Automated board processing apparatus

A method for processing each board of a series of boards, each of the boards having a first end and an opposite second end, the method comprising:

• a) individually transferring the boards to an elongate receiver with a carriage,
• b) gripping each individual board by the carriage at the second end,
• c) advancing the board lengthwise with the first end first,
• d) measuring each individual board by registering the position of the carriage as the first end of the board is advanced past a board end detector, and
• e) performing an operation on said board at a desired location a selected distance from the first end of said board by advancing the carriage a calculated distance so that the desired location on the board is adjacent an operation station.

A method for performing an operation on each board of a series of boards, each of the boards having a first end and an opposite second end, the method comprising the following steps sequentially performed on each board:

• a) individually placing each board into an elongate receiver with a carriage,
• b) moving a carriage into position to engage the second end of the board,
• c) pinching the second end of the board between a clamping member on the carriage and the receiver thereby securing the second end of the board with respect to the carriage, and
• d) advancing the board lengthwise by moving the carriage in the receiver to move a desired location on the board adjacent to an operation station.

A method for performing an operation on a board, each of the boards having a first end and an opposite second end, the method comprising the following steps:

• a) individually placing each board into an elongate receiver with a carriage,
• b) engaging the second end of the board with a carriage,
• c) advancing the board with the first end first toward an end detection station,
• d) sensing when the first end passes the end detection station,
• e) registering the position of the carriage when the first end passes the end detection system, and
• f) determining with a computer the length of the board from the position of the carriage as said first end passes the end detection station.

A method for performing an operation on each board of a series of boards, each of the boards having a first end and an opposite second end, the method comprising:

• a) individually transferring the boards to an elongate receiver with a carriage,
• b) clamping each individual board by the carriage at the second end,
• c) advancing the board lengthwise with the first end first,
• d) guiding the first end of the board into a pair of roller clamps,
• e) securing the first end of the board for sawing by inserting the board through the pair of roller clamps whereby the board is clamped at the second end and at the roller clamps for sawing, and
• f) sawing the board.

An automated method for selectively processing a selected series of boards from a plurality of magazines of boards, each magazine having a stack of boards, the method comprising the following steps:

• a) individually depositing boards on a conveyor from the plurality of magazines to form the selected series of boards,
• b) engaging sequentially each individual board,
• c) advancing each individual engaged board longitudinally to a sawing station to be cut, and
• d) cutting the boards at a predetermined location.

A method of sawing a board with a first end and a second end, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) placing the board in an elongate receiver with an upright wall,
• b) moving a carriage axially along the elongate receiver to engage the first end of the board,
• c) pinching the first end of the board between a moveable clamping member on the carriage and the wall,
• d) advancing the carriage with the board clamped against the upright wall to position the board for sawing, and
• e) sawing the board.

A method for performing an operation on a board, the method comprising the following steps:

• a) individually advancing the board down a path-of travel,
• b) tracking the precise position of the board with a process controller,
• c) determining with the process controller when a particular selected print location on the board is passing a marking station, and
• d) activating the marking station by the process controller to apply to indicia on the board as said selected location is moving by the marking station.

A method for determining the angle of cuts on the ends of a series of boards to be further processed, the method comprising the following steps:

• a) individually placing each board into an elongate receiver,
• b) engaging the board,
• c) advancing the board with the first end first toward an end detection station having a first sensor and a second sensor spaced from the first sensor in a direction transverse to the direction of travel of the board,
• d) tracking the advancement of the board,
• e) sensing when the first sensor and the second sensor are each activated with respect to the position of the board, and
• f) calculating the angle of cut of the first end based on the travel of the board between when the first and second sensors are activated.

An automated sawing system comprising:

• a) a feed portion for serially feeding a plurality of boards from a stack of boards in a direction normal to the length of the boards,
• b) a conveyor portion adjacent the feed portion for receiving the serially fed plurality of boards and serially conveying the boards in a direction transverse to the board's length from the feed portion,
• c) an extruding portion for receiving individual boards from the conveyor portion and for advancing each individual board longitudinally along a path of travel,
• d) a sawing station adjacent to the extruding portion into which said individual boards are advanced, the sawing station including a saw blade moveable into and out of the path of travel of the board, and
• e) a process controller connected to and automatically controlling the feed portion, the conveyor portion, the extruder portion, and the sawing station for processing each board pursuant to formulated instructions in the process controller.

