Abstract: A phenolic moulding composition in solid form, such as a dough moulding composition or sheet moulding composition, comprises a phenol formaldehyde novolak resin; a phenol formaldehyde resole resin as cross linking agent for the novolak resin; fibrous reinforcement; and non-fibrous particulate filler in an amount greater than the combined amount of the novolak and resole resins; the weight proportions of the ingredients being in the ranges______________________________________ phenolic resins 20-40% fibrous reinforcement 20-50% non-fibrous particulate filler 25-50% ______________________________________Articles moulded from the compositions under heat and pressure have the flexural strength and impact strength required in certain precision parts for the automotive and engineering industries.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for filling a generally tubular autmotive silencer casing with glass fibres are characterized by the feature of filling the casing from both ends simultaneously, preferably with the aid of spacer elements temporarily located on the ends of the casing during the filling step, any overflow of fibres into these elements being subsequently pushed into the casing to give a uniform density fill prior to installing end caps. The process/apparatus preferably also features bulking of the fibres by passing them through a specific jet configuration more than one of which may be used at each filling station.

Abstract: A method of manufacture of staple glass fibers by drawing a plurality of glass filaments, from a bushing and chopping them directly into staple fibers without intervening winding and storage is characterized by initiating the drawing by forming the filaments into a coil on the circumference of an auxiliary roller, forming an initial winding by rotating the roller with progressively increasing surface speed until the filaments advancing towards the roller attain the normal production drawing speed for the bushing, then diverting the filaments while still travelling at that speed, and without breaking them, into driving contact with a cutter back-up roll driven with substantially the same surface speed as the production speed, advancing the diverted filaments by means of the roll into a cutting zone whereat they are both severed from the initial winding and continuously chopped into staple fibers.

Abstract: Coherent strands are made from a dispersion of asbestos fibres in an aqueous soap solution containing up to 100 percent molar excess of fatty acid, by a process including the steps of forming a stream of dispersion and chilling the newly formed stream sufficiently to gel the dispersion.