Vertical arbor saw for shape sawing a log
AssigneeU.S. Natural Resources, Inc.
InventorsMike Dockter, Michael P. Knerr
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A processing system for processing logs having a curvature into lumber pieces. The system has a cutting station including a saw box with a chipper and a vertical arbor saw mounted to the saw box. The saw box is movable upwardly and downwardly and angularly for tilting. The movement of the saw box orients the chipper relative to the log and provides the capability of the saw to follow a curved saw path. A scanner scans the log and a computer processes the scan data to determine the optimum saw path.
Claims10
A shape sawing system comprising:
- a first conveyor conveying curved logs having a convex side and an opposed concave side oriented on the conveyor with one of the curved sides of the log vertically overlying the other;
- a scanning device for sensing the position and profile of the logs and a computer receiving information from the sensing device and determining desired cutting lines of the logs;
- a cutting station receiving the logs from the conveyor in the position wherein one curved side overlies the other curved side;
- a second conveyor conveying the logs through the cutting station, at least one cutting saw at said cutting station and mounted on a vertical arbor cutting each log to produce a horizontal board face that follows the curvature of the log;
- and
- positioning mechanism connected to the saw, the positioning mechanism receiving information from the computer and providing ongoing vertical movement and tilting movement of the saw during cutting as instructed by the computer to produce the desired cutting lines.
A method of sawing boards from a curved log, the boards having sawn faces following the curvature of the log including:
- conveying the logs into and through a cutting station with opposing curved sides in overlying relation;
- sensing the logs prior to the cutting station and producing thereby data representing a replica of the log;
- computing the desired curved cutting lines from the data;
- providing a saw blade mounted on a vertical arbor;
- adjustably positioning the saw blade vertically and angularly as dictated by the computed data for directing the saw blade for cutting along the desired cutting line.
A shape sawing apparatus comprising:
- a first conveyor system including a sharp chain conveyor engaging a concavely curved side of a log and overlying rollers engaging a convexly curved side of the log;
- a sensing device positioned relative to the first conveyor system determining the log configuration and position on the conveyor, and a computer responsive to input from the sensing device and determining therefrom the desired laterally directed cutting lines through the log;
- a cutting station positioned at the output end of the first conveyor system and a second conveyor system including at least one vertical feed roller preceding and one vertical feed roller following the cutting station, said feed rollers engaging and conveying the log through the cutting station;
- a saw box in the cutting station, and support arms cooperatively and adjustably supporting the saw box, a vertically oriented arbor supported on the saw box and saw blades supported on the arbor;
- positioning motors associated with certain of said support arms for selectively producing vertical and tilting motion of the saw box and thereby the arbor and saws mounted thereon, said positioning motors responsive to the computer to selectively and continuously adjust the height and tilt of the saws for producing cutting along the desired cutting lines.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.