Process of removing size from glass fibers and the subsequent coating thereof

Claim 1

A CONTINUOUS PROCESS FOR THE TREATMENT OF GLASS FIBRICS COMPRISING INTERLACED YARNS FORMED OF GLASS FILAMENTS COATED WITH AN ORGANIC SIZE, SAID PROCESS INCLUDING THE STEPS OF: CONTINUOUSLY AND SEQUENTIALLY MOVING THE GLASS FABRIC THROUGH A HEATING ZONE, A COOLING ZONE AND A FINISHING ZONE; APPLYING HEAT TO SAID GLASS FABRIC IN SAID HEATING ZONE TO BRING SAME TO A SIZEBURNING TEMPERATURE TO BURN SAID ORGANIC SIZE FROM SAID FABRIC, THE SPEED OF THE GLASS FABRIC BEING SUCH AS TO MAINTAIN THE ZONE OF BURNING AT A SUBSTANTIALLY FIXED POSITION IN SAID HEATING ZONE, THE HEATED FABRIC BEING COOLED IN SAID COOLING ZONE, SAID COOLING BEING SUFFICIENT ONLY TO COOL THE FABRIC TO A TEMPERATURE SUBSTANTIALLY ABOVE ROOM TEMPERATURE; APPLYING A COATING OF A LIQUID SILICONE TO SAID GLASS FABRIC DURING ITS CONTINUOUS PASSAGE THROUGH SAID FINISHING ZONE, SAID COATING BEING APPLIED WHILE SAID FABRIC IS AT SUCH TEMPERATURE SUBSTANTIALLY ABOVE ROOM TEMPERATURE AND THUS MINIMIZING THE AMOUNT OF WATER TENDING TO ADSORB ON THE GLASS FABRIC BEFORE APPLICATION OF SAID SILICONE COATING; AND CONTINUOUSLY DRYING THE SILICONE COATING ON THE FABRIC BY HEATING THE FABRIC TO A TEMPERATURE OF ABOUT 450-700* F.