Fiberizing and pad forming apparatus

Claim 2

Apparatus for fiberizing a sheet of wet-pressed, pulp fibers into individual fibers and forming individual, spaced-apart pads of such fibers; said apparatus comprising: generally enclosed, stationary chamber means having an open bottom and a slot in an upper portion thereof to receive a sheet of wet-pressed pulp fibers; rotatably mounted and driven fiberizing means mounted in the upper portion of said chamber means for contacting the sheet of wet-pressed pulp fibers and fiberizing the sheet into substantially individual fibers; driven, longitudinally moving conveyor belt means having longitudinally-spaced groups of small perforations therein along the length thereof corresponding to the desired configuration and spacing of the fiber pads being formed and being positioned for movement along said open bottom end of said chamber means directly below said fiberizing means and cooperating with said chamber means for forming an enclosed pad forming area in a lower portion of said chamber means and for receiving the fiberized fibers on its upper surface and conveying the fiberized fibers out of said chamber means; and stationary vacuum means positioned at the lower surface of said belt means and directly below said chamber means for creating a vacuum through said groups of perforations in said moving belt means for causing said fibers to be pulled to said groups of perforations to form individual, spaced-apart pads on said moving belt means over said groups of perforations and within said lower portion of said chamber means for being conveyed by said belt means out of said chamber means after formation thereof.

Claim 3

Apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, further including air conduit means connected to opposed longitudinal ends of said lower portion of said chamber means for creating a flow of turbulent air through said lower portion of said chamber means in a longitudinal direction opposite to the movement of said belt means to cause the fiberized fibers to settle on said moving belt means substantially only over said groups of perforations and to pick up and remove the fiberized fibers settling in the spaces between said groups of perforations and re-circulate these fibers to said pad forming area of said chamber means.

Claim 4

Apparatus, as set forth in claim 2, in which said air conduit means comprises a continuous, elongate, enclosed conduit having opposite open ends connected with the opposed longitudinal ends of said lower portion of said chamber means and a fan means interposed in said conduit intermediate said ends for creating a positive air stream through a portion of said conduit and out of one of said ends and into said chamber means and a negative air stream through another portion of said conduit and into the otHer of said ends from said chamber means.

Claim 5

Apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, in which said fiberizing means comprises a generally cylindrical-shaped roll having teeth around the outer circumference thereof for contacting the sheet of wet-pressed, pulp fibers and breaking the sheet into substantially individual fibers.

Claim 6

Apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, further including a pair of driven nip rolls positioned adjacent said sheet receiving slot in said chamber means for receiving the sheet of wet-pressed pulp fibers therebetween and feeding the sheet into said chamber means.

Claim 7

Apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, further including a driven roll mounted in a front portion of said chamber means adjacent the top surface of said conveyor belt means and rotating in the longitudinal direction of movement of said conveyor belt for cooperation with said chamber means and belt means for enclosing said pad forming area and for cooperating with said belt means for conveying the pads out of said chamber means.

Claim 8

Apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, in which said conveyor belt means comprises an endless belt and a pair of driven rolls positioned within said belt at each end thereof for carrying and driving said belt, and in which said belt includes additional spaced perforations extending along the longitudinal edges thereof and one of said rolls includes spaced projections extending outwardly around the circumference thereof at each end thereof for mating with said additional perforation in said belt for synchronizing the speed of said belt with the speed of said roll.

Claim 9

Apparatus for forming individual, spaced-apart pads of fibers; said apparatus comprising: generally enclosed, stationary chamber means having an open bottom; means for supplying individual fibers into an upper portion of said chamber means; driven, longitudinally moving conveyor belt means having longitudinally-spaced groups of small perforations therein along the length thereof corresponding to the desired configuration and spacing of the fiber pads being formed and being positioned for movement along said open bottom end of said chamber means and cooperating with said chamber means for forming an enclosed pad forming area in a lower portion of said chamber means and for receiving the individual fibers on its upper surface and conveying the individual fibers out of said chamber means; stationary vacuum means positioned at the lower surface of said belt means and directly below said chamber means for creating a vacuum through said groups of perforations in said moving belt means for causing said fibers to be pulled to said groups of perforations to form individual, spaced-apart pads on said moving belt means over said groups of perforations and within said lower portion of said chamber means for being conveyed by said belt means out of said chamber means after formation thereof; and air conduit means connected to opposed longitudinal ends of said lower portion of said chamber means for creating a flow of turbulent air through said lower portion of said chamber means in a longitudinal direction opposite to the movement of said belt means to cause the individual fibers to settle on said moving belt means substantially only over said groups of perforations and to pick up and remove the fiberized fibers settling in the spaces between said groups of perforations and re-circulate these fibers to said pad forming area of said chamber means.

Claim 10

Apparatus for forming individual, spaced-apart pads of fibers; said apparatus comprising: generally enclosed, stationary chamber means having an open bottom; means for supplying individual fibers into an upper portion of said chamber means; driven, longitudinally moving conveyor belt means having longitudinally-spaced groups of small perforations therein along the length thereof corresponding to the desired configuration and spacing of the fiber pads being formed and being positioned for movement along said open bottom end of said chamber means and cooperating with said chamber means for forming an enclosed pad forming area in a lower portion of said chamber means and for receiving the individual fibers on its upper surface and conveying the individual fibers out of said chamber means; stationary vacuum means positioned at the lower surface of said belt means and directly below said chamber means for creating a vacuum through said groups of perforations in said moving belt means for causing said fibers to be pulled to said groups of perforations to form individual, spaced-apart pads on said moving belt means over said groups of perforations and within said lower portion of said chamber means for being conveyed by said belt means out of said chamber means after formation thereof; and air conduit means connected to opposed longitudinal ends of said lower portion of said chamber means for creating a flow of turbulent air through said lower portion of said chamber means in a longitudinal direction opposite to the movement of said belt means to cause the individual fibers to settle on said moving belt means substantially only over said groups of perforations and to pick up and remove the fiberized fibers settling in the spaces between said groups of perforations and re-circulate these fibers to said pad forming area of said chamber means.

Claim 11

Apparatus, as set forth in claim 8, in which said air conduit means comprises a continuous, elongate, enclosed conduit having opposite ends connected with the opposed longitudinal ends of said lower portion of said chamber means and a fan means interposed in said conduit intermediate said ends for creating a positive air stream through a portion of said conduit and out of one of said ends and into said chamber means and negative air stream through another portion of said conduit and into the other of said ends from said chamber meanS.

Claim 12

Apparatus, as set forth in claim 8, further including a driven roll mounted in a front portion of said chamber means adjacent the top surface of said conveyor belt means and rotating in the longitudinal direction of movement of said conveyor belt means for cooperation with said chamber means and said belt means for enclosing said pad forming area and for cooperating with said belt means for conveying the pads out of said chamber means.

Claim 13

Apparatus, as set forth in claim 8, in which said conveyor belt means comprises an endless belt and a pair of driven rolls positioned within said belt at each end thereof for carrying and driving said belt, and in which said belt includes additional spaced perforations extending along the longitudinal edges thereof and one of said rolls includes spaced projections extending outwardly around the circumference thereof at each end thereof for mating with said additional perforation in said belt for synchronizing the speed of said belt with the speed of said roll.