U.S. Natural Resources, Inc.

Cae Machinery Ltd.

Cameron Dean Mierau

James Gary Irwin

Aki J Anttila

Richard Ichiro Komori

Douglas Edward Amende

A knife projection sensing system for cutting machines having a rotatable surface adapted to retain a plurality of cutting knives. The system employs a plurality of sensors mountable to the cutting machine to be stationary with respect to the rotatable surface. The sensors generate a signal capable of indicating the position of each cutting knife as the knives rotate past the sensors. A microprocessor in communication with the sensors analyzes the signal generated to determine the projection of each knife from a reference surface and to determine if the projection of at least one of the plurality of cutting knives deviates outside preset desirable limits. The projection status of the knives is communicated to an operator by a light display or paper printout. The system can be used to ensure that knives are correctly installed in the cutting machine and to monitor knife position during normal operation. The system can also be used to determine when knives need changing for sharpening. If the projection of the knives exceeds preset limits, the system will automatically shut down the cutting machine to prevent damage.

Knife projection sensing system

An infeed system that orients a log for a processing unit. A flight conveyor, a log turner and a sharp chain are in an overlapping arraignment. The flight conveyor conveys a log past a scanner which inputs scan data into a computer which determines the profile and orientation on the flight conveyor. The computer determines the desired orientation of the log for the processing unit. The log turner is arranged to rotate and skew the log to the desired orientation. The log is then transferred to the sharp chain conveyor. The overlapping arrangement of the flight conveyor, log turner and sharp chain maintains full control of the log at all times. The sharp chain conveys the log past a second scanner which inputs the scan data to the computer to determine the actual orientation of the log on the sharp chain. The infeed system may also be provided with a shift and lift mechanism for further controlling the log position relative to the processing unit.

Infeed system for lumber

A mechanism for elevating and/or shifting a log infeed table to position a log received on the infeed table for a subsequent operation. The mechanism has sets of opposed paired crank arms pivotally mounted on supports. The infeed table is mounted on supporting shafts extending between the crank arms with the supporting shaft offset from the pivot axis of the crank arms. The crank arms are pivoted by an actuator coupled to a beam extended between one pair of the crank arms. All of the sets of paired crank arms have their beams coupled together by flexible couplings such that all of the sets of crank arms will pivot in unison. As the crank arms are pivoted by the actuator, the infeed table is raised or lowered. The supporting shafts are slidably movable in the cranks arms. Separate actuators are provided to move the supporting shaft in the crank arms to shift the infeed table transverse to the flow path of the infeed table.

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Portland, OR, United States of America

Cameron Dean Mierau