WOOD PROCESSING PLANT

Woodworking machine for working elongated workpieces such as pieces of timber, beams, trunks, boards, round timber or the like, with a longitudinally movable coupling element which conveys the workpiece to one or more working units, characterised in that a guiding element (4) is provided which is also movable longitudinally and can be positioned at a working unit such that firstly optimum workpiece guidance is obtained during working and secondly the coupling element or the guiding element remains outside the operating area of the working unit, and in that the guiding element (4) is embodied such that it is suitable both for sliding guidance of the workpiece during conveyance of the workpiece by the coupling element (3), and also for performing the function of a coupling element (3) by gripping and conveying the workpiece.

Woodworking machine according to claim 1, characterised in that the workpiece lies on a support, in particular a table with a sliding surface or a roller conveyor.

Woodworking machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the workpiece lies in the coupling or guiding element.

Woodworking machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a knife edge, point, piston, rubber sheet, spike plate, toothed plate or spiked plate which can be positioned against the workpiece and creates a force/form-locking connection with the workpiece is provided as the coupling element.

Woodworking machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a clamping carriage equipped with at least one movable clamping jaw serves as the coupling element and in that the coupling element clamps the workpiece with its clamping jaws.

Woodworking machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterised by dynamic positioning of the guiding element such that the guiding element positions the workpiece as close as possible to the working tool depending on the attitude/position of the working tool.

Woodworking machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the guiding element (4) clamps the workpiece (1) securely at a working unit (5) or the workpiece (1) is guided by the guiding element (4) like a stop, the workpiece (1) moving relative to the guiding element (4).

Woodworking machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the machine exhibits a rail track (6) on which the coupling element (3) and the guiding element (4) can move being displaceable in the manner of slides and actuatable separately, and the workpiece (1) is conveyed along this rail track (6) by the working units (5).

Woodworking machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the woodworking machine exhibits a third or further coupling and guiding element.

Woodworking machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a guiding element (4, 4') is associated with a working tool (5) at least for a time and two or more workpieces (1) are worked simultaneously and at least one coupling element (3, 30) is provided for each workpiece (1).

Woodworking machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the workpiece (1) is gripped by the coupling element (3) essentially in the middle area, and the guiding element (4), which here can also function as a coupling element (3), grips in the end area.

Woodworking machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the coupling element (3) grips the workpiece (1) a short distance behind the guiding element (4) and conveys it, and when necessary the coupling element (3) grasps the workpiece again to convey it further.

Woodworking machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a clamping carriage which is embodied with at least one movable clamping jaw (40, 44) and grips the workpiece (1) and bears against it in the manner of a stop serves as the guiding element (4).

Woodworking machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterised by a vertical, horizontal or angled oblique clamping direction of the clamping jaw (40, 44).

Woodworking machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a drive for relative movement of the workpiece to the clamping carriage is provided on the clamping carriage.

Woodworking machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that one or more working tools are provided on the clamping carriage.

Woodworking machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that an overturning or swivelling device for the workpiece is provided on the clamping carriage or on the woodworking machine.

Woodworking machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the workpiece is worked by a working unit or working tool either during the swivelling movement or in a swivelled position.

Woodworking machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that on the inside facing the workpiece (1) at least one clamping jaw (40, 44) exhibits a movable or stationery sliding element or a sliding sheet (41) in particular of plastic.

Woodworking machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that at least one clamping jaw exhibits a movable or stationery clamping element, in particular a clamping piston, a spike plate, spiked plate, chequered plate, toothed plate, pinned plate, knife edge or rubber sheet, which allows a force and/or form-locking connection with the workpiece.

Woodworking machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that at least one clamping jaw (40) can be moved against the workpiece (1) by a force means, in particular a pneumatic cylinder (43), clamps it securely or forms a stop.

Woodworking machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the stationery clamping jaw (44) as a longitudinally movable stop defines a zero line.

Woodworking machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that both clamping jaws are movable, in particular can be driven by a common drive through a gear unit.

Woodworking machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the median plane between the two clamping jaws is defined by a zero line.

Woodworking machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that both clamping jaws are movable and can be positioned against the workpiece.

Woodworking machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that one clamping jaw (40) exhibits both a sliding element (404) and a clamping element (403) which are movable relative to one another and can be positioned against the workpiece and, depending on the choice of the element (403, 404) positioned against the workpiece, the functionality of a coupling or guiding element is provided.

Woodworking machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the force which is applied by the clamping jaw (44) on the workpiece (1) while gripping and transporting the workpiece (1) is greater than the force which is applied when the guiding element (4) guides the workpiece (1) in the area of a working unit (5).

Woodworking machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the clamping jaw (40) carries rotatable and brakeable elements (400) as sliding or clamping elements.

Woodworking machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the element (400) is crowned, cylindrical, the shape of a truncated cone or the shape of a double truncated cone.

Woodworking machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a hold-down element (7), in particular a hold-down roller (70), or a guiding mouth is provided for the workpiece (1) on the coupling element (3) or the guiding element (4).

Woodworking machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the hold-down element (7) can be moved in the transverse direction to the longitudinal extension or direction of conveyance of the workpiece (1).

Woodworking machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the guiding element (4) is guided on a guiding track or rail track (6) and can be moved from the guiding track (6) against the workpiece (1), in particular lowered from above against the workpiece (1).

Woodworking machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the coupling element or guiding element grips over/under the workpiece like a portal and a double guiding track is provided for the guidance of the coupling/guiding element.

Woodworking machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the hold-down element (7) can be moved and positioned against the workpiece (1) independently of the movement of the coupling or guiding element (3, 4).

Woodworking machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the woodworking machine exhibits a control system, in particular an NC or CNC control system, and each coupling element (3) or guiding element (4) can be actuated individually.

Woodworking machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the control system sets the position of the guiding element (4) on the workpiece (1) and the retaining force at the clamping jaw (44) on the respective guiding element (4) depending on the working unit (5).

Woodworking machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that depending on the working step, the control system determines that the workpiece (1) is either gripped and conveyed by two coupling elements or gripped and conveyed by one coupling element, while the guiding element guides the workpiece or serves as a stop or is gripped by only one coupling element, while the other conveying element conveys another workpiece as coupling element.

Woodworking machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the moved workpiece is transferred from a first coupling element to a second coupling element.

Woodworking machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that two coupling/guiding elements (3, 4) grip the workpiece (1), each guiding element (3, 4) gripping the workpiece (1) in an end area or the control systems determining the area in which the workpiece (1) is to be gripped.

Woodworking machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that one or more guiding tracks for the clamping carriages are provided parallel to one another and one or more clamping carriages can be used on one or more guiding tracks as coupling or guiding element, essentially independently of one another.