US2577204A - Method and apparatus for producing fibers - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 4, 1951 G, s, MOELROY 2,577,204-

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING FIBERS Filed Jan. 11, 1949 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 I5 I :E I E l 34- $=3E l3 as 35 3 9 v 29 E P H: L '8 3 7 K; 30 ,II B

IIIIIIII/Il/M INII/ENTOR. George S.1ZE,Zre

Dec. 4, 1951 G. s. M ELRY 2,577,204

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING FIBERS Filed Jan. 11, 1949 2 SI'lEETS-SHEET 2 INVENTOR.

Ge etge S. M lzlray ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 4, 1951 UN I TED STAT E S PATENT O F F ICE METHOIJAND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING FIBERS George- S. McElroy; Granville; (iliiogassignor to- Owens-Corning FiberglasCorporation} a cor- Y poration of Delaware Application January 11, 1949 ,,Serial No. 70,561

11 Claims.

of centrifugal force into the path of a' blast of" gas moving at a velocity sufficient to" attenuate the heatsoftened' material into fine fibers;

Another object of thisdnverition is to direct the blast of gas-'in the gene'ra'l direc't ioiroi fiew' ofheat softened material leaving theperipheral edge" of the rotor and at a-sunicient-angleto the planeo'r" rotation-of therotorte cause the 'b'last of gas to engage the heat softene'd glasejiist 'asit is released from the" peripheral ed g'e' ef 'tha rotor. The arrangement is: such that the blast of gas' applies a: radial for'ee component glass of sufficient magnitude" to continu'e att'eriua tion of the glass in a generally-radially cut warddirection and prevent the glass from flow ing or falling back as it movesbeyond the" in x fluence of the'centrifugal force; the heat softened. glass discharged from the periphery of the rotor is maintained within the attenuating zone of the blast,. and is effectively drawn-out from the rotor into fibers.

Still anotherobject of this invention issto provide apparatus whereir'r the:attenuatingblast of gas is supplied by a: plurality ofshigh velocity burners of the internal combustion:typeiarranged in: two annular groups respectively located: above and below the rotor;

Ward the peripheral edge of the rotor in aJgJenierally" radially outward direction'trom' thetaxisi' of the rotor and the burners forming'thebotteinr; group are supported to; direct their respective blasts of gas toward the peripheral edge-of the" rotor also in' a" generally radially outw'ar d'; die

rection. 7 As aresult the-blasts ofgas fif'olmzfihels bottom groupof burnersact to 'pr'eventthe heat softened glass or material leavingithe rotor: from dropping under the? infieunce of gravity and; int

addition cooperate with the blasts of gas issu ing from the burners in the top group: to": at-

the?

The .burnersi of; the?v top-.- group' are supported to direct lolaststofigasi te tenuate the heat softened material-ioriglassiinto fibersz It isilalso importantito note thatithe 2 blasts apply'the attenuatingforce-to the-glass at about the same time theglass moves beyond the influence of the centrifugal force so that the" glass continues to travel outwardly fromthe rotorperiphery: I

A- further object of this invention is to pro-- vide an arrangement of the above-general type" wherein the burners in the top group are-staggered with" respect to -the burners i'n thehottom groupin a manner to provide a substantially ring-shaped blast of gasmoving generallyra' dially'outwardl'y from the peripheral edge of the rotor; Also, with the above arrangement, an undulating'motionis applied to the glass leavingtheperiphery of the rotor and this action tends to increase the attenuating force; because greater lengths of the glass are presented to theforce of the blasts;

A still further object of this invention is: to provide a construction wherein the material de posited on theperipheral-portion of the-rotor is heated or maintained at the desired attenuating temperature by radiant-type combustion burners supported at opposite sides of the rotor and. al

ternating with the high velocity burnersh The foregoing as well as other objectsi will be made more apparent as this description pro weds-especially whenconsidered in connection:

with the accompanying: drawings, wherein;

Figure 1 is a semi diagrammatic vertical sectional view throughthe apparatus embodying the:

features of this: invention;

Figure 2 is a plan: view' of the construction; shown inFigure 1;.

