GB1571606A - Method of preparing glass strand - Google Patents

Description

(54) METHOD OF PREPARING GLASS STRAND (71) We, PPG INDUSTRIES INC., a Corporation organised and existing under the laws of the State of Pennsylvania, United States of America, of One Gateway Center, Pittsburgh, State of Pennsylvania 15222, United States of America, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The present invention relates to a method of preparing glass strand.

In the manufacture of textile strands and yarns many operations are involved from the basic formation of the fibers constituting the strand to the finished strand packaged for use by the customer. In general the more handling that is required to produce a particular strand or yarn, the more costly the product becomes. Similarly, the more processing that is required to produce a given strand product, particularly one made of glass fibers, the weaker the fiber becomes.

In handling glass fibrous strands, due to the fact that glass fibers have nearly perfect elasticity, it is found that considerable tension is exerted on the forming tubes used to collect these strands as they are wound from a glass source. This results in a strand which is often quite difficult to remove from a forming package in the wet or the dry state.

Still further, in many strand making processes where speciality yarns are desired, the strand source for the process is a bobbin which because of size and space limitations of commercial twist frame equipment is quite small. Since the preparation of the bobbin itself is a costly operation, the use of bobbins as the strand source for speciality yarns renders these speciality yarns quite costly.

Often textile strands are sized during forming with special chemicals to render them useful for a particular end use. Since it is conventional, particularly in the formation of glass fibers, to utilize aqueous solutions of chemicals to apply the desired coatings, binders and sizes to textile strands, it is also common practice to dry the packages of strand so formed by placing them in suitable drying sources such as ovens. This latter operation however often results in migration of binder or coating from one layer of strand on a package to the next. The ultimate result of this undesirable, but often inevitable migration, is uneven binder or coating distribution along the strand as it is used by the customer in weaving or as reinforcement materials for resin or rubber use.

By practice of the present invention there may be provided a process which permits the high speed winding of glass fiber strand on forming packages without incurring some of the aforementioned disadvantages of the conventional process. Thus, glass strands can be wound at high speed in a generally rounded form with excellent consolidation of the fibers.Utilizing a slow speed major traverse on the winder the process provides a micro-traverse which enables the strand to be removed from the forming package either wet or dry and coupling the winding operation with a tension reducing step eliminates the problems normally associated with the high compressive forces acting on forming packages which are typically encountered in a high speed winding of glass strands;; According to the present invention there is provided a method of preparing glass strand, which comprises drawing a plurality of glass filaments from a molten glass source, gathering said filaments into a strand, passing the strand so formed through a tension reducing zone to reduce tension thereon, passing the strand through a zone of fluid turbulence wherein the fluid is introduced perpendicular to the path of strand travel and tangential to the curved wall of the zone and winding the strand as it emerges from said zone of fluid turbulence at a high speed.

According to the present invention there is also provided a method of preparing glass fiber strand, which comprises drawing glass filaments from a molten glass source, gathering said filaments into a strand, passing said strand over a godet to impart thrust to the strand thereby reducing tension carried by the drawing force, introducing the tension reduced strand through a zone of fluid turbulence, passing fluid at high speed tangential to the curved wall of the zone and at high velocity, and winding the strand on a rotating package at high speed as it emerges from said zone of fluid turbulence while transversing the strand across the winding surface.

According to the present invention there is further provided a method of forming glass fiber strand which comprises, drawing a plurality of glass filaments from a molten glass source, contacting said filaments with an applicator to apply a size thereto gathering said filaments into a strand, tension reducing said strand, passing the tension reduced strand into a zone of fluid turbulence passing a fluid at high velocity tangential to the curved wall of the zone of fluid turbulence, to impart a false twist thereto and create a curvilinear wave form in said strand, and winding the strand immediately upon emergence from said zone of fluid turbulence on the surface of a winding collet at high speed while traversing the strand across the winding surface.

The present invention still further provides a method of preparing several packages of glass fiber strand simultaneously, which comprises drawing a plurality of filaments from each of several molten glass sources from a unitary attenuator winding source, gathering the said plurality of filaments from each molten glass source into a strand,passing each strand so formed through a separate tension reducing zone and reducing the tension thereon, passing each strand from said tension reducing zones into a separate zone of fluid turbulence for each strand, passing high velocity fluid tangential to the curved wall of said zone of fluid turbulence to impart a curvilinear wave thereto and a false twist, winding each strand on a separate collector associated with a reciprocating rotating high speed winder and traversing each of the strands across the length of the collector surface associated therewith during winding.

