Abstract: An electrical insulating sheet is disclosed. The sheet includes 50-99% D glass flakes and 1-50% additives. Optional ingredients include a bonding agent, porosity control agent, and reinforcing agent(s) to enhance tensile strength.

Abstract: An electrical insulating sheet is disclosed. The sheet includes 50-99% D glass flakes and 1-50% additives. Optional ingredients include a bonding agent, porosity control agent, and reinforcing agent(s) to enhance tensile strength.

Abstract: A system is provided for forming a continuous mineral fiber wool tow and cutting the tow into discrete lengths. The system comprises a conveying apparatus for pulling a mineral fiber wool tow from a mineral fiber pack at a first location and transporting the tow to a chopping station. A chopping apparatus is positioned at the chopping station for chopping the tow into discrete lengths. The conveying apparatus further receives the discrete lengths at the chopping station and transports the discrete lengths to a collecting station. The conveying apparatus further includes a collection device located at the collecting station for receiving the discrete lengths of mineral fiber wool material and collecting the discrete lengths for subsequent use.

Abstract: An irregularly shaped glass fiber is provided which enjoys improved resiliency, and openness in pack structures. Wool packs and other wool portions having such irregularly shaped fibers may be processed directly through needling to form a non-woven material without intervening steps such as carding or blending of fibers which accompany conventional glass fiber processing operations. In a further aspect of the invention, a non-woven material including irregularly shaped fibers in a generally continuous wool tow is produced by "unwinding" a fiberglass wool pack collected by a direct forming method. Product applications include simplified, lower cost processing, and new uses of the irregularly shaped fibers produced by rotary fiberization in filtration elements, sorbants, gaskets, packings, shingles, composite structural elements, furnishings, textiles, yarns, and blown-in insulation systems.

Abstract: A facer sheet is provided which is adapted to receive a prefoam mixture during a structural laminate forming process. The facer sheet comprises a first predominantly glass fiber mat having first and second outer surfaces and a polymeric material applied to the first outer surface of the mat. The polymeric material acts as a substantially impervious barrier to the liquid prefoam mixture received at the second outer surface of the mat during the structural laminate forming process.

Abstract: A facer sheet is provided which is adapted to receive a prefoam mixture during a structural laminate forming process. The racer sheet comprises a first predominantly glass fiber mat having first and second outer surfaces and a polymeric material applied to the first outer surface of the mat. The polymeric material acts as a substantially impervious barrier to the liquid prefoam mixture received at the second outer surface of the mat during the structural laminate forming process.

Abstract: An irregularly shaped glass fiber is provided which enjoys improved resiliency, and openness in pack structures. Wool packs and other wool portions having such irregularly shaped fibers may be processed directly through needling to form a non-woven material without intervening steps such as carding or blending of fibers which accompany conventional glass fiber processing operations. In a further aspect of the invention, a non-woven material including irregularly shaped fibers in a generally continuous wool tow is produced by "unwinding" a fiberglass wool pack collected by a direct forming method. Product applications include simplified, lower cost processing, and new uses of the irregularly shaped fibers produced by rotary fiberization in filtration elements, sorbants, gaskets, packings, shingles, composite structural elements, furnishings, textiles, yarns, and blown-in insulation systems.

Abstract: A foam facer mat incorporates a natural short wood pulp fibers to provide dimensional stability to foam insulation for roof insulation. The facer mat also employs chopped glass fibers with the wood pulp.

Abstract: A glass fibrous mat is disclosed which includes a blend of fibers comprising approximately 70-90%, by weight 6.5-13.0 micron in diameter wool fiber and approximately 10-30%, by weight, 7.5-13.5 micron in diameter, 1/8 to 1/2 inch in length textile glass fibers bonded together with a resin, binder material comprising a melamine cross-linked styrene-butadiene resin. The glass mat has been found to be highly satisfactory for use as an interlayer for compressible vinyl floor coverings.

