A METHOD OF MAKING SURFACE-COVERED EDGES ON FURNITURE BOARDS IN PARTICULAR

The prior art

The invention relates to a method of making surface-treated edges on furniture boards, such as chipboards, fibreboards, plywood boards, solid wood boards and laminated boards.

The use of furniture boards of compressed fibres in the form of e.g. chips for making so-called chipboards and similar boards is rapidly increasing, partly because of their dimensional stability and strength, partly because of their relatively low production costs.

The problem of furniture boards is the weak corners and edges, which are easily damaged, and which are difficult to give the required breaking strength by means of surface agents, such as varnish or other covering agents.

Thus, when the covering layer has been applied to the edge and the faces, these are to be subjected to a subsequent treatment e.g. grinding or milling, which easily results in destruction of the covering layer and subsequent tearing of the fibres, which are exposed now. This imparts an unattractive appearance to the board, and, moreover, it is not protected by means of a barrier layer, and, therefore, moisture may be absorbed, with the consequent risk of weakening and destruction of the board edges. This may cause destruction of boards, in particular in case of outdoor storage of boards at building sites and similar places.

The object of the invention

It is the object of the invention to improve the protection of particularly corners and edges on boards, and this is achieved by a method, wherein so thick a covering layer is applied to the board edges that the subsequent working does not touch or damage the board material.

In this surprisingly simple manner, so much covering material is applied to the exposed locations, e.g. along edges and corners, that no penetration of the covering material and thus no tearing of the locations concerned on the board take place.

This results in an unprecedentedly effective covering with covering material and thus a good barrier against moisture penetration, and, following the surface finishing, the board will have a uniform appearance.

When, as stated in claim 2, corners and edges are bevelled prior to the application of the covering layer and a thick layer is applied in these areas at the same time, working may take place without any risk of penetration of the covering layer and thus destruction of the surface of the board.

When, as stated in claim 3, the bevelling operation is allowed to comprise a rounding operation, good results may be achieved, and surface-treated boards with rounded edges and corners may be produced.

Finally, it is expedient, as stated in claim 4, to ensure a uniform covering layer throughout after working, since this will give the board the desired uniform appearance.

The drawing

Examples of the performance of the method will be described more fully below with reference to the drawing, in which

figs. 1A - 1 C show a profile view of a board member before and after application of a covering layer and working,

figs. 2A - 2D show a profile view of a board member before and after bevelling, application of a covering layer and working,

figs. 3A - 3D show a profile view of a board member before and after bevelling, application of a covering layer and working,

figs. 4A - 4D show a profile view of a board member before and after rounding, application of a covering layer and working, and

figs. 5A - 5D show a profile view of a board member before and after bevelling, application of a covering layer and working.

Description of the exemplary embodiments

The board 1 will be referred to as a furniture board below, but this is to be taken to mean that the term comprises boards made by means of finely divided material mixed with a binder and compressed to form the board as well as laminated boards, such as veneer and veneered boards, and moreover solid wood boards.

This board may then be cut into suitable lengths, which, as needed, may be coated with some form of a liquid covering material, such as varnish, which

is applied to the board edge. This covering material may be coloured, of course, if coloured boards are to be manufactured

The first example, which is shown in figs. 1A - 1C, involves the manufac- ture of a board with sharp edges with a covering layer around the board edge 2. The method comprises application of a covering layer 3 in so ample an amount that the layer 3a around edge 2 is extra strong. Hereby, the subsequent working in the form of grinding or the like may take place without the covering layer 4 being penetrated, so that it extends uninterruptedly after the working, also around the edge where the covering layer 4b will be intact. This provides security against contact with the plate 1 itself, and certainty of an effective moisture barrier.

The next example is, as shown in figs. 2A - 2D, a method of providing a rounded edge on the board.

The working of the board 1 comprises a bevel 5 in the form of a profiled corner, which gives a good attachment for the covering agent 3 when it is applied, and will create a strong covering layer 3a, which constitutes the corner material. After the working, the covering layer 4 will provide a strong and sturdy corner 4a, which will effectively protect the edge against damage.

A third example is shown in figs. 3A - 3D. This, too, involves a covering layer which extends externally on a bevel 6 on the board edge 2. Here, too, the covering layer 3a will constitute the finished rounded corner 4a after the working, as shown in fig. 3D.

A rounded comer may moreover be made as shown in figs. 4A - 4D, where the bevel is formed by a rounded portion 7 of the board edge 2.

Here, the covering layer 3a will extend externally on the rounded portion 7 to form a uniform covering layer 4, 4b along the board edge after the working.

Finally, as shown in figs. 5A - 5D, a bevelled corner may be created with a uniformly extending covering layer 4, 4c.

All the shown and described methods will ensure an unbroken covering layer around corners and edges and also provide a good protection of the corner, which becomes sturdy, and the covering layer constitutes a good moisture barrier around the board edge.

The described methods may all be performed with generally known machinery and application equipment.