US3773483A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Process for fibre drawing by fluid means
Assignee: Owens Corning Canada Inc
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Filing: 1972-03-24
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Granted: 1973-11-20
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Expires: 1992-03-24
Abstract
Abstract A self-starting process and apparatus are described for drawing at least one continuous fiber or monofilament through a drawing funnel with a laminar flow of a fluid (a liquid, or gas or vapour) being utilized in the initial portion of the funnel to prevent damage of the monofilament. The drawing funnel is so positioned that its inlet is at a predetermined distance from the source of the monofilament. This distance is sufficient to ensure that the monofilament is fully solidified or ''''finished'''' before a pulling force is applied thereon, generated by the friction created by the moving stream of fluid in contact with the surface of the monofilament. The rate of drawing the continuous fiber is a function of two opposing forces, a positive force effected by the friction of the moving fluid on the fiber surface, the flow having been established by a pressure differential over the length of the funnel or drawing nozzle; and a negative force dependent upon the viscosity of the material at the source, and the diameter of the calibrated orifice from which the monofilament is initially drawn. Virgin fiber is produced which has not been physically or mechanically handled during formation thereof.
Inventors
- 👤 W Schmidt
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 21:26
CPC Classifications
D; D02; D02J; D02J1/00; D02J1/22; C; C03; C03B; C03B37/00; C03B37/01; C03B37/06; D01; D01D; D01D5/00; D01D5/12; D01D5/14
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
164 words
A method of drawing a continuous fiber from a supply of heat softenable fiber forming material, comprising the steps of supplying a heat softened stream of material from the supply, developing a flow of gas through a funnel having a convergent inlet section, the gas flowing smoothly substantially free of any discontinuity into a gas flow confined in an elongated region over the length of which the gas flows with substantially constant velocity, introducing a solidified stream of said material extending from its supply into a convergent inlet section to flow within said elongated region, the convergent inlet section establishing laminar flow of said gas as well as accelerating the gas flow to a velocity above 88 meters per second but below mach 1.0 to establish a velocity differential with the gas velocity exceeding the fiber velocity; said velocity differential sustaining laminar flow in the elongated region, and attenuating the heat softened stream of material to form said continuous fiber by said velocity differential.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
164 words
A method of drawing a continuous fiber from a supply of heat softenable fiber forming material, comprising the steps of supplying a heat softened stream of material from the supply, developing a flow of gas through a funnel having a convergent inlet section, the gas flowing smoothly substantially free of any discontinuity into a gas flow confined in an elongated region over the length of which the gas flows with substantially constant velocity, introducing a solidified stream of said material extending from its supply into a convergent inlet section to flow within said elongated region, the convergent inlet section establishing laminar flow of said gas as well as accelerating the gas flow to a velocity above 88 meters per second but below mach 1.0 to establish a velocity differential with the gas velocity exceeding the fiber velocity; said velocity differential sustaining laminar flow in the elongated region, and attenuating the heat softened stream of material to form said continuous fiber by said velocity differential.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the attenuated fiber is collected as a continuous unbroken fiber.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 1, including the further step of applying a conditioner to the attenuated fiber downstream of the elongated region, said conditioner chosen from the group consisting of a sizing, a binder, a surface tension reducing agent, or a selected fiber treating agent.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the flow of gas through said funnel is developed by applying a suction to a downstream end of the funnel, thereby establishing a pressure differential over the length thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 2, wherein the gas is air and said heat softenable material is glass.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the step of introducing a solidified stream into the convergent inlet section is achieved by positioning said inlet section at a distance from about 5 inches to about 15 inches from said supply of heat softenable material.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
212 words
A self-starting method of continuously drawing an unbroken textile fiber from a supply of heat softenable fiber forming material, comprising the steps of heating the fiber forming material to heat soften the same, discharging said heat softened material as a stream through a calibrated orifice, developing a flow of gas through a funnel having a convergent inlet section, the gas flowing smoothly substantially free of an aerodyanmic discontinuities into a gas flow confined in an elongated region over the length of which the gas flows with substantially constant velocity, introducing a solidified stream of said material extending from its supply into the convergent inlet section to flow within said elongated region, the convergent inlet section establishing laminar flow of said gas as well as accelerating the gas flow to a velocity above 88 meters per second but below mach 1.0 to establish a velocity differential with the gas velocity exceeding the fiber velocity; and velocity differential sustaining laminar flow in the elongated region, and attenuating the heat softened stream of material by said velocity differential which generates and applies a frictionally developed pulling force to the fully solidified fiber in said elongated region, reducing the velocity of the flowing gas and attenuated fiber, and collecting the attenuated fiber in a predetermined form.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
212 words
A self-starting method of continuously drawing an unbroken textile fiber from a supply of heat softenable fiber forming material, comprising the steps of heating the fiber forming material to heat soften the same, discharging said heat softened material as a stream through a calibrated orifice, developing a flow of gas through a funnel having a convergent inlet section, the gas flowing smoothly substantially free of an aerodyanmic discontinuities into a gas flow confined in an elongated region over the length of which the gas flows with substantially constant velocity, introducing a solidified stream of said material extending from its supply into the convergent inlet section to flow within said elongated region, the convergent inlet section establishing laminar flow of said gas as well as accelerating the gas flow to a velocity above 88 meters per second but below mach 1.0 to establish a velocity differential with the gas velocity exceeding the fiber velocity; and velocity differential sustaining laminar flow in the elongated region, and attenuating the heat softened stream of material by said velocity differential which generates and applies a frictionally developed pulling force to the fully solidified fiber in said elongated region, reducing the velocity of the flowing gas and attenuated fiber, and collecting the attenuated fiber in a predetermined form.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 7, wherein the fiber is accelerated by the laminar air flow to effect attenuation of the heat softened stream at a velocity of about mach 0.9.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 7, wherein The gas flow is within a closed system.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
31 words
the method of claim 1 in which the laminar flow of gas is accelerated to a velocity in the range of at least 150 meters per second, but below mach 1.0.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2219346A
Cited
US3697241A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-11-19 | 1977-05-21 | 1977-11-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-11-19 | 1981-05-21 | 1981-11-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-11-19 | 1985-05-21 | 1985-11-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |