GB554104A - Method and apparatus for felting glass fibres - Google Patents

Abstract

554,104. Felting glass fibres. EDWARDS, A. E. Dec. 17, 1941, No. 16285. [Class 42 (ii)] A felt of glass fibres is formed by depositing long glass fibres upon a surface as a mat wherein the fibres are criss-crossed and predominantly parallel with the said surface and then applying a number of short successive relative movements between the outer surfaces to interfelt the fibres with one another throughout the mat. A mat or lap of glass fibres 31, Fig. 1, is formed on a conveyer 30 by allowing molten glass to flow through feeders 22 under the influence of a blast e.g. of steam from nozzles 23 and of a suction chamber 35. Coating materials such as oils or soaps may be supplied through nozzles 40. During formation of the mat the fibres lie substantially parallel to the conveyer 30 and in order to interfelt the fibres to the desired degree binder solution is sprayed thereon through nozzles 43 and the mat passed between coacting belts 45, 46 the upper belt running over drums 50 mounted on a rectangular frame 51 to which is given a limited circular motion in a horizontal plane by means of eccentrics 53. The belt 45 is driven through a chain 63 from the belt 30 and the belt 46 is driven from a motor 65 mounted on the frame 51 which latter is actuated from a motor 61 through gearing 58 and vertical shafts 54a. The space between the belts 45, 46 decreases according to circumstances e.g. from four inches at the feed end to one inch at the discharge end. A number of superposed mats or laps such as 31 may be fed together between endless conveyer members and drenched with binder solution in order to form a composite lap for subsequent treatment. In a modification the mat 31 is treated between a lower conveyer 80, Fig. 5, and an upper series of rollers 83 carried on endless chains 84 the rollers 83 being advanced over the mat at a speed greater than that of the conveyer 80 thus imparting to the mat a progressive wavelike or rolling movement. In a further modification the lap is treated between pairs of co-operating rollers 100, 102, Fig. 8, the lower roller of each pair being ribbed and mounted in stationary bearings while the upper rollers are reciprocated relatively thereto. Adjacent pairs of upper rollers are mounted in end frames or bearing blocks 114 pivoted on central vertical shafts 116 the inner ends of the frames 114 projecting into recesses in a block 124 which is reciprocated by an eccentric.