Particulate addition method and apparatus

A process for forming an absorbent web, the web having a first material and a particulate material, on a forming wire;

• comprising:
• a) passing the first material entrained in an airstream through tubular forming screens contained inside a forming head, the tubular forming screens having rotating distribution members within the tubular forming screens;
• and
• b) adding the particulate material into the forming head outside of the tubular forming screens at a location upstream or downstream in the machine direction beyond at least one center line of one of the tubular forming screens, the center line being a plane perpendicular to a forming wire for collecting the web and a machine direction, the particulate material being added via a chute placed above a center point of the tubular forming screens.

An apparatus for forming an absorbent web, the web having a first material and a particulate material, on a forming wire;

• comprising:
• a) a forming head containing tubular forming screens therein, the tubular forming screens having means for accepting an airstream of entrained first material, the tubular forming screens having rotating distribution members therein;
• and
• b) a distribution unit for adding the particulate material into the forming head outside of the tubular forming screens at locations above center points of the tubular forming screens.