Method and apparatus for forming and processing fibers

Claim 1

APPARATUS OF THE CHARACTER DISCLOSED, IN COMBINATION, A SUPPORT, A HOLLOW SHAFT JOURNALED ON THE SUPPORT, A HOLLOW ROTOR SECURED TO SAID SHAFT AND HAVING A PERFORATED PERIPHERAL WALL, A MEMBER DISPOED IN THE ROTOR FORMED WITH AN ANNULAR CHAMBER, MEANS FOR ROTATING THE MEMBER AND ROTOR, SAID ANNULAR CHAMBER ADAPTED TO CONTAIN MATERIAL IN A FLUID CONDITION, A WALL OF THE CHAMBER BEING FORMED WITH PASSAGES THROUGH WHICH MATERIAL IN THE CHAMBER IS DISCHARGED INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH THE PERIPHERAL WALL OR THE ROTOR AND THROUGH THE PERFORATIONS OF THE ROTOR WALL BY CENTRIFUGAL FORCES OF ROTATION.

Claim 2

A METHOD OF FORMING FIBERS FROM HEAT-SOFTENABLE MINERAL MATERIAL INCLUDING THE STEPS OF FLOWING A STREAM OF THE MATERIAL FROM A SUPPLY, DISTRIBUTING THE MATERIAL IN THE STREAM OUTWARDLY INTO A FIRST ANNULAR ZONE SURROUNDING THE STREAM AND THE POINT OF DISTRIBUTION, PROJECTING THE MATERIAL IN THE FIRST SAID ANNULAR ZONE OUTWARDLY THEREFROM BY CENTRIFUGAL FORCE IN THE FORM OF ELONGATED STREAMS OF MATERIAL ENGAGING THE STREAMS WITH AN ANNULAR GASEOUS BLAST IN A SECOND ANNULAR ZONE SURROUNDING AND CONCENTRIC WITH THE FIRST SAID ANNULAR ZONE FOR ATTENUATING THE BODIES TO FIBERS ENTRAINED IN THE BLAST IN THE FORM OF A HOLLOW COLUMN, CONVEYING A FIBER COATING MATERIAL ALONG A PATH EXTENDING AXIALLY THROUGH BOTH OF SAID ZONES AND INTO THE INTERIOR OF SAID HOLLOW COLUMN OF FIBERS, AND DELIVERING THE FIBER COATING MATERIAL OUTWARDLY IN DIVERGING DIRECTIONS ONTO THE NEWLY FORMED FIBERS IN SAID HOLLOW COLUMN OF FIBERS.