Abstract: A tubular fibrous blanket is formed using a rotary fiberizer which produces a tow of substantially continuous thermoplastic fibers and a suction chamber with an annular, vertically extending, collection surface spaced from and surrounding the rotary fiberizer. The fibrous tow is collected on the annular, vertical collection surface or on a foraminous backing sheet passing over the collection surface in a spiral of very low pitch with succeeding portions of the tow at least partially overlapping and preferably, substantially completely overlapping preceding portions of the tow to form the tubular blanket. The tubular fibrous blanket and the backing sheet, when used, can then be slit longitudinally and unfolded to form a flat blanket having continuous fibers extending substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the blanket.

Abstract: A tubular fibrous blanket is formed using a rotary fiberizer which produces a tow of substantially continuous thermoplastic fibers and a suction chamber with an annular, vertically extending, collection surface spaced from and surrounding the rotary fiberizer. The fibrous tow is collected on the annular, vertical collection surface or on a foraminous backing sheet passing over the collection surface in a spiral of very low pitch with succeeding portions of the tow at least partially overlapping and preferably, substantially completely overlapping preceding portions of the tow to form the tubular blanket. The tubular fibrous blanket and the backing sheet, when used, can then be slit longitudinally and unfolded to form a flat blanket having continuous fibers extending substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the blanket.

Abstract: A fibrous, non-woven thermal insulation comprises synthetic polymeric resin microfibers, staple fibers and bonding fibers which are randomly oriented and randomly intermingled in a single layer. The microfibers comprise between 0% and 95% by weight virgin synthetic polymeric resin and between 5% and 100% by weight recycled polyethylene teraphthalate. In one embodiment the microfibers have an average diameter between 1 to 10 microns and comprise between 5% and 80% by weight of the insulation; the staple fibers have an average diameter between 10 and 30 microns and comprise between 5% and 90% by weight of the insulation; and the bonding fibers have an average diameter between 0.9 and 15 denier and comprise between 5% and 95% by weight of the insulation. The bonding fibers have thermoplastic surfaces with a lower temperature softening point than the microfibers and staple fibers and bond the fibers together to form the insulation material.