Abstract: A method and apparatus for cutting continuous funicular material such as tow bands of fibrous material of glass, synthetics, metal, or staple spun threads of any generic type is disclosed wherein two relatively movable closely spaced members are provided with a plurality of knives affixed to the surface of at least one of the members. The material is fed between the rotors and trapped and cut by the knives in a scissors-like manner. In a preferred embodiment, the members are both rotors mounted concentrically each with a plurality of knives. After cutting, the cut staple is flung outwardly from the rotors by centrifugal force.

Abstract: An apparatus and process is described for deflecting a continuous yarn moving along a first to a second path to lay flat on a surface of an upstream roll of a pair of rolls at least adjacent a cutting zone defined by the circumferential contacting surfaces of the rolls of a cutting machine. The first path of movement is above and in a zone between the sides of one roll, the blade-carrying roll, which may comprise either the upstream or downstream roll, and the yarn is deflected at such time that it is being drawn at an operational speed of movement and at a speed equalized with the drawing speed of movement of other yarns.

Abstract: A cutting device for cutting threads into predetermined lengths. The device has a first rotatable smooth faced drum and a second rotatable blade bearing drum having a plurality of radially extending circumferentially spaced cutting blades on the outer periphery thereof. Centrifugal force responsive means comprising fins connected to a deformable ring are positioned between the blades and on rotation of the drums act to press a thread onto the smooth faced drum. The blades are connected to the blade bearing drum only at their ends.

Abstract: In a cutting machine for a synthetic filament tow the filament tow 3 before passing between the cutting rolls 1/2 is traversed laterally to and fro. The present invention teaches, in which manner the traversing movement of the tow guide 5, moved to and fro using a grooved drum 10, is to be effected for obtaining a linear, i.e. optimum, fibre length diagram of the cut fibres. In particular, the mathematic formula for the shape of the guide groove 9, as unrolled in a plane, of the grooved drum 10 is given.

Abstract: A method of manufacture of staple glass fibers by drawing a plurality of glass filaments, from a bushing and chopping them directly into staple fibers without intervening winding and storage is characterized by initiating the drawing by forming the filaments into a coil on the circumference of an auxiliary roller, forming an initial winding by rotating the roller with progressively increasing surface speed until the filaments advancing towards the roller attain the normal production drawing speed for the bushing, then diverting the filaments while still travelling at that speed, and without breaking them, into driving contact with a cutter back-up roll driven with substantially the same surface speed as the production speed, advancing the diverted filaments by means of the roll into a cutting zone whereat they are both severed from the initial winding and continuously chopped into staple fibers.

Abstract: A cutter is provided for cutting rope into fibers of the same or varying lengths. A plurality of blades are provided having cutting edges arcuately arranged and facing either inwardly or outwardly. Rope is fed against the cutting edges and through the spaces between them. The cutting blades are parallel to each other and are obliquely arranged with respect to a plane passing through all of the cutter blades. In a preferred embodiment, the blades are equally spaced from each other so that the resulting cut products comprises a multiplicity of cut fibers which all have approximately the same length. Also disclosed is a novel reel structure comprising a pair of superposed blade support rings with a coaxial hub member extending therebetween and providing support therefor. A plurality of spokes extend radially from the hub and are connected to at least one of the blade support rings.

Abstract: A continuous cutter ring or hoop having relatively thick, large-angle chisel teeth to bend and break attenuated glass fibers in a glass fiber chopping assembly is disclosed. The continuous cutter is an annular ring or hoop of steel or other hard material which is formed having an outer circumference provided with integral, regularly spaced, raised cutting teeth. The continuous cutter is secured on a suitable cutter wheel which cooperates with a second wheel having an elastomer cot around its circumference with the glass fibers to be severed passing between the continuous cutter and the elastomer cot. The cutter teeth are generally chisel-shaped and sever the glass fiber strand without cutting or destroying the elastomer cot. The integrally formed cutter teeth will not separate from the cutter ring and are not subject to being misaligned.

