US2942636A - Veneer, and method of cutting the same - Google Patents

Description

June 28, 1960 K. MEISSNER 2,942,636

VENEER, AND METHOD OF CUTTING THE SAME Filed Feb. 27, 1958 fm eman' KURT MEISSNER Pa tent Aqeiz i United States Patent The invention relates to a method of obtaining wooden veneers from rough logs cut to length, and further relates to the veneer itself which when out according to the invention will have a decorative grain surface structure.

Veneers are generally produced from logs by cutting the same in parallel planes parallel with respect to the axis of the log, the veneers comprising a plurality of I sheets of the desired thickness. The individual veneer sheets, thus obtained, are of difieren't width, i'.e. the veneer sheets out near the perimeter are relatively narrow, while the center sheets have the greatest width. The operator selects from these different veneer sheets those of similar grain design and orients them in a suitable way to obtain the desired veneer surface area.

It has also been known to produce veneers by peeling or cutting a log spirally, by advancing a cutting tool inwardly in a direction substantially normal to the circumference of the log, said cutting tool or knife extending parallel to the axis of the log. In this case, a veneer is obtained, the width of which equals the length of the log, while the length of the veneer may amount to many yards depending on the length of the spiral cutting path and the thickness of the veneer layer.

Finally, it has been known to longitudinally divide a log into a plurality of sectors and to support and rotate each sector about an axis of rotation which is adjacent to and parallel with respect to the center axis of the logs, and wherein individual veneer arcs rather than continuous, spirally peeled veneers are cut concentrically with respect to the axis of rotation of the sector. In a similar manner a whole log can be cut into individual veneer arcs about an axis of rotation parallel with the axis of the log, but offset to a location near the surface of the log.

In contrast to the first mentioned veneer-producing method, in which the annual growth rings of the log are cut at angles of varying degrees, the log is concentrically cut, when rotated about its center axis, whereby the grain design is less emphasized than in case of the first mentioned parallel-plane cutting method. If the log or sector thereof is eccentrically clamped and rotated during cutting, as described in the foregoing, the annual rings are cut at varying angles, but non-continuous veneers are produced.

It is an object of the invention to divide a log longitudinally into at least two sectors, to shape these sectors into billets of substantially circular cross section and then to obtain a continuous veneer by cutting these billets spirally about longitudinal axes located in the centers of the billets. For example, the thickness of the veneer may be selected to approximately .01 inch. Thus, the annual rings of the billets will be cut, according to the invention, at difierent angles, so that grain designs are obtained which otherwise could only be produced by the above mentioned parallel-cut method. In other words, the grain designs of the new veneers are somewhat similar to those obtained when assembling a plurality of the smaller veneer sheets obtained by the parallel-cut method.

2,942,63fi Patented June 28, 1960 The great advantage of the new method is that the veneer produced thereby forms a continuous sheet equalling inwidth the length of the billet, which advantage is also present in the known spiral cuttingmethods; but these methods lack the cut at varying angles to the grain rings.

The loss of material due to waste occurring when the sectors are rounded, i.e. shaped to the form of circular billets, is rather insignificant in view of the great advantage obtained by the production of the very long veneer sheets, for example of only .012 inch thickness, making the method according to' the invention highly economical.

It is another object of the invention to provide a wooden veneer having, due to the different cutting angles of the annual grain rings, a lower inner tension than the known veneers obtained by spiral-cutting of a whole log. There fore, the new sheets can be more easily applied to furni ture or other pieces to be veneered.

It is a furtherobject of the invention to omit from the spiral-cutting the normally knotty center part of the log,- in order to obtain a veneer absolutely free of knots as required for flawless pressing and glueing. W

It is a still further object of the invention to glue the veneer on paper or another base, os as to obtain a veneer material suited in a superior manner for application to furniture, building boards, etc.

Still further objects and the entire scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter; it should be understood, however, that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications Within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 illustrates a cross section through one half of a log and shows a circle indicating one billet to be cut therefrom, said billet being adapted to be subsequently cut spirally to obtain a long continuous veneer sheet.

