Apparatus for fabricating wood structures

Claim 2

Apparatus for fabricating wood structures, such as trusses of the type having lower chord members, upper chord members and web members extending from the lower chord members to the upper chord members, said apparatus comprising two presses each having an upper and a lower platen which are relatively movable toward and away from one another for driving nailing plates into two or more of the wood members of a truss from above and below, means for supporting the wood members which are to be joined together by said nailing plates, said supporting means including a plurality of supports and means cantilevered relative to each support for holding wood members with clearance therebelow, means mounting one of the presses adjacent said upper chord and means mounting the other press adjacent said lower chord for movement of each press along its respective chord into an operating position at a first support for driving nailing plates into the wood members, and for movement in a generally lateral direction with respect to the press sidewise out of its operating position at said first support and into its operating position at a next successive support along its respective chord, each said press being movable along its respective chord independently of the other, and means for controlling movement of each of the press mounting means including means movable therewith for sensing the approach of said press to its operating position at a support in advance of its arrival at its operating position thereby to initiate deceleration of said mounting means and for sensing the arrival of the press at its operating position at the last-said support so as to stop movement of the press at its operating position for driving nailing plates into the wood members.

Claim 3

Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said sensing means further includes means for sensing the approach of the press to its operating position at each support from one direction along its respective chord and for sensing registration of the press at its operating position at each support, and means for effecting operation of said sensing means so as to sense the approach of said press to its operating position at each support from the other direction along its respective chord.

Claim 4

Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said sensing means further comprises actuating means at each support and switch means carried along with the press, said switch means being actuable by said actuating means as the press approaches its operating position at a support for initiating deceleration of the press mounting means and being further actuable by the actuating means for stopping movement of the press mounting means with the press in its operating position at one of said supports.

Claim 5

Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said switch means comprises a first proximity switch carried along with the press actuable by said actuating means as the press approaches its operating position at a support for initiating deceleration of the press mounting means and a second proximity switch carried along with the press actuable by said actuating means for stopping the press mounting means when the press is in its operating position at a support.

Claim 6

Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said first and second proximity switches are magnetic switches actuable in response to a magnetic field of a predetermined strength, and wherein said actuating means at each support comprises at least one magnet of sufficient strength to actuate said first and second proximity switches as they move past the magnet, said magnet being positioned on the support and said proximity switches being positioned on the carriage so that said proximity switches pass in close spAced relation to the magnet as the press approaches and moves into its operating position.

Claim 7

Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said actuating means comprises a pair of said magnets, said proximity switches being spaced apart a predetermined distance and said magnets being spaced on the support a distance corresponding to the spacing of the proximity switches so that with the press in its operating position both of said switches are actuated by said magnets so as to stop the press in its operating position and so as to initiate operation of the press for driving nailing plates into the wood members.

Claim 8

Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said supporting means comprises a first frame and a second frame, each frame carrying a series of supports for holding said upper chord members, lower chord members and web members in position for being secured together by nailing plates so as to fabricate a truss on the supports of each of the frames, said frames being arranged in end-to-end relation relative to one another so that said presses carried by said press mounting means may move along the chords of respective trusses to be formed on each frame for driving nailing plates into the wood members at the joints of the trusses to be fabricated.

Claim 9

Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein the supports for the upper chord members and the supports for the lower chord members on each said frame and arranged in close back-to-back spaced relation and are movable relative to one another longitudinally along their respective frame.

Claim 10

Apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein each support comprises a vertically disposed plate extending up from said frame, and wherein said cantilevered means comprises two cantilevered arms in side-by-side spaced relation adapted to support wood members in position for being secured together by the nailing plates at a location between the arms, said support being adapted for lateral entry of the lower platen of one of the presses from one side or the other thereof below said cantilevered arms to its operating position between said arms with the plane of the top surfaces of the arms spaced from the top surface of the lower platen a distance sufficient to accommodate a nailing plate arranged with its teeth pointing upwardly for being driven into the wood members from below, the cantilever arms being laterally spaced from one another a distance greater than the width of the lower platen of the press for entry of the lower platen of the press between the arms when the lower platen is moved upwardly to drive the nailing plate upwardly into the wood members.