Abstract: An inside-out cutter for material such as tow in which there is a single pressure roller, which roller has an outside diameter larger than one-half the inside diameter described by the cutting edges of the blades. The large diameter of such roller provides a gradual rather than an abrupt entrance-way for the fiber between the roller and the blades. The apparatus further is constructed to permit the movement of the pressure roller to be moved from a fiber cutting relation to the blades to a more centered position for removal of the roller from the apparatus, as when changing blades or the like.

Abstract: A threading member secured to an end of a cot roll of a strand chopping apparatus and having a cam surface for laterally moving a strand to the periphery of the cot roll as the cot roll is rotated at normal speed and the strand is held in engagement with the cam surface.

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

Abstract: Apparatus for drawing newly-spun and dressed glass filaments from a bushing comprises, in combination, a rotary cutter constituted by a blade roll with radially directed blades projecting from its surface and a second, back-up roll having a resilient surface, said rolls being mounted with their axes substantially parallel and with at least the tips of the blades in contact with said resilient surface to define a cutting zone for the cutter, together with an auxiliary, independently driven start-up roll, variable speed drive means for accelerating said auxiliary roll to a surface speed at least equal to the surface speed of the back-up roll under production conditions, and guide means operable to divert a bundle of filaments being wound on said auxiliary roll to the surface of the back-up roll and thereafter into the cutting zone of the cutter, whereby the filaments are cut into staple fibres. A method of manufacturing staple fibres based on the use of above apparatus is also disclosed.

Abstract: Process and apparatus for continuously cutting a tow of continuous filaments and opening the resulting fibers are described. Immediately after the tow is cut, while the fibers are still in an orderly array, they are transported to an opening device, especially garnett wires, where the fibers are opened without damage.The apparatus modifies existing tow cutting devices of the type including crown-arranged and radially oriented knives, means for winding the tow around the knife edges and means for pressing the tow against the knife edges by providing an annular fiber collector at the rear of the ring of knives for collecting the fibers while they are still oriented in the same direction and feeding the orderly array of fibers to at least one garnett wire carried on at least one rotatable cylinder located at the outlet of the fiber collector.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for gathering strand material from a plurality of sources of strand material comprising a rotatable roll means for pulling the strand material from the sources, primary drive means for rotating the roll means, ring means mounted for rotation coaxially with the roll means and adapted to pull strand material from one or more of the sources, secondary drive means for rotating the ring means at rates independent of the rotation of the roll means, and means for axially moving the ring means into and out of communication with the roll means.

Abstract: A machine for cutting a travelling tow of synthetic plastic filaments to produce staple fibers has a blade carrier from which cutting blades project and have their free ends secured to a concentric surrounding ring. The facing annular surfaces of ring and carrier are shaped to resemble portions of a hollow and of a solid sphere, respectively, and together define an annular cutting channel. A tow pressing ring is arranged skew to the axis of this channel, so that it enters into the channel at one side but is spaced from and defines with the inlet to the channel a gap at the opposite side. One or the other of the carrier and ring is positively rotated. When tow is fed through the gap into the channel it forms on the carrier one or more convolutions which are progressively pressed deeper into the channel by the pressing ring until they reach and are cut by the cutting blades.

Abstract: A modification to a reel type staple cutter that includes a compartmentalized assembly located below the cutter reel, each compartment forms an isolated cutting zone which reduces the opportunity for falling tufts of cut staple to mix and intermingle to form clumps which are difficult to open. The curved top plate of each compartment provides a downward force vector which assists gravitational forces and injected air to overcome centrifugal and adhesive forces tending to prevent staple from falling. Plates and baffles attached to a stationary shell located beneath the cutter reel split the cut fibers into discrete tufts despite the cohesive nature of the product and promote flow down and from each compartment.

