US3180377A

US3180377A - Transportable sawmill

Info

Publication number: US3180377A
Application number: US263239A
Authority: US
Inventors: Pinder Edison
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1963-03-06
Filing date: 1963-03-06
Publication date: 1965-04-27
Anticipated expiration: 1982-04-27

Description

April 27, 1965 E. FINDER 3,180,377

TRANSPORTABLE SAWMILL Filed March 6, 1963 a Sheets-Sheet 1 rNvEigpk Wawg PATENT AGE N'T April 27, 1965 E. PINDER 3,180,377

TRANSPORTABLE SAWMILL Filed March 6, .1965 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 PATENT AGENT April 27, 1965 E. FINDER 3,180,377

TRANSPORTABLE SAWMILL Filed March 6, less a sheets-sheet s M BYM C? M PATFZ NT AGFT NT April 27, 1965 E. PlNDER 3,180,377

TRANSPORTABLE SAWMILL Filed March 6, 1963 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 INV7EW'OR 073/ MM #AIENT AGENT April 27, 1965 E. FINDER TRANSPORTABLE SAWMILL 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 mww g JQN EN 6%.

Filed March 6, 1963 BATFNjL AGENT April 27, 1965 E. PINDER TRANSPORTABLE SAWMILL 8 Sheets Sheet 6 Filed March 6, 1963 PATENT AGENT April 27, 1965 D R 3,180,377

TRANSPORTABLE SAWMILL Filed March 6, 1963 8 Sheets-Sheet '7 a IwTOR @MU w 3% Eda.

PATENT AGENT April 27, 1965 E. FINDER TRANSPORTABLE SAWMILL 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed March 6, 1963 United States Patent 0 3,18%,3'l7 TRANSRURTABLE SA Vii/ELL Edison Finder, 29 Grandview Ave, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada Mar. 6, 1963, Ser. No. 263,239 4 Claims. (Ql. 143-417) This invention relates to sawmills and is particularly adapted to transportable sawmills.

In the past sawmills have been for the most part permanent and costly installations erected initially as close as possible to the source of timber. A particular type of conventional sawmill may comprise a circular saw and a log carriage mounted for back and forth longitudinal movement at one side of the saw. The carriage is provided with some form of clamping means to secure a log thereto. in the operation of the sawmill, the log carriage is first moved back to a loading position, a log is moved into place on the carriage and clamped to it, the carriage is adjusted transversely to bring the log into line with the saw, and the carriage is advanced longitudinally carrying the log past the saw where a board or cant is cut off the log. The carriage is then returned and adjusted transversely for the next cut.

In this type of sawmill the log is secured to the carriage at two or three points along its length with the remainder being unrestrained. As only one board or cant is removed from the outside of the log on the first pass of the carriage past the saw, the log has a tendency to pull away from the saw where it is not secured to the carriage. Normally the log is not secured to the carriage at the ends, and the ends pull away from the saw. When the .ext cut is made, the board or cant which is cut off may be trdnner on the ends. The board may have to be trimmed at the ends or be down graded. This represents waste and lowered production. it is apparent that this waste could be reduced by increasing the number of points at which the log is secured to the carriage. However, it is not convenient to have to secure a log at a number of places and requires a more complex carriage. These are disadvantages in this type of mill. A further disadvantage is that the clamping means normally engages a side of the log which often causes the edges of the slabs or cents to be marred. Such marring represents waste. Another disadvantage in this type of sawmill is in the length of time necessary to position a log and secure it to the log carriage.

The present invention provides a novel design of saw mill which overcomes disadvantages of prior sawmills and which is particularly adaptable to transportable sawmills.

It is frequently not economically feasible to out and haul timber to a permanent sawmill installation when the source of timber is remote or when the timer is small in size. However, the use of a transportable sawmill often makes it feasible to use such timber. In addition, a transportable sawmill may be required to salvage timber quickly from a burned over area.

Attempts have been made to provide suitable transportable sawmills. Those prior art transportable sa mills were frequently scaled down versions of the permanent sawmills and suffered from the same disadvantages. In addition, they were often dificult to set up and not well adapted for transporting from one location to another.

