US3111270A - Dispensing of fibrous material - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 19, 1963 Filed June 29, 1962 J. B. WINN, JR

DISPENSING OF FIBROUS MATERIAL 3 SheetsSheet 1 l1? renfar:

James 5. M'nn,Jr.

Nov. 19, 1963 J. B. WINN, JR

DISPENSING 0F FIBROUS MATERIAL 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 29, 1962 COMPRESSED AIR m m m Nov. 19, 1963 J. B. WINN, JR

DISPENSING OF FIBROUS MATERIAL 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 29, 1962 CEMENT AIR JAMES B. WINN, JR.

mvsmon United States Patent 3,111,270 DISPENSING 0F FZEERDUS MATEREAL James B. Winn, Jr., Wimhcrley, Tex., assignor to The Archilithic (10., Dallas, Tern, a corporation of Texas Filed June 29, 1962, Ser. No. 206,497

12 Claims. (Cl. 239-425) This invention relates to dispensing and use of fibrous material and in particular to methods and apparatus of the type wherein fibrous material is discharged with random distribution for reinforcing a matrix into which it is placed.

More specifically, the present invention relates to certain improvements in the invention disclosed in prior ap plication Serial No. 672,723, filed July 18, 1957, now U.S. Patent No. 3,034,732, and also disclosed in continuation-in-part application Serial No. 722,678, filed March 29, I958, and now abandoned, of which this application is a continuation-impart. It is to be understood that the present invention is by no means limited to the environment of the specific disclosure in said Patent No. 3,034,732, and that it may be used generally for the dispensing of fibrous material under pressure, without or with dispensers for fluid cementitious material of any conventional type.

The principal object of the instant invention is to provide improved means for delivering the fibrous material under pressure to the dispensing device or gun therefor, such means being in the form of a pressurized container for the fibrous material, from which the material is delivered to the gun.

Another feature of the present invention resides in the provision of means for comminuting the fibrous material during its passage through the gun, so that it may be discharged either in a comminuted form or in a continuous threacllilre form in which it is usually supplied.

Another important feature of the present invention resides in the provision of improved valve means for controlling the flow of the fibrous material through the gun.

Some of the advantages of the invention lie in its simplicity of construction, in its efficient and dependable operation, and in its adaptability to economical manufacture.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a vessel adapted to be hermetically sealed and to receive a spool of fiber rovings therein. Compressed air is introduced into the vessel and entrains the fiber rovings for delivery from the vessel by way of an output port. An elongated conduit is connected between the output port and a control means at a point remote from the vessel. The control means includes a valve for initiating and terminating flow of air and fiber from the vessel.

ln accordance with a further aspect, the invention involves the formation or" a structure in which structural elements initially are stacked with a mono-element or multi-elemcnt thickness as to be self-supporting and to form surfaces on the opposite sides thereof of desired configuration. To each such surface there is applied a spray of a cementitious material and a turbulent spray of continuous fiber roving simultaneously for intermixture in the cementitious material in a random deposit, thereby to form a monolithic reinforced skin on each such surface of the stack to facilitate distribution of bearing loads applied to the stack throughout the area covered by the monolithic skin.

3,111,270 Patented Nov. 19, 1963 ice For a more complete understanding of the present invcntion and for further objects and advantages thereof, reference may now be had to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the present invention showing the dispensing gun connected to the pressurized container for the material to be dispensed and also showing means for attaching the gun to a suitable dispensing nozzle for cementitious material, said nozzle being shown by dotted lines and said container being shown partly in section to illustrate the construction thereof;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the cutting means of the gun with its side cover plate removed;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational View, partly in section, of the improved valve in its closed position;

FIGURE 30 is a side elevational view, similar to that shown in FlGURE 3 but with the valve in its open position;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the pressurized chamber for dispensing fibrous materials;

FIGURE 5 is a reduced sectional view taken along the line 55 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 illustrates a modification of a guide and a compressed air entry port;

FJGURE 7 is a sectional view of an improved fiber control gun; and

FIGURE 8 illustrates a new method of forming a structure wherein brick are initially laid dry and subsequently reinforced with a mat of cement and fiber rovings.