Claim 11

Apparatus as set forth in claim 8 further comprising track means on each side of said frames extending from the outer end of the first frame to the outer end of the second frame, each said press mounting means comprising a power driven carriage movable in one direction along its respective track means for moving its respective press to its operating position at one of the supports carried by said first frame into its operating positions at each successive support along its respective chord of the first frame and movable in the other direction along its respective track means for moving its press to its operating position at one of the supports carried by the second frame and to its operating positions at each successive support along its respective chord of said second frame.

Claim 12

Apparatus as set forth in claim 10 wherein said first and second frames are arranged in a line and are spaced apart from one another, wherein each of said press carriages is initially positioned at a parking position between the frames and wherein, upon the initiation of movement of said carriage in said one direction along its respective track means, said press is automatically moved in said one direction along its track means from its parking position to its operating position at a first support adjacent the inner end of said first frame for driving the nailing plates into the wood members at sAid first support of said first frame and then is automatically movable to its operating position at each successive support along its respective chord of said first frame until all joints along its respective chord have been secured together, said press carriage then being automatically movable to its parking position, and upon initiation of movement of the press carriage in said other direction along its respective track means, said press is automatically moved from its parking position to its operating position at a first support adjacent the inner end of said second frame for driving nailing plates into the wood members at said first support of said second frame and is automatically moved to its operating position at each successive support along its respective chord of said second frame until all joints along its respective chord have been secured together, said press carriage then being automatically movable to its parking position.

Claim 13

Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said supporting means further comprises a frame for carrying a plurality of said supports with the supports for the upper chord members and the supports for the lower chord members being in close back-to-back spaced relation and being movable relative to one another longitudinally along said frame.

Claim 14

Apparatus as set forth in claim 12 wherein each support includes means for securing it to said frame at any position therealong.

Claim 15

Apparatus as set forth in claim 13 wherein each support comprises a vertically disposed plate extending up from said frame, and wherein said cantilevered means comprises two cantilevered arms in side-by-side spaced relation adapted to support wood members in position for being secured together by the nailing plates at a location between the arms, said support being adapted for lateral entry of the lower platen of a press from one side or the other thereof below said cantilevered arms to its operating position between said arms with the plane of the top surfaces of the arms spaced from the top surface of the lower platen a distance sufficient to accommodate a nailing plate arranged with its teeth pointing upwardly for being driven into the wood members from below, the cantilever arms being laterally spaced from one another a distance greater than the width of the lower platen of the press for entry of the lower platen of the press between the arms when the lower platen is moved upwardly to drive a nailing plate upwardly into the wood members.

Claim 16

Apparatus as set forth in claim 14 further comprising track means on each side of said frame parallel to said upper and lower chords of the truss to be fabricated, and wherein each said press mounting means comprises a power driven carriage movable along a respective track means for moving its press from its operating position at one of said supports to its operating position at each successive support along its respective chord.

Claim 17

Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising means for lifting a completed truss clear of said support, said lifting means being swingable from a stowed position in which it permits movement of said press mounting means therepast, and a lifting position in which it is engageable with one or more wood members of a fabricated truss for lifting the completed truss clear of the supports.

Claim 18

Apparatus as set forth in claim 16 wherein said lifting means includes a plurality of rollers engageable with the completed truss to enable rolling of the completed truss from the apparatus when it is lifted clear of the supports.

Claim 19

Apparatus as set forth in claim 17 wherein said lifting means comprises a plurality of lifting units each comprising a mounting bracket adapted to be secured to said main frame, a lift cylinder unit pivotally carried by said bracket for swinging between said stowed position and said lifting position, and a swing cylinder unit for effecting swinging of the lift cylinder unit between its stowed and lifting positions, said lift cylinder having an arm engagEable with members of the completed truss, said arm being movable between a lowered retracted position and a raised position in which it is engageable with the completed truss for lifting it clear of the supports.

