CA1179579A - Lumber planing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A lumber planing machine with mechanisms in several embodiments whereby equal thickness planing cuts are very accurately taken from the top and bottom surfaces of sawed lumber with capability of planing at a high rate of speed while .
automatically adjusting for variation in lumber thickness, and while maintaining a high level of accuracy in the planed lumber dimensions, and yet returning to former methods of specific planing cuts on the bottom surface under special circumstances.

Description

BACKGROUND O~' THE INVENTION
As is known in the forest products industry, the need for more accurate machinery to produce standard size finished lumber products has increased as the cost of the timber resource used in making lumber products has increased in value. Moreover the increased accuracy must be preferably accompanied by increased speeds of overall operations.
Standard planing machines now in use take a fixed planing cut from the lumber with the bottom cutterhead with the remaining material being removed by the top cutterhead. The minimum bottom planing cut must be sufficient to remove sawing irregularities caused by the least accurate sawing machine in the sawmill requiring the set cut from the lumber by the bottom cutterhead to be significantly greater than the very thin cut that would be required to cleanly plane the bottom of the most accurately sawed lumber from the sawmill. Because it is impractical to separate and separately plane the accurately sawed lumber and inaccurately sawed lumber from the sawmill it is necessary to set the depth of - ~ ii 11'7~5~

1 the bottom cutterhead planing cut sufficiently large to remove the

2 most severe sawing irregularities, and thereby requiring that all

3 sawing machines in the sawmill be set to saw lumber thickness with

4 sufficient planing allowance for a heavy, i.e. deep~ bottom cutter-6 head planing cut.

The sawed lumber planing machine and method of this invention 11 reduce the previously required size of the sawed lumber to the 12 minimum size requirement for each sawing machine in a sawmill, by 13 individually centering each sawed lumber piece in this planer 14 ahead of the top cutterhead, thereby taking a thin and equal plan-ing cut from top and bottom surfaces of thin and accurately sawed 16 lumber and heavier and equal cuts from the top and bottom surfaces 17 of thicker and less accurately sawed lumber. The ability to 18 individually set each sawing machine in the sawmill to the minimum 19 sawed lumber dimensions produces wood fiber savings valuable to the lumber manufacturer in terms of cost savings and ~aluable to 21 the public in terms of resource savings.
22 Another problem solved by this invention is the reduc-23 tion of surface damage to planed lumber during the planing opera-24 tion. Standard planers now in use which take a fixed cut~ from the bottom surface of sawed lumber and a very heavy cut from the upper 26 surface of sawedlumber produce excessive surface damage around 27 knots and other irregularities resulting in reduced grade and 28 associated economic loss. The practice of this invention reduces 29 the surface damage to planed lumber by distributing the planing thickness equally between the top and bottom surfaces of sawed "

1 lumber thereby eliminating the very heavy planing cuts known to 2 produce surface damage.
3 In addition to planing equally from top and bottom surfaces of 4 the sawed lumber~ this invention can be automatlcally set to take a fixed cut from the bottom surface of the lumber with the 6 remaining planing stock removed by the top cutterhead. as is 7 accomplished by conventional planers in current manufacture. This 8 feature provides the means whereby sawed lumber can be surfaced on 9 one side only as is required on some products in common manufacture.
The method of planing whereby only one side is planed is by adiust-11 ing the bottom planing cut for a zero thickness cut, thereby 12 planing the entire required thickness with the top cutterhead. In 13 addition, this feature provides the means whereby a large surface 14 defect on the top surface of the sawed lumber can be removed by means o planing a thin planing cut with the bottom cutterhead and 1~ a thick planing cut with the top cutterhead.
17 Another object of this invention is to provide a very accurate 18 lumber planing machine. To create such accuracy, components and a 19 method are provided of sharpening cutterhead knives to a fixed plane, whereby the planing surfaces of the cutterheads are main-21 tained accurately at the proper set position. In addition, to 22 create such accuracy, a method and components are provided whereby 23 the infeed and outfeed feed rolls are automatically set to a 24 proper relationship with the cutterhead settings.
Other and further objects, features and adv~ntages of this 26 invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the 27 reading of the detailed disclosure and the review of the drawings.

11'~5'i<) 1 DESCRIPTION Ol~ TIIE I)RAWINGS
2 Figure 1 is a side schematic elevation, with some portions 3 broken away. of a preferred embodiment of a sawed lumber planing 4 machine having automatic equal top and bottom planing capabilities:
Figure 2 is an enlarged partial schematic elevation. with some 6 portions broken away~ of the preferred embodiment shown in figure 7 1;
8 Figure 3 is an enlarged partial schematic elevation! with some g portions broken away. similar to figure 2, but showing another embo-diment utilizing only one higher pressure hydraulic fluid source 11 in contrast to the higher and lower pressure hydraulic fluid 12 sources utilized in theembodiment of figures 1 and 2;
13 Figure 4 is an enlarged partial schematic elevation, with 14 some portions broken away, similar to figures 2 and 3, but showing another embodiment ~apable of selecting a fixed bottom planing 16 cut;
17 Figure 5 is an enlarged partial schematic view showing another 18 embodiment. wherein all of the hydraulic operations are combined 19 throughout this planing machine and arranged to move all the adjusting mechanis~. via one source of a high pressure hydraulic 21 fluid, i.e. moving the platens, feed rollersi and cutterheads via 22 only this one source of hydraulic fluid 23 Figure 6 is an enlarged partial top view with some portions 24 broken away, to illustrate the cutting adjustmcnts of the sidc cutters, i.e. the inside and outer cutterheads, lS viewed from 26 line 6-6 in figure 1;
27 Figure 7 is a partial enlarged elevational view. with por-28 tions broken away, of a portion of a cutterhead having a cutter 29 rotating by a portion of a sharpening cutter stone to illustrate how the cutters are accurately sharpened;

11'7~5 f 9 1 Figure 8 is a partial enlarged schematic elevation with 2 portions broken away, to illustrate how the cutterhead is moved on 3 a forty five degree path in making contact with a reference struc-4 ture such as at the sharpening locale of a join~er stone tip which in turn insures the rotating cutters will be cutting in the speci-6 fied geometric plane-7 Figure 9 is an enlarged perspective partial view ! with portionc 8 broken away, showing the built in cutter sharpening cutter stone 9 subassembly and its movement and adjustment features:
Figure 10 is an enlarged schematic side elevation of the cut-11 ter sharpening adjustments and the cutter location adjustments 12 undertaken by operating respective threaded adjustment assemblies~
13 which insure the sharp rotating cutters will be cutting in the 1~ specified geometric plane.
Figure 11 is a schematic hydraulic diagram illustrating how 16 the raising and lowering of the upper or top platen assembly, lo-17 ¦ cated ahead of the top cutter head is sensed and thereafter ad-18 ¦ justments are undertaken to make corresponding height adjustments tc 19 ¦ the top feed rollers;
20 ¦ Figure 12 is a schematic hydraulic diagram to show how the 21 ¦ raising and lowering o the lower or bottom platen assembly located 22 ¦ ahead o~ the top cutter head is sensed, and thereafter adjustments 23 ¦ are undertaken to make corresponding height adjustmcnts to the 24 ¦ lower feed rollers.
25 ¦ Figure 13 is a schematic hydraulic diagram illustrating how 26 ¦ the raising and lowering of the upper or top nlaten located ahe~(l 27 ¦ of the top cutterhead is sensed. and then the lower or bottom 28 ¦ platen~ also located ahead of the top cutterhead is equally res-29 p ctively raised or lowered and ~i 11'~3S ~

1 Figure 14 is a schematic hydraulic diagram showing how an 2 overall hydraulic system of a different embodiment is arranged to 3 alternately and quickly, reversibly~ convert the otherwise top 4 and bottom equal planing machine for sawed lumber into a planing, machine capable of making a set bottom planing cut of zero or 6 deeper for special planing purposes to create other planed lumber 78 products.