It is an object of this invention to overcome disadvantages of prior sawmills and provide a sawmill of novel design which operates more efficiently.

It is another object of the invention to provide in a sawmill a sawing apparatus of novel design which does not cause a sideways bending of the log during sawing.

.It is another object of the invention to provide in a Eddihdl? Patented Apr. 27, 1 .965

sawmill a log centering apparatus of novel design which aligns and positions a log for sawing quickly and accurately.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide in a sawmill a log carriage of novel design which avoids the possibility of marking with a clamping or securing means the edges of the slabs or cants or" wood out from the log.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a transportable sawmill of a design which permits it to be easily moved, quickly set up and efficiently operated.

These and other objects of the invention will appear more fully in the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which FIGURE 1 is a side view of a transportable sawmill in accordance with the present invention,

FIGURE 2 is a top view showing the twin saw blades and associated parts,

FIGURE 3 is a side view of the apparatus of FIGURE FIGURE 4 is an end view taken along line 44 of FIGURE 3,

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged sectional view of the blade spacing setting mechanism,

FIGURE 6 is a side view of an overhead log carriage in accordance with the invention,

FEGURE 7 is a top view of the log carriage of FIG- URE 6,

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view taken along line 88 of FIGURE 7,

FIGURE 9 is a sectional view taken along line 9-9 of FIGURE 7,

FIGURE 10 is a side view of a log aligning apparatus in accordance with the invention,

FIGURE 11 is an end view of the log aligning apparatus of FIGURE 10, and

FIGURE 12 is an enlarged sectional view of the bearing and support for the longitudinal shafts of the log aligning apparatus.

Briefly, the present invention uses two similar and separately mounted saws for the cuttin or sawing operation. The log is moved lengthwise, i.e., in a longitudinal direction, between the saws so that a slab or cant is cut off each side of the log at the same time. The saws are adjusted transversely towards one another by the same amount between successive passes of the log. The log cannot bend away from the saw as it might if only one saw were used, and of course, two cuts are made with a single pass of the log instead of one cut as would be the case if a single saw were used.

It may be pointed out that it is known to use a plurality of saw blades on a common shaft for various wood cutting operations such as edging. However the blades are not normally adjustable transversely and by equal amounts between successive cuts. Known prior art arrangements would not be suitable for use in this inven- 'tion.

The present invention uses a log carriage which is mounted for movement in a longitudinal direction, i. e., for horizontal movement in a longitudinal direction parallel to the saw blades, and which has a pair of dogs mounted thereto in longitudinal spaced apart relationship. The dogs are movable to a first retracted position and to a second position projecting from the carriage to engage opposite ends of a log. As the carriage moves longitudinally with the dogs in their second position, the dogs pass centrally or medially between the blades.

Normally, after slabs or cants have been cut from a log, the ends and edges are trimmed oil to provide rough lumber. With the present invention, the dogs engage the central portion of the end of the log and any marking of the wood slab engaged by the dogs is usually cut oil" when "3 i C9 the ends are trimmed. If the marks are deep the amount of end trimming can be increased with little waste. However, if the marking is in the edge or side as with prior clamping means, removal of the marks requires the cutting of a striprunning the entire length. The waste therefore tends to be greater when the clamping marks are on the side rather than the ends.

In order that a log may be positioned quickly and.

aligned with a medial vertical plane extending between the saws in the sawing area, the invention includes a log centering apparatus. A log receiving platform is positioned at the input end of the sawing area and substantially aligned longitudinally with the sawing area, and a first and a second pair of log kicker arms are mounted below the platform and spaced longitudinally from one another with the arms in the first pair and the arms in the second pair being equidistant from the medial plane.

Each pair of arms has a first retracted position lying below the surface of the platform, a second log centering position projecting upwards past the surface of the platform, on either side of said plane, and a log carrying sweep from the first position to the second position.

In a sawmill in accordance with the present invention, a log can be placed on the logreceiving platform and correctly centered while the final pass or cut is being made on the previous log. It is not necessary to wait for the return of the log carriage to position the log. Thus the sawing can continue with lesswaste of time between the sawing of successive logs.