Referring now to the drawings, the dispensing gun for fibrous material in accordance with the present invention is shown in FlGURE l as being attached to and carried by a suitable structure forming apparatus which includes an outlet nozzle 10 at the end of a pipe or duct 11 which is connected by a hose 12 to a supply of fluid cementitious material, there also being provided a compressed air line 13, equipped with a suitable valve 14, which line enters the nozzle 10 for discharging the cementitious material through the nozzle under substantially large pressure. The structure thus far described is disclosed in Patent No. 3,034,732, and while the present invention is particularly well suited for use in conjunction with that structure, it is to be understood that the present invention may also be used with any suitable conventional dispensing means for cementitious material, or may be used per se as such, for dispensing fibrous material alone.

in any event, the fibrous material dispensing gun in accordance with this invention is designated generally by the reference numeral 15 and comprises a control valve 16 having an inlet 17 and an outlet 18, and also having base members 19 whereby the entire valve may be secured to the aforementioned pipe or duct 11 by suitable clarnps 26.

The outlet 18 of the valve 16 may communicate directly with a jet pipe or nozzle 21 which is substantially parallel with and projects beyond the nozzle 10 as shown, so that the fibrous material discharged from the jet pipe or nozzle 21 may become embedded in the cementitious material discharged from the nozzle 10 for purposes of reinforcement of the structure which is being formed.

The inlet 17 of the valve 16 is suitably connected to a flexible hose 22 which, in turn, communicates with an outlet nipple 23 on a hermetically sealed pressurized container 24. The container 24 is adapted to receive therein fibrous material, preferably in continuous thread form as indicated at 25, such material being wound on rolls as illustrated at 26.

Access to the interior of the container 24 may be had upon removal of a cover 27 which is securely held in place by suitable clamp fasteners 28, or the like, and the interior of the container is pressurized by compressed air admitted through an inlet pipe 29. The latter is provided on the container 24, preferably at a remote point from the outlet nipple 23, and is equipped with a control valve 30. The pipe 29, of course, communicates with a suitable source of compressed air, and the resultant pressure existing in the container causes the fibrous material to pass from the container through the hose 22 and valve 16 for discharge under pressure through the jet pipe or nozzle 21, as indicated at 31.

The container 24 is adapted to accommodate two or more of the rolls 26 of the fibrous material and is preferably provided with one or more partitions 32 to separate the interior thereof into compartments 33 for reception of the respective rolls of material so that the material does not become fouled when the supply on each roll is exhausted. The material 25 passes through guide eyes 34 at the underside of the cover 27 and over the top edge of the partition 32 as shown in FIGURE 1, the top edge of the partition being spaced downwardly from the cover thereby to maintain all the compartments of the container in communication.

As shown in FIGURES 3 and 3a, the valve 16 is of the rotary type, including a segment-shaped valve member 35 which is rotated by a suitable valve handle 36 and clears the inlet and outlet valve ports 17a and 18a when the valve is open as shown in FIGURE 3a. However, when the valve is closed as shown in FIGURE 3, the valve member 35 covers the outlet port 18a and prevents the passage of the fibrous material and compressed air through the valve to the nozzle 21. During the closing of the valve, the edge 35a of the valve member 35 moves with a shearing action over the port 18a and effectively cuts or severs the fibrous material passing through the valve. in this manner the valve 16 functions not only to control the flow of material through the same, but also as cutting or severing means for the fibrous material.

As already noted, the fibrous material is fed through the dispensing gun in a continuous thread form, which is satisfactory for most types of wall construction. However, in some instances it may be desirable to dispense the fibrous mate ial in a segmented or chopped form, that is, in the form of short cut fibers. For this purpose the dispensing gun may embody in its construction a cutting device which is designated generally by the reference numeral 37 and comprises a vertically elongated housing 38 provided at its lower end with a suitable saddle 39 whereby it may be secured to the aforementioned nozzle 10, such as by suitable screws 40.

The lower portion of the housing 38 is equipped with axially aligned nipples 41, 42 for connection to the valve outlet nipple 18 and the jet pipe 21, respectively, and a chopping block 43 is mounted in the housing, somewhat below the level of the nipples 41, 42, so that it is disposed under the path of travel of the fibrous material passing from the valve 16 to the pipe 21.

