대표
청구항
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1. An elongated, composite structural material comprised of a dimensionally stable core material ensheathed in a laminar covering that is bonded to the core material, wherein the laminar covering is comprised of at least one band of substantially parallel reinforcing cords bonded, by a resin, to at least one layer of a dimensionally stable web material that is exterior to the cords, the web material being selected from the group consisting of rigidified paper and rigidified cloth, with the web material and the cords being impregnated with the same resin ...
1. An elongated, composite structural material comprised of a dimensionally stable core material ensheathed in a laminar covering that is bonded to the core material, wherein the laminar covering is comprised of at least one band of substantially parallel reinforcing cords bonded, by a resin, to at least one layer of a dimensionally stable web material that is exterior to the cords, the web material being selected from the group consisting of rigidified paper and rigidified cloth, with the web material and the cords being impregnated with the same resin that is used to bond the cords to the web material, the amount of the resin being sufficient to render the laminar covering dimensionally stable, and the cords being oriented in the longitudinal direction of the structural material and extending substantially the entire length thereof, wherein the cords are bonded to the web material by an unfoamed resin.2. The composite structural material of claim 1, wherein at least some of the cords are bonded to the web material in a pretensioned state.3. The composite structural material of claim 1, wherein the structural material has a substantially uniform cross-section throughout its length, and wherein the width of the band of cords occupies about 25 to 100 percent of the circumference of that cross-section.4. The structural material of claim 1, wherein the cords are the warp of a strip of cloth that has been bonded to the web material under tension in the warp direction.5. The composite structural material of claim 4, wherein the cloth strip is bonded to the web material by a thermosetting resin.6. The composite structural material of claim 1, wherein the web material is paper that is impregnated with a rigidifying synthetic resin.7. The composite structural material of claim 6, wherein the paper comprises cellulosic fibers.8. The composite structural material of claim 4, wherein the laminar covering comprises a plurality of cloth strips and interleaved between every two of said cloth strips is at least one paper layer.9. The composite structural material of claims 1, wherein the core material is comprised of pieces of a filler solid embedded in a resinous matrix.10. The composite structural material of claim 9, wherein the resinous matrix comprises a thermosetting resin.11. The composite structural material of claim 10, wherein the core material has a crush resistance of at least about 300 pounds per square inch.12. The composite structural material of claim 9, wherein the pieces of filler solid comprise pieces of one or more solids selected from the group consisting of lignocellulosic materials, cellulosic materials, vitreous materials, cementitious materials, carbonaceous materials, plastic, and rubbers.13. The composite structural material of claim 9, wherein the pieces of filler solid comprise at least one member of the group consisting of rubber tire fragments and expandable polystyrene beads.14. The composite structural material of claim 9, wherein the resinous matrix comprises a resin selected from the group consisting of epoxy resins and polyurethane resins.15. The composite structural material of claim 4, wherein the laminar covering comprises at least one combination of a paper layer bonded to said cloth strip in which the warp is composed at least primarily of synthetic fibers or fllaments.16. The composite structural material of claim 4, wherein the laminar covering comprises at least one combination of a paper layer bonded to said cloth strip in which the warp is composed at least primarily of polyester fibers or filaments.17. The composite structural material of claim 4, wherein the laminar covering comprises at least one combination of a paper layer bonded to said cloth strip in which the warp of the cloth is composed at least primarily of polyester fibers or filaments and the paper layer is composed at least primarily of cellulosic fibers.18. The composite structural material of claim 9, wherein the resinous matrix comprises a foamed polyurethane resin.19. The composite structural material of claim 6, wherein, in the laminar covering, the outermost layer is a paper layer.20. An elongated composite structural material comprised of a dimensionally stable core material ensheathed in a laminar covering that is bonded to the core material, wherein the laminar covering is comprised of at least one band of substantially parallel reinforcing cords bonded, by a resin, to at least one layer of a dimensionally stable web material that is exterior to the cords, the web material being selected from the group consisting of rigidified paper and rigidified cloth, with the web material and the cords being impregnated with the same resin that is used to bond the cords to the web material, the amount of the resin being sufficient to render the laminar covering dimensionally stable, and the cords being oriented in the longitudinal direction of the structural material and extending substantially the entire length thereof, wherein the laminar covering comprises