CA1117719A

CA1117719A - Fiberization equipment and controls therefor

Info

Publication number: CA1117719A
Application number: CA000306784A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Marcel Levecque; Jean A. Battigelli; Dominique Plantard
Original assignee: Saint Gobain Industries SA
Current assignee: Saint Gobain Industries SA
Priority date: 1977-08-23
Filing date: 1978-07-05
Publication date: 1982-02-09
Also published as: IT7826883A0; NO146196C; DK255378A; DE2836594C2; IL62092A0; AU524325B2; DD138335A5; AT366998B; IN150711B; OA06029A; PH17151A; ES472780A1; SE7806301L; MY8500806A; IL55395A; PL209166A1; BG34902A3; BR7805433A; AR218930A1; FI62816C

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE:

Equipment is disclosed for developing high velo-city gas blasts or jets arranged to effect fiber formation from attenuable material, such as molten glass. Preferably the apparatus makes possible effecting attenuation in two stages, each of which utilizes a pair of high velocity whirling currents or tornadoes, with the gas in the two tornadoes of each pair turning in opposite directions and merging in the downstream direction, means for supplying the attenuable material being arranged to deliver a stream of the material into the influ-ence of the tornadoes upstream of the point of confluence. In the technique disclosed, a gaseous jet is directed transversely into a gaseous blast of larger cross section, thereby developing a zone of interaction of the jet. Each fiberizing center incorporates a plurality of components including means for generating the jet, means for generating the blast, and means for supplying the stream of attenuable material. In addition, the fiberizing center may also incorporate an additional structural element or means positioned along the path of the jet and influencing the jet flow. The disclosed equipment also includes control mechanism providing for shifting or alter-ing the operative interrelation between various of the components at the fiberizing center, for the purpose of compensating for fluctuations in certain operating conditions.

Description

~77~9 FIBERIZATION EQUIPMENT
AND CONTROLS THEREFOR

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTS:

This invention relates to the formation of fibers from attenuable material and while the invention is adapted for use in the formation of fibers from a wide variety of attenuable materials, it is particularly suited to the attenu-ation of various thermoplastic materials, especially mineral materials such as glass and similar compositions which are rendered molten by heating. As with the technique of our prior application Serial No. 290,246, filed November 4, 1977, the present invention may be employed in connection not only with various mineral materials, but also with cer-tain organic materials which are attenuable, such as poly-styrene, polypropylene, polycarbonate and polyamides. Sincethe equipment or apparatus is especially useful in the atten-uation of glass and similar thermoplastic materials, the following description refers to the use of glass by way of illustration.

Certain techniques for utilizing whirling currents or tornadoes for the attenuation of molten glass have been disclosed by us in prior application above identified, such techniques being identified as toration. For example, U.S.A.
Patent 3,885,940, and also the companion U.S.A. Patent 3,874,886, disclose development of pairs of counter-rotating tornadoes by directing a gaseous jet into a larger gaseous blast, thereby creating a zone of interaction including pairs of such tornadoes, and into which zone a stream of molten glass is delivered, with resultant attenuation of the glass stream.

In the equipment illustrated in said prior U.S.A.
patents, the orifice from which the qlass stream is delivered to the zone of interaction is located at or adjacent to the boundary of the blast. In our prior application Serial No. 245,500, filed February 11, 1976, toration arrangements are disclosed in which the glass orifice is positioned in spaced relation to the boundary of the blast, and in which the glass stream is delivered by gravity to the zone of interaction established by the interaction of a jet and a larger blast.

In prior applications Serial Nos. 290,246, and also 265,560, filed November 12, 1976, both the glass ori-fices and the jet orifices are spaced from the boundary of the blast, and the glass streams are delivered by the action of the jets into zones of interaction of the jets with the blast. In the applications just mentioned, the glass streams are also subjected to two stages of atten-uation, one stage occurring in the jet and the other in the blast.

Still further in our application Serial No~ 290,246, the secondary or carrier jet which delivers the glass into the zone of interaction with the blast is caused to develop a stable zone of laminar flow lying between a pair of counter-rotating whirls or tornadoes, and the glass s~ream is deliv-

2~ ered to the laminar zone and thereafter enters the region of the tornadoes of the carrier jet, which latter merge downstream of the carrier jet, but before the carrier jet reaches the principal blast. As is pointed out in our appli-cation Serial No. 290,246, the operation just described 1~177~9 results in a two-stage attenuation, the first stage taking place as the glass stream is advanced into the influence of the tornadoes of the carrier jet, and the second stage taking place after the carrier jet and the partially attenu-ated stream enters the zone of interaction of the carrierjet with the blast.

The present invention in common with application Serial No. 290,246, contemplates employment of orifices for the carrier jet and for the glass stream which are spaced from the principal jet, and further contemplates the employ-ment of means for guiding or deflecting the carrier jet and for development of a zone of laminar flow as well as pairs of tornadoes in the jet flow. However, according to the present invention, the equipment or means for deflect-ing the carrier jet and for developing the tornadoes andthe laminar zone takes a different form from that disclosed in our prior application Serial No. 290,246, as will be fully described hereinafter.

Some of the major objectives of the present inven-tion include the stabilization of the glass feed, notwith-standing substantial separation of the glass delivery ori-fice from the attenuating blast and from the zone of inter-action of the carrier jet with the blast. The jet guiding or deflecting means of the present invention provides for local deflection of the jet flow and usually for deflection of the overall jet flow path. Although it is preferred to employ the jet guiding or deflecting means, with the ~177~9 resultant tornadoes in the jet flow, as a means for deliver-ing the stream of glass into the zone of interaction with the principal blast, and thus effect a two-step attenuation, it is also contemplated that the tornadoes of the carrier jet may be utilized as a single stage attenuation. In this event, the principal blast is not required, since the tor-ation in the zone of interaction between the jet and blast would not then be utilized.

More specifically, the present invention contem-plates the employment of a guiding or deflecting means forthe secondary or carrier jet, in the form of a structure or element having a convexly curved surface positioned in the path of the jet and causing deflection of the jet flow at least in part by a Coanda effect, all as will appear more fully hereinafter in the description of the two embodi-ments illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

The present invention is also concerned with pro-viding for control of the interposition and operating inter-relation of the several components of each fiberizing center.

Various of the controls provided according to the present invention are applicable to any of the forego-ing configurations of equipment for fiberization. In some of the configurations of the equipment, only three primary components are present in each fiberizing center, namely, the means for generating the jet, the means for generating the blast and the means for delivering the stream of attenu-able material in~o the zone of interaction between the jet ~17719 and the blast, but in the configuration of the equipment according to application Serial No. 290,246, there are four components involved in each fiberizing center, including the three just mentioned, and also a device for influencing the jet flow.

Although various of the controls are applicable to and useful in equipment incorporating only the three basic components at each fiberizing center, certain of the controls of the invention are of special advantage where the fourth component i5 also present in each fiberizing center, for reasons which will app~^ar more fully as this description proceeds.

It is a general objective of the present inven-tion to provide novel arrangements for mounting the com-ponents of the fiberizing centers, including adjustabledevices or controls for altering the relative effective operating interrelation between the several components of each fiberizing center, and especially for altering the angular and displacement interrelation or position of cer-tain of the components with relation to the means for deliv-ering the stream of attenuable material. This is of special advantage in installations adapted to the fiberization of thermoplastic mineral materials such as glass, particularly where the glass is supplied from a forehearth or other melt-ing furnace. Indeed, in the preferred embodiment accordingto the present invention, most of the controls function i~l77~9 in a manner to adjust the operating interrelation between one or more of the jet generator, the blast generator, and the means for influencing the jet flow (where this latter means is also present), with respect to the bushing or other apparatus employed for delivering a stream or streams of attenuable material from a melting furnace or other supply means for the attenuable material.

