Abstract: The present invention embraces an apparatus for, and methods of, forming mineral fibers, such as glass. Such invention comprising a mineral fiber forming bushing bottom wall comprising a base plate and elongated members projecting downwardly from the exterior undersurface of the base plate. The base plate is of a porous material such as a sintered, foamed or fusion bonded material to form a rigid structure adapted for flow of molten mineral material therethrough to form a layer of molten mineral material along the exterior undersurface thereof. The rod members are adapted for flow thereon of the molten mineral material from the flooded exterior undersurface for attenuation into mineral fibers.

Abstract: The present invention embraces the method of, and apparatus for, producing a stream feeder for flowing streams of molten mineral material, such as glass, from which filaments are attenuated comprising positioning a workpiece such that a pin enters a first locating hole of a set of locating holes, forming a first group of orificed projections in the workpiece, subsequently positioning the workpiece such that the pin enters a second locating hole of the set and forming a second group of orificed projections in the workpiece.

Abstract: A process and composition for use in the manufacture of fiber-reinforced cementitious products. In the preferred practice of the invention, glass fibers are coated with a size composition containing a finely divided inorganic material having a high surface area and a polyelectrolyte, and the resulting coated glass fibers are then laid down, along with a cement composition formulated to contain cement, the inorganic material and the polyelectrolyte, whereby water is removed from the cement composition to form a glass fiber reinforced cementitious product arranging to the Matschek or Magniani process.

Abstract: The invention relates to apparatus and method for producing fibers from heat-softened mineral material, such as glass. More specifically, this invention relates to method of, and apparatus for, producing glass fibers from an electrically heated bushing having a bottom wall with an orifice section for delivery of glass streams for attenuation into fibers comprising sensing the temperature at the orifice section, supplying a signal that varies in response to the sensed temperature and indicating that a disruption in fiber production has occurred when the supplied signal is outside a predetermined range.

Abstract: A collapsible mandrel having a longitudinally slit tubular shell providing a molding surface for glass fiber reinforced plastic pipe is provided with a removably mountable longitudinally slit sleeve as a molding surface for pipe of larger diameter.

Abstract: The disclosure embraces a method of and apparatus for processing heat-softenable materials, such as glass, to form fibers or filaments from the streams of material and more particularly effecting successive distortions, oscillations or vibrations of the streams of glass by directing streams or jets of liquid for cooling or quenching the streams of glass at the region of formation of the fibers or filaments for establishing successive kinks, bends or crimps in the attenuated fibers or filaments, and delivering or conveying by the quenching streams of liquid or other streams of liquid powdered or particulate materials or metals for combining with, coating or reacting with the glass of the streams at the region of formation of the fibers or filaments for producing combined metal and glass fibers or filaments or coating the glass fibers or filaments with metals or other materials and utilizing electric current potential applied to the streams of liquid entraining metal or other particulate materials for establish

Abstract: The invention relates to method and apparatus for producing fibers from heat-softened mineral material, such as glass. More specifically, this invention relates to method of and apparatus for glass fiber production using a bushing of the type having an orifice plate with a plurality of closely-spaced orifices and a flat exterior surface comprising moving a receiving member into spaced-apart relationship immediately below the orifice plate of the bushing, flowing heat-softened glass through the orifice plate to form a body of heat-softened glass between the receiving member and the orifice plate and in contact with the receiving member, and moving the receiving member with the body of glass from the orifice plate at a rate effective to form fibers.

Abstract: The present invention embraces apparatus for the production of mineral fibers. An electrically heated bushing for the maufacture of glass fiber comprises an electrically conductive bottom wall having orifices for the passage of streams of molten glass therethrough for attenuation into fibers and upwardly extending, electrically conductive, sidewalls. Each sidewall has an outwardly extending, electrically conductive flange. The bushing further comprises an electrically conductive material added to a portion of each flange to lower the electrical resistance of said portion to establish desired electrical current flow distribution in the bottom wall.

Abstract: The present invention embraces a method of, and apparatus for, forming mineral fibers, such as glass, comprising flowing stream of molten mineral material from a stream feeder through a plurality of orificed projections depending from the feeder floor, attenuating fibers from the streams of molten mineral material, and directing gas upwardly into contact with the streams of molten mineral material at a velocity and in an amount effective to convey away from the streams sufficient heat to render the material of the streams attenuable to fibers without appreciably disturbing the ambient gas above the streams in the region of the orificed projections, the improvement comprising restricting the flow of gas adjacent the plate in the region of the perimeter of the plurality of orificed projections while leaving the directed gas free to flow in the region of the perimeter of the streams of material.

