An Improved Apparatus for Drying and Hardening Wood.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Mar., 1898-Accepted, 20th May, 1898 :
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Apparatus for Drying and Hardening Wood.
:
I, GEORG FRIEDRICH LEBIODA, of 50, Rue St. Didier, Paris, in the Republic of
France, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to an apparatus for drying and hardening all kinds of
wood whether the wood be in the bark or cut into poles, discs, planks, boards,
spars, parquetry blocks, laths or the like.
The drying and hardening may take place either with wood in a natural state or
with dyed or impregnated or dyed and impregnated wood.
The invention is shown in the accompanying drawings: in which,
Figure 1 is a side view of the apparatus partially in section:
Figure 2 an end view of the same.
The pieces of wood a which are to be treated are separated by metal plates 6
from one another and lie on a press table cheated by means of a steam coil.
The plates e which rest on friction rollers f can be adjusted on the press table.
These plates e are heated by a steam coil g and are connected with one another by
means of screw spindles h the ends of which are provided with right and left hand
screw threads which pass through corresponding nuts formed in the plates so that
they may be approached or separated by turning the spindles by means of hand
wheels, gearing i being provided to cause the spindles to turn collectively.
A horizontal plate k also heated by the steam coil is attached to two pistons m
which are adjustable in hydraulic cylinders n. Between these latter an hydraulic
apparatus o is arranged by means of which the plates may be raised on the return
of the pistons. The hydraulic cylinders are carried by columns p.
The mode of working of the apparatus hereinbefore described is as follows:-
After one or more pieces of wood have been placed on the press table c, the
plates e are allowed to close on to the sides of the wood, a hand wheel j being
rotated until the wood is screwed quite tight. Metal rules q are then laid on the
upper side of the wood according as the wood is of larger or smaller width than the
plate k. The plate k is then caused to descend under the action of the hydraulic
cylinders in order to exert a pressure on the wood pile. The taps of the heating
coils d gl are opened and steam flows into the press table c and the plates e and k.
From time to time the plates are adjusted closer in order to gradually increase the
pressure on the wood treated.
After treatment of a pile of wood has been completed the steam taps are shut off,
the hydraulic pistons are caused to rise and the vertical plates are separated. The
treated wood is then removed and replaced by a fresh supply which is again
treated in the manner hereinbefore described.
Instead of employing plates heated by steam coils, plates heated electrically or in
other suitable manner may of course be employed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
In annaratus for drving and hardening wood the combination of a heated press

page_text: table, platos resting on said table and mutually adjustable by means of gearing,
screw spindle and hand wheels, and an upper press plate connected with metallic
pistons which exert a strong pressure on the wood substantially as herein before
described.
Dated this 22nd day of March 1898.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.