U.S. patent application number 10/622713 was filed with the patent office on 2004-01-29 for method for the production of binder-bound mineral wool products, apparatus for carrying it out, mineral wool product thereby produced, composite mineral product thereby produced and use of these products.
This patent application is currently assigned to SAINT-GOBAIN ISOVER. Invention is credited to Horres, Johannes.
Application Number | 20040018793 10/622713 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 7892662 |
Filed Date | 2004-01-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040018793 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Horres, Johannes |
January 29, 2004 |
Method for the production of binder-bound mineral wool products,
apparatus for carrying it out, mineral wool product thereby
produced, composite mineral product thereby produced and use of
these products
Abstract
Method for the production of binder-bound mineral wool products,
in which mineral fibres are deposited on a production surface (13)
to form a mineral wool web (12) and are compacted, and their
relative positions are reoriented by mechanical action, for which
purpose the web is guided on its large faces and at the, same time
forces, in particular upsetting forces, are introduced into the web
in parallel with the large faces, the forces being introduced in
introduction regions which are located next to one another
transversely to the running direction in zones and in each case at
a distance from one another and one behind the other in the running
direction in longitudinal zones, and the introduction regions of
adjacent longitudinal zones being arranged so as to be offset
relative to one another, after which the binder is cured. The
introduction regions are designed to be elongated in the running
direction (14) of the mineral wool web (12), and the introduction
regions of longitudinal zones located next to one another form
overlap regions (27; 127). As a result, such high longitudinal
forces can be introduced into the web that the material of the
mineral wool web is exposed to a fulling action in the web
plane.
Inventors: |
Horres, Johannes;
(Ladenburq, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Gary M. Nath
NATH & ASSOCIATES PLLC
6th Floor
1030 15th Street, N.W.
Washington
DC
20005
US
|
Assignee: |
SAINT-GOBAIN ISOVER
|
Family ID: |
7892662 |
Appl. No.: |
10/622713 |
Filed: |
July 21, 2003 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10622713 |
Jul 21, 2003 |
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09868684 |
Jun 20, 2001 |
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6620277 |
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09868684 |
Jun 20, 2001 |
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PCT/EP99/10376 |
Dec 23, 1999 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
442/327 |
Current CPC
Class: |
D04H 1/66 20130101; D04H
1/64 20130101; D04H 1/74 20130101; D04H 1/593 20130101; D04H 1/4226
20130101; D04H 1/655 20130101; Y10T 156/1002 20150115; B29C 67/249
20130101; Y10T 442/60 20150401; D04H 1/4209 20130101; D04H 1/50
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
442/327 |
International
Class: |
D04H 005/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 23, 1998 |
DE |
198 60 040.2 |
Claims
1. Method for the production of binder-bound mineral wool products,
in which mineral fibres are deposited on a production surface (13)
to form a mineral wool web (12) and are pre-compacted, and the
relative positions of the said mineral fibres are reoriented by
mechanical action, for which purpose the web is guided on its large
faces and at the same time forces, in particular upsetting forces,
are introduced into the web in parallel with the large faces, the
forces being introduced in introduction regions which are located
next to one another transversely to the running direction in zones
and in each case at a distance from one another in the running
direction in longitudinal zones, and the introduction regions of
adjacent longitudinal zones being arranged so as to be offset
relative to one another, after which the binder is cured,
characterized in that the introduction regions are designed to be
elongated in the running direction (14) of the mineral wool web
(12), and in that the introduction regions of longitudinal zones
located next to one another form overlap regions (27; 127).
2. Apparatus for the production of binder-bound mineral wool
products, with a production surface (13) for the depositing of
mineral fibres as a mineral wool web (12), with a curing device
(101) for the binder, and with a processing device, in particular
upsetting device (17; 171, 172, 173), arranged upstream of the
curing device (101), for reorienting the mineral fibres by
mechanical action, the said processing device having driven rotary
members (15/16, 18/19, 20/21, 22/23; 118/119, 120/121, 122/123)
acting on the large faces of the mineral wool web (12), which,
rotary members have adjustable rotational speeds preferably
increasingly lower in the production running direction (14), and
which rotary members are arranged so as to be offset alternately to
one another in the width direction of the mineral wool web (12),
characterized in that each rotary member (15/16, 18/19, 20/21,
22/23; 118/119, 120/121, 122/123) is designed to be elongated in
the production running direction (14) and is designed to rotate
about two axes of rotation, and in that the axis of rotation, at
the front in the production running direction (14), of each
following rotary member (18/19, 20/21, 22/23; 120/121, 122/123) is
arranged level with or, in the running direction (14) upstream of,
the axis of rotation, at the rear in the running direction (14), of
the rotary member (15/16, 18/19, 20/21; 118/119, 120/121) arranged
upstream.