The structures described herein for sawing and centering logs are particularly adapted for use in transportable sawrnills. The use of twin saws with an overhead log carriage engaging the ends of the log permits the use of.a relatively light carriage and decreases'the width required for saw and carriage. That 'is, when the prior art single saw was used with a carriage mounted for movement at the side, the width necessary was large enough that it was difficult to incorporate subsidiary apparatus such as edgers and trimmers mounted beside the saw'and carriage on a transportable frame. The overhead carriage decreases the width necessary for the main saw and the subsidiary apparatus can be mounted beside the main saw.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, there is shown a side view of a transportable sawmill in accordance with the invention. The main frame 10 has a pair of forward Wheels 11 and a pair of rear wheels 12. mounted thereto for movably supporting the sawmill. A tongue 14 is provided at the end ofmain frame 10 for attachment to a tractor or the like for transporting the sawmill from one place to another. Wardly from the main frame 10 and a top frame 16 is fastened to them and suitably braced. Four hydraulically extensible feet are provided, one at each corner of the main frame It for quickly levelling the frame at a new location. Only one hydraulic cylinder 17 is shown in FIGURE 1. The extended position of the foot 18 is indicated in phantom. When the foot 13 is extended the required amount by means of hydraulic pressure in cylinder 17, then the position of the foot is locked by clamping means 20 and the hydraulic pressure may be removed.

' A power source or power plant such as an internal combustion engine 21 is mounted to main frame Hi at one end. The engine 21 provides the power for the apparatus in the sawmill. It drives the main saws and the various conveyor means, it drives a hydraulic pump which provides a source of hydraulic fluid underpressure for operating the levelling feet and various drives for other apparatus, and it may also drive an electric generator to provide electric power for energizing still other subsidiary apparatus such as edger saws and trim saws.

v A sheave 22 on the drive shaft of engine 21 is connected by a belt 23 to a sheave on a power take off shaft 24. A belt 25 engages another sheave on shaft 24 and Upright members 15 extend up-.

a sheave on shaft 26. The shaft 26 provides the power for the two main saws. Only one saw is visible in FIG- URE l and the blade is designated 27, driven by belt 29 and is mounted by a saw mandrel 28 to a mandrel support 35). The mandrelsupport 34 is movable transversely on the frame at on a

track comprising rails

31 and 32 in response to rotation of control handle 33. The other main saw is similar and is similarly mounted. The two main saws and associated parts will bedescribed subsequently in more detail in connection with FIGURES 2, 3, 4 and 5. I

A longitudinally extending track 35 is mounted below top frame 16 from upright members 15. A log carriage 34 is mounted to track 35 for back and forth movement,

therealong. A chain 36 is supported in a loop by sprockets 37 and 3S and is fastened to carriage 34. A sheave 4t is fastened to sprocket 37 for rotation therewith and is connected by a belt 41 to a reversible hydraulic motor 42 so that when motor 42 is energized it drives chain as and causes longitudinal movement of carriage 34. The motor 42 is energized by hydraulic fluid through

lines

46 and 47 from a hydraulic pump (not shown) driven from power output shaft 24.

The carriage 34 is provided with a pair of

dogs

43 and 44 pivotally mounted thereto in longitudinally spaced apart relation. The dogs are movable to a first retracted position where they are pivoted upwards to a roughly horizontal position and to a second position projecting downwards (as shown in FIGURE 1) to engage the ends of a log 4-5. Thelog carriage is described in more dotail hereinafter in connection with FIGURES 6, 7, 8 and 9. When the dogs are in engagement with the log and the saw is positioned, the carriage 34 is moved forwards carrying thelog past the saw in cutting relationship. The dogs in the log engaging position thus define a path extending longitudinally between the blades, that is they define by their path of movement a medial vertical plane.

As a slab or cant is cut from log 45, it falls onto a series of spiral rollers 43. The rollers 48 are interconnected by a series of belts 5t and are driven by belts 51 and 52 from power take off shaft 24. A slab or cant falling onto the rollers 48 is moved away from the saw 27 until it strikes bumper 53. The spiral rollers 48 in conjunction with bumper 53 cause the wood slab to move transversely to fall from rollers 43 onto a moving conveyor (not shown) to move it to an edging or trimming apparatus, or to a required location in a well known manner.

