Large diameter nose bar roll apparatus for veneer lathe with automatic knife gap adjustment during peeling

A large diameter nose bar roll apparatus for a veneer lathe is disclosed including an automatic knife gap adjustment means. The knife gap adjustment means reduces the knife gap between the nose bar roll and the knife blade during peeling in response to decreases in the log diameter and/or changes in the knife pitch angle. This knife gap adjustment maintains the nose bar roll in contact with the log at the proper contact pressure as the diameter of the log decreases during peeling. This is necessary for nose bar rolls having a large diameter of at least 1.5 inches and 15 times the thickness of the veneer such as, for example, a nose bar roll of 3.75 inches diameter. An electrical control means is employed for automatically controlling the knife gap adjustment means by moving the nose bar roll toward the knife in response to decreases in the log diameter and changes in the pitch angle. The nose bar roll may be driven by power means to apply an auxiliary driving force for rotating the log in addition to the powered spindles provided at the opposite ends thereof for rotating such log during peeling.