7 The entire hood assembly is supported by ' tt rod 342 *hich penetrates brackets @344 welded to tho, sides of the ho&d tlnd is journged in jbearihgs 346 which @are present onthelowerendof@aml-s348. Th6 uppdren&ofthese arms -are provided viith b6arings 350 in which pins 352 are joumaled. @Accordin,-Iy, when torsion bar 280 is actilated and deckel sections 284 move angularly, -hood 330 fi)llows along because -of the impelliiig action of t@rack members 338, 340 on hood flange 336. During this - motion, the flange slips between the track members as required to relieve any induced stress. Also, supporting atms 348 move in the manner of a pantogaph, 'the sides of @the parallelogram being formed by supports 348 @tsthe links on one side and the de@kel sections 284 as the liftu on -the other side. This adjustment can be made readfly while b6lt :ZSO -and felt 276 thereon are @in moti6n. Since 'ih6 ote-n mout-h -of hooa 330 remains a'lways immediat@ly adjblcent scalping.-roll 290, materidl removed from the f6lt is sucked up by the air stream passing through the opemngs bet,ween sleeve members 288 and @lates 192, through@-hodd 330 and throu,@h conduit @@4. The s6lid @aiticles @iweii may be separated from the air itre@m in a cyclbn@ ot othemise and returned to @the feed for recyclifig tb. thd infeed side of the apparatus. Opei-ation The operation of the herein desclib@d f@lting apparatus is - as -follows: Small pieces of material such 'as wood graniiles, chips or shavings are fed continuously on belt 50 from chute -66. The@ material on the belt is swept off onto belt @ 32 - inimediate , ly below by rotary brus I h 92, the @peed of rotiition of the brush being correlated wiih the linear movetaen't of the belt so that a fresh charge of matdrial is conveyed beneath the brush while the latter is making one revolution. Thus the material is distributed on belt 32 between deckels 40-42. It next is leveled off by means df leveling unit 24, 'the worm members 124, 126'of Which are :adjustable vertically by means of torsioii r(id 110 tidwhieh they are connected, so that a mat of any'desired thickness may be formed. During vertical adjustment of the worm members, the continuity of the deckels -is inaintained by -the action of deckel sections 160, 162. The leveled mat accordingly a:ffords a uiiifbrm feed s6urce to be supplied to felting unit 26. As it fails downwardly on top of plate 210 thereof, it @,aseades over @Lnd between the succession of horizofitally 2ind vertically spaced plates i=ediately below, bding dispersed @by iWs action as well as by the action 6f the angularly disposdd @Idtes 216 thereon. As a,consequence, a continuous and unfform flow of material falls dovmwardly'from the'fdlting umt onto the second conveyin-, unit 28 which carnes a succes@ion of caul plates 262. There is built up 'on the caul @lates a f6lt 276 of the particles, the freshlyformed edge of the felt having a gradual slope to prevent caving and void formation. This felt may be ttinimed to any'de@ired thiclaidss @by ]6veliiig iinit 30, the o@6r;ati6n 6f'whii@h is @brAewhat-simiJar to that of unit 24. Toothed tdll 290 -of -this :imit shaves from the mat the surplus material,'whioh@then is carried away by vacuuhi hood 330. Vettical adju@tment 6f the toothed roll is secured by means of torsion b@ar 280 which, acting through deckel secti6ns 294, hiovc@s'thi,- rofl -and associated hood in an atc until the -de ired el&,@,dtion has been attained. During this sequence, - dedk@l continuity is again maintained by the a@tion of -the7 deckel sections. Accordingly, at the outfeed end of the-apparatus, @ihere are discharged uniform, smooth-surfaced-felts-earried-on c@aulplates262. Thefeltsonthecaulplates@thenmaybe transferred, to a-,press in the - Wu-dl tmann t and @ consolidated to form the fmished product. 9,,943,866 8 It i@ to be understood that the form of @ouir invention herein shi)wn and described is to be.taken as Aprdferred example of the same and that varibus change-s iu the shape, size -and arrahgement of parts may bo resortedto Without departing f@tom the spirit cif our inveiitiobl -or the scope -of -the su-bjoined @laims. Having thus des@,ribed our inveiition, *e -claim. 