Pneumatic spreading of filaments

Claim 2

In apparatus for spreading a tow of filamentary material to form a thin tape of collimated continuous filaments, means defining a slot venturi through which the tow is passed, passage means through which air is inletted for flow through said venturi, and co-extensive, spaced plates disposed to opposite sides of said slot venturi, said plates further extending upstream and downstream of the latter and being so cooperably disposed with respect to said passage means and sad slot venturi as to direct the inletted air over said tow as it is caused to pass between said plates and through said slot venturi.

Claim 3

In apparatus for spreading a tow of filamentary graphite material to form a thin tape of substantially parallel continuous filaments, a slot venturi spreader through which the tow is passed, means for pulling the tow through the venturi of said spreader during the tow spreading operation, passage means for inletting air to said spreader, and means for establishing a laminar flow of air and for causing such air to flow through the venturi in a direction opposite the movement of tow therethrough, said last means comprising a pair of plates spaced one from the other and each disposed to an opposite side of said slot venturi, said plates being coextensive with one another along the path of movement of said tow, to regions upstream and downstream of the slot venturi, said plates further being so cooperably disposed with said passage means for inletted air as to direct inletted air across oppositely facing surfaces of said plates, thence across confronting surfaces of said plates and into the slot venturi.

Claim 4

In apparatus for spreading a tow of filamentary graphite material to form a thin tape of substantially parallel continuous filaments, a slot venturi spreader through which the tow is passed, means for pulling the tow through the venturi of said spreader during the tow spreading operation, passage means for inletting air to said spreader, and means for establishing a laminar flow of air and for causing such air to flow through the venturi in a direction opposite the movement of tow therethrough, said last means comprising a pair of plates spaced one from the other and each disposed to an opposite side of said slot venturi, said plates being coextensive with one another along the path of movement of said tow, to regions upstream and downstream of the slot venturi, said plates further being so cooperably disposed with said passage means for inletted air as to direct inletted air across oppositely facing surfaces of said plates, thence across confronting surfaces of said plates and into the slot venturi.

Claim 5

Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, and further characterized by the inclusion of an elongated housing having openings at either and thereof in provision for passage of tow therethrough, said pair of plates being spaced from one another in said housing to accommodate passage of the tow therebetween, and spaced from the housing walls to define air passages, confronting faces of said spaced pLates having means defining the slot venturi.

Claim 6

Tow spreading apparatus for use in the simultaneous fabrication of a plurality of thin tapes of parallel continuous filaments comprising: confronting wall structure defining a generally rectangular housing having a plurality of spaced, generally parallel, plates extending therethrough and defining a plurality of elongated, superposed, tow-treating modules each of which has means extending across its width and defining in said module a slot type venturi; structure defining openings in two opposed portions of said housing to accommodate movement of a tow bundle into each said module, passage of the bundle through the venturi of each module, and exit of the spread tow from the module; and means for inletting air to each module and for promoting laminar flow of such air through the venturi of the module.

Claim 7

Tow spreading apparatus for use in the simultaneous fabrication of a plurality of thin tapes of parallel continuous filaments comprising: confronting wall structure defining a generally rectangular housing having a plurality of spaced, generally parallel, plates extending therethrough and defining a plurality of elongated, superposed, tow-treating modules each of which has means extending across its width and defining in said module a slot type venturi; structure defining openings in two opposed portions of said housing to accommodate movement of a tow bundle into each said module, passage of the bundle through the venturi of each module, and exit of the spread tow from the module; and means for inletting air to each module and for promoting laminar flow of such air through the venturi of the module.

Claim 8

In a process for spreading a tow of filamentary material to form a thin tape of substantially parallel continuous filaments, the steps of: spreading and effecting partial alignment of the individual filaments of the tow by passing the tow to a first venturi type spreader while causing air to flow through the venturi of said first spreader while causing air to flow through the venturi of said first spreader in the direction of movement of tow therethrough; and collimating the individual filaments of the spread tow to form them into a smooth and regular tape the filaments of which are substantially devoid of gaps or overlaps, by passing the spread tow through a second venturi type spreader while causing air to flow through the venturi of said second spreader in a direction opposite to the movement of tow through said second spreader.

Claim 9

In a process for spreading a tow of filamentary material to form a thin tape of substantially parallel continuous filaments, the steps of: spreading and effecting partial alignment of the individual filaments of the tow by passing the tow to a first venturi type spreader while causing air to flow through the venturi of said first spreader while causing air to flow through the venturi of said first spreader in the direction of movement of tow therethrough; and collimating the individual filaments of the spread tow to form them into a smooth and regular tape the filaments of which are substantially devoid of gaps or overlaps, by passing the spread tow through a second venturi type spreader while causing air to flow through the venturi of said second spreader in a direction opposite to the movement of tow through said second spreader.

Claim 10

For use in apparatus for spreading a tow of graphite filaments caused to move along the line of length of such filaments to form a thin tape of substantially parallel continuous filaments: a first slot type venturi spreader for fluffing and effecting partial alignment of the individual filaments of tow as it is moved therethrough; means providing for flow of air to the venturi of said first spreader in the direction of movement of the tow therethrough; means disposed to receive the fluffed tow as it is moved from said first spreader and for collimating its individual filaments to form them into a smooth and regular tape the filaments of which are substantially devoid of gaps or angular overlaps, said last means comprising a second slot venturi spreader through which the tow is moved; and means providing for flow of air through the venturi of said second spreader in a direction opposite to the movement of tow through said second spreader.

Claim 11

For use in apparatus for spreading a tow of graphite filaments caused to move along the line of length of such filaments to form a thin tape of substantially parallel continuous filaments: a first slot type venturi spreader for fluffing and effecting partial alignment of the individual filaments of tow as it is moved therethrough; means providing for flow of air to the venturi of said first spreader in the direction of movement of the tow therethrough; means disposed to receive the fluffed tow as it is moved from said first spreader and for collimating its individual filaments to form them into a smooth and regular tape the filaments of which are substantially devoid of gaps or angular overlaps, said last means comprising a second slot venturi spreader through which the tow is moved; and means providing for flow of air through the venturi of said second spreader in a direction opposite to the movement of tow through said second spreader.