Method and plant in processing, particularly cutting up elongated objects such as timber

A plant for cutting up an elongate blank, for example of timber, containing defects, comprising:

• an inspection station at which marks are provided on opposite sides of defects in the blank,
• first transport means for transporting said blank from said inspection station to a measuring station,
• said measuring station comprising first feed means for feeding said blank lengthwise through said measuring station, means responsive to movement of said blank through said measuring station for generating a first series of pulses representing measurement along said blank, means for sensing said marks on said blank and producing signals related to measurement along said blank by said first series of pulses, and transmitting said pulses and signals to a computer,
• said computer being programmed to count and store said pulses, memorize said signals in relation to said pulses and to divide lengths between defect marks into optimum numbers of sections of predetermined lengths,
• second transport means for transporting said blanks from said measuring station to a cutting station,
• said cutting station comprising computer controlled second feed means for feeding said blank lengthwise through said cutting station, means responsive to movement of said blank through said cutting station for generating a second series of pulses representing measurement along said blank, means for transmitting said second series of pulses to said computer to count down said first series of pulses stored in said computer, and cutting means controlled by said computer to cut out said defects and to divide lengths between defects into an optimum number of sections of predetermined lengths.