1. Felt leveling apparatu@ cbmprising cbnveydr means ada@ted to c-oilvey a fel@ a torsibn bar mounted above 10 the conveyor means transversely th6reof, a motor dfi@ren ldveling roll @uppotted by the torsion bar, substantially parallel thereto and a spaced distance towaird the felt'theri,@from. a:nd;means for rotating the torsion bat by aniounts predt@tern:iined to Adjust the space between the I r) leveling roll,and the surface of the felt by desired ijfcrtments. 2. Felt levelin,@ apparatus -compiising a conveyor adiipted to convey @a felt, 'a pair of deckel 7plates mounted 20 ond on each side of the conveyor, each deckel plate including a section which is relat inovable respect to the balance @of the plate in the plane thereof, a torsion bar interconnecting the deckel plate sections, @a motor drivenleveling roll supportedby the,torsion b ar-substantially @parallel 'thereto aiid a spaced distance @therefrom 'm 2@5 the direction 6f @the conveyor, and means -for rotating the torsion bar by amounts predetermined to adjust the space betwoen the leveling roll and the surface of the felt by degired increments, the deckel vlate sections moving arcuately during such adjustment. 30 3. Felt leveling apparatus comprismg a conveyor ad;@pted to eonvey @a felt, a torsion bar -rotatably mounted transversely of the felt, a motor driven leveling r-oll supported by the torsion bar substantially parallel thereto and a spaced distance -below the same, means for rotating 95 the torsion bar by an amount predetermined to adjust,the space between the leveling roll and -the felt by desired inereinents,-and vacuum hood ineans coupled to the leveliiig @roU for conveying away material removed from the felt by 'the same. 40 4. Felt leveling apparatus comprising a conveyor adapted to convey a felt, a pair of deckle plates positioned ohe on each side of the conveyor, means mounting the deckle plates for adjustment toward and away from each other, each deckle plate including a @section which isrela45 tively rotatable with respect to the balance 4Df the plate in the plane thereof, a torsion bar,inter-connecting the deckle plate sections, a motor driven leveling roll supported by the torsion @bar substantially parallel thereto and a spaced distance therefrom in the direction of the conveyor, ihe 50 deckle -plate sections having openings -there'in for rece , iving the ends of -the leveling -roll therethrough for adjusting the spacing between the deckle plates, and means for rotating the torsion bar by amounts predetermined to adjust the space betwedn the leveling roll and the surface@of 65 the fdlt by desirdd increments, the deckle plate sections itoving arcuately during such adjustment. 5. The apparatus (if claim 4 including vacuum hood ineans positioned adjacent the:leveling roll for conveying away material removed from the felt by,the same,,and 60 coupling means slidably interconnecting the vacuum hood means and the rotatable deckle sections. 6. Felting apparatus comprising conveyor means, an oscillating shaker above the conveyor means and comprising a plurality of 8paced substantially:horizontal plates 65 offset from each other vertically and horizontally, and feed means above the shak-er for -feeding small pieces .6f fibrous material to the latter, the pieces discharged -onto the shak-er caseaditig downwardly over the plates, thereby being separated and disbursed onto the conveyor -means. 70 7. Felting apparatus comprising conveyor means, @feed means for feeding fibrous iriaterill to the @conveyor, means, leveeng means comprising @a torsion bar mounted transversely of the conveyor means, @a @leveling roH supported by fthe bars substahtially parallel @thereto @a spaced dis75 tance therefrom in the direction,of the conveyor means,

