Lumber marking system

A lumber marking system for accumulating information about pieces of lumber and marking the lumber with a related code, said lumber marking system comprising:

• conveying means for conveying pieces of lumber on a piece-by-piece basis;
• an operator's console, located adjacent to said conveyor means, for an operator, observing pieces of lumber conveyed by said conveyor means, to generate operator data signals related to said observations;
• dimension means, associated with said conveying means, for determining the dimensions of pieces of lumber conveyed by said conveying means and producing related dimension data signals, said dimension means including length means for determining the length of said pieces of lumber moved by said conveying means and producing related length data signals and width means for determining the width of said pieces of lumber moved by said conveyor means and producing related width data signals, said width means includes:
• (i) an optical detector element having a light beam broken by each piece of lumber as said pieces of lumber are moved by said conveyor means;
• (ii) a pulse generator for generating pulses at a rate related to the rate of movement of said conveyor means;
• and, (iii) a counting means for counting pulses during the period of time said light beam is broken by each piece of lumber, said length and width data signals forming said dimension data signals;
• accumulating means coupled to said operator's console and said dimension means for accumulating said operator data signals and said dimension data signals for each piece of lumber as said pieces of lumber are moved by said conveyor means, collating said operator data signals and said dimension data signals for each piece of lumber and producing lumber marking control signals in accordance therewith;
• and,
• marking means, located adjacent said conveying means, downstream of said operator's console and said dimension means, and coupled to said accumulating means, for receiving said lumber marking control signals and marking said pieces of lumber with a code in accordance with said lumber marking control signals.

A lumber marking system for accumulating information about pieces of lumber and marking the lumber with a related code, said lumber marking system comprising:

• conveying means for conveying pieces of lumber on a piece-by-piece basis;
• an operator's console, located adjacent to said conveyor means, for an operator, observing pieces of lumber conveyed by said conveyor means, to generate operator data signals related to said observations;
• dimension means, associated with said conveying means, for determining the dimensions of pieces of lumber conveyed by said conveying means and producing related dimension data signals, said dimension means including length means for determining the length of said pieces of lumber moved by said conveying means and producing related length data signals and width means for determining the width of said pieces of lumber moved by said conveyor means and producing related width data signals, said length and width data signals forming said dimension data signals;
• accumulating means including a data processor, said data processor coupled to said operator's console and said dimension means for:
• (i) sequentially accumulating in a queue said operator data signals and said dimension data signals for each piece of lumber as said pieces of lumber are moved by said conveyor means;
• (ii) collating said operator data signals and said dimension data signals for each piece of lumber;
• and, (iii) producing lumber marking control signals in accordance therewith, previously accumulated data being advanced one position in said queue each time new data is acquired by said queue;
• and,
• marking means, located adjacent said conveying means, downstream of said operator's console and said dimension means, and coupled to said accumulating means, for receiving said lumber marking control signals and marking said pieces of lumber with a code in accordance with said lumber marking control signals.

A lumber marking system for accumulating information about pieces of lumber and marking the lumber with a related code, said lumber marking system comprising:

• (A) conveying means for conveying pieces of lumber on a piece-by-piece basis;
• (B) an operator's console, located adjacent to said conveyor means, for an operator, observing pieces of lumber conveyed by said conveyor means, to generate operator data signals related to said observations;
• (C) dimension means, associated with said conveying means, for determining the dimensions of pieces of lumber conveyed by said conveying means and producing related dimension data signals, said dimension means including length means for determining the length of said pieces of lumber moved by said conveying means and producing related length data signals and width means for determining the width of said pieces of lumber moved by said conveyor means and producing related width data signals, said length and width data signals forming said dimension data signals;
• (D) accumulating means coupled to said operator's console and said dimension means for accumulating said operator data signals and said dimension data signals for each piece of lumber as said pieces of lumber are moved by said conveyor means, collating said operator data signals and said dimension data signals for each piece of lumber and producing lumber marking control signals in accordance therewith;
• and,
• (E) marking means, located adjacent said conveying means, downstream of said operator's console and said dimension means, and coupled to said accumulating means, for receiving said lumber marking control signals and marking said pieces of lumber with a code in accordance with said lumber marking control signals, said marking means including an embossing mechanism comprising:
• (1) a plurality of adjacent columns of individually movable marking elements;
• (2) pneumatic means for individually positioning each column of marking elements such that a predetermined array of marking elements are aligned with the plane of movement of the boards moved by said conveying means, said predetermined array being in accordance with said lumber marking control signals, and,
• (3) pneumatically actuated striking means also located in alignment with said plane of movement of said boards for moving said marking elements into a marking position when said pneumatically actuated striking means is actuated, said pneumatically actuated striking means being actuated by said accumulating means.