Adjustible hold-down shoe assembly, planermill trimmer having the assembly mounted thereon, and method of using the assembly to hold down lumber during end cutting by a planermill trimmer

A planermill trimmer comprising:

• a conveyor configured to convey lumber in a first direction;
• the planermill trimmer disposed above the conveyor and configured to end cut the lumber on the conveyor;
• an adjustable hold-down shoe assembly comprising:
• an assembly body;
• a plurality of elongated hold-down shoes movably mounted to the assembly body, each hold-down shoe having an angled lumber surface configured to slide against the lumber, and each hold-down shoe having a lumber bias surface configured to slide against the lumber and bias the lumber in a direction away from the lumber bias surface and towards the conveyor;
• a bias device configured to bias the plurality of elongated hold-down shoes in a direction away from the lumber bias surface and towards the conveyor;
• a body mount connected to the planermill trimmer;
• and
• a lifting/lowering mechanism movably connecting the assembly body to the body mount and is configured to move the assembly body in relation to the body mount and in a first direction away from the conveyor and in a second direction towards the conveyor.

A method of cutting lumber in a planer mill comprising:

• providing a planer mill comprising;
• a conveyor configured to convey lumber in a first direction;
• the planermill trimmer disposed above the conveyor and configured to end trim the lumber on the conveyor;
• an adjustable hold-down shoe assembly comprising:
• an assembly body;
• a plurality of elongated hold-down shoes movably mounted to the assembly body, each hold-down shoe having an angled lumber surface configured to slide against the lumber, and each hold-down shoe having a lumber bias surface configured to slide against the lumber and bias the lumber in a direction away from the lumber bias surface and towards the conveyor;
• a bias device configured to bias the plurality of elongated hold-down shoes in a direction away from the lumber bias surface and towards the conveyor;
• a body mount connected to the planermill trimmer;
• and
• a lifting/lowering mechanism movably connecting the assembly body to the body mount and is configured to move the assembly body in relation to the body mount and in a first direction away from the conveyor and in a second direction towards from the conveyor;
• conveying a piece of lumber on the conveyor;
• the lumber sliding against the angled lumber surface and raising the hold-down shoes in a direction away from the conveyor;
• and
• the lumber being biased against the conveyor by the lumber bias surface while the lumber is end trimmed by the planermill trimmer.