Means for forming wood portions from a wood flow

Apparatus for dividing a supply of elongate wood logs into a plurality of portions, comprising:

• means (1,2;
• 11,12) defining an aperture for receiving the wood logs;
• first means (6;
• 13) comprising a pair of facing gripper members disposed on opposite sides of the aperture and movable between an inwardly directed clamping position for restraining said wood logs from falling through said aperture and an open position permitting downward passage of wood logs under gravity;
• second, support means (3;
• 16) disposed immediately below the first means and movable vertically upwardly and downwardly relative to said aperture to directly receive a plurality of said wood logs constituting one of said portions released by the first means and to allow said one portion to descend therewith at a controlled rate;
• and
• means for operating said first means from said open position to said clamping position after a downward movement of said support means, so as to restrain further wood logs from falling through said aperture and onto said support means, such that a remainder of said wood logs is temporarily restrained from descending with said one portion and said support means.