Patent ID: 8496033

Claim:
A process of comminution of wood veneer to produce wood particles, wherein the wood veneer is characterized by a grain direction and a substantially uniform thickness (Tv), wherein the comminution process comprises the step of feeding the wood veneer in a direction of travel substantially normal to the grain direction through a counter rotating pair of intermeshing arrays of cutting discs arrayed axially perpendicular to the direction of veneer travel, wherein the cutting discs have a uniform thickness (Td), and wherein the wood particles are characterized by a length dimension (L) substantially equal to the Td and aligned substantially parallel to the grain direction, a width dimension (W) normal to L and aligned cross grain, and a height dimension (H) substantially equal to the Tv and aligned normal to W and L, wherein the L×H dimensions define a pair of substantially parallel side surfaces with substantially intact longitudinally arrayed fibers, the W×H dimensions define a pair of substantially parallel end surfaces with crosscut fibers and a disrupted grain structure characterized by end checking between fibers, and the L×W dimensions define a pair of substantially parallel top and bottom surfaces.