3. Mineral wool product with a fibre alignment which is reoriented
in relation to the depositing of the fibres on the production belt,
in which mineral wool product the mineral fibres are arranged in a
wavy manner on the large faces and/or in sections parallel to the
large faces.
4. Composite mineral wool product comprising at least one
insulating layer and at least one covering layer composed of upset
mineral fibres, the said covering layer being provided with binder
and being connected to the insulating layer by means of the binder
during the curing of the binder, with pressure being applied at the
same time, characterized in that the covering layer consists of a
mineral wool product according to claim 3 and is produced by the
method according to claim 1.
5. Composite mineral wool product comprising at least one
insulating layer and at least one inner layer composed of upset
mineral fibres, the said inner layer being provided with binder and
being connected to the insulating layer by means of the binder
during the curing of the binder, with pressure being applied at the
same time, characterized in that the inner layer consists of a
mineral wool product according to claim 3 and is produced by the
method according to claim 1.
6. Use of a mineral wool product according to claim 3 or of a
mineral wool product produced according to claim 1 as a plaster
base layer of a plaster base board.
7. Use of a mineral wool product according to claim 3 or of a
mineral wool product produced according to claim 1 as a covering
layer or hard skin of a ceiling board.
8. Use of a mineral wool product according to claim 3 or of a
mineral wool product produced according to claim 1 as a covering
layer or hard skin of a facade board.
9. Use of a mineral wool product according to claim 3 or of a
mineral wool product produced according to claim 1 as a covering
layer or hard skin of a roof-insulating board.
10. Use of a mineral wool product according to claim 3 or of a
mineral wool product produced according to claim 1 as a covering
layer or hard skin of a gripping felt.
11. Use of a composite mineral wool product according to claim 5 as
a gripping felt or as a ceiling board.
Description
[0001] The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for the
production of binder-bound mineral wool products according to the
pre-characterizing clause of claim 1 and of claim 2
respectively.
[0002] In order to produce upsetting, that is to say longitudinally
compressed mineral wool products having an increased fraction of
mineral fibres oriented in the direction of thickness of the web,
it is customary by mechanical action to reorientate the relative
positions of the mineral fibres of a mineral wool web deposited on
a production surface, for which purpose the web is guided on its
large faces and at the same time upsetting forces are introduced
into the web in parallel with the large faces. As compared with the
production of lamellar mats or lamellar boards from cut-off
lamellae rotated through 90.degree., this affords the advantage of
the efficient continuous production of mineral wool products with
high strength against pressure exerted under large faces of the
product.
[0003] The introduction of compressive forces into the still
uncured mineral fibre web often leads to a reorientation of
interconnecting fibre regions with the effect of the formation of
creases in the product. Although this is not harmful in terms of
pressure resistance, it results in low flexural resistance of a
board of this type, since even low tensile forces at the surface
cause adjacent creases to gape open. Moreover, the acoustic and
thermal insulating properties of such a board decrease considerably
in its direction of thickness through the fibre zones lying in the
direction of thickness.
[0004] In order to avoid these disadvantages, it is known from WO
91/14816, which corresponds to the pre-characterizing clause of
claim 1 and of claim 2 respectively, not to apply the longitudinal
forces for upsetting along a line which lies transversely to the
production direction and in front of which the material is upset
and forms creases, but, instead, in discrete introduction zones
which lie next to one another in the transverse direction of the
web and one behind the other in the direction of run of the web, in
each case at a distance from one another, the introduction zones
adjacent to one another in the transverse direction being arranged
so as to be offset relative to one another in the web running
direction. As a result, a sudden linear introduction of the
longitudinal forces into the web is avoided, and what is achieved,
instead, is that the longitudinal forces are exerted as it were in
a staggered manner in adjacent width zones of the web. Overall,
controlled and finely structured reorientation of the fibres and
corresponding product homogeneity, without creases being formed
over a large area, are to be achieved thereby.
