Artificial Lumber or Composition Material.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Apr., 1894-Accepted, 12th May, 1894
COMPLETE DIUITIATION.
Artificial Lumber or Composition Material.
A communication from abroad by CHARLES AXEL SMITH, of 2324, South Emerson
Avenue, Minneapolis, in the County of Hennepin, State of Minnesota,
United States of America, Lumberman.
I, JOHN CORRY FELL, of the Firm of Fell and Wilding, of 1 Queen Victoria
Street, in the City of London, Chartered Patent Agent, 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 :-
My invention relates to a material or lumber composed of layers of paper and
wood, each retaining its identity and secured together in such a manner as to form
a smooth surfaced and even board of any desired thickness and of extraordinary
strength, solidity and inflexibility, and possessing at the same time qualities which
render it durable in nearly all uses and climates.
The object of my invention is to provide a composition material made up in the
form of large boards and which will be strong and durable and will not shrink,
swell or warp, and which will above all things possess a smooth, even and unbroken
surface, adapting the same for use in the finest interior finish of houses as well as
adapting it for employment in cabinet work and like lines of manufacture, as well
as in many of the less exacting arts.
To this end my invention consists in the combination, with a body or core made
up of a series of wide but thin wooden boards or sheets laid edge to edge, and the
grain thereof having a common direction, of a series of thinner but preferably
wider sheets or veneers of wood laid with their grain extending transversely to that
of the core sheets, and two thick sheets of paper arranged upon opposite sides of
the complete core thus formed, and the whole being firmly secured together by a
suitable quick drying adhesive material to form a single homogeneous mass having
the form of a thin, wide and long board; and my invention consists further in
carrying webs for the adhesive material and permanently arranged between the
inner and outer parts or courses of wood; and my invention consists further in
particular constructions for the several parts, and in various combinations all as
hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.
The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying
drawings, forming part of this Specification, and in which;
Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a piece of composition material embodying
my invention.
Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are enlarged views of several of the many forms of serrated
edges which I may employ for parts of my material.
As shown in the drawings, my composition material or composite board, is made
up of two sections 3 and 4 of thick heavy straw or pulp board, between which are
secured, by a suitable adhesive material, a number of wooden parts composing a
strong and flexible core, which is given smooth surfaces by the thick paper
facings. The inner parts 2 of the core consist in a series of wide but thin sheets
of wood, the grain of which has a common direction transverse to the length of the
long sheets 3 and 4. These parts 2 may extend clear across the wide paper
sheets, or a portion thereof may be of less length and be pieced out by shorter and
smaller parts 21, as shown in Fig. 1. With this construction the long wooden
sheets have their ends lapped by one another so that the joints between the
long and the short pieces do not form themselves into a continuous line throughout
the length of the large board. The inner sheets 2 are provided in opposite sides
with a series of closely arranged rows of deep indentations 5, which extend nearly

page_text: through the board but not clear through the same, leaving small solid parts
between the several strips into which each wide sheet is so nearly separated.
These indentations may partake of the form of deep grooves instead of a series of
small indentations, but I prefer the latter. Either seini-separates the sheets 2
into a large number of small parts or strips running with the grain and prevents
shrinkage or warping of the wide sheets. The solid portions between the small
parts serve to lock the same together and prevent one small part from shrinking
and moving with respect to another. The surfaces of the inner core, having the
transverse grain, are covered by thin webs 6 of paper or cloth and of just
sufficient strength to carry the weight caused by a thorough coating of both sides
of the same with a quick setting adhesive material. By applying the adhesive
material in this way the body thereof is kept too small to permeate the
indentations 5 to prevent their performing the proper function. The cracks
between the wide sheets 2 are preferably filled with the adhesive material to
secure said parts together. Upon the outside of the webs 6 I arrange a number
of very thin wood veneers in comparatively smooth and very thin sheets 7, all
arranged so that their grain crosses that of the parts 2. The adhesive material
carried by the webs 6 serves to secure the veneers 7 in place. These veneers are
preferably provided with serrated edges, the word "serrated" being here intended
to mean any form of tongued and notched edge. The serrated edges of the several
veneers fit together, the tongues of one interlocking with those of the adjoining
veneer, thereby preventing the movement of one without the other, which
movement might result in warping the composite board of which they form a part.
The thick sheets 2 are then secured upon the smooth surfaces made by the use of
the wide and thin veneers, the same kind of adhesive material which is employed
upon the webs being preferably used between the inner sides of the long paper
sheets 3 and 4 and the veneers.
In the drawings the thickness of the composite board formed of all the above
described parts, is considerably exaggerated, while the length and width of the
parts thereof are shown very much smaller, in proportion, than in practice, as the
parts 2 are often from twelve to fifteen inches in width and from two to six feet in
length, and the veneers 7 are preferably at least twelve inches in width and of
greater length than width. The serrated edge may have the form of a V-tongue
and a notched or an abrupt or square end with inclined sides, as shown in Figs. 1 & 2.
In place of the form shown in Fig. 2, I may use that shown in Fig. 3, where all of
the angles of the tongues and notches are inclined with respect to the original
straight edge of the veneer or wide sheet, while in Fig. 4 curved tongues and
notches are shown as equally desirable.
The parts of the board, after being assembled and connected by adhesive
material, are subjected to a heavy pressure which disseminates the quick setting
adhesive material and forces the same into the cracks extending through from
sheet to sheet of the enveloping paper as before stated but not into the
indentations.
The serrated outlines of the thin veneers furnish such an extended area or
passage for the adhesive material that the same is spread over a very large sur.ace
and prevented from collecting in masses, which, when hardened would form ridges
beneath the surface sheets 3 and 4 and mar the smooth appearance of the same.
By the use of the veneers described this difficulty is overcome and a perfectly
smooth surface obtained upon each side of the composite board.
The wooden parts before being used are preferably dried and particularly the
veneers, which are usually heated to such a high degree as to destroy the life of
the wood. After the whole board has been pressed it is dried in a suitable kiln.
It is obvious that the cross grain of the parts of the wooden core and the equal
strength thereof at all points absolutely prevent either the warping or bulging of
the composite board due to the shrinking or warping of the parts thereof.
The board thus formed is extremely strong and inflexible though capable of
being easily worked by ordinary carpenter's tools.

page_text: An inferior quality of material may be made with a core composed of thin wooden
strips arranged in three courses the grain of the outer courses extending in an
opposite direction to that of the middle course, or one course of the thin strips (or
The
one course of the wide veneers in the board described) may be omitted.
composite board so constructed however is far more apt to warp than the board
first described and though the latter costs somewhat more I much prefer its use.
By the employment of fire or water proof material, or both, in the construction
of my board, making either the adhesive material or the paper board used fire or
water proof, or both, the board so constituted may be adapted to resist the action
of fire or water.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare what
claim is:
1. The combination, in a composition material, of a wooden core composed of
thin strips laid in courses or layers having their grain crossed, with two heavy
sheets of pulp board forming facings for said core, and an interposed adhesive
material between and securing all of said parts firmly together, substantially as
described.
2. In an artificial lumber or composition material, a wooden core composed of
three thin layers of wood, each made up of a series of thin sheets or strips and the
grain of the outer layers having a common direction transverse to that of the middle
layer, in combination with thick paper or pulp board facings for said core, and
an interposed adhesive material or cement between and securing all of said parts
firmly together to form a thin but inflexible board, substantially as described."
3. The combination, in a composition material, of two thick sheets of heavy
paper or pulp board, with a core arranged between said sheets of paper and composed
of a layer of wide but thin sheets of wood and a layer of thin wide veneers arranged
transversely with respect to said sheets of wood, and an interposed adhesive
material securing all of said parts firmly together, substantially as described.
4. The combination, in a composition material, of two thick sheets of heavy
paper or pulp board, with a core arranged between said sheets of paper and
composed of a layer of wide but thin sheets of wood, and two layers arranged upon
opposite sides thereof and composed of thin wide veneers arranged transversely with
respect to said sheets of wood, and an interposed adhesive material securing all of
said parts firmly together, substantially as described.
5. The combination, in an artificial lumber or composition material, of a series
of thin wide wooden sheets, with thin cement carrying webs arranged upon opposite
sides of said series or layer, and thin and wide veneers laid upon opposite sides
thereof, with their grain running across that of the said wooden sheets, substantially
as described and for the purpose specified.
6. The combination, in an artificial lumber or composition material, of a series or
layer of thin wide wooden sheets, with thin cement carrying webs arranged upon
opposite sides of said series or layer, and thin and wide veneers laid upon opposite
sides thereof with their grain running across that of the said wooden sheets, and
thick paper or pulp board facings secured upon said veneers by a suitable adhesive
material or cement, substantially as described.
7. The combination, in an artificial lumber or composition material, of a series of
thin wide sheets of wood arranged edge to edge and provided in their opposite sides
with a series of rows of indentations, with a series of thin wide wood veneers
arranged upon opposite sides of said thin sheets and secured thereto by an adhesive
material, said veneers being arranged with their grain crossing that of said sheets,.
substantially as described.
8. The combination, in an artificial lumber or composition material, of a series of
thin sheets of wood arranged edge to edge and having their sides provided with a
series of rows of indentations, thin wide wood veneers arranged upon opposite sides of
said thin sheets of wood, thick sheets of paper or pulp board enclosing said veneers,.

page_text: and an adhesive material interposed between said parts to secure the same firmly
and inflexibly together, substantially as described.
9. The combination, in an artificial lumber or composition material, of the thin
wide sheets of wood arranged edge to edge and having both sides provided with a
series of rows of indentations extending with the grain of the wood, with a course of
thin wood veneers laid cross grained to said sheets of wood, with sheets of paper
secured upon opposite sides of the wooden core thus formed by a suitable adhesive
material, substantially as described.
10. The combination, in an artificial lumber or composition material, of the thin
wooden sheets arranged in a thin layer with the carrying webs for the adhesive
material and whereby the same is applied, thin wood veneers having serrated and
interlocking edges and secured by the adhesive material upon said webs, the grain
of the wood veneers extending in an opposite direction to that of the wooden
sheets, substantially as described.
11. The combination, in an artificial lumber or composition material, of the thin
wooden sheets arranged in a thin layer, with two layers arranged upon opposite
sides thereof and each composed of a series of thin wood veneers having serrated
and interlocking edges, and the thick paper or pulp board facings secured upon said
veneers, and all parts being firmly secured together by a suitable adhesive material,
substantially as described.
12. The combination, in an artificial lumber or composition material, of the thin
wooden sheets, with the carrying webs for the adhesive material and whereby the
same is applied thin wood veneers having serrated and interlocking edges and
secured by the adhesive material upon said webs, the grain of the wood veneers
extending in an opposite direction to that of the wooden sheets, and thick facings
of artificial material secured upon said veneers by adhesive material, substantially
as described.
13. The combination, in an artificial material or composition material, of the
thin wooden sheets arranged edge to edge, with carrying webs for adhesive material
applied to opposite sides of said wooden sheets, thin wooden veneers arranged
across grain to and secured upon the same, thick paper sheets secured upon said
veneers, said wooden sheets provided with the closely arranged indentations in
opposite sides, said veneers having serrated interlocking edges, and the whole
secured together by an adhesive material and subjected to a heavy pressure and
dried, substantially as described.
Dated this 3rd day of April 1894.
FELL & WILDING,
Agents for the Applicant.