Abstract: Fibers are produced a from molten thermoplastic fiberizable material in a rotary fiberizing process by passing the fiberizable material through rows of fiberizing holes in an annular sidewall of a fiberizing disk. A first manifold supplies a combustible gas or gaseous mixture into the fiberizing disk where the combustible gas or gaseous mixture combusts to help maintain the fiberizing disk and the molten fiberizable material supplied to the fiberizing disk within a desired temperature range for fiberization. A second manifold supplies a combustible gas or gaseous mixture externally of the fiberizing disk where the combustible gas or gaseous mixture combusts. The products of combustion from the burning of the combustible gases or gaseous mixtures discharged from the first and second manifolds heat an annular fiber attenuation zone surrounding the disk sidewall and help attenuate fibers in the heated attenuation zone.

Abstract: There are described a dimensionally stable laminate whose surfaces are formed by spunbonded webs and comprising at least two layers of spunbonded and at least one laid layer of reinforcing yarn, the laid layer or layers each being disposed between two layers of spunbonded and having a thread density of from 0.5 to 3 threads/cm, spunbonded and laid layers having been joined together by needling at about 20-70 stitches/cm2, a process for manufacturing this laminate, and its use for manufacturing roofing sheets and roof sealing sheets.

Abstract: A foam insulation sheet has a major surface, such as the interior surface of a duct liner over which gases flow within a duct, coated with a relatively smooth, tough elastomeric coating of substantially uniform thickness. Preferably, the coating has a tough skin and penetrates into interstices of the major surface of the foam sheet to firmly bond the elastomeric coating to the foam sheet. One method of forming the tough skin on the coating includes contacting a frothed aqueous cross-linkable acrylic latex emulsion, applied to the major surface of the foam sheet, with a hot ironing surface to dewater an exposed surface of the frothed emulsion, to free bubbles from the exposed surface of the frothed emulsion at the exposed surface of the frothed emulsion, prior to curing the remainder of the frothed aqueous cross-linkable acrylic latex emulsion.

Abstract: A fibrous insulation media is formed from a non-woven mat of thermoplastic fibers having a mean diameter of less than about 15 microns. Preferably, when used as an acoustical insulation, the media is formed of fibers having a mean diameter of less than about 13 microns; the media has a density of less than about 60 Kg/m3; and the media has a Fraiser air permeability of less than 75 cubic feet per minute per square foot of surface area. The media has first and second major surfaces and a fibrous core with at least one of the major surfaces having an integral skin thereon. The skin is formed by melting fibers at and immediately adjacent the major surface of the mat formed into the media to form a thermoplastic melt layer which is subsequently solidified into a skin on the major surface of the mat. The thermoplastic fibers of the mat are point bonded together at spaced apart locations to increase the integrity of the mat.

Abstract: An apparatus for receiving and automatically moving a moving strand of fibers from a starting position to any one of a plurality of predetermined positions in a multi-grooved separator roll is disclosed. This apparatus is particularly in processes of making continuous fiber products from molten material and replaces a manual operation that presented safety problems.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for separating or chopping long fibers or the like are improved by maintaining the temperature of one or more temperature sensitive components of the chopping apparatus with cooling means to maintain one or more desired characteristic of the material within a desired range. The invention increases the effectiveness of a chopper.

Abstract: An improved bituminized flame-retardant textile material is provided that effectively overcomes bitumin adhesion difficulties associated with products of the prior art wherein the flame-retardant present on the surface of a textile support interfers with and hinders the achievement of bitumin adhesion. An anti-flame agent is applied in a quantity of 20 to 100 grams per square meter over 30 to 90 percent of the upper surface of the textile support. The remaining portions of the upper-surface of the textile support are free of the anti-flame agent. It surprisingly has been found that the surface portions of the textile support that are free of the anti-flame agent provide areas for the achievement of optimum bitumin adhesion with the textile support while still making possible entirely satisfactory flame retardancy for the overall product.

