Patent ID: 6029477
Filing Date: 2000-02-29
Classification: B03B,B07B,C03B,C03C,Y02P,Y02W

Abstract:
A system for producing glass fiber product from scrap glass fibers, the system comprising:(a) a waste material supply comprising waste material produced by a glass fiberizing process and comprising scrap glass fibers which have no more than about 1 weight percent of a coating composition;(b) a first crusher positioned to receive scrap glass fibers from the waste material supply, the first crusher comprising at least one pair of rotatable, intermeshing rollers and a drive device for rotating at least one of the rollers such that each pair of rollers rotate at essentially the same speed, each roller having an outer surface comprising a plurality of protuberances, at least a portion of one protuberance of a first roller of the pair of rollers contacting a corresponding portion of at least one protuberance of a second roller of the pair of rollers for crushing scrap glass fibers passing therebetween to form crushed glass fibers;(c) a dryer positioned to receive the crushed glass fibers from the first crusher, the dryer for drying the crushed glass fibers to form dried glass fibers having a mean average moisture content of less than about one weight percent;(d) a second crusher positioned to receive dried glass fibers from the dryer, the second crusher comprising at least one pair of rotatable, intermeshing rollers and a drive device for rotating at least one of the rollers such that each pair of rollers rotate at essentially the same speed, each roller having an outer surface comprising a plurality of protuberances, at least a portion of one protuberance of a first roller of the pair of rollers contacting a corresponding portion of at least one protuberance of a second roller of the pair of rollers for crushing scrap glass fibers passing therebetween to form secondary crushed glass fibers; and(e) a separating device positioned to receive the secondary crushed glass fibers from the second crusher, the separating device for separating the secondary crushed glass fibers into (1) a first portion of secondary crushed glass fibers having a mean average length of less than about 5 millimeters and (2) oversize dried waste material.