Claims
- 1. A machine for cutting veneer layers from a log, comprising,
- a frame;
- means for rotatably supporting and rotating a cylindrical elongated log on its longitudinal center axis;
- a knife carriage on said frame;
- a chain bar on the knife carriage;
- a chain channel extending around said chain bar;
- a continuous chain comprising a plurality of pivotally connected chain links movably extending through said channel, each chain link including a knife tip with a cutting edge; and
- each knife tip having serrations therein for engaging the log, the serrations being angularly disposed with respect to the cutting edge of the knife tips and being adapted to frictionally engage the surface of the log, whereby upon rotation of said log, the frictional engagement between the log and serrations imparts longitudinal movement of the chain with respect to the log such that said chain rotates around said chain bar and within said channel to cut a layer of veneer from said log.
- 2. The machine of claim 1 wherein the serrations are angled approximately 30.degree. with respect to the cutting edge of the knife tips.
- 3. The machine of claim 1 wherein the knife tips have front and rear surfaces, with the serrations being on both surfaces.
- 4. The machine of claim 1 wherein the knife tips are removably secured to the links.
- 5. The machine of claim 1 further comprising an annular groove in said chain bar in communication with said channel and wherein said chain includes a stabilizing link secured to each of said pivotally connected links and being slidably mounted in said annular groove.
- 6. The machine of claim 5 wherein each link has an elongated groove extending along its length adapted to receive the stabilizing link.
- 7. The machine of claim 5 wherein the distance from the inner to the outer ends of said stabilizing link is approximately four inches.
- 8. The machine of claim 1 wherein said chain includes an outer guide link, a middle stabilizer link, and an inner guide link, and pin means for securing said links together, said stabilizer link being longitudinally offset with respect to said guide links such that said pin means pivotally connect each stabilizer link to adjacent outer guide links and to adjacent inner guide links.
- 9. The machine of claim 8 wherein said chain bar includes an annular groove in communication with said channel, said guide links being slidably received in said channel and said stabilizer links being slidably received in said annular groove.
- 10. The machine of claim 8 wherein said knife tips are on said outer guide links.
- 11. The machine of claim 8 wherein further including sprockets rotatably mounted at opposite ends of said chain bar, said chain being trained around said sprockets.
- 12. The machine of claim 11 wherein said sprockets include pairs of spaced apart teeth extending around the perimeter of said sprockets for matingly engaging recesses in said inner and outer guide links and said stabilizer links being received in the space between said pairs of teeth.
- 13. The machine of claim 8 wherein each of said links includes a beveled upper edge to provide a slide surface for the veneer.
- 14. The machine of claim 1 wherein said chain bar includes a pair of chain bar plates with shim means therebetween and means for securing said plates and shim means to said knife carriage, said shim means permitting for adjustment of the width of said chain channel.
- 15. The machine of claim 1 further comprising an adjustable depth gauge for controlling the depth of cut into said log and thereby the thickness of said veneer.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This application is a continuation-in-part of applicant's co-pending application, Ser. No. 140,732 filed Jan. 4, 1988, to be issued Jan. 10, 1989 as U.S. Pat. No. 4,796,681.
Conventional lathe knives used in cutting sheets of wood veneer from a log utilize an oscillating blade to cut the veneer, such as that described in applicant's previous U.S. Pat. No. 3,381,727 issued May 7, 1968. Other lathes use a fixed blade which is forced through the wood to cut the veneer. These prior art lathes have problems associated with the limited movement of the knife or blade, including the high frictional forces, which are developed between the blade and the log, which requires greater power to turn the log and limits the speed of the cutting operation. Furthermore, those lathes produce wood splitting, grain rolling, roughness, and low quality due to the oscillating or fixed blade.
Therefore, a primary objective of the present invention is to provide a lathe knife which continuously moves transversely to the log so as to produce a high quality sheet of veneer.
A further objective of the present invention is the provision of a lathe knife having serrations therein which impart transverse movement to the knife relative to the log due to the friction between the knife and log as the log rotates.
Another objective of the present invention is the provision of a continuously moving lathe knife which can be retro-fit upon existing lathe carriages.
Another objective of the present invention is the provision of a continuously moving lathe knife which produces a shearing or slicing action so as to produce a clean cut for the veneer.
Still a further objective of the present invention is the provision of a lathe knife which moves continuously transverse to the log so as to cut through knots and fibers.
Yet another objective of the present invention is the provision of a continuously moving lathe knife which is self cleaning.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of a continuously moving lathe knife which has replaceable knife tips.
Another objective of the present invention is the provision of a continuously moving lathe knife which is economical to manufacture, and durable and safe in use.
These and other objectives will become apparent from the following description of the invention.
A lathe machine is provided for cutting sheets or layers of veneer from a wooden log. The machine includes a frame with chucks for rotatably supporting and rotating an elongated wooden log on its center axis. A knife carriage is moveably mounted on the frame and is moved towards and away from the log by hydraulics.
A chain saw type assembly is fixed on the frame for cutting the veneer from the log. The chain saw assembly includes a chain bar secured to the knife carriage and having a channel extending around the chain bar. An endless-loop chain formed from a plurality of pivotably connected chain links moveably extends through the chain bar channel. The chain includes at least one guide link and central stabilizer link, which are pinned together. The guide links are tracked in the chain bar channel and the stabilizer link is received in a deeper annular groove which is in communication with the channel. Each guide link has a knife tip for cutting the veneer from the wood as the chain rotates around the sprocket and chain bar. The chain is driven by angular serrations in the knife tips which frictionally engage the rotating log.
US Referenced Citations (1)
| Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
| 4796681 |
Hayes |
Jan 1989 |
|
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
| Parent |
140732 |
Jan 1988 |
|
Patent Grant
4913205
