GB1002109A - Method and apparatus for forming and collecting fibres of glass and like heat-softenable mineral materials - Google Patents

Abstract

<PICT:1002109/C1/1> In the formation and collection of fibres of glass, or like heat-softenable mineral material, the molten glass is extended to primary filaments which are alternated by gaseous blasts to fibres, the fibres being directed into falling columns by the blasts through a hood, having substantially parallel side walls, to be collected as a mass on a foraminous surface forming the floor of the hood, a reduced pressure being provided below the floor to pack the fibres and remove blast gases, the entrance to the hood being restricted to an area smaller than the area of the floor of the hood to reduce the flow of air induced by the blast gases into the hood. A number of glass fibre forming units 17 receive a stream 18 of molten glass from the preheater 10 of a furnace 12, each unit 17 comprising a rotor 32 on a hollow shaft 30 driven by a motor in a housing 28 so that filaments of glass are projected through orifices in the wall 33 of the rotor 32 to be alternated by a gaseous blast from an annular orifice in a manifold 34 to form a hollow column 38 of glass fibres. Each unit 17 is removably supported from I-beams 20 by rollers 24 on the housing 28 <PICT:1002109/C1/2> riding on bars 22. Binder or adhesive applying nozzles 48 for application to the fibres in column 38 are supported from I-beams 20 by members 42 secured to a hollow sleeve 44 having a ring 46 which also supports the adhesive supply system 50, 52, 53. The sleeve 44 and a metal guard 40 surrounding the column 38 tend to confine the fibres which fall freely into a hood 80 below which runs the upper flight 62 of a foraminous conveyer belt 58 with a suction chamber 68 disposed below the hood 80 to pack the mass 64 of fibres and remove the combustion gases. The hood 80 comprises end plates 72, 73 with a sizing roll 75 at the exit end to compress the mass 64 of fibres to form a mat 78 which passes into a curing chamber 81 to cure the binder or adhesive. As shown, the lateral walls of the hood 80 are adjustable to vary the width of the mass 64 and each comprises a horizontally adjustable section 90, a pivoted section 88 held against the section 90 by a spring pressed, concavely curved baffle plate 142 pivoted to the inner end of a downwardly and inwardly extending plate 134, the plate 134 being rigidly secured to a horizontal supporting plate 82 to which the section 88 is pivoted at 86 and the two plates 134 acting to restrict the entrance to the hood 80. The section 90 can be moved, by operation of a handle 101, from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the position 901 shown in dot-dash lines, the section 88 and baffle plate 142 being pressed by the spring 146 to the dot-dash positions 881 and 1421. The movement of section 90 is through suitable gearing and threaded rods 96 and the operation is also effective to move a plate 116 below the conveyer flight 62 so that its inner edge 118 lies below the section 90.