Automatic veneer measuring and clipping control system

Claim 2

A veneer measuring and clipping control system for controlling the actuation of a veneer clipper, said system comprising: pulse generating means for generating a pulse each time the veneer is moved a specified distance; a counter connected to said pulse generating means for counting said pulses, said counter generating a first set of signals representative of the count; signal generating means for generating a second set of signals representative of a count at which it is desired to clip the veneer comprising a second counter generating a second set of signals; manually actuatable set in length switching means for feeding pulses from said pulse generating means into said second counter; a comparator for comparing said first and second sets of signals and arranged to generate a comparison signal when said sets of signals represent the same count; and clipper control means connected to and actuated by said comparison signal for actuating the veneer clipper.

Claim 3

A control system in accordance with claim 1 and further including: a manual shift switch; and second pulse generating means including said manual shift switch and connected to the input of said counter for feeding a predetermined number of pulses to said counter each time said manual shift switch is actuated.

Claim 4

A control system in accordance with claim 1 and further including: a manual shift switch; and gating means for preventing a predetermined number of pulses from passing between said pulse generator and said counter each time said manual shift switch is actuated.

Claim 5

A control system in accordance with claim 1 and further including: a manually actuatable adjust switch; and a pulse generator actuated by said adjust switch to generate a fixed number of pulses, said pulses being fed into said second counter.

Claim 6

A control system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said second counter is an up-down counter, and which further includes: a triggerable pulse generator capable of generating a fixed number of pulses, said pulses being fed into said second counter; and manually actuatable adjust switching means for triggering said pulse generator and for simultaneously causing said second counter to count either up or down in response to said pulses.

Claim 7

A control system in accordance with claim 1 which also includes a second pulse generating means connected to said second counter for changing the count within said second counter by predetermined amounts between successive clips.

Claim 8

A control system in accordance with claim 6 wherein said second pulse generating means generates a predetermined number of pulses in response to each occurrence of said comparison signal.

Claim 9

A control system in accordance with claim 6 wherein said second counter is an up-down counter, and which further includes count direction reversing means including a log or reel switch for determining whether the pulses from said second pulse generating means add to or subtract from the count within said second counter.

Claim 10

A control system for a veneer sheet defect clipper comprising: a set in length switch; first measurement means actuated by said set in length switch for measuring and storing the length of the veneer which passes a fixed location during the time interval the set in length switch is actuated; second measurement means for measuring and storing the length of veneer which passes a fixed location after each clip, and a comparator which receives as inputs the lengths stored in said first and second measurement means, and which actuates the veneer sheet clipper whenever the two measurements are the same.

Claim 11

A control system for a veneer sheet defect clipper comprising: a set in length switch; first measurement means actuated by said set in length switch for measuring and storing the length of the veneer which passes a fixed location during the time interval the set in length switch is actuated; second measurement means for measuring and storing the length of veneer which passes a fixed location after each clip, and a comparator which receives as inputs the lengths stored in said first and second measurement means, and which actuates the veneer sheet clipper whenever the two measurements are the same.

Claim 12

A control system in accordance with claim 9 and further including length incrementing means for changing the length stored within said first measurement means by an incremental amount after each actuation of the veneer sheet clipper.

Claim 13

A control system in accordance with claim 10 wherein said first and second measurement means include counters arranged to count pulses, said pulses being supplied by a pulse generator that generates pulses spaced in time so as to represent the distance moved by the veneer sheet.

Claim 14

A control system in accordance with claim 11 and further including a second pulse generator arranged to supply a predetermined quantity of pulses to the first measurement means after each actuation of the veneer sheet clipper.

Claim 15

A control system in accordance with claim 9 and further including a bistable device connected between said comparator and said veneer sheet clipper which causes the veneer sheet clipper to be actuated only every other time the two measurements are the same.

Claim 16

A control system for a veneer sheet clipper of the type that clips once when it is actuated and again when it is deactuated, said system comprising: means for generating a control signal whenever the clipper is to clip; a toggle binary device connected to said control signal and arranged to change its state each time said control signal appears, said toggle binary device having two outputs; a clipper control flip-flop having two inputs and arranged to control the actuation and deactuation of the veneer sheet clipper in accordance with its state; a connection between one of said two outputs and one of said two inputs; and an adjustable time delay device connected between the other of said two outputs and the other of said two inputs.

Claim 17

A control system for a veneer sheet clipper of the type that clips once when it is actuated and again when it is deactuated, said system comprising: means for generating a control signal whenever the clipper is to clip; a toggle binary device connected to said control signal and arranged to change its state each time said control signal appears, said toggle binary device having two outputs; a clipper control flip-flop having two inputs and arranged to control the actuation and deactuation of the veneer sheet clipper in accordance with its state; a connection between one of said two outputs and one of said two inputs; and an adjustable time delay device connected between the other of said two outputs and the other of said two inputs.