The present invention still further provides a method of forming glass fiber strand, which comprises drawing glass filaments from a molten glass source at high speeds, applying moisture to said filaments, gathering said filaments into strand, passing said strands over a surface that moves the strand at a speed in excess of the speed of a winding source used for attenuating and winding slid strand to thereby reduce the tension in said strand, passing the strand into a zone lZh fluid turbulence, contacting the wall zone of fluid turbulence tangentially * a fluid to impart a curvilinear wave , and winding said strand on a rotating collector surface as it emerges from said zone of high fluid turbulence.

The present invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one embodi inent of a blower suitable for use in the method of the present invention having a slotted strand entry and two rows of fluid inlets, Fig. 2 is a cross-section of Fig. 1 showing the internal air chamber and fluid inlet communication therewith, Fig. 3 is a cross-section of another embodiment of a slotted blower suitable for use in the method of the present invention the blower having an elliptical central cavity with two rows of fluid inlets positioned therein, Fig. 4 is a longitudinal front elevation view of the blower of Fig. 3 showing the arrangement of the fluid inlets and internal fluid chambers, Fig. 5 is a longitudinal side elevational view of the blower of Fig. 3 showing the arrangement of the fluid inlets and internal fluid chamber, Fig. 6 is a cross-section of a further embodiment of a blower suitable for use in the method of the present invention, the blower having an elliptical central cavity and no longitudinal slot, Fig. 7 is a longitudinal front elevational view of the blower of Fig. 6 showing the arrangement of the fluid inlets to the central cavity and the internal fluid chamber, Fig. 8 is a cross-section of another embodiment of a blower suitable for use in the method of the present invention, the blower having a cylindrical yarn passageway and a single row of fluid inlets, Fig. 9 is a longitudinal view of the blower of Fig. 8 showing the arrangement for the fluid inlets and the internal fluid chamber, Fig. 10 is a cross-section of still another embodiment of a blower suitable for use in the method of the present invention, the blower having a cylindrical yarn passageway and two rows of fluid inlets, Fig. 11 is a longitudinal view of the blower of Fig. 10 showing the arrangement of fluid inlets and internal fluid chambers, Fig. 12 is a side elevation of a forming operation showing the device of Figs. 1, 2 and 5 being used to wind strand in forming at high speed, Fig. 13 is a front elevation of the forming operation of Fig. 13, Fig. 14 is a side elevation of a strand forming operation using the device of Figs. 1, 2 and 5 to wind multiple packages on a single winder in forming.

With reference to Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings, there is shown a blower 10 which is provided with a central bore or passageway 13 formed by the walls of the blower 10. An elongated slot 19 is provided to permit the passage of strand 14 into the chamber 13 from the exterior of the blower 10. A plurality of fluid inlets 17 are positioned in a row on the lip of the blower 10 and the inlets 17 are machined to direct all fluid exiting from the inlets to the underside of the chamber 13 positioned above the inlets 17. A similar row of inlets 18 are provided at the back of the chamber 13 and are machined to direct fluid emanating from the inlets 18 against the surface of the back wall of the chamber 13 toward the inlets 17 and in a path around the chamber surface which is perpendicular to the strand 14 passing longitudinally through the chamber 13.Inlets 17 are fed from a common header 16 located on the interior of the blower 10. This is typically provided by boring a hole parallel to the longitudinal axis of the blower 10, drilling holes 17 into the side of the chamber or header 16 and sealing both ends of the chamber by brazing a plug on each end. En inlet for fluid is provided on one end of each chamber so that fluid inlets 11 and 12 can be connected thereto to provide for the feeding of fluid under pressure to the chambers 16 and 15, respectively. The strand 14 travelling through the device 10 is thus subjected to tangential contact with high velocity fluid, e.g. air, as it travels through the blower.

Typcially the central bore 13 of the blower 10 is of a diameter which is at least ten times the diameter of the strand passing through the bore.