In providing for the controls referred to, it is also an objective of the invention to compensate for fluctuations in various operating conditions such as the temperature of the several components of the system, the composition and viscosity of the attenuable material, the velocities of the gases used for the jet and blast, and other variable operating conditions. Warpage or irregulari-ties in the shape or dimensions of components may also becompensated for by use of the controls disclosed.

Although certain of the controls contemplated according to the invention are disclosed in a form in which temporary shut-down of the equipment would be required in order to make an adjustment, for the most part, it is con-templated according to the invention that at least most of the controls be capable of operation during fiberization and without shut-down of the equipment.

Having in mind that the various components of the fiberizing centers are relatively closely coupled to each o~her, it is also an objective of the invention to provide for automatic withdrawal or displacement of certain 11177~g components away from the supply means for the molten material, in case of failure of the gas supply to at least one of the devices for generating the jet and the blast. In this way, damage to various components is avoided.
In summary of the above, therefore, the present invention may be broadly seen as providing apparatus for forming fibers by attenuation of attenuable material com-prising at least one fiberizing cen~er including at least three components comprising (1) a gener-ator of a gaseous blast, (2) a device for establishing a gaseous jet directed in a path intercepting the path of the blast, the jet being of greater kinetic energy per unit of volume than the blast and penetrating the blast to provide a zone of interaction in the blast, and ~3) a supply means for delivering a stream of attenuable material for attenuation in the zone of interaction, and means mount-ing the components including at least one adjustable device for altering the relative functional position of at least one of the components with respect to at least one of the other components.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS: ~
In the drawings, Figures 1 to 9 inclusive illustrate one embodiment, and in these Figures -Figure 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic elevational view of the major fiber producing and fiber collecting components of a system according to one embodiment of the invention, with certain parts shown in vertical section;
Figure 2 is an enlarged elevational view of the major fiber producing components shown in Figure 1, this view being taken from the right of Figure 1, but with the fiber collect-ing components removed;

~S 177~9 Figure 3 is a further enlarged elevational view of certain portions of the equipment shown in Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a plan view of some of the components shown in Figure 3;
Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view of the fiber producing components illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, this view being taken on section line 5-5 in Figure 3;

r~

'7'~9 Figure 6 is a perspective diagrammatic view illus-trating the operation of the equipment shown in Figures 1 to 5 inclusive, Figure 7 is a cross sectional fragmentary somewhat diagrammatic and further enlarged view of the equipment shown in Figure 5, and illustrating certain phases of the activity of the jet deflecting means of the present inven-tion, in effecting attenuation of the glass;

Figure 8 is a somewhat diagrammatic view of several jets and of portions of the blast shown in Figure 7, but omitting the glass feed and glass fibers being formed;

Figure 9 is a transverse sectional diagram through portions of several adjacent jets, and illustrating direc-tions of rotation of certain pairs of the counter-rotating tornadoes;

Figure 10 illustrates another embodiment, this Figure being a fragmentary perspective diagrammatic view similar to Figure 6 but illustrating an alternative form of the jet deflecting means.

Figures 11 to 16 illustrate a third embodiment, and in these figures --Figure 11 is an elevational view similar to Figure 1 but illustrating the overall arrangement of the third ~17719 embodiment and the mounting in association with a forehearth for glass or other mineral material;

Figure lla is an enlarged fragmentary detailed view illustrating a jet manifold box with a deflector plate mounted thereon, of the kind disclosed in our co-pending application Serial No. 290,246;

Figure 12 is an elevational view on a reduced scale as compared with Figure 11, showing in outline an installation embodying four fiberizing stations of the kind shown in Figure 11 and all associated with a common fiber collecting device and forehearth structure;

Figure 13 is a fragmentary elevational view of a portion of the equipment shown in Figure 11;

Figure 14 is a vertical sectional view with some parts shown in elevation, taken in general as indicated by the section line 14-14 on Figure 13;

Figure 15 is a diagrammatic view of certain con-trols preferably employed for the equipment shown in Figures 11 to 14; and Figure 16 is a view diagrammatically illustrat-ing portions of an automatic control system including mech-anism for effecting automatic retraction of certain compo-nents away from the bushing or glass supply means.

_g_ 1~7 7~9 Figures 17 to 25 illustrate a fourth embodiment and in these figures --Figure 17 is a view illustrating in plan a group of five jet manifold boxes such as shown in Figures 11, lla and 16, a jet deflector being associated with the mani-fold boxes, and the Figure further showing mounting arrange-ments for the jet manifold boxes providing for flexure of the deflector ~y adjustment movements of the manifold boxes, thereby providing for adjustment of the operating inter-relation between the deflector and the bushing for supplying streams of attenuable material for fiberization;

Figure 18 is an end elevational view of equipment shown in Figure 17;

Figure 19 is a sectional view taken as indicated by the section line 19-19 on Figure 17;

Figure 20 is a sectional view taken generally as indicated by the broken line 20-20 on Figure 17;

Fisure 21 is a sectional detailed view taken as indicated by the line 21-21 on Figure 17;

Figure 22 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the moun~ing structure for one of the jet boxes;

Figure 23 is a perspective view of one of the control elements incorporated in the structure of this em-bodiment; and i~l'77~

Figures 24 and 25 are somewhat diagrammatic views representing the senses of deflector flexure control pro-vided by the equipment of this embodiment.

Figure 26 illustrates a fifth embodiment, this view being similar to Figure 11, but illustrating controls applied to three component fiberizing centers instead of four component centers as in Figure 11.

Figures 1 to 9:

Turning first to the embodiment of the invention of Figures 1 to 9 attention is first directed to the over-all outline view of Figure 1. A blast delivery means is indicated at 13, this device being associated with the burner or blast generator 14. The principal jet or blast 15 is delivered from the device 13 in a generally horizontal direc-tion below a glass supply means indicated in outline at16. Secondary or carrier jets are delivered from nozzles or orifices associated with the gas supply means 17 which is mounted upon brackets 18. The secondary jets are directed toward the deflector element indicated at 19 and the carrier jets are thereby deflected in a downward direction to pene-trate the blast 15 and develop zones of interaction. In-dividual streams of glass are supplied from the supply means 16 and these streams, are delivered to the secondary 3ets and are carried thereby into the zone of interaction with the blast, with resultant fiberization. The merged current of the jets and blast, together with the attenuated fibers i:~l771~

enter the guide or chute C which is inclined downwardly toward the right as viewed in Figure 1 for delivery of the fibers onto the surface of a perforate fiber collecting belt or conveyor 20. Suction boxes such as indicated at 21 are advantageously located below the upper run of the conveyor 20 and by means of ducts and fans diagrammatically indicated at 22 and 23, the fibers are collected in the form of a blanket indicated at B.

Brackets 18 for mounting the secondary jets are connected with mounting straps 24 having slotted apertures cooperating with bolts 25 providing for vertical adjustment of the brackets 18 with respect to the main body of the blast generator 14, thereby providing for relative vertical adjustment of the jet mounting brackets and thus of the jets, with respect to the blast generator and thus of the blast 15 itself.

