Abstract: A recent development for manufacturing blankets of mineral fibers includes a system comprising a plurality of fiber forming and collecting modules spaced along a process line, each module designed to produce a relatively thin web of intertangled fibers and to deliver the thin web onto a common transfer conveyer to produce a plurality of superposed webs which can later be further processed to form a thick, uniform, mineral fiber blanket. The present invention provides an improvement in the above described system by permitting one or more of the modules to be operated independently of the remaining modules resulting in the manufacture of one or more secondary products when the primary product being made on the main transfer conveyer requires the operation of less than all the modules in the process line.

Abstract: Apparatus for forming the edges of mineral fiber blankets during their advance along a processing path. Guide means having surfaces shaped to continuously direct feathered or ragged longitudinal edges of an uncured mat of mineral fibers as it is introduced to forming apparatus causes a gathering of the fibers to control the uniformity of the density of the edge portion of the mass. The guide can comprise surfaces extending radially outward at the effective ends of a pressure roll cooperating with a rotatable mandrel in the formation of tubes of fiber mat. The first surface encountered by an advancing blanket raises the feathered edge. The raised edge is turned inward toward the major body portion of the blanket by a second surface. A third surface parallels the path of advance to establish the desired margin and maintain that margin as the blanket is compacted in its major face.