Jet and bustle tow blooming apparatus for a tow blooming process

In a jet for treating filter tow, said jet having a rectangular-shaped nozzle assembly through which tow enters into said jet in banded form and a rectangular-shaped throat assembly connected to said nozzle assembly and defining a venturi-shaped passage having a width greater than said banded tow and in which said banded form of tow is caused to spread to a greater width upon being contacted by gases entering into said venturi-shaped passage and becoming confined in compressed form around said tow, the improvement comprising:

• means connected at the outlet of said venturi-shaped passage and defining a rectangular shaped bustle chamber having inlet and outlet ends through which tow moves into and out of said bustle chamber from the venturi-shaped passage, said bustle chamber having therewithin adjustable tension means for engagement against said tow to rapidly decelerate and retard its movement through the bustle chamber, said bustle chamber along its length also defining outlet means extending through and across the width of the bustle chamber at a location between said inlet and outlet ends and before said tension means for enabling substantially most of the compressed gas surrounding and accompanying the tow as it moves into the bustle chamber to expand and escape from the bustle chamber and including means for restraining the tow from also escaping therethrough.