Improved method of making discrete airlaid absorbent fibrous articles

Claim 1

An improved method of making discrete absorbent fibrous articles by depositing air-entrained fibers in discrete closed-bottom deposition cavities, said improvement comprising the steps of: rotating a drum having said cavities: overfilling each of said cavities with said fibers; continuously scarfing away the excess of said fibers to thereby form in each said cavity an uncompacted preform of a said article having the size and shape of said cavity, a thickness equal to the depth of said cavity, and an outwardly exposed top surface; rotating a lugged cylinder in synchronous relation with said drum; mechanically compacting each said preform to reduce its thickness by a predetermined amount while it is disposed in its respective said rotating cavity, said compacting being effected by mechanical rolling of a lug of said lugged cylinder against said top surface and thereby converting each said preform into a said article; and then discharging each said article from its respective deposition cavity.