Method and apparatus for finger-joining lumber

Claim 1

IN THE METHOD FOR PRODUCING AN ELONGATE WOOD MEMBER FROM A PLURALITY OF INDIVIDUAL WOOD MEMBERS, THE IMPROVEMENT CYCLE OF STEPS COMPRISING: (A) FORMING FINGER JOINTS IN THE ENDS OF SAID WOOD MEMBERS; (B) APPLYING ADHESIVE TO EACH SAID FINGER JOUNT END; (C) FEEDING FIRST AND SECOND INDEXED AND MATCHED FINGER JOINT ENDED WOOD MEMBER INTO AN ADHESIVE CURING MACHINE WHILE (D) SUPPORTING A THIRD INDIVIDUAL WOOD MEMBER IN POSITION FOR INDEXING AND MATCHING WITH THE TRAILING END OF SAID SECOND WOOD MEMBER; (E) HALTING SAID FIRST AND SECOND WOOD MEMBERS IN SAID CURING MACHINE WHILE THE ADHESIVE IN THE JOINT THEREBETWEEN IS CURED; (F) ADVANCING THE JOINED TOGETHER FIRST AND SECOND WOOD MEMBERS AWAY FROM SAID ADHESIVE CURING MACHINE; (G) RELEASING SAID SUPPORTED THIRD WOOD MEMBER FROM THE SUPPORT AND (H) ADVANCING THE SAME INTO INDEXING AND MATCHING RELATION WITH THE TRAILING FINGER JOINTED END OF SAID ELONGATE WOOD MEMBER BEFORE THE JOINED TOGETHER WOOD MEMBERS ENTER SAID ADHESIVE CURING MACHINE; AND (I) REPEATING THE CYCLE OF STEPS INCLUDING HALTING, CURING, INDEXING AND MATCHING OF ENDS TO PRODUCE AN ELONGATE WOOD MEMBER OF DESIRED LENGTH.