Abstract: Extrusion of a mixture of vegetable bits with a binder, particularly wood chips with a weather-resistant binder, involves precompressing in a compression chamber of an extrusion press the mixture by a compression stroke transverse to the extrusion axis, the compression stroke being delivered by at least one precompression piston. Prior to the precompression elongated bits of the mixture are acted on by an orienting influence so that the elongated bits are deposited substantially parallel to the extrusion axis. The outer layers of the mixture are compressed with a reduced precompression ratio so that the bits oriented prior to precompression remain fixed in position during the subsequent extrusion stroke.

Abstract: Apparatus, for extrusion of a mixture of wood particles and binder, including a compression chamber, in an extrusion press, for precompressing the mixture by a compression stroke transverse to the extrusion axis, the compression stroke being delivered by at least one precompression piston, wherein the improvement comprises mixing the mixture prior to precompression with elongated bits which will be acted on by an orienting influence in a known way so that the elongated bits are deposited substantially parallel to the extrusion axis, and performing the precompression of the outer layers of the mixture with a reduced precompression ratio so that the bits oriented prior to precompression remain fixed in position during the subsequent extrusion stroke.

Abstract: An elongated composite structural member such as a pallet cleat is made from elongated cellulosic particles and a binder by first providing a stiff and relatively incompressible board on a first wall confronting a second wall and defining therewith and with adjacent walls a compartment. A mass of the particles and binder are filled into the compartment between the walls and the first wall is displaced with the board toward the second wall and into the compartment into a predetermined intermediate position without substantial movement of the adjacent walls so as to subject the mass in the compartment between the first and second walls to a relatively low compression in a predetermined direction. At least one of the adjacent walls is then displaced transversely into the compartment without substantial movement of the first wall and the board from their intermediate position so as to subject the compressed mass in the compartment to a relatively low compression transverse to the direction.