12 D~TAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
13 Introduction 14 The invention concerns planing sawed lumber, with respect to ~arious embodiments of components and various embodiments of 16 method steps. wherein oncoming sawed lumber is automatically.
17 accurately, quickly and reliably sensed, guided~ centered, and 18 equally cut planed on top and bottom~ and planed on both sides and 19 rapidly discharged during most planing operations. Yet, when nec-essary, the bottom plane cut automatically may be reduced, fixed.
21 or eliminated by a zero setting, to plane special boards. Through-22 out all operations minimum wood waste is a major objective, while 23 still creating excellent wood products at a very cconomical and 24 safe rate of production, with accuracy being maintainetl by built in sharpening components and by special cutterhead positioners.

28 The Feed Rolls 29 As shown in figure 1~ the method and components used in feed-ing sawed lumber through the equal planing machine 2Q is by means ' ~17~5~/~

1 of powered feed rolls 21, 22, 23, 24~ 25 and 26. which are suspended 2 from a common overall framing structure 27~ of many parts~ all 3 designated by the numeral 27, that extend throughout this sawed 4 lumber equal planing machine 20. These powered feed rolls are cy-linders rotating about roll axis bearings 21c, 22c. 23c, 24c. 25c 6 and 26c respectively. Sawed lumber enters the lumber planing machine at the infeed girt 28 and travels through this lumber plan-8 ing machine in the direction shown by feed arrow Z9 by means of 9 the gripping powered feed rolls 21, 22, 23, 24, 25~ and 26, which are rotating at substantially uniform speed relative to each other.
11 The initially sawed lumber advances through the lumber planing 12 machine to a position beyond fifth and sixth powered feed rolls 25 13 and 26~ where an additional conveying machine, not shown and not 14 forming a part of this invention~ receives the planed lumber. The method of powering the powered feed rolls 21, 2Z~ 23, 24. 25, and 16 26 can be by individual motors of various types or by a common 17 chain or gear drive, which are well known in the art.

The Cutterheads 21 As shown in figures 1 and 6, the four cutterhcads providing the 22 means whereby the sawed lumber surfaces are planed. are the top 23 cutterhead 40, bottom cutterhead 41, inside side cutterhead 42, and 24 outside side cutterhead 43, each with secured cutting knives 40a, 41a, 42a, and 43a. The method of securing these cutting knives 26 in these cutterheads is well known in the art. such as by a 27 locking gib pressing against these cutting ~nives or other means 228 f generally conventional design.

1~ ~3S~f~
' 1 Setting the Top and Bottom Cutters_to Plane the Lumber to 2 Selected Thickness 3 The eventual resulting planed thickness of the originally 4 sawed lumber is set by the distance between planes Pl and P2 shown on Figure 2, whereby plane Pl is substantially in plane with the 6 lower surface 44a on the top cutterhead pressure plate 44~ and 7 plane P2 is substantially in plane with the tangential planing 8 surface of the bottom cutterhead 41. The dimensions between the 9 plane Pl and the plane P2, are set by the position of the top cutterhead 40 and the bottom cutterhead 41, provided the tangent 11 points of the planing cuts of the cutterheads 40 and 41 are set 12 substantially in plane with the lower surface 44a on the top 13 cutterhead pressure plate 44 and the upner surface 45a on the 14 bottom cutterhead tailplate 45 respectively.
As shown in figures 1 and 8~ the top cutterhead 40 is posi-16 tioned, so the tangent point of the planing cut is substantially in 17 plane with the lower surface 44a on the top cutterhead pressure 18 plate 44, by means of the top cutterhead jointing jack 46, which 19 traverses the top cutterhead 40 among the top forty five degree sloping jointing way 47 to this proper set position. The bottom 21 cutterhead 41 is positioned, so the tangent point of the planing 22 cut is substantially in plane with the upper surface 45a on the 23 bottom cutterhead tailplate 45, by means of the bottom cutterhead 24 jointing jack 48, which traverses the bottom cuttcrhead 41 along bottom forty five degree sloping jointing way 49 to this proper 26 set position. ~ith the top cutterhead 40 and bottom cutterhead 41 27 properly positioned, the thickness of the planed lumber is now 28 substantially equal to the normal distance between the lower sur-29 face 44a on the top cutterhead tailplate 44~ with this upper surface 45a on bottom cutterhead tailplate 45, being substantially 1 fixed relative to overall framing structure 27. The top cutterhead 2 pressure plate 44 is positioned by means of the thickness position-ing jack 50 traversing the top cutterhead assembly 51 relative to 4 the framing structure 27 along the top positioning way 52. whereby this positioning jack 50 substantially determines the thickness 6 of the planed lumber.

9 Setting the Side Cutters to Plane the Lumber to Selected l~idth Figure 6 is a plan view of the inside side cutterhead 42, 11 and the ou~tside side cutterhead 43~ and their adjoining components 12 with respect to their location indicated by line 6-6 on Figure 1.
13 The width of the planed lumber is set by the distance between planes 14 P3 and P4, in plane with inner surface 53a on inside side tailplate 53 and outer surface 54a on outside side tailplate 54 respectively.
16 The dimensions between these planes P3 and P4 are in turn set by th 17 position of the inside side cutterhead 42 and the outside side 18 cutterhead 43, provided the tangent points of the planing cut of 19 these cutterheads are accurately set as they will be. substantially in plane with inner surface 53a on inside side tailplate 53 and 21 outer surface 54a on outside side tailplate 54 respectively.
22 The inside side cutterhead 42 is positioned, so the tangent 23 point of the planing cut is substantially in plane with plane P3 by 24 means of the inside jointing jack 55~ which traverses the inside side cutterhead 42 along the inside forty five de~ree slo~ing joint 26 ing way 56 to the proper set position. The outside side cutterhead 27 43 is positioned so the tangent point of the planing cut is sub-28 stantially in plane with plane P4 by means of the outside jointing29 jack 5 75 which traverses the outside side cutterhead 43 along the outside forty five degree sloping jointing way 58 to the proper 1 ¦ set position. With the inside side cutterhead 42 and outside side 2 I cutterhead 43 properly positioned. the width of the planed board is ¦ substantially equal to the horizontal distance measured between and 4 ¦ normal to inner surface 53a on inside side tailplate 53 and outer

5 ¦ surface 54a on outside side tailplate 54. The inside side

6 ¦ cutterhead 42 planing cut depth is set by the inside positioning

7 ¦ jack 59 positioning the inside cutterhead assembly 60 along inside

8 ¦ way 61 relative to guiding surface 62a on main guide 62. which

9 guiding surface 62a is substantially in plane with plane P5. where-by the depth of cut is substantially the distance between planes 11 P3 and P5 measured normal to the planes P3 and P5. Tlle wi6t5h of la planed lumber is then set by the outside positioning jack ~posi-13 tioning the outside cutterhead assembly 64 alon~ outside way 65 14 relative to the inside cutterhead assembly 60, whereby the width of the planed lumber is substantially determined by the distance set 16 between inside side cutterhead 42 and outside side cutterhead 43, 17 when the cutterheads 42 and 43 are properly positioned.

