US3744091A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Mat forming apparatus for fiber web forming machine
Assignee: Curlator Corp
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Filing: 1970-12-21
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Granted: 1973-07-10
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Expires: 1990-12-21
Abstract
Abstract This machine includes a moving condenser and an undercarriage having a solid plate confronting a part of the perimeter of the condenser. The condenser may be a rotating foraminous screen, or an endless foraminous belt. There is a duct inside the condenser, through which air is sucked to draw fibers onto the screen, and an adjustable baffle for determining the effective area of this duct. Fibers are sucked into the space between the plate and condenser by the air flowing through the condenser and compacted into a web by the moving condenser. In one embodiment of the invention an air intake box and an adjustable flap increase the stripping action on the pins of an apron in a feed hopper to deliver fibers between the undercarriage and condenser. In this embodiment also means is provided for varying the throat opening of the air bridge which carries the fibers from this apron between undercarriage and condenser. In another embodiment of the invention, to control the mat thickness the undercarriage is bodily adjustable relative to the condenser which here is an endless screen belt.
Inventors
- 👤 D Wood
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 12:56
CPC Classifications
D; D01; D01G; D01G23/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
132 words
A fiber feed mechanism comprising a hopper, an elevating apron movably mounted in said hopper and carrying pins for picking up tufts of fibers from said hopper and carrying said tufts upwardly, a movable foraminous condenser, a solid, imperforate undercarriage confronting said condenser and spaced therefrom, means for sucking air over pins on the ascending reach of said apron, during upward travel thereof, and into the space between said condenser and undercarriage and through said condenser to deliver fibers into said space and deposit them on said condenser, and means for adjustably varying the area at the entering end of said space, said varying means comprising two cooperating plates, each pivoted at one end, and having their opposite ends overlapping, the pivotal axes of said two plates being spaced from one another.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
132 words
A fiber feed mechanism comprising a hopper, an elevating apron movably mounted in said hopper and carrying pins for picking up tufts of fibers from said hopper and carrying said tufts upwardly, a movable foraminous condenser, a solid, imperforate undercarriage confronting said condenser and spaced therefrom, means for sucking air over pins on the ascending reach of said apron, during upward travel thereof, and into the space between said condenser and undercarriage and through said condenser to deliver fibers into said space and deposit them on said condenser, and means for adjustably varying the area at the entering end of said space, said varying means comprising two cooperating plates, each pivoted at one end, and having their opposite ends overlapping, the pivotal axes of said two plates being spaced from one another.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
172 words
a fiber feed mechanism comprising a hopper, an elevating apron movably mounted in said hopper and carrying pins for picking up tufts of fibers from said hopper and carrying said tufts upwardly, a movable foraminous condenser, a solid, imperforate undercarriage confronting said condenser and spaced therefrom, means for sucking air over pins on the ascending reach of said apron, during upward travel thereof, and into the space between said condenser and undercarriage and through said condenser to deliver fibers into said space and deposit them on said condenser, and means for adjustably varying the area at the entering end of said space, an air intake box mounted on said hopper to deliver air from the outside to a point above said apron, whereby said sucking means draws air also from said box over the top of said apron and into the space between said condenser and said undercarriage, said condenser being an endless screen belt, said undercarriage confronting one reach of said belt, and being pivotal toward and from said one reach.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
172 words
a fiber feed mechanism comprising a hopper, an elevating apron movably mounted in said hopper and carrying pins for picking up tufts of fibers from said hopper and carrying said tufts upwardly, a movable foraminous condenser, a solid, imperforate undercarriage confronting said condenser and spaced therefrom, means for sucking air over pins on the ascending reach of said apron, during upward travel thereof, and into the space between said condenser and undercarriage and through said condenser to deliver fibers into said space and deposit them on said condenser, and means for adjustably varying the area at the entering end of said space, an air intake box mounted on said hopper to deliver air from the outside to a point above said apron, whereby said sucking means draws air also from said box over the top of said apron and into the space between said condenser and said undercarriage, said condenser being an endless screen belt, said undercarriage confronting one reach of said belt, and being pivotal toward and from said one reach.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
58 words
A fiber feed mechanism as claimed in claim 2, wherein a tube is mounted within said belt, and said means for sucking air is connected to said tube to suck air through an opening in said tube to cause fibers to be drawn into the space between said undercarriage and said one reach and onto said one reach.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
A fiber feed mechanism as claimed in claim 3, wherein a flexible bafflE is mounted on said tube to control the effective area of the opening in said tube.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
42 words
A fiber feed mechanism as claimed in claim 4, wherein the last-named flexible baffle is a flexible curtain wound at one end around a rod which is external of said duct and positioned to be drawn over the opening in said duct.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
170 words
A fiber feed mechanism comprising a hopper, an upwardly inclined endless elevating apron movably mounted in said hopper and carrying pins for picking up tufts of fibers from said hopper and carrying said tufts upwardly, a movable foraminate condenser, a fixed, solid, imperforate arcuately curved undercarriage confronting said condenser and spaced therefrom and extending partway around said condenser, a duct extending from the ascending reach of said apron under said condenser, said condenser forming part of the upper wall of said duct, means for sucking air over pins on the ascending reach of said apron, during upward travel thereof and over the top of said apron and into said duct in the space between said condenser and undercarriage and through said condenser to deliver fibers into said space and deposit them on said condenser, and means adjacent said carriage forming another part of the lower wall of said duct, and means for adjusting the latter part of said duct to vary the area at the entering end of said duct.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
170 words
A fiber feed mechanism comprising a hopper, an upwardly inclined endless elevating apron movably mounted in said hopper and carrying pins for picking up tufts of fibers from said hopper and carrying said tufts upwardly, a movable foraminate condenser, a fixed, solid, imperforate arcuately curved undercarriage confronting said condenser and spaced therefrom and extending partway around said condenser, a duct extending from the ascending reach of said apron under said condenser, said condenser forming part of the upper wall of said duct, means for sucking air over pins on the ascending reach of said apron, during upward travel thereof and over the top of said apron and into said duct in the space between said condenser and undercarriage and through said condenser to deliver fibers into said space and deposit them on said condenser, and means adjacent said carriage forming another part of the lower wall of said duct, and means for adjusting the latter part of said duct to vary the area at the entering end of said duct.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
115 words
A fiber feed mechanism as claimed in claim 6, wherein an air intake box is mounted on said hopper to deliver air from the outside, an arcuate wall confronts the upper end of said elevating apron and forms the upper wall of a duct to receive air from said intake box and conduct this air across the pins when they attain their topmost position in the ascending reach of said apron, whereby said sucking means draws air also from said box over the top of said apron and into the space between said condenser and said undercarriage, the lower wall of the last-named duct being formed in part by the upper end of said apron.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-07-09 | 1977-01-08 | 1977-07-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-07-09 | 1981-01-08 | 1981-07-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-07-09 | 1985-01-08 | 1985-07-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |