Process for making consolidated lignocellulose hardboard containing readded fines

Claim 1

PROCESS OF MAKING CONSOLIDATED FIBROUS LIGNOCELLULOSE HARDBOARD CONTAINING RE-ADDED FINES MATERIAL AND WHEREIN THE LAP DRAINAGE IS GREATLY IMPROVED WHICH COMPRISES REMOVING FROM AN AQUEOUS SLURRY OF THERMALLY HYDROLYZED LIGNOCELLULOSE FIBER THE FINES RESULTING FROM THE HYDROLYSIS TREATMENT, PARTIALLY DE-WATERING THE FINES, RAPIDLY DRYING THE DE-WATERED FINES TO A MOISTURE CONTENT OF ABOUT 6% BY WEIGHT THEREOF ON A DRY BASIS, BAKING THE DRIED FINES AT A TEMPERATURE OF AT LEAST 150*C. UNTIL SAID FINES BECOME HARDENED AND HAVE LOST THEIR TENDENCY TO GEL IN AQUEOUS MEDIA, THE BAKING TIME BEING AT LEAST ABOUT 30 MINUTES AT 150*C., SLURRYING TOGETHER IN WATER THE BAKED FINES WITH HYDROLYZED AND DISINTEGRATED LIGNOCELLULOSE MATERIAL, FELTING THE MIXTURE INTO A LAP WHEREUPON GREATLY IMPROVED DRAINAGE OF WATER IS OBTAINED AS COMPARED WITH THE DRAINAGE OF A SIMILAR LAP CONTAINING UNTREATED FINES MATERIAL, AND THEREAFTER CONSOLIDATING THE LAP INTO A HARDBOARD UNBDER HEAT AND PRESSURE.