Abstract: Glass fibers are treated with an aqueous treating composition having a lubricant and either a mixture of heat stable organic peroxide, vinyl-containing coupling agent and nonionic surfactant and optionally a film former such as polyvinylacetate or carboxylated compatible polymer film former like carboxylated polypropylene and an amino coupling agent. Other materials such as softeners, pigments and the like may be added to the aqueous treating composition. The treated glass fiber strands are used in the form of continuous glass strands or chopped strands or a mixture thereof to prepare glass fiber strand mat for use in reinforcing thermoplastic polymers. Thermoplastic polymers reinforced with mats made of the treated glass fiber strands of the present invention have improved stamping properties.

Abstract: An apparatus and process is provided for more random distribution of a bundle of strands into a continuous strand mat. The apparatus has a feeder for reciprocating, traversing deposition of strands onto a conveyor, where the feeder is positioned above the conveyor that moves in a direction around 90.degree. from the direction of deposition of the strands across the conveyor. The feeder has a pulling means to pull the strands into the feeder and to deliver the strand to an accelerating means on the feeder which then increases the speed of the strands to contact a convex surface deflector attached to the feeder to dispose of the strands onto the moving conveyor. If the feeder traverses the conveyor on an axis above the conveyor the accelerating means and convex surface deflector are affixed to the feeder and move with the feeder. If the feeder is stationary but has a reciprocating traversing part, then the accelerating means and deflector move with the reciprocating traversing part.

Abstract: A fiber glass reinforced thermoplastic laminant of high flexural strength and a method of preparing the laminant is described in which special needling of the fiber glass mat used as the reinforcement is undertaken to minimize damage to the strands making up the mat during needling while insuring that the strands are moved during needling of the mat to provide strands in the mat that are transverse through the long axis of the mat after needling. The mat upon completion of the needling is then laminated with a thermoplastic resin to produce a sheet product having improved tensile characteristics.