Abstract: A noise supression box is secured over the air inlet opening in the housing of a fiber opening machine which contains a plurality of rotatable opener rolls that open and feed fibers to an outlet formed in the housing adjacent its air inlet opening. The box surrounds in spaced relation thereto an air inlet duct which is secured at one end over the air inlet opening and communicates at its opposite end with the exterior of the box and housing. The walls of the air inlet duct contain a plurality of spaced perforations, and the space in the box around the outside of the duct is filled with sound absorbing foam insulation.

Abstract: The web or mat producing unit including a fiber opening and doffing mechanism mounted on a vertically adjustable platform to direct fibers randomly downwardly through an opening in the platform and onto the horizontal upper run of an endless screen, which travels in one direction over a vacuum or suction opening positioned beneath and parallel to the upper run. Two, spaced side curtains or panels, which are suspended from the underside of the platform, guide fibers into a predetermined space located between opposite sides of the upper run of the screen, thereby to form the fibers into a shingle-free nonwoven mat which may, if desired, be fed successively onto the upper run of the screen in the next successive unit in a series thereof. The width and configuration of the mat can be changed by adjusting the panels toward and away from each other, and by placing a removable template or baffle over the suction opening.