US2897548A

US2897548A - Method and apparatus for opening and cleaning fibers

Info

Publication number: US2897548A
Application number: US329360A
Authority: US
Inventors: Barnett Irvin
Original assignee: Johns Manville
Current assignee: Johns Manville Corp; Johns Manville
Priority date: 1953-01-02
Filing date: 1953-01-02
Publication date: 1959-08-04
Anticipated expiration: 1976-08-04
Also published as: GB733995A

Description

l. BARNETT Aug. 4, 1959 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR OPENING AND CLEANING FIBERS Filed Jan. 2, 1955 INVENTOR I zw/v amen/77- Y Wu Q ATTORNEY United States Piltgfif Mnriion APPARATUSIFOR Drama AND CLEANING FIBERS Irvin- Barnett; Somerville, N.-I., assignor to John s Manville Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Application January 2, 1953, Serial No. 329,360

6 Claims. 01.19 42 The instant invention relates-to amethod-and apparams for opening, cleaning and applyingbinder to fibrous masses and; formixing fibersof different types. While the method and apparatus ofthis invention are not limited m use with'any particular typeof fiber, they are especially suitable for use in processing rather weak, brittle fibers, such as mineral wool.

Mineral wool, as formed by the conventional methods of spinning or, blowing; contains'a'substantial proportion of-unfiberized'material'known as shot. The primary object of' the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus through which shot or other non-fibrous masses can'beremoved' from fibrous bodies without excessive breaking or crushing of the fibers.

A further'object ofthe present invention is to'provide a method andapparatusthrough which fibrous masses can-be-clean'ed, opened and thoroughly mixedwith' a binder.

A further, object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus through which two different types of fibers may be blended and mixed with each other.

My invention will be more fully understood and further objects and advantages thereof will become apparent when reference is made to the detailed'description of a preferred embodiment of the invention which is: to; follow and to the accompanying drawing which is an elevation, partially in section and. withportions broken away, illustrating the apparatus of the invention.

Referring to the drawing, there is diagrammatically illustrateda. pair. of .conventionalzautomatic fiber feeders 2 and 4 through which extends a conveyor 6 for receiving the fibers. Different types, for example different lengths, of fibers maybe fed onto conveyor 6, it being apparent that such action will result in a rough blending of the fibers.

Positioned to receive fibrous material from conveyor 6 is a generally upwardly extending spike conveyor 8 arranged to carry the fibers to a position over, and to discharge them into, a so-called weigh box 10. The weigh box 10 is a conventional device having doors 11 which open when a certain weight of fibers has been fed into the box. On the opening of doors 11 fibrous masses in box 10 are dropped into a chute 12 at the bottom of which is located a door 14 actuated preferably by a suitable hand operated means (diagrammatically illustrated at 15), the door 14 opening into a chamber 16.

Located at the bottom of chamber 16 and extending thereacross is a screen 18 through which shot or unfiberized material may fall. Positioned above screen 18 is a pair of jets 20 each preferably arranged to discharge oscillating jets of fluid across one-half of the cross-sectional area of chamber 16. Since oscillating jets of the type 'here employed are well known to those skilled in the art the details thereof need not here be described. Above jets 20 is a spray 22 through which a binder, preferably powdered or in the form of a fog, may be introduced into the chamber. In the upper portion of ice a sidewall offchamber 16*isa-fluid outlet opening for which a' closure means, or door, 24 isprovided, a filter element 26being arranged to separate'door 24 from the remainder ofthe' chamber. A trunk 28, in communica=- tion the' cham'her interior, extends upwardly from the topchamber wall and forms a-fiber'outlet' opening for which the closure means is a damper lid-mounted on shaft 32. A means for closing'door 24 when'damper" 30*is opened or closing damper 30 when door 24 is opened is diagrammatically illustrated in the drawing and includes a crank 34fixed' on shaft 32 and connected;- by universal joints and a link 36 to door 24. Shaft 32; and hencedoor 24 and damper 30,- are actuated by any conventional time controlled mechanism 38 in such a manner that in a timed cycle damper 3 0willbe closed thus opening door 24'and after a selected interval damper 30 will be opened thus closing door 24.

Trunk 28 leads into a housing 40 containing a conveyor 42,, a spiked conveyor 44 and spiked wheels 45 and-46 for deliveringfibrous material to a felting tower" 48 containing spiked wheels 50. Any number of spiked wheels 50 may be employed and may be rotated by any suitable drivemeans. In the lower part of tower 48 there" is arranged a conveyor 54 having a suction box 56 arranged between the runs thereof. Throughout the drawing the direction of movement of conveyors or the direc-' tion of'rotation of wheels is shown by arrows.

