harvest site including the steps of removing the bark from the pole, cutting longitudinal notches spaced around the periphery of the pole aligning and supporting the pole on rails disposed in these notches, shaping the pole with rotary cutting heads to form a rectangular beam while additionally supporting the pole by means of guides associated with each of the cutterheads.Portable apparatus for producing rough cut lumber from a small diameter wood pole at the harvest site including rotary debarking knives, kerf cutting saws, support rails adapted to run in kerfs spaced around the periphery of the pole, cutterheads adapted to form the pole into rough cut lumber of rectangular cross section, each cutterhead having a planar support associated therewith.