9 and means for rotating the torsion bar by amounts p rcdeteniiined'to ad@just the space between @the leveling roll and the surface of the flbrous material by a desired incremei@t. 8. Felting app@aratus comprisii3g conveyor means, feed means for feeding small pieces of fibrous material to the conveyor means, and a combination deckle and adjustable leveling means for retaining the pieces of material on the conveyor means and leveling the surface of the same, the deckle including a movable section connected to the @adjustable leveling means and movable during adjustment of the leveling means to maintain continuity of deckle. 9. Felting apparatus comprising conveyor means, feed means for feeding small pieces of fibrous material to the conveyor means, and acombination deckle and adjustable leveling means coniprising a pair of derkle plates mounted one on each side of the conveyor means, each deckle plate including a section which is relatively movable with respl-ct to the balance of the plate in the plane of the platc, a torsion bar interconnecting the t-wo sections, a motor driven leveling roll supported by the torsion bar substantially parallel thereto a spaced distance therefrom 'm the direction of the conveyor means, and means for adjusting the torsion bar by amounts predetermined to vary the space between the leveling rohand the surface of the material on the conveyor means by a desired increment, the deckle plate sections moving arcuately during such adjustment. 10. Felting apparatus @comprising conveyor means, feed means for @feeding flbrous material to the c6nveyor means, leveling means comprising a torsio@n bar mounted transversely of the conveyor means, a motor driven felt leveling roll supported by the torsion -bar substantially par9,948,366 10 allel theteto at a spaced distance below the saine, means for rotating the torsion bar by an amount predeternuned to adjust the space between the leveling means and the felt by a desired increment, and vacuum hood means coupled to the leveling xoll for conveying away material removed from, the felt. l@l. Felting apparatus comprising first conveyor means, distribution means positioned for distributing small pieces of fibrous material on the first conveyor means, felting 10 means positioned @adjacent the first conveyor means for receiving pieces discharged therefrom, second conveyor means positioned adjacent the felting means for receiving pieces discharged therefrom, thereby forming a felt of the pieces on the second conveyor @means, and a combination 15 adjustable deckle and leveling means associated with at least one of said conveyor means for retaining the pieces of material thereon and leveling the surface of the same. References Cited in the file of this patent 20 UNIT ED STATES PATENTS 648,0 011 Thurb er ---------------- Apr. 24, 1900 2,014, 947 McC ulloch et @al --------- Sept. 17, 1935 2,165, 280 Lanna n ---------------- July I 1, 1939 2,373, 183 Hawt horne ------------- Apr. 10, 1945 25 2,459, 924 Culha ne et al ------------ Jan. Z5, 1949 2,462, 276 Muell er ---------------- Feb. 22, 1949 2,589 008 Lannan --- -------- Mar. I 1, 1952 2,635,301 Schbert et al - ---------- Apr. 21, 1953 30 2,653,416 Slayter ---------------- Sept. 29, 195,3 2,693,619 Goss -------------- - --- Nov. 9, 1954 2,737,997 M@mmelheber et al ------- Mar. 13, 1956 2,743,758 Uschmann -------------- May 1, 1956 2,780,341 Smallegan --------------- Feb. 5, 1957

2 @ - 9 4 3 , 3 6 5 United States Patent @ Office 2,943,365 FELTING APPARATUS Harold E. Erickson, Auburn, Robert W. Riley, Milton' 5 and Dale L. Schubert, Tacoma, Wash.; said Erickson and said Piley assignors, by direct and mesne assignments, of one-sixth to @aid Schubert and three-sixths to Industrial Development Co., Tacoma, Wash., a corporation of Washington 10 Filed Dec. 3, 1956, Ser. No. 625,671 11 Claims. (Cl. 19-155) This invention relates to felting apparatus for - form- 15 ing moist or dry fibrous material into a felt preliminary to pressing the felt into a consolidated product. The herein described apparatus is applicable to the felting of a variety of fibrous materials, but is - p4rticularly applicable to the felting of particles of lignocellu- 20 lose and is described herein with particular reference to that application although no limitation thereby is intended. In making consolidated fibrous products such as composition boards, it is conventional practice to reduce 25 wood and other li-,nocellulose to the form of small pieces, to mix -the pieces with a resinous binder and size, and to form them into a felt. The latter then is consolidated to the desired density by the application of heat and pressure. 