Satellite sawmill with adjustable saws and automatic sawbolt centering device

• US 5,806,401 A
• Filed: 08/26/1996
• Issued: 09/15/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Beverlee J. Erven, Janet R. Nelson, Thomas E. Rajala
• Original Assignee: Alfred Siegel, Edward Rajala, Orie Taylor
• Inventors: Rajala, Edward, Siegel, Alfred, Taylor, Orie
• Primary Examiner(s): Dexter, Clark F.
• Application Number:
  US08/701,999
• Time in Patent Office: 750 Days
• Field of Search: 83/420, 83/421, 83/435.1, 83/705, 83/707, 83/708, 83/711, 83/730, 83/731, 83/790, 83/804, 83/805, 83/806, 83/808, 83/859, 83/862, 83/865, 83/879 , 83/406.1, 83/703, 83/704, 83/409, 83/425, 83/425.2, 83/425.4, 83/433, 83/435.11, 83/435.21, 83/435.23, 83/437.1, 83/803, 83/564 , 83/404, 83/425.1, 83/425.3, 83/875, 83/876, 83/877, 83/404.1, 144/1.1, 144/3.1, 144/39, 144/340, 144/341, 144/367, 144/368, 144/369, 144/376, 144/377, 144/378, 144/242.1, 144/250.24
• US Class Current: 83/865
• CPC Class Codes: B23D 45/10 with a plurality of circular saw blades B23D45/143, B23D45/165 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23D 59/002 for the position of the saw blade mounting for swiveling or tilting a circular saw blade B27B5/36; portable power-driven circular saws with adjustment for cutting depth or amount of tilting B27B9/02
• CPC Class Codes: B23D 59/006 for removing or collecting chips
• CPC Class Codes: B23D 59/008 comprising computers
• CPC Class Codes: B27B 15/06 in combined arrangement with circular saws for performing simultaneously several sawing procedures
• CPC Class Codes: B27B 15/08 with a plurality of band saw blades
• CPC Class Codes: B27B 25/00 Feeding devices for timber in saw mills or sawing machines; Feeding devices for trees B27B29/00, B27B31/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B27B 29/08 Trunk or log carriages with gripping means designed to pass the saw blade(s), especially for band saws; Arrangement of gripping accessories thereon; Turning devices thereon
• CPC Class Codes: B27B 31/00 Arrangements for conveying, loading, turning, adjusting, or discharging the log or timber, specially designed for saw mills or sawing machines B27B29/00 takes precedence ; arrangements for raising or lowering the feed rollers of gang saw mills B27B3/14; driving mechanisms for the feed rollers of gang saw mills B27B3/16
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/023 With infeeding of work
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/0304 Grooving
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/6478 Tool stations angularly related
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/65 With means to cause or permit angular re-orientation of work about axis parallel to plane of cut
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/6537 By cable or belt drive
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/6585 Including nonconcurrently acting tool
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/6587 Including plural, laterally spaced tools
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/6603 Tool shiftable relative to work-conveying means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/6608 By rectilinearly moving work carriage
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/6625 Gear or pulley
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/7083 With cutter other than endlessly orbiting type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/7158 : Including plural cutting zones
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/7189 : Comprising plural bands

Abstract

A sawmill for milling a length of sawbolt includes a frame and a plurality of saws movably mounted to the frame. The plurality of saws include bandsaws, edging saws, and chain saws for making various cuts necessary in the milling process. A saw positioning system is coupled to the plurality of saws for positioning the saws relative to the frame. A controller is coupled to the saw positioning system. The controller provides a saw position signal and the saw positioning system positions the saws in response to the saw position signal. A number of log positioning mechanisms are also provided.

Claims

1. A sawmill for milling a length of sawbolt, the sawbolt having a first end and a second end and a longitudinal axis running generally between the first and second ends, the sawmill comprising:

a frame;

a sawbolt providing mechanism adjacent to the frame for supplying lengths of sawbolt to be milled;

a sawbolt rotation mechanism, mounted on the frame, for rotating the length of sawbolt about its longitudinal axis;

a sawbolt engaging, transferring and centering mechanism movably attached to the frame, the sawbolt engaging, transferring and centering mechanism for adjustably centering the length of sawbolt and transferring the length of sawbolt from the sawbolt providing mechanism to a sawbolt securing mechanism;

the sawbolt securing mechanism attached to a carriage, the sawbolt securing mechanism for securably and rotatably supporting and holding the length of sawbolt during the milling process;

