Edge Trimming and Board Ripping Apparatus and Method

Abstract

A wood product assembly includes a cutter subassembly and a skewing assembly. A cutter positioning body is movable by a slewing assembly along a slewing axis. A spindle housing is mounted to the cutter positioning body for pivotal movement about a pivot axis. A spindle, to which a cutter, such as a sawblade or chipper head, is affixed, is mounted to the spindle housing for rotation about a spindle rotation axis by a cutter driver. The skewing assembly is coupled to the spindle housing to position the spindle rotation axis to a selected angular orientation to position the cutter at a selected skew angle. In some examples the cutter driver comprises a drive source fixedly secured to a frame and an extendable length universal-joint driveline assembly.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A and 1B are overall views showing two different types of curved or swept logs;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the log of FIG. 1A taken along line 2-2;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view showing a side board cut from the log of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view showing a center cant cut from the log of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a simplified top plan view of the center cant of FIG. 4 illustrating dashed cut lines and the resulting center cant lumber to be cut from the center cant;

FIG. 6 is a simplified top plan of the side board of FIG. 3 illustrating the outlines of side board lumber to be cut from the side board of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a simplified top plan view of an example of a sawing apparatus made according to the invention;

FIG. 8 is a simplified side view of the apparatus of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged side view of the saw assembly of FIG. 8;

FIGS. 10 and 11 are end and top views of the saw assembly of FIG. 9 showing a set of two saw blade positioner assemblies and associated saw blades at a first set of locations and at a zero cant in FIG. 10 and at a 2° cant in FIG. 11;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged isometric view of the saw blade positioner assembly of FIG. 9 together with a saw blade;

FIGS. 13, 14 and 15 are side, top and end views of the saw blade positioner of FIG. 12;

FIG. 16 is a somewhat simplified cross-sectional view taken along line 16-16 in FIG. 14;

FIG. 17 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line 17-17 in FIG. 13;

FIG. 18 is a top view of saw blade positioner of FIG. 12 showing the saw blade at a 2 degree angle;

FIG. 19 is a top view of saw blade positioner of FIG. 12 showing the saw blade at a −2 degree angle;

FIG. 20 is an isometric view of an assembly of four saw positioner assemblies of FIG. 9;

FIG. 21 is a top view of the saw assembly of FIG. 9 showing an alternate drive assembly for the spindle;

FIG. 22 is a section view 22-22 of the alternate saw drive assembly shown in FIG. 21;

FIG. 23 is an isometric view of the alternate saw drive assembly section view of FIG. 22;

FIGS. 24 and 25 are an isometric and front view of the alternate saw drive assembly of FIG. 21 showing a set of four assemblies configured on a frame;

FIG. 26 is an isometric view of two of the saw assemblies of FIG. 21 with the saws replaced with chip heads shown removing the opposing sides of a center cant;

FIG. 27 is an enlarged view of FIG. 26;

FIG. 28 is an isometric view of an assembly of six of the saw positioners of FIG. 21 with two positioners having the saws replaced with chip heads shown chipping and sawing a center cant; and