Claim 18

A veneer measuring and clipping control system for controlling the actuation of a veneer clipper, said system comprising: pulse generating means for generating a pulse each time the veneer is moved a specified distance; a counter connected to said pulse generating means for counting said pulses, said counter generating a first set of signals representative of the count; signal generating means for generating a second set of signals representative of a count at which it is desired to clip the veneer; a comparator for comparing said first and second sets of signals and arranged to generate a comparison signal when said sets of signals represent the same count; clipper control means connected to and actuated by said comparison signal for actuating the veneer clipper; buffers within said signal generating means for storing said second signals having outputs connected to the comparator, and also having data inputs; a plurality of switches each corresponding to a desired second set of signals; interconnections between each of said switches and selected data inputs to said buffers, said interconnections being arranged so that the desired second set of signals is placed within the buffers whenever one of said switches is actuated; and plug and socket connections within said interconnections which can be easily reconnected in different patterns so that the second set of signals corresponding to each switch can be easily changed.

Claim 19

A veneer measuring and clipping control system for controlling the actuation of a veneer clipper, said system comprising: pulse generating means for generating a pulse each time the veneer is moved a specified distance; a counter connected to said pulse generating means for counting said pulses, said counter generating a first set of signals representative of the count; signal generating means for generating a second set of signals representative of a count at which it is desired to clip the veneer; a comparator for comparing said first and second sets of signals and arranged to generate a comparison signal when said sets of signals represent the same count; clipper control means connected to and actuated by said comparison signal for actuating the veneer clipper; buffers within said signal generating means for storing said second signals having outputs connected to the comparator, and also having data inputs; a plurality of switches each corresponding to a desired second set of signals; interconnections between each of said switches and selected data inputs to said buffers, said interconnections being arranged so that the desired second set of signals is placed within the buffers whenever one of said switches is actuated; and plug and socket connections within said interconnections which can be easily reconnected in different patterns so that the second set of signals corresponding to each switch can be easily changed.

Claim 20

A veneer measuring and clipping control system for controlling the actuation of a veneer clipper, said system comprising: pulse generating means for generating a pulse each time the veneer is moved a specified distance; a counter connected to said pulse generating means for counting said pulses, said counter generating a first set of signals representative of the count; signal generating means for generating a second set of signals representative of a count at which it is desired to clip the veneer; a comparator for comparing said first and second sets of signals and arranged to generate a comparison signal when said sets of signals represent the same count; clipper control means connected to and actuated by said comparison signal for actuating the veneer clipper; buffers within said signal generating means for storing said second signals having outputs connected to the comparator, and also having data inputs; a plurality of switches each corresponding to a desired second set of Signals; interconnections between each of said switches and selected data inputs to said buffers, said interconnections being arranged so that the desired second set of signals is placed within the buffers whenever one of said switches is actuated; a controllable conveyor for presenting the veneer to the veneer clipper; conveyor control means for controlling the operation of said conveyor; an interconnection between each of said plurality of switches and the conveyor control means for actuating the conveyor control means to start the controllable conveyor whenever one of said switches is actuated; and an interconnection between said comparison signal and said conveyor control means for actuating the conveyor control means to stop the controllable conveyor whenever said comparison signal occurs.

Claim 21

A veneer measuring and clipping control system for controlling the actuation of a veneer clipper, said system comprising: pulse generating means for generating a pulse each time the veneer is moved a specified distance; a counter connected to said pulse generating means for counting said pulses, said counter generating a first set of signals representative of the count; signal generating means for generating a second set of signals representative of a count at which it is desired to clip the veneer; a comparator for comparing said first and second sets of signals and arranged to generate a comparison signal when said sets of signals represent the same count; clipper control means connected to and actuated by said comparison signal for actuating the veneer clipper; buffers within said signal generating means for storing said second signals having outputs connected to the comparator, and also having data inputs; a plurality of switches each corresponding to a desired second set of Signals; interconnections between each of said switches and selected data inputs to said buffers, said interconnections being arranged so that the desired second set of signals is placed within the buffers whenever one of said switches is actuated; a controllable conveyor for presenting the veneer to the veneer clipper; conveyor control means for controlling the operation of said conveyor; an interconnection between each of said plurality of switches and the conveyor control means for actuating the conveyor control means to start the controllable conveyor whenever one of said switches is actuated; and an interconnection between said comparison signal and said conveyor control means for actuating the conveyor control means to stop the controllable conveyor whenever said comparison signal occurs.