Figs. 3 and 4 show another embodiment of a blower suitable for use in the present invention. In this embodiment the blower 20 is provided with an elliptical shaped central cavity 23. A longitudinal slot 29 is provided for the purpose of passing a strand 24 into the central cavity 23. Fluid inlet lines 21 and 22 are provided to introduce texturizing fluid into the chambers 25 and 26 which are located inside the walls of the blower 20 at each side thereof. The chamber 25 is provided with a plurality of outlet passages 28 which are machined at their end which communicates with the cavity 23 to direct fluid emanating from these passages along the interior wall of the cavity 23 toward the second set of inlets 27.The fluid passages 27 communicate with the fluid chamber 26 and are machined at their ends communicating with the chamber 23 to direct fluid along the wall of the chamber in a direction toward the inlets 28. The fluid entering the chamber 23 from inlets 27 and 28 is thus directed in circumferential fashion around the wail of the chamber 23.

Although inlet lines 21 and 22 are shown entering blower 20 at one end thereof, they may enter blower 20 on either side i.e. inlet line 21 on the same side of blower 20 as fluid chamber 26 and inlet line 22 on the same side of blower 20 as fluid chamber 25.

Figs. 6 and 7 show still another embodiment of a blower suitable for use in the present invention. In this embodiment the chamber 63, in which the strand 67 is positioned during operation of the blower 60 shown, is elliptical in shape. The blowers provided with two fluid inlet lines 61 and 62 which communicate with two chambers 65 and 66, respectively, these chambers being located inside of the blower 60, one at each side thereof. Chamber 65 has a plurality of fluid passages 68 in communication therewith and each of these passages terminate in chamber 63. At this termination point in chamber 63 the passages 68 are machined to direct fluid along the wall of the chamber 63 toward fluid passages 69. Chamber 66 is provided in a similar manner with fluid passages 69 which are in communication therewith and which terminate in chamber 63.

These passages at the termination point in chamber 63 are machined to direct fluid along the wall of chamber 63 to the fluid passages 68.

Figs. 8 and 9 show another embodiment of a device utilizing a single row of fluid passages. In this embodiment a blower 80 is provided with a chamber 85 in which the strand 84 is treated. Chamber 85 is circular in shape. A fluid inlet line 82 is provided to introduce fluid into a chamber 86 housed in the wall of blower 80. The chamber 86 is provided with a plurality of fluid passages 87 which are in fluid communication with chamber 86 at one end and which terminated in chamber 85. The passages 87 at their termination point in chamber 85 are machined to direct fluid around the wall of the chamber 85.

Figs. 10 and 11 show a still further embodiment in which a circular chamber is em ployed in the blower. In these figures the blower 90 is provided with a central cavity 93 in which a strand 99 is treated. Two fluid inlets 91 and 92 are provided to introduce fluid into chambers 95 and 96, respectively, these chambers being formed in the wall of the blower 90. The chamber 95 has a plurality of fluid passages 98 provided therein which pass from chamber 95 to the cavity 93 in the blower 90. At their point of termination in cavity 93 the passages 98 are machined to direct fluid around the interior wall of the cavity 93. In like fashion a plurality of passages 97 are provided in chamber 96 in fluid communication therewith and terminate in chamber 93.These passages are also machined to direct fluid around the wall of the chamber 93, The method of the present invention may be used in the product of glass fiber form ing packages which can be used as the feed source for subsequent textile operations eliminating the need for costly twist frame operations. Thus, for example, utilizing the method of the present invention glass strand can be wound in forming to produce form ing packages which can be readily employed as the feed source for a subsequent yarn treatment process due to the physical charac teristics of the yarn and package.

Referring to Fig. 12 and Fig. 13 an ap paratus is shown utilized in a glass strand forming operation. In this process a blower 177 is shown being employed. This blower is the same as the blower shown in Figs. 3 and 4 and thus has two feed lines, not shown in Figs. 12 and 13 to introduce fluid there to and has an elliptical shaped central cavity with a longitudinal slot in the body of the blower so that the glass strand 176 can be easily positioned in the central cavity of the blower 177.

