Abstract: A saw mill head saw having a thin-kerf circular saw blade whose diameter is in the range of 34 inches to 60 inches mounted in fixed position on a power driven mandrel for rotation therewith. The mandrel is journalled on bearings that can be adjustably positioned selectively to vary the angle of mandrel relative to the direction of travel of a log that moves while being cut. The saw blade is guided by a rigid robust saw guide unit located at the in-feed side of the saw and at a position below a saw cut made during operation of the head saw. The saw guide has a channel or gap portion receiving therein a selected portion of the saw blade and it is provided with a first group of discrete spaced apart blade contact pads and a second similar group with such groups being disposed on respective opposite sides of said saw blade.

Abstract: Fast cure and "pre-cure" resistance thermosetting adhesives and methods for their production useful for binding lignocellulosic materials together, are disclosed.A fast curing adhesive is obtained by cross-linking binary phenol-formaldehyde consisting of high average molecular weight phenolformaldehyde (PF) resin and low average molecular weight PF resin with lignin. A "pre-cure" resistant adhesive is obtained by cross-linking a PF resin, such as binary phenol-formaldehyde, with a lignin with the addition of ammonia preferably in the form of an ammonium salt. The lignin may be obtained from different wood pulping waste materials including that recovered from the sulphite, kraft, organosolv or steam hydrolysed wood pulping processes. The adhesive can be produced as an aqueous solution of dispersion, and used in either a basic or acidic environment.

Abstract: A novel method of making a wood composite employing cellulosic material as the wood component and pulverized blast-furnace slag as the binder component and the product produced thereby is disclosed. A settable mixture of the wood component, binder component and water is prepared and thereafter subjected to a forming pressure within a confined space. While in its confined condition, the mixture is also subjected to heat and carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) for a time and at a temperature sufficient to cause accelerated and early setting of the mixture. Optionally, calcium-rich compounds can be added to the settable mixture as a slag cement binder enhancer and sodium silicate can also be used as a mineralizer. The cellulosic material can also be pre-treated with a fire retardant resulting in a cementatious wood composite exhibiting improved fire resistance and in situ fire load bearing strength.

Abstract: Used paper and paper products are recycled into fiberboard formed under conditions of pressure, heat and injection of steam under pressure for sufficient time to render the fiberboard dimensionally stable.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling or preventing sapstain in wood or wood products using the fungus Mariannaea elegans as a biological control agent. The method comprises treating the wood or wood products with an inoculum of Mariannaea elegans.

Abstract: A multi component wood construction member that has an X-beam appearance, and useful as a structural beam or post. The member has an elongate web section with flange members securely attached to opposite sidewalls thereof that, in beam cross-section, the web is inclined. One surface of each of the flanges respectively forms all or a major part of the top and bottom surfaces of the beam. The other-surfaces of each of the flanges are respectively in contact with and fixed to opposite sides of the web and preferably extend inward of the web to a depth equivalent to at least one half the depth of the beam.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for non-destructive testing the quality of manufactured wood panels which includes supporting the panel so as to have a portion thereof in cantilevered fashion. The cantilevered portion of the panel is caused to vibrate so as to include complex vibrations that include both twisting and bending. The vibrations in the panel are sensed providing an output signal that is fed to analyzers and computers to determine from the simultaneously induced bending and twisting vibrations respectively the modulus of elasticity and shear modulus of the panel. Two different forms of apparatus are illustrated, one of which requires the panel to be stationary while being tested and the other in which the panel moves continuously while vibrations are induced and the induced vibrations sensed.

Abstract: A method of producing laminated veneer lumber (LVL) with good dimensional stability, characterized by a particular lay-up of the veneers and the veneers being of at least two different wood species. The particular veneer lay-up and species arrangement, minimizes the tendency of warping and cracking of the LVL. All veneers are laid-up in pairs by species with the loose sides of each pair contacting each other and with the species pair sequence from face to core being identical on either side of the center ply or center line. The veneer tight faces of different species are bonded to one another. The dimensional stability of the LVL is optionally enhanced by a water repellent, flow promoter and bulking agent that is incorporated into the adhesive before application onto the veneer. The different species veneers are dried to different moisture contents before lay-up with the denser species being of lower moisture content than the less dense species.

Abstract: The present invention provides for the use in the production of cellulolytic and xylanolytic enzymes, particularly xylanase and cellulase, of the microorganism Thermoascus aurantiacus in a culture medium containing at least one of a cellulose or hemicellulose substrate whereby to produce thermostable enzymes, particularly cellulase and xylanase.

