Woodworking – Process – Mechanical cutting or shaping
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-18
2001-12-18
Bray, W. Donald (Department: 3725)
Woodworking
Process
Mechanical cutting or shaping
C144S003100, C144S004900, C144S114100, C144S116000, C144S174000, C144S242100, C144S245200, C144S245400, C144S375000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06330895
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a log flaking and loading method and apparatus, particularly for producing four-sided cants from logs by cutting flakes or strands.
Wood flaking is a fundamental process in the production of wood products from raw logs. Particularly, flaking machines are used to produce a relatively smooth lumber finish on the log by cutting flakes therefrom. The flakes may be of bulk dimensions, or they may be produced in thin, wafer-like sheets, such as to be used in the production of oriented strand board (“OSB”), a wood product commonly employed as a substitute for plywood in which wafer-like “flakes or strands,” typically about 0.020″ thick, are pressed together and glued into sheet form. In such applications, it is desirable that the flakes or strands be strong and robust.
The flaking machines employ cutting heads of a variety of different configurations. Commonly, the cutting head is a rotating drum or disc carrying a plurality of knives around its circumference. The log is forced against the cutting head while the cutting head turns and which, thereby, cuts the flakes or strands. This produces flakes or strands that are not as strong and robust as is desirable.
The flaking machines are typically used to cut a substantially plane surface that is parallel to the elongate axis of the log. The portion of the log remaining after such cutting is termed a “cant.” Where only one surface is cut, the cant is “one-sided.” A “four-sided” cant is typically a finished or nearly finished piece of lumber, such as a 4×4 stud.
Particularly when producing lumber from logs of small diameter, it is desirable to process the log directly to form a four sided cant. It is most efficient to produce flakes or strands of sufficiently high quality for, e.g., OSB products in the same operation as that used to produce the four sided cant. It has not apparent, however, that this has been recognized in the prior art.
Four-sided cants are often produced by passing the log by a single cutting head four times. Such a method is time consuming, however. To increase throughput, a drum-style cutting head that is substantially as long as the length of log or other work piece being cut may be employed. The log is rotated slowly as the lathe head is rotated rapidly, the spacing between the lathe head and log being controlled by contact between a cam on the one and a cam follower on the other wherein the cam has the desired cross-sectional shape of the finished cant, See Peter Koch, “Development of the Shaping Lathe Headrig”, U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service Research Paper SO-98 (1974), incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. While the concept of the shaping lathe headrig could be used to increase the speed of four sided cant production, this would remain limited by the requirement to “machine” all four sides of the log with a single cutting head.
Accordingly, there is a need for a log flaking and loading method and apparatus that provides for producing higher quality flakes or strands for use in wood products as a result of producing four sided cants, and for increasing the production speed of producing the four sided cants.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A log flaking and loading method and apparatus according to the present invention solves the aforementioned problem and meets the aforementioned need by providing first and second pairs of cutting heads, the cutting heads of each pair being spaced apart to receive a log disposed therebetween and being adapted to move inwardly, toward one another, to cut two curved sides in the log. The heads are then fixed in position, and the log is moved in a perpendicular direction, to plane the curved sides. The log may then be rotated 90 degrees about its elongate axis and the process repeated, either with the same cutting heads or with an additional pair of cutting heads. Flakes or strands removed from the log have a generally high quality in terms of strength and robustness.
For processing a number of logs, each log is provided an associated carrier for carrying the log through the cutting heads. The carriers include spaced adjustable stops for making contact with the log and straightening it along its length. Loaded carriers are stored in a first magazine for feeding the cutting heads. The carriers are adapted to be picked from the magazine, placed between the cutting heads and moved as described above for planing.
In addition, a second, like, magazine is preferably provided for filling with loaded carriers while the first magazine is being emptied. After the first magazine is emptied and the second magazine filled, the first magazine is replaced with the second magazine.
In another aspect of the invention, a log is rotated against a rotating cutting head so as to peel flakes or strands from the outer surface of the log, leaving the log with a circular cross section as it is being cut. This has been found to produce flakes or strands of highest quality in terms of strength and robustness.
Therefore, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved log flaking and loading method and apparatus.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a log flaking and loading method and apparatus that provides for producing higher quality flakes or strands for use in wood products.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a log flaking and loading method and apparatus that provides for producing higher quality flakes or strands for use in wood products in the same operation in which four sided cants are produced.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a log flaking and loading method and apparatus that provides for producing a single four sided cant at a higher rate of speed.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a log flaking and loading method and apparatus that provides for producing a plurality of four sided cants at a higher rate of speed.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a log flaking and loading method and apparatus that provides for producing flakes or strands of the highest quality for use in wood products.
The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood upon consideration of the following detailed description of the invention, taken in conjunction with the following drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2696856 (1954-12-01), McCoy
patent: 3326252 (1967-06-01), Pease
patent: 3346028 (1967-10-01), Mitten
patent: 3454063 (1969-07-01), Mitten
patent: 4219056 (1980-08-01), Lindstrom
patent: 4230163 (1980-10-01), Barton
patent: 4697626 (1987-10-01), Arasmith
Bayly Robert M.
Carpenter Charles T.
Stager Bradley R.
Birdwell Janke & Durando, PLC
Bray W. Donald
Key Knife, Inc.
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