Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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This invention relates to an apparatus for
processing logs to produce finished lumber.
More specifically, the invention relates to an
apparatus which can be used to square and cant even small
diameter logs uniformly.
Machines for processing lumber have long been
available. In this connection, reference is made to United
States Patent No. 3,934,630, which issued to Roy R. Cockle on
January 27, 1976t and to the patents listed on the cover page
of the Cockle patent. Reference is also made to Canadian
Patents Nos. 698,960, issued to Franz Warmbrunn on December 1,
1964 and 965,686, issued to Charles L. Fell on April 8, 1975,
and United States Patent No. 4,078,460, which issued to John
H. Bowman on March 14, 1978, which describe other examples of
log processing machines.
A problem common to existing machines is that of
adjusting the distances between cutter heads and log guides
for accommodating a variety of sizes and shapes. It must be
possible to change the spacing between cutters quickly in
order to process the different logs usually fed into a machine
or apparatus of the type in question. The Cockle patent
proposes a complicated system of levers, beams, brackets and
arms for manually adjusting the spacing between cutter heads
and log guides. All of the cutter heads must be adjusted
separately, even though the Cockle patent mentions the
possibility of adjusting opposed cutter heads and guides using
a single lever. Even with the proposed lever system, the
problem of adjusting cutter heads and guides can be especially
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difficult after a short period of operation, because fine
sawdust enters every cavity in the machine including the areas
between overlapping surfaces of the lever system.
Consequently, the force required to pivot the levers to adjust
the head and guide rail spacings increases significantly.
Accurate adjustment becomes increasingly difficult, and
accordingly the machine is adapted to cut rough lumber only.
An object of the present invention is to provide a
solution to the problem outlined above in the form of an
apparatus which is relatively simple in terms of structure,
and which permits quick and uniform adjustment of log guides
and cutters.
Another object of the invention is to provide a log
processing apparatus which, because of the capability of fine
cutter adjustments, can be used for the quality finishing of
lumber, and which can square and profile logs.
Accordingly, the present invention relates to a log
finishing apparatus comprising feed means for feeding a log
longitudinally through the apparatus; first guide means for
engaging the log and preventing rotation of the log around its
longitudinal axis during feeding of the log through the
apparatus; first opposed cutter head means for squaring first
opposed sides of the log; second opposed cutter head means for
squaring second opposed sides of the log perpendicular to said
first opposed sides, whereby the log is completely squared
along its length after passing between said second cutter head
means; first telescopic sleeve means carrying said first
cutter head means for changing the spacing between said first
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cutter head means; second telescopic sleeve means carrying
said second cutter head means for changing the spacing between
said second cutter head means; drive means for simultaneously
operating opposed cutter head means and for adjusting the
spacing between said cutter head means; and second guide means
downstream of said second cutter head means for guiding a
squared log through the remainder of the apparatus.
The invention is described below in greater detail
with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate
a preferred embodiment of the invention, and wherein:
Figure 1 is a schematic isometric view of a log
processing apparatus in accordance with the present invention;
Figure lA is a schematic isometric view of a
variation of the apparatus of Fig. l;
Figure 2 is a schematic side view of a drive system
for the various elements of the apparatus of Fig. l;
Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of a
cutter head and log guide for use in the apparatus of Figs. 1
and 2;
Figure 4 is a side view of a profiling head used in
the apparatus of Figs. 1 and 2;
Figure 5 is an end view of the profiling head of
Fig. 4;
Figure 6 i-s a side view of a log cutting head used
in the apparatus of Figs. 1 and 2; and
Figure 7 is an end view of the cutting head of
Fig. 6.
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Referring to Fig. 1, the log processing apparatus in
accordance with the invention includes a drive generally
indicated at 1 for moving a log 2 longitudinally through the
apparatus. The drive is defined by a pair of opposed, spaced
apart wheels 3 rotating in opposite directions for engaging
the top and bottom of the log 2 for pushing the latter
forwardly. The wheels 3 are biased towards each other for
ensuring positive gripping of the log 2. The wheels 3 are
mounted on shafts 5 connected to a common driven shaft 6 (Fig.
2) by pulleys and belts (not shown). The shaft 6, which is
mounted in bearings 8 is driven by the shaft 9 of a diesel
engine 10. A clutch 12 is provided in the shaft 9. The shaft
6 is connected to the shaft 9 by pulleys 13 and 14, and a belt
15. As shown in Fig. 2, the shaft 9 drives a hydraulic pump
-15 17, which is used to control the movement of various elements
of the apparatus including the drive wheels 3. The wheels 3
are moved together or apart in unison by an endless chain 19
extending around sprockets 20 and 21. One of the sprockets 21
is connected to a hydraulic motor 22, which is connected to
the pump 17 by a line 23 and a hydraulic distributor 24.
The shaft 6 and the engine 16 are also used to drive
a variety of other elements of the apparatus including a
grooving saw 26, which cuts a longitudinally extending groove
27 in the log 2 for receiving a fixed guide bar 28. The bar
28 remains in the groove 27 as the log is fed through the
apparatus to ensure that the log does not rotate around its
longitudinal axis. The saw 26 is connected to the shaft 6 by
pulleys 27 and 28, and belts 29 (Fig. 2).