Figure 3 is a. bottom elevationalview of the construction shown in Figure 1; 1

Figure 4 is: a fragmentary elevational viewof? a part of the apparatus;

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional: view through one of the high velocity burners;-

Fig-ures 6- to 8 inclusive-are respectively-freeze mentary sectional views showing different types:-

ot rotors; and

Figure 9 is a-fragmentary plan view showing;

another'modifiedform of the invention.

Itwill'be apparent as this description proceeds;

that the present invention may be successfully-= employed in the manufacture offibers from vari;-*

ous typesof inorganic or synthetic: materials; which may be drawn out into fine fibers: when ina softenedcondition. However, the invention.

has been developed for the particular;purpose-of" manufacturing glass fibers, and accordingly ,1 the; apparatus is described: below in connection: with the usejofl glass asth'e fiber forming materiali Referring;'nowi'more-ain detailrto'tthe structure.

shown in the drawings, it will be noted that the reference numeral l designates a rotor supported for rotation about a vertical axis and having a centrally disposed hub l l secured to the bottom of a tubular vertical shaft [2. The shaft I2 is journaled in bearings 13 spaced from each other and secured in a fixed port 14. The shaft I2 is rotated by a prime mover such for example as an electric motor l5 having a drive shaft l6 operatively connected to the upper end of the shaft 12 through the medium of a belt 11.

Supported at each side of the plane of rotation of the rotor H] is a group of high velocity burners of the internal combustion type and these burners are arranged in concentric relation to the axis of rotation of the rotor. The group of high velocity burners at the top of the rotor i designated generally by the numeral l8 and the group of high velocity burners at the bottom of the rotor is indicated generally by the numeral IS. The burners in both groups are identical in construction and a description of one will suffice for all. As shown in Figure 5 of the drawings, each burner comprises a combustion chamber 28 having high temperature resistant refractory walls 2| and having a metal casing 22 surrounding the walls 2|. The metal casing 22 has a part 23 at the inner end of the combustion chamber which is fashioned to provide a gas inlet chamber 24. The gas inlet chamber is separated from the combustion chamber by a wall 25 having a multiplicity of passages 26 through which fuel gas mixture flows into the combustion chamber from the inlet chamber 24. The outer end of the combustion chamber in each burner is formed with a restricted outlet opening 2! through which the products of combustion taking place within the chamber 20 escape into the atmosphere in the form of an intensely hot high velocity blast B to be more fully hereinafter described.

A combustible mixture of gases is simultaneously supplied to each of the inlet chambers 25 of the top group of burners it by an annular manifold 28 supported in concentric relation to the rotor shaft l2 above the rotor and respectively connected to the inlet chambers 24 through conduits 29-. The desired combustible mixture of gases is supplied to the manifold 28 through the medium of a conduit 30 which extends from a sourceof supply to themanifold 28.

A second manifold 3| is located directly below the rotor and is connected to the inlet chambers 24 of each of the burners in the group 19 through conduits 32. The desired combustible mixture of gases is supplied to the manifold 3| by a conduit 33 which'extends coaxially through the tubular rotor shaft l2 and is connected at the upper end to the source of supply.

It will also be noted from Figure 1 of the drawings that a feeder or tank 34 is suitably supported directly above the rotor and is adapted to contain a supply of molten or heat softened glass. The feeder 34 has an outlet opening 35 in the bottom wall through which molten glas flows in a downward direction in the form of a stream 36 and the feeder is so positioned with respect to the rotor that the stream of glass 36 is deposited on the rotor adjacent, the periphery of the latter. The'peripheral edge portion of the rotor is heated by two groups of radiant-type burners respectively indicated by the reference characters 31 and 38. The burners 31 are respectively arranged between the adjacent high velocity burners in the group I8 and theburners 38 are respectively positioned between thehigh velocity burners in the and reduce the glass to fine fibers.

group IS. The burners 3'! are connected to the manifold 28 by conduits 39 and the burners 38 are connected to the manifold 3| by conduits 40-. A a result, a combustible mixture of gases from the same source supplying the high velocity burners in the groups 18 and I9 isv supplied to the two groups of radiant burners 37 and 38. The burners 37 are positioned to direct their respective flames downwardly against the top surface of the peripheral edge of the rotor Ill and the burners 38 are located to direct their respective fiames against the bottom surface of the peripheral edge of the rotor. The purpose of these burners is to maintain the glass deposited on the top surface of the rotor in a molten or heat softened condition, or in other words to maintain the glass at such a viscosity that it will flow in aradially outward direction along the rotor under the influence of centrifugal force obtained by rotating the rotor. The speed of rotation of the rotor I0 about the axis of the shaft I2 depend to a great extent on the viscosity of the glass deposited on the peripheral edge portion of the rotor and is sufficient to provide the centrifugal force required to flow the glass radially outwardly from the P p e y of the rotor.

