Weyerhaeuser Company Limited

Other

John S Selby

Ronald C Wilderman

Richard E Wagner

John W Kerns

Earl D Hasenwinkle

Kendall H Bassett

Alkivadis G Dimakis

Amar N Neogi

Mengkui Luo

Vincent A Roscelli

Alkiviadis G Dimakis

Senen Camarena

Cellulose containing dope is extruded through orifices and into a stream of gas moving in a direction generally parallel to the direction that the filaments are formed with varying degrees of mechanical attenuation provided to the filaments using a take-up device, such as a winder.

Meltblown process with mechanical attenuation

Engineered structural wood products particularly useful in critical applications such as joists, headers, and beams where longer lengths, greater widths, and higher and predictable stress ratings may be required and to a method for making the wood products. Most logs by nature are radially anisotropic, having wood of higher density and stiffness in their outer portion adjacent the bark than is found in the inner portion. The logs are machined to segregate the denser, stiffer outer wood. A first generally rectangular component is formed from the less dense inner wood. Second generally rectangular components are formed from the stiffer outer wood. Second components are adhesively bonded to at least one edge of the first component, more usually to opposite edges. The stiffer wood is thus specifically placed where it will contribute most effectively to the properties of the product. The product is analogous to an I-beam in which the lower density first component serves as the web and the higher density second component as the flange portion The products can be handled in use in identical fashion to solid sawn lumber. They are characterized by much less variation in their stiffness than solid sawn visually or machine graded products and can be made in a wide range of width, thickness, and length.

Method for manufacture of structural wood products

The invention comprises engineered structural wood products particularly useful in critical applications such as joists, headers, and beams where longer lengths, greater widths, and higher and predictable stress ratings may be required. The invention is also directed to a method for making the wood products. Most logs by nature are radially anisotropic, having wood of higher density and stiffness in their outer portion adjacent the bark than is found in the inner portion. The logs are machined to segregate the denser, stiffer outer wood. A first generally rectangular component is formed from the less dense inner wood. Second generally rectangular components are formed from the stiffer outer wood. Second components are adhesively bonded to at least one edge of the first component, more usually to opposite edges. The stiffer wood is thus specifically placed where it will contribute most effectively to the properties of the product. The product is analogous to an I-beam in which the lower density first component serves as the web and the higher density second component as the flange portion The products can be handled in use in identical fashion to solid sawn lumber. They are characterized by much less variation in their stiffness than solid sawn visually or machine graded products and can be made in a wide range of width, thickness, and length.

Engineered structural wood products

The invention is a method for producing flitches prepared from roundwood logs, a method for the manufacture of wood slices or slats from the flitches, and methods of combining the strips into composite lumber products. The methods are based in part on the concept of preparing flitches that retain the sweep or natural longitudinal curvature of the log and slicing or sawing around the sweep to prepare the slats for further conversion into composite lumber products. An opening cut is made in the log essentially following or parallel to the curve of any sweep to divide it into two approximately equal volume pieces. An opposing surfaces is machined parallel to the surface generated by the opening cut to produce a flitch. The flitches are then flattened so that the sweep curvature is made planar. They are then sliced or sawn parallel to the now planar surface to produce slats. The natural surface of the log is preferably retained on the sides of the flitches. Slats may then be edged and adhesively combined in various ways to produce composite lumber products. The method achieves an especially high yield from raw logs of products that simulate solid sawn lumber in appearance, properties, and ease of use.

Method of producing wood strips for conversion into composite lumber

An improved blade element for a mechanized tree pruner has an upwardly extending blade face which has a concave curvilinear cross section designed so as to provide a closer cut when the mechanized tree pruner is forced upwardly and the pruning knives forced through the individual limbs.

Curved pruner blades

In logging and other handling operations a cable is looped about an elongated object and cinched tight through a choker hook assembly in order to transport the objects. A remotely controlled hook assembly has a body and a releasable latch arm through which the cable passes and which grasps the end of the cable. A recessed knob socket is located on the outside of the hook body for acceptance of the knob mounted at the cable end. Within the body a slidable pin functions to hold and then release the latch arm upon remote command. The slidable pin can be reset by using the pivotal latch arm in combination with the cable and knob as leverage.

Growing community of inventors

Edgewood, WA, United States of America

John S Selby