AU607169B2

AU607169B2 - A process and device for feeding a thin binder impregnated uncured primary web of mineral wool onto a receiving conveyor

Info

Publication number: AU607169B2
Application number: AU81745/87A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Henning John Emil Lauren
Original assignee: Partek Oy AB
Current assignee: Partek Oy AB
Priority date: 1986-10-31
Filing date: 1987-10-29
Publication date: 1991-02-28
Anticipated expiration: 2007-10-29
Also published as: FI83674C; FI864452A0; RO104627B1; CN1009911B; EP0329686A1; KR890700106A; BG50603A3; JPH02500737A; CN87107553A; FI864452A; AU8174587A; PL158611B1; CA1289981C; EP0329686B1; HUT49826A; WO1988003121A1; RU1831533C; PL268494A1; FI83674B

Description

made in a Convention country in respect of the invention the subject of the application.

Insert PLACE of signing Insert DATE of signing Signature(s) of declarant(s) Declared at (k) Dated (1) Pargas March 9th, 1989 OY PARTEK AB (ml Lauri Hakkala Kaukp Junkkarinen Vice Pre.sident R&D Manaaer S Note: No legalization or other witness required i To: The Commissioner of Patents V. I AU-AI-81745/87 WORLD INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ORGANIZATION International Bureau -0 PCT INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLII E UN T PAT NT OOPERATION TREATY (PCT) (51) International Patent Classification 4 j1 'ternafnaBblid n Number: WO 88/03121 45/10, D01G 25/00 Arf D04H 1/70 (43) International Publication Date: 5 May 1988 (05.05.88) (21) International Application Number: PCT/FI87/00143 (81) Designated States: AT (European patent), AU, BE (European patent), BG, CH (European patent), DE (Eu- (22) International Filing Date: 29 October 1987 (29.10.87) ropean patent), DK, FR (European patent), GB (European patent), HU, IT (European patent), JP, KR, LU (European patent), NL (European patent), NO, (31) Priority Application Number: 864452 RO, SE (European patent), SU, US.

(32) Priority Date: 31 October 1986 (31.10.86) Published (33) Priority Country: FI With internationdafarch report.

This document ontain the (71) Applicant (for all designated States except US): OY ame.d mets rnia de th PARTEK AB [FI/FI]; SF-21600 Pargas Scn 49 ai s crect

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t on 49 an r isIs correct for (72) Inventor; and j prin llng.

Inventor/Applicant (for US only) LAUREN, Henning, John, Emil [FI/FI]; Regnbdgen, SF-21600 Pargas (FI).

(74) Agent: BERGGREN OY AB; P.O. Box 16, SF-00101 2 3 JUN 1988 Helsinki (FI).

AUSTRALIAN

2 5 MAY 1988 PATENT OFFICE (54) Title: A PROCESS AND DEVICE FOR FEEDING A THIN BINDER IMPREGNATED UNCURED PRIMARY WEB OF MINERAL WOOL ONTO A RECEIVING CONVEYOR B i

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!1; (57) Abstract A process for feeding out a primary web of mineral wool onto a receiving conveyor. For this purpose, a pendulum conveyor has been used. In order to achieve good quality and the desired capacity the primary web must be thin and output rate high, which causes problems in fixing the primary web into the already fed out web and in looping the edges of the fed out web. According to the invention, these problems have been solved by making the trajectory and rate of motion of the output end (10) of the receiving conveyor to comprise a central portion (B 1 with a constant speed, which equals or is close to the output rate of the primary web, and an outmost portion (B 2 having a retarding or accelerating speed, respectively. By this means the output end may move close to the receiving conveyor and be rapidly fixed into the bed while the pendulum allows appropriate space in the extreme positions for the edge loop, which also is rapidly fixed into the bed and forms an even edge. The invention relates also to a device for carrying.out the process.

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WO 88/03121 PCT/FI87/00143 1 A process and device for feeding a thin binder impregnated uncured primary web of mineral wool onto a receiving conveyor The present invention relates to a process for feeding a thin binder impregnated uncured mineral wool web on a receiving conveyor and to a device for carrying out the process according to the preamble of claims 1 and 9.

