Morrison-knudsen Forest Products Company, Inc.

Morrison-knudsen Forest Products, Inc.

The Coe Manufacturing Company, Inc.

Thomas E Peters

Joseph S Bleymaier

David J Henckel

Wilfred Farnworth

John M Bateman

James David Logan

Joseph A Fyie

James D Logan

Eugene R Bennett

John W Talbott

Clarence L Dieter

Apparatus for the manufacture of oriented chopped glass fiber mats from non-conductive fiber feed stock is disclosed. Apparatus includes means for increasing the conductance of the feed stock, electrically insulative transfer surface; means for establishing and maintaining a directional electric field to orient the chopped fibers, and a mat receiving surface to receive the oriented mat. The non-woven mat comprises a plurality of cut or chopped fibers having their longitudinal axes predominately disposed approximately parallel to a predetermined orientation axis lying in the plane of the mat. A preferred embodiment includes the incorporation of a glass fiber mat into a composite by applying a matrix resin to the mat in sufficient quantity to ensure the integrity of the composite. The process for manufacturing said non-woven oriented mats is also disclosed.

Oriented chopped fiber mats and method and apparatus for making same

A method is disclosed for treating discrete pieces of material, particularly pieces of lignocellulosic furnish, to ensure adequate conductance thereof for orientation in an electric field for electrostatic alignment. The furnish is exposed to a conductance-improving substance of substances, such as an alkali or alkaline earth metal salts of weak acid, quaternary ammonium salts, or gases such as ammonia, chlorine, sulfur dioxide, etc. prior to being subjected to the electric field.

Method of treating materials to improve their conductance for use in the

An apparatus is disclosed for (1) forming a mat of lignocellulosic particles electrostatically aligned in a cross-machine direction to the direction of movement of the mat being formed, and (2) forming a composite panel having a core layer of particles electrostatically aligned in the cross-machine direction and face layers of particles electrostatically aligned in the machine direction. The multilayered mat of electrostatically aligned particles employs separate orientation cells for aligning the particles in the machine and cross-machine directions. For aligning the particles in the cross-machine direction, a uniformly distributed array of particles is passed through spaced charged plates of a high-voltage electrostatic field having electrical lines of force extending substantially transverse to the direction of movement of the mat being formed. The spaced, charged plates are preferably configured to spread the effects of particle migration and the shadow effect over the area of the orientation to minimize basis weight variation. A nosepiece for the transfer conveyor has a plurality of conductive elements embedded in it extending parallel to the direction of movement of the transfer belt.

Apparatus for producing a mat of directionally oriented lignocellulosic

The apparatus described is designed to distribute particles of lignocellulosic material falling by gravity uniformly over the inlet area of an electrostatic orientation unit. The particles are metered onto a conveyor belt which discharges an even flow of particles between a pair of contrarotating squirrel-cage rolls whose direction of rotation is such that one part of the flow of particles passes between the rolls and two other parts of the flow are deflected outwardly from the contrarotating rolls. The three portions of the particle flow from the contrarotating rolls are directed respectively to larger squirrel-cage distribution rolls positioned within distribution chambers beneath the contrarotating rolls for even distribution. Various vanes and deflectors are provided to direct the flow of particles within the apparatus.

Distribution apparatus

Methods and systems are disclosed for (1) forming a mat of lignocellulosic particles electrostatically aligned in a cross-machine direction to the direction of movement of the mat being formed from the particles, and (2) forming a composite panel having a core layer of particles electrostatically aligned in the cross-machine dimension and face layers of particles electrostatically aligned in the machine direction. The multilayered or composite mat of electrostatically aligned particles employs separate orientation cells (30,32) for aligning the particles in the machine and cross-machine directions. For aligning the particles in the cross-machine direction, a uniformly distributed array of particles is passed through a high-voltage electrostatic orienting field having electrical lines of force extending substantially transverse to the direction of movement of the mat being formed. The orienting field may be formed between at least two uniformly spaced, electrically charged plates (60). The particles are deposited as a mat on a transfer belt (36) of a transfer conveyor (40) for transfer to a mat-receiving surface. The spaced, charged plates (60) are generally parallel to one another and oriented generally in the cross-machine direction of the mat being formed. The spaced, charged plates are preferably configured to spread the effects of particle migration and the shadow effect over the area of the orientation to minimize basis weight variation.

