Fiber toration; method and equipment

Claim 2

Equipment for making glass fibers comprising means for establishing a gaseous blast, a plurality of fiberizing centers associated with said blast including means for supplying molten glass to the region of the boundary of the blast and each fiberizing center further including means for directing a gaseous jet of smaller cross section than the blast into the blast transversely thereof, the glass supply means comprising a glass supply orifice in the form of an elongated slot adjacent to a plurality of jets, thereby supply-ing the glass to be fiberized at a plurality of the fiberizing centers.

Claim 3

Equipment as defined in claim 1 in which the slot is extended transversely of the blast.

Claim 4

Equipment as defined in claim 2 in which the slot is positioned downstream of the jets.

Claim 5

Equipment as defined in claim 2 in which gaseous jets are also positioned beyond the ends of the slot.

Claim 6

Equipment for making glass fibers comprising an elongated forehearth channel having a series of glass tapping stations spaced from each other lengthwise of the forehearth channel, mechanism for establishing a gaseous blast in the region of said tapping stations, and fiberizing centers associated with the tapping stations and including a glass supply slot at each tapping station for delivering glass to the boundary of the blast and means for directing a plurality of gaseous jets of smaller cross section than the blast into the blast transversely thereof upstream of the glass supply slot at each tapping station.

Claim 7

Equipment for making glass fibers comprising an elongated forehearth channel having a series of glass tapping stations spaced from each other lengthwise of the forehearth channel, mechanism for establishing a gaseous blast in the region of said tapping stations, and fiberizing centers associated with the tapping stations and including a glass supply slot at each tapping station for delivering glass to the boundary of the blast and means for directing a plurality of gaseous jets of smaller cross section than the blast into the blast transversely thereof upstream of the glass supply slot at each tapping station.

Claim 10

A method as defined in claim 6 in which the slot is extended transversely of the blast.

Claim 15

A method as defined in claim 9 and further including tapping a plurality of forehearth channEls, establishing a plurality of blasts for each tapped channel, delivering the tapped glass to the blasts and establishing a plurality of fiberizing centers at each tapping station of each channel, and forming a multi-ply fiber blanket by bringing together the fibers produced from the glass tapped from the several forehearth channels.

Claim 16

Equipment for making glass fibers comprising an elongated forehearth channel having a series of glass tapping stations spaced from each other lengthwise of the forehearth channel, mechanism for establishing a gaseous blast in the region of said tapping stations, and fiberizing centers associated with the tapping stations and including means for supplying glass from the tapping stations to the boundary of the blast and each fiberizing center including means for directing a gaseous jet of smaller cross section than that of the blast into the blast transversely thereof upstream of the glass supply means.

Claim 17

Equipment for making glass fibers comprising an elongated forehearth channel having a series of glass tapping stations spaced from each other lengthwise of the forehearth channel, mechanism for establishing a gaseous blast in the region of said tapping stations, and fiberizing centers associated with the tapping stations and including means for supplying glass from the tapping stations to the boundary of the blast and each fiberizing center including means for directing a gaseous jet of smaller cross section than that of the blast into the blast transversely thereof upstream of the glass supply means.

Claim 18

Equipment as defined in claim 11 and further including a fiber collection conveyor positioned to receive the fibers formed at the fiberizing centers.

Claim 19

Equipment as defined in claim 11 in which a separate mechanism for establishing a gaseous blast is provided for each of said glass tapping stations and in which the means for directing gaseous jets into the blast includes means for directing a plurality of such jets into the blast established by each of said mechanisms thereby providing a plurality of fiberizing centers associated with each tapping station.

Claim 20

Equipment as defined in claim 11 in which a plurality of forehearth channels are provided in spaced parallel horizontal relation, in which mechanisms for establishing gaseous blasts and fiberizing centers are associated with the tapping stations of each forehearth channel, and further including common fiber collection means for the fibers formed at the fiberizing centers associated with the several forehearth channels.

Claim 21

Equipment as defined in claim 14 in which the collection means comprises a conveyor moving in a horizontal path transverse to and at an elevation below the forehearth channels, and further including inclined fiber guide means extended from the region of the fiberizing centers to the conveyor.