When manufacturing mineral wool sheets, it is crucial to achieve a product that is as uniform and homogenous as possible, yielding a higher insulation capacity. Moreover, it should be as elastic as possible at a low density, requiring the fibres to be extended mainly in the sheet plane. Due to the elasticity, the sheet may be compressed for the packing and transport step.

in order to achieve this, a thin primary web, of which the basis 2 weight varies in the range of 110 to 450 g/m preferably 100 2 to 200 g/m is collected on a collecting conveyor immediately after the defibration. The thinner the primary web, the better the quality of the finished product. In order to keep the capacity on the desired level while producing a thin primary web, the speed of the primary web as well as that of its conveying devices has to be high. Normally, the speed of the primary web is over 100 m/min, however, the basis weight of the primary web being only in the 2 range of 100 to 200 g/m an even higher speed is required in order to keep the capacity on the desired level.

Various methods of folding mineral wool webs are described in the US patent specification 2 450 916 from 1948 and the somewhat 0 younger GB patent specification 772 628, among others. These have subsequently been completed with methods of folding the primary web by means of pendulum conveyors.

i i. I I r_ -rlL-L-i 1 WO 88/03121 PCT/F87/00143 2 When pendulum conveyors are being used for the feeding out of primary web, it is critical that the speed of the output end is about the same as that of the primary web, in order to avoid folding or stretching of the web at the output moment.

Up till now, the pendulum mechanism usually has comprised an operation, in which the extreme positions have been highest above the receiving conveyor, and the lower dead point of the pendulum has been closest to the receiving conveyor. In order to achieve the desired capacity with the thin primary webs, the output rate of the pendulum conveyors should increase, however this is not feasible with known devices. In fact, a high speed pendulum conveyor that feeds out a light web and has a high pendulum frequency yields an inexact laying of the primary web. A pendulum conveyor driven in a known manner by a connecting rod and oscillating along a circular arc imparts a speed to the output end of the conveyor that is maximial when the pendulum is in the central position and decreases sinusoidally to zero in the extreme position, from where a sinusoidal acceleration reoccurs. The output end of such a pendulum conveyor must, in its lowest position, be disposed c. 0,2 times the output width, which normally is 2 m, above the fed out wool web, in order to allow the primary web to be deposited in an uniform layer on the receiving conveyor without being stretched. The distance between the pendulum and the receiving conveyor being that long up to 40 cm and more, the fed out web will get uneven edges. The output rate being c. 130 m/min, the irregularities of the secondary web formed will be c. of the output width. This signifies that the secondary web must be imparted a correspondingly larger width in order to achieve a faultless web of the desired width, since the undesired material has to be cut off. This means a great loss of material.

Pendulum output mechanisms, in which the folding process is carried out by continuously feeding out the primary web at a constant height above the support, at a constant height, are also known. An i, WO 88/03121 PCT/F187/00143 articulation system for maintaining the output end of the pendulum mechanism at a constant heigh-t above the receiving conveyor is provided, and the to and fro motion is obtained by a chain/connecting rod-mechanism. The speed profile of the oscillating motion has a constant speed period in the middle and a sinoidal retardation and acceleration .phase in each end position. The pendulum must be rapidly retarded and accelerated in the end positions for the pendulum motion to correspond to the output amount of the primary web per unit of time, causing great strains in the mechanical constructions. Consequently, the mechanism is appropriate only at output rates below c. 100 m/min.

Another drawback of pendulum mechanisms having a high pendulum frequency is constituted of the strong flows of air generated by the rapid back and fro motion of a pendulum mechanism having a large surface. The air flows hamper the depositing of the thin primary web onto the bed.

Prior known are thus pendulum mechanisms for feeding thin primary webs in over-lapping layers on a receiving conveyor.

However, they all present considerable drawbacks; the edges are uneven, causing great loss of material, the speeds are too low to fullfil the capacity requirement, the retardation and acceleration forces are strong, causing great mechanical stress in the constructions; the problem of air flow jeopardizes the depositing of the primary web.

