Apparatus for producing fibrous material

Claim 2

Apparatus for producing filaments from heat-softened filament forming material comprising: means for containing heat-softened filament forming material including a wall and a row of orificed projections extending from the wall for emitting streams of heat-softened filament forming material for attenuation into filaments; and means for attenuating the streams into filaments, such attenuating means tending to cause movement of air across the row during attenuation, the orificed projections having thicker wall portions at their windward sides to resist the erosive effect of air movement across the row during attenuation.

Claim 3

Apparatus for producing filaments from heat-softened filament forming material comprising: a container for holding heat-softened filament forming material, a row of orificed projections extending from a wall of the container for emitting streams of heat-softened filament forming material for attenuation into filaments; and means for attenuating the streams into filaments, such attenuating means tending to cause movement of air across the row during attenuation, the orificed projections having thicker wall portions at their windward sides to resist the erosive effect of air movement across the row during attenuation.

Claim 4

Apparatus for producing filaments from heat-softened filament forming material comprising: a container for holding heat-softened filament forming material, a row of orificed projections extending from a wall of the container for emitting streams of heat-softened filament forming material for attenuation into filaments; and means for attenuating the streams into filaments, such attenuating means tending to cause movement of air across the row during attenuation, the orificed projections having thicker wall portions at their windward sides to resist the erosive effect of air movement across the row during attenuation.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 2 in which the means for attenuating the streams into filaments is a blower means.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 3 in which each of the thicker wall portions have the same thickness.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 4 in which the orificed projections extend downwardly from the bottom wall of the container.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 5 in which the projections have an elongated transverse cross section.

Claim 9

Apparatus for producing filaments from heat-softened filament forming material comprising: a container for holding heat-softened filament forming material, orificed projections extending from a wall of the container for emitting streams of heat-softened filament forming material for attenuation into filaments, the orificed projections forming two adjacent rows; and means for attenuating the streams into filaments, such attenuating means tending to cause movement of air across each of the rows towards the other during attenuation, the orificed projections in each of the rows having thicker wall portions at their windward sides to resist the erosive effect of air movement during attenuation.

Claim 10

Apparatus for producing filaments from heat-softened filament forming material comprising: a container for holding heat-softened filament forming material, orificed projections extending from a wall of the container for emitting streams of heat-softened filament forming material for attenuation into filaments, the orificed projections forming two adjacent rows; and means for attenuating the streams into filaments, such attenuating means tending to cause movement of air across each of the rows towards the other during attenuation, the orificed projections in each of the rows having thicker wall portions at their windward sides to resist the erosive effect of air movement during attenuation.

Claim 11

Apparatus for producing filaments from heat-softened filament forming material comprising: a container for holding heat-softened filament forming material, orificed projections extending from a wall of the container for emitting streams of heat-softened filament forming material for attenuation into filaments, the orificed projections forming two adjacent rows, the projections in each of the rows being offset with corresponding projections in the other row; and blower means for supplying a gaseous blast effective to attenuate the streams into filaments, such blower means causing movement of air across each of the rows towards the other during attenuation, the orificed projections in each of the rows having thicker wall portions at their windward sides to resist the erosive effect of air movement during attenuation.

Claim 12

Apparatus for producing filaments from heat-softened filament forming material comprising: a container for holding heat-softened filament forming material, orificed projections extending from a wall of the container for emitting streams of heat-softened filament forming material for attenuation into filaments, the orificed projections forming two adjacent rows, the projections in each of the rows being offset with corresponding projections in the other row; and blower means for supplying a gaseous blast effective to attenuate the streams into filaments, such blower means causing movement of air across each of the rows towards the other during attenuation, the orificed projections in each of the rows having thicker wall portions at their windward sides to resist the erosive effect of air movement during attenuation.

Claim 13

Apparatus of claim 8 in which the orificed projections have elongated transverse cross sections disposed with their lengthwise dimensions extending in a direction towards the other row.

Claim 14

Apparatus of claim 9 in which the orifice outlets of the projections in each of the rows are offset lengthwise of their transverse cross sections towards the other row.

Claim 15

Apparatus of claim 8 in which the rows are spaced apart.

Claim 16

Apparatus of claim 8 in which the rows are intermingled.

Claim 17

Apparatus of claim 8 in which the rows are straight.

Claim 18

Apparatus for producing glass filament comprising: a container for holding molten glass, orificed projections extending downwardly from the bottom wall of the container for emitting streams of molten glass for attenuation into filaments, the orificed projections forming two spaced apart parallel straight rows, the projections in each of the rows being offset with corresponding projections in the other row; and blower means spaced below the container for supplying gaseous blasts effective to attenuate filaments downwardly from the streams, the gaseous blasts causing a flow of air across each of the rows towards the other row during attenuation of the filaments, the offset projections in each of the rows have elongated transverse cross sections, each of the offset projections being disposed with its lengthwise cross sectional dimension extending in a direction towards the other row and having its orifice outlet offset towards the other row to provide a thicker wall portion at its windward side to resist the erosive effects of the air movement.

