Scott Paper Company

Joel P Gotchel

Henry J Norton

Rudolf Neuenschwander

Aris Constantine Spengos

Lawrence Vaalburg

Daniel J Stango

A dry-formed web is transferred at speeds in excess of 300 feet per minute onto a stable, porous, endless belt and both the dry-formed web and the belt are conveyed through the embossing nip. The combination of the dry-formed web and the belt are guided into the embossing nip so that the web and belt partially wraps the embossing roll before entering the embossing nip. As the embossing roll contacts the web, some of the air in the web is forced through the porous belt.

Dry formed-web embossing apparatus

Apparatus for curing a bonded, air-permeable web. The apparatus includes drying means (16-26, 42, 48, 54, 56 and 80) for passing heated air at a predetermined temperature through the web 10 for a predetermined time. Means (128, 132, 134, 136, 150, 160, 164 and 166) are provided for generating a first signal representing the pressure drop, at a predetermined velocity, across the web 10 outside of the drying means (16-26, 42, 48, 54, 56 and 80). Means (68, 108 and 110) are also provided for generating a second signal representing the pressure drop across the web (10) inside the drying means (16-26, 42, 48, 54, 56 and 80). Means (120) responsive to the first and second generated signals control the velocity of the heated air passing through the web so as to maintain the pressure drop across the web 10 inside the drying means (16-26, 42, 48, 54, 56 and 80) equal to the pressure drop as measured by the means (128, 132, 134, 136, 150, 160, 164 and 166) for generating the first signal.

Controlled curing of air-permeable bonded webs

An apparatus for testing the permeability of porous web materials. The porous web 12 is placed against a surface of a test head 10 of the apparatus. The test head 10 contains at least one aperture 28 and a vacuum source 87 connected to the test head 10 causes air to be drawn through the web 12 and then through the aperture 28. The test head 10 also includes at least one static port 32 that communicates with the aperture 28. The static port 32 is located very close to the web 12 and measures the static pressure within the aperture 28 before it leaves the aperture 28. A pressure transducer 46 is connected to the static port 32 and provides a measurement of the pressure drop across the web 12. If the volumetric flow rate of air through the web 12 is kept constant, the pressure transducer 46 output 52 is representative of the permeability of the web 12. If the pressure differential across the web 12 is kept constant, measurement of the volumetric flow rate of air through the web 12 will be representative of the permeability of the web 12.

Web permeability tester

This invention relates to a carding process for forming a nonwoven fibrous structure including a blend of short fibers under 1/4 inch in length and longer reinforcing fibers. In accordance with the process fibers are separated from a fibrous feed by engaging the feed with projections on the periphery of a main carding drum that is rotating at a surface speed of at least 12,500 feet/minute. The rotating main drum directs the fibers into a working section in which projections on rotating worker and turner satellite rolls cooperate with the projections on the main drum to individualize the fibers and blend them together. The necessary interaction between the projections of the main drum and the projections of the satellite rolls to both individualize and blend the fibers is achieved by pressurizing the working section to a level that minimizes undesirable air flow characteristics about the satellite rolls. The fibers that are individualized and blended in the working section are directed to a foraminous forming surface in the form of a nonwoven fibrous structure.

Carding operation for forming a fibrous structure

An apparatus for forming a fibrous structure includes a rotatable main drum having projections on its outer periphery for separating fibers from a fibrous feed, and directing the separated fibers through a fiber working section. The working section includes a movable satellite member positioned close to the main drum and having projections on its outer periphery for cooperating with the projections on the main drum to individualize the fibers as they are directed through the working section. A baffle is positioned adjacent the satellite member; between the satellite member and the exit from the working section. The baffle includes a lower air-directing section positioned close to the outer periphery of the main drum and having an air-diverting surface for intercepting air conveyed to it by the outer periphery of the main drum as the main drum is rotated. The air-diverting surface deflects a portion of the intercepted air in a direction generally away from the outer periphery of the main drum into the region between the adjacent satellite member and the baffle to increase the static pressure in that region. The air-diverting surface also deflects a portion of the intercepted air through a constriction provided between the outer periphery of the main drum and a peripheral surface segment of the air-directing section. The method of this invention relates to the high speed formation of a fibrous structure employing the above-described apparatus.

Apparatus and method for forming fibrous structures comprising

A method for forming a fibrous structure from a fibrous feed by: (1) directing the feed into engagement with projections on a rotating fiberizing drum for separating fibers from the feed; (2) directing the separated fibers to a release zone at which they are released from the periphery of the drum for subsequent conveyance to a foraminous forming surface upon which the fibrous structure is formed; and (3) sealing the outer periphery of the drum in a region between the fiber release zone and the region in which the fibrous feed is directed into engagement with the fiberizing drum by directing a gas against the outer periphery of the drum with a force component in a direction opposed to the direction of rotation of the drum and at a static pressure of at least about two atmospheres to provide a gas velocity which is sufficiently high to remove air trapped between the projections of the drum as the drum is being rotated. Preferably the fibrous feed includes textile-length fibers greater than 1/4 inch in length, and the method includes the step of providing a seal pad in engagement with the outer periphery of the drum in a region that is spaced apart, in the direction of rotation of the drum, from the region on the outer periphery against which the gas is directed.

Method for forming fibrous structures

The invention resides in a method of forming a nonwoven web by employing a forming apparatus which includes a fiberizing roll for separating fibers from a feed mat and entraining them in a gaseous medium, a foraminous forming surface through which the gaseous medium passes and upon which the fibers are condensed to form a fibrous web, and a formation duct between the fiberizing roll and the forming surface for defining a flow path for the gaseous suspension of fibers from the fiberizing roll to the forming surface; the improvement wherein the formation duct includes front and back, substantially planar inner surfaces which may slightly converge in a direction from the fiberizing roll to the forming surface, but preferably diverge at an angle of up to about 41/2 degrees when the forming surface is a curved surface of a cylindrical drum, and up to about 11/2 degrees when the forming surface is a linear surface of a forming belt; the formation duct being inclined to the forming surface to define an incidence angle with the forming surface in the range of from about 10.degree. to about 30.degree. . The invention also resides in a method of forming a nonwoven web by employing the above-described apparatus.

Growing community of inventors

Glen Mills, PA, United States of America

Joel P Gotchel