The Automatic Rapid Adjustment of the Infeed Rollers and Top and 21 Bottom Platens to Equalize the Top and Bottom Planing Cuts 22 The equal planing means whereby equal planing cuts are taken 23 from the top and bottom surfaces of sawed lumber to create planed 24 lumber with minimum waste is by means of an assembly of mechanical links and levers, and their actuation using hydraulic components 26 such as valves, and cylinders. Figure 2 is an enlarged view of 27 these components utilized to create the positioning necessary to 28 accomplish the equal planing cuts. Top platen surface 70a on top 29 platen 70 and bottom platen surface 71a on bottom platen 71, position sawed lumber prior to this sawed lumber being planed by :~,' 'f'~'9 1 p cutterhead 40. With t~p cutterhead 40 and bottom cutterhead 41 2 properly positioned, the planes Pl and P2 determine substantially the planed top and bottom surfaces respectively of the planed lum-4 ber. Therefore the top platen surface 70a and bottom platen sur-face 71a must position the sawed lumber with the top lumber surface 6 72 and bottom lumber surface 73 equally spaced above plane Pl and 7 below plane P2 respectively, to create equal planing cuts -from the 8 top and bottom surfaces of the lumber.
9 Top platen surface 70a is substantially in plane with plane Pl at the lowest position of top platen 70 occurring when upper 11 platen arm 74 is in contact with upper stop 75, whereby means for la the contact between upper platen arm 74 and upper stop 75 is 13 provided by regulated fluid pressure source 76, as shown in figure 14 13, supplying a regulated and setable pressure fluid means to top platen cylinder 77. The top platen cylinder 77 is retracted, 16 thereby lowering top platen 70 and in turn lowering upper platen 17 arm 74 until the contact is made between upper platen arm 74 and 18 upper stop 75, provided lumber or other objects are not present 19 between top platen 70 and bottom platen 71 preventing this mo~ion, Bottom platen surface 71a is substantially in plane 21 with plane P2, when platen mechanical servo valve 78 is in the null 22 position, and top platen surface 70a is substantially in plane with 23 plane Pl, 24 When top platen 70 is raised by lumbcr entering the gap between top platen surface 70a and bottom platen sur~Llce 71a, top 26 platèn cylinder clevis 77a, shown in i:igure 2 an~l also shown 27 schematically on Figure 13. raises platen servo valve stem 78a 28 on platen mechanical servo valve 78 a distance substantially equal 29 to the rise of top platen surface 70a, releasing high pressure fluid from high pressure fluid supply 79. Then the bottom platen ~j .
11-95~

1 cylinder 80 is retracted, whereby bottom platen link 81 retracts, 2 rotating primary bell crank 82 about primary pivot 82a and 3 secondary bell crank 83 about secondary pivot 83a, resulting in 4 lowering bottom platen 71 equally at primary pin connection 82b and secondary pin connection 83b. with this equal lowering occurring 6 by means whereby the geometry of primary bell crank 82 and secon-7 dary bell crank 83 are substantially of equal lever arms and shape.
8 Primary link 84 thereby lowers substantially equal to the 9 lowering of bottom platen 71. Primary lever pin 85b on primary lever 85 lowers a distance substantially equal to said lowering 11 of bottom platen 71. whereby primary lever pin 85c at the end of 12 primary lever 85 lowers a distance substantially twice said lower 13 ing of bottom platen 71. which lowering is accomplished~ by the 14 distance from primary lever pin 85a to primary lever pin 85c being substantially twice the distance from primary lev~r pin 85a to 16 primary lever pin 85b.
17 In turn, secondary link 86 lowers a distance equal to 18 substant~ally twice the lowering of bottom platen 71 and secon-19 dary lever pin 87c on secondary lever 87 in turn lowers a distance substantially twice the lowering of bottom platen 71. Secondary 21 lever pin 87a at the end of secondary lever 87 raises a distance 22 substantially equal to twice the lowering of bottom platen 71.
23 which rising distance is accomplished. by the distance from 24 secondary lever pin 87a to secondary lever pin 87b being sub-stantially equal to the distance from secondary lever pin 87b 26 to secondary lever pin 87c. Tertiary link pin 88a on tertiary 27 link 88 thereby raises a distance substantially equal to twice said 28 lowering of bottom platen 71. Tertiary lever pin 89b on tertiary 29 lever 89 thereby raises a distance substantially equal to the lowering of bottom platen 71~ which rising distance is accomplished ~ 9S~9 1 by the distance from tertiary lever pin 89b to tertiary lever pin 2 89a being substantially one half the distance from tertiary lever pin 89a to tertiary link pin 88a.
4 Top platen cylinder 77 is thereby raised a distance substan-tially equal to the lowering of bottom platen 71~ thereby raising 6 the platen mechanical ser~o valve 78 equally until the null posi~
7 tion of the platen mechanical servo valve 78 is reached, This null 8 position is reached when the lowering of bottom platen 71 is equal 9 to the rise of top platen 70. thereby insuring that the sawed lumber is equally positioned above plane Pl and below plane P2 J
11 and also thereby insuring equal planing cuts will be taken from the 123 top and bottom surfaces of sawed lumber.

16 Utilization of Lower Pressure }Iydraulic ~luid to Create Pressure 17 Between Platens and of Higher Press'ure ~Iydraul'ic ~luid to Quic~ly __ 18 Adiust to Oncoming Different Thickness'es of the Sawed Lumber __ As shown in Figures 2 and 13, the force o top platen sur~ace 70a on top lumber surface 72 of sawed lumber feeding through this 2~ lumber planing machine 20 is controlled by regulated fluid pressure 22 source 76 supplying a regulated and setable pressure fluid means 23 to top platen cylinder 77, thereby retracting the top platen cy-24 linder 77 and lowering top platen 70 until top platen surface 70a is in contact with top lumber surface 72 of lumber being planecl.
26 The lumber then has its bottom lumber surface 73 directly in contac 27 with bottom platen surface 71aS whereby the closing forces of top 28 platen surface 70a and bottom platen surface 71a upon the top lum-29 ber surface 72 and bottom lumber surface 73 are substantially equal and directly opposed. These closing forces are substantially 1~7951~

1 controlled and regula~ed via the movement of the top platen 2 cylinder 77, and by the lower pressure regulated fluid pressure 3 source 76. As described before, the bottom platen cylinder 80, 4 which controls the position of bottom platen 71 ! is in turn positioned by means of platen mechanical servo valve 78. which 6 directs hydraulic fluid flow from the higher pressure fluid supply 7 79.
8 A means is therefore provided to quickly and equally position 9 the top platen surface 70a and bottom platen surface 71a for equal planing at a very high rate of speed, because this positioning 11 means employs a high pressure fluid supply 79, supplying a loading 12 means with resulting high positioning forces necessary for rapid 13 and accurate positioning. While at the same time another cooper-14 atin~ means is independently employing a regulated fluid pressure source 76, supplying a means throug}l top platen cylinder 77.
16 whereby a relatively low and regulated force is applied to the 78 top and bottom surfaces of the lumber being planed.

