POSITIONING AND FEED SYSTEM FOR CANTS AND BOARDS

P 9 4763 POSITIONING AND FEED SYSTEM FOR CANTS AND BOARDS ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An improved positioning and feed system for cants or boards has the capability for skewing and offsetting at a pre-positioning station with respect to the saws of a sawing machine. At a pre-positioning station, at least one visible line is directed to and impinges upon an incoming piece. An operator, through the use linear positioners and a first set of movable pins, pre-positions the individual piece with respect to the reference line, skewing and offsetting it as necessary. Once the orientation is selected, a downstream second set of pins which assume the same position as the first set will be moved upwardly. The first set of pins utilized be retracted, allowing a conveyor table to convey the piece to the pre-positioned second set of pins. With the piece in its pre-oriented position, the conveyor table is then moved vertically downward allowing the piece to lie atop a longitudinal infeed conveyor. Additional pins may be utilized according to the particular type of incoming cant or board.