Claim 22

Equipment as defined in claim 15 in which separate inclined guide means are provided for the fiberizing centers associated with each forehearth channel, the several inclined guide means overlying each other and having their discharge ends positioned to deliver the fibers to the conveyor in the manner of a plurality of plies to form a multi-ply blanket on the conveyor.

Claim 23

Equipment as defined in claim 16 and further including means for separately applying fiber binder to the fibers of each ply before collection on the conveyor.

Claim 24

Equipment as defined in claim 12 and further including means for applying a fiber binder to the fibers prior to collection on the conveyor.

Claim 25

Equipment as defined in claim 11 in which said gaseous blast is directed transverse to the forehearth channel.

Claim 26

Equipment as defined in claim 19 and further including a fiber collection conveyor positioned to receive the fibers formed at the fiberizing centers and moving in a direction transverse to the forehearth channel.

Claim 27

Equipment for making glass fibers comprising supply means for molten glass having a discharge orifice, means for establishing a gaseous blast directed in a path with a boundary of the blast adjacent the glass discharge orifice, means for establishing a gaseous jet directed in a path transverse to the path of the blast and penetrating the blast at a location upstream of the glass orifice, the jet being of smaller width than the width of the blast and separate plate means positioned downstream of the jet along the path of travel of the blast.

Claim 28

Equipment for making glass fibers comprising supply means for molten glass having a discharge orifice, means for establishing a gaseous blast directed in a path with a boundary of the blast adjacent the glass discharge orifice, means for establishing a gaseous jet directed in a path transverse to the path of the blast and penetrating the blast at a location upstream of the glass orifice, the jet being of smaller width than the width of the blast and separate plate means positioned downstream of the jet along the path of travel of the blast.

Claim 29

Equipment as defined in claim 21 and further including thermal shielding means for shielding the glass supply means from the blast on the downstream side of the glass discharge orifice.

Claim 30

Equipment aS defined in claim 21 in which said plate means comprises a plate adjacent said boundary of the blast in a position to deflect the blast.

Claim 31

Equipment as defined in claim 21 in which the plate has cooling means associated therewith.

Claim 32

Equipment for making glass fibers comprising means for establishing a gaseous blast, a plurality of fiberizing centers associated with said blast including means for supplying molten glass to the region of the boundary of the blast and each fiberizing center further including means for directing a gaseous jet into the blast transversely thereof upstream of the glass supply means, the jets being spaced from each other transversely of the blast, and the glass supply means comprising a glass supply orifice in the form of an elongated slot extending transversely of the blast and spaced from each of a plurality of said jets a substantially uniform distance.

Claim 33

Equipment for making glass fibers comprising means for establishing a gaseous blast, a plurality of fiberizing centers associated with said blast including means for supplying molten glass to the region of the boundary of the blast and each fiberizing center further including means for directing a gaseous jet into the blast transversely thereof upstream of the glass supply means, the jets being spaced from each other transversely of the blast, and the glass supply means comprising a glass supply orifice in the form of an elongated slot extending transversely of the blast and spaced from each of a plurality of said jets a substantially uniform distance.

Claim 34

Equipment for making glass fibers comprising means for establishing a gaseous blast, a plurality of fiberizing centers associated with said blast including means for supplying molten glass to the region of the boundary of the blast and each fiberizing center further including means for directing a gaseous jet of smaller cross section than the blast into the blast transversely thereof upstream of the glass supply means, and means for directing a gaseous jet into the blast in a location laterally beyond the region of glass supply.

Claim 35

Equipment for making glass fibers comprising means for establishing a gaseous blast, a plurality of fiberizing centers associated with said blast including means for supplying molten glass to the region of the boundary of the blast and each fiberizing center further including means for directing a gaseous jet of smaller cross section than the blast into the blast transversely thereof upstream of the glass supply means, and means for directing a gaseous jet into the blast in a location laterally beyond the region of glass supply.

Claim 36

Equipment for making glass fibers comprising means for establishing a gaseous blast, means for supplying molten glass to the blast having orifice means for delivering molten glass in an elongated zone transverse to the blast, the orifice means being positioned so that the plane of emission of the glass lies adjacent a boundary of the blast, and means for establishing a plurality of gaseous jets of small cross section as compared with the blast, with the jets directed into the blast through said boundary in an elongated zone upstream of the orifice means, the glass orifice means comprising an elongated slot cooperating with a plurality of said jets.

