Abstract:
An apparatus and method for the treatment and preservation of wooden materials includes depositing wooden materials to be treated into a confined, thermally insulated container and introducing smoke from a charcoal oven into that space to heat that space and treat the wooden materials. After a pre-determined amount of time of exposure to the treatment smoke at a controlled temperature and humidity level, the wooden materials will exhibit increased resistance characteristics.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to the field of preservation of untreated wood. More specifically, the apparatus and method of the present invention relates to treating wooden materials using carbon based smoke in a temperature and humidity controlled environment. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The use of wood as a building material has existed for centuries. Wood is a material that has been in abundant supply and has characteristics, such as durability, flexural, compressive and tensile strength, which make a nearly ideal material for structural constructions. However, wooden materials can be weather and time sensitive and can degrade, thus necessitating the need to treat the wood to enhance its natural characteristics and guard against this deterioration. 
   More specifically, one of the drawbacks of utilizing wooden materials is penetration by insects, microbial agents, and climatic conditions such as temperature and climate changes. Attempts to solve this problem included chemical treatments of woods using various chemicals such as creosote pressure-treated wood, pentachlorophenol pressure-treated wood, and inorganic arsenical pressure-treated wood. However, these treatments necessitate the handling and utilization of potentially hazardous chemicals, some of which are regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency. Once such common chemical treatment of wood has been the use of chromate copper arsenate, also known as CCA or arsenicum. CCA has been used to pressure treat lumber used for decks, playgrounds (play-sets) and other outdoor uses since the 1930&#39;s. Since the 1970&#39;s the majority of the wood used in residential settings was CCA-treated wood. However, due to CCA containing arsenic, a known carcinogen, any exposure to such a chemical is potentially hazardous to human health. 
   Thus, what is needed is a method to extend the useful duration of wood without using chemicals to accomplish the treatment. 
   OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
   It is one object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for the treatment of wood. 
   It is a further object of the present invention to provide for a method and apparatus for the treatment of wood which uses a natural process and not potentially harmful chemicals. 
   It is still a further object of the present invention to use low value small diameter and as well non-native trees to produce fumes, heat, humidity and smoke during a charcoal process to naturally treat wood. 
   It is a further object of the present invention to provide for a confined space in which to treat wooden materials through the use of natural smoke. 
   It is a further object of the present invention to provide for a means to produce and capture condensate of smoke produced from a charcoal oven. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is a method for the treatment of wooden materials. The invention functions by enclosing the wooden materials desired to be treated into a treatment space. This treatment space can be as small or as large as the materials to be treated, which can be as small as 3 cubic feet or as large as 60 feet tall by 45 feet long and/or wide. 
   This treatment space is then heated to a temperature of between 45 and 70 degrees Celsius. The heating is provided by the partial combustion of porous carbon from wood. Fumes, smoke, humidity, and resins are also generated from the partial combustion of porous carbon. These fumes, smoke, humidity and resins are used to treat the wooden materials and are subsequently condensed and captured such that they can be used for other uses (e.g. homeopathic use of the resin as an anti-fungal agent.) 
   The partial combustion of porous carbon creates a wood charcoal in a separate oven or pit process, while these fumes, humidity, resins, and heat are channeled through a pipe directly into the wood preservation chamber of the present invention. Generally, the input for this pipe is at the vertically low end of the preservation chamber, with the partial combustion of porous carbon taking place lower than the preservation chamber to allow for the smoke, humidity, fumes and resins to move upward through the pipe connecting the preservation chamber and the carbon oven or ovens. More generally, however, any means for inputting that smoke into the treatment chamber can be used. 
   The wooden construction materials are placed in the wood preservation chamber. The wood preservation chamber is heated and filled with the smoke, humidity, fumes and resins from the combustion of the porous carbon. There are one or more openings used to exhaust the smoke, humidity, resins and fumes in the preservation chamber. The heat, humidity, smoke and resins first serve to dilate the pores of the wooden materials (based on the introduction of heat into the chamber) which further allows for greater penetration of the smoke and resins which ultimately results in a more effective treatment. 
   The present invention is also comprised of a conduit, which can be made of plastic, rubber or metal, which travels transversely along the walls and ceiling of the preservation chamber. This closed circuit conduit is used to transport a cooling liquid that is at a temperature less than the ambient temperature of the chamber. The purpose of the pipe is to maintain a nearly constant temperature within the chamber according to the parameters described above. This conduit also functions to lower the ambient humidity within the chamber by allowing the humidity to condense on the conduit due to its lower temperature. The condensed liquid is then removed from the chamber. This condensed liquid will contain water and a resin derived from the charcoal process and is collected for other uses (e.g. homeopathic uses). 
