Abstract: A laminated material comprises a plurality of straight portions of vegetable stalks, each having an epidermis mainly of lignocellulose and a porous core. These vegetable stalks straight portions are impregnated with a thermal hardener solution of high-molecularisable liquid compound, resinified liquid, or mixtures thereof, arranged in parallel to form a layer of a sheet-like material, piling these sheet-like materials and pressing them to make these layers come to contact closely in flat condition. It is possible to make the directions of vegetable stalks in the sheet-like material different from the neighboring layers in order to strengthen a bending strength and other physical strength of the piled multi-layer laminated material, such as a pillar-like laminated material. Such pillar-like material is made by using a pair of pressing female mold and male mold, vegetable stalks being placed in the female mold and hot-pressed.

Abstract: The invention is a board of non-timber hardwood-replacement lumber. The primary constituent is rinds of a grass selected from the group of grasses consisting of sugarcane and sorghum. The board has an integral mass of parallel elongate flattened rinds aligned along the length of the board, parallel to a board surface and joined together by adhesive bonding. A "cant" (from which the boards are made) is also disclosed and like the boards sawed from it, the cant is substantially void-free and of substantially constant density throughout its cross-section. The board is furniture-grade and exhibits grain characteristics very closely similar to natural hardwood.

Abstract: A laminated material in board form made by the steps of cutting open a lignocellulosic stalk in the fiber direction with a knife; flattening the lignocellulosic stalk by means of a roller press to form a compressed stalk, one face of which consists of its epidermis; arranging a plurality of the compressed stalks in parallel with each other to form a sheet; coating the sheet with a resin adhesive; stacking a plurality of the sheets coated with the adhesive; and then bonding with heat and pressure by means of a hot press. The laminated material has an equal to or higher flexural strength than conventional plywood or also has excellent sound absorbing and heat insulating properties in comparison with conventional particleboard or fiberboard.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of a laminated material including the steps of cutting open an annual lignocellulosic stalk in the fiber direction with a knife; flattening the lignocellulosic stalk by means of a roller press to form a compressed stalk, one face of which consists of its epidermis; arrangement a plurality of the compressed stalks in parallel with each other to form a sheet; coating the sheet with a resin adhesive; stacking a plurality of the sheets coated with the adhesive; and then bonding with heat and pressure by means of a hot press. The laminated material in the form of boards has an equal to or higher flexural strength than conventional plywood or also has excellent sound absorbing and heat insulating properties in comparison with conventional particleboard or fiberboard.

Abstract: A bamboo board comprising a number of longitudinal layers (4) and a number of lateral layers (5). The longitudinal layer is made by longitudinal bamboo strips (1) bonded together with adhesives (3), and the lateral layer is made by lateral bamboo strips (2) bonded together with adhesives (3). During assembly, the longitudinal layers and lateral layers are laid over alternately, with strips of each layer at right angles to those of adjacent layers, and bonded by adhesives (3) in between to become said bamboo board.

Abstract: An improved core structure is provided for composite structures and particularly those employing fiberglass reinforced plastic surface layers. In accordance with this invention, a composite article is formed having a central layer comprised of a plurality of elongated hollow rod like members which are supported by a retaining material. The rod members are preferably made from a naturally occurring hollow material such as bamboo stalks. The retaining material is preferably a foam type plastic such as urethane, PVC, or syntactic foam. The core structure may be fabricated by loading a plurality of bamboo stalks into an elongated trough form, and then filling the trough with retaining material. Following curing, the core body is removed from the form and is sliced into plate shaped individual core pieces. The core structures are thereafter skinned with a plastic outer layer such as fiber reinforced plastic and used to develop webs, bulkheads, reinforcing members and various other features in composite structures.