Abstract: Wood strands are oriented into parallelism with the aid of a number of adjacent, generally parallel spaces defined by relatively thin, elongated guide members having flat sides with the longitudinal axes of the guide members extending substantially parallel to a support surface below the spaces for receiving the parallel, oriented wood strands. Each pair of adjacent guide members are moved in opposite directions to turn strands which span the guide members until the strand falls into the space therebetween. In one form of the invention, certain of the guide members have yielding projections on their upper margins and the other guide members have positive projections on their upper margins, each yielding projection having a pair of inclined end edges and each positive projection having end edges generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the corresponding guide member.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and an apparatus for flattening wood based panels such as plywood, flake board or fiber board panels, which have an undesirable curvature, due to an imbalanced construction, or due to a certain production process. In particular this invention relates to the flattening of a panel as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,878,017.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and an apparatus for flattening wood based panels such as plywood, flake board or fiber board panels, which have an undesirable curvature, due to an imbalanced construction, or due to a certain production process. In particular this invention relates to the flattening of a panel as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,878,017.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is described for use in producing a wood product comprising at least one layer of binder-coated wood strands oriented into parallelism by causing the strands to fall through elongated, parallel spaces defined by a plurality of generally rigid plates or flexible belt stretches located in vertical planes and parallel to each other above a moving support. The distance from each plate or belt stretch to the next adjacent plate or belt stretch is less than the average length of the strands. In one embodiment, adjacent, generally rigid plates reciprocate in opposite directions relative to each other. In another embodiment, adjacent belt stretches of an endless, flexible belt move in opposite directions with respect to each other.

Abstract: The invention pertains to a method of making a wood floor covering which is flexible and can be laid on concrete with a mastic using momentary pressure. Instead of the nominal 3/4-inch thickness of conventional strip hardwood floors, the floor covering is only about 1/10-inch thick. The finish on the floor covering is sufficiently wear-resistant so that for the life of the flooring the wood is never subject to wear. The finish is applied in the factory as a thermoplastic resin film which extends over the wood and spans the joints between the wood blocks of which the flooring is composed. In bonding the film a cushion is placed on the film, and heat is applied to the assembly sufficiently high to soften or melt the film. The blocks are kept from spreading apart by a constraining means partly embedded in the back of the wood by pressure, and the resin is chilled under pressure until it reaches room temperature and is solidified.