Process and device for the manufacture of fleeces of mineral fibers

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING FLEECE FROM MINERAL FIBERS OF GLASS OR THE LIKE COMPRISING, (A) MEANS FOR PRODUCING A PLURALITY OF PARALLEL GLASS FILAMENTS, (B) A ROTATING DRUM FOR ENGAGING AND GUIDING SAID FILAMENTS ALONG ITS PERIPHERAL SURFACE AS IT ROTATES, (C) A SHELL RADIALLY SPACED FROM AND ENVELOPING A PORTION OF SAID DRUM, TO DEFINE THEREWITH A NARROW SPACE THROUGH WHICH THE FILAMENTS TRAVEL, (D) SAID DRUM BEING OPERATIVE UPON ROTATION THEREOF TO GENERATE A STREAM OF AIR, (E) A FIXED GUIDE MEMBER FOR SEPARATING SAID FILAMENTS FROM SAID DRUM AFTER PASSAGE OF SAID FILAMENTS THROUGH SAID SPACE, (F) A FIXED CONDUIT COMMUNICATING AT ONE END WITH SAID SPACE ADJACENT SAID GUIDE TO RECEIVE SAID STREAM OF AIR AND THE FILAMENTS SEPARATED FROM SAID DRUM, AND HAVING A TAPERING CROSS SECTION THEREBY TO DRAW SAID FILAMENTS CLOSER TO ONE ANOTHER AS THEY ADVANCE TOWARD THE OPPOSITE END OF SAID CONDUIT, (G) A MOVABLE CONDUIT COMMUNICATING AT ONE END WITH SAID OPPOSITE END OF SAID FIXED CONDUIT AND HAVING AN OUTLET OPENING AT ITS OTHER END, SAID MOVABLE CONDUIT BEING OSCILLATABLE TO DISCHARGE SAID FILAMENTS IN VARIABLE DIRECTIONS, (H) A NET-LIKE STATIONARY SUPPORT POSITIONED IN FRONT OF SAID MOVABLE CONDUIT TO RECEIVE SOME OF THE FILAMENTS DISCHARGED FROM SAID MOVABLE CONDUIT, (I) AN ELEMENT POSITIONED BETWEEN SAID MOVABLE CONDUIT AND SAID SUPPORT TO ENGAGE OTHERS OF SAID FILAMENTS, AND (J) TAKE-UP MEANS ADJACENT SAID SUPPORT OPERATIVE FOR GRIPPING AND DRAWING OFF FROM SAID ELEMENT AND FROM SAID SUPPORT SAID FILAMENTS IN INTERMESHED RELATION WHEREBY THE FORM THE FLEECE.