Abstract: A mill is described for compacting agricultural fibrous matter, such as straw or other agricultural waste, into a structural board. The board is useful as a dominant part of a load bearing and insulating panel replacing many of the load bearing and insulating structures typically used to make small buildings, such as houses. The mill includes many features not found in previous mills of this type, including not only a packer to place material in front of an oscillating ram head as is known, but a precompactor arrangement to regulate the volume of material fed to the packer. Another feature incorporated into the mill to aid in achieving a consistent density is a pressure offset mechanism which adjusts the rate of core formation. The mill has a modular design to facilitate replacement of those components subjected to significant wear.

Abstract: A mill is described for compacting agricultural fibrous matter, such as straw or other agricultural waste, into a structural board. The board is useful as a dominant part of a load bearing and insulating panel replacing many of the load bearing and insulating structures typically used to make small buildings, such as houses. The mill includes many features not found in previous mills of this type, including not only a packer to place material in front of an oscillating ram head as is known, but a precompactor arrangement to regulate the volume of material fed to the packer. Another feature incorporated into the mill to aid in achieving a consistent density is a pressure offset mechanism which adjusts the rate of core formation. The mill has a modular design to facilitate replacement of those components subjected to significant wear.