As seen in Figs. 12 and 13 a plurality of glass filaments 171 are drawn from a glass fiber forming bushing 170 which contains molten glass. The filaments 171 are passed over an applicator roll 172 which applies a suitable size and/or coating to the filaments 171. The filaments 171 are then passed over a gathering shoe 173 which consolidates the filaments 171 into a unitary glass fiber strand 176. Strand 176 is passed around a motorized godet 175 driven off a shaft 195 and pro vided with a smaller free-rolling wheel 174 or a guide shoe used to space the strand wrap on the godet 175 to prevent tangling on the godet surface. The godet 175 is used to cause tension reduction in the strand 176.

The strand 176 passes from the godet 175 into the whirl blower or zone of fluid turbu lence 177 which as previously stated has the configuration of the device shown in Figs.

3 and 4.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 12 and 13 the device 177 is reciprocated in a hori zontal direction as the rod 187 moves right to left and back across the width of the winder 193.

Winder 193 for example a high speed winder, is driven by a shaft 190 through pul leys 187 and 187a. Pulley 187 is turned by the shaft 185 of motor 186 and the belt 189 which engages pulley 187, drives pulley 187bur and the shaft 190 to rotate winder 193.

Shaft 185 also rotates a pulley 184 which is engaged by a belt 183 which engages pulley 180. Pulley 180 engages a shaft 182 and rotates it. The rotation of shaft 182 is translated by proper gears and cams, not shown, but positioned in unit 179 into forces providing for the longitudinal movement of the shaft 187.

Ih general the block blower 177 shown in 3Z and 13 is made of metal, brass being - d material. The device 177 can also be made of a fired ceramic, hard plastics or other suitable structural material.

The applicator 172 shown is a conventional roller applicator which is used to place sizes or binders on the strands. Recourse to the use of pad applicators, sprays and other similar devices for applying sizes and/or binders to the fibers may be had.

The gathering shoe 173 employed is generally a grooved wheel constructed of graphite though which the filaments are drawn to consolidate the filaments into strand form.

These gathering shoes may be stationary or can be rotated at slow speed if desired.

A suitable godet 175 for use with the present invention is that which is described in U.S. Patent No. 3,532,478 issued October 6, 1970. In general, the godet 175 is a smooth surfaced wheel which is positively driven by a suitable motor and at speeds such that it tends to push the strand 176 passing over its surface. By imparting this slight thrust to the strand 176 during its passage over the godet 175, the strand tension normally associated with the attenuation from the winder 193 is considerably reduced to provide a low tension strand 176 for feed to the zone of fluid turbulence- 177.

The fluids utilized in the zone of turbulence in blower 177 are typically gases such as air, nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide and other similar gases inert to the glass strand fed thereto. Steam may also be utilized. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention air is utilized as the gas source.

The zone of turbulence is usually of small diameter and the central cavity of the zone is typically from about 9 inch to about -3- inch (0.3175 to 1.91 centimeters) in diameter, prefrably from 4 inch to -1- inch (0.610 to 1.27 centimeters). Generally, the blower 177 is of a length sufficient to impart a false twist to the strand during its passage through the block and its central cavity. Lengths of 1 to 6 inches (2.54 to 15.24 centimeters) are typical with 1 to 3 inches (2.54 to 7.26 centimeters) being preferable for proper traversing of strand.

Using high pressure air to the zone of turbulence as a feed through the rows of inlets arranged in vertical alignment on the wall of the cavity and with the small diameter of the cavity defining a small circumference over which the air travels, air revolves around the circumference of the cavity at values of between about 20,000 to 1,070,000 revolutions per minute. Usually with cavities of 4 to l inch (0.610 to 1.27 centimeters) in diameter the zone of turbulence has air flowing around it at 150,000 to 310,000 revolutions per minute.

The high speed of the air passing around the circumference of the cavity in the air turbulence zone in blower 177 passes around the strand 176 causing it to rotate in a cir cumferential path imparting to the strand 176 a false twist since it is at low tension.

The whirling action of the air striking the strand surface as it passes circumferentially to the strand 176 moving through the zone imparts a curvilinear wave form to the strand 176 as it exits the zone. The strand 176 is immediately wound on the winder 193 with the wave form intact thus producing a low tension wound strand. The microtraversing action to the strand causes two to five strand displacements per wrap on the winder 193.