Preferably also, the main body of the blast genera-tor 14 and thus also the jet mounting brackets 18 and jets, are mounted for vertical adjustment by means of screw jacks indicated at 26 associated with fixed structure 27. By this means, the blast and the jet producing devices may be conjointly moved in the vertical direction and thereby provide for vertical adjustment with respect to the glass supply means 16 and the fiber directing duct C. Still further, the horizontal position of this entire assembly of parts may be adjusted by means of suitable jack screw devices diagrammatically indicated at 28. Provision is further made for certain other adjustments of parts associated with the jet generators and the jet defleGtors, as will be described hereinafter with reference to some of the enlarged figures.

1~17'~9 Turning now to the enlarged illustration of the fiberizing components as shown in Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5, it is first noted that the means indicated at 17 for sup-plying gas to the secondary jets is mounted by means of the gas supply tube 29 which is supported by means of soc-kets 30 which, in turn, are connected with the brackets 18. In this way, the jet supply device 17 may be angularly shifted upwardly or downwardly about the axis of the tube 29 and may be fixed in any desired position, for instance by set screws such as indicated at 31.

In addition to this angular upward and downward movement of the jet supply device 17, the mounting arrange-ment just described also provides for lateral shifting move-ment or adjustment of the device 17 in a direction parallel-ing the axis of the supporting tube 29. This adjustmentis of importance in order to provide for accurate alignment of the carrier jets with respect to the glass orifices to be described hereinafter.

The device 17, in effect, comprises a manifold for feeding the individual jet orifices indicated at 32, there being 11 of such orifices in the embodiment here illus-trated. As clearly appears in Figure 5, the jet orifices have their axes inclined downwardly to the right toward the surface of the deflector 19. In this embodiment, the deflector 19 takes the form of a cylindrical rod having a surface convexly curved about an axis transverse to the streams of attenuable material. This rod has mounting tabs 7'7~

33 secured to opposite ends thereof and connected with the body of the jet supply manifold 17 by means of bolts 34.
The vertical position of the deflecting rod 19 with relation to the jet supply manifold 17 and thus in relation to the jets, may be adjusted by the insertion or removal of shims between the mounting tabs 33 and the bottom of the manifold 17. In addition, the apertures in the tabs 33 may be of elongated shape, to provide for adjustment of the position of the deflector rod in a horizontal direction toward and away from the jet or the glass stream.

The glass supply means 16 includes a bushing 35 with a series of glass delivery devices 36, each of which is fed by a metering orifice 37. The glass is thus supplied in a series of streams or glass bulbs G to the secondary jets in which the streams are partially attenuated, as indi-cated at 38 in Figure 5, and the partially attenuated streams enter the zone of interaction of the jets with the blast, with resultant additional attenuation as indicated at 39 in Figure 5. From Figure 3, it will be observed that there are nine glass delivery devices 36, and that the total num-ber (eleven) of jet orifices 32 is greater than the number of glass delivery orifices so that an "outboard" jet may be positioned at each end of the series, in order to provide uniform fiberizing conditions for each of the nine glass 2S streams employed in this embodiment.

The fiberizing operation provided by the equipment described above in relation to Figures 1 to 5 is illustrated 1~1771~

schematically in Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9. In considering these figures, it is first pointed out that the cylindrical deflector or rod 19 is shown as positioned with its axis offset somewhat downwardly from the axes of the individual secondary jets J delivered from the jet orifices 32. This positioning is clearly shown in Figure 7 and from Figure 6 this relation also appears in connection with each of a series of four of the secondary jets Jl, J2, J3 and J4.
As best seen in Figure 7, the flow of each of the carrier jets J is divided into upper and lower portions, the upper portion flowing around the upper surface of the rod 19 and the lower portion around the lower surface of the rod 19.
Where the jets first impinge upon the surface of the rod 19, the surface of the rod acts to spread the jet flow and as the jet flow passes beyond the mid regions of the rod the jet flow is influenced by a Coanda effect, causing the jet flow to follow the surface of the rod. This brings the two divided portions of the jet flow together again, as clearly appears in Figure 7.

In the embodiment as shown, the center of the rod 19 is positioned below the axis of the jet orifices, and because of this, the upper portion of the jet flow is of larger section than the lower portion, and this is desir-able for reasons which will appear as this description pro-ceeds. The portions of the secondary jet flow above and below the rod 19 merge with each other in a position toward the side of the rod 19 g~nerally opposite to the jet orifice 32. In the embodiment as shown, the offset of the rod below the axes of the jets results in downward deflection of the 1~1771~

overall jet flow path. It is also possible to position the rod with its axis in direct alignment with the axes of the jets, in which case the jet flow will leave the rod in a direction aligned with the axes of the jets.

As best seen in Figures 6 and 8, the jet flow from each of the orifices 32 also spreads laterally or di-verges in the axial direction of the deflector 19, and with appropriate spacing of the jets, the lateral spreading or divergence results in impingement of adjoining jets upon each other, and this occurs as the upper and lower portions of the jets flow around the upper and lower surfaces of the rod 19.

This lateral impingement of the adjoining jets upon each other results in the development of pairs of counter-rotating whirls or tornadoes which have their points of origin or apices at the surface of the rod 19. As will be seen from Figures 6 to 9, two pairs of tornadoes develop from the flow of each jet. Thus, an upper pair 40a and 40b develop from the portion of the jet flow which passes over the upper surface of the rod 19, and a lower pair 41a and 41b develop from the portion of the jet flow which passes under the lower surface of the rod 19. Each of these pairs of tornadoes are counter-rotating, the directions of rota-tion of the upper pair being downwardly at their adjoining sides and upwardly at their outer sides, as indicated by the arrows 40c and 40d in Figure 9. On the other hand, the directions of rotation of the tornadoes of the lower pair is upwardly at their adjoining sides and downwardly at their outer sides, as indicated by the arrows ~lc and 41d in Figure 9.

7~

Because of the positioning of the guide rod 19 in offset relation to the axes of each jet, the portion of the flow with the resultant tornadoes above the rod is larger and therefore more effective than the portion of the flow and tornadoes below the rod.

The rod 19 acts to develop areas of substantially laminar flow on the upper side of the rod between the upper pair of tornadoes 40a and 40b of each jet. Each of these areas of laminar flow is generally triangular in shape, because the upper pair of tornadoes increase in size in the downstream direction of the flow. Indeed, the upper pair of tornadoes increase in size until they merge, as is clearly indicated in Figures 6 and 8. The lower pair of tornadoes also increase in size and ultimately merge, as will be apparent in Figure 6 from the tornadoes illus-trated as associated with the jet Jl. As the jet flow in-cluding the associated tornadoes progresses still further, the tornadoes tend to lose their identity, as is indicated by the section of the jet flow originating from the jet J3 in Figure 6. The merged flow of each jet, including the pairs of tornadoes originating with that jet, retain sufficient kinetic energy per unit of volume in relation to the kinetic energy of the principal blas~, to cause pene-tration of the principal blast 15, and this penetration of the blast by each jet creates a zone of interaction of the type fully explained in our issued U.S.A. patent 3,885,940 above identified. Such a zone of interaction is character-ized by the development of a pair of counter-rotating whirls ~77~

or tornadoes 42a and 42b (see Figure 6). Indeed, in the region of penetration of the jets into the blast, the flow and velocity of each jet is still sufficiently concentrated near the center of each jet so that each jet acts indivi-dually to develop a zone of interaction in the blast.

