EP0340691B1 - Method and device for fabricating a fibremat - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a method according to the preamble of claim 1. Furthermore, the invention is directed to a device according to the preamble of claim 24.

In a known method of this type (DE 28 45 112), the fibers are ground together with dry binder in powder form and mixed at the same time, and this mixture is then sprinkled into a nonwoven which is then compressed to a mat at elevated temperature. The heat supplied leads to partial activation of the binders or certain components, in particular the thermoplastic components, so that a fiber composite is obtained, which has a low density, but has sufficient transport and storage stability. The mat is then divided into transportable and manageable blanks. From the fiber mat or the blanks, molded parts are produced by pressing at a further elevated temperature, which serve a variety of uses, for example as parts for the interior trim of motor vehicles, as molded furniture parts, etc. In this shaping process, above all the thermosetting components of the binders are activated and impart this Molded part after the pressing process the required dimensional stability.

To achieve special physical properties, e.g. B. an increased wet strength and tropical climate resistance often liquid or aqueous binders must be introduced into the fiber mixture in order to glue the individual fibers. Additives are also added to the mixture which are intended to influence the chemical-physical properties in a certain direction. These include, for example, mold release agents for the later pressing process, water repellents, elastifying agents, fungicides, color pigments or the like. Fiber mats of the aforementioned type are processed into molded parts in large quantities and have proven themselves extremely well in practice.

A disadvantage of the known fiber mats and the processes used for their production is the fact that all of the components which are mixed into the fibers are present homogeneously distributed throughout the mixture and thus also within the fiber mat. Therefore, the amount of binders or additives required for a certain chemical-physical or technical behavior of the molded part must be present in the entire cross-section of the mat or the molded part.

The invention has for its object to locally influence the physical, technical or chemical properties of the fiber mat or the molded part produced therefrom in a defined manner and to reduce the amount of binders or additives to the extent necessary for a desired behavior.

This object is achieved according to the invention by the characterizing features of claim 1.

It is known to apply binders to the surface of fiber mats, for example glass fiber mats, which has hitherto been done by spraying, dipping, by pouring on with gap nozzles or by knife application. However, all of these known methods lead to an uneven application of binder, in particular to an uneven surface, which does not allow further processing into molded parts or only when certain fibers are used. The particular disadvantage of these processes is that not all fibers are embedded in the surface, that is to say that a smooth surface can be obtained. There are streaks or air pockets on the surface. In order to obtain a perfect surface quality, the fleece therefore had to be formed from two or more layers of fiber scattered one behind the other, each of which has the composition desired for the final molded part.

Practical tests with the method according to the invention have shown that a roller application of binders from aqueous phase, which is known per se, leads to a perfect surface quality in a fiber mat if polished steel rollers are used and the application is carried out under slight pressure and with a transport speed of the fiber mat which is less than the rotational speed of the rollers. A slight pressure effect is understood to mean in particular a pressure which does not lead to further compression of the middle layer. Following the drying section, a fiber mat with a voluminous core with a very low density and, in contrast, denser cover layers is obtained. The binders in the cover layers are enriched in relation to the core layer. A low density with good dimensional stability is particularly sought for automotive trim parts. For example, for door panels which are formed from conventional fiber mats, a density of 1.0 to 1.1 g / cm³ is achieved, whereas the density according to the invention can be reduced to 0.7 to 0.8 g / cm³, so that a light, yet stiff cladding is obtained. With a roof liner, which should have strong damping properties, densities between 0.05 (partial) and 0.1 g / cm³ with up to 20 mm wall thickness and high dimensional stability can be achieved. The fact that the binder is applied from the liquid phase immediately after the production of the fiber mat results in a continuous process and the heat content of the fiber mat is used to dry the binder.

It is also possible to incorporate certain additives only into the cover layers in order to achieve a certain surface quality. The binders applied by means of the rollers can also be selected such that the fiber mat or the molded part produced therefrom fulfills certain surface requirements. Fiber mats of this construction can be processed, in particular, into molded parts with a perfectly smooth surface. Surfaces can also be used achieve with a moisture barrier in changing climatic conditions, so that the PE film previously required for this purpose can be dispensed with, although warping due to changing moisture content is excluded. The achievable smooth surface leads to a reduction in the need for paint and paint when painting or coloring the molded part directly. If the molded part is laminated instead, the adhesive required for this can be used more economically.