30 The properties of the felt prepared by the foregoing sequence of operations are of critical significance in determining the properties of the final consolidated product. If the felt is non-uniform in composition, thickness or density, this non-uniformity is reflected in the 35 finished product. Control of felt uniforrrlity is difficult of accomplishment when pieces of lignocellulose are felted, however, because of the irreglilarity in size and shape of the pieces, and their tendency to aggegate into clumps or floes. 40 Accordingly, it is the general object of this invention to provide apparatus for forining small pieces of solid material into felts which are uniform in thickness and density and free from voids and which accordingly may be pressed into consolidated products of uniform prop- 45 erties. Other objects of the present invcntion are the provision of felting apparatus which: (1) Is readily adadtable for use in felting pieces of various shapes and sizes, particularly hard to felt, bulky 50 pieces; (2) May be used to felt pieces of material characterized by pronounced tendency to form clumps; (3) May be applied to the production of felts of a wide range of predetermined thicknesses; 55 (4) Is provided with an accurate running adjustment for @control of felt thickness; (5) Forms a felt wherein the pieces are interlocked and interfelted with consequent high strength of the felt and the consolidated product made therefrom; 00 (6) Can be operated with a minimum of spillage; (7) Produces a felt having a uniform, smooth surface. The manner in which the foregoing and other objects of this invention are accomplished will be apparent from 65 the accompanying specification and claims considered together with the drawings; wherein: Fig. 1 is a general view in side elevation of the presen@tly described felting apparatus; Fig. 2 is a detaff view in side elevation of the particle 70 distributing component of the apparatus of Fig. I which is applied to the formation of a preliininary mat or felt; Patented July 5, 1960 2 Fig. 3 is a view in f-ront elevation of the particle distributing apparatus of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a detail view taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view in elevation illustrating a brush assembly which may be used in the particle distributing apparatus of Figs. 2-4; Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view in side elevation further illustrating the construction of the brush assembly shown in Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation view taken along line 7-7 of Fig. I and illustrating a leveling unit employed for leveling the primary mat formed by the distributing unit of Figs. 2-6; Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view f.urther illustrating the leveling apparatus of Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a view in side elevation of a felting unit employed in building up a second felt from the leveled felt built up by the units of the preceding figures; Fig. 10 is a plan view of the felting unit of Fig. 9; Fig. 11 is a detail sectional view taken along line 11-11 of Fig. 10 and illustrating the construction of one of the particle distributing units of the felting unit of Figs. 9 and 10; Fig. 12 is a view looking along line 12-12 of Fig., II and further illustrating the construction of the particle distributing element of that figure; Fig. 13 is a sectional view in elevation taken along line 13-13 of Fig. I and showing the construction of a leveling unit employed for leveling the felt laid down by the felting unit of Figs. 9-12; and Fig. 14 is a view in side elevation of the leveling unit of Fig. 13. Generally stated, the felting apparatus of our invention comprises first conveyor means, distributing means positioned for distributing small pieces of fibrous material on the first conveyor means, felting means positioned adjacent the first conveyor means for receiving pieces discharged therefrom, and second conveyor means positioned adjacent the felting means for receiving pieces discharged therefrom, thereby building a felt of the pieces on the second conveyor means. In the foregoing general combination, the two conveying means may be synchronized to operate at the same speed so that the deposits of pieces formed thereon are built up to substantially the same thickness. Also, leveling means are preferably