Patent US3760458A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3760458A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method and means for strand filament dispersal
Assignee: Owens Corning
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Filing: 1971-11-22
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Granted: 1973-09-25
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Expires: 1991-11-22
Abstract
Abstract A method and means for the production of fibrous strand mats by collecting multi-filament strands in mat-like form, flooding the mat with a liquid to overcome forces holding filaments together in a strand, retaining the mat in the flooded condition for a predetermined interval, and removing excess liquid from the collection after the filaments are dispersed.
Inventors
- 👤 R Pitt
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 22:16
CPC Classifications
D; D04; D04H; D04H3/00; D04H3/02; D04H3/03
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
159 words
A method for the production of a mat-like collection of filaments wherein the orientation of the filaments is controlled comprising the steps of a. providing multi-filament strands in an unwoven mat-like form on a moving surface, b. flooding said mat-like collection on said moving sUrface with a liquid to overcome forces holding filaments together in a strand, c. creating stream flow of said liquid through said flooded area in the same direction with and at substantially the same rate as said mat-like collection is moving through said flooded area to avoid disorientation of said strands from their positions in said mat-like collection on said surface, d. retaining said mat-like collection in said flooded condition for an interval until filaments of the strands are dispersed within the general orientation of said strands on said surface, and e. removing excess liquid from the mat-like collection after said filaments are dispersed to provide a mat-like collection of oriented filaments on said surface.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
159 words
A method for the production of a mat-like collection of filaments wherein the orientation of the filaments is controlled comprising the steps of a. providing multi-filament strands in an unwoven mat-like form on a moving surface, b. flooding said mat-like collection on said moving sUrface with a liquid to overcome forces holding filaments together in a strand, c. creating stream flow of said liquid through said flooded area in the same direction with and at substantially the same rate as said mat-like collection is moving through said flooded area to avoid disorientation of said strands from their positions in said mat-like collection on said surface, d. retaining said mat-like collection in said flooded condition for an interval until filaments of the strands are dispersed within the general orientation of said strands on said surface, and e. removing excess liquid from the mat-like collection after said filaments are dispersed to provide a mat-like collection of oriented filaments on said surface.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
50 words
A method as defined in claim 1 in which said excess liquid removal step includes draining said excess liquid through said mat-like collection to cause said dispersed filaments to be carried in a hole-seeking flow of said draining liquid through said mat-like collection to remove voids in said mat-like collection.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method as defined in claim 1 in which said stream flow creating step includes adding liquid across an initial portion of said flooded area to replace the liquid carried out of said flooded area by said mat-like collection.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
154 words
A method for the production of a mat-like collection of individual glass fibers wherein the orientation of the fibers within the collection is controlled, comprising the steps of a. depositing multi-filament strands of glass fibers on a collection surface in a mat-like form, b. flooding said mat-like form on said collection surface with a liquid without disturbing the general orientation of the glass fiber strands in the mat-like form. c. retaining said mat-like form in said flooded condition for an interval until fibers of the strands are dispersed from each other within the general orientation of the strands in the mat-like form, and d. removing excess liquid from the mat-like form after said fibers are dispersed by draining said liquid through said mat-like form and said collection surface to cause individual fibers to be carried in a hole-seeking flow of said draining liquid through said mat-like form to remove voids in said mat-like form.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
154 words
A method for the production of a mat-like collection of individual glass fibers wherein the orientation of the fibers within the collection is controlled, comprising the steps of a. depositing multi-filament strands of glass fibers on a collection surface in a mat-like form, b. flooding said mat-like form on said collection surface with a liquid without disturbing the general orientation of the glass fiber strands in the mat-like form. c. retaining said mat-like form in said flooded condition for an interval until fibers of the strands are dispersed from each other within the general orientation of the strands in the mat-like form, and d. removing excess liquid from the mat-like form after said fibers are dispersed by draining said liquid through said mat-like form and said collection surface to cause individual fibers to be carried in a hole-seeking flow of said draining liquid through said mat-like form to remove voids in said mat-like form.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
