Process and apparatus for forming a wood grain pattern on synthetic lumber
OwnerGuy Barre, Vigneault, Remiinventors
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Abstract
A process and apparatus for forming a wood grain simulation pattern on surfaces of synthetic articles such as synthetic lumber planks. The articles are fed along a predetermined path on a conveyor surface. A plurality of cutting blades are disposed about the periphery of a rotatable cylindrical element supported on a drive shaft. As the synthetic article is fed under the rotatable cylindrical element which is in rotation, the blades which are disposed across an outer surface of the article on which a grain simulation is desired, cut a plurality of short slits spaced laterally from one another in an offset pattern. These slits extend along the feed axis of the article and simulate a wood grain in the outer surface thereof.
Claims17
A process for forming a wood grain simulation pattern on surfaces of articles, said process comprising the steps of:
- i) feeding said article along a predetermined path on a support surface, and
- ii) cutting short slits in one or more surfaces of said article with said slits extending along the feed axis of said article and spaced laterally from one another in an offset pattern to simulate a wood grain.
An apparatus for forming a wood grain simulation pattern on a synthetic article, said apparatus comprising a support conveyor surface on which said article is conveyed, drive means for engaging and displacing said article on said conveyor surface along a predetermined path, cutting means having a plurality of cutting elements disposed transversely across an outer surface of said synthetic article to cut a plurality of short slits spaced laterally from one another in an offset pattern and extending along a feed axis of said article to simulate a wood grain in said outer surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.