[0005] In this case, the upsetting forces are introduced in the
usual way by means of rollers which, however, have relatively small
width, a relatively large number of rollers being combined on a
common shaft arranged transversely to the web running direction.
Shafts adjacent to one another in the running direction rotate at a
correspondingly different rotational speed, and shafts with the
same roller arrangement, that is to say the rollers of which are in
alignment, are moved apart from one another to an extent such that
a shaft with corresponding rollers, which, however, are offset in a
staggered manner, may be arranged between them. This ensures that
discrete introduction zones are arranged so as to be offset
relative to one another over the width of the web.
[0006] The introduction zone of each roller on the large face of
the web is essentially linear, so that, according to the roller
diameter, what is obtained is a distance which is a multiple
greater, as compared with the length, measured in the running
direction, of the introduction zone of each roller, not only in
relation to the rollers located behind it in the direction of
alignment, but also in relation to the rollers arranged in between
so as to be offset thereto. As a result of the holding-together
forces in the composite fibre structure, this narrow linear
introduction also results in each roller having a region of action
which is greater than the actual contact region, so that these
regions of action can overlap one another and lead to a
corresponding warping of fibres in the longitudinal and also the
transverse direction of the web, thereby counteracting a tendency
towards the formation of creases over a large area. These warping
forces between the narrow introduction lines lying at a wide
distance from one another are nevertheless low; if the acting
forces are high, there is the risk that material in the gusset
between the rollers will arch upwards and therefore that local
distortions and crease formations will occur.
[0007] By contrast, the object on which the invention is based is
to provide a method and an apparatus, by means of which such high
longitudinal forces can be introduced into the web that the
material of the mineral wool web is exposed to a fulling action, if
appropriate with the fibres simultaneously being upset, warped and
felted, so that, if desired, a thin high-density board with
correspondingly small air interspaces can be produced.
[0008] This object is achieved, according to the invention, by
means of the characterizing features of claims 1 and 2.
[0009] Consequently, a result of an entirely different quality from
that in the generic prior art can be achieved: not primarily
reorientation of the fibres such that a large fraction of fibres is
aligned in the direction of thickness in the manner of a lamellar
or upset board, in order to increase the pressure resistance of the
board, but, instead, the fibres are to be intensively felted with
one another and warped and also pressed against one another. At the
same time, previously horizontal fibres or fibre fragments will
also assume a vertical position and thus make a contribution to
improving the pressure resistance, but the fulling action occurring
in the overlap region of the zones of action leads primarily to
felting and compacting reorientation of the fibres or fibre
fragments and thus to the consolidation and improvement of the
mechanical properties. It is thus possible, if required, to produce
a thin board resembling firm cardboard which is resistant to
tensile, flexural and upsetting loads in the plane of its large
face, that is to say, while having considerable stiffness, neither
tears nor easily kinks or bulges, and which, furthermore, because
of its small thickness, even without a high fraction of fibres
standing vertically, is itself sufficiently pressure-resistant and,
after the curing of the binder, has no resilience.
[0010] This is achieved by an overlap of introduction zones for the
longitudinal forces which are elongated in a sheet-like manner in
the longitudinal direction of the web and are arranged so as to be
offset next to one another. This overlap region is as it were a
departure from the concept of the staggered action of the
introduction zones to avoid the formation of creases over a large
area and is a return to an active front extending over the entire
web width. However, the material, when it impinges on to this
active front, is not essentially unguided, contrary to conventional
upsetting installations, but, instead, is even guided and held in a
virtually sheet-like manner by the trailing introduction zones
located next to one another, so that warpings or even crease
formations in entire composite fibre structures are nevertheless
ruled out. At all events, with small product thicknesses, it is not
primarily upsetting of the entering material which takes place in
the overlap region, but, instead, horizontal fulling, warping and
felting of the material, at the same time with the latter being
upset. At the exit of the overlap region, the action of the leading
introduction zones ceases, and the material is once again guided
cleanly at the introduction zones of the second stage, the felting
warping and compression state achieved in the first overlap region
being as it were frozen in and thus being fed, if appropriate, to a
second overlap region which has following introduction zones and in
which corresponding supplementary further treatment takes
place.