The process according to the invention can be carried out in such a way that the binders from the aqueous phase are applied to only one side. Preferably, however, an order will be provided on both sides, this order being able to be carried out at the same time by means of only one pair of rollers.

In one embodiment of the method according to the invention, binders with predominantly thermosetting binder components are applied. Molded parts of greater hardness and rigidity can be produced from such a fiber mat. Instead, binders with predominantly thermoplastic binder components can also be applied. Molded parts with greater elasticity can be produced from this.

The binder can in principle be applied from a solution, an emulsion or a dispersion, preference being given to aqueous emulsions or dispersions. Phenolic, resol, melamine or urea resins are particularly suitable as thermosetting components, while homo- or copolymers such as acrylic resins, butadiene-styrene, butadiene-acrylonitrile, polyurethanes, polyesters and vinyl ester resins can be used as thermoplastic components. Any combination for such a binder system is of course also possible.

As already indicated, additives which influence the physical, technical or chemical behavior of the fiber mat and / or the molded part pressed therefrom can be added to the aqueous phase of the binder and applied to the fiber mat with the binder. In particular, hydrophobicizing agents, e.g. B. paraffin emulsions, mold release agents, for. B. sulfonated fatty acids, elasticizers, e.g. B. polyethylene glycols, which can react with certain binders, namely condensation resins, and fungicides, color pigments, flame retardants, antioxidants, wetting agents or the like. in question. Just as with the application of binder from the aqueous phase, where the physical and technical behavior of the molded part in the layers, where necessary, can be influenced, the addition of the additives only in the outer layers of the fiber mat only improves the properties desired by the additives created specifically where they are necessary. In this way, the binders or additives can not only be enriched locally, but also the amount required to achieve a certain property can also be reduced to the required level by the fact that the binders or additives are no longer homogeneously distributed over the entire cross-section of the mat or molded part .

It is also possible to add to the aqueous phase of the binder blowing agents or foamable resins which become effective at elevated temperature. These foamable resins are activated, for example, only when they are formed into a molded part, which takes place at elevated temperature. In this way, a low density can also be achieved in the top layer layers with sufficient hardness and surface quality with sufficient hardness and surface quality.

The process according to the invention also opens up the possibility of adding only powdered binders to the fiber mixture prior to the manufacture of the fiber mat, so that dry processing of the fiber mixture into a nonwoven is possible, while those binders which lead to fiber impregnation are applied by means of the rollers .

It has proven to be advantageous if the binders are applied from an aqueous phase in an amount between 10 and 150 g / m², preferably between 60 and 80 g / m².

It has also proven to be advantageous if a binder solution, dispersion or emulsion with a solids content of 10 to 60% by weight, preferably 30 to 40% by weight, is used. This makes it possible to achieve a perfect surface when applying the roller.

In this method it is also advantageous if the waste air which is produced during the warming up process during the compression of the fiber mat is used to dry the fiber mat after the binding agents have been applied from the aqueous phase, so that there is a favorable energy balance. This has the main advantage that the production of the fiber mat does not lead to an increase in cost compared to the conventional system. The moisture is reduced from about 20% originally to 5 to 10%.

Finally, it is provided that the fiber mat is cooled after drying, e.g. B. to ≦ 40 degrees Celsius to allow the mat blanks to be stacked without the blanks sticking together.

A further possibility of locally influencing the physical, technical or chemical properties of the fiber mat or the molded part produced therefrom in a defined manner is to apply top layers of greater tensile strength to the fiber mat. This is done, for example, by (DE-OS 36 29 891) that random fibers are applied to the fiber mat on one or both sides and are connected to the fiber mat by means of thermosetting binders with which the random fibers are impregnated. The actual fiber mat thus forms a middle layer of low density, the surface of which is refined by the cover layers. An open structure is preferred in the cover layers so as not to produce a barrier effect against moisture, heat or the like. The preparation and application of the tangled fibers is cumbersome and it is also only with considerable effort possible to lay the tangled fibers on the middle layer in such a way that the cover layers always have the same structure and the same fiber shares and fiber arrangement, which is a prerequisite for the molded parts produced from them always having constant quality.

According to the invention, the known method is simplified and a constant mat quality is achieved in that the random fibers forming the cover layer are deposited in the form of an endless, open random fiber fleece on the middle layer after it has been compressed, and the random fiber fleece by means of the fibers and / or the binders of the middle layer Binder is connected to this.

