Automatic Workpiece Edging and Ripping Device and Method
OwnerRonald W. McGeheeinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sawing apparatus for a wood products sawing system comprises a frame, a sawing table, a workpiece clamping element, and an overhead saw assembly. A workpiece can be supported on the sawing table and releasably secured to the table by the workpiece clamping element. The overhead saw array is supported by the frame and includes a saw driver and a row of at least three saw assemblies so to sever the workpiece along the cut line by movement of the saw blades along two dimensional paths. A variable width sawing table comprises a driving assembly and a row of support arm assemblies mounted to the frame member and coupled to the driving assembly for movement to at least first and second positions.
Claims26
A sawing apparatus, usable as part of a wood products sawing system, comprising:
- a frame;
- a sawing table on which a workpiece can be supported, the sawing table having a table length axis and the workpiece having a workpiece length and a cut line generally parallel to the table length axis;
- a workpiece clamping element, supported by the frame, arranged over the sawing table and placeable in a clamp position, to secure the workpiece against the sawing table with the cut line oriented parallel to the table length axis, and a release position, to release the workpiece from the sawing table;
- and
- an overhead saw array, supported by the frame, comprising:
- a saw driver;
- a row of at least three saw assemblies, each saw assembly comprising a saw blade rotatable around a saw rotation axis passing through the center of the saw blade, the saw rotation axes being parallel to one another;
- a saw drive mechanism rotatably connecting the saw driver to the saw blades so to drive the saw blades around their saw rotation axes;
- and
- means for simultaneously moving the saw blades along two-dimensional paths, the paths being aligned and defining a plane oriented perpendicular to the saw rotation axes;
- whereby the workpiece can be severed along the cut line by movement of the saw blades along the paths.
A method for sawing a workpiece along a cut line comprising:
- temporarily securing a workpiece on a sawing table with a cut line oriented at a desired orientation;
- positioning a row of at least three saw assemblies over the workpiece, each saw assembly comprising a saw blade rotatable around a saw rotation axis passing through the center of the saw blade with the saw rotation axes being parallel to one another;
- rotating the saw blades around their saw rotation axes;
- severing the workpiece along the cut line by moving the rotating saw blades along two-dimensional paths passing through the cut line, the paths being aligned and defining a plane oriented perpendicular to the saw rotation axes;
- and
- releasing the severed workpiece from the sawing table.
A sawing table, usable as part of a wood products sawing apparatus, comprising:
- a frame member having a length;
- a table assembly comprising:
- a driving assembly;
- and
- a row of support arm assemblies mounted to the frame member and coupled to the driving assembly for movement to at least first and second positions;
- each support arm assembly comprising a support arm positioned above the frame member;
- the support arms having upper surfaces defining a support table surface, the support table surface having a width oriented perpendicular to the length of the frame member;
- and
- the width of the support table being shorter when the support arm assemblies are in the first position than in the second position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.