WO1996030603A1

WO1996030603A1 - Insulation batt and method and apparatus for producing the same

Info

Publication number: WO1996030603A1
Application number: PCT/AU1996/000175
Authority: WO
Inventors: Alan Lyle Griffiths; Maureen Mary Griffiths
Original assignee: Alan Lyle Griffiths; Maureen Mary Griffiths
Priority date: 1995-03-28
Filing date: 1996-03-28
Publication date: 1996-10-03
Also published as: AUPN200895A0

Abstract

An improved insulation batt comprising an insulant formed of an acrated bouffant admixture of wool and particulate cellulose containing material dispersed at least partially therein and an amount of an agglutinant dispersed therethrough, binding said wool and said cellulose. Also disclosed is an apparatus (11) for forming insulation batts having a first conveyor (17) from a first hopper (13) for the wool and agglutinant. A second conveyor (21) feeds the particulate cellulose from second hopper (15). Both conveyors feed to the blending part (19) of the apparatus. High velocity blower (57) discharges air via outlet (53) to cause airflow through the apparatus. Outlet (53) leads to apparatus (67) for forming the batts. The inlet (69) to (67) is connected to the air outlet (53). The formed batts on a conveyor pass over an oven in the form of a heating element.

Description

INSULATIQN BATT AND METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING THE SAME

This invention relates to the field of insulation having utility with respect to insulating buildings such as dwellings or the like, and in particular relates to an insulation batt, and methods for producing the same.

Present forms of insulating material which are used for the purposes of insulating buildings include: batts which are principally composed of matted fibreglass, cotton wool or the like; particulate cellulose containing material, such as shredded newspaper marketed under the trade marks "ANTICON" and "SISALATION".

Each of these different types of insulation have their own advantages and disadvantages. In the case of batts, they are easy to handle, and being of discrete form, can be removed or replaced after installation. A problem with fibreglass batts in particular, however, is that the fibrous material contained therein is abrasive and can be quite irritating to the skin. Consequently, one often has to wear protective clothing most of the time when handling such material. Furthermore, due to the very fine fibrous nature of the material, questions arise to health and safety considerations when handling the material.

Particulate cellulose containing material has become a popular insulant and is often used as a "blow in" insulant. Particulate cellulose may be formed from shredded newspaper, treated with chemicals to lend fire retardant properties and insect/vermin resistance. Boracic acid and borax are typically used for these purposes.

However, particulate cellulose containing material is not of rigid discrete form. Hence it is not generally suitable for insulating walls and once laid in a ceiling, it can not be readily moved or removed by mere physical manipulation. Therefore once cellulose containing material is blown into a roof cavity, it is basically there forever. In addition, due to its water absorbing properties, should a roof develop a leak over such cellulose, there is a risk of ceiling collapse due to the weight of wet cellulose.

With respect to reflective laminar sheeting, this has limited utility and arguably lesser insulative qualities than batts or cellulose containing material. Compared with particulate cellulose containing material and batts, its installation is difficult and expensive. Furthermore, the cost of such material to achieve similar insulative qualities as batts and cellulose containing material is quite expensive.

In recent times, wool has been used as an insulant due to it being readily available. With rising prices wool has become less attractive. A difficulty exists with using wool insofar as it has a tendency to be devoured by pests if used untreated. In addition, if wool is combed up into a bouffant or "fluff having air spaces, the low density of the wool in this condition can give rise to it being dispersed by air drafts. Accordingly, the latter limitation dictates that wool be used in a higher density, which can make wool insulation more expensive, depending upon prevailing market prices. Furthermore, a bouffant wool is not as fire retardant as wool having closely packed fibres.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved insulation batt, a method of forming an improved batt, and an apparatus for forming an improved batt, the improved batt providing for convenient and easy handling without the need for the installer wearing protective material and which has similar if not superior insulating qualities to previous forms of insulating material.

Thus, the present invention provides for an insulation batt comprising an insulant formed of an aerated bouffant admixture of wool and particulate cellulose containing material dispensed at least partially therein and an amount of an agglutinant dispersed therethrough, binding said wool and said cellulose. The agglutinant (or polymer) should be flexible at room temperature in order that the batt has some degree of flexibility, unless it is critical that the batt be rigid.

While the wool may be treated to resist insect pests, it is believed that if the cellulose is treated with fire retardant and for insect/rodent resistance with boracic acid and borax, it is not necessary to separately treat the wool.

