Abstract: An absorbent agriculture residue product and method of making the product. Preferably the agriculture residue material is reduced in size, adhesive added, consolidated to form panels or other shapes and heated to cure the adhesive. Preferably, the agriculture material is reduced in size from less than about 2 inches and the adhesive is present in an amount ranging from between about 2% to about 20% by dry weight. The products possess good absorption characteristics, durability and the ability to retain absorbed liquids upon application of pressure to saturated panels.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for forming a continuous loosely felted mat of wood flakes, the wood flakes being elongated and being aligned in mutually parallel relation and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the mat. The apparatus includes a conveyor having an upper surface adapted to support a mat of wood flakes and formers for continuously depositing wood flakes on the conveyor as it moves under the former. Also included are continuous lengths of baffle material positioned between the formers and the conveyor, and oriented so as to define parallel adjacent vertical planes, the planes being parallel to the direction of movement of the upper surface. The lengths of baffle material are positioned in closely spaced side-by-side relation and move with the upper surface beneath the formers as the loosely felted mat is formed and are adapted to cause the flakes to become aligned and to be held in alignment during formation of the mat.

Abstract: Apparatus for forming an elongated continuous mat of elongated wood flakes mixed with a binder and adapted to be compressed to form a densified composite wood product for continuously depositing wood flakes on that supporting surface and for aligning the elongated wood flakes being deposited in mutually parallel relation and in alignment with the direction of movement of the supporting surface. A hopper for containing wood flakes deposits wood flakes into the upper end of a fan-shaped flake loader comprised of a plurality of channels positioned in side-by-side relation and sloping downwardly from the hopper to a supporting surface. The channels are generally V-shaped in cross-section and converge toward their lower ends such that the wood flakes deposited in the upper ends of the channels become aligned in mutually parallel relation as the flakes slide down the channels and are deposited on the supporting surface.

Abstract: Apparatus are provided for forming a loosely felted mat of elongated wood flakes, the wood flakes being supported on an elongated caul. The flakes are deposited between a plurality of closely spaced parallel baffles so as to be aligned in mutually parallel relation. The caul is supported adjacent the lower edges of the baffles and is support for vertical movement to facilitate buildup of the mat. Apparatus movable back and forth along the length of the caul is provided to deposit wood flakes in an evenly dispursed manner. At least one picker wheel also moves along the length of the baffles, the picker wheel including fingers extending downwardly between baffles and adapted to engage the flakes to cause them to fall between the baffles.

Abstract: Apparatus for forming an elongated loosely felted mat of thin elongated wood flakes with the flakes being aligned in mutually parallel relation and being aligned with the longitudinal direction of the elongated mat. The apparatus comprises a plurality of conveyor belts positioned in closely adjacent side-by-side relation and defining a mat supporting surface adapted to support the aligned wood flakes, the belts being supported on the surface of a cylinder. Wood flakes are deposited in loosely felted relation on the belts, and a plurality of closely spaced parallel planar baffles surround the cylinder, the baffles comprising plates positioned between the belts and functioning to cause alignment of the flakes as they are deposited on the belts. The mat is compressed against the supporting surface by a plurality of belts positioned in adjacent side-by-side relation, the belts being positionable between the baffles and engageable against the mat.

Abstract: Apparatus for forming a loosely felted mat of thin elongated wood flakes with said flakes being aligned in mutually parallel relation. The apparatus includes a mat supporting surface, a hopper for holding a quantity of wood flakes, and a funnel assembly for receiving wood flakes from the hopper and for causing the flakes to be aligned in substantially parallel side-by-side relation as they are deposited on the supporting surface. The funnel assembly includes a plurality of funnels positioned in adjacent side-by-side relation, the funnels each including inclined walls having lower edges defining an elongated narrow opening adjacent the supporting surface and upper edges defining an opening wider than said narrow opening and for receiving wood flakes from the hopper. The narrow openings of the funnels are parallel and distribute the flakes uniformly across the supporting surface.

Abstract: Structural members having strength properties comparable or superior to those of solid wood are made from a composite wood material comprised of elongated wood flakes bonded together with a binder. The grain direction of the flakes extend generally parallel to their longitudinal axis and the flakes are oriented so that the longitudinal axis of at least a majority is generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the structural member. The structural member is formed as a solid one-piece unit or assembled from two or more structural components which are made from the composite wood material and are joined together in angular relationship with an adhesive.