Abstract: A veneer straightener, operating with a moving conveyor, includes two endless chains outwardly flanking the sides of the conveyor, the endless chains being mounted on drive sprockets powered through a common drive shaft. Mounted on the endless chains are a pair of upwardly extending lugs which are aligned with each other transverse to the direction of movement of the conveyor, and which extend above the moving conveyor belts. The upwardly extending lugs move in the direction of forward movement of the conveyor, but at a speed slower than that of the conveyor. A switch is triggered by an approaching sheet of veneer, which initiates the drive power and starts the forward movement of the lugs. As the moving sheet overtakes the lugs, it will be restrained by the lugs to a straightened or squared position. Upon reaching the forward sprocket the lugs will follow the spocket down and away from their restraining engagement and the squared sheet will resume the forward speed of the conveyor.

Abstract: Apparatus for wetting divided solid material so that it can be sucked into a storage tank by an entraining air stream without danger of damaging the expensive heavy duty air pump consists of a cylindrical body providing a wetting chamber which tapers outwardly from an inlet and inwardly to an outlet. A plurality of spray nozzles, each mounted in a recess, are provided uniformly spaced circumferentially and longitudinally around the chamber, so as to provide minimum spray pattern interference. A deflector means is provided immediately after the inlet to distribute the air flow over the chamber, consisting of a plurality of uniformly circumferentially distributed inwardly-extending finger-like members and an axial barrier on the flow axis. Another spray nozzle is provided spraying onto the deflector and also serving as a by-pass for the liquid supply pump, so that the nozzles operate with optimum spray patterns while the pump is at optimum flow capacity.

Abstract: A latch assembly for connecting a tubular dunnage bar to a support comprises a tubular housing received within an end of the bar, a connector member and a latch plate slidably mounted in the housing, and a single bellows-type spring which is confined in the housing and acts against the inner ends of both the connector member and the latch plate, extending their outer ends from the housing. Extending movement of the connector member is limited by a slot in the housing engaged by a pin on the connector member; movement of the latch plate is limited by a recess in the connector member engaged by a pin formed by part of an operating handle on the latch plate. The outer end of the connector is formed with a laterally projecting locking lug and, with the latch plate retracted, is adapted to be inserted through an opening in a surface of the support and moved laterally, placing the locking lug in overlapping engagement with the inner face of the surface.

Abstract: A dunnage bar constructed from a single strip of sheet metal formed into a tubular, rectangular configuration having a working or load engaging face and an oppositely disposed base portion connected by a pair of parallel sides. The working face has a pair of walls which extend toward each other from the sides, are separated by a longitudinal slot, and are connected by a transverse web located inwardly of the slot. Each wall is composed of a double thickness of metal, each of the sides is a single thickness of metal, and the base portion also has double metal thicknesses which are interlocked with the sides along the edges of the base portion. The method of making the dunnage bar employs a plurality of stands of rolls through which the sheet metal strip is passed and is progressively formed from its center outward into the above-described configuration.