Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B27—WORKING OR PRESERVING WOOD OR SIMILAR MATERIAL; NAILING OR STAPLING MACHINES IN GENERAL
  • B27B—SAWS FOR WOOD OR SIMILAR MATERIAL; COMPONENTS OR ACCESSORIES THEREFOR
  • B27B31/00—Arrangements for conveying, loading, turning, adjusting, or discharging the log or timber, specially designed for saw mills or sawing machines
  • B27B31/04—Turning equipment
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B27—WORKING OR PRESERVING WOOD OR SIMILAR MATERIAL; NAILING OR STAPLING MACHINES IN GENERAL
  • B27B—SAWS FOR WOOD OR SIMILAR MATERIAL; COMPONENTS OR ACCESSORIES THEREFOR
  • B27B1/00—Methods for subdividing trunks or logs essentially involving sawing
  • B27B1/005—Methods for subdividing trunks or logs essentially involving sawing including the step of dividing the log into sector-shaped segments

Definitions

• the present invention has for its object a process, and associated devices, for the reduction or elimination of the manual handling of wedge sectors of timber.
• the process provides for the mechanization of the handling and control of wedge sectors and wedge sector production.
• Hasenwinkle (US Patent No.US4, 117,755) Seaman (US 4,068,695) and Knorr (US Patent No. 6,032,708) like others, deal with the cutting and use of radial wedge sectors but do not allow for the controlled mechanical alignment of wedge sectors to facilitate wedge sector processing.
• Hasenwinkle and Seaman allow for the uncontrolled release of cut or separated wedge sectors and the transfer of unaligned wedges for further processing with an assumption that the necessary alignment for further processing is carried out by manual handling means. This is normal to the industry when mechanical means do not exist.
• Knorr allows for the controlled release of wedge sectors but does not allow for or provide for a process to align the wedges prior to further processing. Description of the Current Invention
• the current invention has for its objective the alignment and control of radial wedge sectors by mechanical or ⁇ on manual means to facilitate the production of sawn timber sections from logs.
• the basic embodiment ⁇ f the invention is the application of mechanical pressure to a selected part or selected parts of a wedge sector to cause the wedge sector to move so that the plane that divides the two radial faces of consecutively processed wedge sectors are basically parallel prior to or during the further processing.
• the reference to further processing includes packing or preparation for transport
• Radial wedge sectors have two radial faces which meet (or the extensions of which meet) approximate to the chosen cutting centre of the log and are produced by either:
• the two halves of the log as it is divided may be restrained or held to contain or divide the growth stresses as evenly as possible into each of the sectors of the log.
• This holding process to control growth stress distortion could also be applied to the further sawing of the log halves to wedges.
• This log holding method can also be used to facilitate the sawing of logs without growth stresses by holding and controlling movement during production phases.
• wedges are further processed by cutting basically parallel to a tangent to the growth rings with the aim of producing backsawn sections of timber and in other embodiments wedge sectors are further processed by cutting basically quarter sawn sections of timber by making alternate saw cuts parallel to alternate radial faces or by producing basically quarter sawn sections by making multiple cuts on or parallel to the plane that bisects the two radial faces or by cutting further wedge sectors by basically dividing the wedges into further wedge sectors by cutting on one or more planes that divide the radial faces.
• Radial wedge sectors of timber have- advantages for transfer and handling in that the radial faces present economical and accurate alignment, transfer, cutting and processing references. Aligned wedges will either rest on or be supported on one radial face when being transferred on a bed or rest or be supported on two radial faces when in a v type trough. When this happens corresponding faces of consecutive wedge sectors are basically parallel.
• radial wedges For practical transfer and processing, radial wedges must have the radial faces consistently aligned so that consecutive wedges have both- faces basically parallel and so that the plane that divides the two radial faces are basically parallel in the aligned wedges.
• the adjoining radial faces are parallel but the planes that bisect the radial face of each wedge are not parallel and are basically radial planes pointing to the cutting centre of the tree.