21 Advantages of These Equal To~ and Bottom Planing Automatic 22 ~echanisms 23 This equal planing means allows for equally planing from top 24 an~ bottom surfaces of sawed lumber at a higll ratc o r specd. for example at 1,000 feet per minute.through this lumber equal planing ~6 machine, while employing low contact forces on the lumber, thereby 27 gently handling sawed lumber. and thereby preventing damage that 28 would occur if high forces were applied to the lumber surfaces.
29 In addition, this equal planing means positions the sawed lumber in :~ :l's-9~S~; 9 1 a positive manner. whereby unequal forces on the lumber cannot 2 move the lumber substantially from the setting position described 3 for equal planing cuts planed from top lumber surface 72 and bottom 4 lumber surface 73. Also the high pressure fluid supply 79 is sub-stantially a non-compressible fluid to provide positive positioning 6 of this equal planing means. This positive positioning of this 7 equal planing means is in sharp contrast to other possible center-8 ing means, such as a spring centering system~ whereby unequal forcec 9 on lumber, centered by such spring centering means would move the lumber from the center position~ thereby resulting in unequal 11 planing cuts on the top and bottom of the lumber.
12 This equal planing means also provides that this lumber 13 planing machine can be set for various planed lumber thickness 14 settings~ while automatically maintaining equal planing cuts from the top lumber surface 72 and bottom lumber surface 73. During 16 operations of this equal planing means, whereby e~ual planing cuts 17 are automatically maintained, the bottom platen surface 71a is 18 substantially maintained at its prior set position, when the top 290 cutterhead assembly 51 is adjusted for various thickness settings.

23 Ch~ing the Position o the To~ Cutter to Change the Thickness _ 24 of Planed Lumber When the top cutterhead assembly 51 is raised to plane 26 thicker lumber or lowered to plane thinner lumber by mcans of 27 thickness positioning jack 50, the top pla~en surface 70a is 28 maintained substantially at the top platen surface 70a's prior 29 relative position to top cutterhead assembly 51, by means wherebv upper platen arm 74 bears against upper stop 75. When this top Page lS

ll'--~S~9 1l 1 cutterhead assembly 51 is positioned to a different planed lumber 2 thickness setting, it is not important whether the position change 3 was from a thin planed lumber setting to a thicker planed lumber 4 setting or from a thick planed lumber setting to a thinner planed lumber setting, provided the change in position settin~ o~ the 6 top cutterhead assembly 51 did not substantiAlly change the 7 position of bottom platen surface 71a.
8 The changed position setting of top cutterhead assembly 51 to 9 be described will be from a thin planed lumber setting to a thicker planed lumber setting. When top cutterhead assembly 51 is raised 11 by thickness positioning jack 50, top platen surface 70a is raised 12 substantially the same distance as top cutterhead assembly 51 as 13 previously described, whereby top platen cylinder clevis 77a is 14 raised substantially the same distance as the rise of top platen surface 70a. Also the primary lever pin 85a is raised a distance 16 substantially equal to the rise of top platen surface 70a~ thereby 17 lowering, via primary lever 85, the primary lever pin 85c a dis-18 tance substantially equal to the rise of top platen surface 70a.
19 which lowering is accomplished by the distance from primary lever pin 85a to primary lever pin 85c being substantially twice the dis-21 tance from primary lever pin 85a to primary lever pin 85b. In 22 turn, secondary link 86 lowers a distance substantially equal to 23 the rise of top platen surface 70a, and secondary lever pin 87c in 24 turn lowers a distance substantially equal to the rise of top platen surface 70a Secondary lever pin 87a raises a distance sub-26 stantially equal to the rise of top platen surface 70a. which 27 rising distance is accomplished by the distance from secondary 28 lever pin 87a to secondary lever pin 87b being substantially equal 29 to the distance from secondary lever pin 87b to secondary lever pin 87c along the secondary lever 87. Tertiary link pin 88a on ,,,i'', ~ S~9 l tertiary link 88 thereby raises a distance substantially equal to 2 the rise of top platen surface 70a and tertiarv le~er pin 89a also 3 raises a distance substantially equal to the rise of top platen 4 surface 70a, whereby tertiary lever ~in 89b raises a distance substantially equal to the rise of top platen surface 70a~ which 6 rise is accomplished by the two end points of tertiary lever 89 7 raising an equal distance. Top platen cylinder 77 and platen 8 mechanical servo valve 78 thereby each raise a distance substan-tially equal to the rise of top platen surface 70a.and top platen cylinder clevis 77a also raises a distance substantially equal to ll the rise of top platen surface 70a as previously described, thereby 12 resulting in substantially zero motion of platen servo valve stem 13 78a relative to platen mechanical servo valve 78. Therefore the 14 bottom platen cylinder 80 is retained substantially at the same set position as prior to the raising of top cutterhead assembly 51, 16 and in turn the bottom platen surface 71a is retained substantially 17 at the same set position as prior to the raising o~ top cutterhead 18 assembly 51, thereby providing the means whereby top platen surface 19 70a and bottom platen surface 71a are substantially retained in their required relative set positions, but to plane lumber at a 21 different thickness, while still utilizing all the equal planing 22 means, 26 A _loating Bottom Platen Presses the Top Planed ~,umber lJ~wardly 27 Against the Top Pressure Plate as the I,umber is Guided by the 28 _ttom Cutterhead 29 After the sawed lumber is equally positioned between top platen surface 70a and bottom platen surface 71a, top lumber ,~ ,..

15';'9 1 surface 72 is planed by top cutterhead 40. Then following this top planing, the top surface of the lumber is pressed against 3 lower surface 44a of top cutterhead pressure plate 44 by means of 4 bottom floating platen surface lOOa bearing against bottom lumber 5 surface 73 of the lumber. whereby contact between bottom floating platen surface lOOa and bottom lumber surface 73 is assured by 7 allowing bottom floating platen 100 to raise or lower independently 8 and relative to bottom platen 71. Bottom floating platen lO0 is 9 raised and lowered by floating platen positioner 101, which is fluid pressure loaded utilizing a variable and setable fluid 11 pressure means, and which is of a sufficient range of travel.
12 whereby bottom floating platen surface lOOa will automatically 13 adjust above and below bottom p~aten surface 71a to accommodate 1~ the maximum expected variation in lumber thickness expected to occur.
16 lnis means of pressing the lumber against lower surface 44a 17 of top cutterhead pressure plate 44 provides the means, whereby the 18 oncoming sawed lu-.lber, with thickness variations from piece to 19 piece, can be planed in end to end sequence, while maintaining the equal planing cuts. When the trailing end of the lumber being 21 planed on top leaves the equal planing settin~ area between top 22 platen surface 70a and bottom platen surface 71a, top platen 70 and 23 bottom platen 71 immediately position the lcading cnd of the next 24 sawed lumber piece, which is entering the plaTI;nF machine, with the quickly changed positioning of bottom platen 71 being succcss-26 fully undertaken as it is functionally clcarcd of the floating 27 positioning of bottom floating platen lO0. Then the trailing end 28 of the lumber moves on, while being pressed between bottom floating 29 platen surface lOOa and lower surface 44a~ and it is thereby firmly positioned providing a solid lower wood sur~ace against Page 1~1.

)579 1 which the bottom cutterhead 41 planes the bottom lumber surface 73 2 of this lumber.
The planed bottom surface of the lumber leaves the bottom 4 cutterhead 41 with this bottom planed surface being substanti~lly in the plane with upper surface 45a on bottom cutterhead tailplate 6 45, when the bottom cutterhead 41 is properly positioned. Then the 7 lumber enters the inside side cutterhead 42 and outside side cut-8 terhead 43 area of this lumber planing machine, where the opposing 9 edges of the lumber are planed. The lumber is now planed on all four sides and exits the equal planing machine by means of outfeed 11 powered feed rolls 25 and 26.