The fiber stress due to winding tension can therefore be relieved due to the incremental increased length of strand per wrap. It is preferred in operating winders in conjunction with the whirl blowers or zone of fluid turbulence to place the strand exit between about 2 to about 8 inches (5.08 to 20.32 centimeters) from the surface upon which it is being wound.

In the drawings the blower 177 is shown reciprocating across the surface of the package to provide the lay down of strand 176 thereon. If desired, however, the winder 193 itself can be made to reciprocate in a horizontal plane and the blower 177 may be maintained stationary. It is also within the contemplation of this invention to reciprocate both the winder 193 and the blower 177 if desired.

Fig. 14 shows an operation similar to that shown in Figs. 12 and 13 except that multiple forming packages 339, 340, 341 and 342 are formed on the surface of a single winder 346. The blowers 321, 322, 323 and 324 are the same configuration as the blower shown in Figs. 3 and 4. In this operation the glass fiber forming bushing 300 containing molten glass produces glass filaments which are divided into four groups 304, 303, 302 and 301 by a mechanical splitting device, not shown, which is a conventional practice in the art. The filament bundles 304, 303, 302 and 301 are passed through gathering shoes 305, 306, 307 and 308, respectively, to produce strands 317, 318, 319 and 320, respectively. Strand 317 is passed around godet 313 and idler 309 to reduce tension and is then passed into blower 321. Strands 318 is passed over godet 314 and idler 310 prior to being passed through blower 322.Strand 319 is passed over godet 315 and idler roll 311 prior to being passed through blower 323. Similarly strand 320 is passed over godet 316 and idler 312 prior to being passed to blower 324. Blowers 321, 322, 323 and 324 have fluid, preferably air at high pressure 20 to 80 pounds per square inch (1.406 to 5.624 kilograms per square centimeter) passed to the central cavity of each through a plurality of longitudinal rows of apertures such as shown in the blower shown herein in Figs. 3 and 4 and thereby causes the air to revolve in the cavity of each of the blowers 321, 322, 323 and 324 at 600,000 to 720,000 revolutions per minute. Shaft 325 reciprocates in a horizontal direction though a cam and gear arrangement in box 326 which is driven by motor 331 through shaft 329, belt 328, pulley 338 and shaft 327.The winder 346 is turned by the same motor 331 through shaft 332, pulley 333, belt 337, pulley 335 and shaft 336.

The packages 339, 340, 341 and 342 formed on the winder 346 like those formed in Figs. 12 and 13 are characteristically possessed with a small internal traverse caused by the curvilinear waves created in strands 317, 318, 319 and 320 as they pass through blowers 321, 322, 323 and 324, respectively. These packages 339, 340, 341 and 342 can be unwound wet or dry with ease and the strands thereon are found to be rounded in shape as opposed to the generally flat appearance of strand normally wound in conventional winding operations.

The present invention will now be further illustrated by way of the following Example which utilizes the apparatus of Figs. 12 and 13: EXAMPLE A 400 hole bushing 170 is employed. The bushing 170 is electrically heated and maintained at about 1204.4+1000 during the strand forming operation and is fed with glass marbles. The glass filaments 171 are attenuated at speeds of about 14,000 feet per minute (4,267.2 meters per minute) gathered into strand 176 as they pass through a grooved graphite gathering shoe 173. The strand 176 leaves the surface of the rotating motorized godet 175 after passing around it. The strand 176 passes into a blower 177 which is identical to the blower shown in Figs. 3 and 4 and has a central cavity which is 0.1875 inch (0.47625 centimeter) in diameter.The blower 177 is about 3 inch in length and the rows of apertures in the central cavity have seven apertures in each row. The apertures are 0.03 inch (0.076 centimeter) in diameter. Air is fed to the blower 177 at 20 to 80 pounds per square inch (1.406 to 5.624 kilograms per square centimeter) pressure. In this range of air pressure the revolutions per minute of air around the circumference of the cavity of blower 177, which is 0.589 inch (1.496 cenimeters), is in the range of 600,000 to 720,000 revolutions per minute. The strand is wrapped on the winder 193 at the attenuation speed of 14,000 feet (4,267.2 meters) per minute with the exit of strand 176 from blower 177 being about 2 inches (5.08 centimeters) from the surface of the winder 193 on which it is wound.Provision is made to maintain the blower 177 at this distance as strand 176 is wound on the winder 193 by moving either the winder 193 or the blower 177 away from each other as the layers of strand 176 build on the winder surface. This is conventional practice in the art and forms no part of the present invention.