Referring again to Figure l of the drawings, it will be noted that the burners in the two groups It and !9 are so positioned with respect to the plane of rotation of the rotor l0 that the blasts B issuing from the outlet openings 21 in the burners intersect the plane of rotation of the rotor immediately beyond the peripheral edge of the rotor and also travel in a generally radially outward direction with respect to the axis of rotation of the rotor. The arrangement is such that the blasts apply a resultant radially outwardly extending force on the glass as it leaves the periphery of the rotor and this force maintains the general radial orientation of the glass after the glass travels beyond the influence of the centrifugal force. Thus the blasts B cooperate to continue the drawing out process of the glass It is also important to note that the blasts B issuing from the burners in the group l9 serve to support the glass as it leaves the peripheral edge of the rotor and prevents the glass from dropping under the action of gravity.

The high velocity burners in the group I8 are shown herein as staggered with respect to the corresponding burners in the group I9 so that the blasts B issuing from the respective burners cooperate to form a substantially continuous annular blast around the periphery of the rotor. However, it will be understood that the burners in the two groups may be positioned in direct vertical alignment so that the blasts from the burners in the top group impinge against the blasts from the burners in the bottom group. In the event such a construction is provided the burners in the two groups are arranged so that the blasts impinge directly beyond the peripheral edge of the rotor and coact to attenuate the glass leaving the rotor into fine fibers. In cases where the burners in the two groups are staggered with respect to one another an undulating motion is applied to the glass leaving the periphery of the rotor. This whipping action presents greater lengths of the glass to the force of the blasts and aids materially in drawing out the glass to form very fine fibers.

It follows from the above that regardless of the particular arrangement of the burners in the two groups l8 and I9 the blasts B issuing from the aun 2042 outlet? openings 2-15 on: the: burnersl=- cooperate? to? apply generally radially outwardi force com ponents: on the glasszv a's. it? leaves the periphery ointhe: rotor andebeio're' the glass has an oppor-' tunityztorcooh to any appreciable extent; The velocity of thblasts B" orthe radial force com ponent of 1 theserblasts: is s'ufiiciently highto' at'-=' tenuatei thefheat softenedz glassi into'fine fibe'rs Imorder tdobtain blasts B'ha'ving the required characteristics, the size of the outlet I opening 21 istsopi'oportionedfwith respect to'the quantity of gasi- -burnedwithini the combustion chambers '9 that th'e products o'fcombustion are-- forced throughithe out1et openings 21 in -the mm of blaj'sts havingia temperature which exceeds the softening: tem'pe'r'aft'ure' o'f' glass and having a velocitytsu-fiicient to" draw: out-the softened glass fibers. In practice it' is poss-ibleto so pro portion the? size of the burner outlet openings with respect to the combustidn' chambers that'the blasts: of gases: issuing fron i the outlet openings have a'itemperature as high or higher than 3009" and: a velocit'y as high or higher than 1*,200' feet pen'second. It will,- of course, be under-- stood? that the temperature and velocity of 5 the burnedgases issuing from the burners may be proportionately varied by'changingthe size of the outletopenings 21 'with respect to the volume of the;combustion chambers zoiv -Alsoin praeticezvarious difi'e'rent types of combustible -g'a's may be :used to obtain the blasts B butforreasons oi eoonomy it preferred to'use amardinar ruergas; such as" natural'or mamifaetured fuel gas.- The fuel gas employed is niixjed with the p'roper amount of air by means of orthodox air 11 and gas mixers not shown herein. Thef 'g'fiis and a'ii'"miktiire is "taken from the mixer at moderate-pressures 1 ofapproximately' one to fi Ve-ipoiinds per square inch but'may' be considerably higher if desired. This mixture'issup- A plied to the manifolds 28" and 31 the manner previously described and" is" burned' substantially entirely within" the combustion chambers 255i Asaresmt; a -very; high rateof expansion'tak'es place'with'in the*'chambers'- 20'and the walls of the chambers becomeeiitremely hot; so that therate (ifcombustion acti-ially'ex'ce'edsthe rat'e offiame propagation of the combustibl e mixture of gases ifi'lthe' atmospheret I Although the burners 31 and as are; supplied with the-same combustible gas, nevertheless the outlet openings in" tnese'burhers are" relatively iar'ge m" comparison to the volume of the burner chambers so that the velocity of the burning gja'ses' directed'toward' the rotoris relatively low., In o't e1" words; the"purp'o'se of the' burners 31 and. 3j8"is"'mere ly.'to maintain the glass'in such a fluid stat'thaf it will' tflbvv radially outwardly u'hfdeftheihfluenc'e of the centrifugal force. In thisconnection", attfitidiiis called 126 the fa'ct that the stream efiofgla's's is deposited on the rotor llfa'tionefor more points adjacent the peripheral edgeiportion of'the latter which isdirectly heated? byi'the radiant b'urners'; As a result,- any" tendency; for the. glass. to 0001 as-it flows alongtlfe rotor is avoided and'lth'e glass is maintained at: a. more uniform viscosity. 7 -I nasmuch: as thestream 36 of-'molten-glass -is depositedon the rotor adjacent theperiphery of the latter there is a tendency 'for the lower portion -ofthe stream to move in the direction of thesrotor; This may be counteracted by directingea blast .of gas'againstthe lower portion of the streamfieit contacts- 'the rotori V I n Fig ure 4;-

