Patent ID: 8413522

Claim:
A device for proof loading wooden boards, comprising: (a) first feed means ( 3 ) located at a first segment ( 5 ) of a feed path along which each of the boards ( 2 ) is fed in a direction parallel with each board's main direction of extension, and (b) second feed means ( 4 ) positioned at a second segment ( 6 ) of the feed path which, with reference to the direction of feed of the boards ( 2 ), is upstream of the first segment ( 5 ), the first and the second feed means ( 3 ), ( 4 ) being positioned relative to each other so they can simultaneously act on two different portions of the same wooden board ( 2 ) which is being fed along the feed path, the device comprising deformation means ( 9 ) effective to cause each board ( 2 ) to elongate, without bending, in a direction substantially parallel with its main direction of extension, the deformation means ( 9 ) comprising the first feed means ( 3 ) and the second feed means ( 4 ), the deformation means ( 9 ) being effective to apply a longitudinal tractive force on each board ( 2 ) using the first and the second feed means ( 3 ), ( 4 ), the longitudinal tractive force being applied in a direction substantially parallel with the board's main direction of extension and being effective to cause the board ( 2 ) to elongate, without bending, in a direction substantially parallel with the board's main direction of extension.