US4061485A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of and apparatus for controlling the distribution of fibers on a receiving surface
Assignee: Sigri GmbH
•
Filing: 1976-10-27
•
Granted: 1977-12-06
•
Expires: 1996-10-27
Abstract
Abstract A method and system for controlling the deposition of fibers issuing from a fiberizing unit in a veil which displaces portions of the veil with fluid streams, e.g., air blasts. A moving continuous collector screen receives the veil to form a mat of fibers. Speed of the collector is coordinated with the rate of deposition in determining the amount of fiber deposited per unit length of product. Air streams directed transversely of the direction of motion of the collector displace portions of the veil toward the collector edges. Absence of the air blast permits deposition of the veil to be concentrated on the collector center region. Application of gas streams in pulses cause splitting of the veil into sections which are displaced laterally across the collector with pulse frequency generally being increased with collector speed, and center to edge weight distribution of product being coordinated with the pulse interval length and the interval between pulses. A pulse generator having independent frequency and duty cycle controls to control air valves in the conduit to nozzles supplying the air streams enables a machine attendant to control and adjust veil distribution on the collector. Electrical controls for the air valves are disclosed.
Inventors
- 👤 Carl F. Rimmel
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 23:21
CPC Classifications
D; D04; D04H; D04H3/00; D04H3/02; D04H3/03
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
119 words
Apparatus for directing fibers during their flight in a region between two spaced operating stations comprising means for providing gas under pressure; means for projecting gas from said providing means into said region; a pulse signal generator for cyclically issuing signal pulses; adjustable control means for said pulse generator for controlling the frequency of the pulse signal cycle; adjustable control means for said pulse generator for adjustably controlling the duration of the pulse during each cycle; solenoid actuated valve means for controlling the flow of gas from said gas providing means to said projecting means; and control means responsive to signal pulses from said generator for cyclically issuing electrical signals to operate said solenoid for controlling said valve means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
119 words
Apparatus for directing fibers during their flight in a region between two spaced operating stations comprising means for providing gas under pressure; means for projecting gas from said providing means into said region; a pulse signal generator for cyclically issuing signal pulses; adjustable control means for said pulse generator for controlling the frequency of the pulse signal cycle; adjustable control means for said pulse generator for adjustably controlling the duration of the pulse during each cycle; solenoid actuated valve means for controlling the flow of gas from said gas providing means to said projecting means; and control means responsive to signal pulses from said generator for cyclically issuing electrical signals to operate said solenoid for controlling said valve means.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
157 words
The method of directing fibers during their flight through a region between two spaced operating stations comprising the steps of cyclically applying bursts of gas directed into said region with a component of force transverse of the flight of the fibers; generating electrical pulse signals in repetitive cycles to control the bursts of gas; adjusting the frequency of the electrical pulse signal cycles to adjust the cyclic frequency of the bursts of gas; and adjusting the ratio of the time interval within the period of a cycle that the electrical signal is at one signal level to the time interval within the period of a cycle that the electrical signal is at a second signal level to adjust the ratio of the time interval within the period of a gas burst cycle that the gas burst is applied to the time interval within the period of a gas burst cycle that the gas burst is not applied.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
157 words
The method of directing fibers during their flight through a region between two spaced operating stations comprising the steps of cyclically applying bursts of gas directed into said region with a component of force transverse of the flight of the fibers; generating electrical pulse signals in repetitive cycles to control the bursts of gas; adjusting the frequency of the electrical pulse signal cycles to adjust the cyclic frequency of the bursts of gas; and adjusting the ratio of the time interval within the period of a cycle that the electrical signal is at one signal level to the time interval within the period of a cycle that the electrical signal is at a second signal level to adjust the ratio of the time interval within the period of a gas burst cycle that the gas burst is applied to the time interval within the period of a gas burst cycle that the gas burst is not applied.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
69 words
In apparatus for forming glass fibers wherein said fibers are projected as a hollow tubular formation from the forming means toward a collecting surface, said formation being distributed upon the collecting surface through the interaction of said veil and intersecting on-off pulsating jets of gas the improvement comprising adjustable control means for independently controlling the cycle frequency and the ratio of the on to off periods during a cycle.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
69 words
In apparatus for forming glass fibers wherein said fibers are projected as a hollow tubular formation from the forming means toward a collecting surface, said formation being distributed upon the collecting surface through the interaction of said veil and intersecting on-off pulsating jets of gas the improvement comprising adjustable control means for independently controlling the cycle frequency and the ratio of the on to off periods during a cycle.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
126 words
Apparatus for processing mineral fibers comprising a centrifuge, means for supplying heat softened mineral material to the centrifuge, means for rotating the centrifuge to project streams of the heat softened mineral material from orifices in the centrifuge wall by centrifugal forces, means for attenuating the heat softened mineral material streams into fibers and conveying said fibers axially away from the centrifuging means as a hollow tubular veil of fibers towards a collection surface, nozzle means disposed between said centrifuge and collection surface adjacent the veil of fibers for projecting intermittent gaseous blasts toward the veil of fibers to distribute the fibers upon the collection surface, control means for separately controlling the frequency of said intermittent gaseous blasts and the duration of the blast during each cycle.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
126 words
