Patent GB-1509473-A (GB)
Title: Finger jointing machine
IPC: B27G19/10
Filed: 1976-11-29
Abstract: 1509473 Joining timber COOK BOLINDERS Ltd 29 Nov 1976 49701/76 Heading B5L A machine for finger jointing timber comprises a horizontal support table 12, 13, a vertical guide fence 14, 15 adjacent the table, and means 16, 17 for clamping two pieces of timber in the table against the fence with the rear end of one piece spaced from the front end of the other piece. A cutting and glueing unit 25 is movable vertically through the space between the ends of the timber and has two rotatable cutters 26, 27 each having axially spaced teeth. The cutters are rotated in opposite directions and are arranged to engage the ends of the timber as they are moving upwardly. Glue is applied to the ends of the timber by ribbed rollers 28, 29 disposed beneath the rotary cutters and the unit is moved upwardly.  The support table consists of two horizontally aligned parts 12, 13 each of which has a vertical guide fence 14, 15. Sideways clamping elements 20, 21 urge the timber against the fence and hydraulically operated members 16, 17 clamp the timber on the table parts 12, 13, each of which has an associated feed mechanism 23, 24. The cutting and glueing unit 25 is vertically slidable along guideways between the table parts 12, 13 by a hydraulic mechanism, the unit being movable between an upper position (shown in solid lines) and a lower position (shown in phantom). The cutters 26, 27 are rotated in opposite directions (as shown by the arrows) and so that the teeth thereof cut upwardly as the unit is moved upwardly. The teeth of one cutter are axially spaced by half the spacing of the teeth from those of the other cutter. Below the cutters 26, 27 are respective glueing rollers 28, 29 having ribs aligned beneath the associated cutters. A glue tank 33 having a glueing roller 34 is disposed below the lowermost position of the unit for applying glue to the rollers 28, 29. Each of the vertical clamping members 16, 17 carries a respective support member 36, 37 pivotally movable by a hydraulic mechanism between a horizontal position, in which fingers thereof shaped to conform to the cutters press on top of the timber to minimize break out of the timber by the cutters, and a vertical position away from the timber during glueing thereof. In operation, the unit 25 is initially in its upper position and a first piece of timber is fed by the mechanism 24 over table part 13 and on to table part 12. The unit is lowered and a second piece of timber is fed by mechanism 24 until it abuts a rear face 47 on the unit; at the same time mechanism 23 moves the first piece rearwardly until it abuts a front face 46 of the units. The clamping mechanisms 20, 21 press the timber against the fences 14, 16 and the clmping members 16, 17 then clamp the pieces against the table parts, the support members 36, 37 being moved to their operative positions. The unit 25 is raised so that the cutters 26, 27 form the fingers in the ends of the pieces of timber, and the support members are moved to their vertical inoperative positions so that the rollers can apply glue to the timber. When the unit is in its upper position, the table part 13 is moved to press its piece of timber against that held on the table part 12.