assoriated with both the first and second conveyor means for leveling the deposited pieces thereon' Considering the foregoing in greater detail and with particular reference to the drawings: Fig. 1 illust@rates the general arrangement of the presently described felting apparatus. A first or upper conveying unit is indicated generally at 20. Distributing means for distributing piece-s of solid material on the conveying means is indicated generally at 22. Leveling means for leveling the material deposited on the conv eymg means is indicated at 24. The numeral 26 indicates generahy . a felti un p ositi6ned for rec6iving the leveled material disc e d fr om conveying unit 20. The felting unit forms a felt of the pieces on a second conveyor situated immedi@tely' below and indicated generally at 28. This felt is lev6led by means of a leveling unit 30. These various units of the assembly are. considered in sequence below. First conveyor The first conveying unit indicated generally at 20 in Fig. I includes an' endless belt 32 mounted on an idler pulley @4 and a driven pulley 36. T'he upper or working stretch df th6 belt is sii@p6rted by plate 38. D4@ckel plates 40, 42- are stationed bne on @each side ' of the ' belt extending longitudinall@ thereof for retaining mateiial

3 a6p-6sited on tb:e @be@it. As @indicated at 44, 45 of Figs. 1 and 8, a sectibfi -6f - 6@6b.'d6ek6l bl'at6 is --iit aw,@y 'and rabbete,d for a purpose whi@h will appear hereinafter. Dz'stributiti.- -itnit Means are p)rovided for. di@tr4buiiiig p!66es, 6f c7elfull'osic o-r 'other material on lb6lt 32 f6'r f6riiiing, a pr6liftiinary m@Lt -4 1 6 'thereon. Vati6lis typ@s of dis'tribu@tiri'g units moy 'be e'mployed for ihis purposi@. ih the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 1, the@ di@tiibutiiig meiiiis com'piise-s a -@p @out '48 which 'may @wing lYa6k and iorth across the width df belt 32, distributing material across the surface thereof. -Prbfdrred 'di@tributing nleans are i I Ilu8trated in Figs. ,2-6, @incl 'u@iVe. This distribiiti @n'g' unit may be mouiited acro@s bdlt 32 in the 'sa'me 'p;o@ition as 'is oc6upied bY oscillating spout 48 of Fig. 1. It compris&s an endles@ l@&lt 50 suitably supported on bed, plates. 51 and mounted on idler pulley 52 and a driv-e@n pu @lley 54. Puiiey 54 7is coiin'ected through coijpling 56 (Fig. 2) to -one shaft 57 of a conventional bevel ge@ir box 58. The gear box in tum is coupled through cou'plin '60, to gear @r @ uc 9 ed er 62 afid this in tum is connected to a 8uitable nfotor'64. Suitable means @,lso are @roviddd for delivering small @ieces cif material such as wood chips, shavings, 'fiber, ans '6r granules to the infeed efid of belt 50. Such 'm6 may comprise, for example, -a chute or hopper 66 thr6ugh which the pieces are "fed at 'the desired rate. N - ft'er h6Ving been d@livdtdd to thb belt, the piec@s . Are moved toward the outf@ed -end, bdi@g c@diighed b6tweon t I T2e not6hed lon@itiidinal sidepla:tes ! 68, 69. As th6 @ieces reach th central poftio'n -the. belt, e of, o@@o'site the fi6tch6d or 6ut-away -p'oiti6fis @of sid(@ -@la:tes 68, 69 they are acted upon. by mean@ for swo!E@pitigthem 'off @belt 56 aiid distributiiig 'th6fn on b'eli 32'of'c6iiveying unit 20, described above. The sweeping or'bru s Iiing uiiit is k6yed t6 a ce.itral sha@ft 70 iiiouiit'ed.@in bei@ihgs i2. 'It '66iii@rise@ a sle6ve 74 c&iiffn6d'b ' . . y raeans o@ f Coli@is @6 aiid carryin@ a plur@lity 6f s@6kes 7 . A@b'iushing @ssembly 80 is m6iinfed 6ii oii64@iid df @the bbl,es. A counter v@6ight ba@ 82 ivhich balanc@s the bitishing assembly is ffi6uiit6d at 'tlie 6th@er 6iid 6f the s@bk&s. 'Ehe 15rush asser@bly is 'vertically a:djust@tbli,- to.- domp.ensate for wear and 6ther factors a'nd accoidiiigly in6fude,s a :ffrst 6ha:iifi@l iron 84 which is @relded to -the @p6kes and a second channel member-86 dimensioned to telesc&@e 6ver -the fi'rst channel'iron. Ch@iiiiel -86 is provided with @paced ver@i'cal slots -88. Bolts '90 work in the 'sl6ts and are thr6aded iiito @h@@el 84. Acc6rdi'n@ly 'the r6lative position 6f th6 oufer '&hafiii&l 'jilember 86 may be set as desired. The brush assembly is coffipl6t6d by iii6An@ of the elongated brush 92 which exteiids substidti@lly the entire le-ngth of channel 86 and is suitabl@ hffii(ed to the central segment thereof. It will be noted -that 'the brush is substantiafly as long as b&lt 32 is wide @and that it is positioned directly over the b-elt 32, so ihat mat6rial swept from belt 50 by the brush will @f@ll down'w'ardly onto belt 32, being distributed a:cross its 6niiie .