US2216759A

US2216759A - Apparatus for fabricating fibrous material

Info

Publication number: US2216759A
Application number: US4422A
Authority: US
Inventors: Allen L Simison
Original assignee: Owens Corning Fiberglas Corp
Current assignee: Owens Corning
Priority date: 1935-01-31
Filing date: 1935-01-31
Publication date: 1940-10-08
Anticipated expiration: 1957-10-08

Description

Oct. 8, 1940. A, sib/"SON Y 2,216,759

' APPARATUS FOR -FABRICATING' FIBROUS MATERIAL Filed Jan. 51, 1955 7 srleet'sfsneet 2 NVENToR.

BY WATTORNEY Oct. 8,1940. A, L, slMlSON 2,216,759

APP ARATus FOR FABRICATING FIBRoUs MATERIAL Filed Jan. 51, 1955A '7 Sheets-Sheet 3 l 1li-E? INENYfOR.

` ATTORNEY. 6

Cet. 8, 1940. A. L. s'lMlsoN vAPPARATUS FOR FABRICATING FIBROUS MATERIAL `7 Sheets-Shet 4 Filed Jan. 5l, 1935 INVENToR.

A TToR/'VEY Oct. 8, 1940. A. 1 slMlsoN 2,216,759 APPARATUS FOR FABRICATI'NG FIBROUS MATERIAL I Filed Jan. 31, 1955 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 i Q W MW( ZINVENTOR.

ATTORNEY Oct. 8, 1940. -A L 51h/SCJN 2,216,759

APPARATUS FOR FABRICA'IING FIBROUS MATERIAL Filed Jan 5l, 1935 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 .L f wa@ IN .ENTOR' WNO/way Oct. 8, 1940. A L. slMlSON 2,216,759

APPARATUS FOR FABRICATING FIBROUS MATERIAL Filed Jan. 5l, 1955 '7 Sheets-Sheet 7 ATTORNEY .Patented Oct. 8, 1940 UMTED STATES PATENT oFFicE APPAaa'rUs Foa FABRICATING rnasltovs MATERIAL Application January 31, i935, Serial No. 4,422

8 Claims.

My invention relates to a method and apparatus designed for use in the manufacture and fabrication of fibers for the production of material or articles comprising such fibers in felted or matted form. The invention is herein illustrated and embodied in an apparatus adapted for owing streams of molten glass, reducing said streams to fine fibers or filaments, accumulating the bers as they solidify, forming them into a continuously advancingwweb of the matted fibers, treating the web with a suitable binding material, severing narrow strips from the web and attaching them to the face of the web in the form of spaced ribs, and severing the web into individual plates or sections.

An object of the invention is to provide a novel and practical apparatus and method for felting the fibers as they are produced, which method includes blowing the individual fibers, as by screen consists of a continuously traveling endy less conveyor by which the matted bers are continuously carried beyond the blast in the Viorm of a web.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a part sectional plan view of a preferred form of the apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the apparatus.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the same. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional elevation at the line IV-IV on Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a crosssectional elevation atl the line V-V on Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional elevation at the line VI-VI on Fig. 2. i

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional elevation showing the chopper mechanism.

Fig. 8 is a similar view, but with the operating parts in the positions assumed at a diierent period in the cycle of operations.

Fig. 9 is a detail sectional view, the section being taken at the line IX-IX on Fig. 1.

The apparatus in the particular form herein illustrated is adapted for making battery sep arator plates comprising line glass fibers or wool matted, felted, cut to desired size, provided with parallel spaced ribs of the same material attached to one face of the plate, and a. suitable binding material with which the plate is impregnated and the ribs attached thereto.

