Hollingsworth & Vose Company

Evanite Fiber Corporation

Kvg Technologies, Inc.

Larry K Coon

Patrick Svoboda

George C Zguris

John D Windisch

Ron Reher

Methods for enhancing one or more physical properties of wet-laid or dry-laid fiber mats, such as a glass fiber, cellulosic or polymeric fiber mats are disclosed and fiber mats made according to such processes. Certain embodiments of the methods involve vibrational compression of a wet-laid or dry-laid fiber mat. In some embodiments the methods produce a fiber mat having increased apparent density and/or tensile strength as compared to a mat that has not been vibrationally compressed. Exemplar fiber mats suitable for use in the disclosed methods include, for example, glass, polyolefin, ethylene terephthalate, or cellulose fibers, or mixtures thereof. Glass, cellulosic or polymeric fiber mats that are structurally improved by the disclosed methods are also disclosed.

Vibrationally compressed glass fiber and/or other material fiber mats and methods for making the same

A duct assembly is employed for directing a central air flow upwardly toward the rotating spinner assembly of a rotary-type fiberizer that produces a downwardly flowing column of fibers. The central air flow eliminates the low-pressure zone that normally occurs beneath the spinner assembly of conventional fiberizers. The cross-sectional profile of a lower portion of the duct is vertically elongated where the duct passes through the fiber column so as to facilitate the flow of the fiber column over the duct. A shielding member can be positioned to deflect the central air flow away from the spinner assembly and against the interior of the fiber column to insulate the spinner assembly from the relative cool air flow. In another embodiment, a conduit extends through the fiberizer spinner assembly and directs a cooling gas beneath the spinner assembly within the interior of the fiber column.

Apparatus for making fibers

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Albany, OR, United States of America

Larry K Coon