Patent ID: 6705190
Filing Date: 2004-03-16
Classification: B27B,Y10T

Abstract:
For operation in cooperation with an optimizer, a lumber trimming device for trimming ends of elongate workpieces conveyed on an infeed conveyor, the workpieces in a laterally disposed orientation relative to an infeed direction of the conveyor, said lumber trimming device comprising:a gang of laterally spaced apart drop saws wherein said drop saws are independently actuable by actuating means according to trimming instructions from the optimizer, first and second end-trimming saws mounted adjacent said gang, said end-trimming saws selectively laterally translatable by selectively actuable translation means according to end-trimming instructions from the optimizer, said end-trimming saws thereby cooperating with said gang, wherein said first end-trimming saw cooperates with the optimizer and said drop saws so that a first drop saw of said drop saws is actuated simultaneously with optimized lateral positioning of said first end-trimming saw so as to trim a first workpiece of the workpieces on the infeed conveyor simultaneously by both said first drop saw in a first trim cut and said first end-trimming saw in a second trim cut, said first end-trimming saw cooperating with said translation means and the optimizer to laterally re-position said first end-trimming saw subsequent to said second trim cut simultaneously with said second end-trimming saw actively laterally pre-positioning for an end trim cut on a second and next-adjacent workpiece on the infeed conveyor, wherein said end-trimming saws only translate horizontally laterally and do not raise and lower, whereby the time required to position said end-trimming saws to cut the workpieces is minimized, and wherein lateral positioning means upstream of said end-trimming saws and said gang cooperatively position the workpieces according to instructions from the optimizer for optimized trimming, and wherein no lateral positioning of the workpieces occurs between said end-trimming saws and said gang.