Automatic apparatus for machining panels, planks and similar articles made of wood, wooden derivatives and the like

An automatic apparatus for machining panels, planks and similar articles made of wood, wooden derivatives and like materials, the apparatus comprising, in combination:

• means for conveying a panel along a given path in a direction parallel to its longitudinal axis;
• at least one set of drilling tools positioned along a first portion of said path along which the panel to be machined is to be carried forward;
• a plurality of cutter devices each including at least one respective cutter tool and positioned in spaced relation to each other along a second portion of said path downstream of said set of drilling tools with one of said cutter devices being positioned downstream of all others of said cutter devices for milling the panel along a direction transverse to said path;
• at least one moveable sensing feeler device installed along a third portion of said path downstream from saic cutter devices for sensing the presence of milling in a panel as it moves along said path;
• and
• means responsive to movement of said feeler device as it senses the presence of milling in a panel for causing the panel to halt and to be in exact position necessary for the aforementioned drilling and milling tools, the distance between said feeler device and said one of said cutter tools forming part of said one of said cutter devices being equal to the length of at least one lateral side of a structure which is to be formed;
• whereby milling and drilling may take place contemporaneously during the course of making the structure to be formed.