Abstract: A cutting roller 2 of a glass filament chopping apparatus mounts a plurality of spaced, axially parallel cutting blades 19 held in receiving grooves 20 by retainer strips 21. The peripheral flange surfaces 24, 25 of the cutting roller on the opposite ends of the roller drum 18 are raised to almost the radius of the cutting blade edges, and serve as driving engagement surfaces when the rotating cutting roller is biased into contact with a feed roller 1.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for forming glass filaments comprised of (a) a plurality of spaced apart forming sections wherein each section is comprised of (i) a feeder adapted to supply a plurality of streams of glass to be attenuated into continuous filaments, a zone being defined by the paths of the free-falling streams, (ii) applicator means laterally spaced from said zone adapted to apply a coating to the advancing filaments, (iii) first guide means laterally spaced from said zone adapted to gather the filaments into a strand, the guide means and applicator being positioned such that the coating is applied to the filaments at a region external to said zone and intermediate the feeder and the first guide means along the path of advancement of the filaments, (iv) secondary attenuation means laterally spaced from the zone adapted to advance the filaments as waste, (b) a single primary attenuation means adapted to simultaneously attenuate the streams from each section into filaments; and (c) second guide means posit

Abstract: Two horizontally spaced parallel shafts (27,28) are rotatably mounted on a base plate (24) having an aperture (27a) therethrough. Each shaft has a plurality of rows of radially extending fingers (36). A casing (38,40) around the fingered portions of the shafts has an inlet throat (44) for receiving shopped strands (16). The shafts are operatively connected by a pair of gears (32,34), and a motor (30) connected to one of the shafts drives the shafts to move the fingers upwardly between the shafts for breaking up clumps of strands and carrying strands of a desired chopped length around the outer sides of the shafts for exit through the aperture. Excessively long strands become wrapped around one or the other of the shafts.

Abstract: Short lengths of uniform length are cut from a mass of non-oriented fibers by combing and periodical cutting.

Abstract: A roving cutter with a positive ejection cutting head in which the ejection elements provided in the spaces between the circumferentially spaced cutting blades are mounted in eccentrically rotating end places under axial tension so as to form with the end plates a squirrel cage-like rigid assembly. By placing the ejection elements under lengthwise tension they can be given the required rigidity in spite of being reduced in cross section, for example to take on the form of rods or wires. Because of this, longer cutters become possible and in cutters of conventional length greater clearances can be obtained and thus the build-up of fiber material or dust in the spaces between the blades more effectively avoided.

Abstract: This invention pertains to an improved blade retaining means for a blade roll used in a chopper assembly which severs continuous lengths of a material into discrete increments. Prior art devices provided blade retaining means which facilitated stress-inducing vibrations and generated stress concentrations in the ends of the blades. Attempts to cushion the blades using an elastomer blade restraining insert were incapable of eliminating contamination of the work product due to a severing of the insert when the blades were installed and used. Other blade retaining means were incapable of reuse and prevented use of the chopper blades directly from the manufacturer, i.e., all of the blades had to be cut to an exact and equal length. Accordingly, the present invention provides an improved blade retaining means comprising an annular blade retainer 52 positioned at each end of a blade roll cylinder member 50 wherein a side surface of each of the blade retainers 52 has at least one annular groove 62.

Abstract: An improved apparatus for cutting material such as filamentary tows into predetermined lengths comprising (a) a cutting assembly including a plurality of spaced apart knife edges secured to a mounting member at equal radial distances from a point on said mounting member thereby forming a reel, each of said radial distances in every instance being less than the distance from said point to the periphery of said mounting member; (b) said cutting assembly having means adapted to receive successive wrappings of material to be cut in contact with a plurality of said knife edges so that no relative movement occurs between said material and said knife edges longitudinally of said material; and (c) means for forcing said material between adjacent knife edges thereby severing said material into lengths of controlled dimensions, wherein the improvement comprises: means for preventing at least most of said knives from moving in a direction longitudinal of said knife edges.

