Apparatus and process for use preparing a continuous strand mat

Process for separating a bundle of strands into more than one group of strands to fall onto a moving conveyor to form a continuous strand mat comprising:

• a. pulling the bundle of strands through a feeder for deposition onto the moving conveyor,
• b. accelerating the bundle of strands from the feeder through an accelerating means to increase the strand speed over that speed given the strands by the puller means, and
• c. deflecting the bundle of strands on a convex surface onto a moving conveyor to produce the mat.

Apparatus for use on a reciprocating traversing feeder of strands whereby the strands are fed onto a moving conveyor as the traversing feeder moves across the moving conveyor, the strands exiting the feeder having:

• a. a transvector air jet, and
• b. a deflector means with a convex surface spaced apart from said vortec jet to receive strands which exit the jet in a direction over the moving conveyor ranging from perpendicular to the moving conveyor to parallel to the moving conveyor and to dispose the deflected strands onto the moving conveyor.