Method for production of directionally oriented lignocellulosic

Apparatus is disclosed for forming and electrostatically orienting a mat of discrete particles of lignocellulosic material on an electrically non-conductive transfer surface and then transferring the directionally oriented mat onto a grounded, moving, electrically conductive mat receiving surface under the continuing influence of an electrostatic field without loss of orientation of the particles of lignocellulosic material making up the mat.

Apparatus for orientation and deposition of discrete lignocellulosic

Methods are presented for continuous-line manufacture of composition board from furnish which is moved in a continuous-flow manner through a processing line and distributed for deposition at a uniform rate over a preselected area to continuously form a mat for compaction. Commercially economical production flow rates are achieved with a lightweight refined wood furnish to form fiberboard having directional properties without relying on pneumatic impulsion while uniformly distributed furnish is delivered substantially free of air turbulence effects enabling fiber orientation by means of an electrical field. Control of movement and accurate metering of furnish are facilitated by continuously over-feeding furnish into the processing line and returning excess furnish as part of an initial distribution of furnish over one dimension of the mat to be formed. The initially distributed furnish is confined in the remaining dimension while being continuously moved in the direction of the mat; the confined profile feed is metered, accelerated by mechanical contact, and then distributed over the full area of deposition. Lightweight fibrous furnish is delivered for screening to separate fiber clusters followed by electrical field orientation of individualized fibers and deposition. The furnish distributed over the forming area is moved along a flow path which is substantially normal to the surface of deposition.

Method for feeding and orienting fibrous furnish

A continuous method and apparatus are disclosed for forming and electrostatically orienting a mat of discrete particles of lignocellulosic material on an electrically nonconductive transfer surface and then transferring the directionally oriented mat onto a grounded, moving, electrically conductive mat receiving surface under the continuing influence of an electrostatic field without loss of orientation of the particles of lignocellulosic material making up the mat.

Method for orientation and deposition of lignocellulosic material in the

Continuous-line methods and apparatus for orientation and uniform deposition of fibers to enhance directional properties in and production rates of fiberboard produced from lightweight fibrous furnish. A plurality of elongated rod electrodes are predeterminedly spaced over the area of fiber deposition to establish an electric field exerting a torque on discrete fibers tending to orient longitudinal axes of the fibers in the plane of the mat being formed and aligned with the machine forming direction for such mat. Placement of the rod electrodes and controlled rotation about their longitudinal axes yield a combination of electrical and mechanical forces to provide desired orientation and uniformity of deposition over the full area of deposition. Directional properties measured in the compacted and cured fiberboard establish that effective orientation ratios of longitudinal axes of fibers in the preferred direction of 1.2:1 and higher are made available working with lightweight fibrous wood material refined under steam pressure and are available at production rates which are commercially economic.

Orientation and deposition of fibers in the manufacture of fiberboard

Methods and apparatus are presented for continuous-line manufacture of composition board from furnish which is moved in a continuous-flow manner through a processing line and distributed for deposition at a uniform rate over a preselected area to continuously form a mat for compaction. Commercially economical production flow rates are achieved with a lightweight refined wood furnish to form fiberboard having directional properties without relying on pneumatic impulsion while uniformly distributed furnish is delivered substantially free of air turbulence effects enabling fiber orientation by means of an electrical field. Control of movement and accurate metering of furnish are facilitated by continuously over-feeding furnish into the processing line and returning excess furnish as part of an initial distribution of furnish over one dimension of the mat to be formed. The initially distributed furnish is confined in the remaining dimension while being continuously moved in the direction of the mat; the confined profile feed is metered, accelerated by mechanical contact, and then distributed over the full area of deposition. Lightweight fibrous furnish is delivered for screening to separate fiber clusters followed by electrical field orientation of individualized fibers and deposition. The furnish distributed over the forming area is moved along a flow path which is substantially normal to the surface of deposition.

Growing community of inventors

Boise, ID, United States of America

Thomas E Peters