Abstract: A lumber edger and method of edging lumber using a positioning system having a plurality fetcher fingers driven by a non-hydraulic drive.

Abstract: A lumber edger and method of edging lumber using a positioning system having a plurality fetcher fingers driven by a non-hydraulic drive.

Abstract: A guide arm for a gang sawmill is provided adjacent to an inlet of a gang saw and is movable about a pivot pin depending on the actual curvature of a cant to adjust (continuously or fixed) the position of an incoming cant to maximize the yield of usable boards produced by the gang saw by moving the cant relative to the saw as a conveyor feeds the cant through the gang saw.

Abstract: A guide arm for a gang sawmill is provided adjacent to an inlet of a gang saw and is movable about a pivot pin depending on the actual curvature of a cant to adjust (continuously or fixed) the position of an incoming cant to maximize the yield of usable boards produced by the gang saw by moving the cant relative to the saw as a conveyor feeds the cant through the gang saw.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of adjusting the vertical position of a cant sawbox relative to a cant feed axis includes a pair of pivotable arms mounted on a base that is slidable along a horizontal axis with each arm pivotably connected to a lower portion of the sawbox; a device upstream of the sawbox detects the thickness and calculates the mid point of the incoming cant and then effects movement of the sawbox so that the midline of the cant coincides with the feed axis.

Abstract: A lumber processor includes slowdown conveyor to transition lumber pieces from one processing device to a subsequent processing device where the movement of lumber pieces changes from lineal to lateral motion; a printer station includes a printer boom which includes a lateral translation device to move a symbol printer over the path of travel of the conveyor to allow the printer to mark pieces of lumber that are passing beneath the printer station.

Abstract: A prescan of log cant is performed and the data derived from the prescan is fed to a computer which analyzes the data to control positioning arms on a downstream positioning conveyor which feeds the cant to cutting scan station which provided data for controlling a movable gang saw. The positioning arms adjust the position of the cant to improve the operation of the gang saw and increase the useful output of the saw.

Abstract: A lumber processor includes slowdown conveyor to transition lumber pieces from one processing device to a subsequent processing device where the movement of lumber pieces changes from lineal to lateral motion; a printer station includes a printer boom which includes a lateral translation device to move a symbol printer over the path of travel of the conveyor to allow the printer to mark pieces of lumber that are passing beneath the printer station.

Abstract: A cutting apparatus for cants of non-uniform original dimensions includes a pair of band saws at a cutting station through which a cant passes along a path; each band saw is mounted on a carriage that is mounted for movement relative to the path and actuating piston and cylinder devices are used to move each carriage in response to data fed to a control computer from a cant scan.

Abstract: Apparatus for detecting dimensional information of a workpiece such as a canted log is used to control a gang saw mounted on a pivot axis to cut the log into substantially even thickness boards while moving the log past the cutting device and pivoting the gang saw to accommodate curvature in the log.

Abstract: A board turning apparatus is provided with a conveyor for transporting a board through an inspection station; the inspection station includes an array of photocells located below the conveyor and which operate to detect and scan the facing surface of a board as it passes over the photocell or is held in the inspection station by a detent arm; the output of the scan by the photocell array is delivered to a computer having an analyzing program for detecting discoloration in the surface or edges of the board that are scanned by comparing the scan to a set of conditions stored in the computer; a turning arm is connected to the computer and is actuated to engage an edge of the board and turn the board over by rotating it about its opposite edge on the conveyor to turn over the board to facilitate and optimize subsequent operations on the board such as edging of the board.