@idth between deckels 40, 42. Coupled to the brlishing assembly is motor means synchronized with the drive belt 50 so that 'the belt will be driven a distance equal to the lengfh of brush 92 during the time that the brush makes oiie complee revolution. A suitdble ariang ' ement for 6chieving this synchronization is iuugtrated in Fig. 2. Thus shaft 70 carries a sprocket 94 which is connected thr(yugh chain 96 to a sprocket 98 cairie@ by shaft 100 of bevel gear box'58. Accoidingly both belt @O and'th@ , br-ush ass6mbly are driven synchronously from a common motor 64. Although the major proportion of material is s!wept from belt 50 by brush 92, any 5urplus -not:,removed by ihe brush is carried by the belt into a chute @102. From 2,943,366 4 the chute it is recirculated to the feeding source and rnb@y Ag@fin b@e 'di,-Vositbd on belt 50 thr6ugh chute '66. First lev'eling unit As has been indicated above, the material which has 5 been deposited on belt -32 fdrrns a Ioose felt 46 thereon. This felt is next leveled to provide a primary felt of uniforin thickne@s ',";hich is stiitabl@ for introduction into the felting unit 6f the Lassembly in order'to sup@ply,a -uhi10 forin f6ed ther6to. The lev6ling ineans empl6yed 'are indicated goneially @at 24 in Fig. 1 and fiinciionnot C;nly to lev6l the ifiat -but @lso @to sliave it off to any de@@ed 'thickne8s while stitl con@riing @ft 'between deckel plates. The construction of this unit is illustrated partibiil@rly in Figs. 7 aiid. 8. 15 Stationed above the outfeed end of belt 32 is a torSion rod 110 jo'uriiiled in -bearin@,-s 112 which are mounted on frame members 114. Collars 116 are rigid to -fOd -110,@ind riidunt -rigidly Ccinn@6tin@ lih'k-S 118. The 20 latter ii'n 'ttim @bte 'f@isteried to b@a@ings_ 120 'in 'Wlii@h 'is a joumal6d ;a gtfait l@2. This @sh@ft cairies @n zitigei th6 It'v@10 -hal@@es i@4, 126 of which work respectilvoy tdi@ard -oppbsfte "sidds of 4belt 32. Th6 a'u7ger sh'aft is po@ver@d through ia linkag& in@Iiidi g pulley 128 k@,ydd t th@ sh@ft, b6lt 130, pull 'y@ 132 2. n 0 e @d'i34 whi6h are keyid 't6gether and rotate freely 6b an - the end of torsion rod 110, belt 136 and pulley .138:on nicitor 140. li will 'be appatent that @is thi@ aug@r is @totated at 'th@ 30 desired spded, @it 'will sbave off 'the top @pieces from mat on belt @32 aftd 4@arry them t6ward the sides of tike belt. There thdy are 'depdsited in,6hutes 142 144, ivh i6h may retuim them to the feed soure'e for recirculatifig through the apparatus. 35 Thb 'construciio'n described abov6 ma@kes bos ibl'e a facile, vertical, runhihg adjustiiient @of the @ugdr, t'o,en-able the -production 'of mats bf any desired thickneiss on bblt '32. The elemeiits included in ihe adjus'iing ';@s'Sombly cotnprise the, pinion gear 146 SDIined to fhe @t6r@ 40 sion rod ilO, a rack 148 guided iri @guideway 149 @engqgifig the piriioa @gear, a screw 150 coupled t h& ia6k, 0 t an intdmally threaded sleeve 152 'into Whi6h screw i@56 is thteaded, and a wh6el 154 co'u@led t6 sleeve 152, @6rid rotatably mounted in bearing 156 supported 6n b' .6k6t ra 45 Accordirigi I y, r(itation of hand wheel 154 e ext nds or retracts rac,k@148 which rotates torsion rod 110 iii &ith@r a 'clOckWil se @br a couhterelockwise direction as @i6w6d in Figilre 8. This in tul-n mov6s connecting liriks 118 50 angularly and raises or lowers auger shaft 122 t'o @ih6 desired'Vosition. I Not only can. the auger asseiiibly be rdised or -16wered expeditibu ly While the app@ratus is ruhiiing, but ihe n 6f ddiu8tffi@bn,t iii@y be made Withoilt :Iosi g c6iitinu 55 deckel. To make this possible, there are provided @deckel sections 160, '162, Which co6p6r@fe with deckels 4'0, '42, respectively. The deckel sections are @rovided 'wiih rabbeted @dges i64, '166, which register with the 'rabbeted edges 44, '45 of the deckels. Al o, th6y @ - arry s tetir-gha'ped,,open, stub conduits 168, 170 ihrdu@h @vhich do auger segments 124, 