Patent ID: 6918750

Claim:
An apparatus for producing a nonwoven fibrous web comprising: a spinneret for producing a descending curtain of thermoplastic synthetic resin filaments; a cooling chamber below said spinneret and forming a passage receiving said descending curtain of thermoplastic synthetic resin filaments; a stretching unit below said passage and connected thereto to exclude entry of external air for aerodynamically stretching said filaments as said filaments pass downwardly from said passage through said stretching unit, said stretching unit having a draft channel at a bottom thereof; an air supply chamber adjacent said cooling chamber and communicating with said passage through openings in walls of said cooling chamber for introducing process air into said passage, cooling said filaments and passing with said filaments into said stretching unit, said air supply chamber being subdivided into a first chamber section and a second chamber section in a direction of travel of said filaments provided with means for introducing air of different temperatures into said passage; and a collecting device below said stretching unit for collecting aerodynamically stretched filaments in the form of a continuous web.