• the object of this embodiment of the invention is to provide for the practical movement of the alignment of the wedge bisecting planes from meeting at the log centre to being basically parallel to each other or so the planes are basically at a similar angle to another plane and so that the apex of the radial faces basically point in the same direction.
• allowance must be made for the fact that wedges may spring. due to the effect of stresses in the log, or saw variations causing inaccuracy. Also if a wedge sector were out of longitudinal alignment the dividing planes would not be exactly parallel.
• Aligned wedges could then be fed to the processing machines on the same plane or tipped or manoeuvred into a v type trough.
• White some species will exhibit spring from high growth stress a v trough driven by powered rollers, belts or pushing devices will provide or can be designed to provide transfer and referencing ability for all rates of spring or bow caused by growth stress.
• wedge sectors are to be aligned basically side' by side on chains or rollers for transverse or lateral movement in relation to the length of the wedges to facilitate ease of processing, it is desirable that (he apexes of the radial faces point in the direction of travel.
• Prior art specifications allows for release of all wedge sectors at the one time. With simultaneous release, log stress and or/ gravity effects can cause a large degree of misalignment.
• a basic method for simultaneous release would be to drop the wedges into a trough or onto chains for side transfer. Some wedges would be aligned in the required direction, some opposite and some would be on top of each other and some on the round back with the plane basically vertical.
• the wedges would be dropped onto a means to move the wedge sectors laterally in relation to the cutting position of the log or laterally in relation to the longitudinal axis of the wedge sectors.
• These lateral movement beds could include slides, rollers, belts or chains.
• the beds, or sections of the bed. are fitted with remotely activated stops and flipping arms that apply pressure to selected parts of the wedges so that wedges can be separated, aligned, or flipped or turned over to result in the required alignment of radial faces and dividing planes.
• An alternative embodiment involves the selection of wedges that are not aligned in the required manner and the rotation of the selected wedges around a vertical axis so that the wedges are aligned in the required manner. This could involve the lifting and rotation of the wedge sector or the rotation of the wedge sector on a turntable type device.
• Knorr s sawing device allows for the controlled release or the control of the position and time of release of the sawn wedge. Wedge sectors are sawn along radial lines with the holding aspect of the sawing device allowing travel of the saw between the holding pins to allow complete cutting of the wedge along the length of the log. Control of wedges individually released by KnOrT 1 S holding arms or pins requires the controlled movement either by gravity or by applying or using pressure to move the wedge away from the log centre.
• a preferred embodiment is to release and remove one wedge and then rotate the log so that the same position and device is used to remove the next wedge. This provides for minimizing turning and the complexity of machines or mechanisms required.
• the cut log is rotated so that a cut wedge is released with one face at an angle so that gravity causes pressure on that face and the adjoining radial face so that the wedge sector slWe ⁇ on the adjoining radial face in a controlled manner away from ihe cutting centre.
• a slide device can be aligned with a wedge sector face basically parallel to the radial face or at a suitable angle may be positioned to support the sliding wedge adjacent to the outside of the radial wedge to facilitate the controlled slide of the wedge to the required position.
• the sawing device can rotate so that consecutive wedges slide down adjoining faces as the wedges are released
• the previous (or another) sliding device can be positioned in the gap caused by removal of the first wedge to facilitate the sliding of the last wedge to be released as there is no adjoining wedge sector remaining for the released wedge to be slid on.
• the sliding device could be moved into the sap created by removal of the first wedge with all the wedges after the first removed by sliding down the sliding device.
• Wedges could be individually released from the Knorr sawing device to facilitate the orderly turning of wedges by stops and or flipping arms. Vacuum devices could hold the sector by lowering pressure and using atmospheric pressure on the wedges to grip and move the wedge sectors away from the cutting centre and hold it until it is placed in the required position.
• a removal device is mounted on each of the trolleys or support devices that have the Knorr (US Patent No. 6,032,708) log and sector sawing devices mounted on them.