Abstract: The shredding of fibres in the form of bands or strands to staple fibres with short staple length and fibre velocities of up to 6,000 m/min is attained by winding the fibre tow around a cutting ring with adjustable blades and cutting up the fibre tow by pressure rollers pressing radially on the winding. The feeding of the fibre tow is synchronized with the pressure rollers, as these rollers are fixed in supporting discs which rotate above and below the cutting ring with the same velocity as the depositing nozzle.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for cutting continuous material wherein the material is wrapped around a drum and positively forwarded directly against cutter blades.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for forming glass filaments are provided by (a) a plurality of spaced apart forming sections wherein each section is comprised of (i) a feeder adapted to supply a plurality of streams of glass to be attenuated into continuous filaments, a zone being defined by the paths of the free-falling streams, (ii) applicator means laterally spaced from said zone adapted to apply a coating to the advancing filaments, (iii) first guide means laterally spaced from said zone adapted to gather the filaments into a strand, the guide means and applicator being positioned such that the coating is applied to the filaments at a region external to said zone and intermediate the feeder and the first guide means along the path of advancement of the filaments, (iv) secondary attenuation means laterally spaced from the zone adapted to advance the filaments as waste, (b) a single primary attenuation means adapted to simultaneously attenuate the streams from each section into filaments; and (c) second guide means po

Abstract: An idler roll adapted to engage a moving textile strand is comprised of a plurality of substantially parallel, spaced apart cylindrical rods positioned along a base circle wherein the diameter of the base circle, the diameter of the cylindrical rods and the distance measured along the base circled between the center lines of adjacent rods are determined according to specific predetermined relationships.

Abstract: Strips cut by an edge trimmer are engaged by rollers pulling the strips through a pipe and permitting the strips to hang down and descent through a funnel towards a horizontally operating cutter comprised of an annular blade across which passes an excentrically rotating blade, to cut the strips into small pieces. The rotating portion of the cutter may include two blades, and the stationary part may have plural annular blades arranged around the axis of the rotation of the blades; different strips such as from different trimmers are fed to the annular blades, surrounded by separate funnels.

Abstract: A system for manufacturing chopped strands of glass filaments wherein a multiplicity of glass filaments are extruded through orifices in the bottom of at least two spinning furnaces and a sizing agent is applied and the filaments are collected to form at least two strands. The strands brought into contact with the circumferential surface of a feed roller through a predetermined angle so as to be drawn and attenuated by frictional force exerted by the circumferential surface of the feed roller while the strands are cut into chopped strands of a predetermined length with a cutter roller in contact with the feed roller. An auxiliary feed roller is disposed adjacent to one end portion of and in axial alignment with the main feed roller and is driven independently thereof. An auxiliary cutter roller is adapted to contact under pressure the circumferential surface of the auxiliary feed roller to rotate therewith.

Abstract: Process and apparatus for cutting filamentary material using apparatus comprising a reel fitted with a plurality of spaced outwardly facing knife blades against which the material to be cut is wound and then severed by applied pressure, wherein entanglement of cut fibre is reduced or obviated by impingement against a divergent surface attached to and rotating with the cutter reel.

Abstract: A method of processing a fibrous cable fed at a high speed comprises the steps of braking the cable by coiling it on a stationary cylinder and simultaneously discharging at a low speed the lower cable windings by exerting downward pressure on the upper windings. The discharged windings can be deposited into containers or cut into staple fibers by pressing the discharged windings against stationary knives. A device for carrying out the method comprises an upright rotatable shaft having a hollow upper part for receiving the cable, a downwardly projecting guiding member attached to and communicating with the hollow upper part, a stationary cylinder surrounding the lower portion of the shaft and having in its cylindrical wall a plurality of vertical slits, a wobble plate disposed within the cylinder and having a plurality of fingers projecting through the vertical slits in the cylindrical wall.

Abstract: The present specification describes and claims a method and apparatus for cutting elongate material into predetermined lengths. The apparatus comprises a cutting assembly including a cutter wheel having a number of spaced apart knife edges projecting radially outwardly in the region of its periphery. Winding means are provided for winding successive layers of material to be cut in contact with the knife and a pressure wheel forces the material onto the knife edges as the cutter wheel rotates. Press nip rollers are arranged to feed the material to the cutter wheel and both the cutter wheel and the press nip rollers are driven by the same motor.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for forming discrete segments of fibrous glass comprises supplying a plurality of streams of molten glass; attenuating the streams into filaments and cutting the continuous filaments into discrete segments by a forming means; positioning a delivery means having a first collection zone and a second collection zone spaced from the first zone to receive said discrete segments; controlling said forming means to operate at a first speed or a second speed slower than the first speed; directing the discrete segments to said first zone when said forming means is operated at said first speed and to said second zone when said forming means is operated at said second speed.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a glass fiber chopped strand mat is disclosed, in which the dropping direction of chopped strands is detected at all times, so that whenever the dropping direction is varied, immediately the relative position of an axis of a feed roller and an axis of a cutter roller with respect to a stationary structure is displaced so as to correct the dropping direction thereby to uniformly accumulate the chopped strands on a conveyer means.

