Log transport and sawing system

An apparatus having an infeed end and an outfeed end for axially transporting logs through a work station, comprising:

• means for positioning a log upstream from said work station and placing it in an aligned orientation where its center line is substantially in line with the axial path it will travel when being transported through said work station,
• means for dogging and holding said log in its aligned orientation at a plurality of locations circumferentially spaced on each cross-sectional end of said log with said locations being substantially opposed and coaxial at opposite ends of said log and spaced outwardly from said center line, said dogging means including a plurality of dogging members extending inwardly toward the center line but terminating outwardly therefrom,
• carriage means angularly spaced from one another for supporting said dogging and holding means as a log is transported axially through said work station from said infeed end to said outfeed end,
• means at said work station for working on a traveling log at locations angularly spaced between said dogging and holding means,
• means at said outfeed end for releasing the worked-upon log from said dogging and holding means, and
• means for driving said carriage means axially from said infeed end to said outfeed end and back to said infeed end.