Patent · US Expired

Restraining device for reducing warp in lumber during drying

US7987614B2 · kind B2 · utility

10Cited by
309References
21Claims
0Family size

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateApr 7, 2005
Grant dateAug 2, 2011
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 23, 2025

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
  • CPC primaryF26B2210/16
  • WIPO fieldChemical engineering
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus and processing method for drying lumber, for example two-by-four studs in an environment in a kiln in a manner to avoid warping, including crook, bow, cup and twist. The lumber pieces are stacked in a normal manner with stickers for providing air flow between courses of the lumber pieces, and the stack is dried while a horizontal force is provided to the respective courses of lumber in the stack to hold the individual pieces of lumber in edge to edge contact throughout the drying, equalizing, conditioning and cooling process for first drying of lumber, redrying of lumber or in a treatment process for removing warp from previously dried lumber. A vertical force comprising a weight or other force generating device can be also applied to the stack of lumber to augment the overall reduction in warpage if so evidenced.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.