Abstract: A method of treating tough inorganic fiber bundles including opening a plurality of the tough inorganic fiber bundles such that tough inorganic fibers can be dispersed in a liquid slurry to lay down a homogenous fiber aggregate, wherein the tough inorganic fibers have a crush settle volume of greater than 250 ml, optionally greater than 450 ml. Also, a method of treating tough inorganic fiber bundles including dispersing a plurality of the tough inorganic fiber bundles in a slurry with a dilution of about 0.1% to about 2%, optionally about 0.1% to about 1%, effective to lay down a homogenous fiber aggregate, wherein the tough inorganic fibers have a crush settle volume of greater than 250 ml, optionally greater than 450 ml.

Abstract: Submerged combustion glass manufacturing systems include a melter having a floor, a roof, a wall structure connecting the floor and roof, and an exhaust passage through the roof. One or more submerged combustion burners are mounted in the floor and/or wall structure discharging combustion products under a level of material being melted in the melter and create turbulent conditions in the material. The melter exhausts through an exhaust structure connecting the exhaust passage with an exhaust stack. The exhaust structure includes a barrier defining an exhaust chamber having an interior surface, the exhaust chamber having a cross-sectional area greater than that of the exhaust stack but less than the melter. The barrier maintains temperature and pressure in the exhaust structure at values sufficient to substantially prevent condensation of exhaust material on the interior surface.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus including a fiber opening chamber having an open upper end and a lower end, at least one fiber inlet for introducing a multiplicity of fibers into the opening chamber, a first multiplicity of rollers positioned within the opening chamber wherein each roller has a multiplicity of projections extending outwardly from a circumferential surface surrounding a center axis of rotation, at least one gas emission nozzle positioned substantially below the first multiplicity of rollers to direct a gas stream generally towards the open upper end of the opening chamber, and a forming chamber having an upper end and a lower end, wherein the upper end of the forming chamber is in flow communication with the open upper end of the opening chamber, and the lower end of the forming chamber is substantially open and positioned above a collector having a collector surface.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus including a chamber having a substantially open lower end positioned above a collector surface, at least one fiber inlet positioned above the lower end, a first multiplicity of rollers positioned within the chamber wherein each roller has a multiplicity of projections extending outwardly from a circumferential surface surrounding a center axis of rotation, a second multiplicity of rollers positioned within the chamber above the first multiplicity of rollers wherein each of the second multiplicity of rollers has a multiplicity of projections extending outwardly from a circumferential surface surrounding a center axis of rotation, the second multiplicity of rollers positioned so at least a portion of the projections extending outwardly from the circumferential surfaces of each of the second multiplicity of rollers vertically overlaps with at least a portion of the projections extending outwardly from the circumferential surface of at least one of the first multiplicity of rollers.

Abstract: A fluff pulp is provided, which comprises softwood fibers; and 3 to 35% by weight of hardwood fibers. A fluff is also provided, which comprises the fiberized or shredded fluff pulp. A core is also provided, which comprises the fluff and at least an SAP. Processes for making and using the fluff pulp, fluff, and core are provided, and products made thereby.

Abstract: A fluff pulp is provided, which comprises softwood fibers; and 3 to 35% by weight of hardwood fibers. A fluff is also provided, which comprises the fiberized or shredded fluff pulp. A core is also provided, which comprises the fluff and at least an SAP. Processes for making and using the fluff pulp, fluff, and core are provided, and products made thereby.

Abstract: The feed device for scattering individualized fibers or fiber flocks comprises a scattering section, in which a driven feed roller and a driven opening roller cooperating with the feed roller are arranged. A dispensing device for storing and dispensing a fiber sliver is assigned to the feed roller in such a way that the feed roller pulls in the fiber sliver provided by the dispensing device, as a result of which the feed roller is fed with the fiber sliver or the fiber fleece strip. The opening roller is arranged adjacent to the feed roller in such a way that it opens up the fiber sliver pulled in by the feed roller to form individual fibers or fiber flocks and scatters them.

Abstract: A plant for removing fines from fiber fluff. The plant includes a forming wire, a forming head which is placed above the forming wire and arranged for air-laying fiber fluff into a layer upon the forming wire, at least one channel for carrying, in a flow of air, fibers from a supply of fibers into the forming head, a suction box placed beneath the forming wire, at least one vacuum fan connected to the suction box for generating an air flow from the forming head, through the fluff, the forming wire, and the suction box to the at least one vacuum fan. The mesh count of the forming wire mainly allow only the fines contained in the fluff to pass through the forming wire. The troublesome and costly filtering of the water used in a hydroentangling process is advantageously eliminated when using fluff, which is freed from fines by means of the plant according to the invention. Air-laid webs produced of the fine-free fibers also have a high quality.

