Abstract: An article of manufacture making system for making an article of manufacture containing a plurality of dry solid additives, such as fibers, that utilizes a dry solid additive delivery system with a relatively low Stokes Number for the dry solid additives.

Abstract: An article of manufacture making system for making an article of manufacture containing a plurality of dry solid additives, such as fibers, that utilizes a dry solid additive delivery system.

Abstract: A unit for making absorbent pads of absorbent articles including a drum for forming the absorbent pads and a hood for feeding a first and a second absorbent material to at least part of the peripheral surface of the drum; the hood has a chamber for mixing the first and the second absorbent materials and an opening for dispensing the first and the second absorbent materials facing at least part of the peripheral surface of the drum; the unit includes at least a first and a second duct for feeding the second absorbent material into the hood and means for distributing the second absorbent material both of the first feed duct and of the second feed duct; the first and the second ducts are connected to the same distribution means.

Abstract: An article of manufacture making system for making an article of manufacture containing a plurality of dry solid additives that utilizes a dry solid additive delivery system having at least one dry solid additive inlet and outlet such that the dry solid additives are conveyed through the dry solid additive delivery system facilitated by one or more prime movers such that the dry solid additives form an article of manufacture.

Abstract: An article of manufacture making system for making an article of manufacture containing a plurality of dry solid additives, such as fibers, that utilizes a dry solid additive delivery system comprising one or more dry solid additive inlets and one or more dry solid additive outlets wherein the dry solid additive delivery system exhibits a non-circular cross-section between at least one of the prime movers and at least one of the dry solid additive outlets such that the Stokes Number for the dry solid additives is less than 2000 is provided.

Abstract: A method and a device for the dry forming of a fiber web, in which a multiplicity of fibers or fiber mixtures are fed to a forming head by means of an air flow is described. The forming head produces a fiber stream which is introduced into a clearance of a forming zone between the forming head and a laydown belt. To obtain as uniform a construction of the fiber layer as possible during the laying down of the fibers, the fibers of the fiber stream run through the clearance within the forming zone with free sections of different lengths. To this end, the forming head and the laydown belt are held in a non-parallel arrangement, with the result that the clearance is formed by different spacings between the laydown belt and the forming outlet of the forming head.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for removing shot from mineral fibres comprising providing a collected web of mineral fibres containing shot, subjecting the collected web of fibres to a disentanglement process, suspending the disentangled fibres in a primary air flow, thereby allowing separation of the fibres from the shot and collecting the fibres, wherein from 0% up to less than 1% by weight binder is present in the fibres collected from the primary air flow.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is disclosed for dry forming a uniform non-woven fibrous web. The apparatus includes a transport duct, a spreading member and a discharge member connected in series. The discharge member has a flexible plate and a plurality of screws which act upon the flexible plate to deflect its inner surface and provide further control of the basis weight of the to be formed fibrous web. The apparatus also has a forming zone located below the discharge member. The method combines a plurality of individual fibers with a pressurized gaseous stream and routes this stream through the apparatus to form the uniform non-woven fibrous web.

Abstract: An apparatus for the manufacture of an air laid web in which individual cellulose fibers or textile fibers or their blends can be conveyed and distributed by air uniformly to any desired width onto a forming zone composed of either a foraminous screen or a fibrous polymer matrix on top of a consolidating vacuum box.

Abstract: A method and device for depositing fibers on a forming wire. In one embodiment, a device includes a fiber reservoir having an inlet, a first outlet configured to pass air or gas, and a second outlet configured to pass fiber. The device also includes a fiber meter configured to move fiber out of the reservoir to a forming head via mechanical action and along substantially the entire width of the forming head. The forming head includes one or more air inlets and one or more agitators to blend and open the fiber received from the fiber meter. The forming head interfaces with a vacuum source that draws air into the forming head through the air inlets, which can be adjusted to affect volume and velocity of air drawn into the forming head.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for dry forming of fibre weave (9) are disclosed. The apparatus comprises a suction box (4) and a superjacent forming head and a forming wire (2) placed in between. The weave (9) is formed on the forming wire, in that the suction box (4) has an active suction area (17) that sucks the fibres towards the forming wire (2). With the object of avoiding beaching in the formed fibre weave (9) a pressure drop regulating means (3) is mounted in the suction box in a sub-section of the suction area (17).