The flow of the secondary jets Jl, J2, etc. is utilized to effect fiber formation, from the streams of the attenuable material, such as glass. The feed of this material is effected by the development of glass bulbs such as indicated at G, which are discharged from the devices 36, and from which individual streams of glass are delivered into the laminar flow areas of the jets lying between the pairs of upper tornadoes, as is clearly shown in Figure 6. Because of the flow characteristics in this region above the guide rod 19, a very substantial air induction occurs, as is indicated by the arrows in Figure 6 in association with the flow of jet J2 and also as indicated in Figure 7. The induced air assists in drawing a stream of the glass from each glass bulb G and delivering that stream in a stable manner into the zone of laminar flow between the pair of tornadoes of each fiberizing center. The whirling currents of the tornadoes then advance the stream and initiate the attenuation thereof, as is indicated at 38 in Figures 5, 6 and 7.

The partially attenuated fiber, together with the jet flow, then progresses downwardly to penetrate the blast 15 and thereby deliver the partially attenuated fiber into the zone of interaction between the jet and the blast, 7'7~

and in this zone or region the additional counter-rotating tornadoes 42a and 42b effect further attenuation of the fiber, which may then be delivered to a collection system, for example in the manner illustrated in Figure 1, including the use of a chute C and collection conveyor 20.

Although the first stage of attenuation which is effected in the flow of the jet itself may be utilized for fiber formation without employment of a blast, such as indicated at 15, for most purposes, it is preferred that the attenuation accomplished by the jets be relied upon only as a preliminary stage of attenuation and that a second stage of attenuation be effected by toration in the zone of interaction of the jet with the blast.

The system described above is of advantage in providing for separation of the major components of the fiberizing e~uipment, especially in providing for separation of the glass supply means from the principal attenuating blast and also in providing for separation of the means for generating the jets from the means for generating the blast. Separation of the major components is advantageous for a number of reasons, including the fact that the main-tenance of the desire~ temperature of each of the components is more readily achieved where the components are spaced from each other han wherè they are close to each other and thus tend to effect heat transfer from one component to another. However, it is of importance in such fiberiza-tion systems that the streams of the attenuable material be fed in accurately controlled positional relation to the individual zones of interaction in the principal attenuating blast. The system herein disclosed, results in accurate feed of the attenuable material notwithstanding the separa-tion, because the pairs of tornadoes associated with eachcarrier jet develop in a manner providing for stability of the jet flow. It will be observed that the points of origin or apices of the tornadoes are located on the surface of the cylindrical guide rod 19. The apices of the torna-does are thus, in effect, "attached" to the cylindricalsurface of the guide rod 19 and are therefore stabilized in position. The tornadoes are therefore much more stable than would be the case if the apices were generated in free space. The factors referred to above result in high stabil-ity of feed of the glass or other attenuable material intothe toration zones in the blast.

Moreover, even some lateral misaliqnment of the glass bulbs G with relation to the individual jet nozzles 32 will be automatically compensated as a result of the induced air currents associated with the laminar flow area of the jet lying between the pair of upper tornadoes. This aids in stabilizing the feed of the glass into the laminar zone of the jet flow, and this in turn will also increase the stability of the feed of glass by the jets into the toration zones.

Although the development of the zones of laminar flow assist in providing stable introduction of the streams of glass into the fiberizing centers, variations in operat-~il7~19 ing conditions tend from time to time to require change in the operating interrelationship between various of the components of the fiberizing centers. Certain control devices for effecting such alterations in the operating interrela-tionships between the components of the fiberizing centershave already been described above. With some of these con-trol devices, for instance, the adjustment devices 26-27, 28 and 29-31 shown in Figure 1 may be operated without shut-down of the fiberization operation, but certain other of the controls or adjustments, for instance, the positioning of the deflector rod 19 with relation to the jet orifices by means of the parts indicated at 33-34 would require shut-down of the fiberizing operation, with the equipment in the form as illustrated in Figures 1 to 6. However, it is to be understood that any of these controls may be arranged for operation without shut-down of the fiberizing center.
This may be done in a variety of ways, some of which are indicated in the embodiments hereinafter described.

As indicated hereinabove in the embodiment of Figures 1 to 9, it is contemplated that the carrier or sec-ondary jets be placed sufficiently close to each other so that they spread and impinge upon each other in order to develop the pairs of tornadoes in each carrier jet. Any convenient number of fiberizing centers may be established, each center comprising a dèlivery device for ~he attenuable material and an associated jet, and since each carrier jet must impinge upon another jet at each side thereof, it will be seen that the number of jets must include two more than 7~

the total number of the delivery means for the attenuable material, the two "extra" jets being positioned outboard at the opposite ends of the series of jets.

The term "feed orifice" for the attenuable mater-ial is to be understood broadly and can mean, either an isolated orifice, a slot associated with a row of jets, or a series of orifices situated, for example, at the end of glass delivery devices. When a slot is used it is situ-ated transversely of the blast, and the material coming from the slot is divided into a series of cones and strands by the action of the secondary jets themselves. Here again, and for the same reasons as before, two supplementary jets are placed at the ends of the row of jets.

The number of fiberizing centers may run up to as many as 150, but in a typical installation where glass or some similar thermoplastic material is being fiberized, a bushing having 70 delivery devices or orifices is appro-priate. In such a case, there would necessarily be 72 jets.

In connection with the operating conditions, it is first pointed out that the conditiGns of operating the system according to the present invention will vary in accord-ance with a number of factors, for example in accordance with the characteristics of the material being attenuated.

As above indicated, the system of the present invention is capable of use in the attenuation of a wide range of attenuable materials. In the attenuation of glass ~1771~

or other inorganic thermoplastic materials, the temperature of the bushing or supply means will of course vary according to the particular material being fiberized. The temperature range for materials of this general type may fall between about 1400 and 1800C. With a typical glass composition, the bushing temperature may approximate 1480C.

The pull rate may run about 20 to 150 kg/hole per 24 hours, typical values being from about 50 to about 80 kg/hole per 24 hours.

Certain values with respect to the jet and blast are also of significance, as indicated in tables just below in which the following symbols are used.

T = Temperature p = Pressure V = Velocity ~c~= Density TABLE V - JET SUPPLY

Symbol Preferred Range Value PJ tbar) 2.5 1 ~ 4 TJ (C) 20 10- ~ 1500 VJ (m/sec) 300 200~ 900 V2) ~bar) 2.1 0.8 -__~3.5 i~l7~ 9 ABLE VI - BLAST

Symbol Preferred Range Value pB (m bar) 95 30 > 250 TB (C) 1450 1350--~1800 VB (m/s) 320 200 ~ 550 ~ V2) (bar) 0.2 0.06--~ 0.5 Figure 10:

Turning now to the embodiment illustrated in Fig-ure 10, it will be seen that the showing of Figure 10 issimilar to Figure 6, although in Figure 10, the illustration is more fragmentary, the blast 15 being completely omitted and the illustration of the jet flow being shortened. This embodiment is similar to the first embodiment, with one principal difference. Thus, in Figure 10, the deflecting or guiding structure or element comprises a cylindrical rod or element 43, preferably of circular cross section, having circumferential flanges 44, which subdivide the length of the rod 43 into a plurality of channels for the upper and lower portions of the jet flow.

