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US4478896A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Apparatus for blending wood strands with a liquid resin

Assignee: MacMillan Bloedel Ltd
•
Filing: 1982-11-15
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Granted: 1984-10-23
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Expires: 2002-11-15
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Abstract

Abstract An apparatus is disclosed for blending wood strands with a liquid resin. A process is also disclosed for continuously blending wood strands with a liquid resin. The apparatus overcomes some of the problems that exist with present day blenders because it avoids clogging spray nozzles and allows complete coating of the strands with a minimum amount of resin. The apparatus forms a substantially constant flow of wood strands into a first falling curtain of separated wood strands, the first curtain having a predetermined substantially constant width, a first liquid spray including at least one spray nozzle located on each side of the first falling curtain of separated wood strands away from the first falling curtain, adapted to spray liquid resin droplets for the width of the first curtain, but not substantially beyond; collector for collecting the first sprayed wood strands and forming them into a second falling curtain of separated wood strands, the second curtain having a predetermined width, and a second liquid spray including at least one spray nozzle located on each side of the second falling curtain of separated wood strands away from the second falling curtain, adapted to spray liquid resin droplets for the width of the second curtain but not substantially beyond.

Inventors

  • 👤 Derek Barnes
  • 👤 Jan A. H. Dessens
  • 👤 George N. Rosenberg

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-04 08:24
CPC Classifications
B; B27; B27N; B27N1/00; B27N1/02; B27N1/0263

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim 166 words
Apparatus for continuously blending wood strands with a liquid resin comprising: means for forming a substantially constant flow of wood strands into a first falling curtain of separated wood strands, the first curtain having a predetermined substantially constant width; first liquid spraying means including at least one spray nozzle located on each side of the first falling curtain of separated wood strands away from the first falling curtain, adapted to spray liquid resin droplets for the width of the first curtain, but not substantially beyond; collector means for collecting the first sprayed wood strands and means for forming the first sprayed wood strands into a second falling curtain of separated wood strands, the second curtain having a predetermined width; and second liquid spraying means including at least one spray nozzle located on each side of the second falling curtain of separated wood strands away from the second falling curtain, adapted to spray liquid resin droplets for the width of the second curtain but not substantially beyond.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 166 words
Apparatus for continuously blending wood strands with a liquid resin comprising: means for forming a substantially constant flow of wood strands into a first falling curtain of separated wood strands, the first curtain having a predetermined substantially constant width; first liquid spraying means including at least one spray nozzle located on each side of the first falling curtain of separated wood strands away from the first falling curtain, adapted to spray liquid resin droplets for the width of the first curtain, but not substantially beyond; collector means for collecting the first sprayed wood strands and means for forming the first sprayed wood strands into a second falling curtain of separated wood strands, the second curtain having a predetermined width; and second liquid spraying means including at least one spray nozzle located on each side of the second falling curtain of separated wood strands away from the second falling curtain, adapted to spray liquid resin droplets for the width of the second curtain but not substantially beyond.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 54 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 including at least one additional means for forming the wood strands into a further falling curtain of separated wood strands after the second liquid spraying means, and a further liquid spraying means for spraying liquid resin droplets for the width of the further curtain but not substantially beyond.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 44 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein at least one spray nozzle of the liquid spraying means on one side of the falling curtain is located at a higher elevation than at least one spray nozzle on the other side of the falling curtain.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 31 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 including a deflector located after the first liquid spraying means to mix the first sprayed wood strands before being formed into a second falling curtain.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 131 words
A process for continuously blending wood strands with a liquid resin, comprising the steps of: advancing a substantially constant flow of wood strands to form a first falling curtain of separated wood strands, the first curtain having a predetermined substantially constant width; spraying liquid resin droplets on each side of the first curtain, the spraying extending from both sides of the width of the first curtain, but not substantially beyond; collecting the first sprayed wood strands and advancing the first sprayed wood strands to form a second falling curtain of separated wood strands, the second curtain having a predetermined substantially constant width; and spraying liquid resin droplets on each side of the second curtain, the spraying extending from both sides of the width of the second curtain, but not substantially beyond.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 131 words
A process for continuously blending wood strands with a liquid resin, comprising the steps of: advancing a substantially constant flow of wood strands to form a first falling curtain of separated wood strands, the first curtain having a predetermined substantially constant width; spraying liquid resin droplets on each side of the first curtain, the spraying extending from both sides of the width of the first curtain, but not substantially beyond; collecting the first sprayed wood strands and advancing the first sprayed wood strands to form a second falling curtain of separated wood strands, the second curtain having a predetermined substantially constant width; and spraying liquid resin droplets on each side of the second curtain, the spraying extending from both sides of the width of the second curtain, but not substantially beyond.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 41 words
The process according to claim 5 including forming at least one further falling curtain of separated wood strands and spraying liquid resin droplets from both sides of the further curtain for the width of the further curtain, but not substantially beyond.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 21 words
The process according to claim 5 including spraying liquid resin droplets at different elevations on both sides of the falling curtain.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 15 words
The process according to claim 5 including mixing the wood strands between the spraying steps.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2744045A Cited
US3143428A Cited
US3916825A Cited
US4116163A Cited
US4323314A Cited
DE2913081A1 Cited
DE2935478A1 Cited
US4320715A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1987-10-23 1988-04-23 1988-10-23 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1991-10-23 1992-04-23 1992-10-23 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1995-10-23 1996-04-23 1996-10-23 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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