Abstract: A device for dry forming a web of fibers. The device includes; a fiber distribution head (1); a forming wire (3) movable under the head; a suction means (5) located on the opposite side of the forming wire from the head; within the head, a chamber (9) into which a flow of gas, in which said fibers are suspended, is directed, the chamber having a bottom opening (9A) closed by a screen mesh (17) which is essentially parallel to the forming wire (3) and which faces the the forming wire; and agitator members (45) inside the chamber, above the screen mesh (17), for agitating and distributing the fibers. The screen mesh (17) is a continuous mesh, movable along a closed path around the chamber, the portion of the mesh parallel to and facing the forming wire moving along a path which is essentially parallel to the forming wire. Additionally, the agitator members comprise a plurality of rotating shafts (47) which are parallel to each other and orthogonal to the direction of advance (f3) of the forming wire.

Abstract: A mixing device (9) for fibers in a gaseous flow, specifically designed to be arranged on the line supplying a head for forming air-laid webs, is described. The device comprises a duct (11) for fibers suspended in a gaseous flow, with an inlet (13) and an outlet (15). A plurality of rotors (16-19), perpendicular to said flow and equipped with radial elements (43), is provided between the inlet and the outlet.

Abstract: The machine for making a non-woven material aerologically has a forming and conveying surface permeable to air, a dispersion chamber surmounting said surface and means, particularly vacuum means located under said forming and conveying surface of the non-woven material, which are capable not only of producing an air flow inside the dispersion chamber that allows the fibers inside the chamber to disperse and projects them onto the forming and conveying surface, but also create a vacuum in one zone—called the vacuum zone (9)—of the forming and conveying surface (1) of the non-woven material that extends under the dispersion chamber (2) and downstream from it, with the vacuum speed decreasing between the upstream and downstream parts of said zone (9).

Abstract: A device for producing a mineral wool nonwoven fabric, comprising a drop shaft and fibrillation devices in addition to a conveyor device for the conveyance of mineral wool nonwoven fabric. A device is also provided to separate the strip of insulating material into a first section and a second section in a longitudinal direction. A conveyor device directs the first section in such a way that it is placed on the second section. The device enables a mineral fiber product to be created with a density distribution that is such that the upper area and the lower area have a higher density than the area located inbetween.

Abstract: A plant that includes two air-lay stations placed one after the other serving for the dry production of a non-woven fiber web. Each station includes a fiber feed duct for feeding fibers to the station from a fiber source, an air-lay forming head connected to the fiber feed duct and at least partly defined by a perforated screen, and a suction box for successively sucking fibers in the forming head through the screen. A separate fiber source is part of each station. The first station furthermore has a fiber collector placed under the screen of its forming head whereas the second station has a forming wire placed under the screen of its forming head. The two stations are connected to at least one conveyor for conveying fibers from the fiber collector of the first station to the forming head of the second station.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for manufacturing a filtration device. The process includes a fibre carding procedure which forms a web. The filtration device in accordance with the invention takes the form of a web having a single layer lap.

Abstract: A fiber distributor for forming an air-laid fiber web on a running endless forming wire which, during operation, in principle is horizontal. The fiber distributor includes a suction unit positioned under the forming wire, a housing positioned above the forming wire and having at least one combined fiber and air inlet, and a base having a number of flow openings, and a number of rotational wings positioned above this base. These wings distribute the fibers along the upper side of the base. The base is designed as a grid with grid bars which taper in a downwards direction. In the flow openings of the grid, a slip is advantageously formed which prevents the fibers from packing together and blocking the openings during operation. The fiber distributor is thus, at a continuous high capacity and is able to form an even and homogenous fiber layer on the forming wire.

Abstract: In an apparatus and a process for preparing a flock-air mixture which is fed by a pulping device through a feed conduit to a flock-laying device for forming an absorbent pad, the feed conduit includes a dispersing device for loosening up lumps of flock within the mixture. To achieve a high level of efficiency in loosening the flock lumps, as independently as possible of the through-put of the mixture through the feed conduit, the dispersing device is in the form of a pneumatic dispersing device which loosens up the lumps by accelerating the mixture with lumps therein to cause the lumps to burst or tear apart.

