A hydraulic separation system and method enables efficient recycling of log yard waste from an elevated frame. The system separates fine granules, small rocks, small bark, large bark, and large rocks with a variety of sequentially positioned, hydraulically powered separating components. The separation is mechanical and the size and weight of the individual material determines where in the system it is separated. Conveyors carry the log yard waste through the system. Shaking screens shake in a fast, up and down motion to flip and move the material through the system. Adjustable sloped plates work to accelerate and decelerate the material through the system. Dampening fingers control the disposition of elongated pieces of large bark and help to decelerate down the material. Blowers separate the bark from heavier rock and granular material. The elevated frame to enable cleaning and access to materials discharged beneath the elevated frame.

Lumber retrieval systems and methods feed a centrally located saw with a predetermined assortment of boards picked from certain stations distributed at either side of the saw. In some examples, an overhead trolley system carries individual boards in a certain sequence from chosen stations to a board-receiving apparatus. The board-receiving apparatus, in turn, feeds the boards to the saw. The saw then cuts the boards into board segments, which can be used for making prefabricated trusses and wall panels. In some examples, the trolley system has a laser-scanning feature for determining the location of the next-to-pick board while simultaneously transporting the board currently heading to the board-receiving apparatus. In some examples, the trolley system includes two board carriers each of which are dedicated or assigned to certain stations. In some examples, one carrier serves as backup for the other one when one of the carriers is broken or otherwise inactive.

An apparatus for transporting veneer sheets, where the veneer sheets each have an upper surface, a lower surface, and a plurality of edges connecting the upper surface to the lower surface. The apparatus includes a vacuum source and a conveyor for transporting individual sheets of veneer along a direction of travel to a predetermined location. The conveyor includes a belt running in the direction of travel. A vacuum opening adjacent the belt is in communication with the vacuum source to draw respective sheets of veneer to the belt by suction applied to the upper surface or the lower surface of the veneer sheets via the vacuum opening. The position of the conveyor is adjustable in a direction transverse the direction of travel to accommodate veneer sheets having different lengths.

A system for treating wood (30), comprising: —a treatment vessel (14) configured to receive at least one wood stack (4) for treatment, and —a stack holding system (2) for holding a wood stack (4), the stack holding system (2) comprising: —a frame (6), configured to support the wood stack (4); —a first element (8), connected to the frame (6) near an upper side of said frame (6), configured to exert a first, downward force on the wood stack (4); and —a second element (10), connected to the frame (6) near a lower side of said frame (6), configured to exert a second force on the wood stack (4) in a direction opposite said first force. The invention also comprises a method for treating wood, using a system for treating wood according to the invention.

An improved timber jack for raising and supporting logs off from the ground has an elongated lever arm handle member supporting a fulcrum at a distal end of the handle creating a lever of the first class. The novelty resides in having an arcuate fulcrum such that applying a force at a proximal end of the handle causes the fulcrum to roll on the ground as the log is being lifted. Less effort is required to lift a given load as compared to conventional timber jacks.

What is disclosed is a robot gripper having a receiving area which is configured to be connected to an industrial robot, and having at least one suction unit which is configured to be connected to a vacuum source. The suction unit comprises a suction surface on which a preferably plate-shaped workpiece, which preferably consists at least in sections of wood, wood materials, plastic, aluminum or the like, can be held by means of negative pressure. The suction unit comprises a substantially straight pressing edge in an edge section. The robot gripper further comprises an actuator configured to tilt the suction unit about a first tilt axis relative to the receiving area.

Aspects of unbinding apparatus, methods, and systems are disclosed. One aspect disclosed herein is an apparatus for unbinding a stacked load of logs. For example, the apparatus may comprise: a plurality of support arms movable toward a plurality of side surfaces of the stacked load, each support arm of the plurality of support arms comprising a guide surface and being: adjustable to abut against one or more side surfaces of the plurality of side surfaces; and independently movable relative to the plurality of support arms in one or more directions responsive to a physical shape of the one or more side surfaces to establish a formfitting abutment between the plurality of support arms and the plurality of side surfaces. In this example, once the formfitting abutment is established, the guide surfaces of the plurality of support arms may be positioned and operative to guide a log released from the stacked load along an escape path over and away from an unbinding area adjacent the stacked load. Aspects of related methods and systems also are disclosed herein.

Technology disclosed includes a robotic workstation for unstacking/stacking a multi-layer stack of boards and includes an end effector configured to pick up, move and release a layer of boards. The end effector includes first and second pick up and release members, each being (i) disposed below first and second support members, (ii) transversely arranged with respect to the first and second support members and (iii) attached to both of the first and second support members. The robotic workstation also includes a robotic manipulator connected to an attachment plate of the end effector and capable of moving the end effector. The robotic manipulator is under control of a controller executing stored instructions that perform operations including picking up the layer of boards by orienting the end effector such that each board of the layer of boards is transversely oriented with respect to the first and second pick up and release members.

A veneer sheet feed device for multistage veneer sheet dryer is provided between an auto feeder including a carry-in conveyor and a roll dryer (veneer sheet dryer). The veneer sheet feed device is provided with a guide member and a feed conveyor for feeding a veneer sheet carried in from the carry-in conveyor to each conveyance unit of the roll dryer in this order from a conveyance up stream side. The veneer sheet feed device further provided with a pivot mechanism that allows a starting end of the guide member belonging to the conveyance stage immediately above the conveyance stage in which the veneer sheet is carried this time from the carry-in conveyor to pivot to a portion above a horizontal position of a roller shaft located at a terminal end of this guide member.

A sorting and combining system for board pieces is provided by the present invention. The system comprises a conveying system for the board pieces in association with at least one robotic arm and accumulating rows. The system may further comprise side rows for additional storing of board pieces. With the help of stopping systems, board pieces of the conveyor are assembled into stacks of predetermined length by the at least one robotic arm on the accumulating rows before being sent to an outfeed section. A method is further provided, the method analyzing the presence of board pieces on a conveyor, stopping gates and a reserve in order to complete stacks of rows of predetermined length on sorting boxes. The method makes the use of a robotic arm for the manipulation and displacement of board pieces.