   The cooling liquid provided from an external storage unit and continuously circulated through the pipe using a pump or other pressurization means. 
   The process of treatment can range from 10 to 60 days depending on the wood and density of the wood being treated and the physical characteristics of that wood. 
   The porous carbon used in the preservation process is also removed from a separate oven periodically and used as a natural charcoal product. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  depicts the wood preservation chamber of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a flow diagram outlining the method of practicing the present invention. 
       FIG. 3  depicts a cross section of the wood preservation chamber when at least partially filled with wood. 
       FIG. 4  depicts the interior of the wood preservation chamber, specifically referencing the cooling pipes. 
       FIG. 5  depicts the lower portion of the wood preservation chamber. 
       FIG. 6  depicts a cross section of the wood preservation chamber. 
       FIG. 7  depicts the liquid removal apparatus of the wood preservation chamber. 
       FIG. 8  depicts the wood management grid located in the uppermost portion of the wood preservation chamber. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Whereas the drawings and accompanying description have shown and described the preferred embodiments, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the form of the invention without affecting the scope thereof. 
   With reference to  FIG. 1 , the wood preservation chamber  11  of the present invention is depicted. Chamber  11  is used to store and treat desired wooden materials (shown in later figures). The treatment is primarily conducted by allowing smoke, humidity, fumes, and resins (herein after collectively referred to as “smoke”) from a wood charcoal oven (shown in later figures) to be introduced into chamber  11  through inlets  13  and  15  (not shown in later figures). In the current embodiment, the charcoal oven will be located in an area remote to treatment chamber  11  and a conduit (not shown) will direct the smoke to treatment chamber  11 , but other embodiments for introducing the smoke can be used. The smoke will then pass through chamber  11 , simultaneously and continuously treating the wooden materials (shown in later figures) before being outputted through stack  17 . Again, other exhaust means are contemplated by the present invention and stack  17  is only one embodiment for achieving the desired exhaust effect. Stack  17  may be variable in sizes, ranging from one foot in length up to twenty feet in length and may include various filters to clean the smoke before being exhausted into the environment. 
     FIG. 2  depicts the general flow diagram of the process and method of the present invention. First, charcoal oven  21  will produce the treatment smoke  23 . Treatment smoke  23  will be produced through the controlled combustion of wooden materials (such as, but not limited to pinon, ponderosa, juniper, Encino, oak, salt cedars, Russian olives, and the majority of other wood types) to produce treatment smoke,  23 . Treatment smoke  23  will be comprised of moisture, resin, fumes. Treatment smoke  23  will be transported to preservation treatment chamber  11  through various means including, as an example, conduit  25 . Simultaneously, cooling liquid  27  contained within storage tank  29  will be pumped using pump  31  into cooling conduit  33  contained within preservation treatment chamber  11 . Treatment smoke  23  will either be absorbed by treatment materials (not shown) or will be exhausted through stack  17 . This process will continue until the treatment materials are adequately treated which may take from 10 to 60 days. During the treatment process, condensate from treatment smoke  23  will be collected within treatment chamber  11  and ultimately transported to and collected in condensate storage  39 . 
   With reference to  FIG. 3 , treatment materials will be inserted into the interior of treatment chamber  11 . Material guides  37  will insure that the materials  35  remain upright and are not in contact with the cooling conduit  33 . In operation, treatment smoke  23  will be introduced into treatment chamber  11  through inputs  13  and  15 . Treatment smoke will then rise through treatment chamber  11  and will either be absorbed by treatment materials  35  or will be exhausted through stack  17 . 
   Next with reference to  FIG. 4 , the operation and function of cooling conduit  33  is described. A cooling liquid is supplied to cooling pipe  33  from cooling liquid storage tank (not shown). First the cooling liquid is pressurized by a pump (not shown) and is introduced into treatment chamber  11  through input  41 . The cooling liquid is allowed to circulate through the conduit until it reaches output  43  where it is returned to the cooling liquid storage tank (not shown). The purpose of cooling conduit  33  is two fold. First, cooling pipe is used to prevent treatment chamber  11  from exceeding a certain temperature. The temperature within treatment chamber is maintained between 45° and 70° Celsius, but is preferred to be 60° Celsius. Second, cooling conduit  33  serves to condense moisture and resin from treatment smoke  23 . This moisture and resin mixture is allowed to condense on cooling pipe  33  until it ultimately releases and is caught by trough  45  or is allowed to proceed to floor  47  of treatment chamber  11 . Floor  47  is constructed such that any moisture resin mixture will gravity flow to output  49 . 