Abstract: A method of cutting glass fiber strands is disclosed wherein said strands are driven across the beam of an interruptable laser. The laser beam melts the strand at each pulse of the beam cutting the strand into short lengths. The cut strands can be immediately collected and packaged or can be further subjected to a drying procedure prior to packaging. The strands formed by this method have fused and comparitively even ends as opposed to the ragged uneven ends of mechanically chopped glass strands.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for cutting textile tow into staple is disclosed. The textile tow is wound onto a textile tow support which is rotatable at a predetermined angular velocity. A plurality of moveable cutting surfaces are attached integrally to the textile tow support around its periphery to permit the tow to be wrapped in surface contact with the cutting surfaces. The tow is cut into staple by transverse or orthogonal movement of the cutting surfaces with respect to the direction of winding of the textile tow on the textile tow support. In a first embodiment of the invention, the cutting surfaces comprise knife bands which are driven by rotation of the textile tow support. In the second embodiment, the cutting surfaces comprise reciprocating knives which are driven by rotation of the textile tow support.

Abstract: A modification to a reel type staple cutter wherein a hollow drive shaft for the reel communicates with internal passageways in the top plate of the cutter reel. Holes are formed through the top plate at locations between adjacent cutter blade assemblies. Air fed through the shaft is continuously jetted through the holes against advancing wads of cut staple to strip off staple.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for cutting tow by supplying the tow with a pair of rolls to form a package next to cutting edges inside a rotating ring of blades. A pressure roll forces the tow against the cutting edges which form a surface of rotation preferably at an angle of 5.degree. to 85.degree. to the axis of rotation of the circle of blades.

Abstract: A blade roll for a chopper of glass fiber strands having elastomer means for supporting the blades and blade retaining means to cooperate with the elastomeric means for restraining movement of the blades in both a circumferential and radially outward direction.

Abstract: Process and apparatus for cutting continuous strand or roving, particular strands of mineral material such as glass, into short lengths is disclosed. The apparatus employs a rotatable drum equipped with a large number of radially disposed cutting blades, the drum cooperates with a supporting device for supporting the strand as it is cut. Ejector bars are maintained in position on the drum between adjacent cutting blades by elastic mounting members that receive the ends of the ejector bars. The elastic mounting members cause the ejector bars to compress the strand against the support drum as the strand is being cut and, in conjunction with centrifugal force arising from rotation of the drum, to eject the cut pieces of strand from the cutting drum.

Abstract: A method and machine adapted to removed baked waffles from a succession of waffle irons on a feed conveyor, trim the waffles so removed into a regular peripheral configuration, and transfer those waffles in succession onto a transfer conveyor. The feed conveyor is adapted to convey a series of successive waffle irons, with baked waffles thereon, from an oven to a transfer location. A vacuum head of novel structure is provided at the transfer location to move cyclically in a machine direction of the feed conveyor between an upstream and a downstream location, the vacuum head being raised and lowered during that limited motion path to pick up waffles by vacuum from successive waffle irons without stopping the conveyor. The vacuum head is also movable in the cross machine direction of the feed conveyor between the feed conveyor and a transfer conveyor.