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The thus stabilized log is fed to two pairs of
opposed cutter heads generally indicated at 31 and 32. The
first cutter heads 31 are adapted to square the top and bottom
surfaces of the log 2, and the second cutter heads 32 are
adapted to square the sides of the log. The cutter heads 31
and 32 are driven in unison by the shaft 6, which is connected
to the cutter head shafts 33 by pulleys 35, 36 and 37, and
belts 38 and 39.
In a preferred variation of the invention (Fig. lA),
the grooving saw 26 and the guide bar 28 are mounted beneath
the path of travel of the log 2. Moreover, the cutter heads
31 and 32 are reversed, i.e. the log 2 first passes between
horizontal cutter heads 32, and then passes between vertical
cutter heads 31. The grooving saw 26 and the guide bar 28 are
mounted on a common bracket frame (not shown) connected to the
bottom cutter head 31, so that the saw 26 and the bar 28 move
in unison with the cutter heads towards and away from the
log 2.
With reference to Fig. 3, each cutter head 31 or 32
includes a housing generally indicated at 40. The housing 40
is defined by telescopically interconnected outer and inner
hubs or sleeves 41 and 42. An annular flange 44 extends
outwardly from the bottom end of the outer sleeve 41 for
receiving bolts 4S, which secure the sleeve 41 to the frame 46
of the apparatus. The flange 44 also defines a cover for a
sprocket wheel 48. The sprocket wheel 48 is internally
threaded for supporting the externally threaded, cylindrical
side wall 50 of the inner sleeve 42. Each sprocket wheel 48
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is connected by a chain 51 to a sprocket wheel 52 mounted on
the shaft of a hydraulic motor 54 (one shown in Fig. 1). Each
motor 54 is connected by a line 55 (Fig. 2) to a hydraulic
distributor 56, which is connected to the pump 17 by a line
57.
By operating the motor 54, the inner sleeve 42 is
caused to move longitudinally relative to the fixed outer
sleeve 41 and a sleeve 59 extending outwardly from the side of
the apparatus frame 46 opposite the inner housing. For such
purpose a rectangular, longitudinally extending groove or
keyway 60 is provided in the side wall 50 of the inner sleeve
42. A similar keyway (not shown) is provided in the interior
of the outer sleeve 41, and a key 62 is mounted in the
keyways. The top end of the outer sleeve 41 is closed by a
cover 63, and the bottom end of the inner sleeve is closed by
a cover 64. Bearings 65 (one shown) are provided in the
covers 63 and 64 for rotatably supporting sections 67 and 68,
respectively of the shaft 33. The shaft section 67 extends
out of the top cover 63 of the housing 40. Three
interconnected pulleys 36 are provided on the section 67 for
the receiving belts 38 or 39 (Fig 2). The shaft sections 67
and 68 are interconnected by splines 71, which permit sliding
movement but not relative rotation of the sections.
A cutter head 73 is mounted on the bottom free end
of the shaft 33. The head 73 includes a hub 74 mounted on the
shaft, and a plurality of inclined arms 75 extending radially
outwardly from the hub 74. Each arm 75 carries blades 76,
which are mounted on the arms 75 by bolts 78. A log guide 79
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extends outwardly from the housing 40 for taking over from the
guide bar 22. The log guide 79 is defined by a generally L-
shaped arm 80, one end of which is sandwiched between the
cover 64 and the inner sleeve 42. A plate 82 on the outer
free end of the arm 80 bears against the adjacent squared side
83 of a log 2 downstream of the cutter head 31 or 32.
After passing the cutter heads 31 and 32, the log 2
either passes between a profiling head generally indicated at
85 tFigs. 2, 4 and 5) or through a circular saw 86 (Figs. 6
and 7, which cuts the squared log into boards. In either
case, wood chips and sawdust created during processing are
carried away by a fan 88 (Fig. 1). As in the case of the
cutter heads 31 and 32, the profiling head 85 and the saw 86
are driven by the shaft 6. The drive for either element is
connected to the shaft 6 by a pulley 89 and a belt 90 (Fig.
2).
Referring to Figs. 4 and 5, the profiling head 85
includes a pair of concave cutting rollers 92 mounted on
shafts 93 for rotation therewith. The shafts 93 are rotatably
mounted in the ends of a pair of parallel arms 95, which are
pivotally mounted for rotation around a horizontal axis on a
shaft 96 connected to the frame 46 of the apparatus by a nut
97. By changing the inclination of the arms 95, the profiling
head is adapted to logs of different thicknesses. The shafts
96 and consequently the rollers 92 are driven by the shaft 6,
pulleys 99 mounted on the shafts 93, the belt 90 connected to
one of the pulleys 99 to the shaft 6, and belt 100 (Fig. 2)
extending between the pulleys 99.
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The saw attachment 86 is identical to the roller
head 85, except that the rollers 92 are omitted, and a
plurality of parallel, circular saw blades 102 are mounted on
the lower shaft 93.
While the operation of the apparatus is obvious from
the foregoing, the following is a brief description of the
entire process. In operation, the log 2 is fed into the
apparatus by rollers 3. The saw 26, which as mentioned above
is preferably beneath the log, cuts a longitudinally extending
groove 27 in the log for receiving the guide bar 28. The bar
28 ensures that the log 2 does not rotate around its
longitudinal axis during travel between the cutter heads 31
and 32 (or 32 and 31 - Fig. lA). In the preferred form of the
apparatus, the saw 26 and the guide bar 28 are connected to
the lower vertical cutter head 31 for movement in unison with
such head. The cutter heads 31 and 32 square the log, which
is then fed between the profiling head 85 or the saw 86.
