Automatic stem cutting apparatus and method

Abstract

An automatic stem cutting apparatus which is designed to analyze and rapidly process full-sized substantially tree-length stems into logs, poles or other segments for further processing in pole mills, sawmills, plywood plants and the like. The stems may be scanned by an optical device and the physical characteristics of the scanned stem are either loaded into a programmable logic controller or sent to a computer connected to the programmable logic controller for determining the optimum value of the segments which can be cut from a stem. The programmable logic controller orchestrates positioning of multiple, linearly-adjustable saw carriages or modules and on-board saw blades to optimize cutting of the stem into the segments. After being scanned, the stems are sequentially transferred to a loading apparatus which positions each stem for subsequent loading onto the saw carriages. After the saws are so positioned, each stem is sequentially transferred by the loading apparatus to the saw carriages, where it is clamped and cut into multiple segments at the preselected optimum points. The cut segments are then ejected onto a conveyor for additional processing. Alternatively, the steps of sequentially off-loading the stems from the stem conveyor onto the loading apparatus, adjusting the saw carriages for selectively cutting the stems, loading the stems onto the saw carriages, clamping the stems in cutting configuration, cutting the stems into segments of selected length and ejecting the segments from the saw carriages for further processing, can be effected by manual operation of the various subassemblies in the automatic stem cutting apparatus.