Method and apparatus for processing logs

Claim 3

Log processing equipment comprising a saw array aligned with an index line, aligning means for receiving and holding a log at a reference location, photoelectric scanning means spaced from said reference location for producing an output signal representative of the dimensions of a log passed by said scanning means, data processing means connected to said scanning means for evaluating said output signal and producing a data output signal in response thereto, charger means for releasably gripping said log at said reference location and transporting the log past said scanning means, said charger means including means responsive to said data output signal for angularly repositioning said log with respect to said index line, a saw carriage, aligned with said index line and movable with respect to said saw array, for receiving from said charger means said log when repositioned, and control means associated with said saw carriage for selectively moving said carriage with respect to said saw array, said control means being responsive to said data output signal whereby said log carried by said saw carriage is divided into cants by the saw array in accordance with a preselected cutting pattern stored in said data processing means.

Claim 4

Log processing equipment comprising a saw array aligned with an index line, aligning means for receiving and holding a log at a reference location, photoelectric scanning means spaced from said reference location for producing an output signal representative of the dimensions of a log passed by said scanning means, data processing means connected to said scanning means for evaluating said output signal and producing a data output signal in response thereto, charger means for releasably gripping said log at said reference location and transporting the log past said scanning means, said charger means including means responsive to said data output signal for angularly repositioning said log with respect to said index line, a saw carriage, aligned with said index line and movable with respect to said saw array, for receiving from said charger means said log when repositioned, and control means associated with said saw carriage for selectively moving said carriage with respect to said saw array, said control means being responsive to said data output signal whereby said log carried by said saw carriage is divided into cants by the saw array in accordance with a preselected cutting pattern stored in said data processing means.

Claim 5

Log processing equipment as described in claim 2 further including a movable cant chain having means thereon for receiving and holding cants each at a reference position, transfer conveyor means for receiving cants produced by said saw array and conveying said cants onto said cant chain, cant scanning means for producing a cant output signal representative of the profile dimensions of a cant passed by said scanning means while being carried on said cant chain, said profile being taken along a flat side of said cant, said data processing means being connected to said cant scanning means for evaluating said cant output signal and producing a cant data output signal in response thereto, a cant sawing station spaced from said cant scanning means, including a sawing conveyor and a saw array aligned along a second index line with respect to said sawing conveyor, and second transfer conveyor means for receiving cants from said cant chain and conveying said cants onto said sawing conveyor, said second transfer conveyor means including adjustable cant guide means responsive to said cant data output signal from said data processing means for repositioning each cant with respect to said second index line before sawing thereof by said saw array.

Claim 6

The method of claim 1 further including the steps of dividing the log into cants, positioning each cant with respect to a cant reference position, scanning each cant to measure certain of its dimensions with respect to the reference position, plotting in said data processing equipment a planar profile of the measured dimensions of the cant, said profile being taken along a flat side of said cant, computing in said data processing equipment the center axis of the widest parallelogram that can be superimposed within the plotted profile of the cant, and repositioning the cant with the center axis parallel to an index line of a cant sawing array.