Apparatus for forming multi-component fibers

Claim 1

A SPINNERETTE ASSEMBLY COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION; (A) A SPINNERETTE HOLDER INCLUDING MEANS TO SECURE THERETO A PLURALITY OF PLATES DISPOSED IN A STACK ACCURATELY POSITIONED WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER; (B) A SPINNERETTE MOUNTED IN SAID SPINNERETTE HOLDER, SAID SPINNERETTE HAVING A PLURALITY OF ORIFICES DISPOSED IN AT LEAST ONE ROW IN THE FACE THEREOF; (C) A SPACER PLATE MOUNTED IN SAID SPINNERETTE HOLDER ADJACENT SAID SPINNERETTE, SAID SPACER PLATE HAVING AT LEAST ONE SPACER SLOT, EACH SUCH SPACER SLOT BEING POSITIONED ADJACENT AND COMMUNICATING WITH A CORRESPONDING ROW OF SPINNERETTE ORIFICES AND BEING OF A LENGTH AT LEAST AS LONG AS ITS CORRESPONDING ROW OF SPINNERETTE ORIFICES; (D) A DISTRIBUTOR PLATE MOUNTED IN SAID SPINNERETTE HOLDER ADJACENT SAID SPACER PLATE, SAID DISTRIBUTOR PLATE HAVING A PLURALITY OF ELONGATED DISTRIBUTION SLOTS DIVIDED INTO A FIRST GROUP AND A SECOND GROUP AND HAVING A SEPTUM BETWEEN EACH ADJACENT PAIR OF DISTRIBUTION SLOTS; ONE FROM EACH GROUP, POSITIONED IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT A CORRESPONDING SPACER SLOT, SAID SEPTUM BEING COEXTENSIVE WITH BUT NARROWER THAN ITS ASSOCIATED SPACER SLOT AND ALIGNED WITH ITS CORRESPONDING ROW OF SPINNERETTE ORIFICES; AND (E) MEANS TO SUPPLY A FIRST SPINNING SOLUTION TO THE DISTRIBUTION SLOTS IN SAID FIRST GROUP AND A SECOND SPINNING SOLUTION TO THE DISTRIBUTION SLOTS OF SAID SECOND GROUP.