Synthetic end grain block defining a wear surface

Claim 2

A SYNTHETIC END GRAIN BLOCK OF THE TYPE ADAPTED TO BE ABUTTED WITH SIMILAR BLOCKS TO DEFINE A WORKING SURFACE AND HAVING A TOP SURFACE ADAPTED TO DEFINE A PORTION OF SAID WORKING SURFACE; A BOTTOM SURFACE PARALLEL TO AND SPACED FROM SAID TOP SURFACE; A PLURALITY OF WEAR FIBERS EXTENDING WITHIN SAID SURFACES; A PLURALITY OF OTHER FIBERS EXTENDING OTHER THAN GENERALLY PERPENDICULAR TO SAID TOP SURFACE AND SAID BOTTOM SURFACE AND INTERCONNECTING SAID WEAR FIBRES; AND AN ORGANIC PLASTIC MATERIAL EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY THROUGHOUT SAID BLOCK AND BONDING SAID WEAR FIBRES TOGETHER, ENDS OF SAID WEAR FIBRES DEFINING AT LEAST A PART OF SAID TOP SURFACE, SAID WEAR FIBRES BENG AT LEAST 40 WEIGHT PERCENT OF SAID BLOCK, AND AT LEAST 80% OF ALL FIBRES WITHIN SAID BLOCK EXTENDING GENERALLY PARALLEL TO EACH OTHER AND PERPENDICULAR TO SAID TOP SURFACE AND SAID BOTTOM SURFACE.

Claim 3

A synthetic end grain block of the type adapted to be abutted with similar blocks to define a working surface and having a top surface adapted to define a portion of said working surface; a bottom surface parallel to and spaced from said top surface; a plurality of wear fibers extending within said block substantially perpendicular to said top and bottom surfaces; a plurality of other fibres extending other than generally perpendicular to said top surface and said bottom surface and interconnecting said wear fibres; and an organic plastic material extending substantially throughout said block and bonding said wear fibres together, ends of said wear fibres defining at least a part of said top surface, said wear fibres being at least 40 weight percent of said block, and at least 80% of all fibres within said block extending generally parallel to each other and perpendicular to said top surface and said bottom surface.

Claim 4

A synthetic end grain block of the type adapted to be abutted with similar blocks to define a working surface and having a top surface adapted to define a portion of said working surface; a bottom surface parallel to and spaced from said top surface; a plurality of wear fibers extending within said block substantially perpendicular to said top and bottom surfaces; a plurality of other fibres extending other than generally perpendicular to said top surface and said bottom surface and interconnecting said wear fibres; and an organic plastic material extending substantially throughout said block and bonding said wear fibres together, ends of said wear fibres defining at least a part of said top surface, said wear fibres being at least 40 weight percent of said block, and at least 80% of all fibres within said block extending generally parallel to each other and perpendicular to said top surface and said bottom surface.

Claim 5

A synthetic end grain block of the type adapted to be abutted with similar blocks to define a working surface and having a top surface adapted to define a portion of said working surface; a bottom surface parallel to and spaced from said top surface; a plurality of wear fibres extending within said block substantially perpendicular to said top and bottom surfaces; an organic plastic material extending substantially throughout said block and bonding said fibres together; and a plurality of discrete fillers of density less than the density of said organic material distributed within said block; ends of said wear fibres defining at least a part of said top surface, and said wear fibres being at least 40 weight percent of said block.

Claim 6

A synthetic end grain block of the type adapted to be abutted with similar blocks to define a working surface and having a top surface adapted to define a portion of said working surface; a bottom surface parallel to and spaced from said top surface; a plurality of wear fibres extending within said block substantially perpendicular to said top and bottom surfaces; an organic plastic material extending substantially throughout said block and bonding said fibres together; and a plurality of discrete fillers of density less than the density of said organic material distributed within said block; ends of said wear fibres defining at least a part of said top surface, and said wear fibres being at least 40 weight percent of said block.

Claim 7

The block of claim 2 wherein said fillers are glass microspheres.

Claim 8

The block of claim 2 wherein said block is substantially rectangular having a length greater than the distance between said top and said bottom surfaces.

Claim 9

The block of claim 1 wherein the top surface of said block is defined by end portions of said wear fibres and said plastic material lies slightly below said top surface.

Claim 10

The block of claim 1 wherein said plastic material is selected from the group consisting of phenol formaldehyde, alkyd, resorcinol formaldehyde, polyamide, epoxy, and polyester.

Claim 11

A synthetic end grain block of the type adapted to be abutted with similar blocks to define a working surface and having a top surface adapted to define a portion of said working surface; a bottom surface parallel to and spaced from said top surface; a plurality of wear fibres extending within said block substantially perpendicular to said top and bottom surfaces; and an organic plastic material comprising a plurality of thermoplastic bonding fibres interspersed with said wear fibres substantially throughout said block and bonding said wear fibres together, the tack temperature of said bonding fibres being less than that of said wear fibres, ends of said wear fibers defining at least a part of said top surface, and said wear fibres being at least 40 weight percent of said block.

Claim 12

A synthetic end grain block of the type adapted to be abutted with similar blocks to define a working surface and having a top surface adapted to define a portion of said working surface; a bottom surface parallel to and spaced from said top surface; a plurality of wear fibres extending within said block substantially perpendicular to said top and bottom surfaces; and an organic plastic material comprising a plurality of thermoplastic bonding fibres interspersed with said wear fibres substantially throughout said block and bonding said wear fibres together, the tack temperature of said bonding fibres being less than that of said wear fibres, ends of said wear fibers defining at least a part of said top surface, and said wear fibres being at least 40 weight percent of said block.

Claim 13

The block of claim 1 wherein said wear fibres are a synthetic material chosen from the group consisting of rayon, acetate, protein, nylon, polyester, acrylic, olefin, glass, modacrylic, saran, tetrafluoroethylene, vinyon, vinyl, nytril, polystyrene, rubber, spandex and extruded monofilaments.

Claim 14

The block of claim 1 wherein said wear fibres extend generally between said top and said bottom surfaces.

Claim 15

The block of claim 1 having a density less than about 1.25 grams per cubic centimeter.

Claim 16

The block o claim 2 having a density less than about 1.0 grams per cubic centimeter.

Claim 17

The block of claim 7 having a density of less than about 1.0 grams per cubic centimeter.