The log should be aligned or centered quickly in a position where it can be engaged by

dogs

43 and 44 for movement with carriage 3 A log centering apparatus is provided which comprises a log receiving platform 55 supported on upright members 56. The platform 55 is substantially aligned longitudinally with the actual sawing area, that is the area Where the sawing takes place. Mounted below the surface of platform 55 are two parallel longitudinally extending spaced shafts. Only one of these shafts is seen in FIGURE 1 and is designated 57. i

The shafts are rotatably mounted in members 58 and are interconnected by gears 60 so that they rotate in oppo site directions. Log kicker arms 61 and 62 are fastened to opposite ends of shaft 57, and similar arms (not seen in the view of FIGURE 1) are fastened to opposite ends of the other one of the parallel shafts. A hydraulic cylinder 63 is connected to frame 10 and has a movable piston connected by rod 64 to an arm on shaft 57. When the cylinder 63 is energized it causes rotation of shaft 57 in one direction and of the other shaft in the opposite direction. This results in a'form 'of scissor-like opening and closing of the log kickers. Each pair of arms has a first retracted position lying below the surface of platform 55, a second log centering position projecting upwards past the surface of the platform on either side of a medial plane extending centrally through the sawing area, and

ensues? Kt a log carrying sweep from the first to the second position where a log placed on the platform is carried to the center of the platform and aligned in the medial plane for engagement by

dogs

43 and 44. A further description is given subsequently in connection with FIGURES 10, ll and 12.

Referring now to FIGURES 2, 3, 4 and 5, there is shown the transverse track comprising a fiat rail 31 and an inverted V rail 32 both mounted to frame it). A pair of mandrel supports 3% and 39a are mounted for movement along rails 31 and 32. A pair of rotatable axles 6'1 and 63 are mounted to the mandrel support 3% and fiat wheels 7% and '71 are mounted respectively to these axles for riding on rail 31. A pair of formed

wheels

72 and 73 are mounted to axles 67 and 68 respectively for riding on rail 32. The

wheels

72 and 73 on rail 32 restrict the movement of the mandrel support 34 to a straight transverse movement. Also mounted to axles 67 and 63 are

flat wheels

74 and 75. The

wheels

74 and 75 ride inside on enclosed rail 76, i.e., a rail in the shape of a U on its side. This prevents tipping movement of mandrel support 3% during sawing. Thus the wheels '74 and '75 with rail 76 retain the support 343 in position above rails 31 and 32 and permit only transverse movement.

A mandrel 28 is mounted to the top of mandrel support 3%) for rotatably supporting a saw blade 27. A sheave 77 is provided for driving the saw and is connected by a multiple belt 29 to a sheave 78 on shaft 25. The shaft is splined and the sheave 78 is adapted to be carried by the splined shaft 26 so that sheave 7'3 may move along shaft 26 to align itself with the position of sheave 77. This permits of a transverse movement of mandrel support 38 carrying the saw blade 27 and without intefering with the drive to the saw.

Positioned beside the mandrel support 3% is another mandrel support a. The mandrel support 39a is mounted to

rails

31, 32 and 76 in the same manner as is support 39. The general structure of the mandrel support Silo with its associated mandrel, saw and driving sheave is similar to support 3% with its associated parts as can be seen in the drawings. It is believed that further description of support 38a is therefore unnecessary. Where reference is made to parts on mandrel support 39a similar to parts described in connection with support 36, they will be given a like designation number followed by an a.

The mandrel supports 39 and 39a are thus capable of movement along

transverse rails

31 and 32. A manual chain and sprocket drive is provided to position these mandrel supports with

respective blades

27 and 27a in a required position. mounted to frame Ill and rotatably support a shaft 82. In like

manner brackets

85 and 84 rotatably support shaft 85.

Sprockets

86 and 87 on

shafts

82 and 85 carry chain 88 in the form of a loop. An elbow 99 connects the upper horizontal part of chain 88 to mandrel su port 3t and an elbow 91 connects the lower horizontal part of chain 88 to mandrel support 36a. It will be seen that movement of chain 88 causes movement of mandrel supports 39 and 39a towards one another or away from one another, and thus the

saw blades

27 and 27a may be positioned towards and away from one another, mways being equidistant from a medial vertical plane. A handle 33 on an arm 92 fixed to shaft 82 is provided to move chain 88 and position the saw blades.

