[0001] The present invention relates to a wood processing apparatus. [0002] A wood processing apparatus is known comprising vices able to secure a wooden semi-finished product, processing means able to process such wooden semifinished product, and manipulation means, e.g., comprising a manipulator, able to grip said wooden semi- finished product, fit said wooden semi-finished product in said vices before performing the processing operations by means of said processing means and removing said wooden semi-finished product from said vices after said processing means have finished said processing operations.

[0003] The manipulation means normally require a long time to grip and remove such wooden semi-finished products. [0004] The object of the present invention is to speed up the production process by means of such a wood processing apparatus.

[0005] In agreement with the invention, this purpose is achieved by means of a wood processing apparatus for performing processing operations, in time sequence, on wooden semi-finished products, said wood processing apparatus comprising: [0006] - a plurality of vices able to sustain wooden semi-finished products;

[0007] - first processing means able to carry out a processing operation on said wooden semi-finished products;

[0008] - manipulation means able to manipulate said wooden semi-finished products;

[0009] - support and moving means able to support and move said manipulation means; [0010] said wood processing apparatus being characterised in that said manipulation means comprise a manipulator presenting a first and a second manipulator side, each of said first and second manipulator sides being able to sustain one of said wooden semi-finished products respectively, wherein said support and moving means are suitable for achieving:

[0011] - the rotation of said manipulator;

[0012] - the horizontal shift of said manipulator;

[0013] - the vertical shift of said manipulator between a first vertical height, higher with respect to said plurality of vices and a second vertical height, level with said plurality of vices.

[0014] In this way, the processing operations can be carried out quickly and effectively on the wooden semi- finished products. [0015] Preferably, said vices make up a line of vices defining a first line side, facing said first processing means and able to sustain said wooden semi-finished products, and a second line side counterplaced said first line side, at least a vice gap being provided between two consecutive vices.

[0016] Preferably, said first and second line sides are mutually counterplaced one another, e.g., the first line side is placed facing said first processing means and said second line side is placed facing said conveyor belt. In this way the manipulator can pick up the wooden semi-finished product, sustained by the vices, by means of a movement of the manipulator which enters the second line side, through said at least a gap, and exits from the first line side. Nevertheless, it is also possible, in an alternative embodiment, for said second line side not to be counterplaced said first line side, but to be in a vertically higher position. In this way, it is possible for the manipulator to enter the first line side from above.

[0017] Preferably, the first and the second manipulator sides respectively comprise hands able to cooperate in sustaining said first and second wooden semi-finished product respectively. Preferably, wherein each of said hands comprises a pair of fingers so as to host one of said wooden semi-finished products. Preferably, each of said hands can be inserted in said at least a vice gap. [0018] Such fingers can also be of the pincer type, preferably with a fixed finger and a mobile finger so as to accommodate and secure the wooden semi-finished product .

[0019] Preferably, said at least a vice gap consists of a plurality of gaps, each of which is placed between consecutive vices. In this way, the above-mentioned hands can be introduced between each pair of consecutive vices; this allows processing wooden semi-finished products of different measurements, thus making it possible to make a large number of products. [0020] Preferably, said support and moving means comprise means for the rotation of said manipulator, means for the horizontal movement of said manipulator, means for the vertical movement of said manipulator between a first vertical height, higher with respect to said plurality of vices and a second vertical height, at the same level as said vices.

[0021] Preferably, the use is envisaged of an electronic control system able to control the following operations: [0022] - introduction of said first manipulator side into said second line side through said at least a vice gap, so as to intercept and catch a first wooden semi- finished product, sustained by said vices, and make said first wooden semi-finished product exit from said first line side;

[0023] - introduction of said second manipulator side, sustaining a second wooden semi-finished product, into said first line side, so as to release said second wooden semi-finished product into said first line side; [0024] - rotation of said manipulator so as to reverse the position of said first and second manipulator sides with respect to said first line side.

