Improvements in the manufacture of sheets of thermoplastic fibres for example glassfibres

Abstract

Abstract 1,134,685. Glass filaments. COMPAGNIE DE SAINT GOBAIN. 20 Jan., 1966 [21 Jan., 1965], No. 2647/66. Heading C1M. [Also in Division D1] Thermoplastic filaments, e.g. of glass, coming from a spinneret 1 are attenuated by a drum 4 about which they pass, stripped from the drum and blown along a guide member 80, 84, the end of which is reciprocated across a moving belt 92 so that the filaments form a web on the belt. More than one guide member may be used to place filaments on the belt at the same point along its length (see Fig. 16, not shown) and a number of guide members may be arranged along the belt to successively place filament on the belt (see Fig. 19, not shown). Powdered glass is fed at an adjustable rate to the spinneret 1 (see also Figs. 14, 15, not shown), and the resulting filaments are fed down a preferably enclosed duct to the drum 4. The duct is compartmented into zones (Fig. 9, not shown) and the central zone is provided with adjustable slots through which air may be drawn by the low pressure region created at the opening of guide 5 by the nozzle 9. The portions of the duct adjacent the spinneret are of asbestos. Adjustable guide members 5, 6 enclose the drum surface along which the filaments pass and between them is a nozzle 9, adjustable in position, inclination and speed of air delivery. A plate 10, inclined to a radial plane of the drum at 30-60 degrees deflects the air current from guide 6 so that the filaments are stripped from the drum and fed into a guide 80. A flexible plate 11 co-operates with plate 10 to form a channel and guides 12 at either side of the channel are adjustable in position so that the width of the filament band placed on guide 80 is adjustable. Guide 12 may be arranged to produce a narrow band or strand to be laid as reinforcement on a previously formed web. When the apparatus is being started up, filament (50), Fig. 10 (not shown), with drops (51) at the bottom thereof pass from the spinneret. The drops engage an inclined moving belt (62) formed by bars (63) to be carried under the drum (4) so that the filament engages and is severed by a knife (59) mounted on the end of the guide (5). The drop (51b) with a portion of filament (50b) is then ejected from the end of the belt (62) while the free end of the severed filament is drawn between drum (4) and guide (5) to be entrained by the drum, the air being drawn between guide (5) and drum under the effect of the nozzle 9 assisting in the movement of the filament. The bars of belt (62) should be 10-30 mm. apart and the belt is inclined at 20-35 degrees to the horizontal. The belt is horizontally and vertically adjustable and the inclination thereof is adjustable. An adjustable plate (64) is positioned beneath the bars of the belt to support the glass drops.

Inventors

No inventors recorded.

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