Abstract: Described is an inorganic fiber comprising silica dioxide, calcium oxide, and alkali oxide having a free energy of hydration greater than (more positive than) -5.00 kcal/mol, an enthalpy of formation less than (more than negative than) -210.0 kcal/mol, a dissolution rate in simulated extra cellular fluid greater than 750 (calculated as nanograms of fiber/per square centimeter of fiber surface area/per hour) having an average fiber diameter not greater than 4.5 micrometers. Also described is a method of manufacturing the fibers.

Abstract: Fire resistant glass fiber products are produced by coating the glass fibers with at least one nitrogen containing compound and at least 10 weight percent of at least one boron containing compound, drying the glass fibers and curing a binder that is in the coating. The nitrogen containing compound(s) are present in sufficient amounts that there is at least one mol or atom of nitrogen present for each mol or atom of boron present in the boron containing compound(s). When the product is exposed to a fire or high temperatures, such as about 1000 degrees F. or higher, the nitrogen released from the nitrogen containing compound(s) reacts with boron or boron oxide to form a sheath of refractory material around the fibers that protects the fibers and allows the fibers to maintain integrity to higher temperatures and/or for longer times than untreated fibers.

Abstract: A new type of multi-chopper for cutting strands or ribbon shaped material such as strands of glass fibers, and a method of using this chopper, is disclosed. The chopper has at least two chopper assemblies on a rotating frame. When one chopper assembly needs repair, the frame is rotated which brings a rebuilt or repaired chopper assembly into operating position quickly and also brings the assembly needing repair into a position where it can be worked on while the other chopper is operating resulting in much reduced downtime. The frame of the chopper can rotate around a vertical or horizontal line, or around a line passing through two opposite corners of a frame.

Abstract: Glass fibers of curly habit may be prepared from a heterogeneous melt of blended particles of at least two distinct glasses. Linear glass primaries controllable in pot and marble processing may be prepared from the heterogeneous melts. Fibers prepared from the randomly heterogeneous primaries exhibit a unique biodissolution mechanism and high biodissolution rates. The process is also amenable to other glass fiberization processes, including the rotary process and the sliver process.

Abstract: A cellular material, preferably a low density foam material, having an initial average normal incidence sound absorption coefficient for a selected frequency range is perforated to form a perforated cellular sound absorption material. The perforated cellular sound absorption material formed has an average normal incidence sound absorption coefficient for the selected frequency range greater than the initial average normal incidence sound absorption coefficient of the cellular sound absorption material. The depth(s), diameter(s), shape(s) and pattern of the perforations provide the cellular sound absorption material with the improved sound absorption properties that are reflected in the increased average normal incidence sound absorption coefficient of the material.

Abstract: Fine fibers are formed and carried in a high energy, high temperature gaseous stream to a primary fine fiber collection surface where fine fibers are collected from the gaseous stream. Gases of the gaseous stream along with fine fibers not removed from the gaseous stream by the primary collection surface are drawn through the primary collection surface and formed into an exhaust gas stream which is passed through a secondary fine fiber collection surface to remove additional fibers from the exhaust gas stream before it is discharged to the atmosphere. To reduce the operating temperatures at and surrounding the primary and secondary collection surfaces, the gas streams are cooled by evaporative cooling. Water is sprayed into the gas streams by nozzles, shielded from the gas streams by scoops, so that fibers do not collect on the nozzles and form fiber wads.

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: A composite filter media includes a fibrous filtration layer of randomly oriented fibers and one or more pleatable stiffening layers which enable the composite filter media to be pleated and hold or retain its pleats. The pleatable stiffening layer(s) may enhance the dirt holding capacity of the composite filter media especially when positioned upstream of the fibrous filtration layer. The composite filter media may also include a flexible covering layer which functions to block the loss of fibers from the fibrous filtration layer. Preferably, the mean fiber diameter of the fibers in fibrous filtration layer increases and the density of the fibrous filtration layer decreases throughout the thickness of the fibrous filtration layer from one major surface to the other major surface of the fibrous filtration layer.

Abstract: An insulated air duct includes a flexible, reinforced, inner tubular core; a layer of partially compressed flexible, resilient fibrous insulation surrounding the core; and a flexible jacket, preferably with a longitudinally extending seam, spaced outwardly from the core and enveloping the layer of partially compressed fibrous insulation. The layer of partially compressed fibrous insulation is formed from a resilient blanket of air laid, randomly oriented, entangled fibers. The resilient blanket may have a low binder content or be binderless with the fibers unbonded and, possibly, lubricated.

Abstract: Glass compositions suitable for pot and marble fiberization display excellent chemical resistance to both acids and moisture while being highly biosoluble at the same time. The glass compositions are characterized by ratios of components which are reflective of acid resistance, biosolubility, and moisture resistance. Preferred glasses have a difference between HTV (10.sup.3 poise) and liquidus greater than 500.degree. F., and a biodissolution greater than about 350 ng/cm.sup.2 /hr.