16 Another Embodiment of Equal Planing Cut Mechanisms, Using Only 17 One Higher Pressure Hydraulic Fluid Source and No Lower Pressure 18 Fluid Source 19 Figure 3 is an enlarged view of the components necessary to provide the means of equal planing cuts from top lumber surface 72 21 and bottom lumber surface 73, which differs from the embodiment 22 of the equal planing means shown on Figures 1 and 2, by replacing 23 top platen cylinder 77 and platen mechanical servo valve 78, with 2~ top platen control link 104. It was shown in the -first embodiment of the equal planing means, that the combination of top platen 26 cylinder 77 and platen mechanical servo valve 78 in combination 27 with the remaining elements of this equal planing means would 28 always return platen mechanical servo valve 78 to the null posi-29 tion, thereby providing a means whereby the distance between top platen pin 70b and tertiary lever pin 89b remained a fixed length.

Paee 19 11'i~95t9 1 ¦ Therefore it will be realized that the replacement of the top 2 ¦ platen cylinder 77 and platen mechanical servo valve 78 with 3 ¦ fixed length top platen control link 104 will not change the 4 ¦ equal positioning of top platen 70 and bottom platen 71, and 5 ¦ thereby the equal planing cuts will be retained as taken from top 6 ¦ lumber surface 72 and bottom lumber surface 73 of the sawed lumber.
¦ The way in which this equal planing means positions the elements 8 ¦ has changed. whereby bottom platen cylinder 80 now is the means g ¦ by which the force of top platen surface 70a bears on top lumber

10 ¦ surface 72 of the lumber, and a substantially equal and opposed

11 ¦ force from bottom platen surface 71a bears on bottom lumber surface

12 ¦ 73 f the sawed lumber. The same force must now be caPable of

13 ¦ setting the equal planing means elements, thereby no longer having

14 ¦ the capability of separately setting the contact forces on the

15 ¦ sawed lumber, independent of the positioning force necessary to

16 rapidly set the equal planing means.

Another Embodiment of Equal Planing Cut Mechanisms ~laving an __ 21 Overriding Lower Fixed Planing Cut Capability 22 Figure 4 is an enlarged view of the components necessary to 23 provide the means of planing equal planing cuts from the top and 24 bottom surfaces of the sawed lumber with the a~ditional means of taking a fixed cut from bottom cutterhead 41, which differs from 26 the equal planing means shown in Figures 1, 2, and 13. by adding 27 a fixed cut cylinder 110 connected between bottom platen cylinder 28 80 and framing structure 27. As shown schematically in Figure 14.
29 when primary block valve 111, secondary block valve 112, and fixed cut valve 113 are in the de-energized position, this equal planing .

` ~
11'795~9 1 means functions exactly the same as the other equal planing means 2 shown on Figures 1, 2 ! and 13.
3 It does not, howeverj when the primary block valve 111 4 secondary block valve 112, and fixed cut valve 113 are all energized, then the platen mechanical servo valve 78 is isolated 6 from bottom platen cylinder 80, and also the bottom platen cylinder 7 80 is fully extended by means of high pressure fluid supply 79 8 flowing past bypass check valve 114, thereby raising bottom platen 9 surface 71a. Moreover the fixed cut cylinder 110 is retracted lowering bottom platen surface 71a, a sufficient distance so the 11 final position of bottom platen surface 71a is set below plane P2 12 a distance substantially equal to the desired fixed planing cut 13 to be planed by the bottom cutterhead 41. The fixed cut cylinder 1~ llO is attached to framing structure 27 with adjustable mounting means to allow adjusting the thickness o the fixed planing cut 16 planed by bottom cutterhead 41. The means of this adjustment is

17 well known in the art.

18 Sàwed lumber entering this lumber planing machine embodiment

19 is thereby planed with the fixed planing cut planed by bottom cutterhead 41~ whereby the remaining planed thickness to be removed 21 is planed by top cutterhead 40. The top platen 70 raises to allow 22 the sawed lumber entry between top platen surface 70a and bottom 23 platen surface 71a, with the force of top platen surface 70a on 24 the sawed lumber controlled by top platen cylinder 77 by the same means as previously described. This method of rapidly changing 26 the operation of this lumber planing machine embodiment from equ~l 27 planing cuts planed by top cutterhead 40 and bottom cutterhead 41, 28 to a means whereby a fixed cut is planed by bottom cutterhead 41, 29 provides the overall means whereby sawed lumber with a large defect on one surface can be planed heavy on the defect side with Il ~ 35 ~9 1 a corresponding thin planing cut planed on the opposing surface.
In addition, the rapid changeover from equal planing cuts. provides 3 the means whereby the bottom cutterhead 41 planing cut is adjusted 4 to zero thickness, thereby providing the overall means whereby the entire planing cut is planed by top cutterhead 40 as is required 6 on some products in common manufacture requiring planing on one . 7 surface only. ' 11 The Automatic and ~ccurately Controlled Sharpening of the 12 Cutterhead Knives 13 The operation of lumber planing machines requires frequent 14 sharpening of typical cutterhead knives 120a. as shown in Figure 7, wherein a segment of typical cutterhead 120 is illustrated with 16 a typical cutterhead knife 120a contacting jointer stone 121. The 17 cutterhead 120, as indicated by the rotation arrow 122, is rotat-18 ing at a high rate of speed. while the jointer stone tip 121a 19 contacts and sharpens its extreme knife edge 123. The jointer stone 121 is secured by jointer assembly 124 shown on Figure lO, 21 with means, whereby the jointer assembly 124 can be traversed 22 along typical jointer way 125, also shown on Figure 9, continuing 23 along the entire length of typical cutterhead knives 120a, and 24 whereby the rotation of this typical cutterhead 120 provides that all the typical cutterhead knives 120a will contact jointer stone 26 121. ~A~eby~sharpening all typical cutterhead knivcs 120a.

Page Z2 1 The Accurate and Precision Constantly Available Adjustment Sub-2 Assemblies to Keep the Cutt rhead Knives in Their Specified-3 Rotative Cutting Positions, and to Likewise Keep the Jointer Stones . _, _ _ _ 4 in Their Specified Sharpening Positions4 l~herein the Cutterhead . ... ~
Heads are Moved on Forty Five Degree Paths 6 The jointèr assembly 124 is provided with means whereby the 7 travel along typical jointer way 125 extends beyond the travel of 8 typical cutterhead knives 120a to a jointer stop 126 with jointer 9 stop tip 126a as shown in Figure 10. The tangent point of the jointer stop tip 126a lies substantially in plane P7 shown in Fig-11 ure 8 and in ~igure 10. The jointer stone 121 can be adjusted 12 by means of adjusting screw 127. so the jointer stone tip 121a 13 lies substantially in plane P7. The typical cutterhead 120 is 14 provided with a typical jointing jack means to traverse the typical cutterhead 120 along plane P8 shown in Figure 8, where 16 angle A17 is the angle between plane P8 and P7, and where angle 17 A17 is substantially one half of angle A18, where angle A18 is the 18 angle measured between plane P6 and plane P7, and whereby plane 19 P6, plane P7, and plane P8 intersect at a common line. If plane P7 is substantially normal to plane P6~ then angle A17 is substan-21 tially 45 degrees. This geometry shows that~if a typical cutter-22 head 120 is traversed along plane P8, until contact of typical 23 cutterhead knives 120a is made with jointer stone tip 121a in 24 plane P7, then the tangent point of the planing cut of the typical cutterhead 120 lies substantially in plane P6, which is substan-26 tially the planed surface position required for proper positioning 27 of all cutterheads. This system of sharpening typical cutterhead 28 knives 120a~ thereby insures accurate positioning of the final 29 planing position of all cutterheads. This exact geometry is provided by turning the jointer stop ad~ustment screw 128 to j~
I 11'79S~9 1 ¦ rotate the jointer stop 126 about jointer stop pivot 126b to 2 ¦ adjust for wear in related components and to return the jointing 3 ¦ means, whereby plane P6,, plane P7, and plane P8 all intersect at 4 a common line as shown in Figure 8. This means of accurately and properly positioning typical cutterheads 120 and sharpening typical 6 cutterhead knives 120a provides a precision means of positioning 7 typical cutterheads, which are presently positioned on conventional 8 lumber planing machines solely by an operator using his eyesight, 9 hand skill and best judgment. This precise means of positioning typical cutterheads 120 and sharpening typical cutterhead knives 11 120a is incorporated on top cutterhead 40~ bottom cutterhead 41, 12 inside side cutterhead 42, and outside side cutterhead 43.