The apparatus in general comprises a feeder I0 (Fig. 3) by which streams of molten glass are supplied, Nblowers I2 which reduce the molten material to fine# fibers I3, a hood or conduit Id through which the bers are blown downward, a horizontally traveling foraminous or open mesh conveyor I5 on which the material accumulates in the form of a web I6, tanks Il and i8 which may contain solutions of a binding material or the like through which the web passes in succession,

suction devices

20 and 2| by which a portion of the liquid is withdrawn from the web, drying means including a low pressure vacuum chamber 22 and a heat chamber 23, pairs of

calender rolls

24 and 25, disk cutters 26 by which narrow strips are severed from the body of the web, mechanism for supporting, guiding and feeding said strips and applying them in parallel spaced relation to the upper face of the web, and cutter mechanism 21 by which the. web is severed to form individual articles.

The feeder I0 supplies continuous streams 3@ of molten glass which flow vertically downward through the blowers I2. A'ir, steam or other gas under pressure is supplied to the blowers. The' downwardly directed jets or blasts of gas from the blowers engage the streams of glass and draw them out into ne filaments I3. These -are carried downward at a high velocity by the force of the gas and deposited on the endless conveyor l5.

The conveyor I5 runs over,ro1ls 3|, 32 and 33, mounted on the framework 34 which provides a support for the entire fabricating apparatus. The conveyor I5 is preferably a wire screen conveyor of open mesh, suiliciently fine to prevent the passage of the fibrous material therethrough, but which permits the blastv of gas from the blowers to pass freely therethrough at a high velocity so that the glass fibers are closely packed on the screen by the pressure of the gas. The hood I4 confines 'the blast, prevents scattering rof the fibers and causes an even distribution of the air pressure so that the bers are deposited in an evenlayer on the vconveyor I5.. The bers as they are deposited, are interwoven, felted and matted so that the material is carried forward by the conveyor in. the form of a closely matted web i6.

A vacuum chamber 35 is provided beneath the horizontal lead of the conveyor I5 and underlies high vacuum chamber 31 from which,v the air is-v exhausted through a pipe 38. This serves to prevent clogging of the material at the outlet 36 and supplements the action of the blowers in compacting the material. 'f

It will be noted that the horizontally traveling conveyor I5 is substantially perpendicular to the blast of air or gas passing therethrough. It will also be noted that the bers are not accumulated until they have reached a position to be supported on the conveyor, said fibers being separate and free to descend at the high velocity of the blast of gas. In other words, they are free and unobstructed during their rapid descent through the hood. g

As the web I6 advances beyond the conveyor I5, it passes between a pair of rolls 40 which serve to crush any lumps or shot which the web may contain. From the rolls 40,.the web passes downward to a guide roll 4I which is partially immersed in a bath 42 contained in a tank I1. The bath may consist of a solution of latex, glue or other binder or material, or any liquid, emulsion, or solution with which the web is to be treated. The web passes around the lower surface of the roll 4I and is thereby guided through the bath 42. From the roll 4I, the web passes upward to and over an overhead roll 43 and thence downward to a second bath of binding material or the like contained in a tank I8. The web is guided through the second bath by a roll 44 and from thence passes upward to and around a second overhead roll 45.

The web I6 is supported and guided by an endless belt conveyor 46 which is trained over the

rolls

4I, 43, 44 and 4.5 and rolls 41, 48 and 49. The web in its passage through the tanks I1 and lI8 is interposed between the conveyor 46 and the rolls 4I and 44, and the web as it passes over the

rolls

43 and 45 overlies the conveyor 46. Each of the rolls 4I and 44 is in the form of a hollow cylindrical shell or drum provided with a multiplicity of perforations 50 spaced at short intervals to permit free access of the treating solution through the interior of the roll to the inner surface of the web. The conveyor 46 is also made of openwork permitting free access of the solution to the outer surface of the web.