FIG. 29 is an isometric view of the saw assembly of FIG. 21 having a plurality of saw blades cutting a center cant in the vertical plane.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
2   Curved Log
3   Curved Log
4   Side Boards
6   Cut Lines
7   Cut Lines
8   Cut Surfaces
9   Cut Surfaces
10  Uncut Edges
11  Uncut Edges
12  Center Cant
14  Opposite, Parallel, Cut Surfaces
15  Opposite, Parallel, Cut Surfaces
16  End of Center Cant 12
18  Dashed Cut Lines
20  Center Cant Lumber
22  Edges of Center Cant 12
24  Side Board Lumber
26  Chipped Face of Cant 12
30  Sawing Apparatus
32  Infeed Assembly
34  Infeed Lug Chain
36  Partially Cut Log
38  Canted Drive Rolls
40  Fence
41  Longitudinal or Forward Direction
42  Lateral or Infeed Direction
44  Scanning Conveyor
46  Scanning Assembly
48  Scanner
50  Controller
52  Cutting Assembly
54  Pressroll Assembly
56  Saw Assembly
58  Driven Feed Chain
60  Pivotal Press Rolls
62  Drum Reman Head
64  Driven Exit Rolls
66  Sawn Lumber
68  Discharge Assembly
70  Paddle Picker Outfeed
72  Saw Blade Positioner Assembly
74  Saw Spindle
75  Saw Blades
76  Saw Positioner
78  Skewing Assembly
80  Saw Blade Slewing Assembly
82  Saw Positioner Body
84  Pivoting Spindle Housing
86  Spindle Bearings
87  Clamping Collar
88  Annular Side Surface of Saw Blade 75
90  Saw Shift Axis
92  Vertical Pivot Axis of 84
93  Pivot Axis of 142
94  Skewing Angle
95  Pivot Axis of 142
96  Pivot Bearings
99  Spindle Rotation Axis
101 Rotation Axis of Fixed Drive Source
    131
104 Chip Head
114 Skewing Positioner
116 Skewing Drive Shaft
118 Bell Crank Arm
119 Bell Crank Bushing
120 Sliding Rotary Bell Crank Assembly
121 Thrust Washers
122 End of Skewing Drive Shaft 116
123 Locking Nuts
124 End of Skewing Drive Shaft 116
126 Linear Bearings
128 Saw Assembly Frame
129 One End of Skewing Cylinder 114
130 Steering Arm
131 Fixed Drive Source
132 Skewing Linkage
133 Ball Joint
136 Linear Positioner
140 Extendable Universal Joint Driveline
    Assembly
141 Feed Path
142 Universal Joint
143 Universal Joint
144 Slip Joint
150 Packing Nut
151 Lock Nut
152 Internal Splined Drive Flange
153 Drive Flange Adaptor
154 Hollow Shaft of Fixed Drive Source
    131
155 Smooth Bore of Hollow Shaft 154
156 Guide Piston
157 Lubrication Port and Fan Mounting
    Adaptor
160 End Yoke of Slip Joint 144
166 Shift Shaft

Claims

1. A wood product assembly comprising: a frame;a cutter subassembly supported by the frame and comprising: a slewing assembly having a slewing axis;a cutter positioning body secured to and movable by the slewing assembly for movement along the slewing axis;a spindle housing mounted to the cutter positioning body for pivotal movement about a pivot axis;a cutter driver;a spindle mounted to the spindle housing for rotation about a spindle rotation axis, the spindle connected to and rotatable by the cutter driver; anda cutter affixed to and movable with the spindle; anda skewing assembly supported by the frame and coupled to the spindle housing and operable to position the spindle rotation axis to a selected angular orientation over a range of angular orientations thereby positioning the cutter at a selected skew angle.

2. The assembly according to claim 1 wherein the cutter comprises a saw blade.

3. The assembly according to claim 1 wherein the cutter comprises a chipper head.

4. The assembly according to claim 1 further comprising a plurality of the cutting subassemblies.

5. The assembly according to claim 4 wherein the skewing assembly is coupled to the spindle housing of each of the cutting subassemblies and is operable to position, in unison, each of the saw spindle rotation axes of the respective spindles to said selected angular orientation thereby positioning, in unison, each of the saw blades at said selected skew angle.

6. The assembly according to claim 4 wherein the cutter driver of each said cutting subassembly comprises a drive motor fixedly supported by the frame and a drive shaft extending from and driven by the drive motor.

7. The assembly according to claim 1 wherein the cutter driver comprises a drive motor fixedly supported by the frame and a drive shaft extending from and driven by the drive motor.

8. The assembly according to claim 7 wherein the spindle is connected to the drive shaft by a drive joint.

9. The assembly according to claim 8 wherein the drive joint has a rotational center and the drive joint is positioned with the pivot axis passing through the rotational center of the drive joint.

10. The assembly according to claim 8 wherein the drive joint has a rotational center and the drive joint is positioned with the pivot axis spaced apart from the rotational center of the drive joint.

11. The assembly according to claim 1 wherein the cutter driver comprises: a drive source fixedly secured to the frame; andan extendable length universal-joint driveline assembly connecting the drive source to the spindle to transmit torque to the spindle while allowing both: [1] the spindle rotation axis to turn at an angle relative to the drive source, and [2] the spindle to move closer to or further away from the drive source.

