GB938481A - Method for centrifugally forming fibres - Google Patents

Abstract

938,481. Forming glass fibres. OWENS-CORNING FIBREGLAS CORPORATION. Oct. 15, 1959 [Oct. 27, 1958], No. 35017/59. Class 56. When forming fibres of heat-softenable vitreous material by rotating a body of the material in heat softened condition and projecting streams of the material radially outwards by centrifugal force into an attenuating blast spaced peripherally of the annular body, air which flows into the region peripherally of the annular body under the inductive influence of the attenuating blast is restricted in amount and heated above the ambient temperature. In the form shown in Fig. 4 a rotating distributer 118 and centrifuge 75 are suspended from a tubular shaft 59 running between water-cooled annular jackets 72, 126. A stream of molten glass 53 falls into the distributer and is projected through apertures 122 therein and then through apertures 125 in the centrifuge. The projected streams meet a downward blast of hot gas, e.g. steam, emerging from a slot 80 fed from a manifold 79 to draw the streams into fibres 81 inside a protecting shield 82. A burner 67 comprises a stepped annulus 129 provided with concentric rows of holes fed with a gas-air mixture from the manifold 66. The flame produced is confined by rings 138, 139 and heats the outer part of the centrifuge and the streams emerging from it. Flame from another burner 69, fed from a manifold 68, together with air induced through a restricted aperture defined by a ring 144, are directed on to the outer parts of the emergent streams. Fig. 2 shows the whole unit, a number of which may be mounted side by side and fed from a common forehearth. The unit is movable on rails into position under the foreheath 51 and comprises the motor 58 for driving the tubular shaft 59, Fig. 4, and the unit 65 which contains the gas manifolds 66, 68. The streams of fibres 81 pass through a ring 85 supporting guns 86 which spray the fibres with a binder. The fibres then pass through a hood 91 and are lapped back and forth by alternately energized airjets 93 as they fall on to a conveyer. The downward streams of gas accompanying the fibres pass through the conveyer and are exhausted by a pump from the enclosure 94. Specification 938,482 is referred to.