# US 5,704,134 A · Trim block drying rack and method

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- Number: US 5,704,134 A
- Document ID: US5704134A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/543,490
- Filed: 1995-10-16
- Granted: 1998-01-06
- Earliest claimed: 1995-10-16
- Assignees: Carter Sprague Inc.
- Inventors: John L. Carter; Everett C. Davidson; Larry C. Lagging
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5704134A

## CPC

- F26B 25/185: {Spacers; Elements for supporting the goods to be dried, i.e. positioned in-between the goods to build a ventilated stack (separators for articles packaged in stacks B65D57/00; manipulating spacers for stacking purposes B65G57/005)}
- F26B: DRYING SOLID MATERIALS OR OBJECTS BY REMOVING LIQUID THEREFROM (drying devices for combines A01D41/133; racks for drying fruit or vegetables A01F25/12; drying foodstuffs A23; drying hair A45D20/00; body-drying implements A47K10/00; drying household articles A47L; drying gases or vapours B01D; chemical or physical processes for dewatering or like separating liquids from solids B01D43/00; centrifugal apparatus B04; drying ceramics C04B33/30; drying yarns or fabrics in association with some other form of treatment D06C; drying frames for laundry without heating or positive air circulation, domestic laundry-or spin-driers, wringing or hot pressing laundry D06F; furnaces, kilns, ovens F27)

## Abstract

A rack assembly for drying short lumber pieces is provided. The rack assembly includes unitary racks for supporting each tier of lumber pieces in a stack. Each rack includes transverse stickers to separate it from the preceding tier and a number of longitudinal tracks to guide the placement of the short lumber pieces. The pieces are arranged end-to-end in rows extending the length of the rack and the rows are arranged side-by-side across the width of the rack. A method of using such a rack to facilitate the drying of lumber is also provided.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of stacking short lumber pieces for drying, the method comprising:
preparing a first tier of short lumber pieces, where the lumber pieces are shorter than the tier and arranged end-to-end in rows extending the length of the tier with the rows arranged side-by-side across the width of the tier;
placing a unified rack on top of the first tier of lumber pieces with the rack having sufficient length to support multiple pieces disposed end-to-end, the rack including track structure extending the length thereof to guide the placement of short lumber pieces with the pieces shifted lengthwise therealong, and the rack further having sticker structure joined to the track structure to support the track structure and lumber pieces placed thereon in spaced relation from the first tier of lumber pieces;
filling the track structure with lumber pieces to prepare a second tier; and
repeating the steps of placing and filling to prepare an overlying third tier.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of stacking short lumber pieces of claim 1, wherein the first tier is prepared on a unified rack including track structure to guide the placement of short lumber pieces and sticker structure joined to the track structure to support the track structure, the method further including the step of providing a pallet adapted to be picked up by a forklift with the pallet in supporting relation under the first tier.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the step of filling the track structure with lumber pieces includes the steps of positioning a first lumber piece on the track structure and sliding that first piece to one end of the track structure.