MXPA98009067A - Collection and deposition of cut-fibered hebras to form in uniked fibers of uni cut fibers - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an air cannon (100), formed in association with an inlet cone (116), an air amplifier (104) and an outlet cone (124) with each other receiving staple fibers and depositing strongly fibers cut on a picking surface (102) or web that moves past an exit end (126) of the output core (124). A binder is applied to the resulting mat (172) of staple fibers, the binder is activated by the application of energy with the treated mat (182) being compacted, cooled and rolled up to form a bundle of cut mat mats (194) . For wide mats, one or more banks (130) of air cannons (100) extend through the picking band in motion. The air guns (100) of each bank (130) are alternately directed in the upper line and in the lower line of the band to reduce the interference between the air guns (10) by means of L-shaped support barriers. (136) having generally horizontal and generally vertical legs (136H, 136V) which are separated from one another by acute and obtuse poles (140, 142) for the direction of the upper line and the lower line, respectively. The air cannons (100) can also be adjusted individually to vary the projected direction of the air cannons (100) through the band by rotating the generally horizontal legs (136H) of the L-shaped support bars ( 136). The air cannons (100) forcibly direct the fibers to the band to overcome the turbulence of air within a forming cap (170) and force them due to static electricity.

Description

COLLECTING AND DEPOSITION OF CUT-FIBERED HEBRAS TO FORM IN UNCLOCKED FIBERS OF UNITED CUT FIBERS TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates in general to the harvesting of cut fibrous materials and more particularly, to the apparatus for harvesting staple fibers from a source of said fibers and depositing the staple fibers on a picking surface to be processed into non-woven fabrics. woven of cut fibrous materials commonly referred to as a mat of cut strands. Although the invention is generally applicable to a wide variety of fibrous materials including organic and mineral fibrous materials, it will be described herein with reference to glass fibers for which it is particularly applicable and is initially applied. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Continuous strands of fibrous material, such as glass filaments, have been collected and distributed using opposite Coanda effect surfaces to produce mats of said used material, for example for insulation. Examples of such equipment are described in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,300,931; No. 4,466,819; and 4,496,384. Said continuous strands are usually wet handled as they are coated with binder or sizing which is sprayed or otherwise applied to the strands before the strands are passed to the surfaces with Coanda effect. Unlike these continuous fibers, the staple fibers are dry so that during their processing they can be substantially processed with static electricity. As a result, when cut fibers are handled, equipment is normally provided to suppress or dissipate static electricity. Unfortunately, the static suppression equipment helps to spend the equipment handled with staple fibers and can cause problems in terms of maintenance. In the same way, non-woven fabrics made of cut-together glass, that is, mat of cut strands, have been produced for many years. An initial step in production is to collect the cut glass and deposit it on a moving picking surface with the resulting mat of cut glass being processed to produce the mat of cut strands. The cutters are placed on a forming cap that surrounds the picking surface with the cutters provided with cut glass in the forming cap through openings in the upper part of the cap to direct the stream of cut glass to the picking surface. The air nozzles are angled towards the glass stream in an attempt to disperse the glass stream. The input amount of the glass strands for each of the cutters is adjusted and the nozzles are folded in an attempt to evenly distribute the cut glass over the collecting surface. The collecting surface is foraminous and has air that is extracted through it to help in the uniform distribution of the cut glass and to extract the glass towards the collection surface. Unfortunately, these efforts to achieve uniform distribution of fiber over the collection surface are not always successful. Thus, there is a need for an improved apparatus for harvesting staple fibers from such a fiber source and depositing the staple fibers on a picking surface such that the staple fibers are uniformly distributed and thus are more capable of being processed at a mat of cut strands. Preferably, said apparatus could overcome the problems with the turbulent air flow in the forming cap and in the static electricity that are associated with the handling of existing staple fibers. COMPENDIUM OF THE INVENTION This need is met by the methods and apparatus of the present invention, wherein an inlet cone, an air amplifier and an outlet cone are associated with each other to form an air cannon that receives the staple fibers and forcibly depositing the staple fibers on a picking surface or web that moves past an exit end of the exit cone. A binder is applied to the resulting mat of staple fibers, the binder can be activated by the application of energy such as heat with the treated mat resulting by being compacted, cooled and rolled up to form a mat package of cut strands. For wide mats, one or more benches each made from at least one and preferably from a plurality of air cannons extends through the picking band in motion.

