Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a lumber handling and cutting apparatus, including an incoming material conveyor assembly, a material infeed assembly adjacent to the incoming material conveyor assembly, a cutting assembly adjacent to the material infeed assembly, a material outfeed assembly adjacent to the cutting assembly, an outgoing material conveyor assembly adjacent to the cutting assembly, and a printer assembly adjacent to the incoming material conveyor assembly and the material infeed assembly.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a lumber handling and cutting apparatus, including an incoming material conveyor assembly, a material infeed assembly adjacent to the incoming material conveyor assembly, a cutting assembly adjacent to the material infeed assembly, a material outfeed assembly adjacent to the cutting assembly, an outgoing material conveyor assembly adjacent to the cutting assembly, and a printer assembly adjacent to the incoming material conveyor assembly and the material infeed assembly.

Automated lumber handling systems include one or more lumber-scanning sensors that travel independently of a board-carrying trolley to reduce board retrieval times and increase scanning accuracy and resolution. In some examples, the lumber handling systems retrieve various size boards from a series of spaced-apart stations, and deliver chosen boards in a certain sequence to a saw. The saw then cuts the boards to sizes suitable for making prefabricated roof trusses and/or wall frames.

Automated lumber handling systems include one or more lumber-scanning sensors that travel independently of a board-carrying trolley to reduce board retrieval times and increase scanning accuracy and resolution. In some examples, the lumber handling systems retrieve various size boards from a series of spaced-apart stations, and deliver chosen boards in a certain sequence to a saw. The saw then cuts the boards to sizes suitable for making prefabricated roof trusses and/or wall frames.

A lumber transfer system includes an overhead track and a lower conveyor for retrieving and delivering boards from multiple racks of lumber to a platform leading to a saw. In some examples of operation, a board picker travels along the track to pick up a chosen board from one of the racks. The board picker then releases the board onto the conveyor. The conveyor conveys the board underneath the other racks and delivers the board to the saw feed platform. While the conveyor is conveying the board toward the saw feed platform, the board picker returns to the racks for another board. The board picker traveling along the track and handling boards while the conveyor delivers them to the saw saves production time and increases throughput.

A system including a gantry structure; a first and a second saw head movable along at least part of the length of the gantry structure; and a first and a second lumber support also movable along corresponding lengths of the gantry structure. A controller moves the first saw head and first lumber support adjacent a first location along a board and moves the second saw head and second lumber support adjacent a second location along a board, and operates the first and second saw heads to cut first and second ends off the board. The controller then moves the saw heads and the lumber supports relative to the board to third and fourth locations and operates the first and second saw heads to cut third and fourth end pieces off. The saw heads and lumber supports optionally move together and rotate around respective vertical axes to enable angled board cuts.

What is disclosed is an improved method of sawing wood and an improved sawmill capable of producing vertical grain lumber. Vertical grain lumber is a preferred lumber for use, for example, in trim applications. The improved method and improved sawmill both utilize a track having a carriage, the carriage has a vertical blade and a horizontal blade. The vertical blade and the horizontal blade travel on the carriage down the track. The log is then rotated for another length of lumber to be cut. In a preferred embodiment the sawmill utilizes a skewer for adjusting the log. In a preferred embodiment the log is held by a lathe that can be moved. In a preferred embodiment the log is placed on a skewer before it is engaged by the lathe.

A lumber cutting and delivery system for use in assembling trusses on a truss table includes a saw configured to receive a piece of material therein. The saw is configured to cut the piece of material into one or more pieces and at different lengths and angles so that at least some of the one or more pieces are the components of at least one truss. A trunk conveyor system is positioned to receive the one or more pieces cut from the saw. The trunk conveyor system has a first conveying element to transport the one or more pieces over a distance in a travel direction and an ejector configured to discharge the one or more pieces from the first conveying element in a first discharge direction. A branch conveyor system is configured to receive the one or more pieces discharged from the trunk conveyor system in the first discharge direction. The branch conveyor system has a main conveying element to transport the one or more pieces.

A feed roll comprises a roll having a rotary axis, flutes fixed on the roll, mounts fixed on the roll between the flutes, each mount having a seat spaced apart from the outer surface of the roll and replaceable flute elements detachably and matingly engaged in the seats of respective mounts and extending outward beyond the mounts. The replaceable flute insert element comprises an elongated plate body having an inner longitudinal edge, an outer longitudinal edge, and a backing face extending between the inner longitudinal edge and the outer longitudinal edge and the inner longitudinal edge and the backing face configured to matingly engage the seat of the mount. The flute insert element further comprises the outer longitudinal edge being formed with a traction element and the plate body having a plurality of bolt holes therethrough for registering with the bolt holes of the mount element when the plate body and the seat are matingly engaged.

A timber processing system includes a frame including a mount for attaching to a skid steer, tractor, excavator, or the like; and a grapple attached to the frame for moving timber pieces into place for cutting by a saw.