Abstract: An apparatus for laying a mat of fibrous material which includes an upwardly inclined belt onto which the fibrous material is fed, one or more combing roller located above the belt, a stripping roller at the upper end of the belt for removing the material from the belt and passing it into a mechanism for laying the material into a mat. The angle of inclination of the incline belt and the position of the first combing roller as such that the material can build up to reach a critical angle of repose and then slide back down. A second combing roller located upstream of the first combing roller serves to comb the material to a constant depth, and the speed of the incline belt is adjustable to determine the amount of material leaving the incline belt and thus regulate the thickness of the formed mat.