Abstract: An improved laser processing head comprising a housing, a lens holder-nozzle mounted within the housing and a gas distributor for introducing gas adjacent a focusing lens retained within the housing to cool the lens and prevent the lens from becoming contaminated or damaged from material ablated from the workpiece. The gas distributor is comprised of a plurality of angled distribution slots that creates a vortex gas flow action directed away from the face of the lens and towards the nozzle outlet.

Abstract: Shipping container for transporting a fragile cylindrical sleeve is constructed to facilitate mounting and demounting of the sleeve without any damage thereto. The container is designed to align the sleeve with a mandrel in a surfacing machine or a drum of a nonwoven fabric producing machine, which is useful when a cylindrical sleeve is being transferred from the shipping container onto the mandrel or drum, or vice versa. The container is useful in transporting a blank cylindrical sleeve from its production facility to a surfacing facility, aligning and mounting the blank sleeve on a mandrel in a surfacing machine, removing the machined sleeve from the surfacing machine, transporting the machined sleeve to a nonwoven fabric production facility, and mounting and aligning the machined sleeve on a nonwoven fabric producing machine. The container includes an elongated outer housing having front and rear ends.