Abstract: Inorganic fibers which have a silicon extraction of greater than about 0.02 wt % Si/day in physiological saline solutions. The fiber contains SiO.sub.2, MgO, CaO, and at least one of Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, ZrO.sub.2, TiO.sub.2, B.sub.2 O.sub.3, iron oxides, or mixtures thereof. Also disclosed are inorganic fibers which have diameters of less than 3.5 microns and which pass the ASTM E-119 two hour fire test when processed into a fiber blanket having a bulk density in the range of about 1.5 to 3 pcf.

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: 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: 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.

Abstract: A bushing plate for use in the production of glass fibers has an array of nozzle tips. The bushing plate is formed by successive cold forming operations from a starting plate of precious metal alloy. The starting plate is first indexed through a press which coins embossments raised from one side of the plate. The plate is then indexed through another press in which bores are extruded through the embossments to form the nozzle tips. The ends of the tips are then finished in an operation such as EDM wire finishing.

Abstract: A process for introducing additive particles to extruded fibers during production of the fibers. Particles are directed into a moving stream of fibers during or after the fiber attenuation process. The movement of the fibers intermingles the particles with the fibers prior to the intermingled material being collected on a moving support. If liquid binder is sprayed onto the fibers it is subsequently set in an oven to bind the fibers and the particles to each other. The fibers preferably are mineral fibers and the particles may be fibers or particles introduced for a variety of reasons, such as to increase the strength of the product or to serve as extenders or fillers.

Abstract: The reinforcing wires in a fibrous duct are inserted by simultaneously piercing opposite sides of the duct with elongated piercing means mounted on a reciprocally movable frame. The piercing means may be the reinforcing wires themselves or may be separate structure, such as tubes, which can function as guides for the insertion of the wire before they are withdrawn.

Abstract: Zirconium based granules are produced by the steps of forming an aqueous solution of a zirconium compound such as zirconium acetate, combining the aqueous solution with a phase stabilizer, and then heating the solution to evaporation thereby forming amorphous zirconium based granules.In an alternate embodiment, an alcohol solution of a zirconium compound such as zirconium propoxide in propanol is acidified and hydrolyzed with water. The partially or fully hydrolyzed zirconium complex is mixed with a phase stabilizer to form a homogeneous solution. The solution is then subjected to evaporation by heat to form amorphous zirconium based granules.Zirconia fibers are produced by making aqueous solutions of the amorphous zirconium based granules containing the phase stabilizer to the desired viscosity, fiberizing the solution, and finally converting the fibers under appropriate conditions.

Abstract: A process for the treatment of a continuous or perturbated stream of liquid material, which process consists essentially of passing the said stream of liquid material through a plasma arc coupling zone in which at least two plasma arcs are coupled at the surface of the liquid stream in order to raise both the bulk temperature of the stream and the temperature of the outer surface of the stream of material, thereby to effect a treatment of the stream selected from thermal, chemical, and a mixture of thermal and chemical.