Abstract: A cylindrical condenser screen is mounted to rotate adjacent a fiber supply, and around a pair of vacuum plenums, one of which has a generally rectangularly shaped slot extending axially of the screen adjacent its inside surface. A low suction in said slot draws fibers from the supply and onto the screen in the form of a nonwoven web. A cover that overlies the screen and the low suction slot has thereon at least one tapered projection, which extends in the direction of the travel of the web and over at least one high suction slot formed in the other plenum. Atmospheric air, which is drawn into the high suction slot along the tapered side edges of the cover projection, causes the fibers in the web to be rolled or shifted inwardly beneath the projection, thereby to form the web into one or more slivers which are drawn from beneath the discharge end of the projection by conventional takeoff rolls.

Abstract: The leveling device comprises a rectangular duct connected at its inlet end to a pneumatic fiber supply and at its outlet end to the upper end of a feed chute for a carding machine. A pair of opposed accelerator plates are adjustably mounted adjacent the duct's inlet end to accelerate the incoming stream of fibers, which then passes between two deflector nozzles that are mounted with their discharge ends opening on opposite sides of the duct, and with their outer or inlet ends connected to opposite ends of a flexible, generally U-shaped tube. Downstream from the nozzles the opposed sidewalls of the duct curve outwardly and away from each other to form a diffusion section, the enlarged end of which is connected to the upper end of the feed chute. In use the air pressure at the outlet end of each nozzle alternately rises and falls causing the stream of fibers to be deflected alternately toward one and then the other of the opposed, curved sidewalls of the duffusion chamber.

Abstract: In a pneumatic system for supplying air-borne fibers to the vertical feed chutes of carding machines and the like, the fibers which collect in the lower, formation section of each chute, are adapted to be compacted by a volumetric air pump that is mounted in each chute to direct pulses of compressed air into the upper end of its formation section. The density of the column of fibers in this section is monitored by apparatus which senses the air pressure differential between the upper and lower ends, respectively, of the formation section, and which generates an electrical signal proportionate to the pressure differential. This signal controls the operation of the variable speed electric motors which drive the air pump and a feed roll, which draws fibers from the upper, surge section of the chute and feeds them downwardly to the formation section.

Abstract: A vertical feed chute includes a feed roll for feeding fibers from a surge section in its upper end to a formation section in its lower end. A stationary, perforated condenser plate is secured to the lower, discharge end of the chute, and has thereon a concave surface which extends beneath the chute discharge opening, and beneath a metering roll that is mounted to rotate in the discharge opening in confronting relation to the condenser plate. A mat of fibers is drawn from the discharge opening into a nip between the condenser plate and metering roll where the mat is compressed and then fed to the input of a carding machine, or the like. The metering roll is mounted for limited reciprocable movement normal to its axis, and toward and away from the concave condenser surface. In one embodiment the roll is positively driven by pneumatic means toward or away from the concave surface depending upon the density of the mat entering the nip.

Abstract: In this pneumatic feeding system fibers are conveyed by air to surge sections formed in the upper ends of vertical branch ducts. Two sets of feed rolls are mounted in the midsection of each duct beneath the lower end of its surge section to feed fibers downwardly onto a kicker roll, which opens the fibers and directs them downwardly through a tapered duct section and onto a rotating screen condenser which is mounted in the lower end of each vertical duct. The fibers are withdrawn in a uniform layer from each screen by a doffer roll, and are fed to the feed assembly of a web forming machine. In one embodiment the density of the fibers in the surge section of a duct is controlled by selectively admitting atmospheric air to the duct adjacent its midsection, while in another embodiment this control is effected by adjusting the rate of flow of air in a closed air flow system.

Abstract: Resin treated lignocellulosic fibers are conveyed by a stream of air downwardly to a separator containing one or more doffing rolls, which rotate adjacent a perforated scroll assembly. At the side opposite the doffers the assembly is connected to a vacuum supply which draws dust and foreign particles out of the fibers as they fall downwardly through the separator and into a hopper located in the rear of a feeder assembly housing. From here the fibers are fed by endless belts or aprons to an expansion chamber formed in the rear of a condenser housing containing one above the other a pair of endless condensers or screens. The fibers cascade downwardly in the expansion chamber to a generally wedge-shaped air bridge formed at the inlet end of the space formed between the confronting runs of the condensers.

Abstract: Resin treated lignocellulosic fibers are conveyed by a stream of air downwardly to a separator containing one or more doffing rolls, which rotate adjacent a perforated scroll assembly. At the side opposite the doffers the assembly is connected to a vacuum supply which draws dust and foreign particles out of the fibers as they fall downwardly through the separator and into a hopper located in the rear of a feeder assembly housing. From here the fibers are fed by endless belts or aprons to an expansion chamber formed in the rear of a condenser housing containing one above the other a pair of endless condensers or screens. The fibers cascade downwardly in the expansion chamber to a generally wedge-shaped air bridge formed at the inlet end of the space formed between the confronting runs of the condensers.

Abstract: In this machine, tufts of fibers are delivered from a feed section by an air bridge into a generally vertical chute past a rotary feeder condenser on which the fibers are formed into a mat which is carried onto a feed plate over which the mat is fed by a feed roller into a lickerin rotating at high speed. The lickerin, which is vertically below the condenser, combs fibers from the mat. The fibers are doffed from the lickerin through centrifugal force and by an air stream flowing past the lickerin. The air stream conveys the fibers through a generally vertical duct to an endless belt screen condenser on which they are deposited to form the random fiber web. The air is recirculated past the lickerin to aid in doffing the fibers from the lickerin.