FTh@ ouruose OtF hr F. tc. 1 -e A 111 I i m i Hn eliminate these drawbacks, and especially to obtain xact outlaying with even edges and a web with high eneity, and this has been achieved by providing a m and a device, of which the main characteristics are s nted in claims 1 and 9.

In a preferred e ent of the invention a prior known drive system d, imparting to the oscillating pendulum conveyor, 4~ (4.

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oO6o oo 6 66o 0 *66 6 oo o e 6 a 66 6° o 6 6 6 6 .6 66 IA 66 6 6 The purpose of the present invention is to reduce or totally eliminate these drawbacks.

According to the present invention there is provided a method of feeding a thin binder impregnated uncured primary web of mineral wool in zigzag formation on a receiving conveyor by means of a pendulum conveyor arranged above the receiving conveyor, said pendulum conveyor swinging in a plane -perpendicular to the direction of motion of said receiving conveyor, wherein the speed of the receiving conveyor is lower than the speed at which the primary web is fed, the swinging movement of the pendulum conveyor has a constant speed in the middle of the swinging movement and a retarding and an accelerating speed, respectively, in the end parts of the swinging movement, and the output end of the pendulum conveyor, before turning at the end parts of the swinging movement, is raised in relation to the receiving conveyor and is lowered after turning, during mainly the same part of the 20 returning movement, the output end of the pendulum conveyor covers at least 30% and maximum 60%, of the pendulum stroke during the movement with a constant speed, and the constant speed is substantially the same as the feeding speed of the primary web.

Further, the present invention provides an apparatus for feeding a thin binder impregnated uncured primary web of mineral wool in zigzag formation onto a receiving conveycr, comprising: a pendulum conveyor arranged above the receiving conveyor, said pendulum conveyor swinging in a vertical plane, perpendicular to the movement direction of said receiving conveyor, said primary web being fed from the lower end of the pendulum conveyor onto said receiving conveyor, the movement speed of which is lower than the feeding speed of the primary web, whereby said primary web is deposited in overlapping pleats, thus forming a secondary web of desired thickness, S-3a- ~i1

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't:u i i i a connecting rod, one end of which is attached to the pendulum conveyor and the other end of which, is attached to a driving chain running over two wheels situated at a distance from each other, wherein the distance between the centres of said wheels corresponds in the movement of the pendulum to at least and maximum 60%, of a single pendulum stroke, which is formed by the projection of said distance plus two fourths of the periphery, which gives the output end of the pendulum conveyor a constant speed over at least 30% and maximum 60%, of the pendulum stroke, and in that the output end, before the turning point of the pendulum, is arranged to rise in relation to the receiving conveyor and to sink after the turning point, during an essentially corresponding part of the return stroke, either as a result of the free pendulum movement or by means of a Deese: 6 device which gives the output end a desired moving path Se and a device which enables vertical movement of the e swinging axis.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention a prior known drive system is used, imparting to the oscillating Goss pendulum conveyor, called pendulum from now on, a constant 0006 rate of motion in the *see*0 Gooses *fee o o s o e so 66 6 -3b-

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1 VWO 88/03121 PCT/F87/00143 4 middle of the pendulum motion and a sinusoidally decreasing respectively increasing speed in the extreme positions of the pendulum motion. The period having constant speed may be in the range of 30 to 60% of the entire pendulum swing. The constant speed of the pendulum in the central area equals totally or nearly totally the output rate of the primary web. This enables the pendulum to be disposed closer to the receiving surface, at about half of the distance allowed by conventional crank drive, thus ensuring considerably better the deposit and the fixation of the primary web on the receiving conveyor.

In areas outside the phase having a constant speed the pendulum is driven at a sinusoidally decreasing respectively increasing rate, while the pendulum pursues its pendulum motion. At least during part of the motion at a decreasing respectively increasing rate in the extreme positions of the pendulum swing, the output end of the pendulum is arranged to rise in the final phase of the pendulum motion and to sink in the initial phase. Due to the changing of the height of the pendulum in the retardation respectively the acceleration phase, potential energy is stocked respectively discharged, resulting in less stress forces on the mechanism than those" generated when'the output end of the pendulum describes a horizontal path over the entire pendulum swing.

