Granulation-coating machine for glass fiber granules

1 . An apparatus for producing glass fiber granules substantially coated with a binder composition from chopped strand segments comprising: an applicator for applying a binder composition to chopped glass segments; and a granulating assembly for imparting a pseudo-helical action to the chopped strand segments.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the granulating assembly comprises a rotating drum for receiving the chopped glass segments and a plurality of scoops mounted within the rotating drum.

3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the scoops are positioned in a pattern within the drum for cascading the chopped glass segments.

4 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the pattern of scoops is configured to allow the granules to follow a pseudo-helical path in the drum.

5 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the scoops within drum are positioned in a repeating pattern.

6 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the pattern includes spacing of scoops within the drum at equal longitudinal distances from adjacent scoops.

7 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein each scoop is orientated within the drum to allow a planar stream of granules to cascade from the scoop.

8 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein each scoop is positioned along an circumference of the drum, where the circumferential distances between scoops comprises:

as between a first scoop and a second scoop about 120°;

as between the second scoop and a third scoop about 120°; and,

as between the third scoop and a fourth scoop about 80°.

9 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the pattern includes a last scoop having a longer length than other scoops in the pattern.

10 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the scoop has narrow end and wide end.

11 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the narrow end is closest to an inlet of the drum.

12 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the scoop includes a capturing member having a comet shape.

13 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the scoop has a bracket configured to hold the scoop at a preferred distance from an interior wall of the drum and at an acute angle to the interior wall.

14 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein an orientation of a longitudinal axis of the scoop is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the drum.

15 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein an orientation of the longitudinal axis of the scoop is at an acute angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of drum.

16 . The apparatus of claim 1 , including a delivery device configured to deliver binder composition to the chopped glass segments.

17 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the delivery device is within a surrounding stream of cleaning air entering the drum along with binder composition.

18 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the drum has a cylindrical interior side wall substantially coated with an anti-adherent composition.

19 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of scoops are arranged in a spaced relation one to another, the scoops being configured such that granules from one scoop fall in a cascading manner and are captured by an adjacent scoop.

20 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein each scoop is configured to allow a planar stream of granules to cascade from the scoop to a bottom of the drum, and wherein each scoop is further configured to capture a quantity of granules from the bottom of the drum.

21 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the drum has multiple scoops with the same configuration.

22 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein granulating assembly is configured to allow the chopped glass segments a residence time within the granulating assembly sufficient to ensure that the chopped glass segments become substantially coated with the binder composition and substantially simultaneously coalesce into granules.

23 . A method for granulating glass fiber granules substantially coated with a binder composition comprising:

introducing chopped strand segments into a rotating drum;

applying a binder composition to the chopped strand segments; and simultaneously imparting a pseudo-helical action to the chopped strand segments within the drum for a time sufficient to ensure that the chopped strand segments become substantially coated with the binder composition and substantially simultaneously coalesce into granules.

24 . The method of claim 23 , wherein the rotating drum includes a plurality of scoops positioned in a pattern within the drum for cascading the chopped strand segments.

25 . The method of claim 24 , wherein the pattern of scoops is configured to allow the granules to follow the pseudo-helical path in the drum.

26 . The method of claim 25 , including circumferentially rotating successive scoops, whereby when each reaches a desired angle of inclination, gravity causes the granules to begin to cascade out of the scoop as a curtain of falling granules; and, as each scoop is rotated in the circumferential direction, the scoop is gradually emptied.

27 . The method of claim 26 , including providing a substantially continuous curtain of granules deposited into a stream of binder composition for at least one quarter of the rotation of the rotating drum.

28 . The method of claim 23 , further including connecting one or more nozzles adjacent the drum for delivering a quantity of binder composition into the drum.

29 . The method of claim 28 , including nozzle substantially atomizing the binder composition as the atomized binder composition is being dispensed into in the drum.

30 . The method of claim 29 , including combining the binder composition with a supply of air into one fluid stream before being dispensed into the drum.

31 . The method of claim 29 , including delivering the binder composition and a supply of air through separate nozzle orifices, whereby the air and binder composition are combined into one atomized stream in the drum.

32 . The method of claim 23 , including applying the binder composition onto the chopped strand segments at an efficiency rate of between about 85% to about 95%.

33 . A granule comprising successive and alternating layers of chopped strand segments and binder composition.

34 . The granule of claim 33 , wherein certain of the chopped strand segments are at least partially aligned with other chopped strand segments to form a generally cylindrically shaped granule.

35 . The granule of claim 34 , wherein the granule has a diameter between from about 12% to about 50% of its length.

36 . Granules formed by the method of claim 23.