C—3a

CHAPTER V—YARD HANDLING AND PREPARATION OF TIMBER FOR EXPORT Yard Handling The use of two saw trimming chains, and green sorting chains for production 20,000 and above, is universal in both Canada and Scandinavia. Operators in Scandinavia in particular have devised various means of easing the work of pulling off by provision of rollers adjacent to the chain and between chain and the truck. In Canada the use of straddle trucks is universal for small operations either in conjunction with end-lift trucks or mobile or fixed swinging cranes. For some large operations, straddle trucks are displaced by double-ended overhead bridge cranes, but these involve considerable capital outlay. In Scandinavia very few straddle trucks are used ; green sorting chains are generally built up so that the operators are pulling down on to the trucks below. These are assembled side by side on lines, with a traverse the full length of the sorting chain, on to which full trucks are run, and thence to yard, and replaced by empty trucks. This involves very little capital equipment and is reasonably efficient. In some operations sorting chains are overhead, with the trucks underneath, and the sorting is automatic, the timber being dropped on to the respective trucks. An example of this is the yard of Manna Langrors AB at Soderhamn. This yard is several miles from the mill, and situated on the coast, so that timber can be loaded direct to barges for shipment. Timber arrives in railway trucks and is unloaded on to belt and screw rolls to sorting chain. Two lines in from truck : two men feeding. The initial portion of the sorting chain is used for grading and re-docking. Grading and marking .. .. .. • • .. 1 man. Straightening and goosing .. .. •. .. 1 man. Levers .. .. .. .. • • .. 1 man. This man is overhead and controls seventy-two finger levers, which he sets in accordance with grade marking and size. Timber is then carried under the sorting chain and drops off on to trucks below, in accordance with the setting of the levers. Straightening on trucks .. .. .. .. 3 men. This table handles 60,000 per day without difficulty, and has a capacity of 90,000 to 100,000. Parallel to the sorting chain is a traverse on to which the loaded trucks are run, and thence to the yard, where they are filleted by hand from an electric stacker. Grading for Export As far as my observations are concerned, grading, branding, and tallying of sawn timber in Canada is often done green sawn at the sorting chain. One man grading and length marking. One man recording and check grading (generally a P.L.1.8. Inspector.) One man stamp marking on the end, and timber is pulled off to those markings. In Scandinavia little or no timber is shipped green and timber is graded for stock or kilns, and finally graded, tallied, and marked either for holding in storage sheds or direct to ship or rail. Various methods are used with varying degrees of mechanization and instanced as under : Marma Langrors All timber is filleted and air seasoned, stacks are parallel to the running-out line, square ended, and of a universal size, length 24 ft., width 18 ft., height 20 ft.

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