Abstract: Process for making nonwoven fibrous webs having substantial strength in the direction normal to their planes. The webs exhibit good acoustical insulation properties.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for distributing reinforcement fibers includes a chute for supplying reinforcement fibers, the chute having an outlet end, and a metering belt mounted for endless travel along a first path at the outlet end of the chute. The metering belt has elongate members with tips extending outwardly from the metering belt, to define a volume between the tips and the metering belt. The tips of the metering belt pass sufficiently close to the chute so that fibers having penetrated the volume formed by the elongate members are carried away by the metering belt. The metering belt is also mounted for endless travel along a second path around a curved surface which causes adjacent elongate members to spread apart and diverge from each other, thereby causing the fibers to be discharged from the metering belt. A collection surface receives the discharged fibers.

Abstract: An apparatus for treating fiber and producing a fiber lap therefrom, includes a fiber feeder; a carding machine including a multi-roll licker-in assembly receiving the fiber material from the feeder, a main carding cylinder receiving fiber material from the licker-in assembly, a plurality of carding flats supported about a circumferential portion of the main carding cylinder and cooperating therewith, and a doffer receiving fiber material from the main carding cylinder; and a fiber lap forming device including a pneumatic fiber stripping device which has a blower for directing an airstream generally tangentially to the doffer for removing and entraining fiber material from the doffer, a hood having an inner face defining a chamber situated above and downstream of said doffer for receiving fiber material carried from the doffer by the airstream, a continuously driven, air-pervious receiving member having an upper face and an underside, and a suction device facing the underside of the receiving member for gener

Abstract: A fiber blending system includes an apparatus and method of forming a mat of cellulosic fibers and synthetic fibers, as well as a mat thereby formed. The method includes the steps of fiberizing cellulosic material into cellulosic fibers in a fiberizer, volumetrically metering a metered amount of synthetic fibers, and injecting the metered amount of synthetic fibers into the cellulosic fibers. The cellulosic fibers are blended with the metered amount of synthetic fibers in a blending chamber to form a fiber blend. The fiber blend is dispersed through a fiber disperser having apertures of a preselected size and shape to provide a dispersed fiber blend. A third type of fiber may also be mixed with the dispersed fiber blend. The dispersed fiber blend is collected as a mat on a fiber collector to provide a mat of blended cellulosic and synthetic fibers. The mat may be thermobonded by a thermobonder and sandwiched between a facing sheet and a backing sheet.

Abstract: 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. The 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. At least one of the fiber opening cylinders 2.sub.1, 2.sub.2, 2.sub.3, . . . 2n is driven to produce a centrifugal acceleration of more than 3.4.times.10.sup.5 cm/sec.sup.

Abstract: A defibrator which makes it possible to distribute defibrated cellulosic fibers directly onto a forming wire (5) includes ribs (33) extending inside a cylindrical housing (24). The ribs have outer curved surfaces which direct fibers into an area (35) in which beater plates (25). A grate (37) in front of an outlet (30) from the circular housing (24) is arranged at the periphery (35) for the rotation of the beater plates (25). The grate has an interspace between grate bars only allowing fibers to pass through. Accordingly, agglomerates are returned into the working area of the beater plates (25). As the beater plates (25) act several times on agglomerates, it is ensured that only individual fibers pass through the grate (37). Accordingly, fibers are discharged directly onto the forming wire (5) from a discharge opening (2) of the defibrator (1). Preferably, the discharge opening (2) has a width corresponding to the width of the product to be formed on the forming wire (5).

Abstract: A fiber blending system includes an apparatus and method of forming a mat of cellulosic fibers and synthetic fibers, as well as a mat thereby formed. The method includes the steps of fiberizing cellulosic material into cellulosic fibers in a fiberizer, volumetrically metering a metered amount of synthetic fibers, and injecting the metered amount of synthetic fibers into the cellulosic fibers. The cellulosic fibers are blended with the metered amount of synthetic fibers in a blending chamber to form a fiber blend. The fiber blend is dispersed through a fiber disperser having apertures of a preselected size and shape to provide a dispersed fiber blend. A third type of fiber may also be mixed with the dispersed fiber blend. The dispersed fiber blend is collected as a mat on a fiber collector to provide a mat of blended cellulosic and synthetic fibers. The mat may be thermobonded by a thermobonder and sandwiched between a facing sheet and a backing sheet.

Abstract: This invention relates to a fiber reinforced plastic sheet having a gradient layer structure wherein the number of reinforcing fibers continuously varies and a process for producing the same by spreading a mixture of the fibers different in the number of filaments over the traveling zone of a conveyor and then pressing it while it contains a resin. The fiber reinforced plastic sheet of the invention is excellent in smooth appearance, fluidity during molding to an article, fiber filling ability into a complex form portion of an article and mechanical strength and can be produced inexpensively.