• the removal device comprises holding arms that grip or clamp each end of the sector to be released by compressive means, that then can travel away from the centre of the cut log with the released sector to a distance that clears the remaining sectors of the log, and that rotates and then releases or deposits the wedge sector in the required position by moving the holding arms away from the end of the wedge sector.
• the log is rotated so that the next wedge for removal is in the same position that the removed one was in.
• the arms rotate back to the moving position and then move back into gripping or clamping position.
• Movement of the wedge sectors can be parallel to the longitudinal axis of the wedges or laterally in relation to the axis or a combination of lateral and longitudinal or transverse movement.
• the above device could also be fitted with a pivot at the clamping or pressure head to allow the movement of wedges away form the log without the lateral movement of the removal device or to facilitate the positioning of the wedges for further transfer or processing.
• Figure 1 shows a drawing from Hase ⁇ wi ⁇ kle US 4,117,755 showing the known state of the art with unaligned wedges being transported for further processing.
• Figure 2 shows a log radial cutting pattern with a selected or chosen cutting centre which may or may not be the geometric centre of the log.
• the wedge cutting pattern could comprise any number of sectors with six sectors being used as an example only.
• the cutting centre may refer to the position in the log before during or after it is cut or before during or after the wedges are separated or removed from the cutting position or sawing device. Cuts may be made to or through or approximate to the centre. In the practice of radial sawing it can be beneficial to leave a small centre in the log at the saw cut junction so that the cutting centre may be timber with the actual saw cuts not quite reaching cutting centre.
• Figure 3 shows a wedge sector with two radial faces (2) and a dotted line (3) that represents the plane that divides the two radial faces.
• (4) indicates the natural or bark edge of the wedge sector which in practice may be in its natural state or may be fully or partially cut or machined.
• the two radial faces meet at an apex which in practice may or may not exist due to the apex of the wedge sector being broken off or in the case of a defective or partially decayed log which is hollow. In these cases it is treated as a theoretical apex.
• Figure 4 shows timber sections with the growth ring alignment in (5) indicating a quarter sawn board with the curved growth rings basically at right angles to lhe broad face and (6) indicating a backsawn board with growth rings basically tangential to the broad face. Variations on the angle of the growth rings in relation to the broad face occur but may still fall within the industry definition of backsawn and quarter sawn.
• Figure 5 shows a wedge sector with dotted lines showing a cutting pattern to produce basically quarter sawn sections of timber.
• Figure 6 shows an alternate quarter sawing pattern where sections are alternatively cut from alternate sides of the wedge sector.
• Figure 7 shows a wedge sector with dotted If ⁇ es showing a cutting pattern to produce basically quarter sawn sections of timber.
• Figure 8 shows a wedge sector with dotted lines to indicate where wedge sectors could be cut along radial planes to subdivide wedge sector into further wedge sectors.
• Figure 9 shows a log divided into two sections (6) as part of a process of wedge sector production and with the division made along cut line (7). The cut would be made through the chosen cutting centre.
• Figure 10 shows a partially cut log from the top at a right angle to the cutting plane (12). If the log has growth stress the cut sections of the log will separate as shown at (14). If holding devices are used such as indicated by lines (9) then the separation can be controlled and the stress relieved evenly into each section.
• the control of separation basically keeps the cutting plane that divides the cut faces straight. If the log is only held one side and there are growth stresses the cutting plane curves as the cut progresses making unevenly balanced sections and putting side pressure on the cutting device as the cut progresses.
• the aim erf restraining both sectors during cutting is to produce, when the sections are released, two sections that are both equally straight or both equally curved by the growth stresses in the log.
• the dotted line (12) can also represent the longitudinal axis of the log which has a length and in the same way the wedge sectors have a longitudinal axis that relates to the wedge sectors length.
• Figure 11 shows an end section view and the cut line with (9) indicating holding points.