- a s-asst IIFSOmi instances it may be advantageous: separate the heat-softened glass into a-multiplicity" of streams f as the: glass-leaves the periph er'al 'edge of the rotor This is accomplished ini-Fligiure' fiof the 'drawings'by forming tin-up standing-mange 46 a't the periphery: of J the roto and byfserratingi the top edge: of the flange for-rm a:- plui ality' of circumferentially space sroove'sf dh Thus as-the heat softened glass flows:

) radiallyoutwardly ove'r theserr-atededge oi the fiange 46 under the influence :of centrifugal forceit i's divided intol. a multiplicity Of- Streams 48.

These streams are immediately subjected to the action oi the hi'gh velocity: blasts]; and are aw Figures 1 6 to 8 5 inclusive show different types:- of rotor constructions designed to separate the heat softened gla'ss into individual streams. In Fi'g are 7 the periphery-- of therotoris formed witha ser'i'es' of general!y radially outwardly extending teeth '9: In Fig ure 8 the-peripheral edgeofthe" rotor s flaredupwardly slightly and is 'serrat'e'd} tc form points 58. This arrangement a1so serves to divide F the glass} into individual streams;

If desired; th'e' burners in one orboth-groups may be oriente'd t'o' discharge their respective blasts 0f" gas at a slight angle to theperiphery! of 'the ro'tor; as shown-diagrammatically in Figure Q of thedrawings The' a'ngle isdete'rmin'edt'o direct the blasts issuing from the burners in" the direction of rotation -of the rot'orso the" force of the? blasts counter'act any tendency for the glass} leaving '7 the periphe'ral e'dg'e ofthe rotor to "fall back and: Wrap' 'a'rouI- 'd the rotor: Otherwise the"- v constructionshown in Figur'e 9 is' the -sameas the' first described form of the invention, and the sanief reference numeralsare used to designate corresponding: arts;-