The pendulum motion, consisting of a central portion having a constant speed and two extreme portions having retarding and accelerating speeds, is appropriately produced by means of an endless drive chain running over two coplanar interspaced chain wheels, whereby a connecting rod connects the pendulum with a carrier on the drive chain. The,centre distance of the chain i wheels corresponds to the portion of the pendulum motion having a constant speed and half the circumference of each wheel corresponds to the pendulum motion having retarding and accelerating speed. L

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r 1- -I WO 88/03121 PCT/FS17/00143 The pendulum motion consisting of a central portion having constant speed and two extreme portions having retarding and accelerating speed may also be produced by means of a socalled Ferguson gear, in which the rotary motion is transmitted by elliptical gear wheels.

The output end of the pondulum may be guided to move along differently shaped paths in the course of the pendulum motion. The most simple embodiment is an arched trajectory, whereby the pendulum swings around a stationary point of bearing. In such an embodiment, the pendulum operates with great accuracy at output rates of c. 200 m/min. This is allowed by the fact that the output end of the pendulum may strike very close to the receiving conveyor, and closest thereto at the midpoint of the total swing, wher 'y the fed out primary web may be immediately fixed into the underlying fed out wool web and thus remains undisturbed by the air flows caused by the pendulum motion. In the extreme positions of the pendulum motion the lower end of the pendulum rises c. 0.1 times the output width i.e. appr. 20 cm with an output width of 200 cm, resulting in a more exact position for the edge folding, due to the smaller folding loop of the wool web. Another advantage of this embodiment is that the pendulum may be relatively short, c.

0.7 to 1.0 times the output width, i.e. c. 140 to 200 cm, which results in lower mass-moments of inertia and smaller stresses in the driving device. The air flow disturbances are also reduced by a shorter pendulum.

In this embodiment, the pendulum may be adjusted to strike at its closest point only 5 to 10 cm above the receiving conveyor and thus to fix almost immediately the fed out web into the central area of the trajectory. This results in a wool web having very even edges. At a constant speed of above c. 50% of the output width, which is 200 cm, and a maximum pendulum swing of and a pendulum length of c. 75% of the output width, i.e. 150 cm, the pendulum rises c. 12%, i.e. 24 cm, in the extreme positions.

jJ i k Li il*- u, WO 88/03121 PCT/F87/00143 6 Another preferred embodiment of the invention is the one in which the pendulum and its output end are made to move horizontally at a constant height above the receiving conveyor in the central zone of the pendulum swing and to rise above this in the outmost positions.

The rising motion may be started at any point after the mid point of the pendulum motion, but at the latest during the retardation phase of the pendulum motion, thus allowing for the primary web, which is fed out from the output end of the pendulum at a constant rate, enough space below the output end which then moves at a lower rate than the output rate of the primary web. The rising motion thus starts at the earliest immediately after the mid point of the pendulum motion, the pendulum and its output end then describing a continuous arched line, or at the latest at such a point before the extreme position of the pendulum swing, that enough space is allowed to be formed below the rising pendulum for the accumulating loop to settle under control and to form an even edge during the reverse motion.

The path described by the output end may be a linearly rising, circular, progressively arched line or various combinations of these.

By means of various guide devices the pendulum or its output end is forced to deviate from the natural pendulum motion having a circular output path. From the moment there is a deviation from the natural pendulum motion, the oscillating point of the pendulum must be vertically movable or the swinging radius of the output end be variable.

An output trajectory consisting of a mainly horizontal central portion and an arched end portion being desired, an arm mounted on I bearings in the pendulum may for instance comprise a lower end that is pivotally mounted on bearings outside the pendulum, thus vIL-- LL-- WO 88/03121 PCT/F187/00143 7 forcing the pendulum to describe an essentially horizontal path.