• Figure 12 shows how a log can be held with dual holding means (9) to allow cutting at cut line (7) and released to, or rotated in a controlled manner to, a new cutting position as shown by Figure 13.
• the sawing of wedges this way can control growth stresses as previously described.
• Figure 14 shows an indicative movement path for the movement of a wedge sector away from the cutting centre of the log and the turning of the sector to a required alignment.
• Figure 15 shows indicative movement of a wedge sector by the release and sliding of the sector down its radial face and the plane of an adjoining radial face. (16) indicates a slide device which aligns with the wedge sector face to facilitate the controlled sliding with the lower arrow showing where the device could be moved .
• Figure 16 shows the path a wedge sector could take when a removal device with a pivoting holding head is used to remove the head. If the pivoting head is powered the wedge sector could be aligned in any required manner by rotating the pivot head to the required position.
• Figure 17 shows random aligned wedge sectors that need to be aligned to facilitate further processing.
• Figure 18 shows wedges being transferred in the direction of the arrow (20) segregated by stops indicated by (17) which can flip up in the plane parallel to the longitudinal axis of the wedges to stop the movement and to separate the wedges as required.
• stop devices can be repeated as often as is required to align and separate the wedge sectors to facilitate their alignment.
• (19) indicates flipping devices to flip or turn or rotate the wedge sectors around their longitudinal axis to gain the required alignment. Wedge sectors would be allowed to travel past the flipper pivot to the best position to facilitate the turning of the wedge sectors when the pressure is applied in the most appropriate position.
• the transfer means may be stoppable to facilitate the application of pressure at the correct point.
• Flipping devices can be repeated as often as is required to align the wedge sectors.
• Figure 20 shows wedge sectors aligned so that the apex of the radial face and the radial faces are all facing basically in the same direction and the plane that bisects the radial faces are basically parallel and the plane that bisects the radial faces is at a similar angle to the transfer plane as an adjoining wedge sector as shown by lines (21) and their associated angle.
• the term basically is used as, if some wedges were longitudinally misaligned, the said faces would not be completely parallel and similarly the effect of distortion from growth stresses could have similar effect.
• the intent of this definition is to define that the wedge sectors are facing in the same general direction as could be defined by saying the apexes of the radial faces are all pointing in the same direction.
• Figure 21 shows an aspect of a preferred embodiment of the invention in which a Knorr sawing device is mounted adjacent to a wedge sector removal device.
• the removal device would be mounted on the same platform as the Kho ⁇ r sawing device and would adjust to differing log lengths along with the sawing device.
• Removal devices work in pairs to hold and remove wedge sectors by applying pressure at each end of the wedge sector.
• (22) shows the pins that hold the log and each wedge sector as it is cut and after it is cut. The pins can move parallel to the longitudinal axis of the log and have independently controllable means to release individual wedge sectors (23) as required.
• the sawing device releases the wedge sector to the wedge sector removal device.
• the pivot has means to travel sideways in relation to the longitudinal axis of the log to move the wedge away from the cutting centre of the log so that it can clear adjacent wedges as is shown by the shifted position of the pivot point at (28) in Figure 22.
• the lag rotates as indicated by arrow (27) to a new wedge sector release position as shown by wedge (29) in Figure 23.
• the arm rotates to position the held wedge sector onto a transfer bed so that each wedge sector is aligned in the required direction as indicated by the arrow and wedge sector (30).
• FIG. 30 indicates a direction of travel for the further processing of wedges, in a similar way the wedge sectors could be inserted or guided directly into a wedge shaped roller or holding trough or referencing device.
• This sequence of drawings show the wedges being held at a particular angle. Wedges can be rotated and then held or removed at any suitable angle to facilitate the release of the wedge sectors in Ihe required position.
• Figure 24 shows the end section of a log (32) which can be clamped by the wedge sector removal device and rotated into the cutting position to be held by the pins of the Knorr sawing device as shown by (33).
