Method for forming a pallet with deep drawn legs

Claim 1

A method for molding an article having a major plane and at least one non-planar portion displaced from the major plane, the method comprising the steps of: providing flake-like wood particles; admixing a resinous particle board binder into the wood particles; depositing the mixture of wood particles and binder onto a support structure to form a loosely felted layered mat, the wood particles in the loosely felted layered mat lying substantially flat in planes generally parallel to the major plane of the mat, and said loosely felted layered mat including a first layer and a second layer supported by the first layer, and said wood particles in at least a portion of the first layer in the area of the mat to form the non-planar portion of the article being aligned in a first direction in substantially mutually parallel relation, and said wood particles in at least a portion of the second-layer in the area of the mat forming the non-planar portion being aligned in substantially mutually parallel relation in a second direction transverse to said first direction, positioning the loosely felted layered mat in an open press between spaced dies having the shape of the molded article being formed, and pressing the mat between the dies and applying sufficient heat and pressure to the mat to compress it into substantially the desired shape and size of the article to bond the wood particles together.

Claim 2

A method for molding an article having a major plane and at least one non-planar portion displaced from the major plane, the method comprising the steps of: providing flake-like wood particles; admixing a resinous particle board binder into the wood particles; depositing the mixture of wood particles and binder onto a support structure to form a loosely felted layered mat, the wood particles in the loosely felted layered mat lying substantially flat in planes generally parallel to the major plane of the mat, and said loosely felted layered mat including a first layer and a second layer supported by the first layer, and said wood particles in at least a portion of the first layer in the area of the mat to form the non-planar portion of the article being aligned in a first direction in substantially mutually parallel relation, and said wood particles in at least a portion of the second-layer in the area of the mat forming the non-planar portion being aligned in substantially mutually parallel relation in a second direction transverse to said first direction, positioning the loosely felted layered mat in an open press between spaced dies having the shape of the molded article being formed, and pressing the mat between the dies and applying sufficient heat and pressure to the mat to compress it into substantially the desired shape and size of the article to bond the wood particles together.

Claim 7

A method for molding a pallet having a deck including a flat surface for supporting a load and a plurality of spaced apart legs integral with the deck and extending downwardly from the deck, the spaced apart legs being provided to support the deck, the method comprising the steps of: forming a loosely felted mat of wood flakes mixed with a resinous particle board binder the loosely felted mat being adapted to be compressed in a press to form the molded pallet, the step of forming the loosely felted mat including the steps of providing a mat supporting surface having a flat surface and a plurality of cavities for forming the legs of the pallet, filling the plurality of cavities of the supporting surface with wood flakes, placing a first flake aligning device over the mat supporting surface, depositing a first portion of wood flakes mixed with the resinous particle board binder on said mat supporting surface to form a first layer of loosely felted wood flakes on said supporting surface, said wood flakes lying in horizontal planes, said first flake aligning device causing at least a portion of said wood flakes of said first layer to be aligned in generally mutually parallel alignment in a first direction, said portion of said first layer being above at least one of said cavities, removing said first flake aligning device, placing a second flake aligning device over the mat supporting surface, depositing a second loosely felted layer of wood flakes mixed with the resinous particle board binder onto said first layer of wood flakes, at least a portion of said second layer of wood flakes being aligned in mutually parallel alignment in a second direction, said portion of said second layer being deposited onto said portion of said wood flakes of said first layer, and said second direction being transverse to said first direction and compressing said loosely felted mat in a press to form a molded article, the aligned wood flakes of the first layer and the aligned wood flakes of the second layer forming the leg portions of the molded pallet.

Claim 8

A method for molding a pallet having a deck including a flat surface for supporting a load and a plurality of spaced apart legs integral with the deck and extending downwardly from the deck, the spaced apart legs being provided to support the deck, the method comprising the steps of: forming a loosely felted mat of wood flakes mixed with a resinous particle board binder the loosely felted mat being adapted to be compressed in a press to form the molded pallet, the step of forming the loosely felted mat including the steps of providing a mat supporting surface having a flat surface and a plurality of cavities for forming the legs of the pallet, filling the plurality of cavities of the supporting surface with wood flakes, placing a first flake aligning device over the mat supporting surface, depositing a first portion of wood flakes mixed with the resinous particle board binder on said mat supporting surface to form a first layer of loosely felted wood flakes on said supporting surface, said wood flakes lying in horizontal planes, said first flake aligning device causing at least a portion of said wood flakes of said first layer to be aligned in generally mutually parallel alignment in a first direction, said portion of said first layer being above at least one of said cavities, removing said first flake aligning device, placing a second flake aligning device over the mat supporting surface, depositing a second loosely felted layer of wood flakes mixed with the resinous particle board binder onto said first layer of wood flakes, at least a portion of said second layer of wood flakes being aligned in mutually parallel alignment in a second direction, said portion of said second layer being deposited onto said portion of said wood flakes of said first layer, and said second direction being transverse to said first direction and compressing said loosely felted mat in a press to form a molded article, the aligned wood flakes of the first layer and the aligned wood flakes of the second layer forming the leg portions of the molded pallet.