It may be desirable to have an index to enable an operator to adjust the position of

blades

27 and 27a in discrete steps. This is done as shown in FIGURES 3 and 4 and particularly 5. An index disc 93 having a series of s aced notches or recesses 94 in its periphery, is mounted around shaft 82 but is fixed with respect to the frame 10. A plunger 95 is mounted in an aperture through arm 92 having a first position in which it extends through a selected one of recesses 94 in disc 93 and a second retracted position where it is clear of disc 93. A spring 96 engaging arm 92 and a collar 97 on plunger 95 biases the A pair of brackets 8-9 and 81 are plunger towards its first position, i.e., into engagement with disc 93. A knob 98 on plunger is provided for manual retraction of the plunger, i.e., for manual movement of the plunger to its second position. Thus, an operator, after one cut is finished, may retract plunger 95 and move handle 33 until the plunger 95 can be permitted to move into the next selected recess 94, thereby moving saw

blades

27 and 27a by a predetermined amount.

it will be seen that the blades 27 and 27:: will cut slabs or cants from opposite sides of a log fed longitudinally and centrally therebetween, and that the saw blades can be moved closer towards one another in discrete steps be tween successive cuts. It will also be seen that it is desirable to have a carriage that will carry a log back and forth in substantial longitudinal alignment with a median vertical plane between the blades. The log carriage described briefly heretofore will now be described in de ail.

Referring to FIGURES 6, 7, 8 and 9, there is shown an overhead tracl 35 comprising longitudinally extending parallel rails Hill? and ltlil. Rails lltl-tl and it are each roughly U shaped with open sides facing, and the rail ltitl includes an inverted V member 99 extending longitudinally along the lower arm on the inside. A pair of axles and 193 having formed wheels 1% and M35 respectively on one end of each for mating engagement with member 99 in rail 1%, and having fiat wheels 1% and 1&7 respectively on the other end of each for engagement with rail ilfsl, are rotatably secured to a rectangular log carriage 3d. The log carriage 34 is thus suspended from rails Edit and ldl for longitudinal movement therealong and is restrained from lateral movement by the member 5? and wheels 16d and 105. To prevent vertical movement of log carriage 34, four wheels 1%, E9, 1143 and ill are rotatably mounted to carriage 34. Wheel 1hr; is adjacent wheel 164- and spaced inwardly therefrom, wheel N9 is adjacent wheel ill? and spaced inwardly therefrom, and wheels 1&8 and 1&9 run on the inner surface of the upper arm of rail res thereby preventing wheels ltld and 1&5 from lifting otf member )9. The wheels lid and 111 are likewise adjacent wheels 1% and N7 respectively, and ride on the inner surface of the upper arm of rail llll to prevent the wheels 12% and 137 and carriage 34 from moving vertically. The view in FIGURES 9 and 8 are used particularly to show the engagement of the wheels with rails ltltl and 191 and some of the other detail has been omitted from these figures.

Two shafts 112 and H3 are rotatably mounted in a transverse direction at opposite ends of log carriage 3d and carry

dogs

23 and 44 respectively. The dogs 43 and id are themselves aligned longitudinally and are of relatively thin cross-section to occupy little room when passing between the saw blades. The dogs are aligned with a medial vertical plane passing midway between the saws. Arms lid and H5 are fastened to

shafts

112 and 113 respectively, and the ends of arms 114- and 115 are pivotally connected to

rods

116 and 117 of hydraulic cylinders lit and 12% respectively. The ends of cylinders 118 and i229 opposite the rods 116 and H7 are pivotally connected to cross members of carriage 34. Hydraulic lines 121 and 122 on cylinder 118 and hydraulic lines 123 and 124 on cylinder 122i carry hydraulic fluid to the respective cylinders to extend or retract

rods

116 and 117 to lower and raise dogs 4-3 and 44. These dogs are provided with log engaging teeth 125 facing towards one another as seen in FIGURE 6. As was previously described, the dogs 43 and may be moved to a log engaging or extended position as shown in FEGURE 6 where they engage a log 45 and where continued application of hydraulic fluid to th ir controlling cylinders biases the dogs towards one another to grip the log firmly. The dogs also may be moved to a retracted position to release the remaining slab of wood after cutting is finished and to permit the carriage to be returned to a position above the next log small end of the log may not contact the log at all.

