Patent ID: 7186102

Claim:
An apparatus for producing a composite plank comprising: a) an extruder; b) a plurality of dies after the extruder, wherein the dies comprise an adapter die, a transition die, a stranding die, a molding die and a setting die; c) a cylinder after the extruder, wherein the cylinder is mounted after the adapter die and before the transition die, the cylinder including an orifice for injecting a gas into a material, wherein the cylinder is pressurized and contains a plurality of pins located in the center of the orifice and between two channels so that material extruded therein is uniformly injected with gas to cause it to foam before moving into a die; d) a lubricating assembly to shape and form a composite plank from the material; e) a cooling tank after the lubricating assembly; f) a conveyor having opposing belts for pulling the plank through the cooling tank; g) a saw connected to the conveyor; and h) a stacking table adjacent the saw.