Double arbor vertical shape saw
AssigneeU. S. Natural Resources, Inc.
InventorConrad Bullion
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments relate to systems, methods, and apparatuses for shape sawing wood. Specifically, embodiments include an infeed with laterally displaceable positioning rolls and a longitudinal axis between the positioning rolls. The embodiments further include a saw box with a frame and a plurality of saws coupled with a plurality of vertical arbors within the frame. In certain embodiments, the frame is operable to move laterally or rotationally with respect to a horizontal axis of rotation.
Claims23
A system for cutting wood, comprising:
- an infeed with a first pair of laterally displaceable positioning rolls and a longitudinal axis extending between the positioning rolls;
- a saw box with a frame, two vertical arbors coupled to the frame, and a horizontal axis of rotation, the two vertical arbors configured to bear one or more saws;
- and
- a first actuator coupled with the frame and operable to move the saw box laterally along the horizontal axis of rotation, wherein the saw box is configured to tilt around the horizontal axis of rotation.
An infeed unit of a wood sawing apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of laterally displaceable vertical positioning rolls disposed substantially within the infeed unit;
- a first lever coupled with a first positioning roll of the plurality of laterally displaceable vertical positioning rolls;
- a second lever coupled with a second positioning roll of the plurality of laterally displaceable vertical positioning rolls;
- and
- an actuator coupled with the first lever and second lever and configured to cause the first positioning roll and the second positioning roll to move laterally responsive to motion of the actuator.
A method of sawing boards from a plurality of curved logs of varying widths, the boards having sawn faces following the curvature of the log including:
- orienting the logs such that the curved faces of the logs overlie one another;
- conveying the logs into and through a saw box with a plurality of vertical arbor saws;
- tilting the saw box via a saw box rotate assembly coupled with the saw box and an outfeed unit, the saw box tilting along a horizontal rotational axis such that the vertical arbor saws follow the curvature of the logs;
- and
- moving the saw box laterally along the horizontal axis of rotation via a first actuator.
A saw box assembly comprising:
- a base coupled with an outfeed unit of a log sawing apparatus;
- a rod coupled with the base at a first end of the rod, the rod configured to extend or contract such that a second end of the rod moves toward or away from the base, respectively;
- a carriage assembly coupled with the second end of the rod and configured to couple with a saw box of the log sawing apparatus, the carriage configured to allow the saw box to move laterally across the face of the carriage without decoupling from the carriage;
- a frame with first and second opposite sides, the frame configured to retain a vertical arbor between the sides;
- a support member positioned between the vertical arbor and the first side;
- a pivot pin coupled to the support member and extending past the first side of the frame, the pivot pin defining a horizontal axis;
- an actuator coupled to the pivot pin and the first side of the frame, the actuator configured to shift the frame laterally along the horizontal axis relative to the support member;
- and
- a hinge member coupled to the frame and a second actuator assembly coupled to the hinge member, the second actuator assembly selectively actuable to tilt the frame around the horizontal axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.