Patent ID: 8474737

Claim:
A rotary forming apparatus comprising: a separator configured to receive a hot gas flow having entrained fibrous material, the separator further configured to separate the fibrous material from the hot gas flow, the separator having a plurality of compartments arranged circumferentially about a perforated outer wall of a rotatable drum, the outer wall being permeable to the hot gas flow, the separator also having an inner chamber, the inner chamber having an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion being porous and the lower portion being impervious to the hot gas flow, the upper portion of the inner chamber having a zone of reduced pressure and the lower chamber having a zone of increased pressure, the compartments configured to receive the hot gas flow and the entrained fibrous material such as to form mini-blankets, the mini-blankets having a length along a longitudinal axis; and a milling apparatus positioned adjacent the separator, the milling apparatus having a plurality of cutters positioned circumferentially about a rotor and a plurality of stationary knives positioned to cooperate with the cutters, each of the cutters having a length that approximates the length of the rotor, the milling apparatus configured to receive mini-blankets exiting the separator, the milling apparatus further configured to grind the mini-blankets into fibers having desired lengths; wherein the milling apparatus is configured to grind the mini-blankets along the lengths of the mini-blankets.