Abstract: A precious metal bushing used for fiberizing molten glass through nozzles protruding from the lower surface of an orifice plate in the bottom of the bushing requires a substantially reduced investment in precious metal by having very short sidewalls and endwalls such that the distance from the bottom surface of a flange at the top of the bushing to the top surface of the orifice plate is more than about 0.2 inch, but less than about 0.65 inch and preferably less than about 0.5 inch.

Abstract: A gypsum board/intumescent material fire barrier wall includes spaced apart, vertically extending metal or wooden studs with only one layer of gypsum board secured to each side of the studs to form a fire barrier wall with a wall cavity. An intumescent material barrier, that is at least coextensive in width and height with the width and height of the wall cavity, is also included in the fire barrier wall and preferably, the wall cavity contains a fibrous insulation blanket. Preferably, the spaced apart gypsum wall boards, with the intumescent material barrier, provide the fire barrier wall with two hour fire-resistive properties meeting or exceeding ASTM test standard E119 for walls and partitions.

Abstract: A portable batt cutter custom cuts standard width, continuous, extended length fibrous insulation blankets at a construction site to form batts with specific dimensions corresponding to the dimensions of the structural framework cavities to be insulated. The portable batt cutter includes storage for retaining a fibrous insulation blanket; a feed mechanism for feeding the fibrous insulation blanket from the storage to a transverse cutter; and the transverse cutter which makes a transverse cut across the width of the fibrous insulation blanket to determine the length of the batt. The portable batt cutter may also include a cutter for making a longitudinal cut in the fibrous insulation blanket to form a batt having a width less than the width of the fibrous insulation blanket and a measuring device to measure the length of the batt prior to forming the transverse cut in the fibrous insulation blanket.

Abstract: A fibrous insulation blanket is pre-cut for custom fitting the insulation blanket into structural framework building cavities of different widths. The width of the blanket is substantially equal to the width of a standard cavity to be insulated by the blanket and the blanket has one or more longitudinally extending cuts in a first major surface of the blanket. The cut(s) have a depth greater than one half of the thickness of the blanket and less than the thickness of the blanket whereby the blanket can be handled as a unit for insulating a cavity having a standard cavity width or easily torn apart at a cut by hand for insulating a cavity having less than a standard cavity width. The second major surface of the blanket may have a facing bonded thereto with one or more perforated lines in the facing aligned with the cut(s) to facilitate tearing apart the blanket by hand if required.

Abstract: Monofils based on polyethylene-2,6-naphthalate are described containing 60 to 99.9 wt-percent polyethylene-2,6-naphthalate, 0.1 to 10 wt-percent of one or more liquid crystalline polymers, 0 to 15 wt-percent polybutylene terephthalate and 0 to 3 wt-percent of an inhibitor, as well as optionally additional additives, as is a melt-spinning process for producing the same. The filaments are characterized by good mechanical properties, in particular improved knot strength and resistance to hydrolysis. They are suited primarily for making screens, filters and reinforcing inlays.

Abstract: Ducts are formed from rigid or semi-rigid insulation boards by forming a plurality of longitudinally extending, spaced apart, parallel kerfs in a first major surface of each of the insulation boards which is adapted to be the interior surface of the duct. When the insulation board is formed into a duct of the preselected dimensions, the shoulders of the kerfs adjoining the interior surface of the duct abut and, preferably, the insulation material in the shoulders of the kerfs is compressed. The flexibility of the insulation boards, in the direction of the widths of the insulation boards, is controlled by increasing the depths and/or the widths of the kerfs and/or decreasing the spacing between the kerfs to make the insulation board more flexible and by decreasing the depths and/or the widths of the kerfs and/or increasing the spacing between the kerfs to make the insulation board less flexible.

Abstract: An insulation board suitable for use as a roof insulating board has a density between about 8 and about 15 pounds per cubic foot; a MOR/density ratio of at least 10.5 to 1 and includes, by dry weight, between about 45% and about 76% expanded perlite; between about 15% and about 45% cellulosic fibers; between about 0.1% and about 10% latex binder; between about 2% and about 9% bituminous material; and about 0% to about 3% alum.

