Splitter profiler

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11420356-B2
Application number	US-201916574057-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 17, 2019
Priority date	May 16, 2018
Publication date	Aug 23, 2022
Grant date	Aug 23, 2022

Abstract

In various embodiments, a splitter profiler apparatus may include at least one profiler head and at least one circular saw mounted to a common arbor. The circular saw may be mounted to a saw arm, and the saw arm may be coupled with an actuator that is selectively operable to move the circular saw along the arbor. The circular saw may be used in a profiling position, in which the circular saw and profiler head are in close proximity, such that the profiler head and circular saw function collectively to form a sideboard edge with a sawn finish. The circular saw may also be used in a splitting position, in which the circular saw is at a distance from the profiler, to divide the sideboard into narrower sideboards before the sideboards are sawn from the primary workpiece. Corresponding methods and systems are also described herein.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A splitter profiler module for forming board profiles along wood workpieces such as logs or cants, the splitter profiler module comprising:
a frame;
an arbor rotatably coupled with the frame;
a first profiler head and a second profiler head mounted along the arbor, wherein the profiler heads are configured to chip wood material from the wood workpieces; and
a first saw arm assembly movably coupled to the arbor and the frame, wherein the first saw arm assembly is configured to retain a first circular saw blade mounted along the arbor between the profiler heads, and the first saw arm assembly is selectively moveable relative to the frame to thereby move the first circular saw blade axially along the arbor, wherein the first saw arm assembly includes a saw sleeve assembly with an opening configured to slideably engage the arbor, and wherein the first saw arm assembly is movable relative to the frame from a profiling position, in which the first circular saw blade is in contact with or substantially abutting the first profiler head, to one or more splitting positions in which the first circular saw blade is spaced apart from the first profiler head along the arbor.

2. The splitter profiler module of claim 1 , wherein the saw arm assembly includes a saw arm, and the saw sleeve assembly is mounted to the saw arm, and wherein the first saw arm assembly is configured to hold the first circular saw blade within 2 millimeters away from a corresponding surface of the first profiler head while the first saw arm assembly is in the profiling position.

3. The splitter profiler module of claim 1 , wherein the saw sleeve assembly includes a first portion and a second portion, the first portion includes said opening, and the first portion is disposed at least partially through the second portion.

4. The splitter profiler module of claim 3 , wherein the first portion includes a bearing housing, a bushing, or a sleeve bearing, and the second portion includes a roller bearing.

5. The splitter profiler module of claim 4 , wherein the first portion has a flange with a plurality of through-holes for coupling the circular saw blade to the flange.

6. The splitter profiler module of claim 1 , wherein the first and second profiler heads are mounted to first and second profiler arms, respectively, the first saw arm is between the first and second profiler arms, and the first saw arm is configured to contact, or to nest partially within, a respective portion of the first profiler arm while in the profiling position.

7. The splitter profiler module of claim 1 , further including a carriage coupled to the saw arm and a guide member coupled to the frame, wherein the guide member is oriented substantially parallel to the arbor and the carriage is configured to movably engage the guide member.

8. The splitter profiler module of claim 7 , further including a first actuator coupled to the frame and the saw arm, wherein the first actuator includes a cylinder and a piston, the cylinder is mounted to the frame and the piston is coupled to the saw arm and oriented generally parallel to the arbor, and the first actuator is selectively operable to move the saw arm relative to the frame.

9. The splitter profiler module of claim 8 , further including a first profiler arm assembly with a profiler arm, and a second actuator coupled with the frame and the profiler arm, wherein the profiler arm is movably coupled with the frame and the first profiler head is mounted to the profiler arm, and the second actuator is selectively actuable to move the profiler arm relative to the frame to thereby move the first profiler head axially along the arbor.

10. The splitter profiler module of claim 9 , further including a second profiler arm assembly with a second profiler arm, and a third actuator coupled with the frame and the second profiler arm, wherein the second profiler arm is movably coupled with the frame and the second profiler head is mounted to the second profiler arm, and the third actuator is selectively actuable to move the second profiler arm relative to the frame to thereby move the second profiler head axially along the arbor.

11. The splitter profiler module of claim 9 , wherein the first actuator further includes a shaft with a first end and an opposite second end, the first end is coupled to the piston and the second end is coupled to the saw arm, and the shaft is disposed through an opening in the profiler arm.

12. The splitter profiler module of claim 1 , further including a second saw arm assembly with a second saw arm, wherein the second saw arm is movably coupled with the frame and configured to retain a second circular saw blade between the first circular saw blade and the second profiler head, and wherein the second saw arm is movable relative to the frame from a second profiling position, in which the second circular saw blade is in contact with or substantially abutting a respective side of the second profiler head, and one or more second splitting positions in which the second circular saw blade is spaced apart from the second profiler head along the arbor.

13. The splitter profiler module of claim 12 , further including a first actuator coupled with the frame and the first saw arm assembly and a second actuator coupled with the frame and the second saw arm assembly, wherein the first actuator and the second actuator are actuable independently of one another to move the first saw arm assembly and the second saw arm assembly, respectively, relative to the frame to thereby move the respective circular saw blades along the arbor.

14. The splitter profiler module of claim 3 , wherein the saw sleeve assembly further includes a stiffening ring, the stiffening ring and said first portion are configured to retain the circular saw blade therebetween, and a first side of the first profiler head has a recess dimensioned to accommodate the stiffening ring therein.

15. A system for processing a wood workpiece, wherein the workpiece is a log or a cant, the system comprising:
a splitter profiler module, wherein the splitter profiler module includes
a frame,
an arbor rotatably coupled with the frame,
a first profiler head and a second profiler head mounted along the arbor,

wherein the profiler heads are configured to chip the wood workpiece,
a first saw arm assembly movably coupled to the arbor and the frame, wherein the first saw arm assembly is configured to retain a first circular saw blade mounted along the arbor between the profiler heads, and the first saw arm assembly is selectively moveable relative to the frame to thereby move the first circular saw blade axially along the arbor, and wherein the first saw arm assembly includes a saw sleeve assembly with an opening configured to slideably engage the arbor, and
a first actuator coupled with the first saw arm assembly and the frame; and

a controller operatively coupled with the first actuator, wherein the controller is configured to control the actuator to move the first saw arm assembly between a profiling position and one or more splitting positions while the arbor is rotated,
wherein the first saw arm assembly is configured to hold the first circular saw blade in contact with, or close proximity to, a surface of the first profiler head while the first saw arm assembly is in the profiling position.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the controller is configured to
identify one of said positions based at least on a cut solution or a cut pattern for the workpiece, and
send one or more control signals to cause the first actuator to reposition the circular saw to

Assignees

• Usnr Llc

Inventors

• Blomquist Christopher W
• Whitaker Benjamin Owen

Classifications

• B27B5/063

  Sawing travelling workpieces · CPC title

• B27B5/08 Primary

  for sawing with the saw blade abutting parallel against a surface of the workpiece · CPC title

• B27L7/02

  using rotating members {, e.g. rotating screws} · CPC title

• B27B5/34 Primary

  Devices for securing a plurality of circular saw blades on a single saw spindle; Equipment for adjusting the mutual distance {(arrangements for adjusting the mutual distances of circular saw machines for lengthwise sawing of trunks B27B7/04)} · CPC title

• B27B33/20

  Edge trimming saw blades or tools combined with means to disintegrate waste · CPC title