Abstract: Described is a fiber glass mat composition comprising a fiber glass matrix bonded with fire retardant melamine resin binder composition capable of forming a nonwoven mat having at least 27% by weight nitrogen (N) in the dry, but uncured resin. Also described is a method of making a fire retardant nonwoven fiber glass mat comprising the steps of providing an aqueous melamine based resin binder; applying the binder to fiber glass; and recovering a fire retardant fiber glass mat, wherein the mat has at least 27% by weight N in the dry, but uncured resin wherein the ratio of resin in the mat to N content of the resin does not exceed about 0.6.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods of using the apparatus to automate a labor intensive portion of the process of making continuous fiber products, like chopped glass fiber. In this process many fiberizers are used, each fiberizer forming as many as several thousand fibers. Fibers break frequently requiring the fiberizers to be restarted and this has always been a labor intensive part of the process. Apparatus for getting the fiberizers ready to restart quickly and for forming a fiber strand, apparatus for gripping the strand, breaking it and transporting it to strand pulling and processing equipment and apparatus for moving a newly started strand into a desired position on an optional strand separating and guiding means, and methods of using the apparatus are disclosed.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing roofing felts, cap sheets, base sheets and similar built-up roofing products from fibrous mats includes: supplying a roofing mat to a manufacturing process; moisturizing the roofing mat by applying steam or a liquid mist to one or both major surfaces of the roofing mat during the manufacturing process to increase the moisture content of the roofing mat and reduce the amount of hot bitumen accepted by the roofing mat during a coating operation; and applying a hot bitumen coating to one or both major surfaces of the roofing mat during the manufacturing process after the moisture content of the roofing mat has been increased by the moisturizing step.

Abstract: By carefully adjusting the molecular weight and amounts of methacrylic acid and maleic acid and/or maleic anhydride comonomers in polyacrylic acid-based fiberglass binders, binder-treated fiberglass cured and B-staged product throughput may be maintained at production rates designed for phenol/formaldehyde binders due to the lower thermal requirements for cure as compared to homopolyacrylic acid-based binder systems.

Abstract: Glass compositions displaying decreased far infrared radiation transmission, high biosolubility, and excellent moisture resistance are capable of fiberization by the rotary process, and may be used to prepare thermal insulation products exhibiting high thermal insulation efficiency as reflected by low thermal index values.

Abstract: In a process of making gas laid products by entraining particles at least partially coated with a binder in a gaseous stream, passing the stream through a forming chamber and through a permeable collecting surface where the particles build up to form a product like fiber glass insulation, this invention prevents particles from contacting and building up on the walls of the forming chamber and causing wet spots in the finished product by maintaining a high velocity, high pressure layer of gas close to the exposed surface of the walls of the chamber and moving in the general direction of the gaseous stream. This is accomplished by apparatus including a plurality of plenum boxes forming the walls of the forming chamber with the surface exposed to the gaseous stream having gas directing openings therein. Also, an improved method of applying the binder to the particles is disclosed.

Abstract: A method of forming a duct liner from a duct insulation board includes cutting a plurality of parallel grooves into duct boards with a plurality of rotary saw blades which are spaced on 1.57 inch or 3.14 inch centers. The saw blades have peripheral teeth which project outwardly on both sides of the saw blades to form grooves in a first major surface of a duct board which are wider than the saw blades. The grooves have sidewalls which extend perpendicular to the first major surface of the duct board and have a depth from 70% to 90% of the thickness of the duct board. The first major surface is typically coated and a second major surface of the duct board normally has a facing adhered thereto. After the duct board is grooved, the duct board can be curved to conform to the curvature of a tubular metal shell, with the parallel grooves of the duct board extending parallel to the axis of curvature, and placed in the tubular metal shell as a liner to form an insulated air duct.

Abstract: Methods for making nonwoven fibrous mats that produce superior tear strengths in roofing products, and the mats produced by the method, are disclosed. The mats comprise glass fiber bonded together with a dried and cured mixture of aqueous urea formaldehyde resin and a self crosslinking copolymer of vinyl acrylic or polyvinyl acetate.

Abstract: Described is a method for reducing the amount of microorganisms in contaminated air in which a fiberglass containing air filtration media is provided which contains an antimicrobially effective amount of an inorganic antimicrobial agent; and forcing the contaminated air through the air filter thereby reducing the amount of microorganisms in the contaminated air. The invention further pertains to media for reducing the amount of microorganisms present in contaminated air as well as methods of applying the inorganic antimicrobial agents to the media and for the media to be present in a rigid air filter.

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.