126, res@ectively, exterid. l@he de6kel s@ction a@semblies are fa8tened to a@fid supp6iicd by hubs 172, 174. These in 'tuin are keyed to @tor@i6h rod 110 in -such a manner that they may'be set @t ari- able spacings,frorh 'each other as required to f6rm niats 65 of predetermined widths on belt 32. Hence it will be c@vident that as the torsion bar tiirns in o'ne direction :or the other, it carries with it not offly the auger assembly but also the 'deckel sections so,that To a continuity of deckel -is maintained while still permitting discharge of the scalped matirial through7stub -conduit 1'68, '170 info chutes 142, 144. The fiiltin'g uriit The leveled ma@t 'bf the desiro-d thickrfdss whi6b -ba"s 75 been @ f6irmed 'on belt 31 @is disdharged @6ver ihe outf@ed,

5 end thereof onto the felting unit indicated generally at 26 in Fig. 1. The construction of this unit is illustrated in greater detail in Figs. 9--412 inclusive. Thus the felting unit may comprise a pair of spaced longitudinally arranged side plate-s 180 formed with horizontal stiffening flanges 182. The side plates are mounted through bearings 184 on a first transverse rod 1,86. This rod in tum is journaled in bearings 188 mounted on the ends of arnis 190 and retained by cohars 192. Arms 190@ in tum @are pivotally mounted at the base of the unit on shaft 194 j(yurnaled in bearings 196 carried by the lower ends of arms 190. The other ends of side plates 180 are fixed to bearings 198 in which a shaft 200 is joumaled. The outer ends of this shaft extend through bearings 202 carried by the upper end of arms 204. The lower ends of these arms carry bearings 206 in which shaft 208 is joumaled. The reciprocatable frame thus provided supports a plurality of substantially horizontal transverse plates 210, 212, 214 offset from each other, both horizontally and vertically, in a stepped, pyramidal artangement, and affixed in a suitable manner to side plates 180. The upper surfaces of plates 210, 212, 214 may carry a plurality of spaced baffles 216. These baffles preferably are mounted for angular adjustment in the manner illustrated in Figs@ 11 and 12. Tbus the base of each baffle is pivoted centrally on a pin 218. A pair of bolts 220 penetrate the respective ends of the baffle -and also slots 222 in the portion of the horizontal base plate immediately beneath. Hence by loosening the bolts, the baffles may be placed in any selected angular position and secured there by tightening the bolts. Means are provided for reciprocating the felting unit rapidly.. In the illustrated embodiment such means comprise a drive including connecting rods 224, having on the-ir respective forward ends bearings 226 in which shaft 200 is journaled, and collars 228 securing the bearings on the shaft. The other ends of connecting rods 224 carry bearings 230, in which the shafts of eccentrics 232 arejouriialed. The eccentrics in turn are keyed to a drive shaft 234 mounted in bearings 236 and driven by a.pulley 238 keyed to the shaft and connected through belt 240 to motor 242. Thus when the felting unit is reciprocated rapidly by mofor 242, the plates and baffles thereon in aggregate form a cascade down both sides of which the pieces tutnble after being introduced onto the top plate from bel,t 36. As the pieces tumble over and between the plates, they are separated from each other and distributed umformly. Accordingly, they fall in @a uniform flow in flelting relationsbip onto a second conveying unit. Second conveying unit The second conveying unit is stationed below felting unit 26 and is indicated generally at 28 in Fig. 1. It includes an endless belt 250 reeved about pulley 252 keyed to shaft 254 and pulley 256 keyed to shaft 258. The upper or working stretch of belt 250 is supported by a bed plate 260. A plurality of cau s 2 may carried on top of the belt. Belt 250 is driven through a sprocket 264 keyed t shaft 258 and connected through chain 266 to drive motor 268. Belt 250 may be synchronized with belt 32. To this end a sprocket 270 is keyed to shaft 254 and connected through chain 272 to sprocket 274 on the shaft of pulley 36 by means of which belt 32 is driven. In this maniier the rates of travel of belts 32 and 250 may be maintained at any desired ratio to each other, so that