The air cannons of a bank containing a plurality of air cannons are preferably directed alternately in the upper line and in the lower line of the band to reduce the interference between the air cannons that can also be adjusted individually to vary the direction of the objective of the air cannons through the band. The air guns strongly direct the fibers cut to the band and therefore overcome the turbulence of air inside the forming cap and forces due to static electricity. According to one aspect of the invention, an air cannon for collecting cut fibrous material and depositing the received staple fibers on a moving picking surface comprises an air amplifier defining a passage through and having an inlet and a departure. The air amplifier is driven by compressed air that enters the passage of the air amplifier through an air hole. An outlet end of an inlet cone is positioned adjacent the inlet of the air amplifier with an inlet end of the inlet cone receiving the staple fibers and directing them to the air amplifier. An inlet end of an outlet cone is positioned adjacent to the outlet of the air amplifier and an outlet end of the outlet cone directs the staple fibers toward the moving pick-up surface. In an operating mode of the invention, the inlet and outlet cones are configured as a trunk of a circular cone, and the inlet end of the inlet cone is larger than the outlet end of the inlet cone while the end The output cone of the output cone is larger than the input end of the output cone. The air amplifier has a minimum internal diameter and the outlet end of the inlet cone preferably is sized between approximately 0.75 times the minimum internal diameter and 1.25 times the minimum internal diameter. The outlet end of the inlet cone is preferably also spaced from the air hole by a distance variation of about 0.8 mm (1/32 inch) to about 12.7 mm (1/2 inch). The output of the air amplifier has a minimum external diameter and the input end of the outlet cone is dimensioned between approximately 1.00 times the minimum output diameter and 1.25 times the minimum external diameter. The symmetry axes A of the air amplifier, the inlet cone and the outlet cone are in substantial alignment with each other, preferably with the symmetry axes A of the air amplifier, the cone inlet and the cone outlet are in alignment with each other within approximately 0.125 inches. For adequate ingestion of the fibers cut by an air shaft, the symmetry A axes substantially aligned at the entrance of the cone, the air amplifier and the outlet cone are within 45 ° of a velocity vector of staple fibers and that the fibers are discharged from a source of staple fibers. According to another aspect of the invention, the apparatus for collecting the cut fibrous material and depositing the received staple fibers on a moving picking surface comprises at least one bank of air guns mounted across the moving picking surface. . The bank comprises at least one and preferably a plurality of air cannons that are positioned in relation to one another to reduce interference therebetween. In one embodiment of the invention, to reduce the interference between adjacent air cannons of a plurality of air cannons, the apparatus further comprises a plurality of generally L-shaped bars for mounting the plurality of air cannons. The L-shaped bars are formed to direct the alternating air cannons in the upper line and in the lower line relative to the movement of the picking surface in motion. The L-shaped bars have generally horizontal legs mounted to a support frame and the generally vertical legs are secured to the air cannons. To carry out the alternating direction of the upper line and the lower line of the air guns, the L-shaped bars have acute and obtuse angles alternating between their generally horizontal and generally vertical legs. The generally horizontal legs of the mounting bars are mounted to rotate in the support frame for movement of the air guns in the transverse direction of the moving picking surface. The adjustment arms are secured to the generally horizontal legs to adjust the rotational position of the generally horizontal legs of the L-shaped bars and therefore the vertical legs and the air cannons are secured thereon. The locking devices are associated with the adjusting arms to lock the adjusting arms and therefore the generally horizontal legs in the preferred rotational positions. In one mode of operation, the locking devices comprise eyebolts which pass through oblong holes in the adjusting arms and cam levers pivotally mounted to the eyebolts. The cam levers are moved to a position to release the adjustment arms for movement of the adjustment arms within limits defined by the oblong holes and the eyebolts. In a locked position, the cam levers secure the adjusting arms to the support frame to maintain adjustments of the mounting bars and by the placement in the transverse direction of the air cannons. According to yet another aspect of the invention, a process for forming a mat of cut strands comprises the steps of: cutting strands of fibrous material; passing the cut strands through at least one air cannon to disperse the cut strands and force the cut strands against a moving picking surface; apply a binder to the cut strands; apply energy to activate the binder; compact the combination of activated binder and cut strands; and cooling the combination of activated binder and staple fibers to form. a mat of threads cut continuously. The method may further