Abstract: The subject matter of this invention relates to a method and apparpatus for making mats of continuous glass fiber strands in which a heated calendering roll and continuous belt are used to compact the mat, expel excess noisture, melt, and/or cure resin previously distributed throughout the glass strand. The resin may be deposited in the mat in the form of a powdered resin or as continuous thread of material that is combined with the remaining strands that form the mat as the glass strands are projected onto the surface of a moving conveyor to form the mat.

Abstract: A strand deflector used in the manufacture of continuous strands is shown and described. The deflector comprises a rigid surface which stretches across the width of the mat making machine and which is interposed between the strand feeders located above it and the mat making surface so that the strands fed toward the surface must deflect from the deflector surface before they are collected on the mat making surface. The deflector surface is adjustable in the vertical direction and the angle of deflection with respect to the flow of strand from the feeder may also be changed to any desired value.

Abstract: Novel resin reinforcing composite mats of continuous strands are described for use in pultrusion processes. The pultruded parts are characterized by having a reinforcement of mats and rovings with the reinforcing mats and rovings being distributed throughout the parts.

Abstract: An oriented continuous strand mat of glass fiber filaments is formed by interleaved layers of generally circular or random loops and elongated elliptical loops having their longitudinal axes positioned in the direction of travel of an endless conveyor upon which the glass fibers are deployed to form a mat useable in a stampable glass fiber reinforced thermoplastic resin sheet having increased tensile strength in the length of the sheet. An elongated deflector plate having a planar deflecting surface whose length is aligned with the direction of conveyor travel, and whose face plane is generally perpendicular thereto receives pulled strands which have passed through an air flow nozzle and forms the strands into the elongated elliptical loops used to make the mat.

Abstract: An oriented continuous strand mat of glass fiber filaments is formed by interleaved layers of generally circular or random loops and elongated elliptical loops having their longitudinal axes positioned in the direction of travel of an endless conveyor upon which the glass fibers are deployed to form a mat useable in a stampable glass fiber reinforced thermoplastic resin sheet having increased tensile strength in the length of the sheet. An elongated deflector plate having a planar deflecting surface whose length is aligned with the direction of conveyor travel, and whose face plane is generally perpendicular thereto receives pulled strands which have passed through an air flow nozzle and forms the strands into the elongated elliptical loops used to make the mat.

Abstract: A shippable package of wet strands having improved payout from the package in the production of continuous strand products is provided. The package has one or more cylindrical, layered, substantially square edged package of one or more strands, where the strands have a coating on the fibers making up the strands of an aqueous composition having a film forming material. The aqueous composition has an amount of water in the range of about 70 to around 99 weight percent of the composition. The amount of moisture of the package of strands is at least about 3 weight percent of the package. In addition, the shippable package has a sealed covering of substantially water impervious material to age the package of strand or strands for at least about two weeks at ambient temperatures.

Abstract: A filamentary gathering apparatus, apparatus for forming filaments into a gathered bundle of filaments, and a method of forming gathered filaments into a bundle of filaments according to the present invention result in a reduced tendency of the filaments and/or gathered filaments to wrap around the gathering apparatus. The gathering apparatus is a cylindrically shaped gathering shoe having a height much smaller than the diameter of the shoe and having an annular recess providing for a peripheral groove in the shoe. The groove has a plurality of holes extending radially toward the center of the gathering shoe and up the side of the groove. The apparatus for forming filaments has a fiber forming means, an applicator, one or more rotating gathering shoes and a winder mechanism. The one or more rotatable gathering shoes have the groove with radially extending holes.

Abstract: An apparatus, method and package are provided for producing and winding strands to achieve good split efficiency on removal of the plurality of strands from the package for further processing and to produce a package of wound strands having good edges.The apparatus has a fiber forming means, an applicating means for applying chemical treating compositions to the fibers, gathering means to gather the fibers into a plurality of strands, a rotatable winder to attenuate and wind the strands, a slotted traversing guide, a reciprocating means, and contact means at each end of the reciprocating stroke of the traversing guide. The slotted traversing guide has more than one slot where the terminal portions of the slots have curved ends to retain a strand and are located directly behind the terminal portion of the preceeding slot.

Abstract: An apparatus, method and package are provided for producing and winding bundles of filamentary material to achieve good split efficiency of removal of the plurality of bundles from the package for further processing, and to produce a package of wound bundles of filaments having good edges.The apparatus has a filament forming means, gathering means to gather the filaments into a plurality of bundles of filaments, rotatable winder to attenuate and wind the bundles, traversing guide, reciprocating means, and contacting means. The traversing guide has angularly opposing sides that converge to meet and extensions protruding from each angularly opposing side to subtend partially the point of convergence of the angularly opposing sides. The extensions do not meet each other to form an opening for placement of the bundles into the containment area formed by the angularly opposing sides and extensions.

Abstract: A method and apparatus satisfactorily controls the tension of filamentary material during winding of the material into a layered package. In the method, filamentary strand is conveyed from a source to a rotating contacting means having a drive means to drive the contacting means during the contact in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the filamentary strand or in a similar direction but at a slower velocity than the direction of movement of the filamentary strand. The filamentary strand during or after contacting the rotating contacting means is moved in a reciprocating traversing movement for collection on a rotating collecting means. The rotating collecting means provides the movement of the strand from the source to the collecting means and collects the strand into a package of strand.

Abstract: A process is described for preparing continuous strand mat which provides for more uniform density of the mat across the width of the surface on which it was prepared by using gaseous fluid directed mat edges to fold loose strands at the edges under the mat and to align the edges of the mat in a substantially straight line. The gaseous fluid, preferably air, is directed at the conveyor surface on which the mat is formed against the flow of the mat on the conveyor and in a downward direction so that portions of the mat at the sides are lifted by the air as the stray strands are folded under to form the straight edge. A further embodiment includes the formation of an edge on a continuous strand mat having an already formed substantially straight edge, during a needle operation to minimize edge waste during needling.

Abstract: A reciprocating traversing apparatus discharges material onto, inspects marks, or cleans a device that it is traversing is provided that has reduced requirements for a driving motor, and has smoother traversing motion. A traversing mechanism has a driving motor with horsepower and torque requirements to maintain operational speed of the reversible traversing mechanism. The driving force to overcome inertia of the traversing mechanism when it reverses to traverse in the opposite direction is provided by a gas cylinder with extending arm. The traversing mechanism moving in a track has a gas cylinder at each end of the track. The extended arm of the cylinder engages the mechanism as it approaches one end of its traverse. The arm is depressed, and when the motor reverses the arm is extended by gas pressure to its original position. By the extension the arm accelerates the mechanism up to is operational speed.

Abstract: A system is described for venting the gas line of an air sensing device used to determine package build on a winding device for winding strand to prevent inaccurate readings of the air sensor caused by moisture. The venting system is operated through a solenoid switch to send air through the main air sensing channel in the reverse direction when the winder is stopped for package replacement.

Abstract: A collet for winding strand material, such as glass strands, is disclosed. The collet is capable of expanding under fluid pressure to firmly grasp a tube on which the strand material is wound. The collet comprises a sealed chamber into which the fluid enters under pressure, a piston which is movable by the fluid pressure, expandable rings and inexpandable spacers between the rings and at the end of the set of rings opposite the piston; the piston, rings, and spacers being located along a common shaft and arranged such that fluid entering the chamber forces the piston towards the rings and spacers creating pressure on the expandable rings and expanding them to firmly grasp the covering tube.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for controlling the environment below a glass fiber forming bushing. A fog or mist is created below the bushing by forming an air vortex in front of the bushing which carries water or another liquid cooling fluid upwardly towards the bushing. The cooling liquid is misted or fogged below the bushing. This mist or fog absorbs heat from the bushing and the apparatus in the region below the bushing and helps cool the environment below the bushing. In addition, this mist of cooling fluid acts as a radiation shield to reduce the amount of heat radiated from the bushing and other apparatus toward the operator of the forming position and thus aids in his comfort.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for the continuous unwinding of a plurality of packages of strand material in succession without stoppages between packages wherein the strand material is pulled from the inside of the packages. The method involves isolating the outside end of the strand of a first package so that this end cannot become entangled with the strand being withdrawn from the inside. The outside end of the strand of the first package is connected to the inside end of the strand of a second package, and the package is controlled as it is being unwound so that the package will not tend to lift or collapse and thus become entangled with itself near the end of its pay-out to thereby provide a complete pay-out of strand for each package and provide transfer from one package to another. The steps are repeated for each subsequent package. Suitable apparatus for accomplishing this result is also described.

Abstract: An improved collet for winding strand material, such as glass strands, is disclosed. The collet is capable of expanding under fluid pressure to firmly grasp a thin-walled covering tube onto which the strand material is wound. The collet comprises a sealed chamber into which the fluid enters under pressure, a piston which is movable by the fluid pressure, expandable rings, inexpandable spacers between the rings and at one end of the set of rings opposite the piston, a plurality of fingers or wings surrounding the rings and spacers and means for connecting the rings and fingers to one another, with the piston, rings and spacers being located along a common shaft and arranged such that fluid entering the chamber forces the piston towards the rings and spacers, creating pressure on the expandable rings and expanding them and the fingers connected thereto to form a relatively even collection surface and firmly grasp the covering tube.

Abstract: A new and improved process for winding fiber glass strand from a glass fiber forming bushing is described in which glass fibers are drawn from a bushing by attenuation at high glass pull rates. The fibers have a suitable binder applied to them and are partially dried as they are attenuated. The partially dried filaments are then gathered into a strand and the strand is then collected on a collection surface carried on a high speed winder. The winder is provided with a novel traversing guide system which has the cam roller and guide eye positioned on the same side of the vehicle guide thereby reducing the bending moments created by the traverse cam and strand tension by forcing them to act in opposite directions. Lateral guidance of the vehicle is provided by a high speed die set ball bushing running on a hardened steel shaft.

Abstract: A process is described for controlling the air environment around a fiber glass forming station. The process involves the use of high pressure air and an air manifold system to control air supply and velocities around a fiber glass bushing and in the area immediately below it to improve the call down rate and short term yardage characteristics of the yarn produced.