Abstract: An improved cutter for hot plastic strands is provided which uses an inwardly extruding frustoconical die and corresponding frustoncnical cutter rotating within the die. Severed particles are fluid cooled and cutter clearance is readily controlled even when a cutter has been reground for sharpening and the diameter reduced.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the chopping of glass strands is disclosed. The back-up or cot roller for the chopping blades includes an annular cutting surface or ring which is mounted on an expandable wheel, such as an inflatable wheel. By varying fluid pressure within the inflatable wheel, variations in the resiliency of the cutting surface are realized. This allows for a smoother operation of the chopping system and increases the life of the cutting surface. Further, the expandable wheel around which the cutting surface rides will adapt for variations in the thickness of the annular cutting surface and still give a consistent mesh with the cutting blades. Thus, it is now possible to employ cutting rings having inconsistent inner and outer diameters and to resurface the cutting surface by grinding that portion of the surface which has been partially gouged by the cutting blades to an even surface once again and thus to reuse the cutting ring.

Abstract: An improved apparatus for chopping glass strands is disclosed. The improvement comprises a feed roll for attenuating the strand prior to chopping with a surface having a series of deep grooves cut at desired angles with respect to the sidewalls of the roll. These special grooves reduce binder collection on the surface of the feed roll thereby reducing the tendency of glass strand to wrap around the feed roll during attenuation.

Abstract: Strand granulation machines characterized by cutter bearing rotors and strand passages wherein continuous strands are passed through generally cross-sectionally circular shear bushings at the exit end of which that they are engaged and severed by the rotating cutters are improved by employing spring-loaded rotating cutters in working relationship with a cutter positioning cam to move the cutters reciprocally generally along the radius of the circle generated by their sweep of rotation.

Abstract: A continuous in-line flock cutting process is disclosed, for making flock from tow which contains a lubricant which is detrimental to the flock and must be removed.The tow is continuously fed, heat treated and immersed in an aqueous scouring liquid, and is continuously wet-processed. The excess scouring liquid is squeezed out, the tow is rinsed with water, rinse water is squeezed out, and a finish is applied to the tow and partially squeezed out in an in-line continuous process to remove a portion of the applied finish. Thus processed, the still-wet tow is continuously cut into wet flock, the wet flock is then dried and beaten to open up and separate the individual flock particles, and screened.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for cutting tow by supplying the two with a pair of rolls to form a package next to cutting edges inside a rotating ring of blades. A pressure roll forces the tow against the cutting edges which form a surface of rotation preferably at an angle of 5.degree. to 85.degree. to the axis of rotation of the circle of blades.

Abstract: Strand granulation apparatus characterized by cutter bearing rotors and strand passages wherein the strands are passed through generally cross-sectionally circular shear bushings at the exit end of which they are engaged and severed by the rotating cutters are improved by employing shear bushings having noncircular cross-sections so disposed as to provide random positioning of strands when engaged by the cutters.

Abstract: A fiber cutter for cutting lengths of glass fibers and glass rovings into short lengths includes a cutter roller carrying a plurality of cutting blades and shaped annular means cooperatively associated with a resilient back-up roll means. In operation the force executed between the cutter roller and the back-up roller controls the spacing between the rollers by forcing the shaped annular means into the resilient surface of the back-up roller means. In addition to permitting control of spacing, the coaction of the cutter roller with its shaped annular means and the resilient back-up roll means holds the rollers in alignment, reduces the bounce between the rollers as the blades engage and pass over the back-up roll means and permit force to be used to build the blades in engagement with the back-up roll means without blade breakage.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for cutting and handling filaments which controls the vertical, lateral and axial movement of the filament during and after cutting to maintain filament in alignment while removing cut filament from the path of incoming filament. In accordance with the present invention filament is fed into an annular chamber formed by a rotary drum and an annular shroud in the direction of its longitudinal axis, and cut into lengths with a knife mounted on the forward end of the rotary drum as the knife is rotated through the incoming filament. During and after cutting, erratic vertical, axial and lateral movement of cut filament is confined by the walls of the chamber, by an adjustable stop within the chamber downstream of the knife positioned at the desired filament length, and by picking means mounted on the length of the drum within the chamber which closely follow the knife and contact the filament immediately after it has been cut.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for opening and conveying freshly spun staple fiber bundles. Said device is attached to a staple fiber cutter and consists of an axial blower with increased space between the fan blades and the interior wall of the casing.