Patent ID: 8069972

Claim:
An apparatus for positioning a lumber piece comprising: a continuous track loop; a plurality of paddles spacedly disposed along the length of the continuous track loop, at least one paddle slideably mounted along a bearing way coupled to the track loop so that the paddle is laterally displaceable across a width of the track loop, and wherein the paddle comprises a lumber surface for contacting a surface of the lumber piece and stopping the lumber in a desired position perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the track loop during use; the at least one paddle having a locking mechanism constructed and arranged to lock the lateral position of the at least one paddle on the bearing way, the locking mechanism being biased in a closed position and being constructed such that when the locking mechanism is in a closed position the paddle is locked in position on the bearing way; an actuator disposed at an angle across the width of the track, the actuator constructed and arranged such that when activated the locking mechanism is in an open position and the paddle is free to move along the length of the bearing way and when the actuator is deactivated the locking mechanism locks the position of the paddle on the bearing way; and a paddle roller bank disposed at an angle across the width of the track, the paddle and paddle roller bank constructed and arranged so that as the track moves during operation and the locking mechanism is in an open position the paddle moves in the direction of the track and along the paddle roller bank which moves the paddle in a direction along the bearing way from a starting position to a desired position on the bearing way, and when the actuator is deactivated the locking mechanism goes to a closed position and the paddle is in a locked position on the bearing way and movement of the track pulls the paddle away from the paddle roller bank so that the paddle then moves only in the direction of the track.