Method for producing an improved matrix molding board

Claim 1

A METHOD FOR PRODUCING AN IMPROVED MATRIX MOLDING BOARD COMPRISING: HEATING TO 170* -212*F. A BOARD HAVING AT LEAST 4% BY WEIGHT OF VOLATILES AND COMPRISING A BASE 0.1-0.3" THICK AND A MATTE FACE LAYER OF THERMOSETTING RESINOUS MOLDING MATERIAL 0.030-0.045" THICK, SAID BASE COMPRISING FIBROUS MATERIAL AND THERMOSETTING RESIN, SAID RESIN MEASURING ABOUT 33-45% BY WEIGHT OF SAID BASE, SAID BASE HAVING A COMPRESSION FACTOR OF ABOUT 43-48% AT 1,000 POUNDS PER SQUARE INCH, AND AN APPARENT DENSITY OF 0.88-0.94, SAID HEATING CONTINUED FOR 1-2 HOURS UNTIL THE VOLATILES CONTENT OF SAID BOARD IS REDUCED TO 2.503% WITHOUT ADVERSELY AFFECTING THE MOLDABILITY OF SAID BOARD, THEN SANDWICHING THE BOARD BETWEEN A PAIR OF PLATENS AND A PAIR OF METAL ELEMENTS, ONE OF SAID ELEMENTS HAVING A SMOOTH CONTINUOUS FLAT SURFACE ADJACENT SAID MATTE FACE AND THE OTHER ELEMENT BEING PERFORATED AND ADJACENT TO THE OTHER FACE OF SAID BOARD; WHILE BEING HEATED BY ONE OF SAID PLATENS MAINTAINING SAID SMOOTH FLAT SURFACE IN CONTACT WITH SAID MATTE FACE FOR 30-120 SECONDS TO SOFTEN SAID FACE; THEN WHILE SAID SURFACE IS IN SAID CONDITION, AND SAID PLATENS ARE AT ELEVATED TEMPERATURE OF 250*-280*F. MOVING ONE OF THE PLATENS WITH RESPECT TO THE OTHER A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE AND THEN MAINTAINING THEM IN SAID RELATIONSHIP FOR A PERIOD TO COMPRESS SAID BOARD AT 250-400 POUNDS PER SQUARE INCH, TO REDUCE ITS THICKNESS BY APPROXIMATELY 15-25% AND SHALLOW SINK KNOBS INTO SAID PERFORATIONS AND CAUSE THE ESCAPE OF VOLATILES AND SAID FACE IS SMOOTH AND GLOSSY WITHOUT SUBSTANTIALLY ADVANCING THE CURE OF THE RESIN IN SAID LAYER AND BASE SO THAT THE BOARD IS STILL MOLDABLE, THEN REMOVING SAID SANDWICH FROM SAID PLATENS AND CHILLING SAME AND REMOVING THE IMPROVED MATRIX MOLDING BOARD FROM SAID ELEMENTS.

Claim 2

A METHOD FOR PRODUCING AN IMPROVED MATRIX MOLDING BOARD COMPRISING: HEATING TO 170* -212*F. A BOARD HAVING AT LEAST 4% BY WEIGHT OF VOLATILES AND COMPRISING A BASE 0.1-0.3" THICK AND A MATTE FACE LAYER OF THERMOSETTING RESINOUS MOLDING MATERIAL 0.030-0.045" THICK, SAID BASE COMPRISING FIBROUS MATERIAL AND THERMOSETTING RESIN, SAID RESIN MEASURING ABOUT 33-45% BY WEIGHT OF SAID BASE, SAID BASE HAVING A COMPRESSION FACTOR OF ABOUT 43-48% AT 1,000 POUNDS PER SQUARE INCH, AND AN APPARENT DENSITY OF 0.88-0.94, SAID HEATING CONTINUED FOR 1-2 HOURS UNTIL THE VOLATILES CONTENT OF SAID BOARD IS REDUCED TO 2.503% WITHOUT ADVERSELY AFFECTING THE MOLDABILITY OF SAID BOARD, THEN SANDWICHING THE BOARD BETWEEN A PAIR OF PLATENS AND A PAIR OF METAL ELEMENTS, ONE OF SAID ELEMENTS HAVING A SMOOTH CONTINUOUS FLAT SURFACE ADJACENT SAID MATTE FACE AND THE OTHER ELEMENT BEING PERFORATED AND ADJACENT TO THE OTHER FACE OF SAID BOARD; WHILE BEING HEATED BY ONE OF SAID PLATENS MAINTAINING SAID SMOOTH FLAT SURFACE IN CONTACT WITH SAID MATTE FACE FOR 30-120 SECONDS TO SOFTEN SAID FACE; THEN WHILE SAID SURFACE IS IN SAID CONDITION, AND SAID PLATENS ARE AT ELEVATED TEMPERATURE OF 250*-280*F. MOVING ONE OF THE PLATENS WITH RESPECT TO THE OTHER A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE AND THEN MAINTAINING THEM IN SAID RELATIONSHIP FOR A PERIOD TO COMPRESS SAID BOARD AT 250-400 POUNDS PER SQUARE INCH, TO REDUCE ITS THICKNESS BY APPROXIMATELY 15-25% AND SHALLOW SINK KNOBS INTO SAID PERFORATIONS AND CAUSE THE ESCAPE OF VOLATILES AND SAID FACE IS SMOOTH AND GLOSSY WITHOUT SUBSTANTIALLY ADVANCING THE CURE OF THE RESIN IN SAID LAYER AND BASE SO THAT THE BOARD IS STILL MOLDABLE, THEN REMOVING SAID SANDWICH FROM SAID PLATENS AND CHILLING SAME AND REMOVING THE IMPROVED MATRIX MOLDING BOARD FROM SAID ELEMENTS.