Patent ID: 6997692

Claim:
An apparatus for forming a composite product comprising a supply source of strands, means for dispensing said strands from said supply source at a metered rate, wall means defining a confined path, a strand entraining zone, means for passing air through said strand entraining zone and said confined path at a velocity sufficient to entrain and transport said strands along said confined path, forming means including at least one movable foraminous forming surface protruding through said wall means, means for drawing air through said foraminous forming surface from a side of said forming surface remote from said path to condense and distribute some of said strands from said path onto said foraminous forming surface to form a composite veneer lay-up layer of a thickness of at least one and not more than five of said strands on said foraminous forming surface, a movable collecting surface, means for transferring said veneer lay-up layer from said forming surface onto said movable collecting surface transfer surface, means for separating air from said strands not forming said veneer lay-up layer and duct means for directing air separated by said means for separating to said means for passing air for recirculation through said path, means for directing air drawn through said foraminous forming surface to said means for passing air for recirculation through said path and means for delivering strands not forming said veneer lay-up layer back to said supply source of strands.