[0025] Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will be made clearer from the description of preferred, but not sole embodiments of the present invention, illustrated by way of example in the attached drawings, wherein:

[0026] figure 1 shows a wood processing apparatus according to the present invention in one of its first operating phases;

[0027] figure 2 shows the machine of figure 1 in a second operating phase;

[0028] figure 3 shows the machine of figure 1 in a third operating phase;

[0029] figure 4 shows the machine of figure 1 in a fourth operating phase; [0030] figure 5 shows the machine of figure 1 in a fifth operating phase;

[0031] figure 6 shows the machine of figure 1 in a sixth operating phase.

[0032] With initial reference to figure 1, by 10 is indicated a wood processing apparatus according to the present invention.

[0033] In particular, the present wood processing apparatus 10 is suitable for processing wooden semi-finished products, of elongated shape, in particular rod shaped. The wooden semi-finished products are conveyed in time sequence by a conveyor belt not shown inasmuch as conventional .

[0034] Such wood processing apparatus 10 comprises a line of vices 20 comprising a plurality of vices 23 able to sustain the wooden semi-finished products. Each of such vices 23 comprises a pair of pincers, in metal material, placed in a parallel and horizontal position, able to close, expressing a tightening force, or open, at the command of control means not shown. Furthermore, each of said vices 23 is able to move forwards or backwards along a horizontal guide and at the command of said control means, so as to allow the performance of as many processing operations as possible.

[0035] In the figure 1, a first wooden semi-finished product 1 is sustained by a part of said vices 20. Such first wooden semi-finished product 1 has a first side Ia and a second side Ib counterplaced said first side Ia. Furthermore, said first wooden semi-finished product has a first extremity Ic and a second extremity Id counterplaced said first extremity Ic.

[0036] Such line of vices 20 defines a first line side 21 and a second line side 22, turned towards said conveyor belt. Such first line side 21 is counterplaced the second line side 22. [0037] Every two consecutive vices 23, a vice gap 50 is provided, extending horizontally.

[0038] The wood processing apparatus 10 comprises first processing means 31 able to perform operations on said wooden semi-finished products; such first processing means 31 are placed side by side with said first line side 21. In particular, such first processing means 31 are able to perform an operation on the first side Ia of the first wooden semi-finished product 1, said first side Ia facing said first processing means 31; such first processing means 31 are not able to perform an operation on a second side Ib of said first wooden semi-finished product 1, said second side Ib being in back position. Such first processing means 31 are able to move horizontally, so they are able to reach all the positions so as to perform operations on the entire length of the wooden semi-finished product 1.

[0039] Such wood processing apparatus 10 comprises second processing means 32, able to perform an operation on the extremity Ic of said first wooden semi-finished product 1 ; such second processing means 32, in the position of figure 1, are not instead able to perform an operation on the extremity Id.

[0040] Such wood processing apparatus 10 also comprises manipulation means 40 able to manipulate said wooden semi-finished products; such manipulation means 40 comprise a manipulator 43 having a first manipulator side 41 and a second manipulator side 42, each of said manipulator sides 41, 42 being able to sustain a wooden semi-finished product respectively. [0041] The manipulator side 41 has three hands 41a; the manipulator side 42 has three hands 42a. Each of said hands 41a, 42a consists of two fingers joined by a vertical stock; in this case, the hands 41a, 42a are respectively identical but arranged so as to be respectively symmetric. Advantageously, the width of the hands 41a, 42a is such as to be below the horizontal dimension of the vice gaps 50, so that it is possible to introduce said hands 41a, 42a inside said vice gaps 50. [0042] Advantageously, each of said first and second manipulator sides 41, 42 is able to sustain a wooden semi-finished product. In figure 1, said second manipulator side 42 supports a second wooden semifinished product 2, sustained by the lower fingers of the above hands 42a. [0043] The wood processing apparatus 10 comprises support and moving means able to move said manipulator 43, in particular :

[0044] - a first support bar 61, in this case horizontal and parallel with said line of vices 20, said first support bar 61 supporting from above said manipulator 43; said manipulator 43 is able to move along said first support bar 61 by effect of motor means, not illustrated, controlled by automatic control means; [0045] - a central body 62, made up in one piece with said first support bar 61, and revolving hinged, on command, to a second support bar 63, substantially parallel with the said first support bar 61. [0046] Said second support bar 63 is able to move forwards and backwards with horizontal stroke, and up and down with vertical stroke, by means of motor means, not illustrated because conventional. In particular, said second support bar 63 can be moved in such a way that said manipulator 43 can find itself between: [0047]- a first vertical height, higher with respect to said plurality of vices 23; [0048] - a second vertical height, level with the wooden semi-finished product 1; at such height, in particular, the lower finger of each of said hands 41a, is just below the wooden semi-finished product 1, while the upper finger of each of said hands 41a, is just above the wooden semi-finished product 1.