Claim 37

Equipment for making glass fibers comprising means for establishing a gaseous blast, means for supplying molten glass to the blast having orifice means for delivering molten glass in an elongated zone transverse to the blast, the orifice means being positioned so that the plane of emission of the glass lies adjacent a boundary of the blast, and means for establishing a plurality of gaseous jets of small cross section as compared with the blast, with the jets directed into the blast through said boundary in an elongated zone upstream of the orifice means, the glass orifice means comprising an elongated slot cooperating with a plurality of said jets.

Claim 40

Equipment for making glass fibers comprising supply means for molten glass having a discharge orifice, means for establishing a gaseous blast directed in a path with a boundary of the blast adjacent the glass discharge orifice, wall elements at least in part defining at least a plurality of the boundaries of the blast, and means for establishing a gaseous jet directed in a path transverse to the path of the blast and in a position to penetrate the blast at a location upstream of the glass orifice, the jet being of smaller width than the width of the blast, the molten glass discharge orifice opening through one of said wall elements, the means for establishing a gaseous jet comprising a jet orifice which opens through said one of said wall elements, and a second of said wall elements being arranged at a position at a side of said blast so that it is opposite said glass and jet orifices, said second wall element having a curved portion positioned to widen the blast flow path opposite said orifices.

Claim 41

Equipment for making glass fibers comprising supply means for molten glass having a discharge orifice, means for establishing a gaseous blast directed in a path with a boundary of the blast adjacent the glass discharge orifice, wall elements at least in part defining at least a plurality of the boundaries of the blast, and means for establishing a gaseous jet directed in a path transverse to the path of the blast and in a position to penetrate the blast at a location upstream of the glass orifice, the jet being of smaller width than the width of the blast, the molten glass discharge orifice opening through one of said wall elements, the means for establishing a gaseous jet comprising a jet orifice which opens through said one of said wall elements, and a second of said wall elements being arranged at a position at a side of said blast so that it is opposite said glass and jet orifices, said second wall element having a curved portion positioned to widen the blast flow path opposite said orifices.

Claim 42

Equipment as defined in claim 29 in which said curved portion comprises a plate having cooling means associated therewith.

Claim 43

Equipment as defined in claim 29 and further including separate plate means positioned downstream of the jet along the path of travel of the blast.

Claim 44

Equipment for making glaSs fibers comprising means for establishing a gaseous blast, a plurality of fiberizing centers associated with said blast including means for supplying molten glass to the region of the boundary of the blast, and each fiberizing center including means for directing a gaseous jet into the blast transversely thereof upstream of the glass supply means, the equipment including such fiberizing centers spaced upstream and downstream from each other along the blast and of which the upstream and downstream jets are of different size, the jets being smaller than the blast and a downstream jet being smaller than an upstream jet.

Claim 45

Equipment for making glaSs fibers comprising means for establishing a gaseous blast, a plurality of fiberizing centers associated with said blast including means for supplying molten glass to the region of the boundary of the blast, and each fiberizing center including means for directing a gaseous jet into the blast transversely thereof upstream of the glass supply means, the equipment including such fiberizing centers spaced upstream and downstream from each other along the blast and of which the upstream and downstream jets are of different size, the jets being smaller than the blast and a downstream jet being smaller than an upstream jet.

Claim 46

Equipment as defined in claim 32 in which the upstream and downstream fiberizing centers have glass orifice means, with the orifice means of an upstream center of greater dimension in the direction of the blast than the orifice means for a downstream center.

Claim 49

Apparatus for making fibers from molten glass, comprising means for establishing a gaseous blast, a plurality of fiberizing centers associated with said blast including a plurality of glass supply slots in the region of the boundary of the blasts, the slots being extended transversely of the blast and being spaced from each other upstream and downstream of the blast, and means for directing a plurality of gaseous jets into the blast at spaced points along and upstream of each glass supply slot.

Claim 50

Apparatus for making fibers from molten glass, comprising means for establishing a gaseous blast, a plurality of fiberizing centers associated with said blast including a plurality of glass supply slots in the region of the boundary of the blasts, the slots being extended transversely of the blast and being spaced from each other upstream and downstream of the blast, and means for directing a plurality of gaseous jets into the blast at spaced points along and upstream of each glass supply slot.