Abstract: The invention is a planing cutter with a cylindrical cutter body (1) with recesses (3) along its enveloping surface. Each recess is delimited by a front wall (4), a rear wall (5) and a bottom (6) and contains a cutting element (7). Each cutting element (7) has a cutting edge (8), a lower edge (9), two lateral edges (10,11), a front face (12) and a rear face (13). One clamping device (2) is also located in each recess. According to the invention each lateral edge (10,11) of the cutting element (7) has a range (14) of grooves. At least one groove in each range interacts with a peg (17,18) protruding from one of the walls (4,5) of the recess (3). The invention also concerns a cutting element (7) for use with the cutter of the invention.

Abstract: A cutting tool assembly (10) having a body portion (12) and at least one cutting portion (14), the at least one cutting portion (14) having a clamping portion (16), an insert retaining member (18), a precisely located cutting insert (20) and a securing member (22) for ensuring that precise location of the cutting insert is maintained. If the insert-retaining member becomes damaged due to contact with a workpiece it can be removed from the cutting tool assembly and replaced.

Abstract: Two rolls are mounted to a frame and rotated about spaced parallel axes by electric motors operating through speed reducers. Each roll has a surface formed of uniformly spaced, circumferential extending triangular grooves and ridges defined between grooves. The ridges of one roll are closely spaced from the grooves of the other roll to define a sinuous nip therebetween. A vibrating conveyor orients wood strands and feeds the strands to the nip with the grain of the strands parallel to the roll ridges and grooves. Wood chips have low strength transverse to the direction of the grain and, thus, when forced to flex by the interdigitating ridges and grooves of the opposed rolls, split into narrower strands.

Abstract: An improved cutter knife for wood chip and flake producing apparatus includes shallow grooves in either the heel face or the gullet face of the knife intersecting the cutting edge and extending away from the cutting edge. The depth of the grooves is less than the depth of cut of the knife, and the grooves and corners formed by the grooves with the cutting edge provide an aggressive serrated cutting edge which penetrates into the wood and remains sharp longer than conventional cutting edges. Also disclosed is a novel wood flake material in which flake members have a larger area of exposured grain than of exposed side grain, thereby providing a short fiber length flake which can absorb moisture quickly by means of the exposed end grains, and can also dry quickly. The flake material is particularly useful as a bedding material for animals.