comprise the step of winding the mat of continuous cut strands to form a package. The step of passing the cut strands through at least one air cannon to disperse the cut strands and force the cut strands against a moving picking surface may comprise the step of passing the cut strands through at least two air guns and the method further comprises passing the alternate orientation of one of at least two air guns on the upper line and on the lower line relative to the picking surface in motion. To more evenly distribute the staple fibers on the picking surface, the method can further comprise the step of mounting at least two air cannons for the movement of selectively directing each of at least two air cannons within a range of through the collection surface in movement. According to still another aspect of the present invention, a method for collecting cut fibrous material and depositing the received staple fibers on a moving picking surface comprises the steps of: collecting the cut fibers into an input cone having an end of inlet to receive the staple fibers and one outlet end; directing the cut fibers collected from the outlet end of the inlet cone into an inlet of an air amplifier; and dispersing the fibers from an outlet of the air amplifier through an outlet cone on the moving collection surface. Thus, it is an object of the methods and apparatus of the present invention to provide improved deposition of staple fibers on a moving picking surface to process the resulting mat of staple fibers into a mat of cut strands; to provide improved deposition of staple fibers on a moving picking surface by an air barrel that includes an inlet cone, an air amplifier and an outlet cone; to provide improved deposition of staple fibers on a moving picking surface using at least one bank of air guns mounted across the surface; and to provide improved deposition of the staple fibers on a moving picking surface using at least one bank of air guns mounted across the surface where the alternate air cannons within at least one bank of air guns they are directed in the upper line and in the lower line to reduce the interference between the air cannons that are adjustable in the transverse direction.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a perspective view of an operable air gun according to the present invention; Figure 2 is an elevation view of the air barrel of Figure 1; Figure 2A is a cross-sectional view of an air amplifier of Figures 1 and 2; Figures 3, 4 and 5 are front, top and side views, respectively, of the apparatus including a bank of air guns as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2; Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view through an air gun directed in the upper line of the air gun bank shown in Figures 3-5 taken together with line 6-6 in section; Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view through an air gun directed to the lower line of the airgun bank shown in Figures 3-5 taken along lines 7-7 in section; Figure 8 illustrates an adjustment arm for adjusting the positioning of the transverse mat of the air guns shown in Figures 3-5; and Figure 9 is a schematic side view of a machine for making a mat of cut strands according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION AND PREFERRED MODALITIES OF THE INVENTION Reference will now be made to the drawings in which Figures 1 and 2 illustrate an air cannon 100 which alone or in banks of air cannons 100, collects cut fibrous material, such as glass fibers cut, and deposit the received staple fibers on a moving picking surface 102 as shown in Figures 3-5 and 9. The air cannon 100 comprises a pneumatically energized air amplifier 104 which defines a passage 106 therethrough. and has an inlet 108 and an outlet 110. The air amplifier 104 is driven by compressed air injected into an air inlet 112 from a source of compressed air 113, see Figure 5, with the compressed air passing through the inlet 112. in an annular chamber 112a and the outlet to the passage 106 of the air amplifier 104 at high speed through an air hole 114, see Figure 2A. The compressed air defines a primary air stream 112b which adheres to an annular Coanda profile 112c defined by a portion of the inner surface 104a of the air amplifier 104. A low pressure area 104b is created by the primary current 112b which induces a flow of high volume of ambient air towards the air amplifier 104. The air amplifiers that can be used as the air amplifier 104 are commercially available from a number of sources. For an operating mode of the invention of the present application, an air amplifier sold by Exair Corporation of Cincinnati, Ohio and identified by model number 6034 was operated by a compressed air supply regulated between 138 kPa (20 PSIG) and 689 kPa (100 PSIG). Referring again to Figures 1 and 2, the air cannon 100 includes an inlet cone 116 having an outlet end 118 positioned adjacent the inlet 108 of the air amplifier 104 and an inlet end 120 larger than the end of exit 118. The entrance end 120 of the taper cone 116 receives staple fibers and directs them to the air amplifier 104. One inlet end 122 of a diffuser or outlet cone 124 is positioned adjacent the outlet 110 of the air amplifier 104 with an outlet end 126 of the outlet cone 124 directing the staple fibers onto the picking surface in motion 102. The inlet cone 116 and the outlet cone 124 are preferably constructed as circular cone stems of nitride stainless steel to prolong their longevity.

