Patent ID: 7094373

Claim:
Apparatus for air forming a reinforced fibrous article having a plurality of layers, said apparatus comprising: first and second substantially discrete forming chambers, each forming chamber having an entrance and exit, a foraminous forming surface movable through said first and second forming chambers along a forming path length, a first fiber inlet for introducing a fibrous material into said first forming chamber, a second fiber inlet for introducing a fibrous material into said second forming chamber, one or more vacuum sources in communication with said first and second forming chambers for drawing said fibrous material in said first forming chamber onto said forming surface to form a first layer on said forming surface and for drawing said fibrous material in said second forming chamber onto said forming surface to form a second layer on said forming surface over said first layer, a source of reinforcing web located generally exterior to the first and second forming chambers, a delivery mechanism for delivering reinforcing web from the source for application of the web toward the forming surface at a location along said forming path length.