Abstract: The invention is particularly related to the problems of dispersing fiber to obtain a uniform distribution. The invention includes tapered ducts oriented at an appropriate angle relative to the horizontal for redirecting and decreasing the speed of an air stream containing fiber therein such that the fiber precipitates from the air stream and falls gently to form a uniform fiber bed in a bin.

Abstract: A transport belt for transporting a fiber strand to be condensed through a condensing zone of a ring spinning machine is provided with a perforation for an air suction stream which suctions the fiber strand. In at least one fiber strand transporting area, the perforation has at least 100 holes per square centimeter.

Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for separating particles disposed in a carrier gas being delivered from a distributor to a moving web including a roller, a supply conduit for supplying the particles dispersed in the carrier gas substantially tangentially to the roller at a first speed, the roller rotating at a second speed which is substantially greater than the first speed whereby the particles are separated from the carrier gas, the roller including a discharge opening for discharging the particles toward the moving web and a return line for recycling the carrier gas. A method for separating particles dispersed in a carrier gas is also disclosed.

Abstract: Apparatus for manufacturing fibrous insulation includes a porous conveyor mounted for transporting fibrous material in a machine direction in the form of pack. A pack lift blower is positioned beneath the porous conveyor, in a direction transverse to the machine direction, to direct gases upwardly through the porous conveyor to fluff the fibers within the pack. The pack lift blower has a nozzle that is readily removable and replaceable for cleaning without requiring interruption in the motion of the conveyor. The nozzle may also include slots which allow the passage of air and a reciprocal member which cleans the slots.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for depositing particulate material (30, 36) in an airlaid fibrous web (94) includes a moving of a forming surface (22) through a forming chamber (24), and a laying of a fibrous material (96) onto the forming surface to form the fibrous web. The particulate material is delivered into the forming chamber with an arcuate curved nozzle (86) which is positioned within the forming chamber at a location spaced from the forming surface.

Abstract: An apparatus for air-laying of a material in the form of fibers or granules onto a running band. The apparatus includes at least one delimited space arranged at a first surface on an at least partially air-permeable endless running band. A vacuum exists in the space during operation and the band runs successively over the space. This takes place concurrently with air being sucked through the band into the space. At least two rotatable support elements are placed in the space in order to counteract down-bending of the running band. The support elements have a rotational direction generally coinciding with the running direction of the band.

Abstract: The present invention provides an inlet and outlet plenum apparatus for improving the forming of fibrous pads for absorbent products and providing improved density control. Fibers entrained in a high speed air flow coming from a fiberizer or other fiber source enter an inlet plenum which reduces velocity by increasing the area of the inlet plenum in a linear manner thereby decreasing turbulence and improving the density distribution of the fiber deposited onto the foraminous surface of a pad-former screen. The outlet plenum allows for a controlled velocity increase which reduces under-screen turbulence and further improves fiber distribution and density control.

Abstract: An apparatus for making a fiber batt includes an opening roll for opening fibers fed thereto; a fiber removing device directing an air stream to the opening roll for removing the opened fiber therefrom; a downwardly open fiber gathering hood; an arrangement for introducing into the hood an air stream carrying the opened fiber removed from the opening roll; an air-pervious, continuously moving fiber gathering surface covered by the fiber gathering hood; an arrangement for forcing air from the fiber gathering hood through the fiber gathering surface for depositing the fibers thereon to form a fiber batt; and an arrangement for heating the fibers with a heated air stream in a zone between the opening roll and the fiber gathering surface for effecting a heat treatment of the fibers, such as a binding of the fibers with a binding agent mixed to the fibers.