• the log would be pre-aligned at its damping position and rotated in its correct position for sawing in the sawing device. If the log has knots or defects in certain places the sawing device could be rotated before the log is gripped so that when the log and sawing device are rotated back into the cutting position and sawn the defects are contained in certain or a minimum number of wedge sectors.
• Figure 26 shows a variation on the previous preferred embodiment where two Knorr sawing devices and wedge removal devices are basically mirrored around a station for clamping pre aligned logs (35).
• Logs can be pre-aligned at a remote station and could be delivered to the clamping station by a rail and holding device along or parallel to the mirror plane.
• Dotted arm (36) shows a iog damping position.
• Clamp arm (37) transfers logs to sawing device (38) and clamp arm (39) transfers logs to sawing device (40).
• the damp arms have means to move laterally with arm (37) moveable a greater distance as it is required to move away from the cutting device to clear the remaining wedge sectors and then moves back towards the log so the wedge misses the transfer device (41) as it is rotated and moves away from the log again to the wedge deposit position as shown by dotted arm and wedge sector (42).
• This arm is rotated in a direction opposite to the other arm (39) to achieve the alignment of the wedge sectors which is the abject of the current invention.
• Sawing devices are rotated to a selected position and the oriented wedge sector is clamped in that position. This rotation effects the angle that the wedge sectors is deposited to the transfer bed. In the shown embodiment the wedge sectors have been rotated 15 degrees from the cutting position to facilitate rotation and deposit of the wedge sector.
• the drive device for the saw blade that cuts the log and travels between the holding pins of the Knorr sawing device can be mounted offset to the log cutting position to provide clearance and room for the log insertion and wedge removal,
• the saw driving mechanisms would be positioned furthest apart at the extremes of the mirrored setup.
• the current embodiment could include a number of objectives or operations to achieve efficient further processing of wedge sectors.
• the main objective of the mirror type setup is Io achieve a high wedge processing rate. Further processing of wedges can be at a quick rate when taking place with a lineal type set up where the wedge sectors are processed progressively or simultaneously.
• the reciprocating nature of the Knorr saw device and the time the saw is not operating when logs are being loaded could mean the radial cutting is the slowest part of the operation.
• With the mirrored saw while one log was being cut the other log would be being removed from the saw device as wedges and then a new log loaded. If the wedge sectors have data recorded about them at the sawing device the wedge sectors can be transferred in an orderly and recorded manner so that the data can be used to facilitate further processing.
• This mirror process can provide for higher rates of wedge sector production without the need for duplicating log supply and alignment infrastructure and also provides for the orderly delivery of cut wedges to a single further processing line.

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• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
• Forests & Forestry (AREA)
• Sawing (AREA)
• Dry Formation Of Fiberboard And The Like (AREA)
• General Factory Administration (AREA)
• Chemical And Physical Treatments For Wood And The Like (AREA)
• Milling, Drilling, And Turning Of Wood (AREA)
• Treatment Of Fiber Materials (AREA)

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• 2005
  • 2005-12-06 WO PCT/AU2005/001842 patent/WO2006060855A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2005-12-06 RU RU2007126522/03A patent/RU2007126522A/ru not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2005-12-06 CA CA002633079A patent/CA2633079A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2005-12-06 CN CNA2005800479602A patent/CN101115597A/zh active Pending
  • 2005-12-06 BR BRPI0517163-6A patent/BRPI0517163A/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2005-12-06 EP EP05813411A patent/EP1827780A4/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2005-12-09 BR BRPI0517162-8A patent/BRPI0517162A/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2005-12-09 CN CN2005800479617A patent/CN101115598B/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2005-12-09 WO PCT/AU2005/001853 patent/WO2006060865A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2005-12-09 RU RU2007126523/03A patent/RU2007126523A/ru not_active Application Discontinuation
• 2007
  • 2007-07-06 ZA ZA200705564A patent/ZA200705564B/en unknown

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