Method and apparatus for cutting lumber and the like

A method of automatically cutting stock to remove defects and to divide the remaining stock into an optimum combination of different pieces, comprising the steps:

• examining the stock and producing data input signals representative of the amount of acceptable stock located between particular selected defects thereon;
• using an electronic computer to determine where said stock should be cut to to product the optimum yield of defect-free pieces of said stock corresponding in at least one dimension to at least some of those on a previously-established manifest, with minimum waste relative to a previously-established waste allowance standard and as a function of said data input signals and the known dimension requirements in said manifest and of said waste standard;
• using output signals from the computer representative of the stock-cutting determinations made thereby to effect control of stock-engaging remotely controllable drive means and thereby move the stock relative to a stock-cutting apparatus and automatically bring the stock into such positions of relative alignment with the cutting apparatus as are required for cutting of the stock in accordance with said computer determinations;
• using such computer output signals to control remotely-actuable mechanical means for holding the stock securely and non-movably in said positions of relative alignment during cutting of the stock;
• and controlling said cutting apparatus by use of said computer to cut said stock at said positions of relative alignment determined by said computer.

A method of automatically cutting stock to remove defects and to divide the remaining stock into an optimum combination of different pieces, comprising the steps:

• examining the stock and manipulating control means to cause data signals representative of the position of defects on the stock to be inputed to an electronic computer;
• using a manually-controllable input device to operate said computer by conditioning it to use a particular one of several selectable waste allowance standards in computing optimum-yield stock-cutting determination;
• using said computer to determine where said stock should be cut to produce the optimum yield of defect-free pieces corresponding in at least one dimension to at least some of those on a previously-established stock manifest on the basis of minimum waste relative to said particular wasted allowance standard and as a function of said inputted data signals and the known dimension requirements in said stock manifest;
• using output signals from the computer representative of the stock-cutting determinations made thereby to effect control of stock movement relative to a stock-cutting apparatus and thereby bring the stock into such positions of relative alignment with the cutting apparatus as are required for cutting of the stock in accordance with said computer determinations;
• and controlling said cutting apparatus by use of said computer to cut said stock at said positions of relative alignment determined by said computer.