Driving mechanism for the web feeding devices includes an electric motor 52 (Figs. l and 2) which operates through a chain belt 53 and a speed changing device 54 to continuously rotate a drive shaft 55. Motion is transmitted from the shaft 55 through a belt 56 to a shaft carrying a worm 51 which drives a worm gear on the shaft 58 of the conveyor roll 33, thereby driving said roll and the conveyor I5. A chain belt 59 running over sprockets on the shaft 58 and the shaft 60 of the roll 4I, drives said roll. A chain belt 6I transmits motion from the shaft 60 to the shaft 62 of the roll 44. The rolls 4I and 44 are thus positively driven and serve to drive the endless conveyor 46 and the web I6 which are trained thereover.

The conveyor 46 and web I6 as they emerge from the bath 42 move vertically upward past the suction chamber 20, the latter being Provided with a comparatively narrow slot or mouth 63 across which said conveyor and web are moved.

A suillciently high vacuum is maintained within the chamber 26 to cause a strong inward draft of air through the web at the mouth 63.- This operates to remove from the web the excess liquid taken up thereby during its passage through the bath 42, and also insures an 'even distribution and permeation of the liquid throughout the entire web. The amount of liquid withdrawn, or rather the amount which is retained by the web, can be regulated and adjustably varied by regulating the degree of vacuum or suction within the chamber 20. The suction device 2| operates in like manner to withdraw the excess liquid from the web after it passes through the second tank I8.

As the web passes downward from the idler roll 45, it traverses thev low vacuum chamber 22. This creates a moderate draft of drying air which, as it passes through the web, dries or partially v\dries the web. The chamber 22 is of considerable After the web has traversed the vacuum chaml ber 22, it passes between the pairs of calender rolls 24 and 25. These may be adjusted to apply considerable pressure to the web, further compacting it and giving it smooth finished surfaces. These rolls may be heated, if desired, for further drying the web andgiving it smooth, finished surfaces.

The disk cutters 26 are mounted on a shaft 64 between the pairs of

rolls

24 and 25. These cutters, as shown, are arranged to run over the marginal portions of the web and are spaced at short intervals so that they sever narrow strips 65 from the body of the web. `A disk cutter 66 is mounted on the shaft 64 in position to cut the web along its center line, dividing it into two halves. A roll 61 is arranged to engage the under surface of the web directly beneath the cutters and cooperates therewith.

The calender rolls and cutters are driven by power transmitted through the drive shaft and a sprocket chain 68 (Figs. 2 and 4), the latter driving a worm shaft 69. 'Ihe shaft 69A has driving connections through' worm gearing 10 with the calender rolls 24, and through worm gearing 1I with the rolls 25. The shafts 12 and 13 of the upper and lower rolls 24 carry intermeshin gears 14 and 15 (Fig. 4). Motion is transmitted from the shaft 12 through a'belt 16 to the cutter shaft 64. Motion is transmitted from the lower roll 24 through a belt 11 to the roll 61 for positively driving the latter.

After the web passes beyond the calender rolls, the strips 65 are trained over guide rolls or pulleys by which said strips are spaced at equal intervals transversely of the main web and brought into position to overlie and contact with the web. The means for guiding the strips includes a pair of bars 18 (Fig. 4) supported on a magnet is deenergized, the gripping bar is with-` framework 19 above the calender rolls. Said bars are downwardly .and inwardly convergent and carry a series of guide ,rolls 80 spaced at equal intervals therealong. The strips of webbing 65 after passing the calender rolls extend upwardly to the guide rolls 80 which are individual to said strips.

A second pair of inclined guide bars 82 carry rolls 83. Each strip 65 extends inwardly from its guide roll 80 to the corresponding roll 83 and from thence forwardly and downwardly to a horizontal roll 85 which extends across and directly ove'r the main web. The rolls 83' are so positioned that the strips 65 are uniformly spaced when brought into contact with the main web. The binding material which has been applied to the web may retain sumcient moisture to cause the strips 65 to adhere to the web as they pass beneath the roll 85. A pair of pressure rolls 86 and 81 are positioned in advance of the roll 85. The web with the strips or ribs 65 applied thereto, passes between the rolls 86 and 81, thereby firmly pressing the ribs and main web together and insuring a good bond therebetween.