Preferably, the particle size of said cellulose containing material is less than 1000 mm ³. It should be understood that the cellulose, if formed from compressed shredded newspaper, will be fluffed up and broken into finer particles in the process utilised to form the bouffant admixture.

Preferably, the particle size of said cellulose containing material is less than 250 mm ³.

Preferably, the particle size of said cellulose containing material is less than 150 mm ³.

Preferably, the particle size of said cellulose containing material is less than 75 mm ³.

Preferably, the particle size of said cellulose containing material is less than 30 mm ³.

Preferably, the said cellulose containing material includes within it, particle sizes down to 0.25 mm ³, and less.

Preferably, said wool has fibres of an average length of at least 10mm.

Preferably, said wool has fibres of an average length of at least 15mm. Preferably, said wool has fibres of an average length of at least 20mm.

Preferably, said wool has fibres of an average length of at least 30mm.

Preferably, said wool has fibres of an average length of at least 40mm.

Preferably, said wool has fibres of an average length of at least 50mm.

The wool may be obtained from crutchings or other sources, such as wool stained by vegetable dyes, which is generally unsuitable for use in the fabric industry. Only a minor proportion of cotted wool should be used. All wool should preferably be scoured to remove oils and the like.

It is most preferred to use a non-straight fibre wool to assist with binding to the cellulose. In this regard merino wool is particularly suitable in the practise of the invention.

The agglutinant (or polymer) should be flexible at room temperature in order that the batt has some degree of flexibility, unless it is critical that the batt be rigid.

Preferably, said agglutinant comprises a man-made thermoplastic polymer.

Preferably, said polymer comprises between 5% and 35% of the weight of said insulation batt.

Preferably, said polymer comprises between 10% and 30% of the weight of said insulation batt.

Preferably, said polymer comprises between 15% and 25% of the weight of said insulation batt. Preferably, said polymer comprises between 15% and 20% of the weight of said insulation batt.

Preferably, the ratio of wool to polymer is between 3:4 and 4:3.

Preferably, the polymer comprises a polyester.

Preferably, said polyester is in the form of a fibre.

Preferably, said batt has between 50% and 85% by weight cellulose.

Preferably, said batt has between 55% and 80% by weight cellulose.

Preferably, said batt has between 60% and 70% by weight cellulose.

Preferably, said batt has between 10% and 40% by weight wool.

Preferably, said batt has between 15% and 25% by weight wool.

Preferably, the density of said batt lies between 10kg.m^*3 and 25kg. m^"3.

Preferably, the density of said batt lies between 15kg.m -3 and 20kg. rrf

Preferably, the density of said batt lies between 17kg.m^"3 and 18kg.m^"3.

A mix of 15% wool 15% polyester and 70% cellulose (treated) may be ideally utilised in one embodiment of the invention. Also suitable is an embodiment containing 15% wool 20% polyester and 65% cellulose (treated). Preferably, said batt is of semi-flexible bouffant form, said polyester binding said wool and said cellulose by being melted together therewith.

Preferably, said polyester has a low melting point to bind the wool and cellulose without causing damage thereto.

Preferably, said polyester has a melting point of between 80°C and 180°C

Preferably, said polyester has a melting point of between 100°C and 130°C

Preferably, said polyester is has a melting point of between 110°C and 120°C

Preferably, said polyester comprises a material sold under the trade mark "UNITIKA MELTY" type 40804Dx51mm.

The invention also provides a method of forming an insulation batt, said method comprising spreading an aerated bouffant admixture of particulate cellulose containing material, wool, and a binding amount of an agglutinant, uniformly on a flat bed; and setting said agglutinant or allowing said agglutinant to set.

The present invention, also provides an apparatus for forming an insulation batt comprising:

- a first hopper for holding a quantity of a wool and agglutinant; - a second hopper for holding a quantity of particulate cellulose containing material;

- a first feed means disposed at the base of said first hopper to allow controlled feeding of the contents of said hopper;

- a second feed means disposed in relation to said second hopper to allow controlled feeding of the contents of said second hopper;

- a passageway communicating with said feed means - combing means for forming an aerated bouffant admixture of said wool and agglutinant and said cellulose, connecting with said passageway to receive input of wool and cellulose entrained in an air stream; - outlet means for discharging said aerated bouffant admixture.

