Apparatus for making fibrous sheet material

Claim 2

Apparatus for dry forming a layer of fibres on a forming surface comprising a plant for breaking up raw fibrous material, a forming surface, a distributor for distributing fibres on to the forming surface to form a layer thereon, and a fan air duct system for conveying fibres produced by the plant in a stream of carrier air to the distributor, characterized in that a primary separator device is located in the system between the plant and the distributor and arranged to remove part of the carrier air to reduce the volume and rate of flow of the remaining fibre-laden carrier air to match the operational requirements of the distributor.

Claim 3

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fan air duct system is arranged to convey carrier air through the plant to cool it before conveying the carrier air to the primary separator device.

Claim 4

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the primary separator device has an auxiliary outlet for the removed part of the carrier air, air ducting connects the auxiliary outlet to a secondary separator device for removing a further part of the carrier air received by it, and further air ducting is provided for conveying fibres received by the secondary separator device in their remaining carrier air to the fan air duct system upstream of the primary separator device.

Claim 5

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the primary separator device is a cyclone separator.

Claim 6

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein there is a plurality of fibre distributors arranged to be fed in parallel by the fan air system and to distribute their respective fibre in succession on to the forming surface.

Claim 7

Apparatus for dry forming layers of fibre superimposed one on the other on a forming surface and comprising a. a movable forming surface, b. a plurality of dry-forming sections each comprising a plant for breaking up raw fibrous material, first ducting for conveying fibres produced by the plant in a stream of carrier air to a primary separator device which is arranged to remove part of the carrier air to reduce the volume and rate of flow of the remaining fibre-laden carrier air, the primary separator device having an auxiliary outlet for the removed part of the carrier air, and second ducting for conveying the fibres from the primary separator device in the remaining carrier air to a distributor arranged to distribute the fibres on to the forming surface to form a layer thereon, c. the distributors being disposed along the forming surface, d. third ducting which connects the auxiliary outlets of the primary separator devices to a secondary separator device, e. the secondary separator device being arranged to remove part of the carrier air received from the auxiliary outlets, f. and fourth ducting for conveying fibres received by the secondary separator device in their remaining carrier air to the first ducting of at least one of the sections, g. all the said ducting forming part of a fan air duct system.

Claim 8

Apparatus for dry forming layers of fibre superimposed one on the other on a forming surface and comprising a. a movable forming surface, b. a plurality of dry-forming sections each comprising a plant for breaking up raw fibrous material, first ducting for conveying fibres produced by the plant in a stream of carrier air to a primary separator device which is arranged to remove part of the carrier air to reduce the volume and rate of flow of the remaining fibre-laden carrier air, the primary separator device having an auxiliary outlet for the removed part of the carrier air, and second ducting for conveying the fibres from the primary separator device in the remaining carrier air to a distributor arranged to distribute the fibres on to the forming surface to form a layer thereon, c. the distributors being disposed along the forming surface, d. third ducting which connects the auxiliary outlets of the primary separator devices to a secondary separator device, e. the secondary separator device being arranged to remove part of the carrier air received from the auxiliary outlets, f. and fourth ducting for conveying fibres received by the secondary separator device in their remaining carrier air to the first ducting of at least one of the sections, g. all the said ducting forming part of a fan air duct system.