After the web passes beyond the rolls 86, 81, it is, severed into individual plates or pieces by means of the chopper mechanism 21 which will now be described. This mechanism (see Figs. 3 and 6 to 9) comprises a horizontally disposed chopper blade 90 above the path of the web. The blade is mounted on an angle bar 9| secured at its ends to heads 92 formed with bearing sleeves mounted to reciprocate on vertical guide rods 93, said rods being mounted in a frame 94 which carries the chopper mechanism. As the blade moves downward, it shears across the front vertical face of a chopping block 95 and severs a predetermined length of the ribbed mat or web which has been advanced from the rolls 86, 81 over aV stationary supporting plate 98.

The advancing web is momentarily held stationary at the chopping position by means of a gripping bar 91 arranged over the plate 96. Said bar is operatively connected to the solenoid of an 1 electromagnet 98 which is periodically energized momentarily, as hereinafter described, and thereby moves the bar 91 downward to the web gripping position (Fig. 1). When the electrodrawn by a coil spring 99.

The chopper is actuated by a continuously running electric motor mounted on the frame 94, said motor having a belt connection |0| with a pulley |02 mounted on a drive shaft |03. Crank arms |04 secured to the ends of the drive shaft are connected through links |05 with the heads 92. The shaft 03 is intermittently rotated periodically through one complete rotation in a manner hereinafter described, and thereby periodically reciprocates the chopper blade 90.

The mechanism for controlling the periodic rotations of the drive shaft |03 is as follows: The pulley |02 is mounted on a bearing sleeve |06 which in turn is mounted to rotate freely on the shaft |03. The pulley has a friction driving connection with the sleeve |06 which serves as a safety device permitting the pulley to rotate independently of the sleeve in the event of an excessive load or obstruction which would prevent the sleeve from being normally rotated by the pulley. The friction driving connection comprises a pair offrictional disks |01 on opposite sides ofthe hub or web |08 of the pulley. One of said disks bears against a flange portion |09 of the sleeve |06.v A collar ||0 bears against .drive shaft and held against rotation relative thereto by a spline or key 6. The left hand end of the sleeve |06 is shaped to form the other clutch member. The clutch members are periodically separated and held apart by means of a holding pin ||1 mounted in a bearing block l|8 and movable into and out of an annular groove I9 formed in the clutch member I5, said holding pin being projected into the groove bya coil spring |20.

The holding pin is periodically withdrawn from the clutch by means of an electromagnet |2| having a core |22 connected to a lever |23 fulcrumed l at |24 on the block I8. The lever carries a trigger |25 which engages a shoulder formed on a head |26 attached to the holding pin ||1. When the magnet |2| is energized, the lever |23 operates through said trigger to draw the holding pin out of the groove I9. l This permits the clutch member ||5 to be moved into engagement with the clutch member |09 by means of coil springs |21. When the clutch members are thus engaged, the continuously rotating pulley |02 imparts a rotation to the cutter drive shaft |03 for reciprocating the cutter blade 90. When the electromagnet |2| is energized, the trigger |25 during its downward movement is cammed away from the head |26 by means of a cam |29, thereby releasing the holding pin |i1 after it .has been withdrawn from the clutch member. from-immediately reentering the groove I9, by a cam projection |30`formed on the wall of the cam groove. A s soon as the shaft commences to rotate, the projection |30 is carried beyond the holding pin, permitting the latter to reenter the widened portion of the groove. When the shaft |03 has nearly completed its rotation, the cam |30 engages the holding pin ||1 so that the clutch sleeve |5 is cammed to its released position'and the shaft comes to rest. A spring actuated detent |3| engages a notch in the clutch member |5 and thereby arrests and holds the latter in the same position after each rotation of the shaft.