During this part of the motion the oscillating point of the pendulum sinks/rises. The oscillating point has been disposed so as to reach a stop or else stop in the position in which the pen dulum is to pass into a rising motion in the outmost zone of the pendulum swing respectively sinking motion in the same zone during the reverse motion. The mounting of the arm on bearings in the pendul.um is disposed so as to enable the pendulum to oscillate with regard to the arm at this stage, e.g. be means of fork bearings. A spring may appropriately be disposed between the connecting rod top of the pendulum and the arm guiding the height position of the pendulum, whereby the acceleration and retardation forces are partly equilibrated in the extreme positions of the pendulum.

The motion of the pendulum may also be guided by for instance a fixed guide disposed symmetrically with regard to the central axis along which a wheel mounted on bearings in the pendulum or a sliding body are disposed to move. The trajectory of the output end will then correspond to the shape of the guide. The height of the guide above the ouptut end is determined by the optimization of geometry and mass forces.

The oscillating point of the pendulum may alternatively be stationary while the output end is radially movable in relation to the oscillating point.

The invention will be described more in detail below as a number of preferred embodiments of the invention and referring to the enclosed figures, in which: figure 1 presents a schematical representation of the pendulum motion of two preferred embodiments; the motion of the pendulum at a constant speed and subsequently at a retarded and an accelerated speed, while the output end of the pendulum describes a cir- 8801- PC- ~/FT8 7/0O1 4 3 WO 88/03121 PCF/F17/00143

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cular path (case A) respectively the motion of the pendulum at a constant speed and subsequently at a retarded and an accelerated speed while the output end during the constant speed phase moves at a constant height above the receiving conveyor and during the retardation respectively acceleration phase moves along an arched path (case B), figure 2 shows a preferred embodiment of the pendulum including the associated driving device and the pendulum shown in three different positions, and figure 3 shows another preferred embodiment of the pendulum including the associated driving device and showing the pendulum in three different positions.

In figure 1, the right side of the figure shows the case in which the pendulum both during the period at a constant speed and the period at a retarded and an accelerated speed oscillates around the point P, which is stationary in this case, and the output end describes a circular arc. The pendulum is driven by the guide device 0 by means of a chain having constant speed.

A connecting rod V is mounted on bearings on a carrier to the drive chain at the point T and to the pendulum mechanism at the point K In the drive chain the points 1 to 12 have been mark-

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ed, whereby the points 1 and 7 indicate the central position of the pendulum, the points 4 and 10 the extreme positions of the pendulum and the points 12 and 2 respectively 6 and 8 the limits of the area having a constant speed. When the point T of the connecting rod is in the position 1, the pendulum is suspended from the oscillating point P and the position of the output end is indicated by the number 1 From 1 to 2 the connecting rod moves at a constant speed and the output end describes a circular arc since the oscillating point P is stationary. From 2 to 4 the pendulum moves with retardatcion, changes the direction of motion at the point 4 and from 4 to 6 with acceleration, while the out- 44 <pili.~YI

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WO 88/03121 PCT/FI87/00 143 put end describes a rising respectively sinking circular arc from the connecting rod 6 to 7 moves at a constant speed, while the ouput end describes a rising respectively a sinking circular arc.

Depending on the position of the fastening point K on the pen-

A

dulum with regard to the drive device D, more or less geometrical assymmetry is achieved, i.e. the points 3 and 5 respectively 2 and 6 deviate somewhat from each other, which appears from the rough drawing. The pendulum rises in the extreme position 4 c. 24 cm, which also appears from the figure drawn in the scale 1:10, and forms a controlled loop of the primary web at the turning point.

Owing to the smaller distance of the output end to the receiving conveyor S and the synchronization between the output rate and the oscillating rate of the output end, the fed out primary web is rapidly fixed to the bed, which also appears from the rough drawing. The motion of the pendulum from the point 7 to 1 is the reverse image of the motion between the points 1 and 7, however not represented.

The left side of figure 1 shows the case in which the output end of the pendulum during the period of constant speed moves at a constant height above the receiving conveyor S and during the

B

period of retarded and accelerated motion moves along a circular path. In the central position of the pendulum, point 7, the oscillating point of the pendulum is at P' but sinks to the point P during the drive motion up to point 8, whereby the output end moves along a horizontal line. During the retardation phase from point 8 to 10 and the acceleration phase from point 10 to 12, the oscillating point P is kept stationary and the outr end describes a circular arc. As it appears from the figure, the receiving conveyor S is situated higher than in case A, because the

B

oscillating point of the pendulum is higher placed in the central position in case B.