Other cones geometrically configured in the present invention may be used as will be apparent. As shown in Figures 1, 2, 6 and 7, preferably the inlet cone 116 is not directly attached to the air amplifier 104 and is sized and positioned to guide the staple fibers received in the input region of the air amplifier 104 to reduce abrasive wear to the internal surface 104a, see Figure 2A, of the air amplifier 104 reducing the impact of the staple fibers on the passage 106 of the air amplifier 104. The entrance 108 of the air amplifier 104 has a minimum inside diameter DIM and the exit end 118 of the taper cone 116 preferably is dimensioned between approximately 0.75 times the minimum internal diameter (DIM) of the air amplifier 104 and 1.25 times the minimum internal diameter (DIM) of the air amplifier 104. The angle of the side walls of the inlet cone 116 may vary between about 0 ° and 45 ° relative to an axis A of the inlet cone 116. Also, the outlet end 118 of the inlet cone 116 preferably This is spaced from the air hole 114 by a distance evaluation of about 0.8 mm (1/32 inch) to about 12.7 mm (1/2 inch). The outlet 110 of the air amplifier 104 has a minimum external diameter DEM and the inlet end 122 of the outlet cone 124 preferably is sized between approximately 1.00 times the minimum external diameter (DEM) of the air amplifier 104 and 1.25 times the outer diameter MED minimum of the air amplifier 104. As illustrated, the output cone 124 includes an extension 128 that fits over at least a portion of the end of the air amplifier 104 that defines the outlet 110. However, other mounting arrangements are possible, for example, the outlet cone 124 may be mounted so that the inlet 122 of the outlet cone 124 is spaced up approximately 3.81 cm (1.5 inches) from the outlet 110 of the air amplifier 104. The angle of the walls laterals of the output cone 124 may vary between approximately 0o and 10"relative to an axis A of the output cone 116. The axes A of symmetry of the air amplifier 104, of the inlet cone 116 and of the outlet cone 124 are in substantial alignment with each other. As illustrated in Figure 2, the symmetry A axes are in full alignment. Although such alignment is preferred, the air barrel 100 operates properly if the symmetry axes A of the inlet cone 116 and the outlet cone 124 are in alignment within approximately 3.2 mm (0.125 inches) of the axis A of symmetry of the amplifier. air 104. The proper operation of the air cannon 100 has been observed in an operating mode of the invention if the symmetry arms A of the air amplifier 104 are substantially aligned, the inlet cone 116 and the outlet cone 124 are within about 45 ° of a velocity vector V, see Figure 1, of fibers cut as the fibers are discharged from a source of staple fibers, such as a fiber cutter, and the input end 120 of the inlet cone 116 is located within approximately 45.7 cm (18 inches) of the discharge of the fiber cutter. When compressed air is supplied to the air amplifier 104, the staple fibers and the ambient air are withdrawn from the inlet cone 116. The inlet cone 116 guides the fibers and the ambient air into the throat of the air amplifier 104 substantially reducing the number of fiber that impacts the amplifier 104 to reduce abrasive wear and prolongs the service life of the air amplifier 104. The air amplifier 104 produces the motive force that translates air and staple fibers through the air cannon 100. The outlet cone 124 controls the deceleration and diffusion of the air and the cut fiber flowing from the air amplifier 104. The outlet end 126 of the outlet cone 124 is projected onto the moving collection surface 102 to direct the staple fibers onto the surface 102. The turbulent air flow and the static forces are over-energized using the air cannon 100 so that the staple fibers are uniformly deposited on the collection surface 102 and the static suppression equipment is not necessary. To deposit the staple fibers through a large moving picking surface, such as the surface 102 at least one bank 103 of air cannons 10 are mounted across the surface 102, see Figures 