Abstract: A method enabling maintenance intervention on a chopping machine. In the method at least one strand is drawn through a first chopping assembly in operation, the first chopping assembly including a first chopping wheel and a first anvil wheel, the first chopping assembly being secured to a chassis mounted to move about an axle. The chassis is rotated about its axle until a second chopping assembly initially in a position of non-operation is brought into the vicinity of the strand, the second chopping assembly being secured to the chassis and including a second chopping wheel and a second anvil wheel. The second chopping assembly is set in operation and the strand is led in between the second chopping wheel and the second anvil wheel. The first chopping assembly is brought into the position of non-operation.

Abstract: A multi-core optical fiber which has a plurality of core portions arranged separately from one another in a cross-section perpendicular to a longitudinal direction, and a cladding portion located around the core portions, the multi-core optical fiber comprises a cylindrical portion of which diameter is even, and a reverse-tapered portion gradually expanding toward at least one edge in the longitudinal direction, wherein a gap between each adjacent ones of the core portions in the reverse-tapered portion is greater than that in the cylindrical portion.

Abstract: As the endface preparation of the coated optical fiber, cutting using thermal stress is carried out, and a ceramic heater is used as a heat source, thereby making it possible to provide a coated optical fiber endface preparation method and tool capable of increasing the cutting success rate of the coated optical fiber. The coated optical fiber is removed of its coating to obtain the bare optical fiber. The bare optical fiber is heated by the heat source consisting of the ceramic heater, and is cut by further adding stress to part of the bare optical fiber which has been provided with the thermal stress. When heating the bare optical fiber, the product of a temperature and the heating time of the heat source is made 3000° C. sec or more.

Abstract: Reinforced fiber insulation is formed by depositing a mixture of textile fiber segments and rotary and/or flame attenuated segments on a surface, mixing a binder with the fibers, and heating the binder to join the fibers together. The low cost process provides a mixed fiber insulation product with improved strength after compression.

Abstract: The deposit of natural or synthetic silica comprises a preform (1) set into rotation (7) in front of a plasma torch (3) which moves back and forth substantially parallel to a longitudinal direction (L) of the preform (1), a feed duct (9) for feeding the plasma with grains of natural or synthetic silica (11), characterized in that the same feed duct (9) feeds the plasma with a fluorine or chlorine compound, preferably a fluorine compound, mixed with a carrier gas (15). Sodium or lithium contained in the grains of natural or synthetic silica reacts with the fluorine or chlorine of the fluorine or chlorine compound, making it possible to improve the optical quality of fibers built up with the natural or synthetic silica at reduced cost.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for producing dried, chopped strands from a supply of continuous fiber strands by the direct deposition of wet, chopped strands ejected from a chopping assembly into a drying chamber is disclosed. A transition chute is interposed between the chopping assembly and the drying chamber to guide the chopped strands to pass directly into the drying chamber.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for the in-line production of composite strand material and the conversion of at least a portion of the strand material into a composite product. The apparatus (10) includes a combining station (48) where glass fibers (14) with a second polymeric material (66) are combined to form composite strand material (16), and at least one mold (54) for receiving a portion of the composite strand material and forming the portion into a composite product. The apparatus also includes transfer equipment for moving the composite strand material from the combining station to the mold, which may include a computer-controlled robotic arm (52). In another embodiment, the apparatus includes a collecting device (18) for accumulating the composite strand material (16) in looped form and equipment for delivering the accumulated portion from the collecting device to the mold (54).

Abstract: A process and device for manufacturing cut threads according to which glass threads composed of continuous filaments are coated with a liquid non-aqueous size, which can react under the effect of actinic radiation. The threads are cut by a member which is also used to draw or entrain the threads mechanically before they are subjected to actinic radiation.