a plurality of paper layers and each paper layer is impregnated with a cured epoxy resin that helps bind the cords and the core material to the paper layers.21. The composite structural material of claim 4, wherein the laminar covering comprises at least one combination of a kraft paper layer bonded to said cloth strip in which the cloth is composed at least primarily of continuous polyester filament, the warp cord is selected from the group consisting of monofilament cord having a diameter of about 0.010 to 0.15 inch and multifilament cord having a denier of about 600 to 1,000, and the cloth has warp direction tensile strength in the range of about 90 to 200 pounds per lateral inch of the cloth.22. The composite structural material of claim 21, wherein the kraft paper in at least one combination has a thickness of about 0.015 to 0.020 inch.23. The composite structural material of claim 22, wherein the core material has a crush resistance of about 300 to 2,500 pounds per square inch.24. The composite structural material of claim 23, wherein the laminar covering comprises at least one said cloth strip that is bonded to the paper layer under a tension, in the warp direction, of at least about 10 pounds per each inch of width of the cloth.25. The composite structural material of claim 1, wherein its cross-sectional shape is rectangular, so that the structural material has four sides, and wherein the laminar covering includes cords on at least one side of the structural material.26. The composite structural material of claim 1, wherein its cross-sectional shape is a non-square rectangle, so that the structural material has two, opposite wide sides and two, opposite narrow sides, and wherein the laminar covering includes cords on each of said wide sides of the structural material.27. The composite structural material of claim 26, wherein the laminar covering is comprised of two opposed, overlapping, conjoined, C channels, each C channel covering one of the wide sides and running the entire length of the structural material.28. The composite structural material of claim 5, wherein the cloth strip is woven.29. The composite structural material of claim 5, wherein the cloth strip is cross-laid scrim.30. An elongated four-sided, composite structural material having a substantially uniform, rectangular cross-section throughout its length, the material being comprised of a rigid polyurethane foam core material ensheathed in a laminar covering that is bonded to the core material by a thermosetting resin, wherein the laminar covering is comprised of at least one band of cloth, bonded, by a rigidifying thermosetting resin, to a layer of paper that is exterior to the cloth, the paper being impregnated with the same rigidifying thermosetting resin that is used to bond the cloth to the paper, the amount of the rigidfying thermosetting resin being sufficient to render the paper dimensionally stable, with the warp of the cloth being oriented in the longitudinal direction of the structural material and extending substantially the entire length thereof, and with said at least one band of cloth substantially covering at least two opposite sides of the structural material, wherein the core material has a crush resistance of at least about 300 psi, and wherein the at least one band of cloth is bonded to the paper layer by an unfoamed resin.31. An elongated, four-sided composite structural material having a substantially uniform, rectangular cross section throughout its length, the material comprising:a core comprised of pieces of a vitreous material embedded in a foamed polyether polyurethane resin, having a free-rise density of about 4 to about 20 pounds per cubic foot, the core having a crush resistance of at least about 300 pounds per square inch, the vitreous material constituting up to about 45 weight percent of the core and the vitreous pieces having a longest dimension that is no more than about 50 percent of the thickness of the composite structural material; and a one-piece laminar covering that ensheaths the core and is bonded to the core, the laminar covering including a plurality of layers of substantially parallel fiberglass cords, each cord layer being bonded, by an unfoamed epoxy resin, to at least one of a plurality of layers of rigidified kraft paper having a basis weight of at least about 65 pounds per thousand square feet, wherein the cord layers and the paper layers are impregnated with the same unfoamed epoxy resin that is used to bond the cord layers to the paper layers, the amount of the unfoamed epoxy resin being sufficient to render the laminar covering dimensionally stable, and wherein the cords are laterally connected to one another, are oriented in the longitudinal direction of the structural material, and extend substantially the entire length thereof, each cord layer comprises at least 10 cords per lateral inch, and at least one paper layer is exterior of the cord layers. 