The housing 38 also accommodates a solenoid 44, including a reciprocative armature 45, the lower end of which is equipped with a chopping blade 46 receivable in a transverse groove 47 formed in the chopping block 43. The upper end of the armature passes slidably through a horizontal partition 48 provided in the housing and carries a compression spring 49 which is retained thereon by a washer 50 and a nut 51. The spring 49 urges the armature 45 upwardly, but when the solenoid 44 is energized, the armature is drawn downwardly. The operation of the solenoid is controlled by a suitable switch 52 at the top of the housing and electric current is delivered to the switch and solenoid through a conductor 53 from any convenient source of intermittent or pulsating current, so that when the solenoid is in operation the armature 45 is rapidly reciprocated and the chopping blade 46, co-acting with the block 43, cuts the fibrous material into short cut pieces.

The housing 38 is provided with a suitable plug 54 and with a removable side cover plate 55, whereby access to the interior of the housing may be had.

Since the flexible hose 22 and the electric conductor 53 constitute the only operative connections to the dispensing gun, the gun as a whole may be freely manipulated in conjunction with the apparatus 10, 11, 13, as will be clearly understood. It may be also noted that the arrangement of dispensing the fibrous material gives the operator positive control between zero and full volume of intermixing with cementitious material which may be also correspondingly controlled, whereby a wide range in proportions of the ingredients is effectively attained.

In the foregoing description of FIGURE 1 the cement gun 10 has been shown coupled to and integral with the fiber gun. It was noted, however, that the dispensing of fibers may be quite independent of any cementing operation. It has been found that the control of fiber glass rovings and the like can be accomplished, in accordance with the present invention, to provide a new measure of flexibility in the operations. In FIGURE 4, for example, there is illustrated an improved and preferred embodiment of a pressure vessel which receives a spool of glass rovings and is particularly adapted to dispense the glass rovings. A relatively deep vessel 70 is provided with inwardly sloping shaped walls and a fiat bottom. The diameter of the vessel 70 preferably is larger than the diameter of a spool of rovings such as the spool 71 so that a spool can be loaded or unloaded from the vessel with case. The spool of rovings '71 is of the type in which the supply may be unwound from the inner wall 72 of the spool. The roving strand 73 will be understood generally to comprise a bundle of parallel, untwisted, separate strands of glass fibers or the like. Glass fiber rovings are commercially available in spools of bundles of twenty, thirty, one hundred or two hundred strands. The spc ClfiC features of the control system for dispensing rovings of various numbers of strands will depend upon the bundle size to some degree as will hereinafter be pointed out.

The vessel 70 is provided with an upper shoulder 76 for sealing purposes. It is also provided with an outwardly extending segmented rib 77 which mates with locking means provided on a lid 78. More particularly, the lid 78 is provided with a segmented, inwardly extending rib 79. As best seen in FIGURE 5, the ribs 77 and 79 are interrneshed so that the lid can be placed over the vessel 70 and rotated to engage the ribs 77 and 79. A gasket St) is carried in an annular recess 81 in the lid 78 so that, when the lid is locked onto the vessel 70, the gasket will bear on the upper shoulder 76.

The lid is provided with a blowout gasket or plug 85. The construction of the plug will be dependent upon the pressures to be employed in the given system. Also extending through the top of the lid 78 is structure forming a flow channel. More particularly, a threaded bushing 86 and a supply line 87 are provided for introduction into the vessel 70 of compressed air or gas. The bushing 86 is threaded into the lid 78 and a fitting 88 is secured inside the lid onto the threaded extension of the bushing 86. The fitting 88 comprises an elbow in which the direction of flow of the compressed air is diverted as to be parallel to the inner surface of the lid and is thus prevented from impinging directly onto the spool 70 and the roving strand 73 as it courses upward from the spool 71.

A roving guide 90 is provided in the upper region of the vessel 70. The guide 90 in the form shown is a V- shaped yoke which extends from anchor tabs 91 and 92 upward and toward the center of the vessel 70 to an apex which is located generally in the region of the axis of the vessel 70. The guide 90 is formed of a rigid smoothed-surface wire so that there will be minimized any entanglement or tendency to interrupt or interfere with the flow of the strand 73.

The strand 73 is threaded over the guide 90 and then extends through an outlet bushing 95 which is threaded into the wall of the vessel 70. A flexible hose 96 is secured to and extends from the bushing 95. The bushing 95 is provided with a central flow channel through which the strand 73 passes. The bushing is formed with a faired or rounded entry which is smooth so that there will be a minimum of wear or friction on the fibers as they enter therein. The fibers then course through the flexible hose 96 to a control gun such as shown in FIG- URE 7.