In the embodiment of Figure 10, the action is similar to that described above in connection with the first embodiment except that, instead of the generation of pairs of tornadoes in consequence of impingement of adjoining jets upon each other, the pairs of tornadoes are generated ~1771~
by impingement of the spreading jets against the lateral side walls of the flanges 44. These flanges may therefore serve to further stabilize the apices or points of origin of the tornadoes, this being important for reasons brought out above, and particularly in order to provide for accuracy in feed of the streams of attenuable material into the in-dividual zones of interaction of the jets with the blast.
A high degree of accuracy of feed is provided in this way, notwithstanding considerable separation of the major com-ponents of the fiberizing system.

It is also pointed out in connection with theembodiment in Figure 10, that since development of the pairs of tornadoes associated with the carrier jet does not re-quire impingement of adjoining jets upon each other, the individual fiberizing centers, including the carrier jets, may be laterally spaced from each other greater distances than would be practicable where impingement of the jets upon each other is relied upon for development of the tor-nadoes. This feature of the arrangement of Figure 10 is of advantage in the handling or fiberization of certain types of material with which it is preferred to maintain greater spacing between the delivery orifices for the atten-uable material.

The second embodiment above referred to is of particular advantage in situations where it is desired to maîntain substantial spacing between adjoining fiberizing centers. In addition, the second embodiment has the further distinctive advantage that because of the use of the flanges ~17~1~

on the deflecting element, the point of origin or apex of each tornado is still further stabilized as compared with the first embodiment. Thus, in the second embodiment the point of origin of each tornado is not only stabilized in a given circumferential position on the guide rod (as in the first embodiment), but is also stabilized in a given position axially of the surface of the guide rod, i.e. at the adjacent side wall of the flange.

In connection with both of the embodiments which are shown respectively in Figures 1 to 9 and in Figure 10, it is observed that the position of the secondary jet ori-fice 32 in relation to the jet guiding tube or rod (19 in the first embodiment and 43 in the second embodiment) is such that the jet flow is divided, with one portion thereof flowing around one side of the rod and the other flowing around the other side of the rod.

It would theoretically be possible to position each jet so that the entire jet flow passed on one side of the rod, but this is not preferred principally because it is desired to establish a relationship which will achieve maximum stability with respect to the angle at which the jet flow will leave the surface of the rod. If the entire jet flow passed around one side of the rod, the point at which the jet flow would leave the surface of the rod, and thus the angle of deflection of the jet, would not be stable and would fluctuate somewhat, particularly in consequence of the effects of stray air currents. This would introduce ~11'7'719 an element of instability which would result in irregular-ity in the attenuating action of the jet flow and of the toration taking place in the zone of interaction between the jet and the blast.

By positioning the jet orifice to provide division of the flow with portions at both sides of the rod, the point of confluence of the two portions of the flow and the consequent position and angle at which the jet flow leaves the rod is highly stable, thereby stabilizing the feed of the attenuable material, and also the attenuation itself not only in the influence of the pairs of tornadoes within the jet, but also in the zone of interaction of the jet with the blast.

Preferably, the position of the rod is selected to provide for a larger portion of the jet flow passing over the surface of the rod at the side thereof presented toward the stream of attenuable material, rather than at the opposite side of the rod. This unequal distribution of the jet flow at the two sides of the rod provides pairs of tornadoes 40a and 40b adjacent to the feed of the atten-uable material which are larger and more intense than the pairs of tornadoes 41a and 41b which are developed in the portion of the flow around the opposite side of the rod.
As already indicated above, this is advantageous because it is desired that the action o~ the pairs of tornadoes 40a and 40b predominate in the attenuation of the fiber.

i~l7~7 ~ 9 Figures 11 to 16:

In the third embodiment as shown in Figures 11 to 16, and described hereinafter, still further convenience in effecting control adjustments is provided not only for some of the senses of control which may be effected by the equipment of Figures 1 to 6, but also in other senses of control, as will further appear.

In the following description of the third embodi-ment, reference is first made to Figures 11, lla and 12.
In these figures, a foraminous fiber collecting conveyor is illustrated of the general kind shown in Figure 1 at 20, the conveyor having suction boxes 21 associated therewith with suction connections 22 for pressure reduction so as to assist in fiber laydown.

lS A supporting structure appears at 50 for a fur-nace forehearth shown at 51, and as seen in Figure 12 a series of bushings 52 is associated with the forehearth.

Equipment for establishing four fiberizing posi-tions along the forehearth is indicated in Figure 12. The equipment at each position is identified generally by a letter A, B, C, D and one of these is shown in Figure 11 enlarged as compared with the scale of Figure 12. At each station, the equipment includes various parts providing for the establishment of a multiplicity of fiberizing centers.
Thus, at each station a bushing 52 elongated in the direc-tion perpendicular to the plane of the drawing, is provided with a multiplicity of individual tips for delivery of streams or bulbs of the molten attenuable material.

1~177iL~

Each station also includes at least one blast generator and blast delivery nozzle, the latter being indi-cated at 55, the blast itself being shown at 15, as in the first embodiment.

At each fiberizing station, there is also provided a series of jet manifold boxes 56, one of which is frag-mentarily shown in section in Figure lla, and each of these manifold boxes is provided with a series of jet orifices 32 as appears in Figure lla. Figure lla further shows the sectional configuration of a deflector strip 57 which is fastened to the jet manifold box 56 by screws such as in-dicated at 57a. The jet itself is indicated at J and the action of the deflector 57 on the jet is indicated in Fig-ure lla. The fiber 38 produced at each fiberizing center is directed, along with fibers produced at the adjoining fiberizing centers, into and through the chute C' for lay-down of the fiber blanket B' as appears in Figure 11.

The blast nozzle 55, the jet boxes 56 and the deflector or deflectors 57 carried thereby are intercon-nected and associated with each other at each fiberizing station by means of various of the mounting and control mechanisms hereinafter described, and all of this equipment, including the control mechanisms are unitarily mounted for each fiberiæing station. For this purpose, a vertically depending mounting post 58 is provided at each fiberizing station, the post being connected with the fixed supporting structure 50 for the forehearth 51. The lower end of the '7~3 post 58 (see Figures 11, 12, 13 and 14) carries a cylindrical sleeve 59 having its axis extended transversely to the fore-hearth and in a direction paralleling the bushing 52 asso-ciated with that fiberizing station. The sleeve 59 receives the trunnion 60 which is connected with the plate 61 which in turn carries the mounting plate 62 (see Figure 13) for the frame structure 63 on which the fiberization equipment for the station is mounted. The plate 61 is provided with a projecting arcuate lug 64 received between the ears 65-65 which are integral with and carried by the sleeve S9and which serve to mount the adjustment screws 66 by means of which the relative angular position of the mounting struc-ture 63 for the fiberizing equipment may be angularly shifted about the axis of the sleeve 59 and trunnion 60. The plates 61 and 62 may be secured to each other in the desired adjusted position by means of the screws 67. Although the motion of the mounting structure or the blast generator 71, with its nozzle 55, and of the jet boxes 56 and the supply chamber 72, is angular about the axis of the sleeve 59 and trunnion 60, since the blast nozzle and jet boxes are spaced a sub-stantial distance above the axis of the sleeve 59 and the trunnion 60, the motion of the blast nozzle and jet boxes, with respect to the bushing and the streams of glass is primarily a displacement motion toward and away from the glass bushing. Because of the moun'ing of the fiberizing e~uipment on the supporting structure 63, this sense of adjustment or control provides for shifting of the compo-nents 55, 56 and 57 unitarily toward and away from the streams of attenuable material being delivered from the bushing 52 at that fiberizing station.