Abstract: The present invention embraces method and apparatus for processing heat-softened mineral material. Heat-softened mineral material flows from a supply through a passage, such as the passage in a flow block member or a bushing block member, into a bushing. The heat-softened material is thermally conditioned in the passage by a heat pipe which is thermally isolated from the passage such that the heat pipe does not substantially act as a heat sink from the material to the passage.

Abstract: The invention relates to method and apparatus for finishing a plate having projections extending therefrom comprising reinforcing the projections of the plate with a material which can be removed without damage to the projections, cutting the projections to desired length, and removing the material.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for measuring two or more temperatures of a bushing and controlling those temperatures by introducing a gaseous fluid into contact with the bushing at two or more loci.

Abstract: Method of, and apparatus for, processing heat-softened fiber-forming material comprising a bushing block. The bushing block has a wall defining a passage for accommodating flow of heat-softened material from a supply into a fiber-forming bushing. The bushing block further includes insulating means comprising an insulating space surrounding the wall and a radiation shield surrounding the insulating space.

Abstract: A process and composition for treating glass fibers for use as reinforcement of cementitious materials. The glass fibers are first sized with a size composition containing cationic fiber forming organic polymer and then a second coating containing an anionic film-forming organic polymer is applied to the glass fibers whereby the cationic and anionic polymers react to form a thin film on the glass fiber surfaces. The resulting glass fibers have good wetting and dispersibility characteristics for use as reinforcement of cementitious materials.

Abstract: The mandrel has a cantilever-type mounting and includes a rotatable longitudinally slit tubular steel shell providing a molding surface on which thermosetting resin and glass fiber reinforcing material may be deposited to form tank bodies or pipe. A row of pneumatic actuators mounted inside the shell and spaced axially thereof includes piston rods attached to the shell along the slit on one side thereof. Retraction of the piston rods collapses the shell, which is flexible over the greater portion of its periphery and supported in the flexible portion by a plurality of rows of pivotable turnbuckle connectors or support rods, for removal of a cured tank body or pipe.

Abstract: The mandrel includes a generally cylindrical but tapered outer molding surface for forming a sidewall portion of a tank from thermosetting resin and reinforcing material deposited thereon and a tank bottom mold for forming a bottom portion of the tank integrally with the sidewall portion. The tank bottom mold is shiftable to strip a completed tank from the tapered molding surface.

Abstract: Apparatus for applying a thixotropic gel to fibers comprising a first block, a second block, means for holding the first block and the second block together to form a feed passage for the thixotropic gel, and an applicator roll rotatably mounted at the outlet of the feed passage such that during rotation of the applicator roll, thixotropic gel fed from the feed passage is sheared between the first block and the applicator roll to reduce the viscosity of the thixotropic gel, the applicator roll being spaced from the second block such that during rotation of the applicator roll, the thixotropic gel is not sheared between the second block and the applicator roll.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and apparatus for forming glass fibers. The invention comprises flowing streams of molten glass from a stream feeder through orificed projections depending from the feeder floor, directing gas upwardly into contact with the streams of molten glass at a velocity and in an amount effective to convey away from the streams sufficient heat to render the glass of the streams attenuable to fibers without appreciably disturbing the ambient gas above the streams in the region between the orificed projections and attenuating fibers from the streams of molten glass.

Abstract: The disclosure embraces a process and apparatus for producing a roving package of strands of glass fibers or filaments bearing a coating material including converging the strands into a linear bundle or roving with the strands oriented into a ribbonized formation and winding the bundle or roving into a package in an enclosed chamber and heating the package in the chamber sufficiently during its formation to cause the coating material on the strands to cohere the glass strands of the bundle or roving together so that upon cooling of the package the ribbonized roving can be readily unwound or removed.

Abstract: The present invention embraces a winder method and apparatus for collecting linear material such as glass strand into a wound package. The winder has a rotatable collet of a first material and a second material positioned on the collet. The second material has a coefficient of friction sufficient to engage the strand and to bring the strand into fixed engagement with the collet upon the rotation of the collet.