Method of producing dressed lumber from logs

Claim 3

The method of producing dressed lumber from a log as described in claim 1 wherein the log is shaped to form a stick by chipping from the outer surface thereof two notches at the bottom of the log on opposite sides of the vertical diameter, two notches at the top of the log on opposite sides of the vertical diameter with riser faces adjacent the top notches being coplanar with riser faces adjacent the bottom notches, and segments between notches from the top, bottom and each side of the log; sawing the planed stick longitudinally on the planEs of the riser faces downward from the top notches to a depth approximately at the center of the stick with a gang of planar saws located over the stick and upward from the bottom notches through the entire cut with gang planar saws located under the stick and having a blade thickness larger than the blade thickness of the gang of planar saws located over the stick so as to make a smooth cut; and including the step of laying a piece of lumber so cut on one side and sawing the piece of lumber longitudinally with gang planar saws to produce dressed lumber of a smaller sice.

Claim 4

The method of producing dressed lumber from a log as described in claim 1 wherein the log is shaped to form a stick by chipping the outer surface of the log on each side of the vertical diameter to a profile of stepped configuration ascending above and descending below the horizontal diameter of the log with riser faces of said ascending steps lying parallel to one another and being co-planar with the riser faces of the descending steps; and when the stick is sawed longitudinally with gang planer saws, the saw cuts are along the planes of the riser faces.

Claim 5

The method of producing dressed lumber from a log as described in claim 1 wherein the log is shaped to form a plurality of sticks by sawing the log longitudinally into a plurality of sections and chipping each section to a desired shape from which a multiplicity of pieces of dressed lumber can be cut.

Claim 6

The method of producing dressed lumber from a log as described in claim 1 wherein the log is shaped to form three sticks by chipping a segment from the bottom of the log; sawing the log longitudinally on two parallel planes intersecting the chord of the segment at right angles; and chipping each stick to a desired configuration before planing so that after planing a multiplicity of pieces of dressed lumber can be cut therefrom.

Claim 7

The method of producing dressed lumber from a log as described in claim 1 wherein planing the longitudinal surfaces of the stick includes cutting a longitudinal groove into one horizontal surface of the stick and cutting the horizontal surface directly opposite therefrom to leave a projecting tongue so that upon sawing the stick longitudinally, dressed and matched lumber is produced.

Claim 8

The method of producing dressed lumber from a log as described in claim 1 wherein during planing of the longitudinal surfaces of the stick, the top and bottom horizontal surfaces are cut to provide round corners for each piece of dressed lumber to be cut therefrom.

Claim 9

The method of producing dressed lumber from a log as described in claim 1 including the step of centering the log on a linear path for processing by rolling the log onto a pair of endless chains having upper surfaces that form a v-shaped trough for receiving the log therein.

Claim 10

The method of producing dressed lumber from a log as described in claim 1 including the steps of debarking logs to be processed and presorting debarked logs according to diameter size so that logs of a uniform diameter size can be used to produce dressed lumber at a given time.