1~1'`i~'7:~9 Other mounting and control or adjustment arrange-ments are carried by the support structure 63 which appears in Figures 11 and 13. Thus, supporting framing 68 is mounted upon the support structure 63, preferably by guide means 69 providing for adjustment movement of the framing 68 in a direction toward the right or left when viewed as in Fig-ure 11. The framing 68 serves as a reaction point for the adjustable jack screws 70, by means of which the blast genera-tor 71 (with which the blast nozzle 55 is associated~ may be adjusted in the vertical sense. A gas supply chamber 72 for the jet boxes 56 is mounted upon the blast generator 71, as indicated diagrammatically at 73. This mounting may be a fixed mounting, but may alternatively incorpor-ate adjustment devices for shifting the position of the supply chamber 72 and thus of the jet boxes 56 and the deflec-tor 57 with respect to the jet generator 71 and also with respect to other components of the system, such as the glass supply means 52.

As diagrammed in Figure 15, it will be seen that the movement of the supporting framing 68 with respect to the support structure 63 provides for shifting movement of the jet boxes 56 and the blast nozzle 55 toward and away from the glass bushing 52. This motion also carries with it the deflector 57 which is mounted upon the jet boxes 56. Figure 15 also indicates two devices for shifting the framing 68 in the sense just referred to, one of these de-vices comprising a manual control diagrammatically indicated at 74, and the other comprising a fluid pressure piston i~l'77~9 and cylinder device 75, the manual control 74 and the pis-ton and cylinder device 75 being coupled with the framing 68 in any appropriate manner providing for actuation either of the manual control or of the cylinder independently of each other.

It is now pointed out that as shown in Figure 16, the supply chamber 72 has a supply connection 76. Also as seen in Figure 15, the piston and cylinder device 75 is provided with a fluid connection 77 communicating with a control valve 78 which, also has a connection 79 communi-cating with the other end of cylinder 75. A local supply of operating fluid for the cylinder 75 is established in the reservoir 80 having a connection 81 with the valve de-vice 78 and also having a connection 82 with the supply line 76 for the jet operating fluid.

A pressure sensor 83 is responsive to pressure in the iet supply connection 76 and controls the valve 78.
The sensor 83 may comprise a pressure gauge and also in-cludes a pressure responsive switch in the control circuit 83a for the solenoid 83b provided for operating the control valve 78. This pressure sensor 83 also serves to control the operating circuit 84a for the solenoid 84b provided for the shut-off valve 84, which shut-off valve is posi-tioned in the connection 82 between the local supply rese{-voir 80 and the jet supply connection 76.

n ~il77~

As above explained, particularly with reference to Figure 15, the piston in the cylinder 75 is connected with the mounting for the blast generator and the jet boxes, and this operating connection is diagrammatically indicated S in Figure 16 by the dotted line 68a.

The control valve 78 has an exhaust connection 78e, and the valve is of the type which provides in one position (the position indicated in Figure 16) for the supply of actuating fluid (for instance compressed air) from the local reservoir 80 to the supply connection 79, thereby maintaining the piston in the lower position when viewed as in Figure 16, i.e., the position in which the blast gen-erator and the jet boxes are moved toward the glass bushing.
In this position of the control valve 78, the connection 77 to the lower end of the cylinder is vented to atmosphere through the connection 78e. This is the condition which is established by the solenoid 83b when the pressure sensor 83 senses normal pressure condition in the jet supply connec-tion 76. Upon failure of the jet supply, or upon excessive drop in the jet supply pressure, the sensor 83, acting through the solenoid 83b, shifts the position of the control valve 78 so that the cylinder connection 79 is vented to atmosphere through the exhaust 78e; and at the same time, operating fluid from the reservoir 80 is delivered through the connec-tion 81 to the cylinder connection 77, thereby moving thepiston upwardly as viewed in Figure 16, i.e., in the direc-tion which will serve to withdraw the blast generator and the jet boxes away from the bushing. The valve 84 in the 1~7'7~

supply line ~2 for the local reservoir 80 is also closed by its solenoid 84b at times when tne pressure sensor 83 senses loss of pressure in the jet supply connection 76.

By this system, a local supply of operating fluid is always available to effect quick withdrawal of the blast and jet away from the glass bushing whenever the jet supply fluid is lost.

The purposes and advantages of the control arrange-ment just described will be understood when it is kept in mind that during normal fiberization operation, the blast nozzle 55, the jet manifolds 56 and particularly the iet deflector 57 (see Figures 11 and 15), are all positioned in close proximity to the streams of molten material issuing from the supply devices 36 associated with the bushing 52.
Maintenance of the jet flow assures proper and stable feed of the streams of attenuable material; but if the jet supply pressure is dissipated or drops to an abnormally low value, the jet flow will no longer maintain the desired positional relationship between the deflector 57 and the streams of molten material, in consequence of which the molten material may fall upon the deflector, the jet manifolds or the blast generator which is undesirable and may even cause damage to these parts.

Figures 17 to 25:

Turning now to the embodiment of the equipment illustrated in Figures 17 to 25 inclusive, it is first pointed ~i7~7~9 out that because of the high temperatures involved in opera-tion of the feed of the molten material, bushings such as indicated at 52 may warp, after a substantial period of use, and such warping may occur either in a horizontal plane or in a vertical plane.

Warpage of the bushing as above referred to will tend to adversely affect the accuracy of the operating rela-tionship between the deflector 57 and the series of stream supply tips 36. With this in mind, the embodiment of the equipment shown in Figures 17 to 25 inclusive provides a control system for regulating the operating interrelation-ship between the deflector 57 and the bushing, thereby com-pensating for warpage of the bushing.

As viewed in Figure 17, it will be seen that a single deflector 57 extends throughout the entire dimension of a series of 5 side-by-side jet boxes or manifolds 56, each of which is connected with a supply chamber 111 having a supply line 112 associated therewith. The supply chambers 111 are mounted with freedom for limited guided movement in a direction toward and away from the bushing 52, for instance, by the spacer elements 113, and provision is made for effecting differential movement of at least the central three jet manifolds 56 along with their associated supply chambers 111. For this purpose, a pin 114 is associated with each one of the three intermediate supply chambers 111, the pin p~ojecting upwardly for engagement in the obli-quely inclined slot 115 formed in a strap 116, there being ~i~77~9 a separate transversely moveable strap 116 for each of the three intermediate jet supply chambers 111. The straps 116 extend ~eyond one end of the equipment as indicated at the top of Figure 17 and at the right of Figure 19, and each strap has an apertured angled end 117 associated with the screw 118, nuts being provided on the screw for separate positioning of each of the straps 116. In this way, the position of the supply chambers 111 and the individual con-nected jet manifolds 56 may be differentially adjusted in a horizontal plane, in the sense illustrated by the diagram of Figure 25.

Figure 25 indicates a warped condition of the bushing 52 which is represented by the upwardly curved con-figuration of the row of supply tips 36 when viewed as in Figure 21, and it will be seen from Figure 25 that the jet manifolds may be forced to positions causing a slight flex-ure of the deflector strip 57. It will be understood that the condition represented in Figure 25 is greatly exagger-ated and that the deflector can be flexed to only a very minor extent. The jet manifolds may also be adjusted in the opposite sense in order to compensate for warpage of the bushing in a horizontal plane but in the opposite direc-tion from that illustrated in full lines in Figure 25.
This opposite sense of warpage is indicated by the dash line 52a in Figure 25, it being noted again that the magni-tude of the warpage indicated in Figure 25 has been exag-gerated for the purposes of illustration.