Apparatus for processing mineral fibers comprising a centrifuge, means for supplying heat softened mineral material to the centrifuge, means for rotating the centrifuge to project streams of the heat softened mineral material from orifices in the centrifuge wall by centrifugal forces, means for attenuating the heat softened mineral material streams into fibers and conveying said fibers axially away from the centrifuging means as a hollow tubular veil of fibers towards a collection surface, nozzle means disposed between said centrifuge and collection surface adjacent the veil of fibers for projecting intermittent gaseous blasts toward the veil of fibers to distribute the fibers upon the collection surface, control means for separately controlling the frequency of said intermittent gaseous blasts and the duration of the blast during each cycle.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the nozzle means comprises a pair of diametrically opposed nozzles positioned external to the fiber veil.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said opposed nozzles are diametrically offset one to the other.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
153 words
Apparatus for directing wool glass fibers during their flight through regions from a plurality of rotary fiberizing units to a fiber collecting surface comprising means for providing gas under pressure; means associated with each of a plurality of said fiberizing units for projecting gas from said gas providing means into the respective region intermediate said unit and said collecting surface through which said fiber passes in flight to said collecting surface associated with said fiberizing unit; an electronic pulse signal generator having separate independently adjustable controls for controlling the frequency of cyclically issued signal pulses and the duration of said signal pulses; valve means individual to each gas projecting means for controlling the flow of gas from said gas providing means to said respective projecting means; and electrical control means for each of a plurality of said valve means responsive to electrical signal pulses from said signal generator for controlling said valve means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
153 words
Apparatus for directing wool glass fibers during their flight through regions from a plurality of rotary fiberizing units to a fiber collecting surface comprising means for providing gas under pressure; means associated with each of a plurality of said fiberizing units for projecting gas from said gas providing means into the respective region intermediate said unit and said collecting surface through which said fiber passes in flight to said collecting surface associated with said fiberizing unit; an electronic pulse signal generator having separate independently adjustable controls for controlling the frequency of cyclically issued signal pulses and the duration of said signal pulses; valve means individual to each gas projecting means for controlling the flow of gas from said gas providing means to said respective projecting means; and electrical control means for each of a plurality of said valve means responsive to electrical signal pulses from said signal generator for controlling said valve means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said gas providing means is a means for providing compressed air.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
51 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said gas projecting means is a plurality of nozzle means directed toward said region from first and second opposed sides of said region and wherein said valve means comprise first and second valves individual to said nozzle means of respective first and second opposed sides.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
30 words
Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein each of said valves is solenoid actuated by electrically parallel connected solenoids for simultaneously controlling gas bursts from said first and second nozzle means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
89 words
Apparatus for distributing a veil of fibers during their deposition on a collecting surface comprising means for developing a veil of fibers directed through a region toward said collecting surface; a gas nozzle directed toward the region through which the veil is adapted to pass; means for issuing gas bursts from said nozzle; first adjustable control means for adjustably controlling the frequency of issuance of gas bursts from said nozzle; and second adjustable control means for adjustably controlling the duration of the issuance of fluid bursts from said nozzles.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
89 words
Apparatus for distributing a veil of fibers during their deposition on a collecting surface comprising means for developing a veil of fibers directed through a region toward said collecting surface; a gas nozzle directed toward the region through which the veil is adapted to pass; means for issuing gas bursts from said nozzle; first adjustable control means for adjustably controlling the frequency of issuance of gas bursts from said nozzle; and second adjustable control means for adjustably controlling the duration of the issuance of fluid bursts from said nozzles.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
39 words
Apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said means for issuing gas bursts from said nozzles includes means for providing gas under pressure; a conduit from said source to said nozzle; and a valve for said gas in said conduit.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
18 words
Apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said valve is controlled by said first and second adjustable control means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
18 words
Apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said first and second adjustable control means are electrical signal control means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
40 words
Apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said electrical signal control means is a pulse generator having an adjustable frequency and an adjustable duty cycle, and a switching means responsive to the pulse frequency and pulse duration from said pulse generator.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
51 words
Apparatus according to claim 15 wherein said means for issuing gas from said nozzles includes means for providing gas under pressure, a conduit from said source to said nozzle, and a solenoid valve for said gas in said conduit; and wherein said switching means applies electrical power to said solenoid valve.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
19 words
Apparatus according to claim 11 including individual manually adjustable controllers for said respective first and second adjustable control means.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
56 words
Apparatus according to claim 11 including a plurality of means for developing individual veils of fibers; a plurality of nozzles each being directed toward the region through which a respective veil is adapted to pass; means responsive to said frequency and said duration control means for issuing gas bursts from a plurality of said nozzles simultneously.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
17 words
Apparatus according to claim 18 including means for selectively inhibiting the issuance of gas from a nozzle.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
16 words
Apparatus according to claim 19 including indicator means for indicating the operating state of respective nozzles.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus according to claim 20 including means for selectively enabling and disabling said valve means individual to respective gas projecting means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-12-05 | 1981-06-06 | 1981-12-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-12-05 | 1985-06-06 | 1985-12-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-12-05 | 1989-06-06 | 1989-12-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |