Biscuit Joint
From DT Online
A Biscuit Joint is a type of reinforced Butt Joint made by inserting dried and compressed wooden Biscuits into pre-cut slots or Grooves. The joining system was developed in the 1950's by a Swiss carpenter (Hermann Steiner) as a means of joining together Chipboard.
The compressed Biscuits are quite loose in the Slots or Grooves when first assembled but swell to become a tight fit when the glue wets them. This makes the joints easy to assemble but requires them to remain in Cramps when glued.
Biscuit Joints are often used to strengthen a Widening Joint but can be used in many joint configurations. The Biscuits can be fitted in to the crescent shaped slots machined specifically for the task by a Biscuit Jointer, into a similar shaped slot machined by a Router fitted with a Slot Cutter or simply set alongside each other in a continuous through Groove.