Claim 20

Apparatus as set forth in claim 18 wherein said lifting means includes means for preventing movement of the lift cylinder unit from its lowered retracted position to its raised position until said swing cylinder unit has fully swung the lift cylinder unit from its stowed to its lifting position.

Claim 21

Apparatus as set forth in claim 18 wherein said arm has a plurality of rollers engageable with various wood members of said completed truss enabling rolling of the completed truss from the apparatus after it has been lifted clear of the supports.

Claim 22

Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the truss to be fabricated is a flat truss with its upper and lower chords substantially parallel to one another, with the innermost web members of the truss substantially perpendicular to the chords, and with others of the webs angled with respect to the chords and having their ends in contact with the ends of adjacent webs and with the inner faces of said chord members, said apparatus further comprising means for clamping said chord members and web members in position so as to be rigidly secured together by nailing plates, said clamping means comprising a plurality of stops carried by said cantilever means engageable by the outer faces of the chord members thereby to hold the chord members in desired spaced relation, and power operated means engageable with the opposed inner faces of said vertical webs for applying a force thereagainst so as to force all the web members into abutting relation with one another and with the inner faces of the chord members from one end of the truss to the other and to hold the chord members in abutting relation with said stops, and means at each end of the truss for preventing endwise movement of the outermost web member relative to the chord members beyond a desired position.

Claim 23

Apparatus for fabricating flat wood trusses of the type having lower chord members, upper chord members and web members extending from the lower chord members to the upper chord members, with said upper and lower chord members substantially parallel to one another, with the innermost web members substantially perpendicular to the chord members and with the other of the webs angled with respect to the chords and having their ends in contact with the ends of adjacent web members and with the inner faces of said chord members, said apparatus comprising means for driving nailing plates into two or more of the wood members of a truss, means for holding the wood members in position for being joined together by said nailing plates including a series of supports, and means for clamping said chord members and web members in position so as to be rigidly secured together by nailing plates, said clamping means comprising a series of stops carried by said supports engageable by the outer faces of said chord members thereby to hold the chord members in desired spaced relation, and power operated means engageable with the faces of each of said perpendicular webs facing one another for applying a force thereagainst so as to force all the web members into abutting relation with one another and with the inner faces of the chord members from one end of the truss to the other and to hold the chord members in abutting relation with said stops, and means at each end of the truss for preventing endwise movement of the outermost web member relative to the chord members beyond a desired position.

Claim 24

Apparatus for fabricating flat wood trusses of the type having lower chord members, upper chord members and web members extending from the lower chord members to the upper chord members, with said upper and lower chord members substantially parallel to one another, with the innermost web members substantially perpendicular to the chord members and with the other of the webs angled with respect to the chords and having their ends in contact with the ends of adjacent web members and with the inner faces of said chord members, said apparatus comprising means for driving nailing plates into two or more of the wood members of a truss, means for holding the wood members in position for being joined together by said nailing plates including a series of supports, and means for clamping said chord members and web members in position so as to be rigidly secured together by nailing plates, said clamping means comprising a series of stops carried by said supports engageable by the outer faces of said chord members thereby to hold the chord members in desired spaced relation, and power operated means engageable with the faces of each of said perpendicular webs facing one another for applying a force thereagainst so as to force all the web members into abutting relation with one another and with the inner faces of the chord members from one end of the truss to the other and to hold the chord members in abutting relation with said stops, and means at each end of the truss for preventing endwise movement of the outermost web member relative to the chord members beyond a desired position.