16 The Control and Adjustment of the Top Rowered Feed Rolls 17 The powered feed rolls 21, 22,, 23 t 24, 25, and 26 which feed 18 the lumber through this lumber planing machine in its various 19 embodiments are automatically positioned. The first powered feed roll 21, second powered feed roll 22 and fifth powered eed roll 21 25 are indirectly positioned by means of the first roll link 130 !
22 second roll link 131, and fifth roll link 132, as these roll links 23 directly position the first roll housing 21a, second roll housing 24 22a, and fifth roll housing 25a, These housings are positioned so the tangential lower surfaces of these powered ~eed rolls 21, 26 22, and 25 are automatically set at a nominal di.stancc. say 1/8 27 inch. below the top lumber surface 72 of the sawe~ lumber, of an 28 anticipated thickness. Thereafter the sawed lumber feeding through 29 this lumber planing machine raises these powered feed rolls 21.
22, and 25 running against top lumber surface 72 and in so doing "

11'~95'~9 1 extends the top roll cylinders 140, 141, and 142 which provide 2 a regulated forc3 via a regulated fluid pressure source. to the 3 top roll links ~2~ 131~ and 132. This utilization of a regulated 4 fluid pressure source is well known in this art.
The means whereby this lumber planing machine in its various 6 embodiments automatically positions these powered feed rolls 21~
7 22. and 25 is by utilizing a top roll mechanical servo valve 143 8 shown in Figures 1 and 11. This servo valve 143 positions the top 9 roll servo cylinder 144~ whereby a change in position of top cutterhead assembly Sl by means of thickness positioning jack 50 11 automatically changes the position of these powered feed rolls 21, 12 22, and 25, so they are substantially maintained in the same rela-13 tive position to the top cutterhead assembly 51 as they were prior 14 to the changed position of top cutterhead assembly Sl.
When top cutterhead assembly 51 is positioned to a different 16 planed lumber thickness setting. it is not important whether the 17 position change was from a thin planed lumber setting to a thicker 18 planed lumber setting or from a thick planed lumber setting to a 19 thinner planed lumber setting, provided the change in position setting of the top cutterhead assembly 51 did not substantially 21 change the relative position of the powered feed rolls 21, 22~ and 22 25. The changed position setting of top cutterhead assembly 51 23 is described as follows from a thin planed lumber setting to a 24 thicker planed lumber setting. As shown in fi~ur~ 11, when top cutterhead assembly 51 is raised, the top roll mechanical servo 26 valve 143 raises relative to top roll servo valve stem 143a, there-27 by releasing high pressure fluid from high pressure fluid supply 28 79. Therefore the top roll servo cylinder 144 is extended. which 29 in turn extends top roll link 145, whereby top servo bell crank 30 hl46 pivots about top servo bell crank pivot 146a, raising bell 95,9 1 crank servo contact point 146b, in turn raising the top roll servo 2 valve stem 143a to the null position of the top roll mechanical 3 servo valve 143. This null position is reached ~hen the rise of - 4 bell crank servo contact point 146b is substantially equal to the rise of top cutterhead assembly 51. This position change of 6 top roll link 145 also raises first roll link 130. second roll 7 link 131, and fifth roll link 132 by means of first bell crank 8 147~ second bell crank 148, and fifth bell crank 149s as these 9 bell cranks are rotated about bell crank pivots 147a 148a. and 149a. The top roll link 145 throughout its len~th is respectively 11 connected to these bell cranks by the top roll link pins 145a~
12 145b, and 145d. The rotation of bell cranks 147, 148, and 149 13 raises bell crank pins 147b, 148b~ and 149b connected respectively 14 to first top roll cylinder 140, second top roll cylinder 141, and fifth top roll cylinder 142, which, being normally retracted, are 16 then raised to in turn raise the first roll link 130. second roll 17 link 131, and fifth roll link 132. Each of these roll links is 18 raised a distance substantially equal to the rise of bell crank 19 pins 147b, 148b, and 149b, to rotate in turn the roll housings 21a~
22a and 25a, each respectively about their top roll pivots 21b, 21 22b, and 25b, thereby raising the tangential lower roll surfaces of 22 the powered feed rolls 21, 22, and 25 substantially a distance 23 equal to the rise of top cutterhead assembly Sl. lhese raises 24 being substantially equal because of the geometric shapes of the respective components and their utilization as is we]l known in 26 this art.

11'795'~9 1 Alternate Use of the Faster Revolving Fifth Feed Roll. Retracting 2 It When Substantially Alike Thickness Lumber is Moving End to End 3 Through the Machine 4 This equal planing means, whereby equal planing cuts are planed from the top lumber surface 72 and bottom lumber surface 6 73~ provides means whereby sawed lumber of varying thickness can 7 be planed end to end. The preferred normal operation of this 8 sawed lumber equal planing machine is with the fifth powered feed 9 roll 25 raised above the surface of the planed top lumber surface to avoid roll marking. It is raised by extending fifth top roll ll cylinder 142. Thereafter the planed lumber is pushed through this 12 lùmber planing machine in its various embodiments. by the following 13 planed lumber, i.e. planed board pushing directly on the end of 14 the preceding planed lumber i.e. planed board. When however. a following sawed lumber, which is excessively thicker or thinner 16 than the preceding planed lumber being pushed through this lumher 17 planing machine, enters this machine it raises or lowers the 18 first powered feed roll 21. This movement also thereby alterna-19 tively extends or retracts the first top roll cylinder 140, and the first signal cylinder 150, as shown in figures 1 and 2. As a con-21 sequence hydraulic fluid under pressure is released via the first 22 signal cylinder 150 to activate a signal device, not shown.
23 resulting in the retraction of the fifth top roll cylinder 142, 24 thereby lowering the faster revolving fifth powered feed roll 25 to contact an underlying top planed lumber surface and to pull the 26 preceding planed lumber from this lumber planing machine. This 27 lumber planing machine then quickly and automatically positions its 28 qual planing meanstoreceive and to plane thedifferent sawed lumber of 29 greater or less thickness. which could not be relied upon for clearing the preceding planed lumber from this planing machine.

11'~'95~9 1 In summary this signal, etc. means for powering planed lumber 2 from this lumber planing machine is also utilized when lumber is no 3 present to pUS}I planed lumber from the lumber planing machine, as 4 well as when lumber pushing the planed lumber is excessively thick-er or thinner than the preceding planed lumber. Such operation of 6 the fifth and sixth powered feed rolls avoids any mismanufacture 7 which might occur if a following board were otherwise allowed to 8 butt the preceding board during the operation of this equal planing machine.