The strand package wound in the above fashion is found to be characterized by having, in addition to the horizontal traverse across the package width a small internal traverse caused by the curvilinear waves created in the strand 176 as it passes through blower 177. The package can be unwound wet or dry with ease and the strands 175 are found to be rounded in shape as opposed to the generally flat appearance of normal strand.

While the method constituting the present invention has been described with reference to certain specific illustrated embodiments, it is not intended that the invention be limited thereby except insofar as appears in the accompanying claims.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS : - 1. A method of preparing glass strand, which comprises drawing a plurality of glass filaments from a molten glass source, gathering said filaments into a strand, passing the strand so formed through a tension reducing zone to reduce tension thereon, passing the strand through a zone of fluid turbulence wherein the fluid is introduced perpendieular to the path of strand travel and tangential to the curved wall of the zone and winding the strand as it emerges from said zone of fluid turbulence at a high speed.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the strand passing through the zone of fluid turbulence is contacted by a -multi- plicity of fluid streams positioned on the entrance of the zone which direct the fluid along the length of the strand passing through said zone, at several points along the said length simultaneously and longitudinal to the strand.

3. A method of preparing fiber glass strand, which comprises drawing glass filaments from a molten glass source, gathering said filaments into a strand, passing said strand over a godet to impart thrust to the strand thereby reducing tension carried by the drawing force, introducing the tension reduced strand through a zone of fluid turbulence, passing fluid at high speed tangential to the curved wall of the zone and at high velocity, and winding the strand on a rotating package at high speed as it emerges from said zone of fluid turbulence while transversing the strand across the winding surface.

4. A method of forming glass fiber strand which comprises drawing a plur dity of glass filaments from a molten glass ewce, contacting said filaments with an op,F!hcator to apply a size thereto gathering ai filaments into a strand, tension reduc ing said strand, passing the tension reduced strand into a zone of fluid turbulence passing a fluid at high velocity tangential to the curved wall of the zone of fluid turbulence, to impart a false twist thereto and create a curvilinear wave form in said strand, and winding the strand immediately upon emergence from said zone of fluid turbulence on the surface of a winding collet at high speed while traversing the strand across the winding surface.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the strand is traversed by reciprocating the winding surface during winding.

6. A method as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5, wherein the strand is traversed by reciprocating the zone of fluid turbulence adjacent the winding surface 7. A method of preparing several packages of glass fiber strand simultaneously, which comprises drawing a plurality of filaments from each of several molten glass sources from a unitary attenuator winding source, gathering the said plurality of filaments from each molten glass source into a strand, passing each strand so formed through a separate tension reducing zone and reducing the tension thereon, passing each strand from said tension reducing zones into a separate zone of fluid turbulence for each strand, passing high velocity fluid tangential to the curved wall of said zone of fluid turbulence to impart a curvilinear wave thereto and a false twist, winding each strand on a separate collector associated with a reciprocating rotating high speed winder and traversing each of the strands across the length of the collector surface associated therewith during winding.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the strands are traversed by reciprocating the collector surface.

9. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the strands are traversed by reciprocating the zones of fluid turbulence across the collector surface.

10. A method of forming glass fiber strand, which comprises drawing glass filaments from a molten glass source at high speeds, applying moisture to said filaments, gathering said filaments into strand, passing said strands over a surface that moves the strand at a speed in excess of the speed of a winding source used for attenuating and winding said strand to thereby reduce the tension in said strand, passing the strand into a zone of high fluid turbulence, contacting the wall of said zone of fluid turbulence tangentially with a fluid to impart a curvilenear wave thereto, and winding said strand on a rotating collector surface as it emerges from said zone of high fluid turbulence.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the zone of high fluid turbulence is traversed across but out of center with the

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (14)

1. **WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **.

   177 away from each other as the layers of strand 176 build on the winder surface. This is conventional practice in the art and forms no part of the present invention.

