Cutting – Processes
Reexamination Certificate
1998-05-28
2001-06-12
Young, Lee (Department: 3729)
Cutting
Processes
C083S789000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06244144
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to horizontal band saws for cutting boards, and more particularly, to a horizontal band saw device which includes multiple lanes of travel for simultaneously cutting multiple boards along their respective lengths with a single band saw blade thereby enabling increased cutting capacity of such boards.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Horizontal band saws of a variety of configurations have been used in the past. Such horizontal band saws typically include a number of common features such as a head having a pair of rotatable wheels around which a band saw blade extends. At least one of the wheels is controllably rotatable through the use of a motor. Rotation of the wheels causes the band saw blade to move across a board receiving passage of the head. A board conveyor, such as a belt, passes through the board receiving passage and below the band saw blade. A board resting on the board conveyor is fed through the head so as to be cut along its length. The height of the board conveyor relative to the band saw blade can typically be adjusted to control how the board is cut.
In many applications, such as in resaw applications involving short boards, it is desired to maximize board cutting capacity. One technique used in the past for increasing board cutting capacity has been to align multiple band saw heads in back to back fashion such that a large board may be cut lengthwise into a plurality of smaller boards. As a board is passed through such a device it is cut along its length a number of times by different band saw blades resulting in a plurality of stacked board pieces which exit the device. Such sequential band saw devices have effectively increased the cutting capacity achievable by a single machine operator. However, such band saw devices have accompanying disadvantages including relatively high cost due to the large number of band saw heads needed. Further, it has been found that as the number of band saw heads is successively increased a point is reached where board cutting capacity begins to diminish due to the increased likelihood of machine down time. In particular, when one head in a system breaks down the entire band saw line must typically be shut down while the one head is repaired. Still further, the size of such band saw devices becomes a problem as a large number of band saw heads are aligned back to back. For example, in order to cut a six inch high board into eight ¾ inch high boards in a single pass it is necessary to align seven band saw heads back to back.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a horizontal band saw device and method for cutting multiple boards along their respective lengths simultaneously.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a band saw device having a band saw head with multiple board conveyors passing therethrough to provide increased board cutting capacity as compared to existing band saw devices which have band saw heads including only one board conveyor passing therethrough.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a band saw device and associated method in which multiple band saw heads are placed back to back, each successive band saw head including a greater number of lanes of travel than the previous band saw head.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
These and other objects of the invention are attained by an apparatus which, in one embodiment, is a horizontal band saw device for cutting lengthwise along boards passed therethrough and enabling increased cutting capacity of such boards. The band saw device includes a head and, importantly, both a first board conveyor passing therethrough and a second board conveyor passing therethrough. The head includes an inlet end, an outlet end, a board receiving passage, and a movable band saw blade, the board receiving passage having the movable band saw blade passing from a first side to a second side thereof. The first board conveyor extends through the board receiving passage of the head and beneath the band saw blade. The second board conveyor extends through the board receiving passage of the head and beneath the band saw blade, the second board conveyor being spaced from the first board conveyor. The first board conveyor is operable to continuously feed a first board resting thereon through the board receiving passage at a set speed and the second board conveyor is operable to continuously feed a second board resting thereon through the board receiving passage at the set speed such that the first board and the second board are simultaneously cut along their respective lengths by the band saw blade thereby at least doubling the board cutting capacity of the horizontal band saw device as compared to a band saw device including only one board conveyor operating at the set speed. Each board conveyor defines a lane of travel of the band saw device. In a preferred embodiment of the invention dust collecting apparatus is provided between adjacent lanes of travel of the band saw device and may include, for example, a dust directing bin and a vacuum source.
In another aspect of the present invention a method for cutting a board along its length into at least four board pieces is provided. The method involves providing a first band saw head including at least a first lane of travel therethrough and a band saw blade continuously moving across the first lane of travel. The board is passed through the first band saw head along the first lane of travel such that the board is cut along its length into a first board piece and a second board piece. A second band saw head is provided and includes at least a first lane of travel and a second lane of travel therethrough, and a band saw blade traveling across both the first and second lanes of travel. The first board piece exiting the first band saw head is directed to the first lane of travel of the second band saw head and the second board piece exiting the first band saw head is directed to the second lane of travel of the second band saw head. The first board piece is passed through the second band saw head along the first lane of travel thereof such that the first board is cut along its length into two pieces, and the second board piece is passed through the second band saw head along the second lane of travel thereof such that the second board piece is cut along its length into two pieces.
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Baker Products Brochure/Product Information.
Haverstock, Garrett & Roberts LLP
Smith Sean
Young Lee
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