Patent ID: 8122570

Claim:
An apparatus for dry forming a uniform non-woven fibrous web, comprising: a) a transport duct having a predetermined cross-sectional area, said transport duct having an entrance and an exit, said entrance being connected to a source of individual fibers and a pressurized gaseous stream, and said transport duct capable of routing a plurality of said individual fibers contained within said pressurized gaseous stream through to said exit; b) a spreading member having an inlet, an outlet and having a length therebetween, said spreading member being a hollow enclosure having first and second major walls connected together by a pair of side walls to form a rectangular cross-sectional configuration having a width and a height, said width constantly increasing in dimension along said length from said inlet to said outlet and said height constantly decreasing in dimension along said length from said inlet to said outlet, said height being less than said width at said outlet, said inlet of said spreading member being connected to said exit of said transport duct and said exit being aligned at an angle of at least about 15° to said second major wall, and said pressurized gaseous stream passing through said spreading member being maintained at a constant or slightly accelerating velocity and with a minimum amount of turbulence; c) a discharge member having an inlet opening, an outlet opening and a length therebetween, said inlet opening being connected to said outlet of said spreading member and having an identical size and cross-sectional configuration as said outlet, said discharge member having first and second major walls connected together by a pair of side walls to form a rectangular cross-sectional configuration having a width and a height, said width being greater than said height; d) a first flexible plate positioned within said discharge member and aligned adjacent to said first major wall, said first flexible plate spanning across said outlet opening and having an inner surface and an outer surface; e) a plurality of screws positioned across said outlet opening, each of said screws capable of being adjusted so as to contact and deflect said outer surface of said first flexible plate and impart a corresponding contour to said inner surface of said first flexible plate; and f) a forming zone located below said outlet opening of said discharge member onto which said plurality of individual fibers can be deposited to form a uniform non-woven fibrous web.