GB2266104A

GB2266104A - Non-ferrous metal 2-part composite product

Info

Publication number: GB2266104A
Application number: GB9208335A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Keith John Kingham
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1992-04-15
Filing date: 1992-04-15
Publication date: 1993-10-20
Anticipated expiration: 2012-04-15
Also published as: GB9208335D0; GB2266104B

Abstract

A range of solid and hollow section aluminium or copper clad composite products comprise a central solid or hollow core 2 and an outer sheath 1 of e.g. thin gauge seamless aluminium cladding. The hollow section 3 provides space for additional reinforcements which can be stressed for heavy duty structural applications or for routing services, eg, electrical wiring. The products are characterised by their ability to be cut and joined using normal woodworking tools and techniques. They provide outlets for recycling waste packaging materials into useful products. <IMAGE>

Description

NON-FERROUS METAL CLAD 2-F'ART CfJMPOSITE PRODUCT This invention relates to the design of a range of aluminium clad and copper clad composite products.

Compressed particle and fibre boards are extensively used as low cost building and construction materials but they are inherently weak when used in structural applications, which in turn. prohibits their use in small sections. They are normally not available in the commonly used structural material forms of bar. section or strip. They are susceptible to deterioration from moisture absorption and sire facing with laminates to provide a high quality surface finish.

They do however. provide useful applications for converting renewable.recyclable and waste materials into valuable substitutes for wood and are environmentally desirable applications. They also have the advantage of being capabl of being shaped and joined by normal woodworking tools and techniques.

Aluminium and copper on the other hand. offer an impervious. attractive surface finish and in suitable gauge thicknesses, can be formed into structural hollow sections but in low cost. thin walled sections, have poor crushing resistance and weak structural properties. Joining sections is difficult and expensive in comparison with wood.

By combining these materials to form composite aluminium or copper clad products with a compressed inner, wood. plant.

natural. synthetic. or glass fibre core. scope is seen for producing a range of value added. near net shaped products of high surface finish. Products. which retain all the benefits of the individual materials . simultaneously enhance the structural properties and provide substant environmental benefits.

Stope is also seen for producing a range of similarly structured or multi-cored products using other wastes as c-re- materials and for incorporating cavities in the cores for special applications.Indigenous waste materials as diverse ct nut shells. coconut fibre. paper. straw. wood.

bamboo. glassfibre. plastics and rubber waste can be utilised tc provide varying product attributes from low cost. material sources.

By incorporating a compressed internal core the crushing resistance is substantially improved and only a thin aluminium or copper - cladding is then necessary to provide adequate impact resistance for cutting and joining with normal woodworking tools and techniques and for normal use.

The use o recycled scra materials and the ability to use thin cladding. provides a low cost material content and an excel lent strength /aluminium or copper weight ratio as well as favourable product manufacturing and processing costs. compared with other equivalent strength materials offering similar finished quality attributes.

The invention comprises a range of composite materials, all having an outer cladding of thin gauge aluminium o copper and largely using recycled waste materials as the second part of the composite. All products have the following common attributes: * Improved strength/aluminium or copper weight ratio Good corrosion and weather resistance Excellent surface finish Use recycled & or waste products and are themselves recyclable * Are near net shaped products with low energy requirements for initial production and product manufacture * Have potential for volume manufacture using a novel combination of two new non-ferrous metal processing technologies invented in the UK * Are high performance products offering high performance/cost ratio Specific embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of examples, with reference to the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 shows in section.a bar shaped aluminium clad wood chip/fibre composite product. Other solid structural shapes. including strip. are envisaged but not illustrated.

Figure 2 shows in section. the same composite, in tubulir hollow section form. with a circular internal cavity for use as a services duct for the carrying of electrical cables or other service iines.

Figure 3 shows in section, the same composite product, with various shaped internal cavities throuah which are passed internal reinforcing bars to provide additional structural strenath.

Figure 4 shows a variation of figure 3, in which the re-inforcing bar is pre-stressed via adjustable screwed tie bars with nuts and clamping washers to impart a compressive force to the inner core to improve structural strength and crushing resistance.

Referring to Figure 1, the composite product, comprises a compressed and bonded core of wood fibres 2, made from wood chips, eg as a chipboard composition, with a thin gauge aluminium outer cladding 1. Innovative continuous extrusion and tube drawing techniques are proposed for volume manufacture and to ensure intimate contact between the cor and thin cladding in order to provide maximum crushing resistance for the aluminium. This volume production process is t be the subject of separate patent application. By varying binders and co-re materials, indigenous waste materials as diverse as nut-shells.

coconut fibre, paper. wood. glass and synthetic fibres.

plastic and rubber waste can be utilised te provide varying product attributes from low cost material sources.