the carriage movably mounted within the frame, the carriage being mounted for movement along a cutting path;

a carriage positioning mechanism, coupled to the frame and the carriage, for moving the carriage along the cutting path relative to the frame and relative to first and second bandsaws;

the first bandsaw movably mounted to the frame;

the second bandsaw movably mounted to the frame, and the second bandsaw movably mounted in relation to the first bandsaw;

first and second bandsaw positioning mechanisms attached to the frame, and to the first and second bandsaws, respectively, the bandsaw positioning mechanisms for causing movement of the respective first and second bandsaws relative to the carriage, relative to the other of the first and second bandsaws, and toward and away from the cutting path;

a first edging saw coupled to and with the first bandsaw and having a pair of substantially parallel circular saw blades which are non-planar with respect to a blade of the first bandsaw, the first edging saw being movable along with the first bandsaw to which it is coupled;

a second edging saw coupled to with the second bandsaw and having a pair of substantially parallel saw blades which are non-planar with respect to a blade of the second bandsaw, the second edging saw being movable along with the second bandsaw to which it is coupled;

at least one debris and rock removing mechanism attached to a respective one of the bandsaws, the debris and rock removing mechanism for removing debris and rocks from the sawbolt during the milling of the length of sawbolt by the bandsaws and edging saws; and

,

a controller, coupled to the at least the sawbolt engaging, transferring and centering mechanism, the sawbolt securing mechanism, the carriage, the carriage positioning mechanism, the bandsaws, the bandsaw positioning mechanism, and the edging saws.

2. The sawmill as set forth in claim 1 wherein the sawbolt providing mechanism includes a skidway adjacent to the frame for supplying the length of sawbolt to be milled.

4. The sawmill as set forth in claim 1 wherein the sawbolt engaging, transferring and centering mechanism includes a pair of arms pivotably affixed to the frame, a pair of fingers extending from each arm and adjustably movable in an extendable and retractable manner both in relation to one another so as to adjust a first distance separating the fingers in each pair and in relation to the respective arm so as to adjust a second distance between the pair of fingers and the respective arm.

5. The sawmill as set forth in claim 4 further comprising an arm stop attached to the frame, the arm stop for prohibiting further pivoting of the arm during transfer of the length of sawbolt.

6. The sawmill as set forth in claim 5 further comprising drive gears, each drive gear connected to a respective one of the arms and to a respective one of the pair of fingers.

7. The sawmill as set forth in claim 6 further comprising a level indicator attached to at least one of the arms, the level indicator for indicating the position of the respective arm.

8. The sawmill as set forth in claim 1 wherein the sawbolt securing mechanism includes a pair of opposed timber engagers attached to the carriage, the timber engagers for separately engaging opposing ends of the length of saw bolt positioned therebetween for securably and rotatably supporting and holding the length of sawbolt during the milling process.

9. The sawmill as set forth in claim 1 wherein the bandsaw positioning mechanism includes a ball screw attached to each bandsaw where in each ballscrew is threadedly engaged with a respective motor fixed to the frame and coupled to one such that when the motors are actuated the ball screws move the bandsaws transversely of the cutting path.

10. The sawmill as set forth in claim 1 further comprising first and second edging saw positioning mechanisms attached to the first and second bandsaws, respectively, each edging saw positioning mechanism further being attached to a respective one of the edging saws for causing separate movement of each edging saw relative to the cutting path and relative to the other of the first and second edging saws.

11. The sawmill as set forth in claim 10 wherein each edging saw positioning mechanism includes a fluid driven cylinder coupled to the respective edging saw and to the respective bandsaw such that when the driven cylinder is actuated the cylinder pivots the respective edging saw in relation to the respective bandsaw.

12. The sawmill as set forth in claim 1 wherein the debris and rock removing mechanism comprises:

a first chain saw assembly attached to the first bandsaw, the first chain saw assembly including a first chain saw mounted for movement with respect to the first bandsaw toward and away from the cutting path; and

a second chain saw assembly attached to the second bandsaw, the second chain saw assembly including a second chain saw mounted for movement with respect to the second bandsaw toward and away from the cutting path.

13. The sawmill as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a hood means for coupling to a vacuum mechanism for the removal of saw dust from the milling area.

3. The sawmill as set forth in claim I wherein the sawbolt rotation mechanism includes a pair of elongated rollers rotatably affixed to the frame for rotatably supporting the length of sawbolt.