Apparatus and method for making low tangle texturized roving

#This invention relates generally to the bulk collection of texturized strand and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for the bulk collection of texturized strand.

#This invention relates to the bulk collection of strand, and in particular, to the bulk collection of texturized strand. A strand of glass filaments is typically formed by attenuating molten glass through a plurality of orifices in a bottom plate of a bushing. The filaments are attenuated by applying tensile forces to the streams of glass, so as to attenuate the streams. The filaments are coated with a sizing or binder material. The composition of the sizing material is tailored to the end use of the filaments. For example, if the filaments are to be used to reinforce an epoxy based composite then the sizing is formulated to be compatible with the particular epoxy. In this particular application, the sizing is tailored to provide the required lubricity, abrasion resistance, and integrity to the strand as it is processed in texturizing equipment while at the same time allowing for easy texturization of the strand in the texturization unit. The glass filaments are sized with the sizing material substantially immediately after they are formed. The filaments are gathered in parallel relationship to form a strand.

#In conventional filament forming systems, the streams of glass have been attenuated by winding the filaments on an exterior of a rotating tube. The strand of filaments is wound on the tube as a cylindrical package. The winding device with the rotating tube pulls the filaments and collects the strand.

#The accompanying drawings incorporated herein and forming a part of the specification, illustrate several aspects of the present invention and together with the description serve to explain certain principles of the invention. In the drawings:

#FIG. 1 is a schematical side clevational view of a system of the present invention for texturizing a strand according to at least one possible embodiment of the present invention;

#FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a dissipater suitable for use in the system;

#Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

#Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the invention belongs. All references cited herein, including published or corresponding U.S. or foreign patent applications, issued U.S. or foreign patents, or any other references, are each incorporated by reference in their entireties, including all data, tables, figures, and text presented in the cited references. In the drawings, the thickness of the lines, layers, and regions may be exaggerated for clarity. It is to be noted that like numbers found throughout the figures denote like elements.

#Reference is now made to FIG. 1 schematically illustrating the system 10 of the present invention for texturizing and collecting a strand of material. The continuous strand material 12 may comprise any conventional glass fiber strand. The terminology “glass fiber strand” as used herein shall mean a strand formed from a plurality of glass fibers in a parallel relationship. An example of such a strand is a commercially available roving having, for example, four thousand fibers. For muffler applications, glass fiber strands are preferred, as glass fibers are resistant to the high levels of heat produced in the interior of an engine exhaust muffler. Preferably, the strands are formed from E-glass or higher viscosity glass fibers. For industrial applications such as thermal insulation for chimney ducts or venting systems, glass fiber strands are also preferred. It is further contemplated, however, that the continuous strand material may comprise basalt fiber strands or fiber strands formed of other materials.