Claim 25

Apparatus for fabricating wood structures, such as trusses of the type having lower chords, upper chords and web members extending between the chords, said apparatus utilizing at least one press having an upper platen and a lower platen which are relatively movable toward one another for driving nailing plates into two or more of the wood members at the joints of said truss tHereby to rigidly secure the wood members together, said apparatus comprising means for holding said wood members in position for being secured together by said nailing plates, means mounting the press for movement along one chord of the truss to be fabricated in close proximity to the holding means for driving nailing plates into the wood member at each joint along said one chord of the truss, and lifting means carried by said holding means swingable between a stowed position substantially in the longitudinal vertical centerplane of said holding means in which said press mounting means and said press may move therepast and a lifting position substantially perpendicular to said centerplane and in the path of said press as the latter moves along said one chord in which said lifting means is engageable with one or more of the wood members of the completed truss for lifting the completed truss clear of said holding means.

Claim 26

Apparatus for fabricating wood structures, such as trusses of the type having lower chords, upper chords and web members extending between the chords, said apparatus utilizing at least one press having an upper platen and a lower platen which are relatively movable toward one another for driving nailing plates into two or more of the wood members at the joints of said truss tHereby to rigidly secure the wood members together, said apparatus comprising means for holding said wood members in position for being secured together by said nailing plates, means mounting the press for movement along one chord of the truss to be fabricated in close proximity to the holding means for driving nailing plates into the wood member at each joint along said one chord of the truss, and lifting means carried by said holding means swingable between a stowed position substantially in the longitudinal vertical centerplane of said holding means in which said press mounting means and said press may move therepast and a lifting position substantially perpendicular to said centerplane and in the path of said press as the latter moves along said one chord in which said lifting means is engageable with one or more of the wood members of the completed truss for lifting the completed truss clear of said holding means.

Claim 27

Apparatus for fabricating wood structures, such as trusses of the type having lower chords, upper chords and web members extending between the chords, said apparatus utilizing at least one press having an upper platen and a lower platen which are relatively movable toward one another for driving nailing plates into two or more of the wood members at the joints of said truss thereby to rigidly secure the wood members together, said apparatus comprising means constituting supports for holding said wood members in position for being secured together by said nailing plates, means mounting the press for movement along one chord of the truss to be fabricated in close proximity to the holding means for driving nailing plates into the wood member at each joint along said one chord of the truss, and lifting means carried by said holding means swingable between a stowed position in which said press mounting means may move therepast and a lifting position in which it is engageable with one or more of the wood members of the completed truss for lifting the completed truss clear of said supports, said lifting means further comprising a plurality of lifting units each having a mounting bracket adapted to be secured to said frame, a lift cylinder unit pivotally carried by said bracket for swinging between said stowed position and said lifting position, and a swing cylinder unit for effecting swinging of the lift cylinder unit between its stowed and lifting positions, said lift cylinder unit having an arm engageable with members of the completed truss, said arm being movable between a lowered retracted position and a raised position in which it is engageable with the completed truss for lifting it clear of the supports.

Claim 28

Apparatus for fabricating wood structures, such as trusses of the type having lower chords, upper chords and web members extending between the chords, said apparatus utilizing at least one press having an upper platen and a lower platen which are relatively movable toward one another for driving nailing plates into two or more of the wood members at the joints of said truss thereby to rigidly secure the wood members together, said apparatus comprising means constituting supports for holding said wood members in position for being secured together by said nailing plates, means mounting the press for movement along one chord of the truss to be fabricated in close proximity to the holding means for driving nailing plates into the wood member at each joint along said one chord of the truss, and lifting means carried by said holding means swingable between a stowed position in which said press mounting means may move therepast and a lifting position in which it is engageable with one or more of the wood members of the completed truss for lifting the completed truss clear of said supports, said lifting means further comprising a plurality of lifting units each having a mounting bracket adapted to be secured to said frame, a lift cylinder unit pivotally carried by said bracket for swinging between said stowed position and said lifting position, and a swing cylinder unit for effecting swinging of the lift cylinder unit between its stowed and lifting positions, said lift cylinder unit having an arm engageable with members of the completed truss, said arm being movable between a lowered retracted position and a raised position in which it is engageable with the completed truss for lifting it clear of the supports.

Claim 29

Apparatus as set forth in claim 24 wherein said lifting means includes means for preventing movement of the lift cylinder unit from its lowered retracted position to its raised position until said swing cylinder unit has fully swung the lift cylinder unit from its stowed to its lifting position.