32. The composite structural material of claim 9, wherein the filler solid comprises granular tire rubber including tire cord fluff.33. The composite structural material of claim 32, wherein the granular tire rubber has a metal content of no more than about three weight percent of the rubber.34. The composite structural material of claim 32, wherein the granular tire rubber has a metal content of no more than about one weight percent of the rubber.35. The composite structural material of claim 34, wherein the tire rubber is comprised of No. 4 tire granule.36. The composite structural material of claim 9, wherein the filler solid comprises No. 4 tire granule.37. The structural material of claim 30, wherein the core material comprises pieces of at least one filler solid selected from the group consisting of tire rubber and expandable polystyrene beads and has a crush resistance in the range of about 300 to 1700 psi.38. The structural material of claim 30, wherein the core material has a crush resistance the range of about 1800 to 2500 psi.39. The composite structural material of claim 31, wherein granular tire rubber has a metal content of no more than about three weight percent of the rubber.40. The composite structural material of claim 31, wherein the granular tire rubber has a metal content of no more than about one weight percent of the rubber.41. The composite structural material of claim 40, wherein the tire rubber is comprised of No. 4 tire granule.42. The composite structural material of claim 37, wherein the filler solid comprises No. 4 tire granule.43. An elongated, composite structural material comprising:a core comprised of pieces of a filler solid embedded in a resinous matrix; and a laminar covering that ensheaths the core, the laminar covering being comprised of a layer of a plurality of substantially parallel reinforcing cords bonded, by an unfoamed resin, to a first layer of rigidified paper that is exterior to the cords, wherein the cords and the first paper layer are impregnated with the same unfoamed resin that is used to bond the cords to the first paper layer, the amount of the unfoamed resin being sufficient to render the laminar covering dimensionally stable, and wherein the cords are oriented in the longitudinal direction of the structural material and extend substantially the entire length thereof. 44. The structural material of claim 43, wherein the pieces of filler solid comprise granular pieces of one or more solids selected from the group consisting of lignocellulosic materials, cellulosic materials, vitreous materials, cementitious materials, carbonaceous materials, plastics, and rubbers.45. The structural material of claim 43, wherein the pieces of filler solid comprise rubber tire fragments.46. The composite structural material of claim 44, wherein the filler solid comprises granular tire rubber including tire cord fluff.47. The composite structural material of claim 46, wherein the granular tire rubber has a metal content of no more than about three weight percent of the rubber.48. The composite structural material of claim 46, wherein the granular tire rubber has a metal content of no more than about one weight percent of the rubber.49. The composite structural material of claim 48, wherein the tire rubber is comprised of No. 4 tire granule.50. The composite structural material of claim 44, wherein the filler solid comprises No. 4 tire granule.51. The structural material of claim 43, wherein the pieces of filler solid comprise a vitreous material.52. The structural material of claim 43, wherein the resinous matrix comprises a thermosetting resin.53. The structural material of claim 43, wherein the resinous matrix comprises a foamed synthetic resin.54. The structural material of claim 43, wherein the resinous matrix comprises a foamed polyurethane resin.55. The structural material of claim 43, wherein the core has a crush resistance of at least about 300 pounds per square inch.56. The structural material of claim 43, wherein the core has a crush resistance of about 300 to 2,500 pounds per square inch.57. The structural material of claim 43, wherein the first paper layer comprises cellulosic fibers.58. The structural material of claim 43, wherein the first paper layer comprises kraft paper.59. The structural material of claim 43, wherein the cords comprise synthetic fibers or filaments.60. The structural material of claim 43, wherein the cords comprise glass fibers or filaments.61. The structural material of claim 43, wherein the cords comprise polyester fibers or filaments.62. The structural material of claim 43, wherein the unfoamed resin that is used to bond the cords to the first paper layer is a thermosetting resin.63. The structural material of claim 43, wherein the unfoamed resin that is used to bond the cords to the first paper layer is an epoxy resin.64. The structural material of claim 43, wherein the cords are the warp of a strip of scrim, and the scrim is bonded to the first paper layer by the unfoamed resin.65. The structural material of claim 43, wherein the cords are the warp of a strip of scrim, and the scrim is bonded to the first paper layer by an epoxy resin.66. The structural material of claim 43, wherein, in the layer of cords, there are at least about 10 cords per lateral inch of the laminar covering.67. The structural material of claim 43, wherein, in the layer of cords, there are about 10 to about 35 cords per lateral inch of the laminar covering.68. The structural material of claim 43, wherein the cords are nonwoven.69. The structural material of claim 43, wherein the cords are laterally connected to each other.70. The structural material of claim 69, wherein the cords are laterally connected to each other by cross-cording.71. The structural material of claim 43, wherein the laminar covering further comprises a second layer of rigidified paper that is interior to the first paper layer and the layer of cords.72. The structural material of claim 71, wherein the cords are bonded to each of the first paper layer and the second paper layer by the unfoamed resin.73. The structural material of claim 72, wherein each of the first paper layer and the second paper layer is impregnated with the unfoamed resin.74. The structural material of claim 71, wherein the cords are bonded to each of the first