Abstract: A method of and apparatus for continuously foaming a polyimide prepolymer powder which is not susceptible to heating by microwave energy utilize a preheated conveyor belt to heat the powder in contact with and adjacent the surface of the conveyor belt to commence the reaction and foaming of the powder as it enters an oven which further heats the powder by convection and infrared radiation to form a continuous foam bun. The conveyor belt is cooled as it exits the oven to cool a bottom surface of the foam product to enable the foam product to be removed from the conveyor before interior portions of the foam product have cooled. Foam adhering to the conveyor belt, after the product has been removed, is cleaned from the conveyor belt, collected and mixed with and used as a filler in the prepolymer powder used in the process. In addition the mass of the powder entering the oven and the density and degree of cure of the foam bun exiting the oven are monitored to continuously control the process.

Abstract: Apparatus for producing organic fibers by means of a centrifugal spinning process. The fiberizing disc and the molten material introduction nozzle are designed to prevent the molten material from escaping the disc prior to being fiberized. The heater for heating the material in the disc is designed to accommodate the lower melt temperature of the material to be fiberized. Also, means are provided for diverting the flow of fibers from the disc to cause the fibers to be more precisely or uniformly deposited. The fibers are substantially immediately cooled upon exiting the fiberizing disc, resulting in a fiber structure that is at least about 60% amorphous.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming spiral wound rolls from strips of compressible material uses a first endless belt conveyor to deliver the strips of compressible material into a winding space. As the strip enters the winding space, the strip is compressed by a compression and slider plate to the desired thickness for the layers of strip material in the spiral roll. Then, the leading portion of the strip successively contacts: an inclined, second endless belt conveyor, a compression roll, and a third endless belt conveyor which together with the first conveyor define the winding space. The second conveyor extends upwardly at an acute angle to the first conveyor and as the strip of compressible material contacts the second conveyor it maintains the strip in compression and starts to turn the strip back upon itself to form the spiral roll. The strip next contacts the compression roll which is located intermediate the first and second conveyors.

Abstract: A flexible closure system seals off and insulates openings in external building walls or roofs where structures such as ducts penetrate the walls or roofs. The flexible closure system also isolates the structures from the walls or roofs by absorbing rather than transmitting vibrations. The flexible closure system includes an exterior rubber closure sheet and an interior silicone coated fiber glass fabric closure sheet which are both coextensive with the opening, secured to the structure and wall or roof, and form a cavity which is filled with glass fiber insulation.

Abstract: An insulating board is provided in which the capacity to absorb the moisture exemplified by wood fiber based board, cellulose fiber based board and perlite based board is coupled with the high permeability of fiberglass insulation to provide a board having a balance between the capacity to hold moisture and sufficient permeance to allow the board to give up the moisture as the board is passed through a cycle of absorption and desorption, whether it be on a daily or seasonable cycle.

Abstract: A lightweight wallboard having a density in the range of 10 pcf to 30 pcf and comprised of a faced layer of expanded siliceous inorganic particles, such as expanded perlite, bonded together by inorganic binder, such as sodium silicate. The board is made by depositing a mixture of particles, binder and water onto a moving web of facing material, contacting the mixture with an upper moving web of facing material, compacting the mixture to the desired shape and density and drying the resulting board. Fire resistant and water repellent versions of the formula are also disclosed.

Abstract: The apparatus includes a bushing, a cooling assembly, a sizing applicator, a glass filament gathering pad and a winder. A tip section of the bushing is provided with rows of tips having orifices from which streams of molten glass are attenuated into filaments. The tip section is recessed within an insulated frame that supports the bushing so that the insulated frame reflects heat back to the outer tip rows. The glass filaments are drawn from the bushing tips by the winder with the gathering pad functioning to gather the filaments together into a strand which is wound on the winder. Finned cooling tubes or a combination of finned cooling tubes and finless cooling tubes are located beneath the bushing in proximity to and between at least some of the rows of tips to maintain a more uniform temperature among the glass globules issuing from the tips in the various rows. The cooling tubes and fins are fabricated of an alloy having a major portion of palladium and a minor portion of ruthenium.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for producing organic fibers by means of a centrifugal spinning process. The fiberizing disc and the molten material introduction nozzle are designed to prevent the molten material from escaping the disc prior to being fiberized. The heater for heating the material in the disc is designed to accommodate the lower melt temperature of the material to be fiberized. Also, means are provided for diverting the flow of fibers from the disc to cause the fibers to be more precisely or uniformly deposited. The fibers are substantially immediately cooled upon exiting the fiberizing disc, resulting in a fiber structure that is at least about 60% amorphous.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a fiber glass blanket encapsulated within an air-permeable sheet on one major face and a non-porous film extending over the other major face and the two side edges. The film is applied by being wrapped around the edges of the backed blanket and preferably being heat sealed to the backing sheet. The air-permeable sheet is preferably applied to the blanket before curing of the binder in the blanket, and in a preferred method the glass fibers are deposited directly on the sheet while the sheet is supported on a collection chain.