[0011] In this way, the material can be felted, warped, compressed
and fulled as intensively as desired by linking one behind the
other a suitable number of introduction zones or rotary members
corresponding to overlap regions, the set of introduction zones
which in each case follow behind the overlap region maintaining the
acquired state until curing commences and fixes this state
definitively.
[0012] In principle, it is also possible, according to the
invention, to treat boards of greater thickness, in order to
achieve corresponding fulling, compression and upsetting effects.
Where greater product thicknesses are concerned, the effect of
acting on the surface in the overlap regions naturally decreases
towards the middle of the product. In this middle region,
therefore, primarily the upsetting effects increase, but, here too,
the formation of creases in entire composite fibre structures over
a large area is minimized because longitudinal forces are
introduced differently over the width and, at all events, cannot
encroach upon that region of the product surface where, even in the
case of large product thicknesses, the felting and compacting
effects described occur as a result of the mutual warping and
fulling of the fibres, so that a surface capable of being subjected
to tensile load, along with a correspondingly high flexural
resistance in the product, is obtained.
[0013] It is particularly preferred, however, if the smallest
height of the upsetting channel is smaller than 40 mm, in
particular smaller than 25 mm, so as to thus to produce a
cardboard-like thin board. In the case of such a thin board or
skin, the depth of the zones of action on the mutually opposite
large faces of the board reach as far as the opposite large face of
the board, so that essentially homogeneous fulling and felting can
be achieved. By contrast, in the case of considerably larger board
thicknesses, the effects of the introduction zones decrease towards
the middle of the board, since fibre regions in the vicinity of the
middle of the board are exposed only to a smaller extent to the
actions according to the invention, thus yielding a product still
specific to the invention and having a so-called "hard skin" on the
large surfaces thereof.
[0014] A mineral wool board according to the invention may be
distinguished by a wavy structure of the fibre alignment on the
large faces, such as has occurred due to the fulling or shearing
action on adjacent introduction zones in the overlap region. If the
board thickness is correspondingly small, this wavy structure may
often also be seen even inside the board in sections parallel to
the large faces. This wavy structure may also be apparent on the
narrow sides.
[0015] A mineral wool board produced according to the invention is
particularly suitable as an outer skin in a composite mineral wool
product according to claim 4, specifically irrespective of the type
of treatment of the core or of the main layer of this composite
product. If the latter is upset in the usual way, with creases
being formed, this outer skin generates corresponding tensile
strength in this surface and therefore, overall, high flexural
resistance in the board. At all events, in the same way as a hard
cardboard layer, the outer skin results in effective surface
refinement of the composite product and, for example, gives
gripping felt sufficient gripping force as a result of the high
upsetting resistance of the said outer skin, makes it possible, on
account of its tensile strength, for roof insulating boards to have
a walk-on capacity, by virtue of its flexural resistance avoids a
visual mattress effect on facade insulating boards and, in the case
of industrial ceiling boards, any dishing, and, where plaster base
boards are concerned, forms an ideal plaster base layer with ideal
evenness. Many of these effects can be achieved even when the hard
skin is inside the product as it can be obtained by superposing of
a plurality of layer with the hard skin in between.
[0016] Further details, features and advantages of the invention
may be gathered from the following description of exemplary
embodiments with reference to the drawing, in which:
[0017] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an apparatus according to
the invention in operation,
[0018] FIG. 2 shows, in an enlarged plan view on the large surface
of a board treated with the apparatus of FIG. 1, an overlap region,
and
[0019] FIG. 3 shows a diagrammatic illustration of an installation
according to the invention for producing a multi-layer mineral wool
product having base and surface layers each produced by an
apparatus of FIG. 1.
[0020] In FIGS. 1, 10 and 11 designate a pair of compacting rollers
acting on a mineral wool web 12 which is delivered on a production
surface 13 designed as a production belt. The mineral wool web 12
has been produced upstream as a fleece in a way known per se by
means of defibration assemblies in a conveying direction or running
direction according to the arrow 14 and has been deposited on the
production surface 13, from where it is pre-compacted between the
compacting rollers 10/11 as a raw fleece provided with uncured
binder.