to be sawed. As was. described previously the chain 36 is fastened to carriage 34 in order to provide means for longitudinal carriage movement. The fastening between chain and carriage comprises rods 126 and 127 fastened to ends of the chain and having threadedends which engage nuts shown at 128 and 136 respectively to secure the rods to carriage 34. This permits the position of the carriage 34 to be adjusted longitudinally and also permits chain tension to be adjusted.

Referring now to FIGURES 10, 11 and 12, there is shown a log centering apparatusfor substantially aligning a log longitudinally with the medial vertical plane located centrally between'the saw blades. It will be recalled from the description in connection with FIGURE 1 that a pair of log kicker arms were located at each end of a log receiving platform and that one of each pair of a pairof parallel shafts and that the other of each pair 7 of log kicker arms were mounted on opposite ends of the other of the pair of parallel shafts. These two shafts werethen driven simultaneously from a single hydraulic cylinder to sweep the two pairs of kicker arms together. This arrangement of FIGURE 1 operates satisfactorily when the log being positioned is of substantially uniform thickness at both ends. However, if the log is much thicker at one end, the log kicker arms would engage the log at that end and stop rotation of the shafts on which they are mounted. Consequently the log kickers at the One solution, of course, would be to incorporate a lost motion arrangement in the apparatus. Another solution is to provide separate drives for the log kickers-at each end as shown in FIGURES l0, l1 and 12.

As in FIGURE 1, a log receiving platform 55 is supported by upright members 56. A pair of log kickers are at each end and are similar. It is believed that a' description of one pair of log kickers will provide an understanding of the construction. A log kicker arm 62 is secured to a shaft 132 for rotation therewith,'and a log kicker arm 62a is secured to shaft 133 for rotation therewith. The

shafts

132 and 133 are rotatably supported in bearings 134 and 135 respectively from cross member 136. It may be desirable, depending on the load in a particular apparatus, to use a pair of spaced bearings rather than a single bearing to support

shafts

132 and 133. A pair of meshing gears 137 and 138 are secured to shafts driven from an electric motor 155 as shown in FIG- pan 1.

In the operation of a transportable sawmill in ac cordance with the invention, the sawmill is moved to a desired location and the engine 21 is started to provide hydraulic fluid under pressure to cylinders 17. .T he feet 13 are then extended using this hydraulic fluid until the frame it? is level and the clamps 2h operated to clamp the feet'in position. A live deck is lowered from its position against the side of the sawmill and a load of logs is placed on the live deck including chain 152 (FIG- URE 11) by means of a hydraulic loader or the like, and motor 155 is energized to move a log onto the log receiving platform 55. ,Hydraulic fluid is then applied to cylinders 1 i2'and145 to operate the log kickers and center log 44 with a medial vertical plane between the saws. Hydraulic fluid is applied to motor 42 to position log carriage 34 and then to. cylinders 118 and to move

dogs

43 and 44 to their extended position and grip the centered log, 45. The main saw drive can;

then be engaged and handle 33 moved to' position the saw blades. Then hydraulic fluid is again. applied to motor 4-2 to move log carriage 34 past the saws to take two simultaneous cuts off the log. The log carriage 34 is returned and handle 33 operated to position the blades for the next pass. 7

After the final pass another log is centered while

dogs

43 and 44 are raised to drop the last'remainingslab on spiral rolls 4%. The next log is positioned before the carriage 3% is returned and the

dogs

43 and 44 lowered to grip it.

. It will be seen that various'alternative driving means 7 could be provided for the apparatus of the present inven- 132 and 133 to cause contra rotation of the shafts. Shaft 132 had a drive arm 149 projecting from it and secured to it. A rod 141 connected with the piston in a hydraulic cylinder 142 has its projecting end pivotally connected to the end of arm 14%. The end of cylinder 142 remote from rod 141 is pivotally connected to frame 16.

