Continuous ball-bearing-type press for making composition board, plywood and like products

Claim 1

A CONTINUOUS, BALL-BEARING-TYPE PRESS FOR MAKING COMPOSITION BOARD, PLYWOOD AND LIKE PRODUCTS WHICH COMPRISES A PAIR OF OPPOSED, ENDLESS CAUL BELTS ARRANGED WITH THEIR WORKING STRETCHES IN SUBSTANTIAL REGISTRATION, DRIVE MEANS FOR DRIVING THE BELTS SYNCHRONOUSLY IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS OF ROTATION, PRESS BED MEANS BEHIND THE WORKING STRETCH OF EACH BELT AND HAVING A LONGITUDINAL RECESS THE WIDTH OF WHICH IS SUBSTANTIALLY CODIMENSIONAL WITH THE WIDTH OF THE ASSOCIATED CAUL BELT, A MULTIPLICITY OF BALL BEARINGS DISPOSED FREELY IN AND SUBSTANTIALLY FILLING THE RECESS IN EACH PRESS BED MEANS IN BEARING CONTACT WITH THE BELTS, THE BALL BEARINGS BEING MOVABLE FREELY WITH THE BELTS, CIRCULATING MEANS INDEPENDENT OF THE CAUL BELTS FOR CIRCULATING THE BALL BEARINGS FROM THE OUTFEED END OF THE BED MEANS TO THE INFEED END THEREOF, THE CIRCULATING MEANS COMPRISING CONVEYOR MEANS COMMUNICATING WITH THE PRESS BED MEANS FOR RECEIVING BALL BEARINGS DISCHARGED THEREFROM AND FOR CONVEYING THEM TO AN ELEVATED STATION AND CONDUIT MEANS INTERCONNECTING THE ELEVATED STATION AND THE INFEED END OF THE BED MEANS, THEREBY PERMITTING GRAVITATIONAL FEEDING OF THE BALL BEARINGS UNDER PRESSURE ESTABLISHED BY A HEAD OF BALL BEARINGS ACCUMULATED IN THE DOWNSTREAM END OF THE CONDUIT MEANS, AND PRESSURE APPLYING MEANS URGING THE BED MEANS TOWARD EACH OTHER, THEREBY APPLYING CONSOLIDATING PRESSURE THROUGH THE BALL BEARINGS TO WORK PASSING CONTINUOUSLY BETWEEN THE BELTS.