[0021] Downstream of the compacting rollers 10/11, the mineral wool
web passes between two rotary members 15 and 16 in the form of
guide belts which prevent the mineral wool web 12 from springing
back downstream of the nip of the compacting rollers 10 and 11 and
which feed the mineral wool web 12 to an upsetting device 17, as is
explained in more detail below.
[0022] In the example, the upsetting device 17 consists of three
pairs of rotary members 18/19, 20/21 and 22/23 which are linked one
behind the other and, in the same way as the rotary members 15/16,
are designed as sets of belts which between them form an upsetting
channel for the mineral wool web 12. Downstream of the upsetting
device 17 in the running direction 14, the present mineral wool web
12 in the form of an upset raw fleece passes in the usual way into
a curing device, for example in the form of a tunnel kiln, in which
the curing of the binder takes place. Insofar as the entrance of
the curing device does not directly adjoin the exit of the
upsetting device 17, suitable guide belts or the like may be
provided, in order to rule out any springback of the mineral wool
web 12 prior to curing.
[0023] As is apparent from the drawing, both the rotary members of
the upsetting device 17 and the rotary members 15 and 16 are
designed as narrow belts which rotate on belt pulleys 24, 25 and 26
arranged at a distance from one another and next to one another on
a common shaft, belt pulleys of the same type in the example being
provided with identical reference symbols. As is clearly evident
from the drawing, in this case, the trailing pulley sets 26 of the
rotary members 15/16, 18/19 and 20/21 are arranged downstream of
the axes of rotation of the leading belt pulleys 25 of the rotary
members 18/19, 20/21 and 22/23 in the running direction 14, so as
to give rise in each case to an overlap zone 27, in which in each
case the leading belts engage between the set of trailing belts or
rotary members, so that, in these overlap regions 27, the mineral
wool web 12 is guided both by the set of leading belt-like rotary
members 15/16, 18/19 and 20/21 and, at the same time, by the in
each case trailing belt-like rotary members 18/19, 20/21 and 22/23.
In order to allow such interpenetration of the belts, without the
continuous shafts of the belt pulleys 25 and. 26 lying on the same
axis of rotation colliding with one another, in the example the
diameter of the trailing belt pulleys 26 is selected to be
considerably smaller than that of the leading belt pulleys 25, so
that, in the way which can be seen from FIG. 1, despite the short
overall length of the individual rotary members in the running
direction 14 the belt pulleys 26 can be arranged between the
leading belt pulleys 25, the respective belts being lead through
from the trailing belt pulleys 26 in the gaps between the
individual belt pulleys 25.
[0024] The belt-like rotary members 15/16, 18/19, 20/21 and 22/23
each have a small width of only a few centimetres and are arranged
at such distances from one another in each set that the belts of
the adjacent set can just penetrate through between the gaps, as a
result of which the individual belts or rotary members act as
intensively as possible on the mineral wool web 12.
[0025] If the rotary members 15/16, 18/19, 20/21 and 22/23 were to
run at the same speed, a guide channel for the mineral wool web 12
would be obtained, in which the mineral wool web 12 would be picked
up in each case by the trailing rotary members before in each case
the leading rotary members came out of engagement with the surface
of the mineral wool web 12. Ii order to achieve the desired
upsetting effect, however, the trailing rotary members 18/19, 20/21
and 22/23 are in each case driven at a lower speed than the rotary
members 15/16, 18/19 and 20/21 arranged upstream of them in the
running direction 14. As a result, as is known per se in the art of
the upsetting of mineral wool webs, the rotary members exert on the
mineral wool web 12 a braking effect which leads to compacting of
the material of the mineral wool web 12 and at the same
reorientation of the fibres.
[0026] An essential feature of the procedure according to the
invention is that, in the overlap region 27, the sets of belts or
rotary members rotating at different speeds, in spite of their
different rotational speed, act simultaneously on the mineral wool
web 12 in the width zones corresponding to their respective width.
