Lath for lumber stacking
AssigneeBreeze Dried, Inc.
InventorDavid M. Townsend
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This invention relates to an improved separator, commonly referred to as a "lath", "stick", "sticker", or "crosser", that is used in the lumber industry to separate pieces of lumber in a stack or bundle. The separator features, in one embodiment, a plurality of grooves extending transverse to the length of the separator to permit air circulation within the grooves, and a plurality of ridges between the grooves to support the pieces of lumber. In another embodiment, a second plurality of grooves extending transverse to the length of the separator and the first grooves to form a cross-hatching of grooves to permit air circulation within the grooves, and a plurality of protrusions to support the pieces of lumber over the grooves.
Claims18
An improved separator for separating lumber in a stack up of a plurality of courses of lumber, said separator having:
- a length, a height, and a width, the length being substantially longer than the width and spanning across one or more pieces of lumber in a course, and the height being sufficient to separate a pair of courses in the stack for air circulation therebetween;
- a plurality of grooves extending transverse to the length of the separator;
- and
- a plurality of ridges, with each ridge formed between a successive pair of grooves and presenting a peak to reduce contact of the separator with one or more pieces of lumber in a course;
- the ridges having a height sufficient to permit air circulation within each groove defined between successive pairs of ridges.
An improved separator for separating lumber in a stack made up of a plurality of courses of lumber, said separator having:
- a length, a height, and a width, the length being substantially longer than the width and spanning across one or more pieces of lumber in a course, the height being sufficient to separate a pair of courses in the stack for air circulation therebetween;
- a plurality of first grooves extending transverse to the length of the separator in one direction;
- and
- a plurality of second grooves extending transverse to both the length of the separator and the first grooves;
- said plurality of first grooves and said plurality of second grooves forming a plurality of protrusions for contacting one or more pieces of lumber in a course, the protrusions having a height sufficient to permit air circulation within said grooves.
In combination, a stack made up of a plurality of courses of lumber and a separator separating a spaced apart pair of said courses, said separator having:
- a length, a height, and a width, the length being substantially longer than the width and spanning across one or more pieces of lumber in one of said courses, the height being sufficient to separate said spaced apart pair of said courses in the stack for air circulation therebetween;
- a plurality of grooves extending transverse to the length of the separator;
- and
- a plurality of ridges, with each ridge formed between a successive pair of grooves and presenting a peak to reduce contact of the separator with one or more pieces of lumber in a course, the ridges having a height sufficient to permit air circulation within each groove defined between successive pairs of ridges.
In combination, a stack made up of a plurality of courses of lumber and a separator separating a spaced apart pair of said courses, said separator having:
- a length, a height, and a width, the length being substantially longer than the height being sufficient to separate said spaced apart pair of said courses in the stack for air circulation therebetween;
- a plurality of first grooves extending transverse to the length of the separator in one direction;
- and
- a plurality of second grooves extending transverse to both the length of the separation and the first grooves;
- said plurality of first grooves and said plurality of second grooves forming a plurality of protrusions for contacting one or more pieces of lumber in said one of said courses, the protrusions having a height sufficient to permit air circulation within said grooves.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.