- feed means for input of said aerated bouffant admixture of wool, thermoplastic polymer, and cellulose from said outlet means including regulation means to control the flow of said bouffant mixture;

- conveyor means for transporting said bouffant mixture from said feed means along a pathway; and

-oven means adapted to heat said bouffant mixture and melt said thermoplastic polymer.

Preferably, said apparatus includes aeration means for producing an airflow through said passageway, and to said outlet means.

Preferably, said aeration means comprises a blower in direct connection with said outlet means, discharging air into said outlet means, and inducing air flow through said passageway.

Preferably, said combing means comprises a disk arranged for high speed rotation having a plurality of fingers for interfering with said wool and said cellulose.

Preferably, said plurality of fingers are arranged in radial rows around said disk, on one side thereof.

The wool portion is preferably admixed with a portion of an agglutinant to form the batts. Alternately, it may be convenient to utilise a third hopper and associated feed means if the wool and agglutinant may not be readily interdispersed. In the case of admixing fibrous polyester as hereinbefore discussed, the former should suffice.

Preferably, said regulation means is arranged to evenly spread said bouffant mixture across the width of said pathway, at an even depth.

Preferably, said regulation means comprises a roller with axially extending bars, rotating at a high speed relative to two similarly formed rollers located at either side thereof along the feed means path, where the two similar rollers rotate at a slower speed.

Preferably, said oven means comprises an upper heating element assembly located above said pathway, and a lower heating element assembly located below said pathway.

Preferably, said element assemblies are located sequentially along said pathway, with the upper heating element assembly being located ahead of the lower heating element assembly.

Preferably, said conveyor means extends under said upper heating element assembly but not over said lower heating element assembly.

Preferably, said pathway includes a plurality of rails disposed in parallel relationship over said lower heating element assembly, to receive agglutinated bouffant mixture from said conveyor means for transportation across said lower heating element assembly. In this manner the half formed mat of batts is progressed over the rails by the conveyor feeding the mixture on to the rails, the mat of bats being baked on the underside while being slid along the rails. As will be appreciated, the heating elements may be gas fired, or electric, or any other suitable heating means that can heat the mixture to the required temperature.

The various forms of the invention will now be described in the following description of embodiments thereof, made with reference to the drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of apparatus for forming batts of the present invention ;

Figure 2 is a schematic side elevation showing the apparatus of figure 1;

Figure 3 is a part view of a combing disk comprising part of combing means utilised in the apparatus shown in figures 1 and 2; and

Figure 4 is a schematic side elevation of a portion of the apparatus of Figure 1.

The embodiment comprises batts formed from bouffant wool and cellulose insulant incorporating an agglutinant, a method for forming such batts, and apparatus for the same and is described in relation to figures 1 and 4. The batts according to the embodiment are to be formed by adding an agglutinant to the wool prior to its mixing with the cellulose.

In the embodiment, the agglutinant comprises a man-made thermoplastic polymer in the form of a low melting point polyester fibre, having a melting point in the order of 110° Celsius. This polyester fibre is known as UNITIKA MELTY type 4080 4D x 51mm. This is mixed with the wool in the hopper 13 of the bouffant insulant forming apparatus 11, so that the ratio of polyesteπwoolxellulose mixture is in the order of between 15% polyester, 15% wool, and 70% cellulose, and 15% wool, 20% polyester, and 65% cellulose. The polyester fibre may be mixed in with the wool fibre prior to feeding it into the first hopper 13 of the apparatus 11 for forming the insulant.

The apparatus 11 has a first feed means in the form of conveyor 17 for transporting the wool and agglutinant from the first hopper 13, into the blending part 19 of the apparatus 11.

A second feed means 21 in the form of an auger, feeds particulate cellulose from the hopper 15 into the blending part 19 of the apparatus 11.

The speed of the conveyor 17 and the auger 21 are controlled, to set the portion of wool and agglutinant and particulate cellulose fed to the blending part 19 of the apparatus 11.

Referring now to figure 2, the blending part 19 of the apparatus 11 for forming the bouffant insulant is shown. The conveyor 17 feeds to a chute 23, down which wool and agglutinant falls to a regulator wheel 25 having short axial vanes 26 therealong, which regulates flow of wool into a first passageway 27.

