Vertical drop trimmer saws

Claim 2

A vertical drop trimmer saw apparatus for cutting material to predetermined or selected lengths comprising a main frame, a base saw assembly mounted adjacent to one end of said main frame, a plurality of equally spaced saw assemblies mounted on said main frame and spaced a predetermined distance from said base saw assembly, each of said saw assemblies including a generally vertically disposed fixed frame mounted on said main frame, a body slidably mounted on said fixed frAme, means for moving said body relative to said fixed frame, a saw power plant mounted on said body with the center of gravity of the saw power plant being disposed generally along the vertical axis of said body, cutting means carried by said power plant and adapted to be driven thereby, means for controlling said body moving means to selectively raise and lower said saw assemblies out of and into cutting position, a saw table located below said main frame, bumper means on said saw table to limit lateral movement of material thereon, a plurality of conveyor means mounted on said table, and means for driving said conveyor means simultaneously to move material along said table so that the material will engage the cutting means that are disposed in cutting position and will be cut thereby.

Claim 3

The structure of claim 1 including means for automatically moving said saw assemblies into cutting position so that the material will be cut to the longest convenient length.

Claim 4

The structure of claim 2 in which said automatic moving means includes a plurality of limit switches mounted on said saw table in a position to be engaged by the material thereon, and one of said limit switches being located generally in alignment with each of said cutting means.

Claim 5

The structure of claim 1 including means for individually selectively moving said cutting means into cutting position.

Claim 6

The structure of claim 4 including means for automatically cancelling the saw assemblies which have been selectively operated.

Claim 7

The structure of claim 1 including an auxiliary saw assembly mounted on said main frame in spaced relation to said base saw assembly, and means for automatically raising said base saw assembly to inoperative position when said auxiliary saw assembly is lowered to operative position.

Claim 8

The structure of claim 6 in which said bumper means includes a first collapsible bumper spaced slightly to one side of said base saw assembly and a second bumper spaced slightly to one side of said auxiliary saw assembly, said first and second bumpers limiting the lateral movement of the material so that the base saw assembly and the auxiliary saw assembly will remove a small portion of the material from one end of the material.

Claim 9

The structure of claim 1 including a plurality of rollers mounted on said saw table and adapted to automatically move material laterally against said bumper means.

Claim 10

The structure of claim 1 in which each of said conveyor means includes a plurality of upstanding members adapted to engage the material, and means for adjusting said conveyor means so that the upstanding members are substantially in alignment with each other.

Claim 11

The structure of claim 1 including a trough mounted on said saw table and located below the upper run of said conveyor means so that scrap material will be discharged into said trough, chain conveyor means disposed lengthwise of said trough, and means for operating said trough chain conveyor means for discharging scrap material from said trough.

Claim 12

The structure of claim 1 including means for raising all of said saw assemblies simultaneously to inoperative position so that the material on said saw table will not be cut.

Claim 13

The structure of claim 1 including means for operating all of said saw assemblies simultaneously so that the material will be cut into a plurality of relatively small pieces.

Claim 14

A trimmer saw apparatus for cutting material to predetermined or selected lengths comprising a main frame, a first saw assembly mounted on said main frame adjacent to one end thereof, a second saw assembly mounted on said main frame substantially 8 feet from said first saw assembly, third, fourth, fifth and sixth saw assemblies mounted on said main frame and disposed substantially 2 feet apart with the third saw assembly being spaced substantially 2 feet from the second saw assembly, a seventh saw assembly mounted on said main frame adjacent to said first saw assembly, each of said saw assemblies including a generally vertically disposed fixed frame, a body slidably mounted in a generally vertical direction on said fixed frame, means for moving said body relative to said fixed frame, cutting means mounted on each of said bodies, the cutting means of said seventh saw assembly being spaced substantially one foot from the cutting means of said first saw assembly, means for driving said cutting means, means for automatically and/or selectively controlling the means for moving said body, a saw table located below said main frame, selectively operable bumper means on said saw table to limit lateral movement of material thereon, a plurality of conveyor means mounted on said saw table, and means for driving said conveyor means simultaneously to move material along said table so that the material will engage the cutting means located in operating position to cut the material.

Claim 15

A trimmer saw apparatus for cutting material to predetermined or selected lengths comprising a main frame, a first saw assembly mounted on said main frame adjacent to one end thereof, a second saw assembly mounted on said main frame substantially 8 feet from said first saw assembly, third, fourth, fifth and sixth saw assemblies mounted on said main frame and disposed substantially 2 feet apart with the third saw assembly being spaced substantially 2 feet from the second saw assembly, a seventh saw assembly mounted on said main frame adjacent to said first saw assembly, each of said saw assemblies including a generally vertically disposed fixed frame, a body slidably mounted in a generally vertical direction on said fixed frame, means for moving said body relative to said fixed frame, cutting means mounted on each of said bodies, the cutting means of said seventh saw assembly being spaced substantially one foot from the cutting means of said first saw assembly, means for driving said cutting means, means for automatically and/or selectively controlling the means for moving said body, a saw table located below said main frame, selectively operable bumper means on said saw table to limit lateral movement of material thereon, a plurality of conveyor means mounted on said saw table, and means for driving said conveyor means simultaneously to move material along said table so that the material will engage the cutting means located in operating position to cut the material.

Claim 16

A vertical drop trimmer saw apparatus for cutting material to predetermined or selected lengths comprising a main frame, a base saw assembly mounted adjacent to one end of said main frame, a plurality of equally spaced saw assemblies mounted on said main frame and spaced a predetermined distance from said base saw assembly, each of said saw assemblies including a generally vertically disposed fixed frame mounted on said main frame, a body slidably mounted on said fixed frame, means for moving said body relative to said fixed frame, a saw power plant mounted on said body with the center of gravity of the saw power plant being disposed generally along the vertical axis of said body, cutting means carried by said power plant and adapted to be driven thereby, means for controlling said body moving means to selectively raise and lower said saw assemblies out of and into cutting position, a saw table located below said main frame, bumper means on said saw table to limit lateral movement of material thereon, a plurality of conveyor means mounted on said table, means for driving said conveyor means simultaneously to move material along said table, an auxiliary saw assembly mounted on said main frame in spaced relation to said base saw assembly, said bumper means including a first bumper generally in alignment with said base saw assembly and a second bumper generally in alignment with said auxiliary saw assembly, and means for moving said first bumper out of the path of the material when said base saw assembly is raised.

Claim 17

A vertical drop trimmer saw apparatus for cutting material to predetermined or selected lengths comprising a main frame, a base saw assembly mounted adjacent to one end of said main frame, a plurality of equally spaced saw assemblies mounted on said main frame and spaced a predetermined distance from said base saw assembly, each of said saw assemblies including a generally vertically disposed fixed frame mounted on said main frame, a body slidably mounted on said fixed frame, means for moving said body relative to said fixed frame, a saw power plant mounted on said body with the center of gravity of the saw power plant being disposed generally along the vertical axis of said body, cutting means carried by said power plant and adapted to be driven thereby, means for controlling said body moving means to selectively raise and lower said saw assemblies out of and into cutting position, a saw table located below said main frame, bumper means on said saw table to limit lateral movement of material thereon, a plurality of conveyor means mounted on said table, means for driving said conveyor means simultaneously to move material along said table, an auxiliary saw assembly mounted on said main frame in spaced relation to said base saw assembly, said bumper means including a first bumper generally in alignment with said base saw assembly and a second bumper generally in alignment with said auxiliary saw assembly, and means for moving said first bumper out of the path of the material when said base saw assembly is raised.