   With further reference to  FIG. 4 , the dimensions and characteristics of treatment chamber  11  are described. Generally, chamber  11  will be dimensioned according to the treatment materials  39  being treated. For instance, if treatment materials  35  are smaller pieces of wood, treatment chamber  11  may have a volume of 3 cubic feet. However, much larger materials can be treated using the same process described herein and may assume dimensions as large as 60 feet tall, 45 feet wide and/or long. Chamber walls  51 , can be constructed through the use of any temperature resistant material which can not only withstand the ambient temperature within treatment chamber  11  but will also provide insulation such that the ambient temperature within treatment chamber  11  can be monitored and controlled. 
   With reference to  FIG. 5 , floor  47  (and the entire interior of the preservation chamber) is constructed of temperature resistant materials such as stainless steel and is generally between ⅛ inches and ⅜ inches thick and can be insulated with fiberglass or other similar no-combustible insulation. Floor  47  is constructed such that the entire floor surface drains into outlet  49 . In some embodiments of the present invention, floor  47  is used to collect the condensate produced from the interaction between the cooling conduit (not shown) and the treatment smoke  23  which, as described above, is introduced into treatment chamber  11  through inlets  13  and  15 . Inlets  13  and  15  are integrally connected to treatment smoke conduits  57  and  59 . These conduits are connected to the charcoal ovens (not shown) and function to transport treatment smoke  23  from said ovens to treatment chamber  11 . Conduits  57  and  59  can be constructed from various materials including but not limited plastic piping, steel piping or durable hosing and have a generally diameter in the range of 3 to 15 inches. 
   With further reference to  FIG. 5 , grate  55  provides both vertical support for the materials being treated in chamber  11  and also spatial separation in order to allow treatment smoke  23  to enter treatment chamber  11  from inlets  13  and  15  and be disbursed throughout the treatment chamber  11  before coming into contact with the materials being treated. Grate  55  is preferably an expanded metal grate but can be any material that is both temperature resistant and capable of supporting the load produced by the treatment materials shown). 
     FIG. 6  is a cross sectional view of floor  47  and grate  55  of treatment chamber  11 .  FIG. 6  depicts the angle of repose of floor  47  allowing for any accumulated liquid to be transported to outlet  49 . The angle of repose must be only of a magnitude to allow for the flowing of the condensate, and while outlet  49  is shown as being in the middle of floor  47 , it can be located at any position along within floor  47  such that any condensate is allowed to flow to it. This condensate can be collected in receptacle  61  in order to be used for other purposes, including but not limited homeopathic remedies. Receptacle  61  may be connected to piping or other outlets (not shown) in order to remove that condensate from underneath treatment chamber  11 . 
     FIG. 7  illustrates the treatment materials management grid  71  of the present invention. This grid is comprised of the material guides shown with respect to  FIG. 3 . The purpose of grid  71  is to ensure the proper distribution of treatment materials  35  within treatment chamber  11 . As shown, treatment chamber is divided into nine separate compartments but could be divided into any number of different compartments based upon the thickness of the materials being treated and according to user preferences. Grid  71  will also serve the purpose of ensuring that treatment materials  35  do not come into contact with cooling conduit  33 . 
   In operation, with reference to  FIG. 8 , treatment materials  35  will be inserted into treatment chamber  11  such that they are generally equally spatially separated using material guides  35  within materials management grid  71  (not shown). Treatment smoke will then be introduced into treatment chamber through inlets  13  and  15 . Simultaneously, cooling liquid from cooling liquid storage tank will be pumped through cooling pipes  33 . As condensate from treatment smoke condenses on cooling pipes  33 , it will either be collected by trough  45  or will proceed to floor  47  and be directed towards output  49  where the condensate can be collected by receptacle  61 . Some embodiments may utilize either or both of trough  45  and/or output  49  in order to collect the condensate. 
   With continued reference to  FIG. 8 , treatment smoke  23  will travel throughout treatment chamber  11  and will be absorbed into treatment materials  35 . To the extent not absorbed, treatment smoke  23  will be exhausted through stack  17 . Stack  17 , in some embodiments will be equipped with butterfly valve  73  which will function to regulate the amount of treatment smoke  23  and heat within treatment chamber  11 .