Abstract: An insulating board in which the capacity to absorb the moisture exemplified by wood fiber based board, cellulose fiber based board and perlite based board is coupled with the high permeability of fiber glass insulation to provide a board having a balance between the capacity to hold moisture and sufficient permeance to allow the board to give up the moisture as the board is passed through a cycle of absorption and desorption, whether it be on a daily or seasonable cycle is provided with an air retarder sheet laminated thereto, which while it provides an air retarder and a water shield has a high permeance so as to allow water vapor to pass through.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for expanding the fiber column produced by a rotary fiber manufacturing unit and intermingling additive particles with the fibers. A rotating bell-shaped shell is mounted beneath the rotary disc of the manufacturing unit so that the lower portion of the shell is in the path of the fiber column, causing the column to be outwardly deflected. Additive particles are introduced from within or beneath the shell and are radially directed into the fiber column. Liquid binder may be introduced to the fibers and water may be directed onto the inner surface of the shell to cool the shell to prevent curing of binder coming in contact with the shell. The fibers may be glass fibers and the particles may be foamed resin, fibers or particles of various types.

Abstract: Described is a method of neutralizing acid containing compositions present in an insulation board comprising the steps of providing an insulation board containing a leachable acid composition and neutralizing the leachable acid by applying to the board an effective neutralizing amount of an inorganic alkali metal or alkaline earth metal salt. Preferably, the board is a phenolic foam having opposing sides of a fiberglass facer with the neutralizing agent embedded in the fiberglass facer.

Abstract: A process for producing fiberglass reinforced molded articles of superior surface quality involves preparation of a mat of glass fiber comprised of a majority of fibers having a diameter of less than one micron and a minority of fibers having a diameter greater than one micron. A sizing is applied to the fibers. The sizing includes a coupling agent preselected to be compatible with the moldable material, e.g. nylon. The glass fiber mat is comminuted into pieces shaped and dimensioned for combination with the moldable material to form a composite having a range of to 50% of glass fiber by weight. The composite is then molded by a conventional process to yield a fiberglass reinforced article with superior surface quality.

Abstract: A system for arresting movement of an aircraft traveling off the end of a runway at high speeds. Rigid, friable, fire resistant foam boards, preferably phenolic foam, are connected to form a panel, and a plurality of layers comprised of stacked panels are adhered to a base surface. The panels are formed from unfaced foam boards, the compressive strength of the stack of boards being less than the force exerted by the landing gear of the aircraft to allow the boards to be crushed by the landing gear.

Abstract: A sheathing board capable of transmitting water vapor while retaining good thermal conductivity properties. The board is formed of a core comprising rigid foamed plastic interspersed with spaced areas of water vapor permeable insulating material that extend from one major face of the core to the other. The major faces of the core are preferably faced with a water vapor permeable sheet, allowing water vapor to travel through the spaced areas of insulating material and the facing sheets. By aligning the spaced areas of material with the insulation in a wall cavity, the strength of the board and its thermal conductivity are maintained within acceptable limits.

Abstract: A bushing plate for use in the production of glass fibers has an array of nozzle tips. Each nozzle tip is formed to have a frusto-conical body with a central aperture. The walls of the nozzle tips have a constant thickness such that the diameter of the central aperture varies over the elongate dimension of the tip. The feature of constant sidewall thickness allows the glass filament size to be selected by trimming the height of the tip such that the appropriate aperture diameter is obtained. The nozzle tips are formed by progressive punching of preformed embossments on a bushing plate.

Abstract: An aircraft insulation product comprising a glass fiber blanket faced on at least one major face with an air permeable sheet. Insulating fibers coated with unbonded binder are directed to a web of the permeable sheet material supported on a moving collection chain, and the resulting fibrous layer and the web are sent to an oven where the binder is cured. The collection web thus becomes bonded to the blanket by the binder to become an integral part of the insulation product. A plurality of stacked blankets, the edges of which are covered by a film, may be used instead of a single faced blanket.

Abstract: A flexible coupling for connecting an engine manifold to an exhaust pipe to relieve torque. Concentrically spaced flexible tubes, which have insulation filling the annular space between them, are connected to inlet and outlet tubes having interior ends located between the ends of the flexible tubes. The inlet and outlet tubes have enlarged upstream ends and smaller downstream ends. By overlapping the ends of the inlet and outlet tubes, the tubes are able to have relative angular movement when the flexible tubes bend due to engine torque. One or more separate tubes which also have enlarged and smaller upstream and downstream ends may be provided to overlap with the inlet and outlet tubes to allow bending of longer couplings.

Abstract: An automotive exhaust system incorporating an insulated exhaust pipe. The insulation is selected so that it is very efficient at relatively low temperatures, thereby allowing the exhaust gases to reach the light-off temperature of the catalytic converter in a short time, and less efficient at high temperatures, thereby maintaining the temperature of the exhaust gases below the level at which aging of the catalytic converter increases.

Abstract: A non-woven fibrous mat of generally random fiber orientation with built up lines or strips of fiber formed therein directionally oriented to enhance the strength and/or appearance of a mat and a method and apparatus for efficiently producing the same by differentially controlling dewatering in a wet mat process.