Abstract: An air doffing system for a fiber-processing machine which includes an air plenum associated with a carding roll. A doffing blade initiates lifting of fibers from a carding roll, and a laminar airflow pulls the fibers through the plenum. The airflow is pulled through a perforated roll on the opposite end of the plenum. The perforated roll operates in connection with a smooth roll to form a roller pair which work the fibers collected on the perforated into a web. The web is then formed into a sliver by a trumpet and a calendar roll pair.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an absorbent structure in an absorbent product such as a sanitary napkin, panty liner, diaper or similar product, which is manufactured by air-permeable forming elements. In the present method, the constituent fibres or similar material are given a certain electrical potential while the forming elements completely or partially are given an opposite potential or are grounded, the position and duration of the potential being variable. The material's orientation, distribution and location can be controlled so that the structure in the absorbent product can have the desired appearance.

Abstract: A card apparatus for producing an aerodynamically formed fibrous web (4), includes a fiber feed means (6), a main cylinder (8) rotating at high speed and a shaft (10) arranged at main cylinder (8), the shaft transporting thrown-off fibers in an airflow (12) to an air-permeable web transport means (14) and disposing said fibers on said web transport means (14) in the form of a fibrous web (4). In this apparatus the main cylinder (8) throws off said fibers at a first location (22) of shaft (10) onto a second cylinder (20) rotating at high speed in opposite sense to main cylinder (8) and generating a random orientation of said fibers on cylinder (20), and the second cylinder (20) throws off said fibers into airflow (12) at a second location (24) of shaft (10).

Abstract: A binder is applied to fibers to bind particles to the fibers. The fibers have hydrogen bonding functional groups. The particles have functional groups capable of forming a hydrogen bond or a coordinate covalent bond. The binder comprises binder molecules, the binder molecules having at least one functional group that is capable of forming a hydrogen bond or a coordinate covalent bond with the particles, and at least one functional group that is capable of forming a hydrogen bond with the fibers. A substantial portion of the particles that are adhered to the fibers are adhered in particulate form by hydrogen bonds or coordinate covalent bonds to the binder, and the binder is in turn adhered to the fibers by hydrogen bonds. Fibers containing particles bound by this method are easily densified.

Abstract: This invention relates to improved aerodynamics in dry fiber web forming machines and particularly to airlays which form high quality webs. The invention includes a disperser roll for feeding fibers into the air stream and a second roll opposite to the disperser roll for balancing the disruptive effects of long stationary walls and rotating members in the air duct. In one alternative arrangement of the invention, the fibers are also fed to the air stream by a second disperser roll opposite the first disperser roll.

Abstract: The present invention utilizes the smooth continuous motion of a masking belt to concentrate air-entrained absorbent materials on the surface of a moving fibrous substrate. Air flowing through the open areas of the masking belt carries the entrained material into the fibrous web. The fibrous web acts as a filter to separate the entrained material from the air stream. Substantially all dispensed material is captured by the fibrous web, and expensive and complex absorbent material recycle systems can be eliminated.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for the production of absorbent materials comprising fibers cross-linked by a suitable cross-linker therefor, and wherein said cross-linker is associated with substantially the entire surface of each fiber, said materials being preparable by mixing of an aerated suspension of the charged fibers with the cross-linker before heating and compressing, such fibers having a capacity for fluid absorption considerably greater than has been heretofore known for such materials.

Abstract: A method of producing easily densified high bulk fibers that have adhered particulates. The high bulk fibers have hydrogen bonding or coordinate covalent bonding functionalities, and a binder is applied to the fibers to bind the particles to the fibers. The binder has a functional group that forms a hydrogen bond or a coordinate covalent bond with the particles, and a functional group that forms a hydrogen bond with the fibers. A substantial portion of the particles that are adhered to the fibers are adhered in particulate form by hydrogen bonds or coordinate covalent bonds to the binder, and the binder is in turn adhered to the fibers by hydrogen bonds. Fibers containing particles bound by this method are easily densified.

Abstract: The device of the invention enables a fiber web at the outlet from a carder to be removed and conveyed at high speed without significant change to the structure of the web, and in particular without stretching the web. The device comprises a takeoff cylinder which is adjacent to the last working cylinder of the carder, suction means, and a conveyor belt. The belt of the conveyor is permeable to air, and at least level with the takeoff cylinder it possesses at least one rectilinear web-receiving portion that passes close to the takeoff cylinder with a linear speed that is substantially equal to the peripheral speed of the takeoff cylinder, travelling in a direction that is orthogonal to the axis of rotation of the takeoff cylinder, and interposed between the suction means and the takeoff cylinder. The suction means establish a suction zone between the takeoff cylinder and the rectilinear portion of the conveyor belt, substantially in the vicinity of the line where they are almost tangential.

