Saw carriage

A saw carriage apparatus for cutting a stem having a butt end into segments, comprising:

• at least one adjustable cutting frame linearly adjustable along a traverse line for receiving the stem;
• a fixed cutting frame positioned adjacent to said at least one adjustable cutting frame, for receiving the stem;
• a rack fixedly located beneath said at least one adjustable cutting frame;
• a spur gear rotatably carried by said at least one adjustable cutting frame, said spur gear engaging said rack and said at least one adjustable cutting frame;
• a butt plate disposed on said fixed cutting frame for locating the stem on said at least one adjustable cutting frame and said fixed cutting frame;
• and
• a pivoting saw pivotally carried by said at least one adjustable cutting frame and said fixed cutting frame for cutting the stem;
• whereby said at least one adjustable cutting frame is adjusted along said traverse line with respect to said fixed cutting frame and said butt plate before the stem is loaded on said at least one adjustable cutting frame and said fixed cutting frame;
• and
• whereby the stem is cut into segments by said pivoting saw responsive to loading of the stem onto said at least one adjustable cutting frame and said fixed cutting frame.

A saw carriage apparatus for cutting a stem having a butt end into segments, comprising a plurality of linearly-movable carriages having wheels, a fixed carriage disposed substantially adjacent to an end one of said plurality of linearly-movable carriages, a fixed gear rack disposed beneath said plurality of linearly-movable carriages and a butt plate disposed on said fixed carriage for receiving and stabilizing the stem on said linearly-movable carriages and said fixed carriage, a first spur gear and a second spur gear rotatably carried by each of said plurality of linearly-movable carriages, wherein said first spur gear engages said gear rack and said first spur gear meshes with said second spur gear;

• wherein said saw carriage apparatus further comprises a hydraulic drive system operably connected in driving relationship to said second spur gear;
• fixed rails located beneath each of said plurality of linearly-movable carriages for receiving said wheels of each of said plurality of linearly-movable carriages in linearly-adjustable relationship;
• a pivoting saw provided on each of said plurality of linearly-movable carriages and said fixed carriage, respectively, for cutting the stem into segments responsive to positioning said plurality of linearly-movable carriages with respect to the stem by traversal of said gear rack by said first spur gear and receiving the stem on said plurality of linearly-movable carriages and said fixed carriage;
• cutting rollers operably connected to said hydraulic drive system and rotatably carried by each of said plurality of linearly-movable carriages and said fixed carriage for receiving the stem and positioning the stem against said butt plate;
• a pair of stem clamps operably connected to said hydraulic drive system and carried by each of said plurality of linearly-movable carriages and said fixed carriage above said cutting rollers for clamping the stem on said cutting rollers and securing the stem for cutting by said pivoting saw;
• and
• a pair of segment ejectors operably connected to said hydraulic drive system and mounted on each of said plurality of linearly-movable carriages and said fixed carriage adjacent to said cutting rollers for ejecting the segments from each of said plurality of linearly-movable carriages and said fixed carriage.

A saw carriage apparatus for cutting a stem having a butt end into segments of selected length, comprising:

• a plurality of linearly-adjustable cutting modules selectively linearly-adjustable along a traverse line for receiving the stem;
• a fixed module positioned adjacent to an end one of said plurality of linearly-adjustable cutting modules;
• a rack fixedly located beneath each of said plurality of linearly-adjustable cutting modules;
• first and second meshing spur gears rotatably carried by each of said plurality of linearly-adjustable cutting modules, said first spur gear engaging said rack;
• a hydraulic drive system mounted on each of said plurality of linearly-adjustable cutting modules, said second spur gear mounted in driving relationship on said hydraulic drive system for moving each of said plurality of linearly-adjustable cutting modules along said traverse line;
• an hydraulic butt plate operably connected to said hydraulic drive system and mounted on said fixed module for receiving the butt end of the stem;
• a pair of hydraulic cutting rollers operably connected to said hydraulic drive system and rotatably carried by each of said plurality of linearly-adjustable cutting modules for positioning the stem against said butt plate;
• a pair of hydraulic stem clamps operably connected to said hydraulic drive system and pivotally mounted on each of said plurality of linearly-adjustable cutting modules and said fixed module for clamping the stem;
• a hydraulic pivoting circular saw operably connected to said hydraulic drive system and pivotally carried by each of said plurality of linearly-adjustable cutting modules and said fixed module for cutting the stem on each of said plurality of linearly-adjustable cutting modules and said fixed module;
• and
• a pair of hydraulic segment ejectors operably connected to said hydraulic drive system and mounted on each of said plurality of linearly-adjustable cutting modules and said fixed module for ejecting the segments from each of said plurality of linearly-adjustable cutting modules and said fixed module;
• whereby each of said plurality of linearly-adjustable cutting modules are adjusted along said traverse line with respect to the stem before the stem is loaded on each of said plurality of linearly-adjustable cutting modules and said fixed module responsive to operation of said hydraulic drive system and said spur gears;
• and
• whereby the stem is positioned on said hydraulic roller means with the butt end of the stem engaged with said hydraulic butt plate, the stem is clamped by said hydraulic stem clamps, the stem is cut into segments by said hydraulic pivoting circular saw and the segments are ejected from each of said plurality of linearly-adjustable cutting module and said fixed module by said hydraulic segment ejectors.