Hydraulic lines

143 and 144 are provided to conduct hydraulic fluid to cylinder 142 to extend and retract rod 14% and thereby to cause the

log kicker arms

62 and 62a to sweep from a retracted position (shown in phantom in FIGURE 11) to a log centering position (shown in solid lines in FIGURE 11). The log kicker arms at the opposite end of platform 55 operate in a like manner driven by the hydraulic cylinder 145.

FIGURE 12 shows a cross section of a hearing assembly supporting shaft 133. Other forms of hearing could, of course, be used. In the FIGURE 12 bearing assembly, log kicker arm 62a is keyed to shaft 133 by means of a key 146 and secured against axial movement by a set screw 147. A bushing 148 is positioned in an aperture in flange member 150 supported from cross member 136. A hearing extension 151 is fastened to the rear of member 150 to provide additional support.

Referring once more to FIGURE 11, there is indicated in phantom a live deck for supplying logs to the log receiving platform. The live deck may comprise a driven chain 152 as indicated, supported at one end by sprocket 153 on shaft 154. Shaft 154 may be chain tion. For example, the reversible motor driving the log carriage might be replaced by a cylinder type drive, or electrical drive means might be used for the log carriage and also for other apparatus.

The transportable sawmill of the present invention as described herein is believed to be easily moved, quickly set up, and efliciently operated. Many of the features would provide advantages not only in a transportable sawmill but also in conventional permanent sawmills. V

I claim:

, 1. In a sawmill having a sawing areawith a medial vertical plane extending from an input end to an output end thereof, a log centering apparatus comprising 7 a log receiving platform adjacent the input end of said sawing area, and

a first and a second pair of log kicker arms mounted below said platform and spaced longitudinally from one another in the direction of said plane, the arms in said first pair and the arms in said second pair being equidistant from said plane, each arm hav-. ing a log engaging portion on one side thereof, each said pair of arms having a first retracted position lying below the surface ofsaid platform, a second log centering position projecting upwards past the surface of said platform on either side of said plane forming a trough defined on either side by the log engaging portionsof the arms and on the bottom by a part of the log receiving platform and a log carrying sweep from said first position to the second trough forming position.

2. In a sawmill having a sawingarea with a medial vertical plane extending from an input end to an output end thereof, a log centering apparatus comprising a log receiving platform adjacent the input end of said sawing area,

a first and a second shaft rotatably mounted to said platform below the surface thereof parallel to said surface and to said medial plane and adjacent said input end, said first and second shafts being on first and second sides'of said medial plane and equidistant therefrom,

a gear fastened to each of said first and second shafts in meshing engagement with one another for providing for rotation of said first and second shafts in op- .posite directions,

first and second log kicker arms each having a log engaging portion mounted respectively to said first and second shafts for movement therewith, like portions of said first and second arms being equidistant from said medial plane, said first and second arms having a first retracted position lying below the surface of said platform on respective sides of said plane, a second log centering position projecting upwards past the surface of said platform on the same respective sides of said plane forming a trough defined on either side by the log engaging portions of the first and second arms and on the bottom by by a part of the log receiving platform, and a log carrying sweep upwardly and towards one another from said first to said second position,

third and a fourth shaft axially aligned with said first and second shafts respectively and spaced therefrom in a direction away from said input end, said third and fourth shafts being rotatably mounted to said platform,

a gear fastened to each of said third and fourth shafts in meshing engagement with one another for providing for rotation of said third and fourth shafts in opposite directions,

third and fourth log kicker arms each having a log engaging portion mounted respectively to said third and fourth shafts for movement therewith, like portions of said third and fourth arms being equidistant from said medial plane, said third and fourth arms having a first retracted position lying below the surface of said platform on the respective first and second sides of said plane, a second log centering position projecting upwards past the surface of said platform on the same respective sides of said plane forming a trough defined on either side by the log engaging portions of the third and fourth arms and on the bottom by a part of the log receiving platform, and a log carrying sweep upwardly and towards one another from said first to said second position, and

drive means independently engaging said first and third shafts for moving said first and second and said third and fourth arms from said first to said second position.

