Dust hood hold down
An automated inline rip saw system utilizing x-ray and optical scanning techniques to identify and detect flaws within a piece of wood. The present system may further utilize a precision skewing unit which may reduce or eliminate errors while allowing for precision rip cuts to be performed. Further, the present automated inline rip saw system may utilize multiple independently controlled saw blades to perform precision cuts. Finally, the present inline rip saw system may allow for more accurate detection of flaws or undesirable inclusions within the wood earlier in the wood production process, including the ability to scan for, identify, and remove sap wood from green lumber.
1 . A rip saw assembly comprising:
a first dust hood at least partially enclosing a first saw blade therein;
a second dust hood at least partially enclosing a second saw blade therein;
a frame having at least one rail;
a first mounting sled engaged with the at least one rail of the frame and carrying the first dust hood and the first saw blade thereon; and
a second mounting sled engaged with the at least one rail of the frame and carrying the second dust hood and the second saw blade thereon;
a first foot on the first dust hood;
a second foot on the second dust hood; wherein the first and second feet are operable to secure a piece of wood while being cut;
wherein the first and second dust hoods are vertically movable relative to the first and second saw blades;
wherein the first dust hood is in a raised position wherein the first foot is not in contact with the piece of wood when the piece of wood is not being cut by the first saw blade and the second dust hood is in a raised position wherein the second foot is not in contact with the piece of wood when the piece of wood is not being cut by the second saw blade;
wherein the first dust hood is moved to a lowered position wherein the first foot is in contact with a top surface of the piece of wood when the piece of wood is being cut by the first saw blade and the second dust hood is moved to a lowered position wherein the second foot is in contact with the top surface of the piece of wood when the piece of wood is being cut by the second saw blade;
wherein the first dust hood is moved from the lowered position to the raised position when the piece of wood is no longer being cut by the first saw blade and the second dust hood is moved from the lowered position to the raised position when the piece of wood is no longer being cut by the second saw blade; and
wherein a movement of the first and second dust hoods from the lowered positions to the raised positions triggers a signal to a skewing unit of the rip saw assembly to move a subsequent piece of wood to the first and second saw blades.
2 . The saw assembly of claim 1 further comprising:
at least one slider slidably engaged between the first mounting sled and the at least one rail; and
at least one additional slider slidably engaged between the second mounting sled and the at least one rail.
3 . The saw assembly of claim 2 wherein the first and second mounting sleds are transversely moveable along the at least one rail of the frame relative to a path defined through the rip saw assembly; and wherein the piece of wood is movable through the rip saw assembly by a plurality of rollers to place the first and second saw blades into the path to cut the piece of wood.
4 . The saw assembly of claim 3 wherein the signal to the skewing unit simultaneously triggers the saw assembly to move the first and second saw blades to a subsequent position in the path to cut the subsequent piece of wood.
5 . The saw assembly of claim 1 wherein the first and second dust hoods are in operable communication with a dust removal system of the rip saw assembly.
6 . The saw assembly of claim 1 further comprising:
a first dedicated motor in operable communication with the first saw blade; and
a second dedicated motor in operable communication with the second saw blade.
7 . The saw assembly of claim 6 further comprising:
a third dust hood at least partially enclosing a third saw blade therein;
a fourth dust hood at least partially enclosing a fourth saw blade therein;
a second frame having at least one rail;
a third mounting sled engaged with the at least one rail of the second frame and carrying the third dust hood and the third saw blade thereon; and
a fourth mounting sled engaged with the at least one rail of the second frame and carrying the fourth dust hood and the fourth saw blade thereon;
wherein the third and fourth dust hoods are vertically movable relative to the third and fourth saw blades.
8 . The saw assembly of claim 7 further comprising:
a third foot on the third dust hood; and
a fourth foot on the fourth dust hood; wherein the third and fourth feet are operable to secure the piece of wood while being cut.
9 . The saw assembly of claim 8 wherein the third and fourth dust hoods and the third and fourth saw blades are behind the first and second dust hoods and the first and second saw blades.
10 . The saw assembly of claim 9 wherein the third and fourth dust hoods are in raised positions wherein the third and fourth feet are not in contact with the piece of wood when the piece of wood is being cut by the first and second saw blades.
11 . The saw assembly of claim 10 wherein the third and fourth dust hoods are moved to lowered positions wherein the third and fourth feet are in contact with a top surface of the piece of wood when the piece of wood is being cut by the third and fourth saw blades.
12 . The saw assembly of claim 11 wherein the third and fourth dust hoods are moved from the lowered positions to the raised positions when the piece of wood is no longer being cut by the third and the fourth saw blades.