Extruded cylinder with a solid wood exterior shell

Abstract

An architectural unit having an extruded core of wood fiber and a thermoset resin, the extruded core having a central hole coaxial with a major axis of the core and an exterior; a plurality of shaped staves forming a shell, each stave of the plurality of staves disposed about the exterior of the core and parallel to the major axis.

1 . An architectural unit; said architectural unit comprising:
 an extruded core comprising wood fiber and a thermoset resin having a central hole coaxial with a major axis of said core and an exterior;   a plurality of shaped staves forming a shell, each stave of said plurality of staves disposed about the exterior of said core and parallel to said major axis.   
     
     
         2 . The architectural unit of  claim 1  further comprising at least one slot disposed in at least one said stave is provided parallel to said axis. 
     
     
         3 . The architectural unit of  claim 1  wherein said plurality of staves forms a cylindrical shell around said core. 
     
     
         4 . The architectural unit of  claim 3  wherein shell has groves where said staves meet. 
     
     
         5 . The architectural unit according to  claim 1  wherein said staves are manufactured from a wood, said wood being of a wood species selected from the group of species consisting of poplar, pine, oak, mahogany and walnut. 
     
     
         6 . The architectural unit according to  claim 1  wherein said staves are tapered, such that said staves form a smooth, longitudinally tapered shell around said core. 
     
     
         7 . The architectural unit of  claim 1 , wherein said shell is fluted.