Abstract: An apparatus for forming a fibrous structure includes a rotatable main drum having projections on its outer periphery for separating fibers from a fibrous feed, and directing the separated fibers through a fiber working section. The working section includes a movable satellite member positioned close to the main drum and having projections on its outer periphery for cooperating with the projections on the main drum to individualize the fibers as they are directed through the working section. A baffle is positioned adjacent the satellite member; between the satellite member and the exit from the working section. The baffle includes a lower air-directing section positioned close to the outer periphery of the main drum and having an air-diverting surface for intercepting air conveyed to it by the outer periphery of the main drum as the main drum is rotated.

Abstract: A method for forming a fibrous structure from a fibrous feed by: (1) directing the feed into engagement with projections on a rotating fiberizing drum for separating fibers from the feed; (2) directing the separated fibers to a release zone at which they are released from the periphery of the drum for subsequent conveyance to a foraminous forming surface upon which the fibrous structure is formed; and (3) sealing the outer periphery of the drum in a region between the fiber release zone and the region in which the fibrous feed is directed into engagement with the fiberizing drum by directing a gas against the outer periphery of the drum with a force component in a direction opposed to the direction of rotation of the drum and at a static pressure of at least about two atmospheres to provide a gas velocity which is sufficiently high to remove air trapped between the projections of the drum as the drum is being rotated.

Abstract: The invention resides in a method of forming a nonwoven web by employing a forming apparatus which includes a fiberizing roll for separating fibers from a feed mat and entraining them in a gaseous medium, a foraminous forming surface through which the gaseous medium passes and upon which the fibers are condensed to form a fibrous web, and a formation duct between the fiberizing roll and the forming surface for defining a flow path for the gaseous suspension of fibers from the fiberizing roll to the forming surface; the improvement wherein the formation duct includes front and back, substantially planar inner surfaces which may slightly converge in a direction from the fiberizing roll to the forming surface, but preferably diverge at an angle of up to about 41/2 degrees when the forming surface is a curved surface of a cylindrical drum, and up to about 11/2 degrees when the forming surface is a linear surface of a forming belt; the formation duct being inclined to the forming surface to define an incidence ang