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US 2002/0020266 A1Published application
Apparatus for controlling work feed rate for cutting wood, metal and other materials
AssigneeSimonds Industries, Inc.
InventorH. Reid Smith
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A positioned sensing device measures and/or calculates the lateral position and movement of a saw blade. These measured and calculated values are used to automatically alter the work-feed rate and/or saw blade rim speed either up or down as sawing conditions change within the work piece or between different work pieces.
Claims22
An apparatus for computer control of feed rate of material to be cut by a saw having a saw blade and a wearable guide block which comprises:
- means for establishing a zero reference point for a lateral position of the saw blade by determining the saw blade position when material is not being sawed;
- means for detecting lateral movement of the saw blade away from the zero reference point when the saw blade is cutting material being fed into the saw blade;
- means for generating a signal proportional to the detected lateral movement of the saw blade;
- means for establishing a reference signal proportional to the proportional signal generated at a preselected acceptable lateral movement of the saw blade;
- means for comparing the generated signal to the reference signal, and if the generated signal is less than the reference signal, then increasing the feed rate, and if the generated signal is greater than the reference signal, then decreasing the feed rate;
- and
- means for automatically and periodically reestablishing a zero reference point to compensate for guide block wear.
4 more elements
An apparatus for controlling a feed rate of material to be cut by a saw having a saw blade and a wearable guide block which comprises:
- means for establishing a zero reference point for a lateral position of the saw blade by determining the saw blade position prior to sawing material;
- means for detecting lateral movement of the saw blade away from the zero reference point when the saw blade is cutting material;
- means for generating a blade motion signal proportional to the detected lateral movement of the saw blade;
- means for establishing a first reference signal proportional to the blade motion signal generated at a preselected acceptable lateral movement of the saw blade;
- means for generating a second reference signal proportional to the blade motion signal generated at a first level of unacceptable lateral movement of the saw blade;
- means for comparing the blade motion signal to the first and second reference signals, and if the blade motion signal is less than the first reference signal, then increasing the feed rate, and if the blade motion signal is greater than the first reference signal and less than the second reference signal, then neither increasing or decreasing the feed rate, and if the blade motion signal is greater than the second reference signal, then decreasing the feed rate;
- and
- means for automatically and periodically reestablishing said zero reference point to compensate for guide block wear.
5 more elements
An apparatus for incrementally controlling a feed rate of material to be cut by a saw blade which comprises:
- means for establishing a zero reference point for a lateral position of the saw blade by determining the saw blade position when the saw blade is not sawing material;
- means for detecting lateral movement of the saw blade away from the zero reference point when the saw blade is cutting material;
- means for generating a blade motion signal proportional to the detected lateral movement of the saw blade;
- means for establishing a first reference signal proportional to the blade motion signal generated at a preselected acceptable lateral movement of the saw blade;
- means for generating a second reference signal proportional to the blade motion signal generated at a first level of unacceptable lateral movement of the saw blade;
- means for comparing the blade motion signal to the first and second reference signals, and if the blade motion signal is less than the first reference signal, then increasing the feed rate one increment, and if the blade motion signal is greater than the first reference signal and less than the second reference signal, then neither increasing or decreasing the feed rate, and if the blade motion signal is greater than the second reference signal, then decreasing the feed rate one increment;
- and
- means for periodically reestablishing said zero reference point to compensate for guide block wear.
5 more elements
An apparatus for incrementally controlling a feed rate of material to be cut by a saw having a saw blade and a wearable guide block which comprises:
- means for establishing a zero reference point for a lateral position of the saw blade by determining the position of the saw blade when it is not sawing material;
- means for detecting lateral movement of the saw blade away from the zero reference point when the saw blade is cutting material being fed into the saw blade;
- means for generating a blade motion signal proportional to the average detected lateral movement of the saw blade over a preselected period of time;
- means for establishing a first reference signal proportional to the blade motion signal generated at a preselected acceptable lateral movement of the saw blade;
- means for generating a second reference signal proportional to the blade motion signal generated at a first level of unacceptable lateral movement of the saw blade;
- means for comparing the blade motion signal to the first and second reference signals, and if the blade motion signal is less than the first reference signal, then increasing the feed rate one increment, and if the blade motion signal is greater than the second reference signal, then decreasing the feed rate one increment, and if the blade motion signal is greater than the first reference signal and less than the second reference, stopping the increase in feed rate;
- and
- means for periodically reestablishing said zero reference point to compensate for guide block wear.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.