In the modification illustrated in FIGURE 6, the roving guide 90a is hinged to the wall of the container so that it may be positioned in dependence upon the forces on the fiber roving 73. Further, as indicated in FIGURE 6, the compressed air may be directed through the side wall of the container rather than through the top and deflected along the side walls.

Before proceeding with a description of FIGURE 7, it is emphasized that a fiber gun which will operate for extended periods is dependent upon the manner of control exercised upon the roving 73. In the course of producing spooled rovings, small segments or short lengths of fiber glass are found interspersed in the spool. Further, the movement of fiber rovings at relatively high velocities serves to establish electrostatic charges in the system so that there is a tendency to pull to the discharge port in the fitting 95 debris and bits of glass fibers. Such debris tends to clog or disrupt the uniform flow of the fibers.

It has been found that control may be materially enhanced by the inclusion of a suitable treating substance in or on the spool 71. More particularly, there is provided a lubricant for the fiber roving which in one form is a talcum powder. As indicated in FIGURE 4, the spool 71 is set on the bottom of the vessel 70. Talcum powder is then provided in quantity sufficient to fill the center void and the annulus around the spool 71 to a suitable level generally indicated by the level 74. Some of the powder will be heaped onto the upper surface of the spool 71 so that the fiber as it is withdrawn from the spool will be coated with talcum which serves to lubricate the fiber in its course through the hose 96. Additionally, the talcum serves to assist in the removal of any electrostatic charge accumulated on the fiber roving as it is entrained for movement from vessel 70.

In a further aspect of the invention, a spool of fiber rovings having the lubricant impregnated therein and distributed throughout the entire spool facilitates the handling of the rovin gs. Other lubricants than talcum powder have been employed with satisfactory results. Powdered asbestos, carbon and aluminum have been used satisfactorily. Furthermore, by incorporating such materials into the spool of rovings itself, they can be dispensed in measured amounts proportional to the amount of roving drawn from the spool. In systems where the rovings are to be incorporated in a matrix of cementitious material applied by spraying or other means, chemical additives such as catalysts, foaming agents or setting agents or inorganic binders such as lime are dispensed along with the fiber roving. Thus, not only are the mechanics of handling the roving facilitated by lubrication and static electricity control but constituents employed in the ultimate matrix can be and are dispensed in accordance with this aspect of the invention.

Chemicals dispersed preferably uniformly throughout the spool of rovings 71 may selectively accelerate or inhibit foaming or the like in any matrix in which the fiber rovings are ultimately deposited. Thus, there is provided a measure of control built into the spool of fiber rovings.

In FIGURE 7, the fiber control gun is illustrated as being coupled by way of the hose 96 leading from the vessel of FIGURE 4. Hose 96 is connected to a bushing 100. The bushing 100 is part of a flow channel extending through the gun structure 101. A plug valve 102 is adapted to be rotated by a control handle 103. As indicated, the plug valve 102 is positioned in a cylindrical opening in the valve body 101 and permits fiber flow through channel 104 in the open position. A pipe extends from the forward end of the valve body 101. The flow channel 104 continues through the pipe 105 to a discharge point 106.

It will be noted that the channel through the valve body 102 is generally cylindrical and is tapered at the downstream section 1020. By this means, there is avoided the cutting of small segments of rovings when the valve is closed. Closure of the valve is brought about by moving the handle 103 in the direction of the arrow 103a. The edge 1021; of the valve body serves to sever the rovings as the valve is closed. However, since the diametrically opposite edge of the channel passing through the valve 102. is relieved as at section 102a, the trailing edge of the glass roving is permited to continue on through the nozzle section 105 and is thus discharged, leaving the gun free and clear for re-establishing fiow immediately upon opening of the valve.

It has cen found necessary to make the valve substantially pressure-tight when closed. Otherwise, leakage of air therethrough causes the rovings to pile up in the flow channel 96 adjacent to the valve and thus cause the operation to become fouled upon attempted resumption.

It will be noted that the fitting 100 is provided with smooth entry sections such as the faired entry port 100a. In addition, each connection element is similarly faired so that mechanical Working of the glass fibers as they pass therethrough is minimized. Production of debris in the channel which would foul the flow channel is sub stantially eliminated.

