Veneer lathe drive with powered rolls

摘要

A veneer lathe apparatus is described including three powered drive rolls between which a log is clamped for rotation about a lathe axis while the log is engaged by the lathe knife for peeling a sheet of veneer therefrom. One of the powered rolls is employed as a reference roll for the other two rolls, such reference roll being held by a reference means locked in a reference position during peeling. The reference position of the reference roll is automatically adjusted relative to the lathe axis and to the other two drive rolls in response to changes in position of the lathe knife during peeling to maintain such reference roll in contact with the log. The other two drive rolls are driven by a common drive motor and supported on common support arms for movement toward and away from the reference roll while maintaining the spacing between such other two drive rolls substantially constant. The reference means includes a cam member for determining the horizontal path of the reference roll and for locking the reference roll in a vertical reference position during peeling. An automatic adjustment means including a motor driven lead screw is employed for pivoting the cam member vertically in response to changes in the position of the lathe knife during peeling to adjust the vertical reference position. The other two powered rolls are mounted on common support arms which pivot about an eccentric that is rotated by an eccentric motor to different rotational positions in response to changes in position of the knife to adjust the position of the pivot axis of such support arms in order to maintain such two drive rolls in contact with the log during peeling.