Apparatus and method for feeding elongated elements

An apparatus for transferring and orienting successive cants, comprising at least two axially extending conveyors disposed in lateral spaced-apart relationship for moving successive incoming cants in a direction transversal to respective longitudinal axes of the incoming cants, each said conveyor including first and second endless driving members selectively independently movable in one of a forward direction and a backward direction, said first and second endless driving members being respectively provided with at least one first engaging member and with at least one second engaging member, said first and second engaging members being adapted to cooperate to convey successive incoming cants in said forward direction, said first and second engaging members each having opposed pushing and abutment sides, said pushing side being retractable against a biasing force in response to a pushing force transmitted thereto when a cant becomes wedged between the first and second engaging members of one of the conveyors, said first and second endless driving members of said conveyors being independently driven in a selected one of the forward direction and the backward direction by individual reversible motors, thereby allowing the engaging members on one side of the cant to be located at different axial locations relative to a direction of travel in order to compensate for surface irregularities along the sides of the cant, and a controller controlling the operation of said conveyors such as to transport successive incoming cants by alternately wedging the same between said pushing side of said first engaging member and said abutment side of said second engaging member, and between said pushing side of said second engaging member and said abutment side of said first engaging member.