As a result, at least the surface material of the mineral wool web
12, in the longitudinal zones corresponding to the leading belts,
is led into the overlap region 27 and through this at undiminished
speed, whilst the trailing belts engage into the gaps between the
leading belts, the said trailing belts rotating at lower speed and
braking the material. This results in a wavy warping of the
material of the mineral wool web 12, as indicated by dot-and-dashed
lines in FIG. 2. At the same time, the material of the mineral wool
web 12 seeks as it were to dip down in the braking longitudinal
zones of the overlap region 27, so that, overall, a combined
upsetting and felting effect, with the material being compacted at
the same time, is obtained due to fulling effects and pressure
forces. Particularly where thin material webs 12 are concerned,
these effects permeate through the entire thickness of the mineral
wool web, so that, after curing, a mechanically firm leak-tight
skin is obtained, such as is advantageous for many
applications.
[0027] Due to the to some extent wavy compaction in the overlap
region 27, it is thus possible, over and above mere upsetting
effects, to take action on the material of the mineral wool web 12
which, particularly in the case of small thicknesses of the mineral
wool web 12, leads preferably to fulling, warping and felting
effects.
[0028] Where larger web thicknesses are concerned, upsetting
effects are preeminent in the middle region of the mineral wool web
12. However, these do not lead to disturbing crease formations in
entire composite fibre structures, since, even if there is creasing
in the middle region, surface layers are preserved, which cover the
caps between creases of this kind and thus avoid the adverse
decrease in the flexural resistance and in the thermal and acoustic
insulating capacity of boards produced in this way and also
compensate for this by an increase in the flexural distance due to
highly consolidated outer layers.
[0029] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, overlap regions 27 of this kind
may be arranged multiply one behind the other, in order to achieve
correspondingly more comprehensive warping, upsetting and fulling
effects, the destruction of material from overlap region 27 to
overlap region 27 being avoided in that the previously braked
longitudinal zones continue to run at unchanged speed in the next
overlap region 27, whilst the longitudinal zones which lie between
them and through which the overlap region 27 located upstream has
previously run are then braked. As a result, the effects described
can thus be intensified from stage to stage.
[0030] Furthermore, the desired effects may be controlled by a
suitable choice of the length of the overlap region 27, as measured
in the running direction 14. The longer the overlap region 27 is,
the more intensive is the fulling and warping action on the
material. Lengths of overlap regions which are suitable in this
respect are up to 500 mm, preferably around 150 to 300 mm, in
particular of the order of magnitude of 200 mm.
[0031] Moreover, the effects may be influenced by the choice of the
height of the upsetting channel. In the example illustrated, the
upsetting channel is designed with an unchanged height, but it may
also be designed to be narrowed or widened, with the result that,
in addition to the fulling and warping effects, in particular the
upsetting effects and the compaction can also be controlled.
Particularly where greater thicknesses of the mineral wool web 12
are concerned, for example a narrowed design of the upsetting
channel between the rotary members 15/16, 18/19, 20/21 and 22/23
may be advantageous, e.g. a shape thereof converging in downstream
direction.
[0032] FIG. 3 illustrates a modified and more complex embodiment of
the invention. Here, a mineral wool product with a mainly upset
main layer having upper and lower hard skins and with lamination on
both sides is produced in one operation.
[0033] In the embodiment according to FIG. 3, three upsetting
devices 171, 172, 173 of the type according to the invention are
provided, and, if desired, are combined with a fourth downstream
upsetting device 100 for the overall fleece formed, the said
upsetting device 100 being interposed between the exit of the
upsetting devices 171, 172 and 173 and the entrance of a curing
device, for example in the form of a tunnel kiln, designated by
101. The upsetting device 100 is designed, in the way illustrated,
as a pair of braking belts which extends over the entire width of
the mineral wool web 12 and at the entrance of which upper and
lower laminating films 102 and 103 also run in and are pressed down
by the braking belts of the upsetting device 100. The braking belts
of the upsetting device 100 are deflected in the region of the
entrance of the curing device 101 at deflecting rollers 104 of
small diameter, so that the said braking belts can be moved in the
way illustrated near to the region of action of the belts of the
curing device, in order to avoid any springback of the mineral wool
web 12.
