Patent GB-1397025-A (GB)
Title: Method and apparatus for producing and collecting fibres of glass and like material
IPC: D04H3/03
Filed: 1973-03-21
Abstract: 1397025 Glass fibre manufacture OWENS-CORNING FIBERGLAS CORP 21 March 1973 [21 March 1972] 13589/73 Heading C1M [Also in Division D1] In the manufacture and collection of glass fibres, heat softened glass is flowed with a centrifugal spinner having an imperforate floor and an orificed peripheral wall, the glass flow being directed on to the imperforate floor of the spinner, the streams of glass projected from the peripheral wall being attenuated to fibres and collected on a fibre-collecting surface, the spinner being rotated about an axis which is oblique with respect to a horizontal plane. As shown in Fig. 8, one of a pair of side by side fibre-forming units 25e<SP>1</SP> has molten glass 27e fed into a rotary spinner 48e set at an angle of about 45 degrees to the horizontal, the fibres being attenuated by a blast of air or steam under pressure to form discrete fibres 60e in a generally hollow column. Binder or adhesive may be supplied through nozzles 101e on an annular manifold 100e, and the fibres are then collected on the top flight 158 a foraminous endless conveyer 160, the top flight moving in the same direction as the glass fibres, to form a mass Me which is then passed between rollers and through an oven to form a mat. The top flight of the conveyer may be horizontal, downwardly or upwardly disposed as shown. Under the top flight, a single chamber connected to a source of reduced pressure may be provided, but as shown, a chamber 166 is subdivided into regions 176 to 179 under one unit 25e<SP>1</SP> and regions (180) to (183) under the other unit (25e). Each subchamber and its opposite are interconnected by a pipe 200, 205, 210, or 216 and are provided with a suction pump, each sub chamber having its own damper 198e, 203e, 209e or 214e so that reduced pressure can be varied along the length of the conveyer and under each unit 25e, 25e<SP>1</SP>. To assist regular deposit of fibres on the conveyer, or to give particular arrangements if required, nozzles 134e, 136e are disposed between the columns of fibres 60e and the conveyer 160 and air or steam is directed to engage and entrain or deflect the fibres. There may be, for each unit, a central nozzle 134e and left and right hand angled nozzles 136e. As shown in Fig. 12, a series of units 25g may extend along the length of the conveyer 160g, each with its own air or steam nozzles 224. Other arrangements of the units are disclosed. As shown in Figs. 2 and 4, each fibre-forming unit 25, 25<SP>1</SP>, disposed at an angle A to the horizontal, is mounted beneath a forehearth 20 from which molten glass 27 is fed through a stream feeder 28. So that the angle of each unit may be varied within limits, mounting is by trunnions 33 in bores at the end of members 31 extending from a frame structure 30. Each unit 25 comprises a housing 32 with a top plate 34, with an offset opening through which the glass 27 is fed, and a central cylindrical member 35 with bearings 38 supporting a tubular shaft 40 rotated by a motor 44 mounted on a bracket 42. The rotary spinner 48 is mounted at the lower end of shaft 40 and comprises a floor 50 with planar central portion 51 (on the edge of which the glass 27 impinges) and a sloping annular portion 52 leading to a peripheral wall 54 having a plurality of orifices 58 and an upper flange 56. The attenuating blast is provided for a blower 62 through slots 74 and the wall 54 is heated by gases from a burner 64 through a passage 92, the burner 64 being formed within the housing 32 and the blower depending therefrom by brackets 71. The angle A may be between 30 and 60 degrees, preferably 45 degrees.