APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MARKING ELONGATED ARTICLES

An apparatus for marking elongated articles such as lumbers (11) while being longitudinally conveyed, and for providing a reliable reading of the applied marks (41, 43, 45, 47) to obtain associated coded information related to the article. The apparatus comprises a marking station (10) followed by a remote reading station (48). The elongated article is transported on a longitudinal conveyor through the marking station (10) which receives coded information related to the article to be marked, such as identification and/or grade/dimension data. The reading station (48) comprises upper and lower pairs of luminescent ink-jet devices (30) for applying a corresponding information mark pattern (41, 43, 45, 47) on either or both top and under surfaces of the elongated article, which information mark pattern longitudinally extends on each of the marked surfaces. After being handled, the marked article is transferred to a transversely moving conveyor (49), which transports the marked article through the reading station which is provided with a plurality of optical sensing devices (61, 62, 63, 64) each having luminescence inducing light source, to produce an output signal corresponding to the coded information. A method for marking and reading coded information onto an elongated article ensures reliable article identification whenever the article was turned upside-down while being handled between marking and reading steps. L'invention concerne un appareil pour marquer des articles allongés tels que du petit bois (11) lors de son transport dans le sens longitudinal, et pour assurer une lecture fiable des marques appliquées (41, 43, 45, 47) afin d'obtenir des informations codées associées concernant les articles. L'appareil selon l'invention comprend un poste de marquage (10) suivi d'un poste de lecture à distance (48). L'article allongé est transporté sur un convoyeur longitudinal dans le poste de marquage (10) qui reçoit des informations codées concernant l'article à marquer, telles que des données d'identification et/ou de degré/dimension. Le poste de lecture (48) comprend des paires supérieure et inférieure de dispositifs à jet d'encre luminescents (30) pour appliquer des marques d'information correspondantes (41, 43, 45, 47) sur le sommet ou sur le dessous des surfaces de l'article allongé; lesquelles marques s'étendent dans le sens longitudinal sur chacune des surfaces marquées. Après sa manutention, l'article marqué est transféré vers un convoyeur se déplaçant d