In this method, therefore, a prepared random-fiber fleece of consistently constant quality is used, which is only applied and directly integrated after the middle layer has been compacted, so that the random-fiber fleece experiences no or no significant structural change even after it has been deposited on the middle layer. From such fiber mats refined on the surface, it is possible in particular to produce molded parts which have a low density but nevertheless have sufficient dimensional stability. This applies, for example, to such interior trim parts on motor vehicles that are intended to contribute to sound insulation, e.g. B. for the headlining. With the method according to the invention, for example, mats with a density of only 0.05 g / cm 3 can be produced, which can be processed without problems into self-supporting molded parts.

In a preferred embodiment, the aforementioned process is linked to the process mentioned at the outset in that the random fiber fleece compacted immediately before the roller pair applying the binder from the liquid phase The middle layer is fed in and is lightly pressed onto the middle layer by means of the pair of rollers, the binders impregnating the random fiber fleece and at the same time penetrating into the adjacent middle layer without, however, the middle layer being additionally compacted.

A largely untreated non-woven fiber fleece is thus fed in at the location of the middle layer, where the binder is incorporated into the outer boundary layers of the fiber mat, so that the binder for binding the non-woven fiber fleece is applied to the middle layer at the same time as this application process.

Depending on the required properties of the molded part, the random fiber fleece can consist of cellulose, glass fiber, polyester or viscose fibers or of mixed fibers and has a basis weight of 20 to 120 g / m², preferably 40 to 60 g / m².

To carry out the method mentioned at the outset, the invention is based on a known device (DE-OS 28 45 112) with a circumferential, permeable carrier web, an overlying one, the mixture of fibers and binders on the carrier web to a fleece dispensing device, one behind arranged the binder activating heating section, along which hot air is transported through the fleece and the carrier web and a pair of press rolls arranged behind it for compacting the fleece.

According to the invention, such a device is characterized in that behind the pair of press rollers, the pair of application rollers with polished roller surfaces for applying the binders from the liquid phase and one behind Drying device is arranged, and that the peripheral speed of the application rollers is greater than the throughput speed of the fiber mat. A cooling device can be arranged behind the drying device in which the liquid constituents of the applied binder are evaporated and the binder is activated, in order to keep the fiber mat at storage temperature, e.g. B. ≦ 40 degrees Celsius to cool.

In an advantageous embodiment it is provided that the drying device is connected to the exhaust air side of the heating section, so that the exhaust air from the heating section, where the binders of the middle layer are activated, is used for the drying process.

The fiber mat can either be cut behind the drying device into blanks of the desired size or it is provided that a cutting device for cutting the fiber mat into blanks is arranged between the pair of application rollers and the drying device, and that the conveyor receiving the blanks runs at a higher speed than that Fiber mat leading conveyor to the cutting device.

In this design, the blanks are separated by the faster transport speed of the conveyor receiving them in front of the drying device, so that drying and cooling air only from one side, e.g. B. the top, must be fed and passes between the blanks down and can act on the bottom.

If cover layers made of random-fiber nonwovens are additionally provided on one or both sides of the fiber mat, this is the easiest way according to the invention Apply that in front of the applicator roller pair above and / or below the fiber mat or the conveyor receiving it there is arranged a spool receiving the endless random fiber fleece, from which the random fiber fleece is drawn off by means of the tensile force acting in the transport direction of the fiber mat.

Some embodiments are given below:

example 1

75% phenolic resin (in a 35% solution), 3% release agent emulsion (in a 50% emulsion) and 22% acrylate dispersion (in a 35% dispersion) from an aqueous phase are primarily applied to a fiber mat with fibers from Waste materials (paper, cardboard, jute, textiles) applied. Molded parts of great stiffness can be produced from such a fiber mat.

Example 2

70% butadiene-acrylonitrile (in 45% dispersion), 8% polyethylene glycol 400 (low molecular weight), 5% hydrophobizing agent (in 30% emulsion) and 13% melamine resin (in 50% dispersion) are mixed on one Fiber mat made of fibers of the above structure applied. Molded parts of great flexibility can be produced from such a fiber mat.