In operation, oneor'more' typesof fiber are fed through automatic feeders'2 and 4 onto conveyor'6 from which they are removedby spike' conveyor 8' and discharged intotheweigh box 10. At thispoint a rough blending. of the different types of 'fibers will have been accomplished. When a particular weightof fibrous material is collected in box 10, doors 11 open-and the material is'dropped'through chute -12and door 14 into chamber 16'. The -flu-id, preferably air, issuing from jets 20 travels generally upwardly and blasts' the fibrous masses fed through door 14. As soon as the fibrous material'is passed through door 14, this door 15' and at-this time damper 30 is already closed and fluid outlet door 24"is open; Under the action of jets Ztl th'e fibers of the masses in the chamber are opened, separated and suspended in the turbulent fiuid' and the shot which was contained in -th'e masses, 'being too heavy to be suspendedby the fluid,- falls to thebottom of the chamber through screen 18. Since door 24 is open, fluid is bled off from the upper portion of the chamber through filter bag 26 which collects dust and other light particles which were included in the fibrous masses. While the fibers are in turbulent suspension in the chamber, a binder, preferably powdered, is added through spray 22. By reason of the turbulence of the suspension, the binder will be thoroughly mixed with the fibers and when fibers of difierent types have been fed to the chamber, these different types will be thoroughly mixed with each other. The amount of fluid entering chamber 16 through jets 20 is arranged to be greater than the amount of fluid discharged from the chamber through door 24 and thus a positive fluid pressure is built up in the chamber during the fiber opening and mixing cycle. After the fibers have been completely opened, cleaned, and mixed with each other, or with the binder, and when a substantial positive pressure 'has been built up within the chamber, door 24 is closed and damper 30 is opened to release the pressure, thereby rapidly discharging the suspension of fibers through trunk 28 into housing 40. A conventional textile ceiling condenser 39 connected to an exhaust duct 41 is located in the trunk 28 to remove the excess fluid and deposit the fibrous material into the housing 40. After discharge of the suspension damper 30 is closed and door 24 is opened.

With a few preliminary runs with a particular jet at"- is closed as by means 3 rangement and a particular size for door 24, the length of time necessary to complete the opening, cleaning, and mixing cycle can readily be determined. Mechanism 38 can then be set'to actuate door 24 and damper 30 in accordance with this interval, and the speed of feeders 2 and 4 and conveyors 6 and 8 adjusted to deliver a new charge to chute 12 when damper 30 is closed and door 24 opened at the end of the cleaning, mixing and discharging cycle. Obviously, mechanism 38 can be actuated to start a new timing cycle either automatically or by hand on the closing of door 14.

Fibrous material discharged into housing 40 is carried by the conveyors therein and discharged into the upper portion of tower 48. The fibers fall onto the spiked flufling rolls 50 which again open and flufi the fibers and discharge them in an air suspension onto conveyor 54 where a felt is formed. A slight negative pressure within tower 48 may be attained through the use of suction box 56 thus promoting improved felting of the fibers onto conveyor 54.

It is apparent that the present invention provides a method and apparatus through which weak, brittle fibers can be thoroughly opened, cleaned, and mixed with a binder, or with each other, with a minimum of mechanical action. Through the use of this method and apparatus felts of improved quality can be produced, since a greater percentage of unbroken fibers can be incorporated therein than was attainable with prior methods and apparatus, and by reason of the extreme open condition of the fibers, very light, uniform felts can be formed.

Having thus described my invention in rather full detail, it will be understood that these details need not be strictly adhered to and that various changes and modifications may suggest themselves to one skilled in the art, all falling Within the scope of the invention as defined by the subjoined claims.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus for opening, cleaning and mixing fibers comprising, a chamber, fluid jet means positioned to discharge fluid jets into a lower portion of said chamber, a fiber entry port in a wall of said chamber above said jet means, a fluid outlet port in a wall of said chamber adjacent an upper portion thereof, a filter element extending over said fluid outlet port, a fiber outlet port in a wall of said chamber adjacent an upper portion thereof, and means for closing said fiber outlet port while said fluid outlet port is open and for closing said fluid outlet port while said fiber outlet port is open.

2. The apparatus specified to claim 1 wherein said jet means includes a plurality of oscillating jets.

3. The apparatus specified in claim 1 including means located above said jet means for discharging a binder material into said chamber.

4. A method comprising, feeding masses of fibers into a chamber, directing fluid blasts upwardly into said chamber against said fibers, forming a turbulent fluid suspension of said fibers in said chamber, releasing fluid from said chamber through a filter located above said blasts while continuing to direct said fluid blasts into said chamber to build up a positive fluid pressure within said chamber, and discharging the fibers from said chamber by suddenly releasing said pressure.

5. A method comprising, feeding masses of fibers into a chamber, directing fluid blasts upwardly into said chamber against said fibers, forming a fluid suspension of the fibers in said chamber, oscillating said blasts to cause turbulence in said suspension, releasing fluid from said chamber through a filter located above said blasts while continuing to direct said fluid blasts into said chamber to build up a positive fluid pressure within said chamber, and discharging the fibers from said chamber by suddenly releasing said pressure.

6. A method comprising, forming a rough blend of a plurality of types of fibers, feeding said fibers into a chamber, directing fluid blasts against said fibers, forming a fluid suspension of said fibers, oscillating said blasts to cause turbulence in said suspension, discharging a binder material into the turbulent suspension, releasing fluid from said chamber through a filter located above said blasts while building up a positive fluid pressure Within said chamber, and discharging the fibers from said chamber by releasing said pressure and continuing said fluid blasts.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 233,847 Groom Nov. 2, 1880 700,078 Pennypacker May 13, 1902 1,805,117 Van Rensselaer et al. May 12, 1931 2,317,895 Drill Apr. 27, 1943 2,587,814 Borkland Mar. 4, 1952 2,641,028 Steele June 9, 1953 2,697,512 Brown Dec. 21, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 9,904 Great Britain of 1889