Apparatus for the preparation of glass fiber reinforced molding compositions

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR CUTTING SHORT LENGTHS OF FIBERS OFF THE FORWARD END OF A GROUP OF STRANDS OF CONTINUOUS FIBERS, SAID APPARATUS CONSISTING OF A ROTARY DRUM, A CUTTER ROLLER MOUNTED ON AN AXIS PARALLEL TO THE AXIS OF SAID DRUM, MEANS FOR DRIVING SAID DRUM AND SAID ROLLER IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS, SAID CUTTER ROLLER COMPRISING A SHAFT, A DISKLIKE HUB MOUNTED ON SAID SHAFT, A PLURALITY OF KNIVES MOUNTED IN SAID HUB WITH THE EDGES THEREOF TURNED RADIALLY OUTWARD AND EXTENDING AXIALLY THEREOF, THE EDGES OF SAID KNIVES LYING ALONG LINES EQUAL RADIAL DISTANCES FROM THE AXIS OF SAID HUB, THE BACKS OF SAID KNIVES BEING DIAMETRICALLY SPACED, AND THE SPACES THEREBETWEEN DIAMETRICALLY AND CIRCUMFERENTIALLY BEING IN COMMUNICATION, WITH THE SPACE BETWEEN THE ENDS OF SAID KNIVES REMOTE FROM SAID HUB BEING UNOBSTRUCTED; THE AXES OF SAID DRUM AND SAID ROLLER BEING SO SPACED THAT THE EDGES OF SAID KNIVES AND THE SURFACE OF SAID DRUM CONTACT EACH OTHER DURING ROTATION AND MEANS IN THE SPACE INTERIORLY OF SAID KNIVES FOR INDUCING AXIAL MOVEMENT OF THE SEVERED SHORT LENGTHS OF FIBERS THROUGH SUCH INTERIOR SPACE TOWARD THE UNOBSTRUCTED REMOTE END THEREOF.