Mat-making apparatus for particleboard manufacture

Abstract

An apparatus for forming a particle mat for the production of particleboard has a transport belt having a stretch moving in a longitudinal transport direction and forming a deposition surface in turn defining a floor of a deposition space, a dispenser upwardly delimiting the space and including a dispensing roller for depositing particles as a mat in the space on the longitudinal moving deposition surface, a pair of transversely spaced and longitudinally extending upper guides extending in the space generally at the dispenser, and a pair of transversely spaced and longitudinally extending lower guides extending in the space underneath the respective upper guides and generally at the deposition surface. A pair of longitudinally extending, continuous, and transversely spaced flexible sheets each extend the full longitudinal length of the deposition space and have an inner edge secured to one of the guides of a respective one of the pairs of guides and an outer edge. The sheets each pass around the other of the guides of the respective pair of guides and therefore each have a section extending generally vertically between the respective upper and lower guides. Tensioners engages the outer edges of the sheets and maintains the wall sections taut and generally planar between the respective upper and lower guides. Thus the deposition space is transversely delimited by the sections of the sheets.