Claim 30

Apparatus as set forth in claim 25 wherein said arm has a plurality of rollers engageable with various wood members of said completed truss enabling rolling of the completed truss from the apparatus after it has been lifted clear of the supports.

Claim 31

Apparatus for fabricating wood structures, such as trusses of the type having lower chord members, upper chord members and web members extending from the lower chord members to the upper chord members, said apparatus comprising a press having an upper and a lower platen which are relatively movable toward and away from one another for driving nailing plates into two or more of the wood members of a truss from above and below, means for supporting the wood members which are to be joined together by said nailing plates, said supporting means including a plurality of supports and means cantilevered relative to each support for holding wood members with clearance therebelow, means mounting the press adjacent one of said chords for movement of the press from one direction or the other along its reSpective chord into an operating position at a first support for driving nailing plates into the wood members, and for movement in a generally lateral direction with respect to the press sidewise out of its operating position at said first support and into its operating position at a next successive support along its respective chord, means for controlling movement of the press mounting means including means movable therewith for sensing the approach of said press from one direction along its respective chord to its operating position at a support in advance of its arrival at its operating position thereby to initiate deceleration of said mounting means and for sensing the arrival of the press at its operating position at the last-said support so as to stop movement of the press as its operating position for driving nailing plates into the wood members, and means for effecting reversal of said sensing means to sense the approach of said press from the other direction along its respective chord to its operating position at a support in advance of its arrival at its operating position at the last-said support thereby to initiate deceleration of said mounting means and for sensing the arrival of the press at its operating position at the last-said support so as to stop movement of the press at its operating position for driving nailing plates into the wood members.

Claim 32

Apparatus for fabricating wood structures, such as trusses of the type having lower chord members, upper chord members and web members extending from the lower chord members to the upper chord members, said apparatus comprising a press having an upper and a lower platen which are relatively movable toward and away from one another for driving nailing plates into two or more of the wood members of a truss from above and below, means for supporting the wood members which are to be joined together by said nailing plates, said supporting means including a plurality of supports and means cantilevered relative to each support for holding wood members with clearance therebelow, means mounting the press adjacent one of said chords for movement of the press from one direction or the other along its reSpective chord into an operating position at a first support for driving nailing plates into the wood members, and for movement in a generally lateral direction with respect to the press sidewise out of its operating position at said first support and into its operating position at a next successive support along its respective chord, means for controlling movement of the press mounting means including means movable therewith for sensing the approach of said press from one direction along its respective chord to its operating position at a support in advance of its arrival at its operating position thereby to initiate deceleration of said mounting means and for sensing the arrival of the press at its operating position at the last-said support so as to stop movement of the press as its operating position for driving nailing plates into the wood members, and means for effecting reversal of said sensing means to sense the approach of said press from the other direction along its respective chord to its operating position at a support in advance of its arrival at its operating position at the last-said support thereby to initiate deceleration of said mounting means and for sensing the arrival of the press at its operating position at the last-said support so as to stop movement of the press at its operating position for driving nailing plates into the wood members.

Claim 33

Apparatus for fabricating wood structures, such as trusses of the type having lower chord members, upper chord members and web members extending from the lower chord members to the upper chord members, said apparatus comprising two presses each having an upper and a lower platen which are relatively movable toward and away from one another for driving nailing plates into two or more of the wood members of a truss from above and below, a first and second series of support means for supporting the wood members which are to be joined together by said nailing plates, each series including central supporting means and cantilevered means extending laterally outwardly therefrom on opposite sides thereof, said cantilever means being arranged in two rows, one on each lateral side of the central supporting means for holding members with clearance for the lower platens of the presses therebelow, said first and second series being arranged in a line in end-to-end relation relative to one another, means mounting each of the presses, one press on one side of said line and the other press on the other side of said line, for movement of the presses independently of one another along said rows, for movement of each press into an operating position at a respective cantilever means so as to drive nailing plates into the members, and for movement in a generally lateral direction with respect to the press sidewise out of its operating position at said cantilever means and into its operating position at a next successive cantilever means, said series being spaced apart from one another so that with said press mounting means positioned between the first and second series in a parking position, a workman may walk between the ends of either series and the press mounting means.