Example 3

60% phenolic resin (35% solution), 8% sodium hydrogen carbonate (foaming agent), 0.2% wetting agent, 3.8% water repellent (30% emulsion), 14% acrylate dispersion - crosslinking (60% dispersion ) and 14% acrylic dispersion - thermoplastic (50% dispersion) on one Fiber mat with fibers of the above structure applied. When the fiber mat is pressed into a molded part at elevated temperature, the resin components are foamed. A stable molded part of very low density is created.

In all of the above examples, for further finishing, random fiber nonwovens can be added to the top and / or bottom and integrated into the fiber mat by means of the binder compositions described.

Figur 1

ein Fließschema einer ersten Ausführungsform der Vorrichtung;

Figur 2

ein der Figur 1 entsprechendes Fließschema einer zweiten Ausführungsform der Vorrichtung;

Figur 3

einen Ausschnitt aus einem Fließschema einer Vorrichtung zum zusätzlichen Zuführen von Wirrfaservliesen und

Figur 4

einen weiteren Ausschnitt der Vorrichtung mit einer anderen Ausführungsform der Trocknungseinrichtung.

The invention is explained below on the basis of exemplary embodiments of the device for carrying out the method shown in the drawing. The drawing shows:

Figure 1

a flow diagram of a first embodiment of the device;

Figure 2

a flow diagram corresponding to Figure 1 of a second embodiment of the device;

Figure 3

a section of a flow diagram of a device for additional feeding of random fiber webs and

Figure 4

a further section of the device with another embodiment of the drying device.

In all of the exemplary embodiments, the device has a revolving conveyor 1 in the form of a permeable carrier web, for. B. a screen belt, on, on which a fleece 2 is generated. For this purpose, a spreader 3 is arranged above the conveyor 1 on the inlet side with a circulating distributor member 4 and a forming head 5, through which the fibers mixed with the dry binder components are evenly sprinkled onto the conveyor 1, in such an amount per unit of time that, taking into account the speed of movement of the conveyor 1, a fleece 2 of approximately constant thickness is obtained. To level out any differences in thickness, a milling cutter 6 is arranged behind the spreading device 3.

A suction box 7 is arranged below the conveyor 1 - again in all the exemplary embodiments - which sucks air down from the top of the fleece and thus prevents the fibers from being whirled up and carried away. The conveyor 1 with the fleece 2 lying on it then reaches a heating section 8 which is supplied with hot air by a supply device 9. On the heating section 8, a flow straightener 10 is arranged above the fleece 2, which distributes the hot air evenly over the entire width of the fleece 2 and a certain length, while a suction box 11 is arranged below the conveyor 1, so that the hot air through the fleece and is sucked down through the permeable conveyor 1.

A pair of press rolls 12 is arranged behind the heating section 8 and compresses the heated fleece under pressure to form a fiber mat 13 of reduced thickness. The fiber mat 13 is already so stabilized due to the activation of the binder in the heating section 8 and due to the application of pressure that it can be handled and transported. The fiber mat 13 is supported by a conveyor 14, e.g. B. a roller conveyor, which they through a downstream Roller pair 15 transported. The pair of rollers 15 has rollers with smoothly polished surfaces and is used to apply binders from the liquid phase, these binders being incorporated into the uppermost interface layer of the fiber mat 13. For this purpose, each roller 15 is assigned a distributor roller 16.

Behind the application roller pair 15, the fiber mat 13 reaches a drying device 17, in which it is flushed with hot air on the top and bottom to activate the binders applied by means of the application rollers 15. The drying device 17 can be fed via the line 18 with the exhaust air from the vacuum box 11 of the heating section and optionally via a branch line 19 also directly from the hot air supply device 9. Finally, a cooling device 20 is arranged behind the drying device 17 and is supplied with fresh air or cooling air from a source 21. The fiber mat 13 finally leaves the cooling device 20 at storage temperature and is then cut by means of a cutting device 22 into blanks 23 of the desired size.

The hot air drawn off from the drying and cooling device 20 passes via a line 24 to an exhaust air filter 25 and can be fed back to the process either in whole or in part in the recirculation mode.

The embodiment according to FIG. 2 differs from that according to FIG. 1 in that the cutting device 22 is arranged between the applicator roller pair 15 and the drying device 17, so that the fiber mat 13 is cut into the blanks 23 immediately after the cover-side binders have been applied. These blanks 23 are isolated in that the arranged behind the cutter 22 conveyor 26, z. B. a roller conveyor, runs at a greater speed than the fiber mat 13, so that the blanks 23 are pulled apart at a distance. In this case, the exhaust air from line 18 or additional hot air from line 19 need only be input into the drying device 17 from above, since it can pass down between the blanks and thus also act on the underside thereof. The same applies to the downstream cooling device 20.

