Cae Electronics Ltd.

Cae Newnes Ltd.

Cae Inc.

Newnes Machine Ltd.

Coe Newnes/mcgehee Inc.

Cae Electronics Ltd. Cae Electronique Ltee

Newnes Machine and Ironworks Ltd.

John Sergeant

William R Newnes

James G Jackson

Brian T Stroud

James Bruce Hannebauer

Roland Davyduke

Joe B Kennedy

Steven W Michell

Emeric Johnson

Robert Hart

Douglas J Brown

A method of position-based integrated motion controlled curve sawing includes the steps of: transporting a curved workpiece in a downstream direction on a transfer, and monitoring position of the workpiece on the transfer, scanning the workpiece through an upstream scanner to measure workpiece profiles in spaced apart array, along a surface of the workpiece and communicating the workpiece profiles to a digital processor, computing by the digital processor, a high order polynomial smoothing curve fitted to the array of workpiece profiles of the curved workpiece, and adjusting the smoothing curve for cutting machine constraints of downstream motion controlled cutting devices to generate an adjusted curve generating unique position cams unique to the workpiece from the adjusted curve for optimized cutting by the cutting devices along a tool path corresponding to the position cams, sequencing the transfer and the workpiece with the cutting devices, and sequencing the unique position cams corresponding to the workpiece to match the position of the workpiece feeding the workpiece, on the transfer, longitudinally into cutting engagement with the cutting devices, and actively relatively positioning the workpiece and the cutting devices relative to each other according to a time-based servo loop updated recalculation, based on said workpiece position, of cutting engagement target position as the workpiece is fed longitudinally so as to position the cutting engagement of the cutting devices along the tool path.

Position-based integrated motion controlled curve sawing

A method of position-based integrated motion controlled curve sawing includes the steps of: transporting a curved workpiece in a downstream direction on a transfer, and monitoring position of the workpiece on the transfer, scanning the workpiece through an upstream scanner to measure workpiece profiles in spaced apart array, along a surface of the workpiece and communicating the workpiece profiles to a digital processor, computing by the digital processor, a high order polynomial smoothing curve fitted to the array of workpiece profiles of the curved workpiece, and adjusting the smoothing curve for cutting machine constraints of downstream motion controlled cutting devices to generate an adjusted curve generating unique position cams unique to the workpiece from the adjusted curve for optimized cutting by the cutting devices along a tool path corresponding to the position cams, sequencing the transfer and the workpiece with the cutting devices, and sequencing the unique position cams corresponding to the workpiece to match the position of the workpiece feeding the workpiece, in the transfer, longitudinally into cutting engagement with the cutting devices, and actively relatively positioning the workpiece and the cutting devices relative to each other according to a time-based servo loop updated recalculation, based on said workpiece position, of cutting engagement target position as the workpiece is fed longitudinally so as to position the cutting engagement of the cutting devices along the tool path.

A method of position-based integrated motion controlled curve sawing includes the steps of: transporting a curved workpiece in a downstream direction on a transfer, and monitoring position of the workpiece on the transfer, scanning the workpiece through an upstream scanner to measure workpiece profiles in spaced apart array, along a surface of the workpiece and communicating the workpiece profiles to a digital processor, computing by the digital processor, a high order polynomial smoothing curve fitted to the array of workpiece profiles of the curved workpiece, and adjusting the smoothing curve for cutting machine constraints of downstream motion controlled cutting devices to generate an adjusted curve generating unique position cams unique to the workpiece from the adjusted curve for optimized cutting by the cutting devices along a tool path corresponding to the position cams, sequencing the transfer and the workpiece with the cutting devices, and sequencing the unique position cams corresponding to the workpiece to match the position of the workpiece feeding the workpiece, on the transfer, longitudinally into cutting engagement with the cutting devices, and actively relatively positioning the workpiece and the cutting devices relative to each other according to a time-based servo loop updated recalculation, based on said workpiece position of cutting engagement target position as the workpiece is fed longitudinally so as to position the cutting engagement of the cutting devices along the tool path.

An edging and curve-sawing saw has a selectively skewable sawbox, skewable to a workpiece infeed path so as to receive workpieces translated longitudinally along the infeed path and into the sawbox. The sawbox rotatably supports a saw arbor. A plurality of saw blades are slidingly mounted on the saw arbor in a parallel laterally spaced array. The saw blade array spacing is selectively adjustable device mounted to the sawbox. The array is slide on the arbor relative to the sawbox according to an optimized profile.