An automated board processing system for processing a series of boards, the system comprising:

• a) a board conveyor for advancing each individual board along a path of travel,
• b) a sawing station adjacent the extruding portion into which said individual boards are advanced, the sawing station including a rotatable saw blade moveable into and out of a path of travel of the board,
• c) a board end detector to provide a signal when an end of the board passes by the end detector, and
• d) a process controller connected to the extruding portion and the sawing station for receiving the signal from the board end detector and stopping the advance of each individual board to position a desired location on the board adjacent the saw blade whereby the board can be cut at said location.

An automated board processing system for providing indicia to moving boards, the system comprising:

• a) a board conveyor for advancing a series of boards along a path of travel,
• b) a marking station comprising a non-contact print head positioned adjacent the path-of-travel,
• c) a process controller for controlling the board conveyor and the print head and for tracking the position of each board on the board conveyor, the process controller and print head configured to print indicia on each board as said board is being advanced along the path of travel without stopping the advancement of each board,
• d) a non-contact print head positioned adjacent to the path of travel and connected to the process controller, the non-contact print head connected to the process controller, said controller configured to print indicia at selected locations on selected boards as each of said boards passes by the non-contact print head.

A sawing system for individual boards, the boards each having a length, a first end and a second end, the system comprising:

• a) a board extruding portion comprising:
• a board receiving channel to accept each board, the channel having a floor portion, a first side and an opposite second side defining a recess, and the boards slidable longitudinally down the recess towards a first end of the channel,
• a carriage assembly moveable along the board receiving channel to grip the second end of the board and advance the board longitudinally along a path of travel with the first end first, the carriage having a clamping member moveable to pinch each individual board against one of the first side and the second side, and
• a sawing portion adjacent the board extruding portion, the sawing portion comprising a rotating circular saw moveable into the path of travel at a sawing location.

A sawing system for individual boards, the boards each having a length, a first end and a second end, the system comprising:

• a) a board extruding portion comprising:
• a board receiving channel to accept each board, the channel having a floor portion, a first side and an opposite second side defining a recess, the boards slidable longitudinally down the recess towards a first end of the channel, and
• a carriage assembly moveable along the board receiving channel to grip the second end of the board and advance the board longitudinally along a path of travel with the first end first,
• b) a sawing portion adjacent the board extruding portion, the sawing portion including a rotating saw blade moveable into and out of the path of travel, and
• c) a roller clamp positioned in proximity to the saw station comprising at least one roller with an axis transverse to the path of travel, the roller moveable and biased inwardly to securely position the board therein.

An automated sawing system comprising:

• a) an extruding portion for receiving individual boards and for advancing each individual board longitudinally along a path of travel,
• b) a sawing station adjacent to the extruding portion into which said individual boards are advanced, the sawing station including a rotating saw blade moveable into and out of the path of travel of the board, and
• c) a process controller connected to the extruder portion and the sawing station, the process controller providing automated control of the sawing system, and
• d) a plurality of board magazines placed above the horizontal conveyor, each magazine holding a stack of boards and having a board release for releasing individual boards, the magazines each individually controlled by the process controller to release individual boards from selected magazines for feeding into the extruding portion.

A system for processing a series of boards, the boards each having a width,,a length, a first end and a second end, the system comprising:

• a) a live deck for moving the series of boards along the path of travel in a direction transverse to their length, the deck including a receiving region, at least one conveying member for moving the individual boards down the live bed,
• b) a plurality of board magazines placed above the live deck, each magazine holding a stack of like boards and having a board release for releasing individual boards from the respective magazine,
• c) a board receiver placed off the end of the live bed to accept serially each board from the live deck, the receiver having a floor portion, a first side and an opposite second side defining a recess, and the boards movable longitudinally down the recess towards a first end of the channel,
• d) a carriage assembly moveable along the board receiving channel to grip the board and advance the board longitudinally with the first end first, the carriage having a clamping member moveable to pinch each individual board against one of the first side and second side,
• e) a rotating circular saw moveable into the path of travel at a sawing location, and
• f) a process controller connected to the system for controlling the live bed, the rotating circular saw, and the plurality of board magazines whereby a selected series of boards may be selected and sawed.