Fiber distribution and depositing apparatus

Claim 1

Particulate fiber distribution and depositing apparatus comprising, in combination: a. fiber transport means for transporting gaseously-entrained fibers and including a conduit having an outlet through which said gaseously-entrained fibers are adapted to be ejected from the conduit at a high velocity; b. a forming bell adapted to receive said gaseously-entrained fibers from said fiber transport means conduit outlet and spread said fibers in a cross-machine direction, said forming bell including front and back walls the inner surfaces thereof uniformly converging and convexly curved in the direction of fiber flow along substantially the full extent of the length thereof and side walls connected to said front and back walls to define a passageway for said gaseously-entrained fibers from an inlet end defined by said walls to a substantially rectangular outlet end defined by said walls, said side walls diverging along straight lines in the direction of fiber flow, the cross-sectional area of said passageway remaining substantially constant along the length thereof, said forming bell inlet being spaced from said fiber transport means conduit outlet so that a gap is formed therebetween through which ambient air is entrained into said passageway; and c. means defining a web-forming surface positioned adjacent to the outlet of said forming bell movable along a predetermined direction of movement and adapted to receive the fibers passing through said forming bell passageway after the fibers have been spread in a cross-machine direction by said forming bell.