Document EdrqoKrEkNgzoMRy7gw6yxMNx

Sept. 15, 1942. D. C. DRILL 2,295,639 MEANS FOR PRODUCING FIBERS FROM SUITABLE MOLTEN MATERIALS Original Filed Jan. 6, 1936 j^L inventor. MWELjC. OffILL. BY ^ attorney. MTC 017085 Patented Sept 15, 1942 2,295,639 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,295,639 MEANS FOR PRODUCING FIBERS FROM SUITABLE MOLTEN MATERIALS Daniel C. Drill, Wabash, Ind., assignor to Ameri can Rock Wool Corporation, Wabash County, Ind. Original application January 6, 1936, Serial No. 57,791. Divided and this application April 22. 1939, Serial No. 269,375 4 Claims. (Cl. 83--91) My invention relates to improved means process is, of course, old and has long been used whereby molten materials may be shredded into by the Industry, but, insofar as the process re fibers, such as, for instance mineral wool or lates to the spinning of mineral wool fibers, it chemical asbestos and its chief object is to pro has disadvantages, the most serious of which are vide such means. 5 occasioned by the fact that the mineral fibers This is a division of my original application. are suddenly chilled with a blast of steam which Serial No. 57,791, which was filed January 6, is approximately 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit cooler 1936, and matured on July 11, 1939, into my than the molten lava. United States Letters Patent No. 2,165,242. This This sudden chilling obviously prevents the original patent discloses my complete means and 10 fibers from becoming properly annealed, renders methods whereby the above mentioned molten them brittle, and causes the formation of an ap materials are melted to provide a continuous preciable amount of "shot." This use of a rela stream of melted materials which is fed to a tively cool steam for shredding purposes is, in spinning apparatus, whereby the molten mate applicant's opinion, an obstacle to the technical rials are centrifugally spun into long silky min- 13 development of the industry for the simple rea eral fibers. son that it prevents the formation of ideal fibers These means and methods are also fully de which must be strong, silky and flexible. scribed and illustrated in my United States Let The full nature of my invention and its other ters Patent No. 2,178,871, which was issued on objects and advantages will be understood by November 7, 1939. 20 the accompanying drawing and the following de Inasmuch as each of the claims in the present scriptions and claims. application is directed specifically to the spin In the drawing: ning apparatus of this invention, the present Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view showing application is limited to such portions of my a preferred form of my spinning apparatus and original application as are believed to be neces- driving mechanism associated therewith, and sary to an understanding of this spinning ap Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of paratus. The reader is therefore referred to the spinning wheel or drum shown in Figure 1. either of the above mentioned patents for a com In Figure 1, I have shown a pool or trough plete understanding of the entire converting op member (3 having a rigid sheath 44 which is eration whereby the raw materials are converted :so preferably welded to brackets 30 which may in into fibers in accordance with my invention as turn be welded or otherwise secured to any suit originally disclosed. able support (not shown) such as, for instance In the production of mineral fibers, such as, the base portion of the furnace shown and de for instance mineral wool, suitable raw materials scribed in each of my above identified United in the form of lumps or rocks are now commonly 35 States Letters Patents. This sheath encloses the melted in metal cupolas, the lower sidewall por base and wall portions of said trough member, tions of which are water-cooled. The raw ma the wall portions of which are preferably formed terials, after being melted flow out of an open of fire brick or blocks substantially as shown. ing or spout provided in the cupola and form a- On the Inside of the sheath 44 I have provided small stream which falls upon a steam blast n> a pool or trough bed 49 which is preferably which shreds the molten stream into fibers. formed of clay but may. of course, be made of These fibers are blown by this blast into a blow any suitable material. The inner portion of this chamber having a continuously movable base or bed may be relatively deep and may extend conveyor upon which the fibers are deposited rearwardly in a manner adapted to receive a con from suspension in the heated gases and vapors tinuous stream of the molten material which of the blow chamber. The deposited fibers form an elongated mat on the conveyor by which they is in operation fed forwardly and shredded into mineral fibers by a drum means 52. are carried out of the blow chamber to be pre This drum means 52 is positioned immediate pared for shipment and use. When felted ly above the trough bed 49 and may be made of blankets or batts are to be produced, a suitable '<(> any suitable construction. This drum member, binding material is preferably co-mingled with as depicted, preferably includes a hollow shaft the blast for the purpose of cementing the fibers 53 which passes through suitable openings 54 together sufficiently to prevent them from sep arating from each other when the blankets or and 55 in the sheath and wall of a passageway 46, through which the molten material is fed to batts are being handled or transported. This 53 this drum means. This shaft 53 is operatively MTC 017086 ,2 2 395,639 connected to any suitable stationary water inlet inlet and a fluid outlet and adapted to be opera and water outlet means 96 and SI through' which tively connected to a supply of cooling fluid with water may be supplied to and be discharged from out said shaft, a hollow drum mounted thereon my spinning apparatus. A split drum SB having and having its interior in operative communica within it an Impeller 89 is fixedly secured to the 6 tion with said fluid outlet and said fluid inlet hollow shaft 51. Suitably positioned openings SB of said shaft and an Impeller means having ra and 61 and a plug 62 are provided in the shaft dially extending members within the interior of 63 for the purpose of permitting the water in said drum for centrlfugally forcing a cooling fluid the shaft to be drawn by centrifugal force from said supply through said inlet to the in through the drum 68. The shaft 51 is, 10 terior of said drum and through said outlet, said mounted on any suitable bearings St and is dram being adapted to operatively maintain a adapted to be rapidly rotated by any suitable velocity in excess of one thousand R. P. M. means, such as, for instance a pulley 64. Hie 3. In apparatus for spinning fibers from suit circumferential surface of the drum is preferably able molten materials, a hollow shaft and means provided with numerous annular V-shaped 15 for rotating said shaft, said shaft having a fluid grooves 66 which provide additional lava contact inlet and a fluid outlet and adapted to be op surface and appreciably aid in dividing the lava eratively connected to a supply of cooling fluid into numerous tiny molten streams or filaments without said shaft, a hollow drum mounted there which, when hurled oft of the drum and chilled, on and having its interior in operative communi form fibers substantially without "shot." 20 cation with said fluid outlet and said fluid inlet From the above it will be seen that I have pro of said shaft and an impeller means within the vided means whereby a film of lava, without be interior of said drum for centrlfugally forcing a ing first subjected to a chilling blast, may be cooling fluid from said supply through said in separated by centrifugal force from Its main body let to the interior of said drum and through said portion and divided into filamentary particles 25 outlet, said dram being adapted to operatively to the end that ideal fibers may be formed. maintain a velocity in excess of one thousand Various modifications may, of course, be made R. P. M,, and having an exterior circular surface in the details of my spinning apparatus without portion provided with a plurality of closely departing from the true spirit of my invention. spaced annular grooves concentric with said I, therefore, wish to be limited only by the scope 30 shaft. of the following claims. 4. In apparatus for spinning fibers from suit I claim: able molten materials, a hollow shaft and means 1. In apparatus for spinning fibers from suit for rotating said shaft, said shaft having a fluid able molten materials, a hollow shaft and means inlet and a fluid outlet and adapted to be op for rotating said shaft, said shaft having a fluid 35 eratively connected to a supply of cooling fluid inlet and a fluid outlet and adapted to be opera without said shaft, a hollow drum mounted tively connected to a supply of cooling fluid with thereon and having its Interior in operative com out said shaft, a hollow drum mounted thereon munication with said fluid outlet and said fluid and having its interior in operative communica inlet of said shaft and an impeller means within tion with said fluid outlet and said fluid inlet of 40 the Interior of said drum for centrlfugally forcing said shaft and an impeller means within the in a cooling fluid from said supply through said terior of said drum for centrlfugally forcing a inlet to the interior of said drum and through cooling fluid from said supply through said inlet said outlet, said drum being adapted to opera to the interior of said drum and through said out tively maintain a velocity in excess of one let, said drum being adapted to operatively main- 45 thousand R. P. M., and having an exterior tion a velocity in excess of one thousand R. P. M. grooved circular surface portion concentric with 2. In apparatus for spinning fibers from suit said shaft. able molten materials, a hollow shaft and means DANIEL C. DRILL. for rotating said shaft, said shaft having a fluid MTC 017087