Although particular stress has been placed above on the use of a blast of gas 7 composed sub st'antially entirely of products ofcombustion for attenuating the-glass leaving the periphery of the rotor} it should be understood that blasts of I practically" any gas having the required- 1 heat and Velocity" (5ha' r'a'atlfi'stic's may be used; .1 01 63k lasts: of steam or superh'eated airmayr aiso ser e the' purpose re airedL l cla imz 1% Apparatus for producing glassfibers' coin-'- pri'sin'g a rotor supported." for rotationabout a substantially vertical axis, a series of burners supported at'opposite sides of the plane'of rotation-ofthe rotor for'directing hot high velocity? blasts of gases'toward the peripheral edge'of'the" rotorand ina direction extending substantially? radially outwardly from the peripheral edge of the rotor; means" for depositing heat softened glass onthe topsurfa ce' of the rotor, a series of' burners for heating'the peri heral edg'e'of said' rotonlmeans. for rotating the rotor at a speed determined to. provide the centrifugal force re" quired'it'o flow the heat softened glass-in a generally radially outward direction over the top surface oftherotor and into the blast of gas, a dmeans atthe peripheral edge of said rotor for separatingthe heat softened glass into a multiplicityof individual streams.

2 .-';Apparatusfor producing glass fibers comprising? a rotor supported forrotation about-a eteedr w n aburnem m l c h b e sv 9*; ub an ellw ?b e1- eew 0 bu s softened glass on the heated peripheral edge portion of the rotor, and means for rotating the rotor at a speed determined to provide the centrifugal force required to flow the heat softened glass in a generally radially outward direction over the heated top surface of the rotor and into the high velocity blast of gas.

3. Apparatus for producing glass fibers comprising a rotor supported for rotation about a substantially vertical axis, an annular series of individual burners having combustion chambers within which a combustible mixture ofgases is burned and having outlet openings so proportioned with respect to the quantity of gases burned in the chambers that the burned gases are forced from the chambers in the form of blasts having a velocity sufiicient to attenuate heat softened glass into fibers, means supporting the burners at one side of the rotor in positions to direct the blasts in a generally radially outward direction from the peripheral edge of the rotor, a complementary series of burners disposed on the opposite side of said rotor for directing a corresponding attenuating blast in the direction of said first named blast, means for depositing heat softened glass on the top surface of the rotor, and means for rotating the rotor at a speed determined to provide the centrifugal force required to fiow the heat softened glass in a generally radially outward direction over the top surface of the rotor and into the combined blasts of gas.

4.-Apparatus for producing glass fibers comprising a rotor supported for rotation about a substantially vertical axis, means for depositin heatrsoftened glass on the top surface of the rotor, means for rotating the rotor at a speed determined to provide the centrifugal force required to flow the heat softened glass in a generally radially outward direction over the top surface of the rotor, an annular series of burners supported at one side of the plane of rotation of the rotor in positions to heat the glass as it flows radially outwardly along-the top surface of the rotor,- and an annular series of burners supported at the opposite side of the plane of rotation of the rotor in positions to direct blasts of extremely hot gas toward the peripheral edge of the rotor and in a generally radially outward direction to attenuate the heat softened glass leaving the peripheral edge of the rotor to form fibers.

5. Apparatus for producing glass fibers comprising a rotor supported for rotation about a substantially vertical axis, means for depositing a heat softened glass on the top surface of the rotor, means for rotating the rotor at a speed determined to provide the centrifugal force required to flow the heat softened glass in a generally radially outward direction over the top surface of the rotor, two series of burners supported at opposite sides of the plane of rotation of the rotor in positions to direct blasts of gas toward the peripheral edge of the rotor and in directions extending generally radially outwardly from the rotor, and burners interposed between adjacent burners in both the above mentioned series and positioned to heat the peripheral edgeportion of the rotor;

6. Apparatus for producing fibers comprising a rotor supported for rotation about a substan-- tially vertical axis, means for continuously depositing a heat softened glass on the top surface of the rotor, means for heating the glass at the edge portion of the rotor, means for rotating the rotor at a speed determined to provide the centrifugal force required to flow the heat softened glass in a generally radially outward direction over the top surface of the rotor, and two annular series of burners supported at opposite sides of the plane of rotation of the rotor with the burners in oneseries staggered with respect to the burners in the other series, said burners. being positioned to direct intensely hot high velocity blasts toward the peripheral edge of the rotor and in directions extending generally radially outwardly fromthe rotor.