Abstract: Discontinuous fibers are entrained in a gaseous medium and coated while entrained with a substantially continuous coating of a binder material. Plural coatings of various binder materials may be applied to the entrained fibers. Also, one or more solid particulate materials may be adhered to the fibers by the binder material as the binder material dries. The binder material may be heat bondable and mixed with other fibers for use in producing a wide variety of products.

Abstract: The web or mat producing unit including a fiber opening and doffing mechanism mounted on a vertically adjustable platform to direct fibers randomly downwardly through an opening in the platform and onto the horizontal upper run of an endless screen, which travels in one direction over a vacuum or suction opening positioned beneath and parallel to the upper run. Two, spaced side curtains or panels, which are suspended from the underside of the platform, guide fibers into a predetermined space located between opposite sides of the upper run of the screen, thereby to form the fibers into a shingle-free nonwoven mat which may, if desired, be fed successively onto the upper run of the screen in the next successive unit in a series thereof. The width and configuration of the mat can be changed by adjusting the panels toward and away from each other, and by placing a removable template or baffle over the suction opening.

Abstract: Fibrous flakes used to reconstitute heat and sound insulants in the form of felts are themselves produced from a compressed fleece by an opening operation. The flakes detached from the fleece are carried away from the opening device in order to be used immediately.

Abstract: When practicing a method and using an arrangement for producing a fibre layer or fibre mat from a liquid-absorbent material, e.g. in the manufacture of diapers, a fibre-air suspension is blown in between two endless, mutually parallel air-permeable conveyor belts (12,13) at a pressure which exceeds the pressure of the ambient surroundings. The conveyor belts form therebetween a forming space which is defined laterally by stationary or movable side-walls (18), the inner surfaces of which may be profiled so as to provide a fibre layer or a fibre mat with profiled side-edges.

Abstract: A fiber filling system features a picking device for separating clumped fiber, that feeds to an air and fiber circulation chamber. The circulation chamber aerates and fluffs the separated fiber into a fibrous billow, which is then discharged to a stuffing chute. A stuffable article, such as a toy, pillow, or furniture cushion casing is attached to the chute and is filled with the fibrous billow in a metered amount.

Abstract: The formation head comprises a casing of substantially rectangular configuration in plan view provided with a perforated flat bottom-screen or sieve, and with a top wall having a number of openings communicating with the atmosphere. Opening into said casing is a conduit for feeding a flow of air-fluidized disintegrated fibers. A plurality of spaced parallel, horizontal rollers are rotatably mounted close to the perforated bottom of the said head structure. The said rollers are supported so as to be translated parallely to the bottom of the said structure. The said rollers are each provided with a plurality of peripheral radial needles. At a short distance from the bottom of the casing, parallely thereto, a moving web is mounted, cooperating with an underlying vacuum chamber onto which the screened fibers are deposited in a thin layer (S).

Abstract: Filler material, particularly for cigarette filters, is produced by feeding a first stream of substantially continuous filaments of filler material onto a pin roller which is driven at a speed such that the filaments are broken by the pins into irregular lengths and are projected from the roller in random orientations. The broken filaments are collected on a carrier stream, also comprising filamentary material, for delivery to a rod-making unit. More than one stream could be supplied to the pin roller so that the broken filaments can comprise a mixture of filaments of different filler materials. The carrier stream may comprise filler material which is different from that in the first stream and may comprise a fibrillated web.

Abstract: A process for collecting continuous polymer filaments centrifugally ejected from the spinning nozzles of a spinning head rotating at a high velocity is provided wherein the ejected filaments are caught by the surface of an annular form, flowing down liquid or by an annular wall surface wetted by a liquid flowing down thereon, spaced apart from and surrounding the spinning head and concentrically opposed to the head; then moved downwards from the location where the filaments are caught, by the flowing down liquid and if necessary, together with two or more guides; and dropped on a belt moving below the spinning head in the lateral direction and taken up in the form of multifilaments or dropped on the belt in the form of an ellipse long in the width direction of the belt and after adhering selvage materials to both the side end parts of the filaments, taken up in the form of a weft web of the ejected filaments.

Abstract: Textile length multifilament bundles of coated and bonded glass fibers are fed into the fiber inlet of a momentum exchange aspirator having a high pressure propelling air source inlet providing propelling air at a velocity generally equal to the velocity of sound to cause flow of air to carry the bundles into the aspirator fiber inlet and produce a turbulent flow zone which destroys the interfiber bonds, without destroying the protective coating on the fibers and with minimum fiber breakage, to form a high velocity stream of discretely separated textile length coated glass fibers at the aspirator outlet.

