Patent ID: 11958207
Assignee: SALEM EQUIPMENT, INC.
Field: Machine tools (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 15:
16. A method of feeding a flitch having a thickness into an edger, comprising:
(a) placing a flitch having a length and a width onto on a flitch feedline;
(b) moving the flitch laterally toward an edger infeed mechanism;
(c) scanning the flitch while the flitch remains on the flitch feedline, and thereby obtaining data concerning the shape and size of the flitch;
(d) producing a three-dimensional digital model of the flitch in a computer on the basis of the data obtained by scanning the flitch;
(e) moving, via a lower charger mechanism, the flitch laterally from the flitch feedline to an edger ready position at a distance above the edger infeed mechanism, the distance being greater than the thickness of the flitch;
(f) retaining, via a flitch-lowering mechanism that is distinct and separate from the lower charger mechanism, the flitch in the edger ready position for a time;
(g) lowering, via the flitch-lowering mechanism, the flitch onto the edger infeed mechanism at the end of the time; and
(h) carrying the flitch on the edger infeed mechanism in a direction parallel with the length of the flitch, and thereby feeding a leading end of the flitch into the edger and into engagement by the edger.