Filament draw jet apparatus and process

An apparatus for melt spinning thermoplastic polymer filaments comprising

• a draw jet comprising a drawing slot defined by an entrance member comprising a converging passageway communicating with a continuing passageway, terminating at an outlet portion;
• a drawing member comprising an inlet portion having a drawing gap width of about 2.0 to about 10 mm communicating with said outlet portion of said entrance member;
• and
• at least one air nozzle for directing high speed air onto said filaments in a downstream direction positioned between said outlet portion of said entrance member and said inlet portion of said drawing member, and with a nozzle gap width wherein the gap ratio of said drawing gap width to the combined width of all of said nozzle gaps is from about 1.0 to about 10.

A process for melt spinning thermoplastic polymer filaments comprising melting a thermoplastic polymer, spinning said molten thermoplastic polymer through a spinneret and forming filaments;

• and
• drawing said filaments by a draw jet having an entrance member comprising a converging passageway communicating with a continuing passageway, terminating at an outlet portion;
• a drawing member comprising an inlet portion having a drawing gap width of about 2.0 to about 10 mm communicating with said outlet portion of said entrance member;
• and
• at least one air nozzle for directing high speed air onto said filaments in a downstream direction positioned between said outlet portion of said entrance member and said inlet portion of said drawing member, and with a nozzle gap width wherein the gap ratio of said drawing gap width to the combined width of all of said nozzle gaps is from about 1.0 to about 10;
• and
• collecting said drawn filaments on a collection screen to form a nonwoven web.