Method of and apparatus for fabricating wood structures

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 wherein wood members are supported on a plurality of stands arranged on lines bounding the structure to be fabricated, and the aforesaid steps are carried out along each of said lines around the structure.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1 wherein operation of said press is prevented unless said press is at an operating position at one of said stands.

Claim 5

Apparatus for fabricating wood structures comprising a series of stands for holding wood members which are to be secured together at joints by nailing plates to form a wood structure, said stands being arranged at said joints, each such stand having a support and means cantilevered relative to the support for holding wood members with clearance therebelow, a C-shaped press having an upper platen and a lower platen which are relatively movable toward and away from one another for driving nailing plates into the wood members from above and below, said press being mounted to permit vertical movement during driving the nailing plates into the wood members, and means mounting said press for movement of the press into an operating position at one of said stands for driving nailing plates into the wood members held by said one stand, for movement in a generally lateral direction with respect to the press substantially sidewise out of its operating position at said one stand, and over to the next successive stand, and into its operating position at said next successive stand with said press being maintained substantially adjacent the wood members supported by these stands as it is moved, and for driving said nailing plates into the wood members from above and below without exerting any substantial net upward or downward force on the wood members by the platens, the said clearance below the holding means being sufficient for lateral passage of the lower platen of the press below the holding means.

Claim 6

Apparatus for fabricating wood structures comprising a series of stands for holding wood members which are to be secured together at joints by nailing plates to form a wood structure, said stands being arranged at said joints, each such stand having a support and means cantilevered relative to the support for holding wood members with clearance therebelow, a C-shaped press having an upper platen and a lower platen which are relatively movable toward and away from one another for driving nailing plates into the wood members from above and below, said press being mounted to permit vertical movement during driving the nailing plates into the wood members, and means mounting said press for movement of the press into an operating position at one of said stands for driving nailing plates into the wood members held by said one stand, for movement in a generally lateral direction with respect to the press substantially sidewise out of its operating position at said one stand, and over to the next successive stand, and into its operating position at said next successive stand with said press being maintained substantially adjacent the wood members supported by these stands as it is moved, and for driving said nailing plates into the wood members from above and below without exerting any substantial net upward or downward force on the wood members by the platens, the said clearance below the holding means being sufficient for lateral passage of the lower platen of the press below the holding means.

Claim 7

Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said stands supporting the wood members are arranged on lines bounding the wood structure to be fabricated.

Claim 8

Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said holding means includes a holder cantilevered outwardly from said support for holding a lower nailing plate to be driven into the wood members from below, said cantilevered holder being carried by the support foR upward and downward movement relative to the support.

Claim 9

Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said holding means comprises two cantilever arms in side-by-side spaced relation adapted to support wood members in position for being secured together by the nailing plates at a location between the arms, said support being adapted for lateral entry of the lower platen of the press from one side or the other thereof below said cantilever arms to its operating position between said arms with the plane of the top surface of said arms spaced from the top surface of the lower platen a distance sufficient to accommodate a nailing plate arranged with its teeth pointing upwardly for being driven into the wood members from below, the cantilever arms being laterally spaced from one another a distance greater than the width of the lower platen of the press for entry of the lower platen of the press between the arms when the lower platen is moved upwardly to drive a nailing plate upwardly into the wood members.

Claim 10

Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein said holding means further includes a holder for holding a lower nailing plate to be driven into the wood members from below, said holder being carried by the support for upward movement between said arms by the lower platen of the press from a lowered retracted position below the plane of the top surface of said arms to drive a nailing plate positioned thereon into the wood members from below.

Claim 11

Apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein said support includes a base, said arms being cantilevered forward over the base and spaced above the base for the lateral entry of the lower platen of the press from one side or the other of the stand between the base and the arms.

Claim 12

Apparatus as set forth in claim 9 having means for supporting said holder movable upwardly and downwardly at one side of the base constituting the back of the base, said holder being a plate cantilevered forward over the base, the lowered retracted position of the holder plate being generally below the level of the top surface of said arms a distance sufficient to accommodate a nailing plate with its teeth pointing upwardly for being driven into the wood members from below and being spaced above the base a distance sufficient for entry of the lower platen of the press.

Claim 13

Apparatus as set forth in claim 10 wherein said holder plate supporting means comprises a pair of vertical rods secured to said holder plate with the latter extending forwardly from the upper ends of said rods, and guide means carried by the stand for guiding said holder plate during movement between its lowered retracted position and a raised operative position in which a nailing plate held thereby is driven into wood members from below.

Claim 14

Apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein said base has a top and said support includes supporting means for said arms extending upwardly above the top of the base at the back thereof.

