Abstract: A system is provided for forming a continuous mineral fiber wool tow and cutting the tow into discrete lengths. The system comprises a conveying apparatus for pulling a mineral fiber wool tow from a mineral fiber pack at a first location and transporting the tow to a chopping station. A chopping apparatus is positioned at the chopping station for chopping the tow into discrete lengths. The conveying apparatus further receives the discrete lengths at the chopping station and transports the discrete lengths to a collecting station. The conveying apparatus further includes a collection device located at the collecting station for receiving the discrete lengths of mineral fiber wool material and collecting the discrete lengths for subsequent use.

Abstract: An irregularly shaped glass fiber is provided which enjoys improved resiliency, and openness in pack structures. Wool packs and other wool portions having such irregularly shaped fibers may be processed directly through needling to form a non-woven material without intervening steps such as carding or blending of fibers which accompany conventional glass fiber processing operations. In a further aspect of the invention, a non-woven material including irregularly shaped fibers in a generally continuous wool tow is produced by "unwinding" a fiberglass wool pack collected by a direct forming method. Product applications include simplified, lower cost processing, and new uses of the irregularly shaped fibers produced by rotary fiberization in filtration elements, sorbants, gaskets, packings, shingles, composite structural elements, furnishings, textiles, yarns, and blown-in insulation systems.

Abstract: A method for providing a roof structure of the type having a plurality of purlins spaced apart from one another in a parallel arrangement is disclosed. A first section of the roof structure, which includes purlins, a support sheet, insulation material, and hard roofing material, is completed. A carriage is then moved in a first direction along the length of the purlins and away from the first section of the roof structure to define a gap between the completed first section and the carriage. The movement of the carriage pays out a support sheet from the carriage so that the support sheet depends from adjacent purlins in the gap. A wind barrier, which is in a generally horizontal position to prevent wind from blowing vertically through the gap, is provided, thereby hindering wind disturbance of the support sheet.

Abstract: A method of forming an integrated pack of organic and mineral fibers includes centrifuging mineral fibers from molten mineral material using a mineral fiber spinner, directing the mineral fibers into a downwardly moving veil, generating an array of aligned organic fibers from a die and directing the organic fibers into contact with the mineral fibers to integrate the organic fibers with the mineral fibers, and collecting the integrated mineral fibers and organic fibers as a fibrous pack.

Abstract: An insulation panel has a modular thermal insulation vacuum panel and a frame structure secured to the outer periphery. An outer edge portion of the panel and frame assembly is provided with a profile and is adapted to mate with an edge of an adjacent thermal insulation panel and frame assembly. Profile members may be inserted between insulation panels to form a wall assembly. Insulation panels have a central portion of reduced thickness so as to allow for application of conduits. The modular thermal insulation vacuum panel has insulating media enclosed within spaced panel segments.

Abstract: A fibrous product is produced by providing a collection of fibrous material, and encapsulating the fibrous material by covering the fibrous material with a film to form an encapsulated blanket of the fibrous material. The encapsulated blanket is then needled to cause entanglement of the fibrous material, thereby producing a needled, encapsulated fibrous product.

Abstract: An adhesive is applied to a material under compression such that the adhesive penetrates the material when the material is a porous material (e.g., a fiberglass batt). Upon release from being compressed, the material returns to nearly its original size and shape and some of the adhesive penetrates into the material a given distance. Many mats of the material bearing the adhesive at selected locations can be placed on a common carrier for easy dispensing using a dispenser. The common carrier can be refurbished for reuse.

Abstract: A fiber insulation product is provided which includes a fibrous material having a binder dispersed throughout. The binder comprises an inorganic material having thermoplastic properties. Preferably, the binder is a low-melting glass composition or a glass-forming compound such as, for example, boric acid. The insulation product is ideally suited for use in insulation panels having a compressed board encased in a evacuated jacket, high temperature, low smoke, odorless and building insulation applications.

Abstract: A method of placing compressed insulation material into a container for subsequent removal includes selecting a group of packages of compressed insulation material to be put into the container, attaching a line to the group, where the line is attached substantially at the top of the group so that at least an upper segment of the group can be pulled out of the container by pulling the line and tipping over the upper segment, and placing the group into the container.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for damping vibration such as sound in a vibration generating device such as an appliance. A constraining layer and an adhering layer are provided. The adhering layer including a viscosity enhancing material such as a cellulose fiber, and an adhesive material. The constraining layer is adhered to a surface of an device with the adhering layer.