Referring to Figure 2. an alte-rnative form cf the previously described composite product is des@ribed. with tn-e core 2. formed with an internal hellow section 3 passing along the full length of the extrusion. This hollow section 3 is provided as a service duct. which can be used for running power or other utility supply lines through.

Further variations on the previously described product.are shown in figure 3, where the cavity 3 may be dircular.

square. or rectangular and through which may be passed internal re-infor@ing bars 4 for applications requiring even greater structural strength.

To cater for applications where additional compression is required on the core 2 , to provide even better crushing resistance. or overcome shrinkage. a further variation of that previously described is illusrated in Figure 4. This shows a screwed re-inforcing bar 5 incorporated. which is pre-stressed via adjustable screwed end nuts and compression washers 6 and 7 tensioned against the core 2.

These are sealed in position at both ends with a proprietary waterproof filler 8.

Claims

1 An Aluminium clad composite product. with a compressed inner fibre or waste material core enclosed with an outer cladding of Aluminium.

2 An Aluminium clad composite product, as claimed in claim 1 , with a hollow section running along the full length of the product. to provide a channel for use as service duct for carrying electrical cables and other service lines, o for accepting reinforcing members.

3 An Aluminium clad composite product, as claimed in claim 2, In which the re-inforcing member is tensioned to transmit compressive forces t the inner core, in order to improve crushing resistance and counteract any core shrinkaae.

4 An Aluminium clad composite product. as claimed in claims 1 to 3. In which the core is compressed wood or Dlant fibre.

5 An Aluminium clad composite product. as claimed in claim four. with it's core made from waste wood chips or pulp.

6 An Aluminium clad composite product as claimed in claim four, with it's core made from straw.

7 An Aluminium clad composite product. as claimed in claims 1 to 3. in which the core is compressed synthetic or glass fibre. .

8 An Aluminium clad composite product. as claimed in claims 1 to 3. with it's core made from waste rubber.

9 An Aluminium clad composite product. as claimed in claims 1 to 8, whih can be cut and joined using conventional woodworking tools and techniques.

10 A clad composite. as claimed in claims 1 to 9. in which the cladding is thin gauge copper.

11 An Aluminium or copper clad composite product, as described herein with reference to figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying awings Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1 A non-ferrous metal clad composite product, with a compressed inner fibre or waste material core enclosed with an outer seamless cladding of thin gauge Aluminium or Copper, applied by a novel combination of continuous extrusion & drawing technologies.

2 An Aluminium clad composite product, as claimed in claim l , with a hollow section running along the full length of the product. to provide a channel for use as a service duct for carrying electrical cables and other service lines, or for accepting reinforcing members.

3 An Aluminium clad composite product, as claimed in claim 2. in which the re-inforcing member is tensioned to transmit compressive forces to the inner core. in order to improve crushing resistance and counteract any core shrinkage.

4 An Aluminium clad composite product. as claimed in claims 1 to 3, in which the core is compressed wood or plant fibre.

An Aluminium clad composite product. as claimed in claim four. with it's core made from waste wood chips or pulp.

6 An Aluminium clad composite product as claimed in claim four. with it 's core made from straw.

7 An Aluminium clad composite product. as claimed in claims 1 to 3, with it's core made from waste rubber.

8 An Aluminium clad composite product. as claimed in claims 1 to 8, which can be cut and Joined using conventional woodworking tools and techniques.

9 A composite as claimed in claims 1 to 2 and 4 to 9.

which can be used as a conduit or cable duct with EMI/RFI screening capability.

iO A composite as claimed in claims 1 to 9. which results in the maintenance of intimate contact between the core and cladding.

1 A composite as claimea in claims 1 to d and 4 to 10.

which offeros improved strength/non-ferrous metal weight ratio Dared t conventional extruded non-ferrous metal tube of equivalent non-ferrous metal weight.

12 A composite product as claimed in claims t to 2 and 4 to 11, which can be cut and joined using normal woodworking tools and techniques.

13 A pre-stressed composite product as claimed in claim 4.

which is i.-s suitable for larger sections. where auto-matic compensation for dimensional changes of the core might be required.

14 An Aluminium or copper clad composite product, as described herein with reference to figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.