~.

7~9 Provision is also made for differential displace-ment of the three intermediate jet manifolds 56, in order to compensate for warpage of the bushing in a vertical plane. For this purpose, each supply chamber 111 is pro-vided with U-shaped channels or brackets 119 adapted to receive the eccentric actuators 120 which are mounted on transverse shafts 121 the rotative position of which is adjustable by screw devices 122, so that the three inter-mediate jet manifold boxes may be shifted slightly upwardly or downwardly, thereby effecting some flexure of the deflec-tor strip 57, in order to compensate for bushing warpage in the vertical plane. This sense of control or adjustment is illustrated in the diagram of Figure 20, and here again it is to be noted that the extent of warpage of the bushing as shown is greatly exaggerated merely for the purpose of illustration. The devices 119 and 120 may be used to differ-entially shift the jet manifold boxes upwardly as is indi-cated in full lines in Figure 20 or may be used to differen-tially move the jet manifold boxes downwardly, for instance, as suggested by the dash line 52b.

It should be understood that if desired a means for flexing a jet deflector as described above with refer-ence to Figures 17 to 25 may also be incorporated in an arrangement such as shown in Figures 11 to 16.

Figure 26:

In the embodiments described above with reference to Figures 1 to 25, the fiberizing centers each include four components, namely, a blast generator, a device for ~773~9 establishing a jet penetrating the blast, a means positioned along the path of the jet developing a stable low pressure zone, and a glass supply means arranged to deliver a stream of glass in attenuable condition into the low pressure zone of the jet. All of these first four embodiments also in-clude mounting means incorporating at least one adjustable device for altering the position and operation of the means for establishing a stable low pressure zone in the jet with respect to at least one of the other components. Thus, each of the first four embodiments includes an adiustable device for altering what might be termed the "relative func-tional position" of the means for developing the stable low pressure zone, with respect to at least one of the other components of the fiberizing center.

In contrast with the first four embodiments, the embodiment of Figure 26 does not include the component, such as a deflector or similar element positioned along the path of the jet, for developing the stable low pressure zone in the jet. The embodiment of Figure 26 thus discloses fiberizing centers incorporating three components, rather than four components. In the arrangement of Figure 26, various control devices similar to some of those described above have been incorporated and include at least one adjust-able device for altering the relative position and operation of at least one of the three components with respect to at least one of the other two components.

It is of particular importance in connection with the embodiment of Figure 26 that provision is made for alter-ing the relative functional position of at least one of ~i~7~9 the components with respect to at least one of the other two components in a plane containing the axes of the jet and glass admission orifices.

Certain parts of the embodiment of Figure 26 are the same as ¢r similar to those in earlier embodiments, particularly as shown in Figures 11 to 16 inclusive. Thus, a vertical supporting post 58 is illustrated in Figure 26 as dependent from the structure 50, providing for supporting the forehearth and the associated bushing 52. As described above, particularly with reference to Figures 11, 13 and 14, the post 58 is provided at its lower end with a sleeve 59 for the trunnion 60 which, in turn, adjustably supports the plate 61 in the manner already described above. A sup-porting framing 90 may be carried by this mechanism, the framing 90 serving to support the blast generator 71 and also the jet supply manifold 91 and the jet boxes 92. The jet boxes 92 may be of construction similar to that described above with reference to Figure lla; but in Figure 26, no deflector such as shown at 57 in Figure lla is employed, and the jet orifices 32a in Figure 26 are somewhat differ-ently positioned and oriented so as to deliver jets down-wardly in inclined paths below the glass orifices of the bushing 52. The jets penetrate the blast, as in the other embodiments, and air or ambient gas induced by the iets cause the glass streams to enter the jets, the streams being carried thereby into the zones of interaction in the blast in order to effect the desired attenuation in the manner disclosed in our copending application Serial No. 265,560 ~17'7~g above identified. Alternatively, the components of the fiberizing center may be relatively positioned in the manner disclosed in our prior U.S.A. patent 4,015,964, according to which the stream of glass directly enters the zone of interaction between the jet and the blast, instead of being carried by the jet flow into the blast.

A mounting plate 93 is shown as carried by the support 94, the mounting plate having slotted apertures cooperating with screw devices 95 for fastening the plate to the support 94. This arrangement provides for mounting the blast generator 71 so that it may be moved to different positions in a direction horizontally toward and away from the glass bushing. This mounting arrangement may provide alternatively for securing the blast generator in a given position or for freedom for movement in accordance with operating conditions, for example, in the manner described above with reference to Figure 15.

The arrangement described just above is similar to that described with reference to Figure 7 and it is to be understood that a manual and automatic adjustment mech-anism such as shown in Figure 15 is preferably included in the embodiment of Figure 26 in order to provide for ad-justment of the position of the iet boxes and blast gen-erator toward and away from the axes of the glass orifices.
Thus, it is contemplated in the embodiment of Figure 26 that this control may be manually adjusted or may be auto-matically operated in response to malfunctioning of the jet supply, as described above with reference to Figure 1~ .

Screw jack devices 96 mount the blast generator 71 on the plate 93 and provide for vertical adjustment of the position of the blast generator.

The jet supply chamber 91 and the connected jet boxes 92 are desirably mounted on the blast generator 71 by means of devices 97, similar to those described above with reference to Figure 7, which may provide either for fixed positioning of the jet supply device with reference to the blast generator, or may include adjustable means for shifting the position of the supply chamber 91 either vertically or horizontally (or both) with respect to the blast generator.

In connection with the embodiment of Figure 26, it is further pointed out that, in common with the embodi-ment of Figures 11 to 16, the equipment at the fiberizingcenters is connected with and mounted upon the structure supporting the glass supply means. This common support for both the glass supply means and the glass fiberizing equipment is advantageous in facilitating the establish-ment of the desired interrelation between the fiberizingequipment and the bushing or bushings from which the glass streams are delivered at the fiberizing centers.

In connection with the various embodiments dis-closed, it is to be understood that the specific mechanisms for effecting control in the various senses may be replaced by other devices performing the same functions.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclu-sive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. Apparatus for forming fibers by attenuation of attenuable material comprising a fiberizing center in-cluding four functionally interrelated components comprising (1) a generator of a gaseous blast, (2) a device for estab-lishing a gaseous jet directed in a path intercepting the path of the blast, the jet being of greater kinetic energy per unit of volume than the blast and penetrating the blast to provide a zone of interaction in the blast, (3) means positioned along the path of the jet and developing a stable low pressure zone operating to induce ambient gas into the jet flow in a region upstream of the region of penetration of the jet into the blast, and (4) a supply means for deliv-ering a stream of attenuable material for attenuation in said zone of interaction, the stream being delivered into gas being induced into said zone, and mounting mechanism for at least one of said components, the mounting mechanism including means for adjusting the relative functional posi-tion of at least two of components (1), (2) and (4) with respect to each other and further including at least one adjustable device for altering the relative functional posi-tion of component (3) of the fiberizing center with respect to at least one of the other components of the fiberizing center.

2. Apparatus as defined in Claim 1 in which pro-vision is made for effecting change in the relative angular interrelation of component (3) with respect to at least one of the other components, and in which the adjustable device provides for changing the relative angular inter-relation between component (3) and at least one of the other components of the fiberizing center, in the plane containing the paths of the jet and blast.