Claim 19

Apparatus for producing glass filament comprising: a container for holding molten glass, orificed projections extending downwardly from the bottom wall of the container for emitting streams of molten glass for attenuation into filaments, the orificed projections forming two spaced apart parallel straight rows, the projections in each of the rows being offset with corresponding projections in the other row; and blower means spaced below the container for supplying gaseous blasts effective to attenuate filaments downwardly from the streams, the gaseous blasts causing a flow of air across each of the rows towards the other row during attenuation of the filaments, the offset projections in each of the rows have elongated transverse cross sections, each of the offset projections being disposed with its lengthwise cross sectional dimension extending in a direction towards the other row and having its orifice outlet offset towards the other row to provide a thicker wall portion at its windward side to resist the erosive effects of the air movement.

Claim 20

Apparatus of claim 14 in which the transverse cross sections of the orificed projections are oval.

Claim 21

Apparatus of claim 15 in which the orificed projections extend normally away from the bottom wall.

Claim 22

Apparatus of claim 16 in which the individual passageways through the individual orificed projections extend in a direction parallel to the axes of projection of their projections.

Claim 23

Apparatus of claim 17 in which the passageways of the orificed projections are offset on the longitudinal axes of the transverse cross sections of such projections.

Claim 24

Apparatus for producing filaments from heat-softened filament forming material comprising: a container for holding heat-softeNed filament forming material, orificed projections extending from a wall of the container for emitting streams of heat-softened filament forming material for attenuation into filaments, the orificed projections forming two adjacent rows, the projections in each of the rows being offset with corresponding projections in the other row; and blower means for supplying a gaseous blast effective to attenuate the streams into filaments, such blower means causing high energy air flow across each of the rows towards the other row during attenuation, the orificed projections in each of the rows having thicker wall portions at their windward sides to resist the erosive effect of air movement during attenuation, the orificed projections being of sufficient size and spaced relationship within each of the rows and the surfaces of the bottom wall and the projections being sufficiently wetable by the molten glass to promote formation of the bridge of molten glass between immediately adjacent orificed projections within each row effective to obstruct the movement of the air across the rows during attenuation.

Claim 25

Apparatus for producing filaments from heat-softened filament forming material comprising: a container for holding heat-softeNed filament forming material, orificed projections extending from a wall of the container for emitting streams of heat-softened filament forming material for attenuation into filaments, the orificed projections forming two adjacent rows, the projections in each of the rows being offset with corresponding projections in the other row; and blower means for supplying a gaseous blast effective to attenuate the streams into filaments, such blower means causing high energy air flow across each of the rows towards the other row during attenuation, the orificed projections in each of the rows having thicker wall portions at their windward sides to resist the erosive effect of air movement during attenuation, the orificed projections being of sufficient size and spaced relationship within each of the rows and the surfaces of the bottom wall and the projections being sufficiently wetable by the molten glass to promote formation of the bridge of molten glass between immediately adjacent orificed projections within each row effective to obstruct the movement of the air across the rows during attenuation.

Claim 26

Apparatus for producing filaments from heat-softened filament forming material comprising: a container for holding heat-softened filament forming material, orificed projections extending from a wall of the container for emitting streams of heat-softened filament forming material for attenuation into filaments, the orificed projections forming two adjacent rows, the projections in each of the rows being offset with corresponding projections in the other row; and blower means for supplying a gaseous blast effective to attenuate the streams into filaments, such blower means causing high energy air flow across each of the rows towards the other row during attenuation, the orificed projections in each of the rows having thicker wall portions at their windward sides to resist the erosive effect of air movement during attenuation, bridging means between immediately adjacent orificed projections within each row effective together with the projections to obstruct the movement of the air across the rows during attenuation.

Claim 27

Apparatus for producing filaments from heat-softened filament forming material comprising: a container for holding heat-softened filament forming material, orificed projections extending from a wall of the container for emitting streams of heat-softened filament forming material for attenuation into filaments, the orificed projections forming two adjacent rows, the projections in each of the rows being offset with corresponding projections in the other row; and blower means for supplying a gaseous blast effective to attenuate the streams into filaments, such blower means causing high energy air flow across each of the rows towards the other row during attenuation, the orificed projections in each of the rows having thicker wall portions at their windward sides to resist the erosive effect of air movement during attenuation, bridging means between immediately adjacent orificed projections within each row effective together with the projections to obstruct the movement of the air across the rows during attenuation.