Abstract: This invention relates to an improved air acceleration nozzle for use in airlay web formers which reduce the creation of large scale vortices and turbulence. The nozzle accelerates the air by reducing the cross sectional area of the conduit. The size of the conduit for the air is reduced in both lateral dimensions, and more preferably, both dimensions are reduced with smoothly curving, low angle peripheral walls.

Abstract: An aerodynamic forming hood is provided for supplying a substantially uniform distribution of fibers in a downward laminar airstream for the deposition of the fibers on one or more forming surfaces. The hood is formed by a rectangular housing having opposed elongated downwardly diverging side walls and short downwardly diverging end walls. The housing has a smaller rectangular open top end through which a supply of fibers is released in an airstream which enters into the housing. The forming surfaces are disposed at a larger bottom forming end of the housing. The side walls and end walls in the top part of the hood are provided with elongated horizontal apertures.

Abstract: A method for producing a material for a fiber-reinforced composite article is disclosed which comprises preparing an apparatus composed of a belt and at least one fiber-separating and throwing device, setting the belt in motion and the roller in rotation, feeding a mixture of matrix thermoplastic resin fibers (a) and reinforcing fibers (b) to the roller, causing the roller to separate the fibers and throw the separated, fibers, and allowing the thrown fibers to pile up on the moving belt, thereby giving rise to a mat wherein the ratio of the fibers (a) and (b) successively increases or decreases in the direction of thickness of the mat.

Abstract: An apparatus for depositing fibers on a wire (12) for the production of primarily paper products includes a wire (12) and one or more distributors (1) which are diagonal in relation to the wire (12). This minimizes disadvantages which occur when using traditional apparatuses as, in the present invention, impellers (2) mounted in the distributor (1) are provided in rows (4) which, like the distributor (1), are arranged at an angle between 0.degree. and 90.degree. in relation to the direction of movement (D) of the wire (12).

Abstract: A high loft high tensile strength fiber batting includes a plurality of highly lofted staple fibers entangled in a high tensile strength netting material to create a high loft batting with high tensile strength. The batting is formed by drawing a sheet of open netting through a stream of airborne fibers at a rate which causes a portion of the fibers to flow completely through the netting to form a lower layer on a suction cylinder below the netting. A portion of the fibers become entangled in the netting with ends depending therefrom to form an intermediate layer. A portion of the fibers become entangled and pile on top of the netting to form an upper layer. The upper and intermediate layers are brought into contact with the lower layer such that the depending ends of the fibers of the intermediate layer become entangled with the fibers of the lower layer to form a batting with a netting locked therein by entanglement of three layers of fibers.

Abstract: A sheet of an absorbent material which, comprises a blend of a fibrous substance and of a granulated substance in which the granulated substance is non-uniformly distributed in the sheet, there being alternating zones of higher and of lower density of said substance along the sheet, is prepared by vacuum depositing (16) a dispersion of the fibrous substance (20) on a moving screen (14) and continuously applying the granulated substance (24) while changing the zone of application in a pendulum-like fashion (34, 36) along the screen.

Abstract: An apparatus for making a sheet formed fiber product includes at least one fiber distributor (1) having a substantially planar bottom (7) in the form of a wire net, with openings approximately formed as parallelograms; an endless forming wire (2) having an upper and an lower run, the upper run being situated a short distance from the underside of the bottom (7) of the fiber distributor (1), and at least one suction box (3) situated in such a way in relation to the upper run (2) of the forming wire that fibers passing through the bottom (7) of the fiber distributor are disposed onto the upper side (2) of the forming wire in the form of a coherent fiber layer.

Abstract: Disclosed are an improved apparatus for collecting fine fibers, such as glass fibers, having a mean diameter of less than two microns from a gaseous stream, a method of collecting fine fibers using the apparatus and the novel new product produced by this method. The improvement lies mainly in the way in which the collection drum is supported and sealed which allows the collection to take place at relatively high partial vacuums. The fiber is also consolidated in the gaseous stream by passing it through a duct having at least one approximately ninety degree turn therein.