The outlet of the auger 21 is also connected to a chute 29 down which particulate cellulose falls to a regulator wheel 31 having axial vanes 33 of longer length than those on wheel 25. The regulator wheels 25 and 31 are slowly rotated, in order to achieve regulation of the feed of wool and agglutinant and particulate cellulose respectively.

The first passageway 27 also has an air inlet (not shown) which is located ahead of the point where the particulate cellulose (and subsequently the wool and agglutinant) enter the first passageway 27. As will be understood, the air inlet provides an inlet for an air flow to entrain the particulate cellulose and the wool and agglutinant, when they have entered the first passageway 27. The first passageway 27 also communicates with combing means in the form of a combing apparatus 35. The combing apparatus 35 comprises a circular disk 37 on which a plurality of fingers 39 are mounted. The circular disk 37 is connected for rotation to an electrical motor 41. A suitable motor for use in this application is a 5.5 kW, 2900 rpm three phase electric motor.

The outlet 43 of the combing apparatus 35 connects to a second passageway 45, which feeds to the inlet 47 of a further combing apparatus 49. The combing apparatus 49 is identical in form and specification to the combing apparatus 35. The further combing apparatus 49 has an outlet 51 which connects to the discharge output 53 of the apparatus 11 , via a third passageway 55.

A high velocity blower 57 discharges air through the discharge outlet 53 and causes a suction in the third passageway 55, so as to cause airflow through the apparatus 11 , from the air inlet (not shown) referred to above as shown by arrows in figure 2.

Referring to figure 3, part of a circular disk 37, showing the plurality of fingers 39, is shown. As can be seen, the fingers 39 are arranged radially around the circular disk 37 in sets 59. Each set 59 has an angular disposition relative to its adjacent set of 45 degrees. The circular disk 37 is provided with an elongated coaxial slot 61 for each finger 39 of the circular disk 37. Each finger 39 extends through a slot 61, to a mounting portion 63 thereof. Each mounting portion 63 of each finger 39 is secured to the circular disk by a nut and washer 65, each nut thereof being threadingly received into the circular disk 37. As can be seen in figure 3, each mounting portion 63 includes a circular portion, which provides some resilience should a finger 39 hit a solid object, the circular portion of the mounting portion 63 will allow the finger 39 to deflect. The most preferred wool is merino wool, between 50 and 75mms long and 25 micron or finer. The wool should be scoured to remove natural oils, and leave the wool clean. It is not critical if the wool is stained or indeed includes a minor amount of vegetable contaminant. Other wool may be mixed in with the merino, however, the merino is preferred because the broken up particulate cellulose exhibits better adherence to it than to straighter heavier wools. The particulate cellulose is preferably derived from finely chopped newspaper which has been treated with sodium borate and borac acid in order to repel insects and act as a fire retardant. The paper is chopped into 3mm² pieces, which are generally clumped together but may be readily separated, as occurs in the combing apparatus 35.

The wool and agglutinant and the particulate cellulose are fed into the first passage way 27, at a controlled rate determined by the speed of feeding, and the regulator wheels 31 and 25. The wool and agglutinant and the particulate cellulose is then entrained in the air flow caused by the blower 57, where it enters the first combing apparatus 35. The rotation of the circular disks 37 causes the fingers 39 to make contact with the wool and agglutinant and the particulate cellulose, causing the wool to fluff up or become bouffant, and break up some of the particular cellulose into finer particles, in addition to fluffing up part of the particulate cellulose. In the combing process, the particulate cellulose, possibly partly due to the effects of static electricity, is drawn into the matrix of the bouffant wool. This leads to several advantages over utilising wool or particulate cellulose alone, or a non bouffant mixture of the two. Because the wool is bouffant, it exhibits improved insulation properties. As a result of the particulate cellulose being drawn into the matrix of the bouffant wool, this adds weight to the resulting insulant, which prevents the wool from being rerouted by air currents, when utilised as an insulant in ceilings or the like. The presence of sodium borate and borac acid and the particulate cellulose which is in the matrix of the bouffant wool, prevents the wool from being attacked by insects or rodents, and lends a fire retardant effect to the insulant, which would not be present in bouffant wool alone, notwithstanding the fact that wool which has been scoured (and is not bouffant) is generally resistant to fire.

The bouffant wool and agglutinant and cellulose insulant has a resultant density which may lie anywhere between ten kilograms per cubic metre and 25 kilograms per cubic metre. In one particular test, a volume of bouffant insulant measuring 117cm x117cm x 10cm weighed 2.4 kilograms.