[0049] The support and moving means are able to perform the following operations: [0050] - introduction of said first manipulator side 41, and in particular of the hands 41a, into said second line side 22 of said line of vices 20, through the vice gaps 50, so as to intercept and catch a wooden semi-finished product, sustained by said vices 23, and to make said wooden semi-finished product exit through the first line side 21;

[0051] - introduction of said second manipulator side 42, sustaining a wooden semi-finished product, into said first line side 21, so as to release said wooden semifinished product into said first line side 21; [0052] - rotation of said manipulator 43 so as to reverse the position of said first and second manipulator side 41, 42 with respect to said first line side 21. [0053] The wood processing apparatus 10 also comprises a laser engraving device 125 (the position of which is schematically illustrated only in figure 1) to effect the marking of the wooden semi-finished products, i.e., to engrave references on such wooden semi-finished products aimed at a subsequent identification of such wooden semifinished products. This way, the manipulator 43 is able to move a wooden semi-finished product 1, 2 to the level of the laser engraving device 125 so as to effect such laser marking.

[0054] With the aid of the attached illustrations, the operation of the present wood processing apparatus 10 is now illustrated. In all the attached illustrations, the first processing means 31 are represented in the same position, while in actual fact these move to perform the processing operations. [0055] The figure 1 shows a first operating phase, a number of vices of the plurality of 23 sustain the first wooden semi-finished product 1. The manipulator 43 is placed in retracted position with respect to the line of vices 20. Said manipulator 43 is positioned so that said first manipulator side 41 is turned towards said second line side 22, while said second manipulator side 42 is turned in the opposite direction, backwards and sustains a second wooden semi-finished product 2, just taken from said conveyor belt. [0056] In the second operating phase (figure 2), the manipulator 43 is at said second vertical height, and shifts forwards by means of horizontal movement, towards said second line side 22, wherein the hands 41a are inserted through respective vice gaps 50. The manipulator 43 continues its stroke forwards, catching said first wooden semi-finished product 1 until said first wooden semi-finished product 1 exits through said first line side 21. At this point, the manipulator 43 is taken to said first vertical height, so as to dominate said line of vices 20. The manipulator 43 sustains both the wooden semi-finished products 1, 2.

[0057] In the third operating phase (figure 3), the manipulator 43 is taken forwards, to said first vertical height, so that said second manipulator side 42 faces said first line side 21. The manipulator 43 is taken downwards to the second vertical height and then towards said first line side 21, so as to release said second wooden semi-finished product 2 on a part of said vices 23. At this point, the processing operations can be performed by means of said first and second processing means 31, 32.

[0058] In the fourth operating phase (figure 4), the manipulator 43, which now only sustains the first wooden semi-finished product 1, is raised to said first vertical height . [0059] At this point, advantageously, the manipulator 43 takes said first wooden semi-finished product to the level of the engraving unit 125 so that said first wooden semi-finished product 1 is marked by said engraving unit 125, at the same time as the processing operations that succeed one another, by effect of said first and second processing means 31, 32 on the second wooden semifinished product 2.

[0060] In the fifth operating phase, the manipulator 43 is turned by 180° (figure 5 shows a moment of the rotation); meanwhile the manipulator 43 moves along the first support bar 61.

[0061] The sixth operating phase (figure 6) is the same as the first operating phase, switching over the sides of the manipulator 41, 42 and the wooden semi-finished products 1, 2. It is thus possible to again carry out the same procedure so as to perform operations on both sides of the wooden semi-finished products 1, 2.