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a retarding and an accelerating speed, respectively, in the end parts of the swinging movement, and the output end of the pendulum conveyor, before turning at the end parts of the swinging movement, is raised in relation to the receiving conveyor and is /2 ii

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_04 V K WO 88/03121 PCr/RX87/00143 the connecting rod moves between the drive wheels 5a and 5b, the distance bi the wheel 7 gains a constant rate of motion and simultaneously moves over the plane portion of the guide 9, whereby the conducting rolls 3a and 3b cover the distance B 1 at a constant height above the receiving conveyor. As the connecting rod moves along the circumference of the drive wheels, equalling the distances b 2 the wheel 7 moves over the upwards bended end 2'' of the guide 9, whereby the output end of the pendulum describes a corresponding arched path over the distance B The position of the guide 9 is determined by the desired kinetic geometry. The oscillating point 22 of the pendulum is displacable along the line of the central pendulum motion and the receiving conveyor 1 of the primary web is mounted on bearings by articulation in order to be able to vertically follow the motion of the input end of the pendulum.

Figure 3 shows another preferred embodiment of the pendulum of the invention. The lower end of an arm 20 is fixed on bearings outside the pendulum on the central line of the oscillating motion, and its upper end is mounted on fork-bearings to the bearing point 8 of the connecting rod 6 on the pendulum. The bearing point 8 is disposed to run in the fork 21 at the upper end of the arm. The oscillating point 22 of the pendulum is vertically displacable along the central line of the motion and the receiving conveyor 1 of the primary web is mounted on bearings by articulation in order to be able to follow the movements of the pendulum vertically, likewise as in the preceding case. As the connecting rod moves over the horizontal area between the drive wheels the pendulum is drawn into an angular position while the oscillating point moves downwards until its reaches a stop 23 at the end of the constant speed period. The stop prevents the oscillating point from being further dispaced downwards and the pendulum is forced to swing around the oscillating point P fixed by now. During this retarding part of the motion the fastening point 8 is displaced upwards in the fork 21 and thus does not prevent the pendulum k 4 UUL Lt:ipuiiu lijy pdLU or cne recurn stroKe, either as a result of the free pendulum movement or by means of a device which gives the output end a desired moving path and a device which enables vertical movement of the swinging axis.

WO 88/03121 PCT/FI87/00143 12 from risingalong an arched line. During the subsequent acceleration phase the pendulum swings down and the output end 10 describes the same arched line, while the fastening point 8 simultaneously is displaced towards the bottom of the fork 21. The same motion is repeated in the opposite direction.

It is advantageous to dispose a spring between the central axis and the arm 20 to pick up part of the retardation and acceleration forces generated by the oscillation of the pendulum.

The embodiments of figures 2 and 3 each show a pendulum motion composed so that the horizontal or essentially horizontal output motion coincides with the phase having a constant speed and the rising respectively sinking motion coincides with the phase having retarded respectively accelerated speed. The controlled trajectory of the output end, deviating from the arched trajectory, may of course be adjusted to start at any point during the period of constant speed b or the period of retarding or accelerating motion b 2 As stated above, the retardation and acceleration forces are less than in prior used methods, partly due to the rising motion at the sides of the output and partly due to a smaller pendulum having less mass.

It is obvious that a person, skilled in the art is able to accomplish the inventive idea of a pendulum motion rising in the extreme positions, having a constant rate of motion in the central phase of the pendulum swing, in several differenc manners in addition to the embodiments described above.