Method and apparatus for curve sawing or traverse edging with an active

A sawguide positioning method for circular gang saws mounted on a single saw arbor shaft. A guide bar is positioned generally parallel to the saw arbor shaft. A plurality of sawguide pairs are slidably mounted on the guide bar for longitudinal axial travel thereon. The guides extend on either side of each of the circular saws. A pair of opposed sawguide positioning wedges are threadably mounted on a selectively rotatable shaft having a right hand threaded end and a left hand threaded end, the axis of the shaft being generally at right angles to both the saw arbor shaft and the guide bar. The wedges are threaded on to the selectively rotatable shaft with their vertices innermost. The threaded shaft has an enlarged diameter portion or disk intermediate the threaded ends which is rotatably positioned within matching recesses in the opposed faces of the sawguides. Selective rotation in either direction of the shaft causes axial travel of the positioning wedges along the shaft toward or away from the disk thereby repositioning the sawguides and changing the spacing between the saw blades. Confinement of the disk on the shaft within the mating recesses prohibits any longitudinal translation of the shaft relative to the sawguides thereby maintaining the opposed sawguide positioning wedges equidistant from the center of the shaft and thereby permitting the positioning wedges to operate in unison. Once adjusted, the sawguides are squeezed together thereby maintaining accurate saw positioning.

Incline wedge variable target size sawguides for circular gang saws

A first collar is releasably slidably journalled onto a selectively rotatable shaft so as to lie in a first plane generally perpendicular to the shaft. The first collar has a first helically inclined cam surface extending between a thin portion of the first collar and a thick portion of the first collar. A second collar is releasably mountable onto the shaft into fixed relation relative to the shaft, so as to lie in a second plane generally parallel to the first plane. The second collar has a cam follower surface such as a second helical inclined cam surface for sliding engagement over the first helically inclined cam surface between the thick portion and the thick portion of the first collar upon selective rotation of the shaft. First and second sawguides are slidably mounted on the shaft for longitudinal sliding thereon on opposed sides of the first and second collars. The first sawguide has the first collar rigidly mountable thereto, the first collar being adjacent the second collar. The second sawguide is adjacent the second collar. A press is provided for urging the first and second sawguides slidably towards each other along the shaft against the first and second collars respectively. The longitudinal translation of the second collar along the shaft relative to the first collar causes relative longitudinal translation between the first and second sawguides on the shaft.

Incline disc variable target size sawguides for circular gang saws

A device for positioning sawguides for circular gang saws includes a first shaft rotatable about a first axis, an annular gear having an outer surface and a concentric threaded inner surface and rotatable in a first plane about a second axis, the first plane generally perpendicular to the second axis, the first shaft rotatably engagable with the outer surface of the annular gear wherein rotation of the first shaft about the first axis rotates the annular gear about the second axis, the annular gear journalled on and coaxial with a second shaft lying along the second axis, a collar slidably mounted on the second shaft and adapted for non-rotational longitudinal sliding along the second shaft, the collar having an outer threaded surface concentric with the threaded inner surface on the annular gear for journalled threaded engagement therein whereby rotation of the annular gear by the first shaft causes longitudinal translation of the collar along the second axis relative to the annular gear, first and second pairs of sawguides slidably mounted on the second shaft for longitudinal sliding thereon on opposed sides of the annular gear and the collar, the first pair of sawguides adjacent the annular gear, the second pair of sawguides adjacent the collar, and an actuator for urging the first and second pairs of sawguides slidably towards each other along the second shaft against the annular gear and the collar respectively, whereby the longitudinal translation of the collar along the second shaft relative to the annular gear causes relative longitudinal translation between the first and second pairs of sawguides on the second shaft.

Threaded ring and nut variable target size sawguides for circular gang

A lug loader for loading individual boards of lumber from a feed transfer to a lugged transfer in a lumber mill. A plurality of saw-toothed wheels engaged each board in turn and propels it onto the lugged transfer. A plurality of parallel stop members receive boards individually from the feed transfer, each stop member having a board-receiving portion to receive and support a board lying transversely across the stop members and a stop portion preventing further travel of the board when resting upon the stop members. The stop members are movable between raised and lowered positions and are located relative to the saw wheels such that a board lying across the stop members is maintained out of engagement with the saw wheels in their raised positions and may be lowered into engagement with the saw wheels. The presence or absence of a board on the stop members is detected and a control signal is generated in accordance with the condition detected. A lug index associated with the lugged transfer generates a control signal at predetermined points of progression of the lugged transfer whereat a lug is at a position to receive a board from the feed transfer. The control signals are applied to a controller which actuates the stop members such that when the lugged chain transfer is at an appropriate point to receive the board and the presence of the board on the stop members is verified, the signals applied to the controller causes the stop members to move to their lowered position and when it is detected that the board has been propelled forward by the saw wheels, the stop members are returned to their raised position to receive the next board. The combination of the positive saw wheel drive for the boards and the board detecting device eliminates many problems associated with conventional 'backlog-fed' devices.

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Salmon Arm, Canada

John Sergeant