Fig. 2 is a cross section through a quarter of a log with a billet indicated as in the embodiment of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 illustrates a cross section through a whole log With a plurality of billets indicated as in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a sheet of veneer cut according to the method of the invention, wherein the thickness of the materials is exaggerated with respect to the other dimensions of the piece.

In the embodiment of Fig. 1, one half of a log 1, obtained by longitudinally dividing a whole log parallel to its axis, has a plurality of annual grain rings 2 running approximately concentrically with respect to one another. The half of the log is to be shaped to form a billet 3 of circular cross section having a diameter d. This billet 3 is subsequently cut spirally along the dashed line 13 of Fig. 1 to obtain a long and continuous veneer sheet for example, of .012 inch thickness.

Fig. 2 relates to an embodiment according to the invention, in which a quarter 4 of the log is obtained, said quarter 4 being then shaped to a billet 6 of a diameter d, which, in turn, is to be spirally cut to a veneer in the same Way as the embodiment of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 illustrates how a cross section of a whole log 10 can be divided into a plurality of, Le. six, billets 7 with diameter d" which are to be spirally cut to veneers as in the foregoing embodiments. This arrangement of billets permits the discarding of the knotty center portion or core within the circle 9.

Obviously, the annual grain rings 2, 5 and 14 in the billets 3, 6 and 7 of Figs. 1, 2 and 3, respectively, are angularly intersected by the spiral cuts, and a decorative and continuous veneer is thus obtained.

sheet 11 glued on a base or backing 12 of paper, card- 7 T 5 wooden veneers, comprising the steps of: dividing a log whichpis to be discarded.

. a 3 q a The 'veneer sheet of Fig. 4 manufactured according to the invention, for example from the billets 3, 6 or 7,

shown in Figs. 1, 2 or 3, respectively, comprises a veneer board or other suitable material. i

iIclairm :1. The method 'of cutting a log and the like to obtain 7 'wooden veneers, comprising the steps of: dividing a log 7 having a longitudinal central axis into at least two sectors,

' 4. Theinethod according to claim 3, wherein six sectors are selected aroundsaid, central core and divided from the log. 7

5. The method of cuttinga log and the like to obtain having a longitudinal central axis into at least two sectors, thereafter shaping at least one of said sectors into at least one elongated billet-ofsubstantially circular cross section having -a longitudinalcentraLaxis-cwhich is nonthereafter shaping at least one of said sectors intoat 10 coincident'with said longitudinalcentral-axis of said log,

least one elongated billet of substantially circular cross section having a longitudinal'central axis which is noncoincident with said longitudinal central axis of said log,

then, cutting each billet spirallyifrom its peripheral surfaceinwardly toward its central'axis to define a relatively thin continuous veneer sheet; the width of which is substantially equal to the'length of said elongated'billet and possessing decorative grain designs. 1 a

, 2'. The method, according to 'claim 1, wherein 'said sectors are formed when said logv is divided into four quarters which are then shaped to -form said billets and subsequently cut into veneers spirally from its peripheral surface inwardly toward its central axis. 7

- "3. The method a'ccordin'g to claim 1 wherein said log is divided into-a plurality of sectorstwith the billets formed therefrom each lying outside of a central core the-growth rings ofisaid 'elongated billet extending'transversely to its peripheral-surface;and-'tliencutting each billet spirallyirom itsperipheral surface inwardly toward its central axisat' varying 'angles'to said transversely 15 extending growthffring's' to"d'efine"a relatively thin continuous veneer sheet, the width of which is substantially equal to the length of said elongated billet and possessing decorative Y 7 p b 7 References vCited in the-file of this. patent Q I i U T T 5 PKT NT a r 1,841,544 Merritt-' Jan. 19, 1932 1,877,013, fMoor'e Sept. 13, 1932 25 2,012,403 Reimann Aug. 27, 1935 2,044,230 7 pseib r- June 16,1936 2,261,497 Hill Nov. 4, 1941 2,680,457

' Kakuklet al. June 8,1954

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