Abstract: An apparatus for making a nonwoven web comprises a carding drum and a continuously movable, air-permeable collecting surface member, which is arranged to collect the fibers which have been discharged from the carding drum and are entrained by an entraining air stream, through a suction duct, which extends between the carding drum and the collecting surface member. Passages for supplying air to the suction duct are provided throughout a predetermined working width of the drum and disposed adjacent to the duct at leading and trailing boundaries thereof with respect to the direction of rotation of the carding drum.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for producing a fiber web comprising a feeder 1 for supplying a fiber material, a plurality of fiber opening cylinders 2.sub.1, 2.sub.2, 2.sub.3, . . . 2n (n is a natural number) mounted adjacent to one another for transferring and opening the fiber material fed from the feeder 1 and having metallic wires 2a mounted to the surface thereof, a conveyor 7 arranged for receiving the opened fiber unloaded from the fiber opening cylinder 2n mounted at the outlet end, and a suction box 8 arranged beneath the conveyor 7 for drawing the opened fiber towards the conveyor 7 by a sucking action, said fiber opening cylinders 2.sub.1, 2.sub.2, 2.sub.3, . . . 2n being enclosed in a housing 3 which has fiber transfer openings 4 between any two adjacent fiber opening cylinders and a fiber releasing opening 5 for unloading the opened fiber from the last fiber opening cylinder 2n, and also arranged so that any two adjacent cylinders can rotate in opposite directions.

Abstract: To make a bulky nonwoven web of low density and high uniformity with an apparatus comprising a toothed opening roller rotatable at a sufficient speed to throw off a stream of fibers centrifugally and deposit them on a revolving air-permeable collecting surface member which has a fiber-receiving portion and a suction box having an opening underneath this portion, a guide roller is spaced vertically from the fiber-receiving portion. The guide roller is rotated in a direction opposite to that of the opening roller and has a leading peripheral surface portion facing the opening roller and projecting into the stream of fibers to deflect a part of the fibers, and a trailing peripheral portion constituting a suction zone facing the fiber-receiving portion. A guide wall in the suction box opening controls the air stream sucked through the fiber-receiving portion in the direction of the movement of the collecting surface member.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming a fiber lap from fiber tufts includes a fiber opener having an input formed of a fiber feeding mechanism and a series of sawtooth rolls through which the fiber material introduced by the fiber feeding mechanism consecutively passes in a direction of advance; a pneumatic fiber stripping device including a blowing device for directing an airstream toward the last sawtooth roll of the series as viewed in the direction of fiber advance; a hood having an inner face defining a chamber situated above and downstream of the last sawtooth roll for receiving fiber material carried from the last sawtooth roll by the air stream of the fiber stripping device; an air-pervious, continuously moving receiving member disposed in the chamber downstream of the last sawtooth roll; and a suction device facing the underside of the receiving member for generating an air stream passing through the receiving member for drawing fiber material in the chamber onto the upper face of the receiving member for forming

Abstract: An apparatus for making a nonwoven web has a carding drum (1), a continuously moving, air-permeable collecting surface member (2) for collecting fibers which fly in an entraining air stream from the carding drum (1), a suction box (4), connected to the collecting surface member (2), and a suction duct (3) extending between the collecting surface member and a peripheral portion of the carding drum (1) which is directly opposite to the collecting surface member (2).

Abstract: The invention relates to a process and an apparatus for the dry forming of a material web from a long-fiber material, wherein fibrous material is blown into a forming space to form a porous material web on a wire passing through the forming space. The dry forming of long fibers in lengths of at least 20 mm is problematic. In accordance with the invention, this problem has been solved in such a way thatthe fibrous material is blown into the forming space by at least one air current (A) that is substantially horizontal and transverse to the wire,the fibrous material is guided onto the surface of the wire (1) by an air current (D) that is substantially vertical and passes through the wire downwardly,and the desired material web (F) is formed by the combined effect of said horizontal and vertical air currents.