Abstract: The apparatus includes an air temperature and humidity control chamber, a chopper room, strand choppers in the chopper room, a first controllable pitch fan having an inlet connected to the temperature and humidity control chamber and an outlet connected to the chopper room, a forming hood beneath the choppers, an endless conveyor chain beneath the forming hood, a chopped strand collecting chamber for collecting chopped strands which happen to pass through the conveyor chain, a suction chamber disposed beneath an upper flight of the conveyor chain and partitioned into a plurality of sections each having an inlet communicating with the forming hood through the conveyor chain and being provided with nozzle-forming downstream convergent baffle plates therein and an outlet communicating with the chopped strand collecting chamber through a duct having an adjustable damper therein securable in an adjusted position, a second controllable pitch fan having an inlet connected to the chopped strand collecting chamber and

Abstract: An absorbent article comprising, an absorbent pad having a mass of hydrophilic fibers and a matrix of a comminuted hydrophobic material dispersed in the interfiber spaces defined by the fibers throughout at least a portion of the pad.

Abstract: A process and mechanism for the dry screen forming of fibers to attain a dispersion in air of substantially individual fibers from which a fibrous sheet is formed. Fibrous nits, pills and flocs are removed from the dispersion by rolling the nits, pills and the like into elongated shapes as they pass a fiber screening member and carrying the elongated fibrous bodies from the dispersion of fibers and away from the sheet forming area for the fibers. The mechanism includes a fiber screening member, a fiber receiving member on which the sheet is formed and a foraminous member which rolls the nits, pills and the like between it and the fiber screening member as the air dispersion of fibers passes toward the fiber receiving member.

Abstract: A process and mechanism for the dry screen forming of fibers to attain a dispersion in air of substantially individual fibers from which a fibrous sheet is formed. Fibrous nits, pills and flocs are removed from the dispersion by rolling the nits, pills and the like into elongated shapes as they pass a fiber screening member and carrying the elongated fibrous bodies from the dispersion of fibers and away from the sheet forming area for the fibers. The mechanism includes a fiber screening member, a fiber receiving member on which the sheet is formed and a foraminous member which rolls the nits, pills and the like between it and the fiber screening member as the air dispersion of fibers passes toward the fiber receiving member.

Abstract: Apparatus for dry-laying cellulosic fibres on a foraminous travelling band comprises a distribution chamber one wall of which facing the band is provided by a vibratable screen. Within the chamber is a rotating brush roll positioned so that the brushes cause the screen to vibrate. Fibres are urged through the screen partly by the action of the brush roll. Provision may be made for recirculating air which has passed through the band back to the chamber.

Abstract: An improvement in the production of chopped fibers is provided. Long fibers, commonly in the form of roving, are fed through a chopper assembly comprising a cutter wheel having a plurality of outwardly-extending blades and a back-up roll having a soft cylindrical surface which the blade edges contact with the fibers therebetween. The chopped fibers then are directed downwardly through a discharge chute to a distribution chute below the chopper where they are directed by air to a point of application, e.g. being mixed with resin and applied to a surface of a mold or mandrel. The chopped fibers have had a tendency to agglomerate into hunks or balls below the chopper assembly and such tendency has heretofore been substantially reduced by the use of static bars located below the chopper assembly. An air system is now provided for directing air downwardly past the chopper assembly to convey the chopper fibers therefrom through the discharge duct and the distribution chute.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming a mineral wool fiberboard product is described which includes means for separating mineral wool fibers and means for intimately mixing said fibers with a thermosetting powdered binder, means for entraining said mixture of fibers and binder in an air stream including means for directing said air stream into a mat-forming zone formed by converging upper and lower forming wires, means for exhausting air through said forming wires whereby the fiber and binder mixture is collected as two layers on the forming wires with the two layers becoming consolidated at the nip opening formed between the converging screens, and compacting and heating means whereby the mat of fibers and resins is compacted and cured to form a mineral fiberboard product, said exhaust system behind said screens being adjustable whereby the upper and lower outer layers of fibers and resins initially formed on said screens is comprised of an enriched layer of predominantly fine fibers.

Abstract: Process is disclosed which is suitable for high speed production of uniform, lightweight webs by air-laydown of textile fibers. A toothed disperser roll doffs the fibers into an air stream of high uniform velocity and low turbulence to form a thin fiber layer from which the fibers are deposited in web form on a moving screen. A curved disperser plate, shrouds a portion of the disperser roll up to the point of fiber doffing. By using a disperser plate with a rough surface, preferably one having lateral grooves, web uniformity is remarkably improved.