Abstract: An arm pad includes a sleeve extending between a first arm opening and a second arm opening. The sleeve includes a lower arm pocket, an upper arm pocket, and an elbow pocket. The lower am pocket is configured to removably retain a lower arm pad, and the upper arm pocket is configured to removably retain an upper arm pad. The elbow pocket is configured to retain an elbow pad.

Abstract: A lever-based clamping device.

Abstract: Near InfraRed NIR technology, including NIR cameras and detectors, is used to accurately determine the strength of the green veneer sheet or other wood product. Based on the determined strength for a given green veneer sheet or other wood product, one or more actions are taken with respect to green veneer sheet or other wood product to ensure the green veneer sheet or other wood product is put the most efficient, effective, and valuable use.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the present disclosure, an attachment assembly for coupling to a base plate includes a substantially planar attachment plate having a top side and a bottom side, a magnet assembly including at least three magnets, each of the at least three magnets having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, the first sides of the at least three magnets are configured for coupling with the bottom side of the attachment plate, wherein the at least three magnets each have a first end and a second end, such that the first end of each magnet is adjacent a second end of an adjacent magnet to form an array, and a shim plate removably coupled to the second side of the at least three magnets.

Abstract: Attachment assemblies for industrial material handling equipment are shown and disclosed. In some embodiments, the attachment assembly includes a carriage assembly having a carriage and a linear actuator fixedly attached to the carriage. The carriage is mountable to industrial material handling equipment. The attachment assembly additionally includes a frame assembly slidably connected to the carriage. The attachment assembly further includes a faceplate assembly fixedly attached to the frame assembly. The faceplate assembly is configured to receive one or more support members for supporting a load. The faceplate assembly includes one or more load cells configured to measure horizontal and vertical forces applied to the one or more support members. The linear actuator slides the frame assembly laterally relative to the carriage assembly.

Abstract: There is provided a locking assembly mountable to a dispenser having a base part and a cover movable relative to each other between a closed configuration and an open configuration. The locking assembly is configured to lock the base part and the cover in the closed configuration when mounted to the dispenser and comprises an unlocking component mountable to one of the base part and the cover and having an unlocking body translatable to configure the locking assembly into an unlocked configuration; and a pushbutton at least partially contained in the unlocking body. The locking assembly is selectively configurable into a key-opening configuration wherein the pushbutton is prevented from translation and in a pushbutton-opening configuration wherein pressure on the pushbutton engages the unlocking body into translation to configure the locking assembly into the unlocked configuration.

Abstract: A method and system for production of layered wood products employs local and independently operating robotic panel assembly cells including one or more veneer handling robots, one or more core handling robots, and one or more glue application robots to produce stacks of layered wood product panels locally near the pressing stations. Consequently, the stacks of layered wood product panels are independently built at, or near, the location of the pressing stations. This eliminates the need for traditional panel conveyors, traditional layered wood product panel assembly layup lines, and stack press delivery lines. This, in turn, eliminates thousands of moving parts and dozens of people from the layered wood product production process.

Abstract: Near InfraRed NIR technology, including NIR cameras and detectors, and machine learning methods and systems, including one or more Machine Learning (ML) based moisture level detection models, are used to accurately identify moisture content and the specific locations of the moisture on an entire surface of a veneer sheet or other wood product and provide moisture level prediction data for the veneer sheet or other wood product. Based on the moisture level prediction data for a given wood product, one or more actions are taken with respect to wood product to ensure the wood product is put to the most efficient, effective, and valuable use.

Abstract: Near InfraRed NIR technology, including NIR cameras and detectors, and one or more visual cameras are used to generate superimposed image data representing a visual/NIR composite image of wood product and correlating moisture levels with physical features of the surfaces of the wood product. By analyzing the visual/NIR composite image represented by superimposed image data, moisture pockets near an open physical feature that, absent the presence open physical feature would be a problem, can be identified and ignored. Based on the identified moisture levels at various locations in a given wood product, and the proximity of physical features to the identified moisture locations, one or more actions are taken with respect to wood product to ensure the wood product is put to the most efficient, effective, and valuable use.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing includes cutting a first natural or non-composite veneer sheet to a first length, cutting a second natural or non-composite veneer sheet to the first length, coating an inner surface of the first natural or non-composite veneer sheet with an adhering means, coating an inner surface of the second natural or non-composite veneer sheet with an adhering means, coating a plurality of veneer strands with an adhering means, placing the plurality of veneer strands on the inner surface of the first natural or non-composite veneer sheet, placing the second natural or non-composite veneer sheet on top of the plurality of veneer strands to create a mat, compressing the mat in an unheated pre-press, and compressing the mat in a hot press at an elevated temperature to create a panel.