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Claims

1. A method of feeding a thin binder impregnated uncured primary web of mineral wool in zigzag formation on a receiving conveyor by means of a pendulum conveyor arranged above the receiving conveyor, said pendulum conveyor swinging in a plane perpendicular to the direction of motion of said receiving conveyor, wherein the speed of the receiving conveyor is lower than the speed at which the primary web is fed, the swinging movement of the pendulum conveyor has a constant speed in the middle of the swinging movement and a retarding and an accelerating speed, respectively, in the end parts of the swinging movement, and the output end of the pendulum conveyor, before turning at the end parts of the swinging movement, is raised in relation to the receiving conveyor and is S.. lowered after turning, during mainly the same part of the 555 returning movement, S. the output end of the pendulum conveyor covers at least 30% and maximum 60%, of the pendulum stroke during the movement with a constant speed, and the constant speed is substantially the same as the S. feeding speed of the primary web.

2. A method according to claim i, wherein the output end of the pendulum conveyor covers 50% of the pendulum stroke during the movement with a constant speed.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the output S. Send of the pendulum conveyor moves at a constant distance above the receiving conveyor during at least part, preferably during the whole of, the movement of said conveyor with constant speed.

4. A method according to claim i, wherein the output end of the peidulum conveyor moves parallel to the receiving conveyor during the whole movement having a constant speed and during part of the following movement having a retarding speed, as well as during the return movement of the pendulum stroke during a corresponding part of the movement having an accelerating speed and -13- S SOS i4 rS i pf j i 6 i;, I iii ncc UL U lUIILqg 1 L -fln'e SUpport, at a Constant height, are also known. An J 4t again, during the whole movement having a constant speed.

A method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein raising and lowering of the output end of the pendulum conveyor occurs along an arcuate, preferably an arcuate circular path.

6. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the moving path of the output end of the pendulum conveyQr is determined by a guide.

7. An apparatus for feeding a thin binder impregnated uncured primary web of mineral wool in zigzag formation onto a receiving conveyor, comprising: a pendulum conveyor arranged above the receiving conveyor, said pendulum conveyor swinging in a vertical plane, perpendicular to the movement direction of said 9e** receiving conveyor, said primary web being fed from the lower end of the pendulum conveyor onto said receiving conveyor, the movement speed of which is lower than the feeding speed of the primary web, whereby said primary web is deposited in overlapping pleats, thus forming a secondary web of desired thickness, a connecting rod, one end of which is attached to ,the pendulum conveyor and the other end of which is attached to a driving chain running over two wheels situated at a distance from each other, wherein the distance between the centres of said wheels corresponds in the movement of the pendulum to at least 30% and maximum 60%, of a single pendulum stroke, which is :.formed by the projection of said distance plus two fourths of the periphery, which gives the output end of the pendulum conveyor a constant speed over at least 30% and maximum 60%, of the pendulum stroke, and in that the output end, before the turning point of the pendulum, is arranged to rise in relation to the receiving conveyor and to sink after the turning point, during an essentially corresponding part of the return stroke, either as a result of the free pendulum movement or by means of a device which gives the output end a desired moving path and a device which enables vertical movement of the 39 -14- RA, IT) Vr0" IPdrTlg to the oscillating pendulum conveyor, L 'r iJll swinging axis.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the distance between the centres of said wheels corresponds in movement of the pendulum to preferably 50% of a single pendulum stroke and the output end of the pendulum conveyor has a constant speed over preferably 50% of the pendulum stroke.

9. An apparatus according to claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the pendulum conveyor is furnished with a swinging arm which at its lower end is fixed on bearings outside the pendulum, on the center line of the pendulum, and at its upper end mounted on fork-bearings or the like on the 0* pendulum conveyor.

10. An apparatus as in claim 9, wherein a stop is arranged to stop the vertical movement of the swinging axis when the pendulum conveyor is passing into a free pendulum movement.

11. An apparatus as in claim 9 or 10, wherein a wheel or similar rolling or sliding element is arranged on the pendulum conveyor, so that when in contact with a guide device and during the pendulum movement, it transmits to the output end of the pendulum colnveyor the desired moving path.

12. A method according to claim 1, substantially as herein before described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

13. A method according to claim 7, substantially as herein before described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED: 9 NOVEMBER, 1990 PHILLIPS ORMONDE FITZATRICK Attorneys For: u OY PARTEK AB 2694Z 39 g;B1