Abstract: In an apparatus and method of forming fibers from a fiberizable material, a molten fiberizable material is introduced into a rotating fiberizing rotor and passed through a plurality of holes in an annular peripheral sidewall of the fiberizing rotor to form primary fibers from the fiberizable material. The primary fibers are introduced into hot combustion gases and pressurized air in a fiberization zone adjacent an outer surface of the annular peripheral sidewall of the rotary fiberizing rotor to attenuate and form the primary fibers into fibers of the desired diameter and length. The hot combustion gases are discharged from an annular air cooled burner and the pressurized air, which is discharged form an annular air ring, is the same pressurizes air used to cool the annular air cooled burner.

Abstract: An insulation assembly for insulating elongated wall, ceiling, floor and roof cavities having standard widths and nonstandard widths less or greater than standard widths for such cavities, includes a series of elongated insulation modules separably joined together and having widths less than the standard cavity width for the cavities to be insulated. Preferably, each of the modules are compressible and resilient in the direction of their widths and include a fibrous insulation encapsulated within a plastic film envelope. An insulation panel, having a width approximating the width of the cavity to be insulated, is formed by separating a selected number of one or more modules from the series of modules. The insulation panel is then inserted into the cavity and secured in place to insulate the cavity.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing an insulation board comprising a rigid polyisocyanurate foam core having two major surfaces and a facing material on at least one of the major surfaces, comprising (a) conveying a facing material along a production line for attachment to one major surface of the core; (b) applying a foam-forming mixture of polyisocyanurate to the facing material such that the mixture is applied along the entire width of the facing material; (c) optionally conveying a second facing material along the production line for attachment to the other major surface of the core; (d) conveying the facing material with applied foam-forming mixture into a laminator which comprises a gap for foam expansion and allowing the mixture to foam and expand to fill the gap within the laminator; and (e) curing the foam. The process provides excellent boardstock thickness control, minimal wasted densification at the foam/facer interface, greater compressive strength and high line speed.

Abstract: A multi-component fiberizing disk for fiberizing a molten fiberizable material in a rotary fiberization process includes: an annular sidewall having fiberizing holes therein through which a molten fiberizable material passes to fiberize the molten fiberizable material; an upper annular flange; and a base having an annular outer peripheral edge. The annular sidewall, the upper annular flange and the base are made from at least two separate components and, preferably, from three separate components. The separate components are secured to together as the fiberizing disk by fasteners, such as bolt and nut fasteners, that permits the separate components of the fiberizing disk to be disassembled after service. The different components can be made of different metal alloys and a distribution manifold can be incorporated into the fiberizing disk for distributing the molten fiberizable material(s) within the fiberizing disk and to make bi-component fibers.

Abstract: Disclosed is a base inliner comprising a textile sheet material and a reinforcement, wherein said reinforcement absorbs a force so that, in a stress-strain diagram (at 20.degree. C.), the load at an elongation within the range between 0 and 1% differs by at least 10% at at least one location for said base inliner with said reinforcement compared with said base inliner without said reinforcement, preferably by at least 20%, particularly preferably by at least 30%. The base inliner is useful for producing optionally bituminized roofing and sealing membranes.

Abstract: An improved gas filtration media with a lower initial pressure drop and increased dirt holding capacity includes a fibrous mat of randomly oriented meltblown polymeric fibers made from a polymer with between 0.2% and 10.0% by weight of: a) a nucleating agent to increase the rate of crystallization of the polymer forming the fibers and improve the heat sealability of media made from the fibers and/or b) an electrostatic charging enhancer to reduce surface tension of the polymer and inter-fiber attraction, as the fibers are cooled during formation and collection the fibers, to thereby facilitate the formation of the fibrous mat with discrete fibers. Preferably, the polymer is polypropylene, the nucleating agent is bis-benzylidene sorbitol, and electrostatic charging enhancer is a fatty acid.