Claims
- 1. An apparatus for use in forming core layers for plywood from a plurality of veneer sections, said apparatus comprising a manifold portion extending transversely to a work flow path of the veneer sections and across which the veneer sections are sequentially moved, adhesive passage means extending along said manifold portion transversely to the work flow path of the veneer sections, a plurality of adhesive dispenser head portions disposed above and connected with said manifold portion, each of said adhesive dispenser head portions including outlet means for dispensing adhesive to be engaged by a leading end portion of one veneer section and pressed against a trailing end portion of a next preceding veneer section, valve means connected in fluid communication with said adhesive passage means and said outlet means in said adhesive dispenser head portions for controlling flow of adhesive between said adhesive passage means and said adhesive dispenser head portions, heater means disposed in and extending along said manifold portion transversely to the work flow path of the veneer sections for heating the adhesive in said adhesive passage means, and a plurality of heat conductor means for transmitting heat from said heater means to said plurality of adhesive dispenser head portions, each of said heat conductor means extending from said heater means into one of said adhesive dispenser head portions, each of said heat conductor means having a thermal conductivity which is greater than the thermal conductivity of said manifold portion to promote a transfer of heat from said heater means to one of said adhesive dispenser head portions.
- 2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further including a plurality of surface means extending around and spaced from portions of said heat conductor means at locations between said heater means and said adhesive dispenser head portions to retard transfer of heat from said heat conductor means at the locations between said heater means and said adhesive dispenser head portions.
- 3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said manifold portion is formed of a first metal having a first thermal conductivity and said plurality of heat conductor means are formed of a second metal having a second thermal conductivity which is greater than said first thermal conductivity.
- 4. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said heater means includes a longitudinally extending heater element disposed in said manifold portion and extending beneath said plurality of adhesive dispenser head portions, each of said heat conductor means including a body of material which extends upward from said heater element to one of said adhesive dispenser head portions.
- 5. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said heater means includes first and second longitudinally extending heater elements which are spaced apart from each other and extend beneath said plurality of adhesive dispenser head portions, each of said heat conductor means extends upward from said first and second heater elements to one of said adhesive dispenser head portions.
- 6. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein each of said heat conductor means includes a first body of material which extends between said first and second heater elements and a second body of material which extends upward from one of said heater elements to one of said adhesive dispenser head portions.
- 7. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said manifold portion is formed of aluminum, and each of said heat conductor means is formed of copper.
- 8. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further including a plurality of string dispenser head portions disposed above and connected with said manifold portion, each of said string dispenser head portions including string passage means for receiving string to be secured by adhesive to veneer sections as said veneer sections move along the work flow path, valve means connected in fluid communication with said adhesive passage means and said string passage means for controlling flow of adhesive between said adhesive passage means and said string passage means, and a second plurality of heat conductor means for transmitting heat from said heater means to said plurality of string dispenser head portions, each of said heat conductor means of said second plurality of heat conductor means having a greater thermal conductivity than said manifold portion to promote a transfer of heat from said heater means to one of said string dispenser head portions.
- 9. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said heater means includes surface means for defining a longitudinally extending heater passage which extends between opposite end portions of said manifold portion in a direction transverse to the work flow path of the veneer sections and an elongated heater element disposed in said heater passage, each of said plurality of heat conductor means including surface means for defining a heat conductor passage which extends transverse to and intersects said heater passage and a heat conductor element which is disposed in said heat conductor passage and is formed of a material having a greater thermal conductivity than said manifold portion.
- 10. An apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein said heat conductor passage has a central axis which extends perpendicular to a central axis of said heater passage.
- 11. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said valve means includes a plurality of valve members movable between a closed condition blocking flow of adhesive from said adhesive passage means to said outlet means in said adhesive dispenser head portions and an open condition enabling adhesive to flow from said adhesive passage means to said outlet means in said adhesive dispenser head portions, and a plurality of actuator means for effecting movement of said valve members between the open and closed conditions, each of said actuator means of said plurality of actuator means being connected with one of said valve members and being operable to move said one valve member of said plurality of valve members.
- 12. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said valve means includes a plurality of modular units disposed along said manifold portion, each of said modular units including a housing connected with said manifold portion, a valve disposed in said housing and connected in fluid communication with said adhesive passage means and said outlet means in one of said adhesive dispenser head portions, said valve being movable between a closed condition blocking flow of adhesive from said adhesive passage means to said outlet means in said one of said adhesive dispenser head portions and an open condition enabling adhesive to flow from said adhesive passage means to said outlet means in said one of said adhesive dispenser head portions and a valve actuator disposed entirely within said housing and connected with said valve for effecting movement of said valve relative to said housing between the open and closed conditions, said valve actuator in each modular unit of said plurality of modular units being operable independently of valve actuators in other modular units of said plurality of modular units.
- 13. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said heat conductor means includes surface means for defining a passage extending through said heat conductor means, said heater means extending through said passage in each of said heat conductor means.
- 14. An apparatus for use in forming core layers for plywood from a plurality of veneer sections, said apparatus comprising a manifold portion extending transversely to a work flow path of the veneer sections and across which the veneer sections are sequentially moved, adhesive passage means extending along said manifold portion transversely to the work flow path of the veneer sections, a plurality of string dispenser head portions disposed above and connected with said manifold portion, each of said string dispenser head portions including string passage means for receiving string to be secured by adhesive to said veneer sections as said veneer sections are moved along the work flow path, valve means connected in fluid communication with said adhesive passage means and said string passage means in said string dispenser head portions for controlling flow of adhesive between said adhesive passage means and said string passage means, heater means disposed in and extending along said manifold portion transversely to the work flow path of the veneer sections for heating the adhesive in said adhesive passage means, and a plurality of heat conductor means for transmitting heat from said heater means to said plurality of string dispenser head portions, each of said heat conductor means extending from said heater means into one of said string dispenser head portions, each of said heat conductor means having a greater thermal conductivity than said manifold portion to promote a transfer of heat from said heater means to one of said string dispenser head portions.