'7. Apparatus for producing fibers comprising a rotor supported for rotation about a substantially vertical axis, means for depositing a heat softened glass on the top surface of the rotor, means for rotating the rotor at a speed determined to provide the centrifugal force required to flow the heat softened glass in a generally radially outward direction over the top surface of the rotor, two annular series of burners supported at opposite sides of the planeof rotation of the rotor with the burners in one series staggered with respect to the burners in the other series, said burners being positioned to direct intensely hot high velocity blasts toward the peripheral edge of the rotor and in directions extending generally radially outwardly from the rotor, and additional burners supported between.

adjacent burners in each of the above series and positioned to heat the peripheral edge portion of the rotor. V

8. Apparatus for producing glass fibers comprising a rotor supported for rotation about a substantially vertical axis, means for continuously depositing a stream of glass on the top surface of the rotor, means for heating the peripheral portion of said rotor, means for rotating the rotor at a speed determined to provide the centrifugal force required to flow the glass in a general radially outward direction along the top surface of the rotor, and means for directing a. high velocity blast of gas against the stream in the region of contact of the stream with the rotor and in a direction opposite the direction of rotation of the rotor.

9. Apparatus for producing glass fibers comprising a rotor supported for rotation about a substantially vertical axis, means for depositing a stream of glass on the top surface of the rotor, means for rotating the rotor at a speed determined to provide the centrifugal force required to flow the glass in a generally radially outward direction along the top surface of the rotor,.

means for directing a high velocity blast of gas against the stream in the region of contact of the stream with the rotor and in a direction opposite the direction of rotation of the rotor; and means for directing an additional blast of high velocity as in a direction extending substantially radially outwardly from the periphery of the rotor to attenuate the heat softened glass leaving the peripheral edge of the rotor.

10. The process of producing glass fibers which comprises continuously depositing a body of heat softened glass on the periphery of a rotating member, -heating the glass on' said member and drawing out the glass in agenerally-radially out- Ward direction by centrifugal force, and continuing the drawing out process in a radially outward direction as the glass travels beyond the influence of the centrifugal force by introducing the glass between blasts of gas having the temperature exceeding the softening point of glass and having a velocity high enough to attenuate the glass to form fibers.

11. The process of producing glass fibers which comprises continuously depositing a body of heat softened glass on the periphery of a rotating member, heating the glass on said member and flowing the softened glass in a generally radially outward direction to draw out the glass by the action of centrifugal force, and continuing the drawing out process as the glass travels beyond the influence of centrifugal force by progressively introducing the glass leaving the periphery of the rotor into alternate blasts of gas moving up- 10 wardly and downwardly with respect to the plane of rotation of the rotor in a generally radially outward direction from the periphery of the rotor.

GEORGE S. MCELROY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,238,204 Woods Apr. 15, 1941 2,450,363 Slayter et a1. Sept. 28, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 215,101 Switzerland Sept. 1, 1941 72,087 Norway May 12, 1947

Claims (1)

1. APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING GLASS FIBERS COMPRISING A ROTOR SUPPORTED FOR ROTATION ABOUT A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL AXIS, A SERIES OF BURNERS SUPPORTED AT OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE PLANE OF ROTATION OF THE ROTOR FOR DIRECTING HOT HIGH VELOCITY BLASTS OF GASES TOWARD THE PERIPHERAL EDGE OF THE ROTOR AND IN A DIRECTION EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY RADIALLY OUTWARDLY FROM THE PERIPHERAL EDGE OF THE ROTOR, MEANS FOR DEPOSITING HEAT SOFTENED GLASS ON THE TOP SURFACE OF THE ROTOR, A SERIES OF BURNERS FOR HEATING THE PERIPHERAL EDGE OF SAID ROTOR, MEANS FOR ROTATING THE ROTOR AT A SPEED DETERMINED TO PROVIDE THE CENTRIFUGAL FORCE REQUIRED TO FLOW THE HEAT SOFTENED GLASS IN A GENERALLY RADIALLY OUTWARD DIRECTION OVER THE TOP SURFACE OF THE ROTOR AND INTO THE BLAST OF GAS, AND MEANS AT THE PERIPHERAL EDGE OF SAID ROTOR FOR SEPARATING THE HEAT SOFTENED GLASS INTO A MULTIPLICITY OF INDIVIDUAL STREAMS.

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