In FIGURE 8 the construction of a load bearing wall in accordance with the present invention is illustrated. The wall is erected using concrete blocks or similar components without the necessity of placing mortar between the blocks. The structural elements are :merely dry stacked by any suitable means including hand labor. Required only is that the stack be self-supporting or otherwise maintained erect temporarily. After the elements are stacked, two opposed exterior surfaces are sprayed with a concrete or cementitious mix into which there is also sprayed amass of fiber strands such as roving 73 of FIGURE When the cement sheath thus reinforced is cured, the Wall is of load bearing capabilities substantially in excess of those of walls ordinarily produced. Structural strength obtained is greater than ordinarily found in structures produced by conventional methods of mortaring or bricklaying. This is for the reason that there is applied to the surfaces of the wall the reinforced concrete sheath which is adherent to the wall and thus is given body by the wall. At the same time, the reinforcing fibers in the concrete sheath serve to distribute stresses over the wall surfaces. minimizing local application of high stresses as would exceed the ultimate strength thereof.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGURE 8, the stacked bioci: wall is illustrated as extending along the edge of a concrete slab 121. While the blocks are shown uniformly arranged with offset joints, they can be stacked in any manner such as will permit them to stand freely until the reinforced concrete sheath is applied. A reinforcing sheath 122 is shown substantially covering the inside surface of the wall as it would appear during application. in this embodiment a cement mixture is sprayed onto the wall surface from a. conduit 123 leading to a control valve 124 and thence to a nozzle 125. If desired or necessary, an auxiliary air line such as line 126 may be employed to facilitate the dispersion and application of the cement over the Wall surface.

Also shown in FIGURE 8 are means for adding reinforcing fibers to the sheath 122. The vessel 70 is shown with the compressed air input line 87 leading into the side thereof (in contrast with the lid coupling of FIGURE 4). The line 96 leading from the vessel 70 serves to to convey glass rovings in an air stream to the control valve 101. In practice, the valves 101 and 124 may be interconnected as to form a single unit with dual controls. Such a unit is shown in FIGURE 1. Both cement and fiber can be controlled by a single operator.

Alternatively, as disclosed in FlGURE 8, the fiber and cement guns are separate and are designed to be handled by two operators coordinating their efforts to apply a cement film onto the wall surface with a suitable quantity of reinforcing fibers embedded therein. As illustrated, the fibers issuing from the gun barrel 105 are dispersed due to the turbulence in the air stream as it issues from the nozzle 1%. As a result, they are deposited in a completely random pattern within the cement sheath 122.

Production of stacked block wall through the method above described incorporates load supporting capabilities not heretofore achieved in mortar construction. This results from the fact that the monolithic membrane or sheath 122 joins the elements of the Wall and strengthens the Wall throughout the entire inner and outer surfaces. This permits transference of loads and stresses throughout the entire structure. As an example, the stacked block wall has greater than normal resistance to shearing and damage caused to foundations by beam loads as ordinarily encountered on isolated sections of the wall. The monolithic system, in other words, will support and Withstand greater beam loads than conventional masonry construction because of the capability of this wall to act as a monolithic structure even though it is formed from basically separate elements such as the bricks illustrated in FlGURE 8. The wall may be formed to utilize broken blocks or bricks and second grade elements ordinarily unacceptable in usual construction. The practical result is to permit far more economical construction with substantially greater tensile and support strength characteristics. The method is also adaptable to incorporate various treatments of exterior designs, color and texture.

A wide variety of final finishes can be applied either as an integral part of the membrane 122 or by plastering, painting or spraying the exterior. in some operations it has been found convenient to incorporate the final color and finish onto the wall during the course of the application of a final cement coating. The latter coating may be applied by merely spraying cement onto the wall. Beams or timbers, such as beams 140 and 141, may be anchored directly to the top of the wall 120 and may support floor or roof loads without further reinforcement of the wall structure.

Not only does the wall itself embody features not heretofore found in masonry type Walls, but the erection and ultimate construction costs are substantially less than conventional brick or block walls in Which mortar is placed between the blocks by trowel or by hand or by other conventional methods. A given wall section can be constructed more rapidly as well as more economically than conventional walls and resists not only load forces as applied byway of the beams 140 and 141, but also resists impact forces applied laterally thereto by reasons of the distribution of stress throughout the reinforcing fiber membrane 122.

in carrying out construction operations such as illustrated in FlGURE 8, a concrete mix forming the cementitious material for the matrix of the shell 122 of the following constituents and relative proportions has been found to be satisfactory:

Table I Portland cement cubic feet 2 Polyvinyl alcohol of type such as Elvanol grade 51-05,

available from Du Pont of Wilmington, Delaware pounds 6 Perlite concrete aggregate (8 pounds per cubic foot) cubic feet 2 Perlite aggregate 60-40 do 2 Standard plaster sand d0 3 Fly ash pounds 12 Water gallons 17 There results a light weight aggregate having a modulus of elasticity of the order of two to six million psi. By reason of its relatively low modulus of elasticity and the inclusion therein of the alcohol, it is wholly compatible with fiber glass strands.

