Log home fabrication process and associate log cutting machine

• US 6,640,855 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2001
• Issued: 11/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hearthstone, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hearthstone, Inc.
• Inventors: Giles, Randy K.
• Primary Examiner(s): BRAY, WAYMOND D
• Application Number:
  US09/946,179
• Publication Number:
  US 20030041919A1
• Time in Patent Office: 790 Days
• Field of Search: 144/1.1, 144/3.1, 144/39, 144/242.1, 144/245.1, 144/250.23, 144/253.1, 144/253.6, 144/246.1, 144/357, 144/367, 144/382, 144/371, 144/373, 144/92, 144/93.1, 144/2.1, 834/42, 834/12, 834/15, 834/351.1, 833/67, 833/68, 834/363, 29/26.A, 269/55, 269/56, 269/58, 269/35.1, 408/22, 408/24, 408/30
• US Class Current: 144/357
• CPC Class Codes: B27B 27/00 Guide fences or stops for timber in saw mills or sawing machines; Measuring equipment thereon safety guards or devices specially designed for wood saws B27G19/00; constructional features of measuring devices G01B
• CPC Class Codes: B27B 29/04 Trunk or log carriages with gripping means which do not pass the saw blade(s), specially for gang saws; Arrangement of gripping accessories 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: B27B 31/06 Adjusting equipment, e.g. using optical projection see also B27L5/022
• CPC Class Codes: B27C 5/06 Arrangements for clamping or feeding work
• CPC Class Codes: B27C 9/04 with a plurality of working spindles
• CPC Class Codes: B27F 1/08 Making dovetails, tongues, or tenons, of definite limited length
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5107 Drilling and other
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/6568 With additional work-locating means on work-carrier
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/6608 By rectilinearly moving work carriage
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/736 Guide cooperates with template or straight edge secured to work

Abstract

A log processing machine and associate method employs one or more log guides to make joinery cuts in a processed log which has at opposed edges of the processed log the raw log'"'"'s natural external contour. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, each log guide includes a straight edge and is attached to the processed log to create an artificial straight edge for guiding the processed log through the joinery machine. Prior to attachment, centerlines are marked on the log guide and the processed log, and the centerlines are aligned when the log guide is attached to the processed log. The processed log, with the log guide attached, is then moved through the machine with the aid of computer control while the straight edge of the log guide follows a fence. In this manner, the position of the processed log and its centerline are always known so that the computer can make the programmed joinery cuts with high precision. An alternate embodiment of the invention employs one or more fence extensions as log guides. The fence extensions are positionable in guide channels formed in the contoured edges of the processed log. A further embodiment of the invention employs an opposed pair of clamping/alignment elements which are controlled by a computer to align and guide the log through the joinery machine.

Claims

1. An apparatus for processing a log to be incorporated into a log structure, said log having two substantially parallel surfaces, two opposed edges maintaining a natural contour of a raw timber log, and a log centerline defined in a plane normal to the substantially parallel surfaces, the apparatus comprising:

a support for supporting the log substantially horizontally on one of its substantially parallel surfaces;

a cutter for cutting the log;

a mover for moving the log substantially horizontally along the support to said cutter;

a guide for aligning the log centerline with respect to said cutter; and

a controller for controlling operation of the mover and the cutter.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a fence positioned adjacent the support; and

wherein said guide includes a log guide attached to the log, said log guide including a guide edge which maintains contact with the fence as the log is moved to the cutter.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said log guide includes a log guide centerline in alignment with the log centerline.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a fence positioned adjacent the support; and

wherein said guide includes a fence guide attached to said fence, said fence guide including a guide edge which maintains contact with the bottom of a guide channel formed in the log at a uniform distance from the log centerline as the log is moved to the cutter.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said guide includes two opposed alignment elements forming a portion of said mover, said alignment elements being positionable adjacent the opposed edges of the log and being movable by said controller to clamp the log in compression between the alignment elements and to align the log centerline with respect to said cutter.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said controller is further operable to control said mover to move the log toward the cutter while maintaining alignment of the log centerline with respect to the cutter.

7. An apparatus for processing a log to be incorporated into a log structure, said log having two substantially parallel surfaces and a log centerline defined in a plane normal to the substantially parallel surfaces, the apparatus comprising:

a support for supporting the log substantially horizontally on one of its substantially parallel surfaces;

a fence positioned adjacent the support;

a cutter for cutting the log;

a mover for moving the log substantially horizontally along the support to said cutter;

a controller for controlling operation of the mover and the cutter; and

at least one guide, which is not a portion of the log itself, in contact with said fence for maintaining the log centerline substantially parallel to said fence at a fixed distance from the fence as the log is moved to the cutter.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said at least one guide comprises a log guide attached to the log, said log guide including a guide edge which maintains contact with the fence as the log is moved to the cutter.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said log guide includes a log guide centerline in alignment with the log centerline.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said at least one guide includes a plurality of log guides attached to the log, each of said plurality of log guides including a log guide centerline in alignment with the log centerline and a guide edge which maintains contact with the fence as the log is moved to the cutter.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said at least one guide includes a fence guide attached to said fence, said fence guide including a guide edge which maintains contact with the bottom of a guide channel formed in the log at a uniform distance from the log centerline as the log is moved to the cutter.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said guide edge includes a roller.

13. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said controller is further operable to move the cutter to a desired cutting position.

14. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said cutter includes a circular saw blade.

15. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said cutter includes a universal mill.

16. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said cutter in includes a drill bit.

17. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising one or more computer aided design workstations in electrical communication with the controller.

18. An apparatus for processing a log to be incorporated into a log structure, said log having two substantially parallel surfaces and a log centerline defined in a plane normal to the substantially parallel surfaces, the apparatus comprising:

a support for supporting the log substantially horizontally on one of its substantially parallel surfaces;

a fence positioned adjacent the support;

a cutter for cutting the log;

a mover for moving the log substantially horizontally along the support to said cutter;

a controller for controlling operation of the mover and the cutter; and

at least one log guide in contact with said fence for maintaining the log centerline substantially parallel to said fence at a fixed distance from the fence as the log is moved to the cutter, said at least one log guide including a log guide centerline in alignment with the log centerline and a guide edge which maintains contact with the fence as the log is moved to the cutter.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said controller is further operable to move the cutter to a desired cutting position.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said cutter includes a circular saw blade.

21. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said cutter includes a universal mill.

22. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said cutter in includes a drill bit.

23. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising one or more computer aided design workstations in electrical communication with the controller.

24. A method for processing a log to be incorporated into a log structure, said log having two substantially parallel surfaces, two opposed edges maintaining a natural contour of a raw timber log, and a log centerline defined in a plane normal to the substantially parallel surfaces, the method comprising:

supporting the log substantially horizontally on a first one of its substantially parallel surfaces;

attaching a log guide to the log, said log guide having a guide edge;

positioning the guide edge of the guide in contact with a fence; and

moving the log substantially horizontally to a cutter for processing of the log as the guide edge is held in contact with the fence.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

marking the log centerline on a second one of the substantially parallel surfaces;

marking a log guide centerline on the log guide; and

aligning the log guide centerline with the log centerline when the log guide is attached to the log.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein said step of processing of the log includes cutting the log with a universal mill.

27. The method of claim 24 wherein said step of processing of the log includes cutting the log with a circular saw blade.

28. The method of claim 24 wherein said step of processing of the log includes cutting the log with a drill bit.

29. The method of claim 24 further comprising removing the log guide from the log after the log is processed.