Claim 34

Apparatus for fabricating wood structures, such as trusses of the type having lower chord members, upper chord members and web members extending from the lower chord members to the upper chord members, said apparatus comprising two presses each having an upper and a lower platen which are relatively movable toward and away from one another for driving nailing plates into two or more of the wood members of a truss from above and below, a first and second series of support means for supporting the wood members which are to be joined together by said nailing plates, each series including central supporting means and cantilevered means extending laterally outwardly therefrom on opposite sides thereof, said cantilever means being arranged in two rows, one on each lateral side of the central supporting means for holding members with clearance for the lower platens of the presses therebelow, said first and second series being arranged in a line in end-to-end relation relative to one another, means mounting each of the presses, one press on one side of said line and the other press on the other side of said line, for movement of the presses independently of one another along said rows, for movement of each press into an operating position at a respective cantilever means so as to drive nailing plates into the members, and for movement in a generally lateral direction with respect to the press sidewise out of its operating position at said cantilever means and into its operating position at a next successive cantilever means, said series being spaced apart from one another so that with said press mounting means positioned between the first and second series in a parking position, a workman may walk between the ends of either series and the press mounting means.

Claim 35

Apparatus as set forth in claim 28 further comprising means for controlling movement of each press mounting means along its respective said row, operable to stop the press at its operating position at each of said cantilever means for driving nailing plates into the members.

Claim 36

Apparatus as set forth in claim 29 wherein said cantilever means are arranged in close back-to-back spaced relation and are movable relative to one another longitudinally along said line to different positions.

Claim 37

Apparatus as set forth in claim 29 wherein each cantilever means comprises a vertically disposed plate extending up from said frame, and two cantilevered arms in side-by-side spaced relation adapted to support wood members in position for being secured together by the nailing plates at a location between the arms, said cantilever means being adapted for latEral entry of the lower platen of one of the presses from one side or the other thereof below said cantilevered arms to its operating position between said arms with the plane of the top surfaces of the arms spaced from the top surface of the lower platen a distance sufficient to accommodate a nailing plate arranged with its teeth pointing upwardly for being driven into the wood members from below, the cantilever arms being laterally spaced from one another a distance greater than the width of the lower platen of the press for entry of the lower platen of the press between the arms when the lower platen is moved upwardly to drive the nailing plate upwardly into the wood members.

Claim 38

Apparatus as set forth in claim 29 further comprising track means on each side of said line extending from the outer end of the first series to the outer end of the second series, each said press mounting means comprising a power driven carriage movable in one direction along its respective track means for moving its respective press to its operating postion at each successive cantilever means along each of said series.

Claim 39

Apparatus as set forth in claim 32 wherein, with said press carriages initially positioned in their parking positions between said series and wherein upon the initiation of movement of one of said carriages in said one direction along its respective track means, the press of said one carriage is automatically moved in said one direction along its track means from its parking position to its operation position at a cantilever means adjacent the inner end of said first series for driving nailing plates into the wood members at said first cantilever means and then is automatically movable to its operating position at each successive cantilever means along said first series until all joints therealong have been secured together, said press carriage then being automatically movable to its parking position, and upon initiation of movement of the press carriage in said other direction along its respective track means, said press is automatically moved from its parking position to its operating position at a first cantilever means adjacent the inner end of said second series for driving nailing plates into the wood members at said first cantilever means of said second series and is automatically movable to its operating position at each successive cantilever means along said second series until all joints therealong have been secured together, said press carriage then being automatically movable to its parking position.

Claim 40

Apparatus as set forth in claim 28 further comprising means for lifting a completed truss from said supporting means of each of said frames, and means for preventing operation of said lifting means when one of said press mounting means is moved from its parking position.