the thickness of the felts deposited upon the belts can be maintained at the desired levels. T'he action of felting unit 26 builds up on caul plates 262 carried by belt 250 (yf conveyor unit 23 a felt 276, the raw freshly-formed edge of which is inclined upwardly in the direction of travel of the belt, as is indicated in Fig. 1. It is an important attribute of the herdin descr@ibed felting assembly that the felt can be formed@ in this mauner since it avoids caving of the raw felt edge@, and the formation of voids in the caved portion. This in tum . produces a uniform felt which leads to the pro-, duction of a uniform pressed product. Thesurface of felt 276" however, is somewhat uneven andaccordingly the felt is passed through a second level-@ ing unit. 10 Second leveling unit The second leveling unit employed in the presently described felting assembly is indicated generally at 30 in F-ig. 1 and has for its furiction producing a felt of the desired thickness having @a smooth, uniform surface. 15 The construction and mode of operation of this leveling unit is indicated in Figs. 13 and 14. From inspection of these figures, it wiff be observed that the construction of leveling unit 30 is similar in@ some respects to that of unit,24. It differs however in' 20 the use of a toothed roll instead of an auger, and in the' 'sion of a vacuum hood for removal of the material provi which has been.scalped from the top of the felt by the leveling roll. However, as in the -,ase of unit 24, leveling unit 30 25 includes a torsion bar 280 wliich extends entirely aer(ss the unit and is rotatably mounted in bearings 281 fixed to frame member 282, it, being kept. in mirld that the construction of the unit is substantially symmetrical, so. thatthe left-hand side, broken away in Fig. 13, is idenso tical @vith that of the right-hand side which is illustrated. Keyed to torsion bar 280 are hubs 283 on which are mounted the deckel sections 284. 'Mese correspond in general to deckel sections 162 of unit 24, and like them may be set at predetermined distances apart from each 35 other as required to define mats of predetermined widths. Also, they @are provided with marginal tracks 286 adapted to cooperate with complementary tracks in the cutaway portions of deckels 261. The lower portions of deckel sections 284 are provided with openings in which are 40 mounted tubes 288. Deckel sections 284 support I a toothed shaving roll 290 in the following manner: plates 292 are bolted across the open end of tubes 288, it being noted, however, that the plates -are 'Of TCStricted size and do not com45 pletely. close off the opening. Bearings 294 are mounted on the pla I tes and inount in tum the shaft 296 of @roll 290. The roll is driven by a drive including pulley 298 keyed to the end of shaft 296, and belt 300 connecting pulley 298 to pulley 302. The latter pulley is keyed to 50 pulley 304, both of these pulleys floating on the end of torsion rod 280. Pulley 304 is connected through belt 306 to pulley 309 of motor 310. Accordingly, it is rotated at a speed determined by the speed o motor. 65 To elevate the shaving roll a predeterm@ined distance above belt 250, a pinion gear 312 is keyed to the torsion bar. This gear meshes with a rack 314 contained in a guideway 316 mounted on str-uctur,,ii member 318. . Rack 314 is coupled to a threaded shaft 320 wh@irh lies in threaded engagement with a sleeve 322. The latter is 60 rotatably mounted in a bearing 324 and connected to a handwheel 326. Hence rotation of the handwheel secures longitudinal reciprocation of the rack 314 and rotation of pinion gear 312. This in tum rotates torsion bar 280, and, through the coupling action of deckel. section 284, 65 swings toothed roll 290 in an are thereby raising or lowen'ng it in respect to belt 250, as t'he case may be. The material removed from the surface of felt 276 by the artion of roll 290 is carried away by a vacuum hood 330 which is conner-ted through a telescopic joint 332 to a 70 conduit 334. The latter co=unicates with a fan for inducing a vacuum in the hood. The lower open end of the hood is flared and dir ected toward toothed roll 290. It is provided with a flange 336 which moves in a track @formed by spaced track mem75 bers 338, 340.