Abstract: An improved process for forming a non-woven fabric by wet-laying, on paper making equipment, staple length, synthetic fibers having a length to diameter ratio of about 400 to 3000, and an improved, non-woven fabric produced by the process. The process involves forming a stable, viscous, uniform, air-fiber-water dispersion by: adding the fibers to a high-shear agitated mixture of water and a dispersant to separate the fibers and to completely and uniformly distribute the individual fibers throughout the resulting, high-shear agitated, air, water and fiber mixture; and then, slowly adding a thixotropic thickener to the high-shear agitated mixture to form the viscous, air-fiber-water dispersion, having a nascent viscosity of about 10 to 125 cps., when measured at a shear rate of 30.5 sec..sup.-1, and in which the individual fibers are restrained from becoming entangled and from forming knits, bundles, and strings.

Abstract: An improved process for forming a non-woven fabric by wet-laying, on paper making equipment, staple length, synthetic fibers having a length to diameter ratio of about 400 to 3000, and an improved, non-woven fabric produced by the process. The process involves forming a stable, viscous, uniform, air-fiber-water dispersion by: adding the fibers to a high-shear agitated mixture of water and a dispersant to separate the fibers and to completely and uniformly distribute the individual fibers throughout the resulting, high-shear agitated, air, water and fiber mixture; and then, slowly adding a thixotropic thickener to the high-shear agitated mixture to form the viscous, air-fiber-water dispersion, having a nascent viscosity of about 10 to 125 cps., when measured at a shear rate of 30.5 sec..sup.-1, and in which the individual fibers are restrained from becoming entangled and from forming knits, bundles, and strings.

Abstract: A process and device useful therein for hydraulically entangling the fibers in a fiber batt to form a fiber-entangled base sheet for a non-woven fabric, and a uniformly and lightly fiber-entangled, base sheet formed by the process. The process includes applying at least one liquid curtain against the fiber batt while it is supported on a moving, apertured backing screen. The liquid curtain is uniform in width throughout its length and substantially non-diverging as it is delivered from a source of liquid under a pressure sufficient to effect entanglement of the fibers in the batt. Preferably, the pressure is at least about 200 p.s.i.g., and the maximum divergence of the curtain is about 4 degrees. The device for applying the liquid curtain includes first and second members and means for securing the members together to form a chamber therebetween in which the liquid is contained and to form a slot in communication from the chamber to the exterior of the device.

Abstract: In an apparatus for forming a non-woven, fibrous web, a device for making a uniform density dispersion of the fibers in an aqueous fiber slurry and depositing the dispersion onto a web former, while maintaining its integrity. The device includes a generally laterally divergent channel, in which the greatest depth of the flowing stream of fiber slurry is at its fiber slurry entry end, having rolls for uniformly dispersing the fibers, rolls for uniformly spreading the dispersion laterally throughout the channel, and means in cooperation with the rolls for moving the dispersion to an exit end of the channel adjacent the web former. Preferably, the device is equipped with air doctors directed at the rolls for insuring the separation of the dispersion from each roll as it is moved to another roll.

Abstract: A process and device useful therein for hydraulically entangling the fibers in a fiber batt to form a non-woven fabric. The process includes applying at least one liquid curtain against the fiber batt while it is supported on a moving, apertured backing screen. The liquid curtain is uniform in width throughout its length and substantially non-diverging as it is delivered from a source of liquid under a pressure sufficient to effect entanglement of the fibers in the batt. Preferably, the pressure is at least about 200 p.s.i.g. and the maximum divergence of the curtain is about 4 degrees. The device for applying the liquid curtain includes first and second members and means for securing the members together to form a chamber therebetween in which the liquid is contained and to form a slot in communication from the chamber to the exterior of the device. The slot has a substantially uniform width along its length and preferably also a uniform depth.

Abstract: An improved process for forming a non-woven fabric by wet-laying, on paper making equipment, staple length, synthetic fibers having a length to diameter ratio of about 400 to 3000, and an improved, non-woven fabric produced by the process. The process involves forming a stable, viscous, uniform, air-fiber-water dispersion by: adding the fibers to a high-shear agitated mixture of water and a dispersant to separate the fibers and to completely and uniformly distribute the individual fibers throughout the resulting, high-shear agitated, air, water and fiber mixture; and then, slowly adding a thixotropic thickener to the high-shear agitated mixture to form the viscous, air-fiber-water dispersion, having a nascent viscosity of about 10 to 125 cps., when measured at a shear rate of 30.5 sec..sup.-1, and in which the individual fibers are restrained from becoming entangled and from forming knits, bundles, and strings.