The bouffant wool cellulose insulant is drawn from the outlet 43 of the first combing apparatus 35 through to the inlet 47 of the further combing apparatus 49, which acts as an additional "fluffing up" stage.

The bouffant insulant is then entrained in air flow which is discharged by the discharge outlet 53. In the embodiment shown in figure 1 , the discharge outlet 53 leads to an apparatus 67 for forming batts from bouffant insulant.

The apparatus 67 for forming the batts has an inlet 69, which, referring to figure 1, is connected to the discharge outlet 53 of the apparatus 11 for forming the bouffant insulant. The apparatus 67 for manufacturing batts from bouffant insulant comprises feed means in the form of a conveyor 71. The conveyor 71 comprises a plurality of chain driven rollers 73 which extend under a plate. The plate 75 provides a surface on which the bouffant insulant may slide. The rollers 73 each have teeth radially arranged therearound, and regularly spaced across the surface thereof, the teeth protruding through a horizontal metal plate 75 located above the rollers. The rollers rotate in a clockwise direction as seen in figure 4, and so the teeth which protrude through the plate 75 urge the bouffant insulant comprising wool, polyester, and particulate cellulose, down the plate. Located toward the lower end of the conveyor 71, and above the plate 75 are regulation means in the form of two identical rollers 77, which rotate at a slow speed, and urge the wool down in a controlled manner. Located between the roller 77 is a roller 79 which rotates at a high speed, and thus urges bouffant insulant towards the lower most roller 77. The direction of rotation of the rollers 77 and 79 is shown by an arrow. Each of the rollers 77 and 79 has short length radially mounted vanes which extend axially along the roller from one side to the other. These vanes act to urge the wool down and away from the conveyor 71.

The apparatus 67 includes a pathway 81 , which has a conveyor 83 located therein. Located above the conveyor 83 is an oven means in the form of an upper heating element assembly 85 which heats the bouffant insulant and causes the polyester mixed therein to melt at least at the surface of the insulant, and thus bind the wool and cellulose. The direction of travel of the conveyor 83 is illustrated by an arrow. As can be seen, there is a portion 87 of the conveyor where insulant does not have any heating element assembly 85 located thereabove. In this region of the pathway, the polyester will cool and solidify.

The pathway 81 includes a plurality of rails 89 located above oven means in the form of a lower heating element assembly 91. The lower heating element assembly 91 is arranged over the rails 89 so that the polyester on the underside of the bouffant insulation is heated and caused to melt, and thus bind the wool and cellulose in the bouffant insulant, on the underside thereof. The number of rails 89 required would be determined by the width of the pathway 81 but a spacing of 100mm between each rail 89 should prove adequate. Each rail should be smooth as it is the motion of the conveyor which causes the advancing bouffant insulant, stiffened by the solidified polyester on the upper side of the insulant, to progress along the rails 89 until the completed agglutinated insulant leaves the pathway 81. On exiting the pathway, the agglutinated insulant may be divided into discreet batts by a guillotine apparatus 93, whereafter the batts are now ready for use.

It should be noted that the scope of the present invention need not to be limited to the particular embodiment described above

Claims

The claims defining the invention are as follows:-

1. An insulation batt comprising an insulant formed of an aerated bouffant admixture of wool and particulate cellulose containing material dispersed at least partially therein and an amount of an agglutinant dispersed through said insulant, binding said wool and said cellulose.

2. The insulation batt of claim 1 wherein said agglutinant comprises a man-made thermoplastic polymer.

3. The insulation batt of claim 2 wherein said polymer comprises between 5% and 35% of the weight of said insulation batt.

4. The insulation batt of claim 2 wherein said polymer comprises between 10% and 30% of the weight of said insulation batt.

5. The insulation batt of claim 2 wherein said polymer comprises between 15% and 25% of the weight of said insulation batt.

6. The insulation batt of claim 2 wherein said polymer comprises between 15% and 20% of the weight of said insulation batt.

7. The insulation batt of any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein the ratio of wool to polymer is between 3:4 and 4:3.

8. The insulation batt of any one of claims 2 to 7 wherein the polymer comprises a polyester.

9. The insulation batt of claim 8 wherein said polyester is in the form of a fibre.

10. The insulation batt of any one of the preceding claims wherein said batt has between 50% and 85% by weight cellulose.