Claim 15

Apparatus as set forth in claim 12 wherein said supporting means for said arms comprises a hollow wall extending upwardly from the base at the back thereof, said arms extending forwardly over the base from the sides of said wall at the top thereof and being located above the top of said wall, said apparatus further having a bar at the level of said arms extending between the back ends of said arms, said rods being movable up and down in said wall and the holder plate extending forwardly therefrom over the top of said wall.

Claim 16

Apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein said guide means comprises a pair of grooved rollers carried by said support for each of said rods, said rollers of each pair being disposed on opposite sides of their respective rod for guiding the rod as said holder plate is moved between its lowered retracted position and said raised position for driving said nailing plate into the wood members from below.

Claim 17

Apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein said guide means comprises a pair of rollers carried by each of said rods, said rollers being engageable with a portion of said support for guiding the rod as said holder plate is moved between its lowered retracted position and said raised position for driving said nailing plate into the wood members from below.

Claim 18

Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 further comprising means for preventing operation of the press unless the press is at an operating position at one of said stands.

Claim 19

Apparatus as set forth in claim 16 wherein the last-said means includes proximity sensing means responsive to movement of the press into its operating position at each of said stands.

Claim 20

Apparatus as set forth in claim 17 wherein said proximity sensing means comprises a proximity switch actuable in response to a magnetic field of a predetermined strength, and means for producing a magnetic field of sufficient strength to actuate said proximity switch when said press is at its operating position at one of said stands thereby to permit operation of the press.

Claim 21

Apparatus as set forth in claim 18 wherein said proximity switch is carried by said press and said field producing means is a magnet carried by each of said stands so that with the press positioned at its operating position at a stand, said proximity switch being actuated by the field of the magnet carried by the stand.

Claim 22

Apparatus as set forth in claim 19 which further includes a circuit for initiating movement of said press platens toward one another for driving nailing plates into the wood members, said proximity switch being connected in said circuit whereby said press may be operated only when the press is at its operating position at one of said stands and said proximity switch is actuated to energize said circuit.

Claim 23

Apparatus as set forth in claim 20 wherein said circuit includes at least one manually operable switch, said proximity switch being serially connected in said circuit with said manually operable switch whereby said press may be operated only when the press is at its operating position at one of said stands and both of said switches are actuated.

Claim 24

Apparatus for fabricating wood structures comprising a series of stands for holding wood members which are to be secured together at joints by nailing plates to form a wood structure, said stands being arranged at said joints, a press having an upper platen and a lower platen which are relatively movable toward and away from one another for driving nailing plates into the wood members from above and below, means mounting said press for generally lateral movement of the press substantially sidewise into and away from an operating position at each of said stands, and means for preventing operation of the press unless the press is at an operating position at one of said stands.

Claim 25

Apparatus for fabricating wood structures comprising a series of stands for holding wood members which are to be secured together at joints by nailing plates to form a wood structure, said stands being arranged at said joints, a press having an upper platen and a lower platen which are relatively movable toward and away from one another for driving nailing plates into the wood members from above and below, means mounting said press for generally lateral movement of the press substantially sidewise into and away from an operating position at each of said stands, and means for preventing operation of the press unless the press is at an operating position at one of said stands.

Claim 26

Apparatus as set forth in claim 22 wherein each such stand includes a support and holding means cantilevered relative to the support for holding wood members with clearance therebelow.

Claim 27

Apparatus as set forth in claim 23 wherein said holding means includes a holder cantilevered outwardly from said support for holding a lower nailing plate to be driven into the wood members from below, said cantilevered holder being carried by the support for upward and downward movement relative to the support.

Claim 28

Apparatus as set forth in claim 22 wherein the last said means includes proximity sensing means responsive to the movement of the press into an operating position at each of the stands.

Claim 29

Apparatus as set forth in claim 25 wherein said proximity sensing means comprises a proximity switch actuable in response to a magnetic field of a predetermined strength, and means for producing a magnetic field of sufficient strength to actuate said proximity switch when said press is at its operating position at one of said stands thereby to permit operation of the press.

Claim 30

Apparatus as set forth in claim 26 wherein said proximity switch is carried by said press and said field producing means is a magnet carried by each of said stands so that with the press positioned at its operating position at a stand, said proximity switch is actuated by the field of said magnet carried by the stand.

Claim 31

Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 which further includes a circuit for initiating movement of said press platens toward one another for driving nailing plates into the wood members, said proximity switch being connected in said circuit whereby said press may be operated only when the press is at its operating position at one of said stands and said proximity switch is actuated to energize said circuit.

Claim 32

Apparatus as set forth in claim 28 wherein said circuit includes at least one manually operable switch, said proximity switch being serially connected in said circuit with said manually operable switch whereby said press may be operated only when the press is at its operating position at one of said stands and both of said switches are actuated.