In a representative operation, a spray of such mixture was applied in a first application with approximately two and a half to three pounds of continuous fiber rovings per one hundred squarc feet. A three-sixteenth inch to onefourth inch coating thickness was thus first applied. This was followed by an identical second coat to both faces of the Wall 120. Thereafter, a thin finish coat or cover of a suitable concrete mix only, without the fiber reinforcing, was applied to finish the wall surface.

Cement specified in Table I has been found to be suitable, the components being adjusted in different localities to utilize local aggregates. Other cementitious materials such as resins or synthetic cements may also be employed. Also, cores other than the hadite or concrete block core illustrated in FIGURE 8 may be employed. The requirements as to vertical load capacity and insulation would, in general, determine the type and thickness of the materials forming the core of the wall. The stressed skin or sheath of glass reinforced grout 122 would provide the Ilcxural and compressive strengths necessary.

The wall illustrated in FIGURE 8 has been described as having been formed with the wall erected vertically in a final location. For non-load bearing walls, a simple scrim such as chicken wire or woven mesh paper or expanded metal, such as is ordinarily used as lathers diamond mesh could be used. Wall construction is characterized by erection of a suitable form and applying thereto a stressed skin over either one or both faces to receive and distribute lateral as well as vertical loads.

The preferred form of fiber rovings disclosed herein is described and claimed in an application of James B. Winn, Jr., filed concurrently herewith, entitled Control of Continuous Fiber Rovings, Serial No. 206,504, filed June 29, 1962.

Having described the invention in connection with certain specific embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that further modifications may now suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and it is intended to cover such modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A system for dispensing and controlling the flow of. continuous fiber rovings which comprises:

(a) a nozzle for fibrous material,

(b) a sealed pressurized container adapted to receive therein a supply of fibrous material in an uncut continuous thread form,

(c) means flow-connected to said container for introducing compressed air into said container, and

(a!) guide structure interconnecting said container and said nozzle including conduit means for entraining and conveying the uncut continuous fibrous material in the stream of compressed air traveling through said container to said nozzle.

2. A system for dispensing and controlling the flow of continuous fiber rovings which comprises:

(a) a sealed pressurized container adapted to receive therein an uncut supply of fibrous material in a continuous thread form,

([1) a structure forming a flow channel extending into said container and including means for deflecting air flow in said container along the walls of said container upon introduction therein of compressed air,

(c) an outlet flow line extending from an outlet port on said container and having an elongated fiow channel of substantially uniform diameter extending therethrough,

(d) a nozzle for discharge of compressed air and uncut fibrous material traveling through said flow line, and

(e) valve means in said flow line in the region of said nozzle for control of flow of air and the fibrous material from said container.

3. The combination set forth in claim 2 in which said valve means includes a plug member mounted for rotation on an axis perpendicular to said flow channel and provided with an orifice adapted to be aligned with said flow channel, said plug member having sharp boundary portions at the upstream side of the flow channel extending therethrough and faired boundary portions at the downstream side of said flow channel.

4. A system for dispensing and controlling the flow of continuous fier rovings which comprises:

(a) a vessel adapted to receive in the bottom portion thereof a supply of fibrous material therein,

(1)) a closure member for said vessel including means for forming a hermetic seal therebetween to provide a sealed container, said container having an input port and an output port and adapted to receive a supply of uncut fibrous material therein in spool form,

(c) flow channel means connected to said input port including deflecting means for directing compressed air fiow into said container along the walls of said container,

(d) an elongated conduit connected to said output port for entraining and conducting said uncut fibrous material from said container in an air stream,

(2) a nozzle structure including a valve connected to said conduit at the end thereof opposite said containcr to control flow of air and said fibrous material, and

(f) a resilient guide extending from the inside wall of said container substantially above said spool to the center of said container to form a guide over which said fibrous material may be threaded for minimizing contact between said material and the walls of said container at said output port.