In a sawmill having a sawing area with a medial vertical plane extending from an input end to an output end thereof, a log centering apparatus comprising log receiving platform adjacent the input end of said sawing area,

first and a second shaft rotatably mounted to said platform below the surface thereof parallel to said surface and to said medial plane, said first and second shafts being on opposite sides of said plane equidistant therefrom and extending from a point adjacent said input end in a direction away from said input end,

a gear fastened to each of said first and second shafts in meshing engagement with one another for providing for rotation of said first and second shafts in opposite directions,

first and second log kicker arms each having a log engaging portion mounted respectively to adjacent ends of said first and second shafts for movement therewith, like portions of said first and second arms being equidistant from said medial plane, and

third and fourth log kicker arms each having a log said first and second and said third and fourth log kicker arms having a first retracted position lying below the surface of the platform, a second log centering position projecting upwardly past the surface of said platform on the same side of said plane as the shaft to which the arm is mounted forming a longitudinal trough extending in the direction of said plane defined on one side by the log engaging portions of said first and third arms on the other side by the log engaging portions of said second and fourth arms and on the bottom by a part of said log receiving platform, and a log carrying sweep upwardly and towards the adjacent arm from said first position to said second position, and

drive means engaging said first shaft for moving said first and second and said third and fourth arms from said first to said second position.

. A sawmill comprising first and second separate mandrel supports mounted to said second track for movement therealong,

first and second saw mandrels positioned to have a substantially common axis extending substantially in said second direction and mounted respectively on said first and second mandrel supports for securing saw blades on adjacent ends thereof,

means for driving each said saw mandrel, positioning means mounted to said frame engaging each said mandrel support and positioning said sup ports towards and away from each other along said second track maintaining said saw mandrels equidistant from said vertical plane,

log receiving platform adjacent one side of said sawing area, and

first and a second pair of log kicker arms mounted below said platform and spaced longitudinally from one another in the direction of said plane, the arms in said first pair and the arms in said second pair being on opposite sides of and equidistant from said plane, each arm having a log engaging portion on one side thereof, each said pair of arms having a first retracted position lying below the surface of said platform, a second log centering position projecting upwards past the surface of said platform on either side of said plane forming a trough defined on either side by the log engaging portions of the arms and on the bottom by a part of the log receiving platform, and a log carrying sweep from the first position to the second position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 9/90 Hodgson. 9/09 Thomas.

7/44 Bukowsky. 9/53 1/54 3/54 3/54 4/56 8/57 Bethea.

WILLIAM W. DYER, JR., Primary Examiner. 7 DONALD R. SCHRAN, Examiner.

Stagg 143-117 X

Claims

1. IN A SAWMILL HAVING A SAWING AREA WITH A MEDIAL VERTICAL PLANE EXTENDING FROM AN INPUT END TO AN OUTPUT END THEREOF, A LOG CENTERING APPARATUS COMPRISING A LOG RECEIVING PLATFORM ADJACENT THE INPUT END OF SAID SAWING AREA, AND A FIRST AND A SECOND PAIR OF LOG KICKER ARMS MOUNTED BELOW SAID PLATFORM AND SPACED LONGITUDINALLY FROM ONE ANOTHER IN THE DIRECTION OF SAID PLANE, THE ARMS IN SAID FIRST PAIR AND THE ARMS IN SAID SECOND PAIR BEING EQUIDISTANT FROM SAID PLANE, EACH ARM HAVING A LOG ENGAGING PORTION ON ONE SIDE THEREOF, EACH SAID PAIR OF ARMS HAVING A FIRST RETRACTED POSITION LYING BELOW THE SURFACE OF SAID PLATFORM, A SECOND LOG CENTERING POSITION PROJECTING UPWARDS PAST THE SURFACE OF SAID PLATFORM ON EITHER SIDE OF SAID PLANE FORMING A TROUGH DEFINED ON EITHER SIDE BY THE LOG ENGAGING PORTIONS OF THE ARMS AND ON THE BOTTOM BY A PART OF THE LOG RECEIVING PLATFORM AND A LOG CARRYING SWEEP FROM SAID FIRST POSITION TO THE SECOND TROUGH FORMING POSITION.