Patent ID: 6810693
Filing Date: 2004-11-02
Classification: C03B

Abstract:
An apparatus for forming high-temperature fusing batch material into fibers comprising:a walled melting receptacle including: an open region in which the high-temperature fusing batch material is received; a melting region in which the batch material is melted to form molten material in flow communication with said open region; a chute in which flow of the molten material is regulated in flow communication with said melting region, the chute having a first wall, a second wall opposing the first wall, a third wall between said first wall and said second wall, and a fourth wall opposing said third wall, said walls together defining an upper chute portion and a lower chute portion with the lower chute portion having a cross-sectional area smaller than the cross-sectional area of the upper chute portion; and a discharge region from which the molten material is discharged in flow communication with the lower chute portion of said chute; a heating element in the melting region for melting the batch material; and a baffle unit within the chute, said baffle unit defining a four-sided baffle area perpendicular to flow of the molten material and covering a substantial portion of the cross-sectional shape of the chute, said baffle area having openings defined therein, said baffle unit having one abutting side contacting said first wall of the chute, another abutting side contacting said second wall of the chute, one end facing said third wall of the chute with a gap therebetween, and another end facing said fourth wall of the chute with a gap therebetween, whereby said molten material can travel through the melting receptacle from the melting region to the discharge region while being partially impeded by the baffle unit.