3 and 4. One or more Additional banks 130 of air cannons 100 can be provided to increase the thickness of the mat of staple fibers deposited on the surface 102 with two banks of air cannons 130 which are shown in the machine schematically illustrated in Figure 9. Although a bank can comprising a single air cannon with a series of staggered or alternating banks across the surface 102, preferably the bank 130 comprises a plurality of air cannons 100 which are mounted in line across the surface 102 and placed one relative to the another to reduce the interference between them. As illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, seven air cannons 100 are included in the bank 130, of course more than seven air cannons can be used in a bank depending on the size of the surface 102 and of the guns. air. The moving picking surface 102 is foraminous and the air is drawn through the surface 102 for example by a fan 131, see Figure 9, to assist a little in the deposition of the staple fibers on the surface 102 and more importantly to bring the air received from the air cannons 100. The surface 102 moves from the upper line of the bank 130 to the lower line of the bank 130 as indicated by an arrow 132, see Figures 4 and 5. For bank 130 of seven air cannons 100 illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, four of the air cannons 100A, 100C, 100E, 100G are driven to the upper line and three of the air cannons 100B, 100D, 100F are driven to the bottom line to reduce the interference between the air flows and the staple fibers of the air cannons 100. The fibers F are aligned to the fiber cutters 134 as shown in Figures 5 and 9 in a conventionally with a fiber cutter 134 that is provided to each air cannon 100, see Figures 3 and 4. With reference now to Figures 5-7, the objective of the upper line and the lower line of the air guns 100 is achieved by mounting the air guns 100 on the generally L-shaped bars 136 made of steel and with generally horizontal legs 136H pivotally mounted to a support frame 138 and the generally vertical legs 136V with the air guns 10 ensure the legs are generally vertical 136V. The L-shaped bars 136 have acute and obtuse angles alternating between their horizontal and vertical legs to direct those alternating the upper lines and the lower lines of the air cannons 100. As shown in Figure 6, a bar in L-shape 136U includes an acute angle 140 between its horizontal and vertical legs 136H, 136V so that the air cannon 100 mounted thereto is directed towards the upper line, see Figures 3-5. Figure 7 illustrates an L-shaped bar 136D that includes an obtuse angle 142 between its horizontal and vertical legs 136H, 136V so that the air barrel 100 mounted thereto is directed to the lower line, see Figures 3-5 . The separation of the inlet cone 116 of the air amplifier 104 is clearly illustrated in Figures 6 and 7 where the inlet cones 116 of the air cannons 100 are supported directly from the generally vertical legs 136V of the L-shaped bars. 136 by supports 144 extending between the legs 136V and the input cones 116. The air amplifier 104 and the outlet cone 124, which are secured to the air amplifier 104, are similarly supported from the generally vertical legs 136V of the L-shaped rods 136 by the supports 146. The input ends 120 of the input cones 116 of the air guns 10 can be formed at right angles relative to the respective axes A of symmetry of the input cones 116. or they can be oriented angularly relative to the axes A, for example to make the entrance ends 120 oriented generally horizontally. In addition, the input ends 120 may be beveled or rolled out. It is currently preferred to make the input ends 120 of the air gun frames 100 for the symmetry axes A of the input cones 116 and rolled outwards. In addition to alternating the upper line and the lower 0 line of the air cannons 100, each of the air cannons 100 can move in the transverse direction or from side to side as shown in Figures 3 and 4. This movement side to side or transverse of the mat of the air guns 100 is made by rotating the generally horizontal legs 136H