paper layer and the second paper layer by an epoxy resin.75. The structural material of claim 74, wherein each of the first paper layer and the second paper layer is at least partially impregnated with the epoxy resin.76. The structural material of claim 43, wherein the laminar covering comprises a plurality of layers of paper and a plurality of layers of cords, with each cord layer being bonded to at least one paper layer.77. The structural material of claim 76, wherein, in the laminar covering, the outermost layer is a paper layer.78. The structural material of claim 43, wherein the laminar covering has a one-piece construction.79. An elongated, four-sided composite structural material having a substantially uniform, rectangular cross section throughout its length, the material comprising:a core comprised of granular pieces of a filler solid embedded in a foamed polyurethane resin, the filler solid comprising at least one solid selected from the group consisting of lignocellulosic materials, cellulosic materials, vitreous materials, cementitious materials, carbonaceous materials, plastics, and rubbers; and a laminar covering that ensheaths the core and is bonded to the core, the laminar covering including a layer of a plurality of substantially parallel cords bonded, by an epoxy resin, to a layer of rigidified paper that is exterior to the cords, wherein the cords and the paper layer are impregnated with the same epoxy resin that is used to bond the cords to the paper layer, the amount of the epoxy resin being sufficient to render the laminar covering dimensionally stable, and wherein the cords comprise a synthetic fiber or filament and are oriented in the longitudinal direction of the structural material and extend substantially the entire length thereof. 80. The structural material of claim 79, wherein the laminar covering comprises a plurality of layers of paper and a plurality of layers of cords, with each cord layer being bonded to at least one paper layer.81. The structural material of claim 80, wherein, in the laminar covering, the outermost layer is a paper layer.82. The structural material of claim 79, wherein the filler solid comprises rubber tire fragments.83. The composite structural material of claim 79, wherein the filler solid comprises granular tire rubber including tire cord fluff.84. The composite structural material of claim 83, wherein the granular tire rubber has a metal content of no more than about three weight percent of the rubber.85. The composite structural material of claim 83, wherein the granular tire rubber has a metal content of no more than about one weight percent of the rubber.86. The composite structural material of claim 85, wherein the tire rubber is comprised of No. 4 tire granule.87. The composite structural material of claim 79, wherein the filler solid comprises No. 4 tire granule.88. The structural material of claim 79, wherein tire filler solid comprises a vitreous material.89. The structural material of claim 79, wherein the cords comprise glass fibers or filaments.90. The structural material of claim 79, wherein the cords comprise polyester fibers or filaments.91. A shipping pallet comprised of deck boards and stringers made of the composite structural material recited in claim 1.92. A shipping pallet comprised of deck boards and stringers made of the structural material cited in claim 30.93. A shipping pallet comprised of deck boards and stringers made of the structural material cited in claim 43.94. A shipping pallet comprised of deck boards and stringers, wherein at least one of the stringers or deck boards is made of the structural material recited in claim 45.95. A shipping pallet comprised of deck boards and stringers made of the structural material recited in claim 79.96. A shipping pallet comprised of deck boards and stringers, wherein at least one of the stringers or deck boards is made of the structural material recited in claim 82.97. An elongated, four-sided composite structural material having a substantially uniform, rectangular cross section throughout its length, the material comprising:a core comprised of rubber-tire fragments embedded in a foamed polyether polyurethane resin, having a free-rise density of about 4 to about 35 pounds per cubic foot, the core having a crush resistance of at least about 1100 pounds per square inch, the rubber-tire fragments constituting up to about 70 weight percent of the core and having a longest dimension that is no more than about 50 percent of the thickness of the composite structural material; and a one-piece laminar covering that ensheaths the core and is bonded to the core, the laminar covering including a plurality of layers of substantially parallel fiberglass cords, each cord layer being bonded, by an unfoamed epoxy resin, to at least one of a plurality of layers of rigidified kraft paper having a basis weight of at least about 65 pounds per thousand square feet, wherein the cord layers and the paper layers are impregnated with the same unfoamed epoxy resin that is used to bond the cord layers to the paper layers, the amount of the unfoamed epoxy resin being sufficient to render the laminar covering dimensionally stable, and wherein the cords are laterally connected to one another, are oriented in the longitudinal direction of the structural material, and extend substantially the entire length thereof, each cord layer comprises at least 10 cords per lateral inch, and at least one paper layer is exterior to the cord layers. 98. The composite structural material of claim 37, wherein the filler solid comprises granular tire rubber including tire cord fluff.