FIG. 3 shows a section of the flow diagram according to FIG. 1 or FIG. 2 in the area between the pair of press rolls 12 and the drying device 17. In addition to the system parts described in FIGS. 1 and 2, in the embodiment according to FIG. 3 there is immediately above and below the application roll pair 15 the fiber mat 13 or the roller conveyor 14 each have a spool 27 on which a random fiber fleece 28 is wound, which is unwound from the spools 27 by the tensile force acting in the transport direction, but which can also be driven synchronously, and directly in the area of the application rollers 15 is placed on the top and bottom of the fiber mat 13, the binders from the liquid phase being applied at the feed point via the application rollers 15 at the same time. Due to the weak application of pressure, the binders are incorporated into the random fiber fleece 28 on the one hand, and into the outermost layers of the fiber mat 13 on the other hand, and the liquid components are evaporated in the subsequent drying device 17 and the active components of the binders are activated. In this way, the end product obtained is a fiber mat 29 which consists of a middle layer 30 with a relatively loose fiber composite and a cover layer 31, 32 each made of a non-woven fabric. The middle layer and the cover layers 31, 32 form a firm bond.

Another embodiment of the drying device 17 is shown in FIG. It has a continuous oven 33 with a plurality of arrays 34 of infrared radiators 35 arranged one behind the other. Each array 34 is assigned a cooling fan 36, so that the fiber mat 13 running through the oven 33 is dried by combined heat of radiation and convection. An exhaust air chamber 37 is arranged between two adjacent fields 34 of infrared radiators 35, via which the moist air is extracted by means of a fan 38. In the embodiment according to FIG. 4, instead of the roller conveyor 26 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a cross bar conveyor 39 is provided, on which the fiber mat 13 or mat blanks are transported through the continuous furnace 33.

Claims (31)