in the bearings 148 which provide the pivotal mounting of the generally L-shaped bars 136 towards the support frame 138. For this Finally, a first end of an adjusting arm 150 is secured and preferably wedged in the ends of each of the generally horizontal legs 136H, see Figure 8. A second end of each adjusting arm 150 terminates in an adjustment plate 152. which includes an oblong groove 154 formed therein. An eyebolt 156 having an eye 156A at one end and threads 156B at the other end is passed through the slot 154 and threaded into a properly threaded hole located in the support frame 138, see Figure 6. a cam lever 158 , see Figures 3, 5, 6, and 7, is mounted for pivotal movement with the shaft 156A of the eyebolt 156. When the cam lever 158 is raised, the adjustment arm 150 can be moved up or down around the an axis 159 with its movement being limited by the ends of the groove 154 that engage with the eyebolt 156. The upward movement of the adjusting arm 150, the generally vertical leg 136V moves to the right as indicated by the arrows 160, and for the downward movement of the adjusting arm 150, the generally vertical leg 136V moves to the left as indicated by the arrows 162, see Figure 8. Once the adjusting arm 150 is positioned so that the barrel 100 is projected as desired, the cam lever 158 is lowered to lock the adjusting arm 150 to the support frame 138. As will be apparent, the generally vertical legs 136V and therefore air cannon 100 can thus be adjusted for forward and backward relative to the surface 102 in a generally arcuate motion as indicated by the double-headed arrow 164, see Figure 8. Reference will now be made to Figure 9 which schematically illustrates a machine 166 for making a mat of cut threads according to the present invention. A station 168 includes two banks 130 of air guns 100 represented by the fiber cutters 134 which receive and cut the fibers F and pass the cut fibers to the air barrel 100 as described above. The air cannons 100 are not shown but are placed within the forming cap 170 of station 168. A mat 172 of staple fibers as deposited on the moving collecting surface 102 is passed to a binder depositor 174 where a binder is applied to the binder. mat 172 of staple fibers. For example for a powder mat, the binder can be unsaturated with polyester powder having a glass transition point of about 35 ° to 71 ° C (95eF to 160ßF), preferably between about 41 ° and 49 ° C (105 ° F and 120 * F), which is applied to the mat 172; and, by a mat in emulsion, the binder may be a liquid polyvinyl acetate emulsion which is sprayed onto the mat 172. The mat treated with binder 176 which results is passed through the apparatus for the application of energy, for example heat applied by stoves 178, 180 as illustrated in Figure 9, to activate the binder, that is, to liquefy a thermoplastic binder powder, to remove the water from an aqueous binder or to effect the curing of a thermoset binder. It is noted that for the production of a mat using an aqueous binder, the application of energy, such as heat, can not be required since the mat can be dried with air; however, faster drying is preferred. The resulting chopped strand mat 182 is then passed through the co-compacting / cooling rollers 184, after which it is further cooled by a cooling fan 186. The chopped strand mat can then be passed through cutters 188. which cut the mat of cut strands to desired widths, the feed rollers 190 and a cutter 192 that cuts the mat continues in appropriate packing sections. Finally, the cut strand mat is rolled to form a small roll 194. These additional details desired with respect to the production of the cut strand mat and the like, which are well known to those skilled in the art, can be determined by reference to The Manufacturing Technology of Continuous Glass Fibers, Second Edition, by KL Loewenstein, published by Elservier in 1983 which is incorporated herein by reference. It is noted that any type of appropriate process can be employed on the bottom line of station 168 to form the mat of strands cut from mat 172 which is produced by station 168.