5. The combination set forth in claim 4 in which the entry portion of said output port is faired and smoothed to minimize mechanical working of said fibrous material.

6. A system for dispensing and controlling the flow of continuous fiber rovings which comprises:

(a) a nozzle for fibrous material,

(b) a sealed pressurized container adapted to receive therein a supply of uncut fibrous material in a continuous thread form,

(c) means for introducing compressed air into said container,

(d) an elongated conduit extending from said nozzle to said container, and

(e) an outlet port means in the upper portion of said container for coupling said conduit to said container for entrainment of the continuous uncut fibrous material in the stream of compressed air traveling from said container to said nozzle.

7. The method of conveying multi-strand continuous fiber rovings through a flow channel to a discharge means 10 from a supply spool placed in a container which comprises:

(a) maintaining the pressure in said container substantially above the pressure exterior thereto,

((5) maintaining said flow channel from said container to said discharge means at an elevated pressure,

(0) threading said rovings through said fiow channel to said discharge means, and

(d) initiating and terminating flow of compressed air and fibers to move them from said container through said flow channel by opening and closing said flow channel adjacent said discharge means.

8. The method of conveying multi-strand continuous fiber rovings through a fiow channel to a discharge means from a supply spool which comprises:

(a) maintaining said spool in a zone in which the pressure is substantially in excess of atmospheric pressure,

([2) maintaining said flow channel extending from said zone to said discharge means at an elevated pressure, and

(0) opening said discharge means to move said rovings from said spool through said flow channel by entrainment in air flowing from said zone to said discharge means.

9. The method of conveying multi-strand continuous fiber rovings through a flow channel to a discharge means from a supply spool placed in a container which comprises:

(a) moving a stream of pressurized air through said container and said fiow channel to said discharge means,

(b) entraining said rovings in the air stream leaving said container, and

(c) maintaining a tension on said rovings by changing the direction of travel thereof between said spool and the region of the juncture of said container and flow channel.

10. The method of. conveying multi-strand rovings of continuous fibers through a fiow channel from a supply spool which comprises:

(a) maintaining said spool in the lower portion of a zone of high pressure with the axis of said spool vertical,

(b) maintaining said flow channel from said zone to a discharge point at an elevated pressure,

(6) moving said rovings upward from the center of said spool and through said flow channel entrained in the air flowing from said zone to said discharge point with an abrupt deviation in direction of travel of said rovings at a point in the flow path spaced from said spool.

11. The combination of. a dispensing gun for fibrous material in continuous thread form, a sealed container adapted to receive a spool of the stated material therein, means for flowing compressed air through said container in such manner as to unwind and unreel said material from said spool and force the same in uncut continuous thread form from the container, a conduit connected to said container for entraining and delivering said material in continuous thread form by the How of compressed air through said container to said gun, and a shut-off valve in the region of said gun for stopping the air fiow and terminating the flow of thread form material.

12. A fiber dispensing system which comprises a seal able container, means for flowing compressed air through said container, a dispensing gun, a conduit interconnecting said gun and said container for conducting air flow from said container through said gun, and a spool of continuous multistrand fiber roving in said container with the roving extending uncut from said spool through said conduit to said gun and entrained in the air flowing from said container to unwind and unreel said material from said spool to force the same in uncut continuous multistrand form from said container.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Gray Mar. 19, 1929 Wenzcl et a1. June 25, 1929 Setogucchi et a1. Jan. 2, 1934 Kenothorne Apr. 20, 1954 Arce et a]. Ian. 21, 1958 10

Claims (1)

1. 9. THE METHOD OF CONVEYING MULTI-STRAND CONTINUOUS FIBER ROVINGS THROUGH A FLOW CHANNEL TO A DISCHARGE MEANS FROM A SUPPLY SPOOL PLACED IN A CONTAINER WHICH COMPRISES: (A) MOVING A STREAM OF PRESSURIZED AIR THROUGH SAID CONTAINER AND SAID FLOW CHANNEL TO SAID DISCHARGE MEANS, (B) ENTRAINING SAID ROVINGS IN THE AIR STREAM LEAVING SAID CONTAINER, AND (C) MAINTAINING A TENSION ON SAID ROVINGS BY CHANGING THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL THEREOF BETWEEN SAID SPOOL AND THE REGION OF THE JUNCTURE OF SAID CONTAINER AND FLOW CHANNEL.

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