13 Positioning the Lower Entry Powered Feed Rolls ._ , 14 The powered feed rolls 23 and 24 are positioned by a means.
whereby the upper tangential surfaces of these powered feed rolls 16 are maintained automatically, substantially at the same elevation 17 as bottom platen surface 71a. This positioning means utilizes a 18 bottom roll mechanicàl servo valve 151 shown in Figures 1 and 12 19 which initiates position changes of the bottom roll servo cylinder 152. Therefore a change in the position of bottom platen 71 21 automatically and equally initiates changes in the positions of the 22 upper tangential surfaces of these powered feed rolls 23 and 24, to 23 substantially maintain their upper tangential surfaces at the same 24 elevation as bottom platen surface 71a.
When the bottom platen 71 is positioned to a new position, it 26 is not important whethe~r the position change was from a lower 27 position to a higher position or from a higher position to a 28 lower position. provided the change in position did not substan-29 tially change the relative position of the upper tangential surfaces of these powered feed rolls 23 and 24 relative to bottom ~ 1 ~9 5 ~9 platen surface 71a. The changed position setting of bottom platen 71 described, as follows, will be from a lower position to a higher position setting. When bottom p-la*en 71 is raised, the bottom roll servo valve stem 151a raises relative to bottom roll mechanical-servo valve 151, thereby releasing high pressure fluid from high pressure fluid supply 79 to extend the bottom roll servo cylinder 152. It in turn extends bottom roll link 153 connected to third bell crank 154 and fourth bell crank 155 by means of bottom bell crank pins 154b and 155b, and these bell cranks pivot about their respective bell crank pivots 154a and 155a. Consequently the powered feed rolls 23 and 24 are raised and also the bottom roll mechanical servo valve 151 is raised to its null position. When this null position is reached, then the rise of the bottom roll mechanical servo valve 151, the rise of bottom servo valve stem 151a, the rise of the bottom platen sur-ace 71a, and the rise of the upper tangential surfaces of powered eed rolls 23 and 24, are all substantially equal, via the coopera-tion o the various geometric shapes of the related components.
Moreover, these upper tangential surfaces raise equally with the bottom platen surface 71a, via these geometric shapes, as is well known in the art. This positioning of the third powered feed roll 23 and the fourth powered feed roll 24 is the means, whereby a bottom lumber surface 73 of sawed lumber entering this lumber planing machine is automatically positioned at the proper level with respect to the bottom platen surface 71a prior to planing by top cutterhead 40.
Another Embodiment Regarding Positioning the Lower Entry Féed Rolls Figure 5 is an enlarged elevation view of the components necessary to provide for the automatic positioning of powered feed rolls 23 and 24 whereby in this embodiment the positioning means eliminates the need for a bottom roll mechanical servo valve 151 and bottom roll servo cylinder 152. This new means extends bottom platen link 81, as particularly shown on Figure S, to c3nnect to bottom bell crank pins 154b and 155b in lieu of link t5~, whereby 11'79S ~9 third bell crank 154 and fourth.bell crank 155 pivot ab.out.bell crank pivots 154a and 155a respectively, when the elonga.ted bottom platen link 81 extends to raise bottom platen surface 71a, thereby raising the upper tangential surfaces of the powered feed rolls 23 and 24, substantially equal to the rise of bottom platen surface 71a. This rise is undertaken substantially equally by utilizing means, whereby the geometric shapes of bell cranks 82, 83, 154, and 155 and bottom roll housin.gs 23a and 24a are such that the rises of the upper tangential surfaces of powered feed rolls 23 and 24 are substantially equal to the rise of bottom platen surface 71a. These geometric shapes are well known in the art.
This means of positioning the third powered feed roll 23 and the fourth powered feed roll 24 requires fewer component parts to properly position these powered feed rolls. However, this means requires that the bottom platen cylinder 80 positions the powered feed rolls 23 and 24, in addition to positioning bottom platen 71.
Therefore the overall rapid positioning means required for the equal planing machine will not be quite as rapid, because more weight and mass of components are positioned in contrast to the operation of the other embodiments.

Claims (32)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A machine for planing the upper and lower surfaces of a pre-sawn board longitudinally advanced through said machine, comprising:
a) a frame having front and rear ends;
b) rearwardly disposed lower cutterhead means con-nected to said frame and adapted for planing on a first pre-selected plane said lower surface of said advancing board;
c) forwardly disposed upper displaceable cutterhead means connected to said frame and adapted for planing on a second pre-selected plane said upper surface of said advancing board;
d) said upper cutterhead means being displaceable forplaning said board to a pre-selected thickness, said pre-selected thickness determined by a distance separating said first and second planes;
e) roller means disposed on said frame at generally said front end for longitudinally advancing a board to said rear end between said upper and lower cutterhead means;
f) upper displaceable platen means associated with said upper cutterhead means and connected to said frame inter-mediate said upper cutterhead means and said front end and in-cluding means mounted on said frame adapting said upper platen means to be displaced by said advancing board;
g) lower displaceable platen means operatively con-nected to and cooperating with said upper platen means;
h) said upper and lower platen means being inter-connected by means for causing separation of said platens by said advancing board a distance equal to said board thickness; and, i) whereby, displacement of said upper platen means causes oppositely directed associated displacement of said lower platen means and cooperating associated displacement of said upper platen means and whereby said distance separating said platens is maintained constant by said board so that said advancing board is aligned by said platens so that said upper and said lower cutter-head means plane said board on said first and second planes for thereby planing equal thicknesses from said upper and lower board surfaces so that said planed board has said pre-selected thickness.

2. The machine as defined in claim 1, wherein:
a) a first cylinder and piston assembly connected to said upper platen means for monitoring displacement by said board of said upper platen means;
b) a second cylinder and piston assembly mounted to said frame;
c) linkage means connecting said first and second cylinder and piston assemblies with said upper and lower platen means; and, d) servo means associated with said first and second cylinder and piston assemblies whereby displacement of said first cylinder and piston assembly causes cooperative displacement of said second cylinder and piston assembly to adjust said linkage means thereby for aligning said upper and lower platen means with said first and second planes to thereby permit equal thickness planing of said advancing board.

3. The machine as defined in claim 2, further compri-sing:
a) said upper cutterhead means mounted to an upper cutterhead assembly; and, b) displacement means connected to said upper cutter-head assembly and said frame for displacing said upper cutterhead assembly and said upper cutterhead means thereby for changing said pre-selected thickness by displacing said second plane therewith.

4. The machine as defined in claim 3, wherein:
a) said displacement means including cylinder and piston means.

5. The machine as defined in claim 3, further compri-sing:
a) pressure plate means mounted to said upper ?tterhead assembly generally rearwardly of said upper cutterhead means and aligned with said second plane for providing a bearing surface; and b) bottom floating platen means mounted to said frame generally forwardly of said lower cutterhead means and aligned with said lower platen means for pressing said advancing board upper surface against said pressure platen means for main-taining alignment of said board lower surface with said first plane.

6. The machine as defined in claim 5, wherein:
a) said bottom floating platen means including a fluid pressure positioner for aligning said bottom floating platen means.

7. The machine as defined in claim 2, wherein:
a) said bottom cutterhead means mounted to a bottom cutterhead assembly.

8. The machine as defined in claim 7, wherein:
a) displacement means connected to said bottom cutterhead assembly and said bottom cutterhead means for displacing said bottom cutterhead means whereby said bottom platen means maintaining alignment with said first plane to permit unequal thickness planing of said board.

