Patent ID: 7568900

Claim:
Apparatus for making a reinforced absorbent member including a fibrous material and a porous reinforcing web having inner and outer surfaces, said apparatus comprising: a forming chamber adapted to contain a fluent fibrous material; a forming surface moveable within the forming chamber along an arcuate path generally from an entrance of the forming chamber to an exit thereof, said forming surface being adapted to collect fibrous material thereon to form the absorbent member; a source of reinforcing web disposed generally exterior of the forming chamber; and a delivery tube having an inlet end open to the exterior of the forming chamber, a discharge end open to the interior of the forming chamber adjacent the forming surface, and a central passage extending between the inlet end and the discharge end, the delivery tube being arranged for receiving the reinforcing web from the source of reinforcing web into the central passage of the delivery tube at the inlet end thereof and guiding the web to the discharge end thereof for conveyance within the forming chamber toward the forming surface; said forming chamber having an opening through which the delivery tube is received into the forming chamber, said opening being disposed downstream of the forming chamber entrance generally in the direction of movement of the forming surface along said path.