Fibrous bodies and method and apparatus for producing same

Abstract

There is disclosed herein in a preferred embodiment a fibrous body which includes at least two layers of strands of continuous filaments and binder particles in each layer. One of the layers has filaments of the strands therein at least partially dispersed to form a mesh size which entraps binder particles therein which have a mesh size larger than the mesh size of the dispersed filament layer, as well as smaller size particles lodged at intersections and crossovers. Another lever has strands which form a mesh size which do not necessarily entrap binder particles but may retain particles therein at interstices of strands. The fibrous body has a binder content in the dispersed filament layer which is larger per unit volume than the binder content in the other layer. There is also disclosed a method for producing a fibrous body having variable mesh sizes or characteristics by selectively filamentizing strands or a layer of strands already in place in a mat-like collection of strands. There is further disclosed a preferred method and apparatus for selectively distributing binder in a multi-layer mat-like mass to produce the novel product of this invention. In the preferred method the plurality of successive layers of continuous multi-filament strands are deposited on a collecting surface in a mat-like mass. Binder particles are distributed throughout the mat-like mass, the binder particles having a mesh size with respect to the mesh size of the layers which enable circulation of the binder particles throughout the mat-like mass. The strands in one of the layers are opened to separate the filaments of the strands from each other and change the mesh size of that layer to mechanically entrap binder particles therein. The excess binder particles are removed from the mat-like mass to provide a first layer with a higher percentage binder content than the remaining layer or layers in the mat-like mass.