Patent ID: 8056371

Claim:
A method of forming fibers from a molten material by feeding the molten material to a heated fiberizing bushing having a cooling apparatus mounted close to a fiberizing bushing, the cooling apparatus comprising one or more hollow cooling tubes having one or more fins attached to a top surface of the cooling tube for cooling tips of the fiberizing bushing, molten material flowing out of the tips, and fibers formed from the molten material, the cooling tube comprising an alloy of a metal or a metal alloy, a top surface of each of the one or more fins intended to be closest to the tips being interrupted with spaced apart gaps, notches and/or slots in at least the top portion of the fin, the gaps, notches and/or slots having a width at the top of the fin in the range of about 0.05 to about 1.01 mm for every 25.4 mm of distance from the end of the fin or from an edge of the closest gap, notch or slot, the notches or slots extending at least 25 percent down the about 2.5 mm to about 7 mm height of the fin, causing the molten material to flow through nozzle tips on the bottom of the bushing to form fibers and pulling the fibers away from the tips.