175 words
Apparatus for the production of a mat-like collection of individual glass fibers wherein the orientation of the fibers within the collection is controlled, comprising a. an element having a foraminous collection surface, b. means providing multi-filament strands of glass fibers in an unwoven mat-like form on said collection surface, c. means for flooding said mat-like form on said collection surface with a liquid without disturbing the orientation of the glass fiber strands in the mat-like form and for retaining said mat-like form in said flooded condition until fibers of the strands are dispersed from each other within the general orientation of the strands in the mat-like form including means for moving said element having a foraminous collection surface into and out of a flooding area, and d. means for removing excess liquid from the mat-like form after said fibers are dispersed by draining said liquid through said mat-like form and said foraminous collection surface causing individual fibers to be carried in a hole-seeking flow of said draining liquid to remove voids in said mat-like form.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
175 words
Apparatus for the production of a mat-like collection of individual glass fibers wherein the orientation of the fibers within the collection is controlled, comprising a. an element having a foraminous collection surface, b. means providing multi-filament strands of glass fibers in an unwoven mat-like form on said collection surface, c. means for flooding said mat-like form on said collection surface with a liquid without disturbing the orientation of the glass fiber strands in the mat-like form and for retaining said mat-like form in said flooded condition until fibers of the strands are dispersed from each other within the general orientation of the strands in the mat-like form including means for moving said element having a foraminous collection surface into and out of a flooding area, and d. means for removing excess liquid from the mat-like form after said fibers are dispersed by draining said liquid through said mat-like form and said foraminous collection surface causing individual fibers to be carried in a hole-seeking flow of said draining liquid to remove voids in said mat-like form.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
218 words
A method for the production of fibrous strand mats comprising the steps of a. collecting multifilament strands in an unwoven mat-like form on a surface, b. flooding said mat-like collection on said surface with a liquid to overcome forces holding filaments together in a strand, said flooding including conveying said mat-like collection on said surface through an area flooded with said liquid, c. flowing said liquid through said flooded area in the same direction with and at substantially the same rate as said mat-like collection is conveyed through said flooded area to avoid disorientation of sAid strands from the positions in said mat-like collection, d. retaining said mat-like collection in said flooded condition for an interval until filaments of the strands are dispersed within the general orientation of said strands on said surface, e. adding an impingement of liquid to said flowing liquid and flooded mat-like collection after said collection has traveled a distance through said flooded area, said liquid impingement being distributed evenly across said advancing mat-like collection and having a relatively different velocity than said mat-like collection and the accompanying flowing liquid to further disperse said filaments, and f. removing excess liquid from the mat-like collection after said filaments are dispersed to hold said filaments in their dispersed positions in the mat-like collection on said surface.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
218 words
A method for the production of fibrous strand mats comprising the steps of a. collecting multifilament strands in an unwoven mat-like form on a surface, b. flooding said mat-like collection on said surface with a liquid to overcome forces holding filaments together in a strand, said flooding including conveying said mat-like collection on said surface through an area flooded with said liquid, c. flowing said liquid through said flooded area in the same direction with and at substantially the same rate as said mat-like collection is conveyed through said flooded area to avoid disorientation of sAid strands from the positions in said mat-like collection, d. retaining said mat-like collection in said flooded condition for an interval until filaments of the strands are dispersed within the general orientation of said strands on said surface, e. adding an impingement of liquid to said flowing liquid and flooded mat-like collection after said collection has traveled a distance through said flooded area, said liquid impingement being distributed evenly across said advancing mat-like collection and having a relatively different velocity than said mat-like collection and the accompanying flowing liquid to further disperse said filaments, and f. removing excess liquid from the mat-like collection after said filaments are dispersed to hold said filaments in their dispersed positions in the mat-like collection on said surface.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
46 words
