End-dogging head saw and method
OwnerGerald M. Quennevilleinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An end-dogging head saw is disclosed comprising a log cradle for supporting a log, a log-turning device for rotating the log into proper alignment with a pair of band saws, the log-turning device depending from overhead log carriages which move the log into contact with the band saws, and a carriage drive for powering the overhead log carriages, whereby short logs can be quickly and efficiently processed. The invention also seeks to provide a method for using the apparatus, comprising rotation of a log through 360 degrees to allow for cutting at any desired angle along the length of the log. The method allows for maximal recovery of high-quality lumber.
Claims25
An end-dogging head saw apparatus for processing without discarding logs having different lengths, comprising in combination:
- a frame;
- a log cradle, operatively coupled to the frame, for supporting a log;
- at least one band saw, operatively coupled to the frame, for cutting the log;
- overhead log carriages, operatively coupled to the frame, for receiving the log from the log cradle;
- a log-turning device, depending from the overhead log carriages constructed and arranged to rotate the log into proper alignment for cutting of the log at an angle with the at least one band saw;
- a carriage drive, operatively coupled to the overhead log carriages, for powering the overhead log carriages;
- and
- the overhead logs carriages, constructed and arranged to receive the log, each having means for moving independently to respective positions that accommodate the length of the log and for moving the log into contact with the at least one band saw;
- whereby logs of different length can be quickly and efficiently processed by the apparatus.
A pre-positioning device for use with a head saw apparatus with end-dogging means to grip the log from the pre-positioning device, comprising:
- a cradle for moving a log into position for dogging by the head saw apparatus;
- a set of clamping blades for gripping the log, where the set includes a pair of blades disposed substantially in parallel and an opposing third blade, the pair of blades and the third being operatively mounted at opposing ends of the cradle, and where each of the pair of blades and the third blade being constructed and arranged to engage the log at a first position and a second position along the log so as to securely grip the log for movement toward the head saw apparatus;
- drive means, being operatively coupled to the set of clamping blades and mounted onto the cradle, for moving the set of clamping blades inwardly and outwardly to engage the log;
- and
- at least one sensor, operatively coupled to the cradle, for sensing at least one physical characteristic of the log, the at least one sensor having means for processing at least one physical characteristic measured by scanning the log to enable proper positioning of the log prior to dogging by the head saw apparatus.
An end-dogging head saw apparatus for processing without discarding logs having lengths, comprising in combination:
- frame;
- a log cradle, operatively coupled to the frame, for supporting a log;
- at least one band saw, operatively coupled to the frame, for cutting the log;
- overhead log carriages, operatively coupled to the frame, for receiving the log from the log cradle;
- a log-turning device, depending from the overhead log carriages, constructed and arranged to rotate the log into proper alignment for cutting of the log at an angle with the pair of band saws, and having means for returning the log to its original position before contact with the at least one band saw to allow for further cutting;
- and
- a carriage drive, operatively coupled to the overhead log carriages, for powering the overhead log carriages;
- the overhead log carriages, constructed and arranged to receive the log, each having means for moving independently to respective positions that accommodate the length of the log and for moving the log into contact with the at least one band saw;
- whereby logs of different length can be quickly and efficiently processed by the apparatus.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.