Abstract: A fork-carriage apparatus for a lift truck and configured for pulling a load, including: (a) a mounting frame assembly; (b) a side shifter frame assembly slidably mounted to the mounting frame assembly; (c) a pivot frame assembly pivotably mounted to the side shifter frame assembly for translating therewith; (d) a fork assembly mounted to the pivot frame assembly for pivoting therewith; and (e) at least one load-pulling connector mounted to the pivot frame assembly and configured to connect the load to the fork-carriage apparatus for pulling the load.

Abstract: Near InfraRed NIR technology, including NIR cameras and detectors, is used to accurately identify moisture content, the specific locations of the moisture on an entire surface of a dry veneer sheet or other wood product, and the strength of the dry veneer sheet or other wood product. Based on the identified moisture content and/or predicted strength for a dry veneer sheet or other wood product, one or more actions are taken with respect to dry veneer sheet or other wood product to ensure the dry veneer sheet or other wood product is put the most efficient, effective, and valuable use.

Abstract: A spindle assembly for supporting a web material roll in a web material dispenser, the web material roll having first and second extremities and defining a central cavity provided with a bushing toward the first extremity. The spindle assembly includes a bushing-engaging member having: a first dispenser mounting portion mountable to a first side of the dispenser, and a bushing-engaging portion sized and configured to fit at least partially in the bushing; and a spindle connection member having: a second dispenser mounting portion mountable to a second side of the dispenser, and a connecting portion removably mountable to the bushing-engaging member; thereby allowing use of the roll with the bushing in the dispenser. Also, a roll dispensing assembly and a method for inserting a roll of web material in a dispenser.

Abstract: A bushing for a web material roll including a body sized to be fitted into the web material roll; the bushing further including a wall extending across the central cavity of the web material roll when the bushing is in the central cavity of the web material roll and defining an opening for receiving a roll support therethrough, the opening being bordered by a roll support contacting surface, the bushing having one or more bearing surfaces for contacting the roll support and supporting the web material roll, the one or more bearing surfaces including at least the roll support contacting surface bordering the opening. A web material roll, a web material roll retention assembly and a method for placing a web material roll in a web material roll dispenser are also provided.

Abstract: Attachment assemblies for industrial material handling equipment are shown and disclosed. In some embodiments, the attachment assembly includes a carriage assembly having a carriage, wherein the carriage is mountable to industrial material handling equipment. The attachment assembly additionally includes a frame assembly connected to the carriage. The attachment assembly further includes a faceplate assembly fixedly attached to the frame assembly. The faceplate assembly is configured to receive one or more support members for supporting a load. The faceplate assembly includes one or more load cells configured to measure horizontal and vertical forces applied to the one or more support members.

Abstract: The present disclosure concerns a web material feed assembly for a web material dispenser comprising a housing, the web material feed assembly comprising first and second rollers rotatable relative to the housing of the dispenser about first and second parallel axes. The first roller is provided with friction rings forming a nip between the first and second rollers for feeding the web material therethrough, at least one of the friction rings comprising a recessed surface forming an anti-wrinkling space between the first and second rollers. The disclosure also concerns a web material dispenser with such a web material feed assembly and a method for preventing wrinkles in a web material dispensed by a web material dispenser with such a web material feed assembly.

Abstract: A method and system for production of layered wood products employs local and independently operating robotic panel assembly cells including one or more veneer handling robots, one or more core handling robots, and one or more glue application robots to produce stacks of layered wood product panels locally near the pressing stations. Consequently, the stacks of layered wood product panels are independently built at, or near, the location of the pressing stations. This eliminates the need for traditional panel conveyors, traditional layered wood product panel assembly layup lines, and stack press delivery lines. This, in turn, eliminates thousands of moving parts and dozens of people from the layered wood product production process.

Abstract: A method and system for production of layered wood products employs local and independently operating robotic panel assembly cells including one or more veneer handling robots, one or more core handling robots, and one or more glue application robots to produce stacks of layered wood product panels locally near the pressing stations. Consequently, the stacks of layered wood product panels are independently built at, or near, the location of the pressing stations. This eliminates the need for traditional panel conveyors, traditional layered wood product panel assembly layup lines, and stack press delivery lines. This, in turn, eliminates thousands of moving parts and dozens of people from the layered wood product production process.

Abstract: A system and method for adding smokable material into cone is provided. One embodiment receives input at a user input device from a user that specifies an amount of the smokable material that is to be dispensed by the auger load system into an empty cone; determines, at a cone filler control system, a determined duration based on the user specified amount of smokable material received in at user input device; communicates a control signal from the cone filler control system; and operates an auger drive motor to rotate an auger for the determined duration in response to the control signal so that a helical screw blade of the auger dispenses the user specified amount of smokable material out from a lower portion of a hopper containing the smokable material into an empty cone.