A method as defined in claim 6 in which said impingement liquid adding step includes providing said impingement of liquid with a relatively higher velocity than said flooding liquid, the velocity having a greater vector substantially parallel to the direction of flow of said flooding liquid.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
137 words
Apparatus for the production of glass fiber strand mats having filaments of said strands dispersed comprising a. an element having a strand receiving surface, b. means providing multi-filament glass fiber strands in an unwoven mat-like form on said surface, c. means for flooding said mat-like form on said surface with a liquid to overcome forces holding filaments together in strand form, d. means for maintaining said mat-like form in said flooded condition for an interval, e. means for adding additional liquid to impinge upon said flooded strands to further disperse said filaments, and f. means for draining excess liquid through said mat-like form and said surface after dispersal of said filaments to cause dispersed filaments to be carried in a hole-seeking flow of said liquid draining through said mat-like form to remove voids in said mat-like form.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
137 words
Apparatus for the production of glass fiber strand mats having filaments of said strands dispersed comprising a. an element having a strand receiving surface, b. means providing multi-filament glass fiber strands in an unwoven mat-like form on said surface, c. means for flooding said mat-like form on said surface with a liquid to overcome forces holding filaments together in strand form, d. means for maintaining said mat-like form in said flooded condition for an interval, e. means for adding additional liquid to impinge upon said flooded strands to further disperse said filaments, and f. means for draining excess liquid through said mat-like form and said surface after dispersal of said filaments to cause dispersed filaments to be carried in a hole-seeking flow of said liquid draining through said mat-like form to remove voids in said mat-like form.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
168 words
Apparatus for the production of glass fiber strands mats having filaments on said strands dispersed comprising a. an element having a strand receiving surface, b. means providing multi-filament glass fiber strands in an unwoven mat-like form on said surface, c. means for flooding said mat-like form on said surface with a liquid to overcome forces holding filaments together in strand form including means for moving said mat-like form and said element through said liquid, d. means for maintaining said mat-like form in said flooded condition for an interval, e. means for adding liquid to said flooded mat-like form to create a stream flow of said liquid in the same direction and at substantially the same rate of movement as said conveyed mat-like form, and f. means for draining excess liquid through said mat-like form and said surface after dispersal of said filaments to cause dispersed filaments to be carried in a hole-seeking flow of said liquid draining through said mat-like form to remove voids in said mat-like form.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
168 words
Apparatus for the production of glass fiber strands mats having filaments on said strands dispersed comprising a. an element having a strand receiving surface, b. means providing multi-filament glass fiber strands in an unwoven mat-like form on said surface, c. means for flooding said mat-like form on said surface with a liquid to overcome forces holding filaments together in strand form including means for moving said mat-like form and said element through said liquid, d. means for maintaining said mat-like form in said flooded condition for an interval, e. means for adding liquid to said flooded mat-like form to create a stream flow of said liquid in the same direction and at substantially the same rate of movement as said conveyed mat-like form, and f. means for draining excess liquid through said mat-like form and said surface after dispersal of said filaments to cause dispersed filaments to be carried in a hole-seeking flow of said liquid draining through said mat-like form to remove voids in said mat-like form.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
37 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 9 in which said liquid adding means includes weir means located above said mat-like form to distribute said liquid evenly across said mat-like form as it is conveyed beneath said weir means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
40 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 9 which further includes means for adding additional liquid to said flooded mat-like form at a spaced distance from said first-mentioned liquid adding means to impinge upon said flooded strands to cause further filament dispersal.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
37 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 11 in which said second-mentioned liquid adding means comprises a weir means positioned to add liquid evenly across said flooded strands as the strands are conveyed past said second-mentioned liquid adding means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 12 which further includes means for controlling the velocity and direction of said second-mentioned liquid.
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) | 1976-09-24 | 1977-03-26 | 1977-09-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-09-24 | 1981-03-26 | 1981-09-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-09-24 | 1985-03-26 | 1985-09-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |