Panels made of interlocked wood pieces

Abstract

Disclosed are wood pieces for use to manufacture wood panels. Each of these wood pieces has an upper surface, a lower surface and two opposite sidewalls. Tongues and grooves or hooks and notches are provided on the opposite sidewalls of each of the wood pieces in such a way that ( 1 ) there is at least one tongue or hook on each sidewall and at least one corresponding groove or notch on the other sidewall and ( 2 ) the tongues or hooks on the tongues or hooks on the opposite sidewalls are positioned at a same height between the upper and lower surfaces of each wood piece, and the grooves or notches are positioned at another same height selected as a function of the one where stand the tongues or hooks. When the wood pieces are cut in such a way that their tongues and grooves or hooks and notches are positioned as indicated hereinabove, it is then requested that, after one wood piece has been positioned in a given flat position with an upper surface and a bottom surface, the adjacent wood piece be then positioned in a reverse position, with its bottom surfaces on top and its upper surface at the bottom. The wood pieces of similar shape are then interlocked with each other by alternatively locating one wood piece upside down and another piece upside up. Due to their configuration, each of the wood pieces is longitudinally orientable in one direction or the other, upon request. This is particularly interesting in the case where the wood pieces are cut from logs or branches that are of conical shape, since it is then possible to position them “head to tail” in an alternate manner in order to manufacture a straight panel.

1 . In a wood piece for use to manufacture a panel, said wood piece comprising an upper surface, a lower surface, two opposite sidewalls and tongues and grooves or hooks and notches provided on said two opposite sidewalls, the improvement wherein: 
 (3) there is at least one tongue or hook on each sidewall and at least one corresponding groove or notch on the other sidewall; and    (4) the tongues or hooks on said opposite sidewalls are positioned at a same height between the upper and lower surfaces of each wood piece, and the grooves or notches are positioned at another same height selected as a function of the one where stand the tongues or hooks;    whereby when said wood piece is used with other similar wood pieces, it is possible to interlock said wood pieces into each other by positioning alternatively one wood piece upside down and an other wood piece upside up, while being still possible to modify the longitudinal orientation of each wood piece in one way or the other.    
     
     
         2 . The improved wood piece according to  claim 1 , wherein said opposite sidewalls are bevelled in a vertical direction.  
     
     
         3 . The improved wood piece according to  claim 1 , wherein said opposite sidewalls are bevelled in a longitudinal direction.  
     
     
         4 . The improved wood piece according to  claim 1 , wherein said wood piece is cut from a log or a branch of tree.  
     
     
         5 . The improved wood piece according to  claim 1 , comprising only one of said tongues or hooks and only one of said grooves or notches on each of its sidewall.  
     
     
         6 . The improved wood piece according to  claim 1 , wherein said tongues and grooves or hooks and notches have curved edges and are provided with beads and slots positioned to match and cause a snapping of said piece with an adjacent piece when they are interlocked to manufacture the panel.  
     
     
         7 . The improved wood piece according to  claim 1 , wherein said opposite sidewalls are bevelled in both a vertical and longitudinal directions.  
     
     
         8 . The improved wood piece according to  claim 7 , comprising only one of said tongues or hooks and only one of said grooves or notches on each of its sidewall.  
     
     
         9 . The improved wood piece according to  claim 8 , wherein said tongues and grooves or hooks and notches have curved edges and are provided with beads and slots positioned to match and cause a snapping of said piece with an adjacent piece when they are interlocked to manufacture the panel.  
     
     
         10 . A panel manufactured by interlocking wood pieces as defined in  claim 1 .  
     
     
         11 . A panel manufactured by interlocking wood pieces as defined in  claim 9.