Abstract: Our unique process applies pressure sensitive hot melt adhesive to fiberglass insulation with improved adhesion to the insulation surface and the adjoining substrate. As opposed to the typical spray or bead extrusion methods, the preferred embodiment applies a ribbon of adhesive to the blanket and pulls it into the insulating glass with a vacuum. The adhesive penetrates the glass and becomes an integral part of the insulating blanket.

Abstract: A spinner for centrifuging mineral fibers from molten mineral material is disclosed. The spinner includes a generally annular peripheral wall, the peripheral wall having a plurality of apertures formed therethrough, and a plurality of eyelets mounted in the apertures, each eyelet having multiple orifices formed therethrough.

Abstract: A method of packaging compressible insulation material includes feeding insulation material into contact with a mandrel, rolling up the insulation material on the mandrel to form an insulation roll, applying pressure on the insulation material, during the rolling of the insulation material, with a pair of opposed belts which are adapted to contact the roll being formed with an increasing area of contact as the diameter of the roll increases, and increasing tension on the belts as the diameter of the roll increases in order to maintain a substantially constant pressure on the insulation material.

Abstract: A termite shield according to the present invention provides a physical barrier between a foundation and a wooden building structure, a detection mechanism for detecting termite presence, and a chemical termiticide in the form of a bait block. The termite shield includes a sill plate barrier which is positioned between a masonry foundation and a sill of a wooden structure. An interior bait block holder is removably attached to the sill plate barrier on an interior side of the foundation, and an exterior bait block holder is removably attached to the sill plate barrier at an exterior side of the foundation. The bait block holders may be provided with a block of wood which is inspected periodically to detect the activity of termites. If termites are detected, the block of wood may be replaced with a bait block of cellulosic material containing termiticide.

Abstract: An insulated vessel (10, 100, 130) is provided which is adapted to receive a low or high temperature material to be insulated from the environment. The vessel comprises inner and outer membranes (20, 110, 140) and (30, 120, 150) and an outer casing (40, 170). The inner membrane defines an inner cavity for receiving the low or high temperature material and has a first portion which defines an entrance into the inner membrane. The outer membrane encases the inner membrane such that a space is defined between the inner and outer membranes. The outer membrane includes a second portion which is positioned adjacent to the first portion. An insulating material (60, 160) is located in the space between the inner and outer membranes. The inner and outer membranes are joined together so as to seal off the space from the environment. The space is evacuated to less than atmospheric pressure. The outer casing surrounds the outer membrane and has sufficient strength to provide structural and abuse integrity to the vessel.

Abstract: A vacuum insulation panel includes a blended wool media made up of fibers having at least two different average fiber diameters. The blended wool media includes small fibers which improve thermal performance of a vacuum insulation panel and large fibers which improve the mechanical strength of the insulating media and reduce the time required to produce a vacuum within the panel.

Abstract: The present invention involves the use of a braze preform (28) for sealing and maintaining a vacuum in an insulation vessel (10). The braze preform (28) comprises particles of a braze material that are at least partially sintered together and at least substantially free of a binder. An assembly is provided for use in a method of manufacturing a vacuum insulation vessel (10). The assembly comprises a metal jacket (12) defining an interior space (20) to be evacuated and one or more evacuation ports (24) formed through a wall of the jacket (12). The evacuation ports (24) provide an opening to the interior space (20). The sintered braze preform (28) is located adjacent to the evacuation ports (24) so as to seal the evacuation ports (24) upon the melting of the brazing material. After the interior space (20) of the jacket (12) is evacuated, the preform (28) can be melted and allowed to solidify and seal the evacuation ports (24). In this way a vacuum can be maintained in the interior space (20).

Abstract: A garage door insulation system includes a garage door having a major surface, an insulation layer of mineral fiber insulating material having a major surface, and an asphalt layer positioned between the major surfaces of the garage door and the insulation layer. The asphalt layer provides sound damping for the garage door. Preferably the asphalt layer acts as an adhesive to bond the insulation layer to the garage door. In a preferred embodiment, the major surface of the garage door is contoured, and the asphalt layer and insulation layer are deformable to the contour of the garage door.

Abstract: A loose-fill insulation product having irregularly shaped glass fibers is provided. The loose-fill insulation product shows improved recovery, lower thermal conductivity and requires lower product densities than prior art loose-fill insulation at equivalent fiber diameters.