   The strand package wound in the above fashion is found to be characterized by having, in addition to the horizontal traverse across the package width a small internal traverse caused by the curvilinear waves created in the strand 176 as it passes through blower 177. The package can be unwound wet or dry with ease and the strands 175 are found to be rounded in shape as opposed to the generally flat appearance of normal strand.

   While the method constituting the present invention has been described with reference to certain specific illustrated embodiments, it is not intended that the invention be limited thereby except insofar as appears in the accompanying claims.

   WHAT WE CLAIM IS : - 1. A method of preparing glass strand, which comprises drawing a plurality of glass filaments from a molten glass source, gathering said filaments into a strand, passing the strand so formed through a tension reducing zone to reduce tension thereon, passing the strand through a zone of fluid turbulence wherein the fluid is introduced perpendieular to the path of strand travel and tangential to the curved wall of the zone and winding the strand as it emerges from said zone of fluid turbulence at a high speed.
2. 2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the strand passing through the zone of fluid turbulence is contacted by a -multi- plicity of fluid streams positioned on the entrance of the zone which direct the fluid along the length of the strand passing through said zone, at several points along the said length simultaneously and longitudinal to the strand.
3. 3. A method of preparing fiber glass strand, which comprises drawing glass filaments from a molten glass source, gathering said filaments into a strand, passing said strand over a godet to impart thrust to the strand thereby reducing tension carried by the drawing force, introducing the tension reduced strand through a zone of fluid turbulence, passing fluid at high speed tangential to the curved wall of the zone and at high velocity, and winding the strand on a rotating package at high speed as it emerges from said zone of fluid turbulence while transversing the strand across the winding surface.
4. 4. A method of forming glass fiber strand which comprises drawing a plur dity of glass filaments from a molten glass ewce, contacting said filaments with an op,F!hcator to apply a size thereto gathering ai filaments into a strand, tension reduc ing said strand, passing the tension reduced strand into a zone of fluid turbulence passing a fluid at high velocity tangential to the curved wall of the zone of fluid turbulence, to impart a false twist thereto and create a curvilinear wave form in said strand, and winding the strand immediately upon emergence from said zone of fluid turbulence on the surface of a winding collet at high speed while traversing the strand across the winding surface.
5. 5. A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the strand is traversed by reciprocating the winding surface during winding.
6. 6. A method as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5, wherein the strand is traversed by reciprocating the zone of fluid turbulence adjacent the winding surface
7. 7. A method of preparing several packages of glass fiber strand simultaneously, which comprises drawing a plurality of filaments from each of several molten glass sources from a unitary attenuator winding source, gathering the said plurality of filaments from each molten glass source into a strand, passing each strand so formed through a separate tension reducing zone and reducing the tension thereon, passing each strand from said tension reducing zones into a separate zone of fluid turbulence for each strand, passing high velocity fluid tangential to the curved wall of said zone of fluid turbulence to impart a curvilinear wave thereto and a false twist, winding each strand on a separate collector associated with a reciprocating rotating high speed winder and traversing each of the strands across the length of the collector surface associated therewith during winding.
8. 8. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the strands are traversed by reciprocating the collector surface.
9. 9. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the strands are traversed by reciprocating the zones of fluid turbulence across the collector surface.
10. 10. A method of forming glass fiber strand, which comprises drawing glass filaments from a molten glass source at high speeds, applying moisture to said filaments, gathering said filaments into strand, passing said strands over a surface that moves the strand at a speed in excess of the speed of a winding source used for attenuating and winding said strand to thereby reduce the tension in said strand, passing the strand into a zone of high fluid turbulence, contacting the wall of said zone of fluid turbulence tangentially with a fluid to impart a curvilenear wave thereto, and winding said strand on a rotating collector surface as it emerges from said zone of high fluid turbulence.
11. 11. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the zone of high fluid turbulence is traversed across but out of center with the

    rotating collection surface during winding.
12. 12. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the zone of high fluid turbulence and the strand passing therethrough define a fixed path for said strand and the collection surface is traversed to provide the collection of strand in successive layers during winding.
13. 13. A method of preparing glass strand as claimed in claim 1 and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
14. 14. A glass strand whenever prepared by a method as claimed in any of claims 1 to 13.