[0034] The upsetting devices 171, 172 and 173 are modified, as
compared with the upsetting device 17 (FIG. 1), and are designed
identically to one another, so that a more detailed description of
the upsetting device 172 is sufficient. This has three rotary
members 118/119, 120/121 and 122/123 which rotate on identical belt
pulleys 125 and thus form the upsetting channel. As explained in
connection with FIG. 1, each rotary member is designed as a set of
narrow belts which are held under tension by tension discs 105 on
that side of the belt pulleys 125 which faces away from the mineral
fibre web 12. In this case, the belt pulleys 125 for the rotary
member 118 are located on both sides of the leading belt pulley 125
of the rotary member 120, the rotary member 118 being held at a
distance from these middle belt pulleys 125 by means of the tension
discs 105. The rotary member 120 which is in the middle in FIG. 3
spans both the trailing belt pulleys 125 of the rotary member 118
and the leading belt pulleys 125 of the rotary member 122, whilst
the rotary member 122 spans the trailing belt pulleys 125 of the
middle rotary member 120 and is deflected at trailing belt pulleys
126 of smaller diameter. In the example, trailing belt pulleys 126
of the two upsetting devices 171 and 173 also run on the shaft of
the trailing belt pulleys 126 and are arranged at angle of about
60.degree. to the upsetting device 172. In this way; the upper and
lower hard skin materials remain guided directly onto the surface
of the mineral fibre web 12 by the upsetting devices 171, 173 and
can immediately be taken over, together with the mineral fibre web
12, by the upsetting device 100. Of course, the arrangement
explained with regard to that side of the upsetting device 172
which is upper in the drawing applies accordingly to its
underside.
[0035] Thus, in a similar way to the upsetting device 17 of FIG. 1,
the upsetting devices 171, 172 and 173 produce overlap regions 127,
in which the leading faster rotary members 118/119 and 120/121
engage, at the same time and side on side with the trailing slower
rotary members 120/121 and 122/123, on the surfaces of the mineral
fibre web 12 and which generate the effects described in connection
with FIGS. 1 and 2.
[0036] With apparatuses according to the invention being arranged
in this way, the most diverse product combinations can be produced,
specifically with or without lamination and with or without
reinforcing elements, as required. Thus, for example, when the
upsetting device 172 is in operation a primarily upset mineral
fibre web 12 of comparatively large thickness can be produced. In
this case, the raw fleece of the mineral wool web 12, with a
thickness A of 200 to 900 mm, preferably 300 to 500 mm, arrives on
the production surface 13 not illustrated in FIG. 3 (cf. FIG. 1)
and at the entrance of the upsetting device 172 is compressed to a
thickness B of 10 to 210 mm, preferably 50 to 150 mm, in particular
70 to 120 mm, and is upset in this thickness and also exposed to
additional fulling, felting and compacting actions. The material
for the hard skins may arrive with a raw fleece thickness C of 100
to 450 mm, preferably 150 to 300 mm, in particular 200 to 250 mm,
and in the upsetting devices 171 and 173 is compressed to a
thickness D of 5 to 105 mm, in particular to a thickness of 10 to
50 mm, in particular of 20 to 30 mm, and also, at the same time,
subjected to the corresponding fulling, warping and felting and
also upsetting and compacting effects.
[0037] As already shown by the wide dimensional ranges set out
above, any desired products having the most diverse properties can
be produced in this way. Thus, for example, if only the upsetting
device 172 is in operation a primarily upset product of
considerable thickness can be produced, without any creases or the
like impairing the mechanical resistance, in particular the
flexural resistance; on the contrary, largely homogeneous upsetting
with reinforced surfaces is achieved, as already explained in more
detail in connection with FIGS. 1 and 2. When the upsetting device
172 is operated simultaneously with the upsetting device 171 or
173, two or three preferably upset mineral fibre webs 12 of
approximately the same thickness can be combined, or a consolidated
hard skin can be applied by the upsetting device 171 or 173 to a
mineral fibre web 12 of comparatively large thickness. Finally, all
three upsetting devices 171, 172 and 173 can be used in order to
produce any desired product, from the variant, explained in more
detail, of a relatively thick middle layer with hard skins on both
sides, through the combination of three upset layers of
approximately equal thickness, to outer layers of large thickness
and a hard skin as a middle layer.
[0038] Furthermore, by controlling the speed of the individual
rotary members 118 to 123, the intensity of the upsetting, fulling,
warping, felting and compacting effects can be set differently on
each individual upsetting device 171, 172 and 173. In this case, if
required, the same speed of the rotary members may also be
selected, so that, instead of upsetting, only a laminar delivery of
the mineral wool web 12 is obtained, in order to produce a laminar
middle layer or else a laminar outer layer on one side or both
sides, if this is the aim intended for the product in the
individual instance. An upset hard middle layer between two
thicker, if appropriate, laminar outer layers may also be
advantageous, for example as a gripping felt.
