Method and apparatus for feeding an edger
AssigneeSalem Equipment, Inc.
InventorsRory Matthew Mitchell, Allison Nicole Mitchell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An edger feeding apparatus and method of placing flitches in position to be fed into an edger with minimal spacing between successive flitches and with flitches oriented and the edger adjusted so as to yield a maximum value of lumber from each flitch. The edger feeding apparatus may include a scanning system for creating and storing a digital three-dimensional model of each flitch. The apparatus and method may also include a control computer and its use for determining the optimum position for feeding each flitch into the edger to produce the most valuable yield of lumber from the flitch.
Claims23
An edger feeder system for feeding a flitch having a thickness into an edger, comprising:
- (a) a flitch feedline arranged to move a plurality of elongate flitches serially and in a transverse, lateral, direction relative to a length of each of the flitches, toward a transfer ready position at a delivery end of the flitch feedline;
- (b) a scanner system located adjacent the flitch feedline and arranged to measure each of the plurality of flitches at a plurality of locations on each of the plurality of flitches;
- (c) a control computer arranged to receive data from the scanner system and to provide control signals to the flitch feedline;
- (d) an edger infeed mechanism arranged to engage and carry a respective one of the plurality of flitches into the edger, in a longitudinal direction with respect to the respective one of the plurality of flitches;
- (e) a charger assembly arranged to transfer each of the plurality of flitches in turn from the transfer ready position on the flitch feedline to the edger infeed mechanism, the charger assembly including;
- (i) a lower charger mechanism located adjacent the delivery end of the flitch feedline, arranged to carry each of the flitches in turn in a lateral direction as directed by the control computer, from the transfer ready position to an edger ready position spaced upwardly apart from the edger infeed mechanism;
- and
- (ii) a flitch-lowering mechanism arranged to support a respective one of the plurality of flitches in the edger ready position for a length of time established by the control computer and thereafter to lower the respective one of the plurality of flitches from the edger ready position onto the edger infeed mechanism,
- wherein the lower charger mechanism and the flitch-lowering mechanism are distinct and separate from each other, wherein, when the flitch is in the transfer ready position or the edger ready position, the flitch is in a first horizontal plane, and wherein the edger infeed mechanism is arranged such that, when the flitch is on the edger infeed mechanism, the flitch is in a second horizontal plane that is below the first horizontal plane by more than the thickness of the flitch.
A method of feeding a flitch having a thickness into an edger, comprising:
- (a) placing a flitch having a length and a width onto on a flitch feedline;
- (b) moving the flitch laterally toward an edger infeed mechanism;
- (c) scanning the flitch while the flitch remains on the flitch feedline, and thereby obtaining data concerning the shape and size of the flitch;
- (d) producing a three-dimensional digital model of the flitch in a computer on the basis of the data obtained by scanning the flitch;
- (e) moving, via a lower charger mechanism, the flitch laterally from the flitch feedline to an edger ready position at a distance above the edger infeed mechanism, the distance being greater than the thickness of the flitch;
- (f) retaining, via a flitch-lowering mechanism that is distinct and separate from the lower charger mechanism, the flitch in the edger ready position for a time;
- (g) lowering, via the flitch-lowering mechanism, the flitch onto the edger infeed mechanism at the end of the time;
- and
- (h) carrying the flitch on the edger infeed mechanism in a direction parallel with the length of the flitch, and thereby feeding a leading end of the flitch into the edger and into engagement by the edger.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.