Abstract: The present invention relates to a surface treatment and a method for its application for the introduction of a wide variety of differentiating properties to fibersin sliver form through a surface treatment of said fibers. The system can accommodate chemical processes, sonochemical processes, and acoustic cavitation processes whereby the fibers are speckled or plated with at least one predetermined compound in a liquid medium to impart at least one desired property to the fibers and for the orderly inclusion of such treated fibers in sliver form having such properties in yarns, woven, knit, or non-woven textiles.

Abstract: A stretchable flame resistant fabric (10) formed from a series of flame resistant warp yarns (11) interwoven with a series of filling yarns (12). The filling yarns (12) comprise core yarns (15) formed from an elastic material, wrapped with a series of wrap yarns (16) formed from a flame resistant material. The stretchable flame resistant fabric (10) thus provides a desired degree of flame resistance protection, while at the same time is stretchable in one direction to provide the fabric with greater flexibility without sacrificing flame resistance protection.

Abstract: A method and machine for forming nonwoven batts containing refractory fibers such as carbon, glass, ceramic or metallic fibers, includes a conveying table (12) provided with scalloped rollers (90, 92) which separate tows of filaments (16) and spread the filaments on a conveying table. A feed roller (80) holds the filaments on the table so that they are conveyed to a rotating lickerin (60). The lickerin (60) is provided with teeth (62) which grasp the filaments so that a tensile force is applied thereto, thereby breaking the filaments at structurally weak points in the filaments. The fibers are mixed with textile fibers and transferred to a foraminous condenser (144) by blowing the fibers through a duct (112). The fibers are arranged on the conveyor (114) in a random fashion to form a batt.

Abstract: The apparatus includes an air temperature and humidity control chamber, a chopper room, strand choppers in the chopper room, a first controllable pitch fan having an inlet connected to the temperature and humidity control chamber and an outlet connected to the chopper room, a forming hood beneath the choppers, an endless conveyor chain beneath the forming hood, a chopped strand collecting chamber for collecting chopped strands which happen to pass through the conveyor chain, a suction chamber disposed beneath an upper flight of the conveyor chain and partitioned into a plurality of sections each having an inlet communicating with the forming hood through the conveyor chain and being provided with nozzle-forming downstream convergent baffle plates therein and an outlet communicating with the chopped strand collecting chamber through a duct having an adjustable damper therein securable in an adjusted position, a second controllable pitch fan having an inlet connected to the chopped strand collecting chamber and