Air dispersion of mineral fibers in ceiling tile manufacture

Abstract

A method of forming a dilute water slurry for water felting a basemat for an acoustical ceiling tile comprising delivering a bale of compressed mineral wool with a density of at least 8 lbs. per cubic foot at an unbaling station, releasing a binding holding the bale in compression, mechanically separating the fibers of a mineral wool bale with mechanical instrumentalities arranged to disperse the fibers to a generally uniform density of less than 2 lbs. per cubic foot prior to passage of the fibers through the tank inlet, and causing the separated mineral fibers to pass into the mixing tank for contact with water suspended binder.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates to the manufacture of sound-absorbing ceiling tiles based on mineral wool. Background technique [0002] Acoustic ceiling tiles based on mineral wool are traditionally manufactured in a wet felting process using Oliver or Fourdrinier machines well known in the art. Mineral wool and binders have long been used to form acoustic ceiling tiles. The reason for using mineral wool is that it is relatively cheap and inert. Mineral wool is typically shipped from the site where it is manufactured to another site where it is used to manufacture acoustical ceiling tiles. Typically, mineral wool is compressed into bales to reduce its volume for ease of handling and transportation. Mineral wool bales can be compressed to a density of at least 8 pounds per cubic foot. [0003] When compressed and bundled into bales, the individual mineral wools become tangled with each other. The longstanding practice is to use a motorized rotating ...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Fiber breakage results in reduced strength of the finished tile and nodules reduce possible NRC (Noise Reduction Coefficient) values ​​due to loss of porosity

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