System for preparing glass fiber pellets
AssigneeOwens Corning Fiberglas Technology, Inc.
InventorsMichael A. Strait, Homer G. Hill, Robert A. Schweizer, Stephen Seng
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for making densified glass fiber pellets from chopped segments of multi-filament glass strand is described. The densified pellets may be advantageously produced by hydrating chopped glass strands and then pelletizing them by tumbling in a rotary drum, and densifying the resulting pellets by tumbling in a rotating zig-zag or undulating tube for a period of time sufficient to increase their density but insufficient to degrade the fibers to a point where composite articles formed from such pellets have lower tensile or impact strengths than comparable composite articles formed from unpelletized strand segments.
Claims19
An apparatus for producing glass fiber pellets from chopped segments of multi-filament glass strand comprising:
- a. means for applying an aqueous hydrating solution to said chopped strand segments;
- b. a first tumbling means for imparting a tumbling action to said hydrated chopped strand segments to disperse said hydrating solution and cause said chopped strand segments to align and coalesce into pellets;
- c. means for conveying said pellets to a second tumbling means;
- and
- d. a second tumbling means for tumbling said pellets to compact them and increase their density.
The apparatus of clime 2, wherein said means for applying a hydrating solution to said chopped strand segments comprises a spray nozzle within said drum.
An apparatus for producing glass fiber pellets from chopped segments of multi-filament glass strand comprising:
- a. means for applying a hydrating solution to said chopped strand segments;
- b. a drum rotationally driven about its longitudinal axis, said drum having a first and second end, said first end having an inlet opening for receiving said chopped strand segments and said second end having an outlet opening for discharging said pellets, the center of said outlet opening being radially distant from the rotational axis of said drum;
- c. a zig-zag hollow tube rotationally driven about a longitudinal axis, said tube having a first and second open end, said first open end being attached to said outlet opening of said drum such that material within said drum can pass into said tube upon rotation of said drum and tube, said second open end providing an outlet for discharging said pellets from said tube.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.