A mercury switch |33 (Figs. 7 and 8) is connected in the circuits of the electromagnets 98 and |2|. The switch is periodically actuated by a cam |34 mounted on the shaft of the roll 81. Said cam operates once during each complete rotation of the roll 81 to rock an arm |35 on a rock shaft carrying an arm |36 operatively connected to the switch, When the magnet circuits are closed, the magnet 98 operates immediately to lower the clamping bar 91 for the purpose heretofore described. The bar 91 reaches its clamping position slightly in advance of the cutting stroke of the knife bar so that the web at the cutting line is held stationary during severance. As the switch |33 is only closed for a very brief interval, the -bar 91 is withdrawn before the web can pile up to any objectionable extent between said bar and the feed roll 81.

The width of thelndividual plates or pieces I6a which are severed from the web may be adjustably varied by replacing the roll 81 by a roll of a different ydiameter or by providing a plurality of cams |34 so that more than one chopping operation is effected during each rotation of the roll Modifications may be resorted to within the spirit and scope of my invention.

The holding pin is prevented.

I claim:

l. 'Ihe combination of means for flowing molten glass, a blower operable to draw the glass into fine fibers, a hood through which the glass is blown, .a foraminous conveyor located at the discharge end of the hood and on which the glass fibers are blown and accumulate to form a matted web, means for continuously advancing said conveyor and thereby carrying the web forward beyond the hood, the latter being spaced from the conveyor a short distance to form a throat at the point of departure of the web from the hood, and a suction box located at the point at which the -conveyor traverses said throat o-n the opposite side of the conveyor from said throat and operable to draw air through the conveyor at said throat, thereby compacting the web and facilitating its movement through said throat, said suction box being of such size and so positioned that it traverses those portions only ofthe said discharge end of the hood and interposed conveyor which are `at or closely adjacent to the said throat, whereby the said compacting force of the draft of air entering the suction box is localized and applied mainly to that portion of the web entering and passing through said throat.

2. 'I'he combination of a container for molten glass having an outlet opening through which the glass issues and flows in a continuous stream, blowing means arranged to envelop said stream in a blast of gas moving in the general direction in which the stream is owing as it enters said blast and lthereby drawing the glass to fine bers or filaments, a flat screen conveyor extending across the path of the flow of gas and substantially perpendicular thereto, means for continuously advancing the conveyor across said path and thereby carrying the material forward beyond the blast in the form of a web comprising fibers compacted and matted b-y the force of the blast applied thereto when the fibers are arrested on the conveyor, and a hood surrounding and conlining the blast, said hood extending into close proximity to the conveyor and defining a predetermined area of the conveyor and causing a substantially uniform distribution of the fibers over said area as they accumulate on the conveyor.

3. The combination of a container for molten glass having an outlet opening through which the glass issues and flows in a continuous stream, blowing means arranged to envelop said stream in a blast of gas moving in the general di/eion in which the stream is .owing as it enters said blast and thereby drawing the glass to fine fibers or filaments, a fiat screen conveyor extending across the path of the flow of gas and substantially perpendicular thereto, means for continuously advancing the conveyor across said path and thereby carrying the material forward beyond the blast in the form of a web comprising fibers compacted and matted by the force of the blast applied thereto when the fibers are arrested on the conveyor, a hood surrounding and confining the blast, said hood extending intoclose proximity to the conveyor and defining a predetermined area of the conveyor and causing a substantially uniform distribution of thebers over said area as they accumulate on the conveyor, a suction cham- -ber in the path of ow of the gas and at the opposite side of the conveyor from that 'on which the mat is formed, and means for withdrawing the gas from said suction chamber and thereby augmenting the force of the blast and its compacting action on the accumulating web.

