This invention is concerned with improvements in and relating to wood products and, more particularly, relates to the production of shaped wood shavings.

Recently, there has common to the market a so-called "pot pourri" product comprising scented shavings of wood which may, optionally, be coloured. For the sake of visual appearance, it is most desirable that the shavings should be curled, e.g. take the form of an approximate hollow cone. Generally, the commercially available products have only one to one and one-half twists or turns per cone, giving the product a rather flimsy appearance.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a process for the production of shaped wood shavings which permits of the production of shaped, curled shavings having two or more twists or turns per shaving and thus being of increased apparent, and indeed real, strength.

Basically, the present invention provides a process for the production of decorative shaped wood shavings which comprises the steps of forming green wood into curled shavings and subsequently drying those shavings.

The cutting of the wood into curled shavings is

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conveniently effected using a cutting head having a tapering conical cavity, an aperture extending through the wall of the conical cavity and generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of that cavity, and a cutting blade mounted along at least a part of the length of the cavity and extending partially into the cavity. A rod of the wood to be cut is inserted into the wider end of the conical cavity and the rod and/or the cutting head, is rotated so that there is relative rotary motion between head and rod whereby a shaving or sliver of wood is removed from the rod by the action of the blade in the cavity. The shavings so produced generally take the form of a helicol ribbon, the outer edges of the ribbon corresponding to the outside of the rod at the inner edges to the inside or center part of the rod. Such shavings of wood may then be cut or broken into pieces of the.desired length to form curled shavings of the desired size. The cone angle and general size and shape of the curled shavings will be affected by the cone angle and average internal diameter of the conical cavity of the cutting head. Similarly, the thickness of the shavings will be determined by the amount by which the cutting blade extends into the cavity. Suitably, the shavings may have a thickness of from 0.5mm to 3.0mm, preferably 0.75mm to 1.0mm.

Wood ^' shavings may be produced, in accordance with the invention, from precut rods or dowels of green wood

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or natural branches may be employed, in which latter case an attractive product having a bark edging may be produced. Suitably the rods or branches to be cut have a diameter of 5 to 75 mm. The wood to be cut must be green, that it should not have been naturally or artificially seasoned and should have a moisture content of at least 25% by weight. Where branches are used as wood-source it will be clear that hedge cuttings, woodland trimmings or cuttings from a coppiced wood form a useful source of supply of the wood. It is possible by judicious selection of different sorts of woods to produce mixed shavings derived from different woods and having the characteristics of those woods. Whilst hardwoods tend to give stronger shavings (depending of course on their thickness) than do softwood, the use of either or both is comtemplated.

It is most desirable that, in the process of the invention, the shavings be coloured, especially by dyeing. In accordance with the invention, dyeing must be effected before the final drying stage and can be carried out either on the cut green shavings or on the wood itself, prior to cutting into shavings. Convenient dyestuffs for use in the dyeing of the wood are water-soluble dyes, preferably non-toxic dyes. Dyeing may be effected by total immersion or by systemic dyeing; i.e. so that the dye flows along the capilliaries in the wood.

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The, optionally dyed, green shavings are, in accordance with the invention, finally dried, suitably by air drying means. In the drying step the water content is conveniently reduced to a level of 15% by weight or less. The dried curled shavings may then be scented, e.g. by contacting them with solution or suspension of an appropriate scent or perfume.

Whilst the shaped shavings produced in accordance with the invention are particularly intended for use as so-called "pot pourri" products they may, of course, find other uses attractive shaped wood shavings are used, for example in the manufacture of artificial "flowers" from wood shavings.

In order that the invention may be well understood reference will now be made to the accompanying drawing which is a schematic perspective view of a cutting head for use in the process of the invention.

As shown in the drawing, a cutting head for use in accordance with the invention, comprises a body (1) having a conical cavity formed therein. An elongate aperture (3) extends from the outer surface of body (1) to the interior of cavity (2) and a blade (4) is mounted by means of set screws (5) so that its cutting edge extends into cavity (2) .