End dogging log feeder

Claim 1

In a sawmill apparatus having means to move a log lengthwise in a horizontal path through a pair of vertical saws to cut slabs off opposite sides of the log, said means comprising a single horizontal track frame having an upper side extending between said saws beneath said path of the log, a pair of guideways in side by side relation in said upper side of said track frame, a first endless chain having an upper reach disposed for travel in one of said guideways, an upstanding dog on said first chain to engage one end of the log, a second endless chain disposed for travel in the other of said guideways, an upstanding dog on said second chain to engage the opposite end of the log, and means to drive said chains, the space above said track frame being free of any obstruction that would limit the diameter of logs sawed by said saws, said track frame comprising a group of vertical plates secured together in face to face relation, said plates comprising a median plate, a pair of outside plates, and a spacer plate between said median plate and each outside plate, the spaces between said median plate and said outside plates defining said pair of guideways, a pair of chain support plates in each of said guideways on opposite sides of said spacer plates, each chain having outside links riding on the top edges of said chain support plates and having median links extending downward between said chain support plates, said outside plates serving as skid plates for the log, said outside plates being interrupted between said saws to reduce the width of said track frame between the saws, said dogs being links in said chains, the log engaging faces of said dogs being inclined away from the confronting log ends at a small angle.