Opcon Incorporated

Far West Equipment & Control Corp.

Theodore C Foster

A first conveyor moves cants to a delivery position adjacent to a second conveyor whose axis of movement is transverse to that of the first conveyor. A cant movement and aligning mechanism, which includes an overhead support that supports at least two positioning heads for movement in a direction transverse to the axis of movement of the second conveyor, moves the cant onto the second conveyor. The positioning heads are moved between a position beyond the trailing edge of a cant located at the delivery position and a position overlying the second conveyor. Each of the positioning heads includes a pusher pin and a hold-down pin mounted such that the longitudinal axis of the pusher and hold-down pins are vertically oriented and such that the pusher pin lies beyond the trailing edge of a cant located at the delivery position and the hold-down pin lies in a position between the pusher pin and the second conveyor. Each of the positioning heads includes an extension and retraction mechanism for extending and retracting the pusher and hold-down pins. A control system connected to the positioning heads and the extension and retraction mechanism moves the positioning heads to a position such that the pusher pins lie beyond the trailing edge of a cant at the delivery position. The pusher and hold-down pins are then extended such that the lower end of the pusher pins lie beyond the upper surface of a cant at the delivery position and the lower end of the hold-down pins lie atop the upper surface of a cant at the delivery position. The positioning heads are then moved toward the second conveyor so that the pusher pins impinge on the trailing edge of the cant and move the cant from the delivery position towards the second conveyor. The movement continues until the cant lies in a predetermined position above the second conveyor. Thereafter, the pusher and hold-down pins are retracted.

Cant movement and aligning mechanism

Cants from logs are conveyed transversely to their length to measure the cant thickness and position of the upper surface by passing under a thickness detector that directs the vertical positioning of a plurality of linearly spaced proximity edge sensors. The cant passing a sensor causes a series of pulses related to the conveyor speed to be introduced into a computer to measure the width of the cant at each of the sensor positions. The computer determines the alignment of the linear axis of the cant to yield the maximum board volume and directs the positioning of the cant relative to edging saws and transfer of the cant to a longitudinal conveyor for feed into the edging saws. The apparatus employed comprises a frame supporting a conveyor having its travel transverse to the length of the cant to be transported and a plurality of upper and lower proximity edge sensors linearly spaced parallel to the length of the cant. The upper sensors are adapted to be vertically positioned relative to the upper surface of the cant as established by a thickness detector positioned upstream of the edge sensors. As the leading edge of the cant passes a sensor a series of electrical pulses is initiated to a computer for that sensor and as the trailing edge passes the sensor terminates the pulses, thereby establishing the cant width at each sensor position. The computer determines maximum cant yield and directs positioning heads to position the cant in relation to edging saws for transfer to a longitudinal conveyor for feeding into the edging saws.

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Eugene, OR, United States of America

Theodore C Foster