11 The insulation batt of any one of claims 1 to 9 wherein said batt has between 55% and 80% by weight cellulose.

12. The insulation batt of any one of claims 1 to 9 wherein said batt has between 60% and 70% by weight cellulose.

13. The insulation batt of any one of the preceding claims wherein said batt has between 10% and 40% by weight wool.

14. The insulation batt of any one of claims 1 to 12 wherein said batt has between 15% and 25% by weight wool.

15. The insulation batt of any one of the preceding claims wherein the density of said batt lies between 10kg. m^"3 and 25kg. m^"3.

16. The insulation batt of claim 15 wherein the density of said batt lies between 15kg.m^' and 20kg.m^"3.

17.The insulation batt of claim 15 wherein the density of said batt lies between 17kg. m^"3 and 18kg.m^"3.

18.The insulation batt of any one of the preceding claims wherein the batt comprises a mix of 15% wool 15% polyester and 70% cellulose.

19. The insulation batt of any one of claims 1 to 17 wherein the batt comprises a mix of 15% wool 20% polyester and 65% cellulose.

20.The insulation batt of any one of the preceding claims wherein said polyester has a melting point of between 80°C and 180°C.

21. The insulation batt of any one of claims 1 to 19 wherein said polyester has a melting point of between 100°C and 130°C.

22. The insulation batt of any one of claims 1 to 19 wherein said polyester has a melting point of between 110°C and 120°C.

23.The insulation batt of any one of the preceding claims wherein said polyester comprises a material sold under the trade mark "UNITIKA MELTY" type 4080 4Dx51mm.

24.A method of forming an insulation batt comprising spreading an aerated bouffant admixture of particulate cellulose containing material, wool, and a binding amount of an agglutinant to set.

25.An apparatus for forming an insulation batt comprising:

- a first hopper for holding a quantity of a wool and agglutinant;

- a second hopper for holding a quantity of particulate cellulose containing material;

- a passageway communicating with said feed means

- combing means for forming an aerated bouffant admixture of said wool and agglutinant and said cellulose, connecting with said passageway to receive input wool and cellulose entrained in an air stream; and

- outlet means for discharging said aerated bouffant admixture.

- feed means for input of said aerated bouffant and mixture of wool, thermoplastic polymer, and cellulose, including regulation means to control the flow of said bouffant mixture;

- conveyor means for transporting said bouffant mixture from said feed means along a pathway; and -oven means adapted to heat said bouffant mixture and melt said thermoplastic polymer.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein said apparatus includes aeration means for producing an airflow through said passageway, and to said outlet means.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein said aeration means comprises a blower in direct connection with said outlet means, discharging air into said outlet means, and inducing air flow through said passageway.

28. The apparatus of any one of claims 25 to 27 wherein said combing means comprises a disk arranged for high speed rotation having a plurality of fingers for interfering with said wool and said cellulose.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein said plurality of fingers are arranged in radial rows around said disk, on one side thereof.

30. The apparatus of any one of claims 25 to 29 wherein the apparatus further comprises a third hopper and associated feed means.

31 The apparatus of any one of claims 25 to 30 wherein said regulation means is arranged to evenly spread said bouffant mixture across the width of said pathway, at an even depth.

32The apparatus of any one of claims 25 to 31 wherein said regulation means comprises a roller with axially extending bars, rotating at a high speed relative to two similarly formed rollers located at either side thereof along the fee means path, where the two similar rollers rotate at a slower speed.

33The apparatus of any one of claims 25 to 32 wherein said oven means comprises an upper heating element assembly located above said pathway, and a lower heating element assembly being located ahead of the lower heating assembly.

34 he apparatus of claim 33 wherein said element assemblies are located sequentially along said pathway, with the upper heating element assembly being located ahead of the lower heating element assembly.

35. The apparatus of any one of claims 25 to 34 wherein said conveyor means extends under said upper heating element assembly but not over said lower heating assembly.

36The apparatus of any one of claims 25 to 35 wherein said pathway includes a plurality of rails disposed in parallel relationship over said lower heating element assembly, to receive agglutinated bouffant mixture from said conveyor means for transportation across said lower heating element assembly.

37.An insulation batt substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings where appropriate.

38.A method of forming an insulation batt substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings where appropriate.

39.An apparatus for forming an insulation batt substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings where appropriate.