9. The machine as defined in claim 8, wherein:
a) said displacement means including a jointing jack.

10. The machine as defined in claim 3, wherein:
a) said roller means connected to said upper cutter-head assembly displacement means for being cooperatively displaced therewith.

11. The machine as defined in claim 1, further compri-sing:
a) first and second spaced side cutterhead means mounted to said frame generally rearwardly of said bottom cutter-head means for planing sides of said board to a pre-selected width.

12. The machine as defined in claim 11, wherein:

a) each of said side cutterhead means mounted to a side cutterhead assembly; and b) displacement means connected to each of said side cutterhead assemblies and said frame for changing said pre-selected width.

13. The machine as defined in claim 12, wherein:
a) said side cutterhead assemblies displacement means including a cylinder and piston assembly.

14. The machine as defined in claim 10, further compri-sing:
a) rear roller means displaceably mounted to gener-ally said rear end for longitudinally rearwardly advancing an advancing board during displacement of said forwardly disposed roller means whereby said rear roller means being displaced from a free to a board-contact position by displacement of said for-wardly disposed roller means during changing of said pre-selected thickness.

15. The machine as defined in claim 11, wherein:
a) each of said cutterhead means being cylindrically shaped; and, b) a plurality of circumferentially disposed cutters secured to each of said cutterhead means for planing said board by contact therewith.

16. The machine as defined in claim 15, wherein:
a) sharpening assembly means connected to said frame adjacent each of said cutterhead means for sharpening said cutters.

17. The machine as defined in claim 16, wherein:
a) each of said sharpening assembly means including stop means for insuring alignment of said cutters.

18. The machine as defined in claim 3, wherein:
a) stop means secured to said upper cutterhead assembly; and b) a stop arm mounted to said upper platen means for engaging said stop means during lowering of said upper platen means to prevent further lowering thereof.

19. The machine as defined in claim 1, wherein:
a) a control link connected to said upper platen means for being cooperatively displaced by displacement of said upper platen means;
b) a cylinder and piston assembly connected to said frame; and, c) linkage means connected to said control link and to said cylinder and piston assembly and said upper and lower platen means whereby displacement of said upper platen means and said control link thereby causes cooperative displacement of said cylinder and piston assembly to thereby adjust said linkage means and align said upper and lower platen means with said first and second planes for thereby permitting equal thickness planing of said advancing board.

20. The machine as defined in claim 1, wherein:
a) a fixed cut cylinder and piston assembly connected to said frame and said lower platen means for displacing said lower platen means to thereby permit planing of a pre-selected thickness from said board lower surface.

21. The machine as defined in claim 3, wherein:
a) displacement means connected to said upper cutter-head assembly and said upper cutterhead means for displacing said upper cutterhead means.

22. The machine as defined in claim 1, wherein:
a) said displacement means including a jointing jack.

23. A method of planing sawed lumber to automatically plane equal thicknesses of wood from both the top and bottom of the lumber and to plane sides of the lumber to produce a planed board of a specified cross sectional size, in so doing keeping the removed planed waste wood to a minimum amount, comprising the steps of:
a) positioning a powered top planing cutter at a a) positioning a powered top planing cutter at a selectable planing height and at a location ahead of a bottom planing cutter to plane lumber to a pre-selected thickness;
b) positioning a powered bottom planing cutter at a fixed planing height and at a location beyond the powered top planing cutter to plane lumber to the pre-selected thickness;
c) positioning a pair of spaced side planing cutters at a selectable distance apart to plane lumber to a pre-selected width and at a location beyond the powered bottom planing cutter;
d) positioning a first top platen at a height adjust-able location ahead of the powered top planing cutter and locating the top platen to guide an oncoming board of sawed lumber to the powered top planing cutter for a specified minimum selected depth of a planing cut;
e) positioning a first bottom platen at a height adjustable location ahead of the powered top planing cutter and at a location immediately below the first top platen for a speci-fied minimum selected depth of a planing cut to be undertaken by the powered bottom planing cutter equalling the specified minimum selected depth of a planing cut to be undertaken by the powered top planing cutter;
f) operating the powered top and bottom planing cutters and the side planing cutters;
g) feeding a board of oncoming sawed lumber between the first top and first bottom platens;
h) sensing any upward movement of the first top platen caused by the entering end of the oncoming board of sawed lumber;
i) adjusting immediately the relative positions of the first top platen and first bottom platen so each platen is equally moved to center the oncoming board of sawed lumber between the planing cut depths of the respective powered top and bottom planing cutters thereby preparing for the equal planing cuts of the same depth of wood from the respective top and bottom of the ?oard of lumber; and j) feeding the sawed lumber respectively past the operating powered top, bottom and side cutters, thereby planing the same depth of wood from the respective top and bottom of the board of lumber and planing wood from both sides of the board of lumber to produce a planed board of lumber of the pre-selected cross sectional size.

24. A method of planing sawed lumber, as claimed in claim 23, wherein during the positioning of the powered top, bottom, and spaced side planing cutters, bias forces are applied moving these cutters in a forty five degree direction to contact stops which thereafter insure the planing cuts will be occurring in the specified locale.

25. A method of planing sawed lumber, as claimed in claim 23, wherein during the positioning of the powered top, bottom, and spaced side planing cutters, bias forces are applied moving these cutters in a forty five degree direction to contact cutter sharpening stones, which thereafter serve in sharpening the cutters and to insure the planing cuts will be occurring in the specified locale.

26. A method of planing sawed lumber as claimed in claim 25, comprising, in addition, the step of sensing any move-ment of a first bottom platen, and then the step of providing for and operating lower powered feed rollers located ahead of the first bottom platen at the same sensed operating height of the first bottom platen.

27. A method of planing sawed lumber, as claimed in claim 26, comprising, in addition, the step of providing for and operating a lower powered feed roller located beyond the powered bottom planing cutter at a fixed height position relative to the position of the powered bottom planing cutter.

28. A method of planing sawed lumber, as claimed in claim 25, in addition, during the positioning of the powered top planing cutter, the step of sensing such movement of the powered top planing cutter, and then the step of providing for and operating top powered feed rollers located ahead of the first top platen at the same sensed operating height of the powered top planing cutter.

29. A method of planing sawed lumber, as claimed in claim 28, comprising in addition, the step of providing for and operating a top powered feed roller located beyond the spaced side cutters at the same sensed operating height of the powered top planing cutter.

30. A method of planing sawed lumber, as claimed in claim 23, comprising, in addition, the step of sensing any move-ment of a first bottom platen, and then the step of providing for and operating lower powered feed rollers located ahead of the first bottom platen at the same sensed operating height of the -first bottom platen; and during the positioning of the powered top plan-ing cutter, in addition, the step of sensing such movement of the powered top planing cutter, and then the step o-f providing for and operating top powered feed rollers located ahead of the first top platen at the same sensed operating height of the powered top planing cutter.

31. A method of planing sawed lumber, as claimed in claim 30, comprising in addition, the step of providing for and operating a top powered feed roller located beyond the spaced side cutters at the same sensed operating height of the powered top planing cutter.

32. A method of planing sawed lumber, as claimed in claim 31, comprising the steps of retracting the top powered feed roller located beyond the spaced side cutters during opera-ting times, when oncoming boards of sawed lumber have similar thicknesses, sensing oncoming boards of sawed lumber which have dissimilar thicknesses, as one follows the other, and immediately returning this top powered feed roller, so the planed board will be positively contacted conveyed out of the way of oncoming boards by this returned top powered feed roller.