3. Apparatus as defined in Claim 1 in which pro-vision is made for effecting change in the relative displace-ment interrelation of component (3) with respect to at least one of the other components and in which the adjustable device provides for changing the relative displacement interrelation between component (3) and at least one of the other components of the fiberizing center, in the plane containing the paths of the jet and blast.

4. Apparatus as defined in Claim 1 in which the adjustable device provides for relative displacement of component (3) with respect to component (4) in a direction toward and away from each other.

5. Apparatus as defined in Claim 4 in which the apparatus further includes means automatically operative upon malfunction of the device for establishing the gaseous jet to effect relative separation of the components (3) and (4).

6. Apparatus as defined in Claim 1 in which the mounting mechanism includes means for common mounting of components (2) and (3) and in which the adjustable device provides for conjoint relative displacement of the commonly mounted components with respect to component (4).

7. Apparatus as defined in Claim 1 in which the mounting mechanism includes means providing for relative shifting of the effective operating interrelation of com-ponent (3) with respect to component (1).

8. Apparatus as defined in Claim 1 in which the mounting mechanism includes means for common mounting of components (2) and (3) providing for conjoint relative shift-ing movement of the commonly mounted components with respect to component (1).

9. Apparatus as defined in Claim 1 in which the mounting mechanism includes means for common mounting of components (1), (2) and (3) providing for conjoint relative movement of the commonly mounted components with respect to component (4).

10. Apparatus as defined in Claim 9 in which the common mounting means for components (1), (2) and (3) is arranged to provide for conjoint relative vertical shifting movement of the commonly mounted components with respect to component (4).

11. Apparatus as defined in Claim 1 in which com-ponents (2) and (4) are each provided in multiple and are arranged in a side-by-side series to provide a plurality of side-by-side fiberizing centers, the mounting mechanism including means for common mounting of the series of compo-nents (2) providing for conjoint angular adjustment movement relative to the series of components (4).

12. Apparatus as defined in Claim 1 in which the mounting mechanism provides for relative adjustment movement of components (2) and (3).

13. Apparatus as defined in Claim 1 in which com-ponent (3) includes means for changing the path of flow of the jet established by the device of component (2) and in which the mounting mechanism provides for relative move-ment of the means for changing the path of the jet with respect to component (2) in a sense to alter the path of flow of the jet.

14. Apparatus for forming fibers by attenuation of attenuable material comprising a fiberizing center in-cluding four components comprising (1) a generator of a gaseous blast, (2) a device for establishing a gaseous jet lying in a plane parallelling the path of the blast and directed in a path intercepting the path of the blast, the jet being of greater kinetic energy per unit of volume than the blast and penetrating the blast to provide a zone of interaction in the blast, (3) means positioned along the path of the jet and developing a stable low pressure zone operating to induce ambient gas into the jet flow in a region upstream of the region of penetration of the jet into the blast, and (4) a supply means for delivering a stream of attenuable material for attenuation in said zone of inter-action, the stream being delivered into gas being induced into said zone, means for adjusting the relative functional position of at least two of components (1), (2) and (4) with respect to each other, and means mounting at least one of said components with freedom for adjustment movement in said plane providing for relatively shifting the effec-tive operating interrelation of component (3) of the fiber-izing center in said plane with respect to at least one of the other components of the fiberizing center.

15. Apparatus as defined in Claim 14 in which the means mounting said one component comprises means pro-viding for relative angular movement of component (3) in said plane with respect to at least one of the other com-ponents of the fiberizing center.

16. Apparatus as defined in Claim 14 in which the means mounting said one component comprises means pro-viding for relative displacement movement of component (3) in said plane with respect to at least one of the other components of the fiberizing center.

46 Apparatus for forming fibers by attenuation of attenuable material comprising a generator of a gaseous blast, a plurality of fiberizing centers associated with the blast and including a series of devices for generating a plurality of gaseous jets, of greater kinetic energy per unit of volume than the blast, in side-by-side relation directed transversely into the blast to develop a series of zones of interaction of the jets in the blast, the fiberizing centers also including means for delivering a series of streams of attenuable material to be attenuated in said zones of interaction, and common mounting means for the series of jet generating devices providing for displacement movement thereof toward and away from the streams of attenuable material.

18. Apparatus as defined in Claim 17 and further including means automatically operative upon substantial pressure drop in the jet generating devices for effecting displacement of the series of jet devices away from the streams of attenuable material.

19. Apparatus for forming fibers by attenuation of attenuable material comprising a generator of a gaseous blast, a device for establishing a gaseous jet of greater kinetic energy per unit of volume than the blast and penetrating the blast to form a zone of interaction therein, a supply means for delivering a stream of attenuable mater-ial into said zone, and means mounting the jet device for displacement movement toward and away from the stream of attenuable material supplied by said supply means.

20. Apparatus as defined in Claim 19 and further including means responsive to substantial pressure drop in the device for establishing the gaseous jet and auto-matically operative to displace the jet device from the stream of attenuable material.

21. Apparatus for forming fibers by attenuation of attenuable material comprising at least one fiberizing center including at least three components comprising (1) a generator of a gaseous blast, (2) a device for establish-ing a gaseous jet directed in a path intercepting the path of the blast, the jet being of greater kinetic energy per unit of volume than the blast and penetrating the blast to provide a zone of interaction in the blast, and (3) a supply means for delivering a stream of attenuable material for attenuation in said zone of interaction, and means mount-ing said components including at least one adjustable device for altering the relative functional position of at least one of said components with respect to at least one of the other components.

22. Equipment for making fibers from attenuable material comprising means for generating a gaseous blast, means for generating a gaseous jet of smaller cross section than the blast, the jet being of greater kinetic energy per unit of volume than the blast, deflector means in the path of the jet arranged to deflect the jet into a path transverse to the blast to develop a zone of interaction of the jet in the blast, orifice means for introducing a stream of attenuable material into the influence of the jet to be carried in the deflected path thereof into the blast, and means for relatively adjusting the positions of the deflector means and the jet generating means.

23. Equipment as defined in Claim 22 in which the adjusting means is arranged to provide for adjustment of the deflected path of the jet.

24. Equipment for making fibers from attenuable material comprising means for generating a gaseous blast, means for generating a gaseous jet of smaller cross section than the blast, the jet being of greater kinetic energy per unit of volume than the blast, deflector means in the path of the jet arranged to deflect the jet into a path transverse to the blast to develop a zone of interaction of the jet in the blast, orifice means for introducing a stream of attenuable material into the influence of the jet to be carried in the deflected path thereof into the blast, and means providing for conjoint angular ad-justment of the position of the jet generating means and deflector means with respect to the blast.

25. Equipment for making fibers from attenuable material comprising means for generating a gaseous blast, means for generating a gaseous jet of smaller cross section than the blast, the jet being of greater kinetic energy per unit of volume than the blast, deflector means in the path of the jet arranged to deflect the jet into a path trans-verse to the blast to develop a zone of interaction of the jet in the blast, orifice means for introducing a stream of attenuable material into the influence of the jet to be carried in the deflected path thereof into the blast, and means providing for conjoint adjustment of the position of the blast and jet generating means with respect to the orifice means for the attenuable material.

26. Equipment as defined in claim 25 in which the adjustment means provides for relative vertical adjustment of the blast and jet generating means with respect to said orifice means.

27. Equipment as defined in claim 26 and further including means providing for relative vertical adjustment of the jet generating means with relation to said orifice means.