Method and apparatus for the manufacture of fibers

摘要

A process and apparatus for forming fibers from attenuable materials, such as molten glass, by attenuating streams of glass from the bottom of a bushing wherein the bottom has downwardly presented wall portions at upper and lower levels. According to the disclosure the upper or lower wall portions are formed into a series of elongated bosses each containing at least one row of cells termed alveoles, each alveole having a multiplicity of orifices extending through the lower wall portion of its boss. Filamentary material is manufactured by drawing at least one filament from each alveole independently of each other alveole regardless of whether or not the material has flooded the bottom surface of any boss. In one embodiment shallow transverse grooves in the lower wall portions of the bosses separate the orifices of one alveole from the orifices of adjacent alveoles so that flooding is confined to a single alveole. Controlled cooling permits the selective drawing of one or a plurality of filaments from the alveoles.