Having thus described the invention of the present application in detail and with reference to its preferred embodiments, it will be apparent that modifications and variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention defined in the appended claims.

Claims (23)

1. An air cannon for collecting cut fibrous material and depositing the received staple fibers on a moving picking surface, the air cannon comprises: an air amplifier defining a passage therethrough and having an inlet and an outlet, the air amplifier being driven by compressed air that enters the passage of the air amplifier through an air hole; an inlet cone having an outlet end positioned adjacent the inlet of the air amplifier and an inlet end for receiving the staple fibers and directing them to the air amplifier; and an outlet cone and having an inlet end positioned adjacent the outlet of the air amplifier and an outlet end for directing the staple fibers on the moving picking surface.

2. An air gun as claimed in claim 1, wherein the input end of the inlet cone is larger than the outlet end of the inlet cone and the outlet end of the outlet cone is larger than the outlet end. input end of the output cone.

3. An air cannon as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inlet cone and the outlet cone are configured as a trunk of a circular cone.

4. An air gun as claimed in claim 3, wherein the air amplifier inlet has a minimum internal diameter (DIM) and the outlet end of the inlet cone is dimensioned between approximately 0.75 times the minimum internal diameter and 1.25 times the minimum internal diameter.

An air gun as claimed in claim 3, wherein the output of the air amplifier has a minimum outlet diameter and the inlet end of the outlet cone is dimensioned between approximately 1.00 times the minimum outer diameter and 1.25 times of the minimum external diameter.

6. An air gun as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outlet end of the inlet cone is spaced from the air hole by a distance ranging from about 0.8 mm (1/32 inch) to about 12.7 mm ( 1/2 inch).

7. An air gun as claimed in claim 6, wherein the axes (A) of symmetry of the air amplifier, the inlet cone and the outlet cone are in substantial alignment with one another.

8. An air gun as claimed in claim 7, wherein the axes (A) of symmetry of the air amplifier, the inlet cone and the outlet cone are in alignment within approximately 3.2 mm (0.125 inches).

9. An air gun as claimed in claim 8, wherein the substantially aligned symmetry axes (A) are within 45 ° of a velocity vector (V) of staple fibers as the fibers are discharged from a source of staple fibers.

10. The apparatus for collecting cut fibrous material and depositing the received staple fibers on a moving picking surface, the apparatus comprises at least one air barrel.

The apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the apparatus comprises at least one bank of air cannons mounted across the movement collection surface, the bank comprises a plurality of air cannons that are placed one in relation to the other to reduce the interference between them.

The apparatus as claimed in claim 11, further comprising a plurality of generally L-shaped bars for mounting the plurality of air cannons to direct the alternating barrels on the upper line and on the lower line relative to the movement of the moving collection surface in order to reduce the interference between the plurality of air cannons, the bars configured in L having generally horizontal legs mounted to a supporting frame and generally vertical legs with air cannons secured thereto, the L-shaped bars have acute and obtuse angles alternating between their generally horizontal and generally vertical legs to direct the alternating air cannons in the upper line and in the lower line.

The apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the generally horizontal legs of the mounting bars are mounted to rotate in the support frame for the movement of the air guns in the transverse direction of the collection surface of and further comprises adjusting arms secured to the generally horizontal legs to adjust the rotational position of the generally horizontal legs of the L-shaped bars.

The apparatus as claimed in claim 13 comprising locking devices associated with the adjustment arms for locking the adjustment arms and therefore the generally horizontal legs (136H) in preferred rotation positions.

