Cold caustic fiberboard manufacture

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF WOOD FIBERBOARD COMPRISING THE STEPS OF DIGESTING HARDWOOD CHIPS IN A 2.5%-10%, BY WEIGHT, CAUSTIC SOLUTION FOR ABOUT 1/4 TO 2 HOURS AT ABOUT 70*F.-200*F. AND AT A PRESSURE IN THE APPROXIMATE RANGE OF FROM ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE TO 300 P.S.I.G., SEPARATING THE DIGESTED CHIPS FROM THE BODY OF THE DIGESTING LIQUOR, REFINING THE DIGESTED CHIPS INTO A FIBROUS MASS, NEUTRALIZING THE SEPARATED FIBER MASS, FORMING A FURNISH COMPRISING THE REFINED FIBERS, FORMING A FIBROUS MAT FROM SAID FURNISH BY APPLYING PORTIONS OF THE FURNISH TO A FORAMINOUS SUPPORT AND PARTIALLY DEWATERING THE FURNISH ON SAID SUPPORT, SUFFICIENT FURNISH BEING APPLIED PER AREA OF SUPPORT TO CREATE A PARTIALLY DEWATERED WEB HAVING A THICKNESS OF AT LEAST ABOUT 1/2 INCH, AND THEN COMPRESSING SAID PARTIALLY DEWATERED BOARD TO REMOVE FURTHER WATER THEREFROM AND TO INCREASE THE DENSITY THEREOF.