1. Method for the manufacture of a low density fibre mat (13) from fibres, as well as thermosetting and thermoplastic binders, which can be transformed by moulding at an elevated temperature at least partly activating the binders so as to form mouldings, in that a mixture of fibres and binders is spread out to form a fibre sheet (2) and the latter is compressed at elevated, binder-activating temperature to a transportable fibre mat, characterized in that the fibre mat (13) or cuttings therefrom, immediately after compression for rendering transportable is passed with the elevated temperature through a pair of rollers (15) having polished roller surfaces at a lower speed than the peripheral speed thereof and by means of at least one roller binder from the liquid phase is applied to the fibre mat side facing it under weak pressure action, which makes no further contribution to the compression of the central layer, and that the fibre mat (13), following the roller pair (15), is passed through a drying compartment (17).
2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the binder is applied by the rollers (15) to both sides of the fibre mat (13).
3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, on passing through the roller pair (15), the binder is simultaneously applied to both sides of the fibre mat.
4. Method according to one of the claims 1 to 3, characterized in that binders with mainly thermosetting binder fractions are applied.
5. Method according to one of the claims 1 to 3, characterized in that binders with mainly thermoplastic binder fractions are applied.
6. Method according to one of the claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the binder is applied from a solution, an emulsion or a dispersion.
7. Method according to one of the claims 1 to 6, characterized in that to the aqueous phase of the binder are added additives, which influence the physical and/or chemical behaviour of the fibre mat (13) and/or the moulding moulded therefrom and are applied to the fibre mat.
8. Method according to claim 7, characterized in that to the aqueous phase of the binder are added waterproofing agents, mould parting agents, elasticators, fungicides, dye pigments, etc.
9. Method according to one of the claims 1 to 8, characterized in that to the aqueous phase of the binder are proportionately added blowing agents or foamable resins which become active at elevated temperature.
10. Method according to one of the claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the quantity of thermosetting and thermoplastic binders necessary for the finished moulding are partly added to the fibre blend prior to the production of the fibre mat (13) and partly via the application from the aqueous phase.
11. Method according to one of the claims 1 to 10, characterized in that to the fibre blend, prior to the production of the fibre mat (13), exclusively binders in powder form are added.
12. Method according to one of the claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the binders from the aqueous phase are applied in a quantity between 10 and 150 g/m², preferably between 60 and 80 g/m².
13. Method according to one of the claims 1 to 12, characterized in that a binder solution, dispersion or emulsion with a solids content of 10 to 60% by weight, preferably 30 to 50% by weight is used.
14. Method according to one of the claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the fibre mat (13) is dried after applying the binder.
15. Method according to one of the claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the spent air obtained during the heating in connection with the compression of the fibre mat (13) is used for drying the fibre mat following the application of the binder from the aqueous phase.
16. Method according to one of the claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the fibre mat (13) is dried to a residual moisture content of 5 to 10%.
17. Method according to one of the claims 1 to 16, characterized in that the fibre mat (13) is cooled after drying.
18. Method according to claim 17, characterized in that the fibre mat (13) is cooled to < 40°C.
19. Method according to one of the claims 1 to 18, characterized in that, after cooling, the fibre mat (13) is cut to size and the cuttings (23) are stacked.
20. Method according to one of the claims 1 to 19, characterized in that a central layer (30) of fibres, as well as thermosetting and thermoplastic binders and at least one open covering layer (31, 32) of random fibres connected thereto is formed, in that a mixture of fibres and binders is spread on a revolving supporting web to form a continuous fibre sheet (2) and the latter is compressed in the continuous process and at elevated temperature to a transportable fibre mat (13), the random fibres forming the covering layer being placed in the form of a continuous, open random fibre nonwoven (28) on the central layer (30) following the compression thereof and the random fibre nonwoven being connected thereto by means of binders affine with the fibres and/or the binders of the central layer.
21. Method according to one of the claims 1 to 20, characterized in that the random fibre nonwoven (28) is supplied to the compressed central layer (30) immediately upstream of the roller pair (15) applying the affine binders from the liquid phase and by means of the roller pair is weakly pressed onto the central layer and at the same time the affine binders impregnate the random fibre nonwoven and penetrate into the adjacent central layer.
22. Method according to one of the claims 1 to 21, characterized in that the random fibre fleece (28) comprises cellulose, glass fibre, viscose or polyester fibres or blended fibres.
23. Method according to one of the claims 1 to 22, characterized in that use is made of a random fibre nonwoven (28) with a weight per unit area of 20 to 120 g/m², preferably 40 to 60 g/m².
24. Apparatus for performing the method according to one of the claims 1 to 23 with a revolving, permeable supporting web (1), a spreading device (4, 5) positioned above the latter and which spreads the mixtures of fibres and binders onto the supporting web so as to form a fibre sheet, a heating compartment (8) located behind it for activating the binders and along which the hot air is conveyed through the fibre sheet (2) and the supporting web (1) and a pressing roller pair (12) positioned behind the same for compressing the fibre sheet, characterized in that behind the pressing roller pair (12) the applicator roller pair (15) with polished roller surfaces for applying the binder from the liquid phase and behind the same a drying device (17) is located and that the peripheral speed of the applicator rollers (15) is higher than the passage speed of the fibre mat (13).
25. Apparatus according to claim 24, characterized in that a cooling device (20) is positioned behind the drying device (17).
26. Apparatus according to claim 24 or 25, characterized in that the drying device (17) is a continuous oven (33) with infrared radiators (35).
27. Apparatus according to one of the claims 24 to 26, characterized in that the infrared radiators (35) are cooled with air and the heated air is blown onto the fibre mat (13).
28. Apparatus according to one of the claims 24 to 27, characterized in that the continuous oven (33) has several successively arranged zones (34) of infrared radiators (35) and in each case interposed spent air chambers (37).
29. Apparatus according to claim 24 or 25, characterized in that the drying device (17) is connected to the spent air side of the heating compartment (8).
30. Apparatus according to one of the claims 24 to 29, characterized in that between the applicator roller pair (15) and the drying device (17) is positioned a cutting device (23) for cutting up the fibre mat (13) into cuttings (23) and that the conveyor (26) receiving the cuttings travels at a higher speed than the conveyor passing the fibre mat (13) to the cutting device (23).
31. Apparatus according to one of the claims 24 to 30 for performing the method according to claim 22 to 25, characterized in that upstream of the applicator roller pair (15) and/or below the fibre mat (13) or the conveyor (14) receiving it is located a reel (26) receiving the continuous random fibre nonwoven (27) and from which the latter is drawn by means of the tension acting in the conveying direction of the fibre mat (13).

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