- 15. An apparatus as set forth in claim 14 further including a plurality of surface means extending around and spaced from portions of said heat conductor means at locations between said heater means and said string dispenser head portions to retard transfer of heat from said heat conductor means at the locations between said heater means and said string dispenser head portions.
- 16. An apparatus as set forth in claim 14 wherein said manifold portion is formed of a first metal having a first thermal conductivity and said plurality of heat conductor means are formed of a second metal having a second thermal conductivity which is greater than said first thermal conductivity.
- 17. An apparatus as set forth in claim 14 wherein said heater means includes a longitudinally extending heater element disposed in said manifold portion and extending beneath said plurality of string dispenser head portions, each of said heat conductor means including a body of material which extends upward from said heater element to one of said string dispenser head portions.
- 18. An apparatus as set forth in claim 14 wherein said heater means includes first and second longitudinally extending heater elements which are spaced apart from each other and extend beneath said plurality of string dispenser head portions, each of said heat conductor means extends upward from said first and second heater elements to one of said string dispenser head portions.
- 19. An apparatus as set forth in claim 18 wherein each of said heat conductor means includes a first body of material which extends between said first and second heater elements and a second body of material which extends upward from one of said heater elements to one of said adhesive dispenser head portions.
- 20. An apparatus as set forth in claim 14 wherein said manifold portion is formed of aluminum, and each of said heat conductor means is formed of copper.
- 21. An apparatus as set forth in claim 14 wherein said heater means includes surface means for defining a longitudinally extending heater passage which extends between opposite end portions of said manifold portion in a direction transverse to the work flow path of the veneer sections and an elongated heater element disposed in said heater passage, each of said plurality of heat conductor means including surface means for defining a heat conductor passage which extends transverse to and intersects said heater passage and a heat conductor element which is disposed in said heat conductor passage and is formed of a material having a greater thermal conductivity than said manifold portion.
- 22. An apparatus as set forth in claim 21 wherein said heat conductor passage has a central axis which extends perpendicular to a central axis of said heater passage.
- 23. An apparatus for use in forming core layers for plywood from a plurality of veneer sections, said apparatus comprising an elongated manifold portion extending transversely to a work flow path of the veneer sections and across which the veneer sections are sequentially moved, said manifold portion having a first longitudinal central axis, said manifold portion being formed of a first metal having a first thermal conductivity, adhesive passage means extending along said manifold portion transversely to the work flow path of the veneer sections, a plurality of adhesive dispenser head portions disposed above and connected with said manifold portion, each of said adhesive dispenser head portions including outlet means for dispensing adhesive to be engaged by a leading end portion of one veneer section and pressed against a trailing end portion of a next preceding veneer section, valve means connected in fluid communication with said adhesive passage means and said outlet means in said adhesive dispenser head portions for controlling flow of adhesive between said adhesive passage means and said adhesive dispenser head portions, elongated heater means disposed in and extending along said manifold portion transversely to the work flow path of the veneer sections for heating the adhesive in said adhesive passage means, said heater means having a second longitudinal central axis, a plurality of elongated heat conductor means for transmitting heat from said heater means to said plurality of adhesive dispenser head portions, each of said heat conductor means having a longitudinal central axis which extends transversely to said first and second longitudinal central axes and which extends through said heater means, each of said heat conductor means having a first end portion which is disposed in engagement with said heater means and a second end portion which is disposed in engagement with one of said adhesive dispenser head portions, said longitudinal central axis of each of said heat conductor means extending through said first and second end portions of said heat conductor means, said heat conductor means being formed of a second metal having a second thermal conductivity which is greater than said first thermal conductivity.
- 24. An apparatus for use in forming core layers for plywood from a plurality of veneer sections, said apparatus comprising a manifold portion extending transversely to a work flow path of the veneer sections and across which the veneer sections are sequentially moved, adhesive passage means extending along said manifold portion transversely to the work flow path of the veneer sections, a plurality of adhesive dispenser head portions disposed above and connected with said manifold portion, each of said adhesive dispenser head portions including outlet means for dispensing adhesive to be engaged by a leading end portion of one veneer section and pressed against a trailing end portion of a next preceding veneer section, valve means connected in fluid communication with said adhesive passage means and said outlet means in said adhesive dispenser head portions for controlling flow of adhesive between said adhesive passage means and said adhesive dispenser head portions, heater means disposed in and extending along said manifold portion transversely to the work flow path of the veneer sections for heating the adhesive in said adhesive passage means, and a plurality of heat conductor means for transmitting heat from said heater means to said plurality of adhesive dispenser head portions, each of said heat conductor means being at least partially disposed in one of said heat conductor passages in said manifold portion and extending from said heater means to one of said adhesive dispenser head portions, each of said heat conductor passages having an inner side surface area which extends around and is spaced from one of said heat conductor means to retard heat transfer between said heat conductor means and said manifold portion, each of said heat conductor means having a thermal conductivity which is greater than the thermal conductivity of said manifold portion to promote a transfer of heat from said heater means to one of said adhesive dispenser head portions through said heat conductor means.
RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/843,724 filed Feb. 28, 1992, now abandoned, by Garnet E. Grant and entitled "Apparatus for Forming Core Layers for Plywood". The benefit of the earlier filing date of the aforesaid application Ser. No. 07/843,724 for all subject matter common this application is hereby claimed.
US Referenced Citations (7)
Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry |
Known work performed by others prior to the making of the invention disclosed in the above identified application. |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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843724 |
Feb 1992 |
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