Abstract: A machine for distributing loosefill insulation material from a package of compressed loosefill insulation material. The machine includes a chute having an inlet end and an outlet end. The inlet end receives compressed loosefill insulation material. The chute has a first portion and a second portion. The first portion forms an angle with the second portion. A shredding chamber receives the compressed loosefill insulation material from the chute. The shredding chamber forms conditioned loosefill insulation material. A discharge mechanism is configured to distribute the conditioned loosefill insulation material into an airstream. A blower provides the airstream. The angle between the first and second portions of the chute is configured to form a bend in the package of compressed loosefill insulation material. The bend in the package of compressed loosefill insulation material is configured to control the descent and direction of the loosefill insulation material entering the shredding chamber.

Abstract: A device for texturizing strand material into a wool-type product includes outer and inner nozzle sections. The outer and inner nozzle sections interface and define a passage through which the strand material travels. At least a portion of the passage has a non-uniform diameter that increases in a direction moving away from an input end of the device.

Abstract: A shingle coating asphalt composition is provided that is produced from a paving grade asphalt. The asphalt composition comprises a paving-grade asphalt that has been modified with one or more polymer additives; and a secondary additive comprising one or more of a viscosity reducing agent, a wax, a salt of a fatty acid ester, and an amide of a fatty acid. The shingle coating asphalt coating composition is used to make a shingle. The shingle includes a substrate, the asphalt, and roofing granules.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for making a water drainage-promoting wrap for applications such as housewrap and roofing underlayment. A substrate, which may be breathable or non-breathable, is conveyed through a nip between a rotating sleeve and a roll, the sleeve having a plurality of apertures therein. A fluid resin composition is fed into the sleeve and is fed out through the apertures in the sleeve as it rotates and as the substrate moves through the nip, forming spaced-apart spacer elements on a face of the substrate. The spacer elements are then dried or cured.

Abstract: Apparatus for producing bent multi-sided pultruded fibre reinforced plastic reinforcement bar for concrete (commonly known as FRP rebar) comprises multiple resin wetting stages to simultaneously resin impregnate multiple bundles of fibreglass rovings continuously drawn through the resin wetting stages, multiple spiral winding stages arranged to spiral wind warps around the multiple wet rovings, and multiple rotating multi-sided former frames for continuously winding thereon the multiple wet rovings and holding the multiple rovings while curing. A related method is also claimed.

Abstract: A composition and method for making polymeric foam is provided. The composition includes a flame retardant composition comprising brominated polymeric compounds. The resulting polymeric foams have a low bromine content of from about 0.01-0.5 wt. %, while maintaining acceptable flame retardant characteristics.

Abstract: Methods of and systems for forming pipe insulation are disclosed. The pipe insulation has properties that are non-homogenous through its thickness.

Abstract: A non-woven chopped fiber mat includes a mixture of glass fibers and synthetic fibers. The non-woven mat is formed using a binder composition that includes a binder resin, a coupling agent, and a corrosion inhibitor. The non-woven mat is non-corrosive and resistant to volatile unsaturated monomers such as styrene, but still remains fully compatible with solvent-containing polyester resins, such that it can be used in various pultruded products.

Abstract: An exemplary shingle includes at least one coated shingle sheet defining a headlap portion and a tab portion each having opposed upper and lower surfaces. A first line of adhesive is adhered to one of the upper surface of the headlap portion and the lower surface of the tab portion, and includes a first thermally activated adhesive material. A second line of adhesive is adhered to one of the upper surface of the headlap portion and the lower surface of the tab portion, and includes a second thermally activated adhesive material having a minimum activation temperature less than a minimum activation temperature of the first thermally activated adhesive material.

Abstract: A non-woven fiber mat for lead-acid batteries is provided. The non-woven fiber mat includes glass fibers coated with a sizing composition, a binder composition, and organic active compounds, wherein the organic active compounds are effective in reducing or preventing sulphation in lead-acid batteries.

Abstract: A method of making a laminated shingle is provided. The method includes coating a shingle mat with roofing asphalt to make an asphalt-coated sheet, adhering a reinforcement member to a portion of the asphalt-coated sheet, covering the asphalt-coated sheet, and optionally covering the reinforcement member, with granules to make a granule-covered sheet, dividing the granule-covered sheet into an overlay sheet and an underlay sheet, wherein the overlay sheet has a tab portion normally exposed on a roof and a headlap portion normally covered-up on a roof, the headlap portion having a lower zone adjacent the tab portion and an upper zone adjacent the lower zone, and wherein the reinforcement member is adhered to the lower zone of the headlap portion and laminating the overlay sheet and the underlay sheet to make the laminated shingle.

Abstract: A sizing composition including water, a film former, a silane coupling agent, and a weakly-coordinating anion salt is provided. The sizing composition may be applied to fibers used to reinforce polymer compositions. Fiber reinforced composite materials that include reinforcing fibers sized with the sizing composition exhibit improved physical properties, particularly after the fiber reinforced composite material has experience prolonged exposure to heat and water.

Abstract: A shingle including a substrate having a first surface defining an upper side of the shingle and an opposing second surface defining a lower side of the shingle; asphalt infiltrating the substrate to form a first asphalt coating on the first surface of the substrate and a second asphalt coating on the second surface of the substrate; a plurality of granules embedded in the first asphalt coating; a first hydrophobic material; and a second hydrophobic material that is a different composition than the first hydrophobic material and the second hydrophobic material comprises a metal stearate, wherein the lower side of the shingle includes a lower surface and the first and the second hydrophobic material are disposed on the lower surface.

Abstract: Shingle blanks including a first fold region, a second fold region, a third region, a lower edge and an upper edge are provided. The shingle blank has a length. The first and second fold regions extend substantially across the length of the shingle blank. The second fold region is positioned between the first and third fold regions. A first perforation line is positioned between the second and third fold regions. A second perforation line is positioned between the first and second fold regions. A reinforcement material is positioned over the first perforation line and configured to reinforce the first perforation line. The reinforcement material includes apertures configured to allow an asphalt coating to bleed through the reinforcement material. The first and second perforation lines facilitate folding of the first and second fold regions on top of the third region to form a three layered stack.

Abstract: A submerged combustion melting system includes a submerged combustion melter having a housing that defines a melting chamber and one or more vibration damping devices operatively coupled to the housing.

Abstract: A roofing underlayment with enhanced walkability and/or traction is provided. The roofing underlayment includes a base layer, a first coating layer adhered to a first surface of the base layer, and a melt-blown nonwoven layer adhered to the first coating layer. The melt-blown nonwoven layer enhances walkability by providing a rough surface on which roofing installers may walk.

Abstract: Systems for and methods of evacuating air from a muffler while it is being filled with a fibrous material are disclosed.

Abstract: An exemplary insulator for a flue of a residential oven includes a bendable insulating body having a first end, a second end, and a bending portion. A first cut is disposed between the bending portion and the first end and a second cut is disposed between the bending portion and the second end. The first cut is expandable to form a first opening and the second cut is expandable to form a second opening.

Abstract: A welder for joining two polymeric sheets together using a wedged heating element allows for a heating profile on opposite faces of the heating element to be varied by controlling where each of the polymeric sheets contacts the corresponding face.