Abstract: An improved phenol formaldehyde resin not requiring fillers or extenders and capable of bonding wafers or veneers having a moisture content of 10% or above is disclosed. The adhesive composition is prepared by mixing together a caustic solution of a high molecular weight PF resin, a dispersion of PF resin which is characterized in that it can swell in aqueous caustic medium but not go into solution, and alkylene carbonates or phenol resorcinol formaldehyde resins. Optionally, borax is utilized. The disperse phase is made by converting a solution of PF resin into a fine particle size particulate form by precipitation, spray drying or freeze drying, and partially cross-linking the resin during or subsequent to the formation of the fine particle size dispersion. The PF resin is partially cross-linked by (a) heat, by (b) acid catalysis, or by (c) a reaction with cross-linking chemicals.

Abstract: Disclosed is a power driven circular saw blade and a guide assembly for such blade where the guide assembly includes a pair of guide units mounted respectively one of each of opposite side of the blade. Each guide unit includes a guide housing with a guide block reciprocally mounted therein and having a saw blade engaging portion. A stop limits movement of the guide block at least in a direction of movement toward the blade so that the guide block is normally in non-engagement with the saw blade while the latter is in a smooth substantially vibration free running condition. The guide block is resiliently biasing against such stop preferably by pneumatic pressure. A guide assembly as described is preferably located at the outfeed side of the blade but there may be an assembly at both the infeed and outfeed sides of the blade. The position of the stop if preferably adjustable.

Abstract: A press apparatus and method for steam pressing a mat of compressible material and a binder into a formed product and has particular application to the steam pressing of lignocellulosic material and a binder to form composite board and includes a border projection means generally configured to the outline of the end product to be produced and which is carried by a press platen, preferably the upper press platen, and which is intended to impinge into the mat during its compression and to effect a steam pressure seal at the impingement area of the mat. As a pressure seal of the compressed mat is created about the mat edges, steam can then be passed through the mat in order to cure the binder. If desired, cool air can be passed through the mat afer steaming to condense residual steam in the mat. The compressed mat after steaming, can also be subject to vacuum prior to releasing it from the press. The edges of the cured mat which have been subject to impingement, can subsequently be trimmed off.

Abstract: A wood incising roller where the teeth are formed by grooves in the roller surface and where some of such grooves cross others. Each cutting tooth has a knife-like cutting edge of finite length that is in one instance perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the roller and in another instance parallel to such axis. The grooves can be formed by machine cutting, either turning or grinding or by being molded in the surface and then shaped by a grinding operation. At least some grooves preferrably spiral about the roller. The pattern of cutting teeth and shape are determined by such variable parameters as pitch, number of thread starts, angle of cutter, depth of cut and lead angle. An incisor for lumber or veneer consists of two rollers at least one of which is as described in the forgoing. The grooves can be filled or partially filled with an elastic compressible material. The incising roller of the foregoing also is used in combination with a veneer lathe.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for rapidly determining the moisture content of a substance. An area of one surface only of the substance is subjected to a predetermined intensity of radiant energy for a selected period of time and the temperature rise is measured. The rise in the surface temperature of the substance such as pieces of wood, is approximately inversely proportional to the moisture content of the wood and thus is easily determined. This is obtainable by transporting the substance on a fixed speed conveyor past a heat source, variations in the rise and fall in the surface temperature readings immediately following the application of heat are representative of its moisture content; low readings indicating high moisture content while high readings being indicative of low moisture content.

Abstract: A low cost method of binding lignocellulosic materials utilizing a novel ammonium based spent sulphite liquor, with phenol and formaldehyde or phenol-formaldehyde thermosetting resin as the binder is disclosed. Phenol-formaldehyde which normally reacts with ammonium lignosulfonate under acidic conditions and is unstable under these conditions, can be dispersed or otherwise held in suspension and can be mixed direct with the material by spraying. The constituants of the novel binder can also be mechanically dispersed when in dry powder form. The binder has improved adhesion characteristics and a shorter cure time over existing binders using a spent sulphite liquor base when in combination with phenol-formaldehyde.

Abstract: A chuck for a veneer lathe is provided, which has a generally wedge-shaped lug with a first, corrugated face, preferably of a stepped configuration. Such a chuck reduces the tendency of a lug to split during processing, and thus reduces chuck spin-out and resultant wastage.