[0039] As shown by the foregoing description, many modifications
and variations of the embodiments illustrated are possible, without
departing from the scope of the invention. Thus, for example, the
interpenetration of the belt sets in order to achieve the overlap
regions 27 and 127 may have been brought about in any desired
constructive way differently from the embodiments illustrated. It
is essential, here, only that the shaft of belt pulleys adjacent to
one another in the running direction 14 be located outside the
circumference of these belt pulleys. Furthermore, a different
design may also be selected instead of belts as rotary members, for
example friction rods which are arranged, for example, in a
rake-like manner and engage one into the other and which are driven
back and forth instead of in a continuous rotational movement.
[0040] The following two examples serve to give further details of
the invention.
EXAMPLE 1
[0041] Starting with a raw fleece 12 having a thickness of 80 mm
and a bulk density of 125 kg/m.sup.3, a pre-compacting action was
carried out between the compaction rollers 10/11 so as to compact
the fleece in vertical direction to about half of its upstream
thickness. The pre-compacted fleece subsequently was introduced
into an upsetting or grimping apparatus like apparatus 17 of FIG.
1, however with four overlap regions 27, so as to obtain an even
symmetry of strip-like longitudinal zones. The gap width between
the rotary members was 20 mm corresponding to the product thickness
so obtained.
[0042] In comparison to a board-like product of mineral wool as
obtained by a conventional upsetting or crimping action, the
board-like product produced according to the invention had
properties as can be seen from Table 1 below. These measurements
were carried out with three test bodies each, and the average
values are indicated in Table 1. The dimension of each test body
was 200.times.200 mm with the thickness of 20 mm as already
mentioned.
1 TABLE 1 Conventional Board product board according to the product
invention Improvement Bulk density of 140 125 -- raw fleece
[kg/m.sup.3] Bulk density of 182 145 -35 product obtained
[kg/m.sup.3] Degree of 1:1.3 1:1.16 -1:0.14 Crimpring Binder
Content 4.0 2.9 -1.1 [wt.-%] Compression tension 28 25 Within
according to standard required range DIN 52272 ("Druck- require-
spannung") ment > 18 Compressibility 2.0 1.5 +25% according to
standard DIN 18165 require- ("Zusammen- ment < 3 druckung")
[mm]
[0043] As can be seen from Table 1, the product obtained according
to the invention has not only a reduced bulk density and thus saves
raw material, but also saves, compared with a conventional product,
binder while obtaining a comparable good compression tension or
compression strength. The compressibility of the product obtained
according to the invention was even 25% better compared with a
conventional product.
EXAMPLE 2
[0044] Starting material here was a raw fleece 12 of mineral wool
with a thickness of 50 mm and a bulk density of 100 kg/m.sup.3. The
gap width between the rotary members and thus the thickness of the
product was only 10 mmm, and the test bodies usesd as before
consequently had sizes of 200.times.200.times.10 mm. All other
parameters were like in Example 1, and the comparative conventional
product was an uncrimped, or not upset, mineral wool board of high
bulk density as necessary to obtain comparable strength. A cringed
or upset conventional comparative product was not available as at
this low thickness of only 10 mm no crimping can be carried out
with conventional equipment.
2 TABLE 2 Conventional Board product board according to the product
invention Improvement Bulk density of 180 100 -- raw fleece
[kg/m.sup.3] Bulk density of 180 120 -60 product obained
[kg/m.sup.3] Degree of Not crimp- 1:1.2 Possible to pro- Crimpring
able in this duce as crimp- thickness ed product with 10 mm thick-
ness Binder Content 4.0 2.9 -1.1 [wt.-%] Compression tension 7 8
Within required according to standard range DIN 52272 ("Druck-
require- spannung") ment > 6 Compressibility 1.5 2.0 +25%
according to standard DIN 18165 require- ("Zusammen- ment < 3
druckung") [mm]
[0045] As can be seen from Table 2, with the invention it was
possible for the first time to produce a crimped or upset board of
only 10 mm thickness which may be advantageously combined,
especially as so-called hard skin, with further mineral wool
layers.
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