4. The combination of a container for molten glass having a bottom outlet opening through which the glass ows vertically downward in a continuous stream, blowing means beneath and in alignment with said outlet and arranged to envelop said stream in a blast of gas moving downward with the said stream, thereby drawing the glass to ne fibers or filaments, a. flat screen conveyonextendlng horizontally across the vertical path of flow of gas and fibers, means for continuously advancing the conveyor across said path and thereby carrying the material forward beyond the blast in the form of a web comprising fibers compacted and matted by the forceof the blast applied thereto when the fibers are arrested on the conveyor, a hood surrounding and conning the blast, said hood overlying and defining a predetermined area of the conveyor and'causing a substantially'uniform distribution of the fibers over said area as they accumulate on the conveyor,

a suction chamber beneath said hood and conveyor, and means i'or withdrawing the gas from said suction chamber and thereby augmenting the force of the blast and its compacting action on the accumulating web.

5. 'I'he combination of a container for molten glass having a bottom outlet opening through which the glassilows vertically downward in a continuous stream, blowing means beneath and in alignment with said outlet and arranged to envelop said stream in a blast of gas moving downward with the said stream, thereby drawing the glass to ne fibers or filaments, a flat screen conveyor extending horizontally across the vertical path of ow of gas and fibers, means for continuously advancing the conveyor across said path and thereby carrying the material forward beyond the blast in the form of a web comprising fibers compacted and matted by the force of the,

blast applied thereto when the fibers are arrested on the conveyor, and means for directing and confining the blast to a predetermined area of the conveyor and thereby obtaining a concentrated force sufficient for effecting said compacting and matting of the fibers.

v6. Apparatus for forming a matted web of bers, comprising an open-ended hood or conduit, means for causing movement of a gaseous vehicle through said conduit, means for introducing loose fibers into said vehicle and causing them to be carried therewith through the conduit, a foraminous conveyor positioned at the discharge end of the conduit and on which the fibers are arrested and accumulated to form a matted web, means for continuously advancing said conveyor and thereby carrying the web forward beyond the conduit, the latter having a wall thereof spaced' a short distance from the conveyor to form a throat Vto the fibers or portion of the fibrous mat entering and passing through said throat, thus facilitating the movement of the mat through said throat.

7. The combination of a container for molten glass having an outlet opening through which the glass issues and flows in a continuous stre-am,

blowing means arranged to envelop said stream in a blast of gas moving in the general direction in which the stream is flowing as it enters said blast and thereby drawing the glass to fine fibers or filaments, a at screen conveyor extending across the path of the iiow of gas and substantially perpendicular thereto, means for continuously advancing the conveyor across said path and thereby carrying the material forward beyond the blast in the form of a web comprising fibers compacted'and matted by the force of the blast applied thereto when the bers are arrested on the conveyor, a hood surrounding and confining the blast, said hood extending into close proximity to the conveyor and defining a predetermined area of the conveyor and causing a substantially uniform distribution of the fibers over said area as they accumulate on the conveyor, a suction chamber in the path of ow of the gas and at the opposite side of the conveyor from that on which the mat is formed, means for withdrawing the gas from said suction chamber and thereby augmenting Ithe force of the blast and its compacting action on the accumulating web, and auxiliary suction means arranged to increase the suction applied to the mat over a localized area at the place of departure of the web from beneath the hood.

8. The combination of a container for molten glass having an outlet opening through which the glass issues and flows in a continuous stream, blowing means arranged to envelop said stream in a blast of gas moving in the general direction in which the stream is owing as it enters said blast and thereby drawing the glass to iine fibers or filaments, a fiat screen conveyor extending across the path of the flow of gas and substantially perpendicular thereto, `means for continuously advancing the conveyor across said path and thereby carrying the material forward beyond the i blast in the form of a web comprising fibers compacted and matted by the force of the blast applied thereto when the fibers are arrested on the conveyor, a suction chamber in the path of flow of the gas and at the opposite side of the conveyor from that on which the mat is formed,

means for withdrawing the gas from said suction chamber and thereby augmenting the force of the blast and its compacting action on the accumulating web, and auxiliary suction means arranged to apply an increased suctional force to the mat over a localized area at and in close proximity l.to the point of departure of the web from the path of the said blast of gas.

I ALLEN L. SIMISON.