Structural members comprised of composite wood material and having zones of diverse density

The disclosed invention includes an improved construction of structural members such as railroad crossties, highway spin posts and highway guard posts and to construction of said members from composite wood material including elongated wood flakes and to a method for making such improved structures.https://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/patents/1124/thumbnail.jp

Fan-shaped loader for making a loosely felted mat of aligned wood flakes

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.https://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/patents/1106/thumbnail.jp

Method and apparatus for making aligned flake composite wood material including integral baffles

A method and apparatus for forming a loosely felted mat of elongated wood flakes mixed with a binder, the mat including a longitudinal axis and the wood flakes being aligned in mutually parallel relation and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the mat. The wood flakes are held in alignment in the mat by a plurality of closely spaced thin planar baffles, the baffles being comprised of a material which can form an integral part of the mat.https://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/patents/1120/thumbnail.jp

Static dropless flake aligner for producing composite wood material

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.https://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/patents/1107/thumbnail.jp