15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the locking devices comprise eyebolts passing through oblong holes in the adjustment arms and the cam levers pivotally mounted to the eyebolts, the cam levers in a position release the adjustment arms for the movement of the adjusting arms within the limits defined by the oblong holes and the eyebolts, and in another position they secure the adjustment arms to the support frame to maintain the adjustment of the mounting bars and therefore the placement in the transverse direction of the air cannons.

The apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein each of the air guns (100) comprises: an air amplifier defining a passage therethrough and having an inlet and an outlet, the amplifier air is driven by compressed air that enters the passage of the air amplifier through an air hole; an inlet cone having an outlet end positioned adjacent the inlet of the air amplifier and an inlet end larger than the outlet end for receiving the staple fibers and directing them to the air amplifier; and an outlet cone has an inlet end placed adjacent the outlet of the air amplifier and an outlet end larger than the inlet end of the outlet cone to direct the staple fibers on the moving pick-up surface.

The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the outlet cone is secured to the air amplifier and the inlet cone is secured to one of the vertical legs of one of the L-shaped bars supporting the barrel of respective air so that the entrance cone and the air amplifier are not in direct contact with each other.

The apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein the apparatus comprises two banks of air guns mounted across the moving picking surface.

19. A process for forming a mat of cut strands comprising the steps of: cutting strands of fibrous material (F); passing the cut strands through at least one air cannon to disperse the cut strands and force the cut strands against a moving picking surface; apply a binder to the cut strands; apply energy to activate the binder; compact the combination of the activated binder and the cut strands; and cooling the combination of activated binder and staple fibers to form a mat of continuous cut strands.

20. A process for forming a cut strand mat as claimed in claim 19, further comprising the step of winding the mat of continuous cut strands to form a package.

21. A process for forming a cut strand mat as claimed in claim 20, wherein the step of passing the cut strands through at least one air cannon disperses the cut strands and forces the cut strands against a strand. moving picking surface comprising the step of passing cut strands through at least two air cannons and further comprising the passage of the alternating orientation of those at least two air cannons in the upper line and in the bottom line in relation to the picking surface in movement.

22. A process for forming a cut yarn mat as claimed in claim 21, further comprising the step of assembling at least two air cannons for selectively direct movement of each of at least two air cannons within a range across the picking surface in motion to thereby evenly distribute the cut strands against the picking surface in motion.

23. A method for collecting fibrous material cut and depositing the received staple fibers on a moving picking surface, the method comprising the steps of: collecting the staple fibers in an inlet cone having an inlet end for receiving the staple fibers and an output end; directing the cut fibers collected from the outlet end of the inlet cone at an outlet of an air amplifier; and dispersing the fibers from an outlet of the air amplifier through an outlet cone on the moving collection surface. * SUMMARY An air cannon (100), formed in association with an inlet cone (116), an air amplifier (104) and an outlet cone (124) with one another receives staple fibers and 5 strongly deposits the staple fibers on a collection surface (102) or web that moves past an exit end (126) of the exit core (124). A binder is applied to the resulting mat (172) of staple fibers, the binder is activated by the application 10 of energy with the treated mat (182) resulting being compacted, cooled and rolled up to form a mat package of cut strands (194). For wide mats, one or more banks (130) of air cannons (100) extend through the picking band in motion. The cannons 15 of air (100) from each bank (130) are alternately directed in the upper line and in the lower line of the band to reduce the interference between the air guns (10) by means of L-shaped support rods ( 136) that have generally horizontal legs and 20 generally vertical (136H, 136V) that are separated from each other by acute and obtuse angles (140, 142) for the direction of the upper line and the lower line, respectively. The air cannons (100) can also be adjusted individually to vary the direction 25 projected from the air cannons (100) through the band by rotation of the generally horizontal legs (136H) of the L-shaped support rods (136). The air cannons (100) forcibly direct the fibers to the band to overcome the turbulence of air within a forming cap (170) and force them due to static electricity.