12. The assembly according to claim 11 wherein the extendable length universal-joint driveline assembly comprises a universal drive joint and a slip joint.

13. The assembly or according to claim 1 wherein: the slewing assembly comprises a shift shaft defining the slewing axis and a shift shaft positioner operable to position the shift shaft at positions along the slewing axis; andthe cutter positioning body is secured to and movable with the shift shaft along the slewing axis.

14. A method for slewing and skewing a cutter while the cutter cuts a log moving along a feed path comprising: mounting a cutter to a housing for rotation about a rotation axis;pivotally mounting the housing to a cutter positioner for pivotal movement of the housing and cutter therewith about a pivot axis;slewing the cutter by positioning the housing and cutter therewith along a cutter shift axis, the cutter shift axis being transverse to a feed path of a log;skewing the cutter by pivoting the housing and cutter therewith about the pivot axis; androtating the cutter about the rotation axis.

15. The method according to claim 14 wherein the mounting step is carried out with the cutter being a saw blade assembly including a saw blade and an integral saw spindle, the saw spindle rotatably mounted within an opening in the housing.

16. The method according to claim 14 wherein: the pivotally mounting step is carried out with the cutter positioner comprising a cutter positioning body, to which housing is pivotally mounted; andthe slewing step comprises positioning the cutter positioner body at positions along the cutter shift axis.

17. The method according to claim 16 wherein: the skewing step is carried out using skewing linkage mounted to the cutter positioning body and operably connected to the housing.

18. The method according to claim 17 wherein the skewing step is carried out by rotating a skewing drive shaft, the skewing drive shaft drivingly coupled to the skewing linkage.

19. The method according to claim 14 wherein the cutter rotating step comprises rotating a drive line connected to the cutter by a drive joint.

20. The method according to claim 14 wherein the cutter rotating step comprises rotating a drive line connected to the cutter by a drive joint, the drive joint having a rotational center, the pivot axis passing through the rotational center.

21. The method according to claim 14 wherein the cutter rotating step comprises rotating a drive line connected to the cutter by a drive joint, the drive joint having a rotational center, the pivot axis spaced apart from the rotational center.

22. A method for slewing and skewing a plurality of cutters while the cutters cut a log moving along a feed path comprising: slewing a plurality of cutters to positions along at least one cutter shift axis, the at least one cutter shift axis being transverse to a feed path of a log, each cutter mounted to a housing for rotation of the cutter about a rotation axis with the housing pivotally mounted to a cutter positioner for limited pivotal movement of the housing and cutter therewith about a pivot axis;skewing the cutters by pivoting the associated housings and cutters therewith about the associated pivot axes; androtating the cutters about the associated rotation axes.

23. The method according to claim 22 wherein the slewing step is carried out by separately slewing the cutters to the positions.

24. The method according to claim 22 wherein the skewing step is carried out by simultaneously skewing at least some of the cutters using the same skewing positioner.

25. The method according to claim 22 wherein the cutters rotating step comprises rotating separate drive lines, the drive lines connected to the cutters by drive joints.

26. The method according to claim 22 wherein the cutters rotating step comprises rotating separate drive lines, the drive lines connected to the cutters by drive joints, the drive joints having rotational centers, the pivot axes passing through the rotational centers.

27. A method for slewing and skewing a plurality of sawblades while the sawblades cut a log moving along a feed path comprising: separately slewing a plurality of sawblades to positions along at least one sawblade shift axis, the at least one sawblade shift axis being transverse to a feed path of a log, each sawblade mounted to a housing for rotation of the sawblade about a rotation axis with the housing pivotally mounted to a sawblade positioner for limited pivotal movement of the housing and sawblade therewith about a pivot axis;skewing the sawblades by pivoting the associated housings and sawblades therewith about the associated pivot axes, the skewing step being carried out by simultaneously skewing at least some of the sawblades using the same skewing positioner; androtating the sawblades about the associated rotation axes using separate drive lines, the drive lines connected to the sawblades by drive joints, the drive joints having rotational centers, the pivot axes passing through the rotational centers.