(57) A thermoplastic material extrusion mechanism is provided which includes a die head
having a centrally disposed high velocity gas delivery means adapted to continuously
emit a jet of a gas having shear layers, at least one chamber for the thermoplastic
material, thermoplastic material delivery means arranged at least partially surrounding
the centrally disposed high velocity gas delivery means for directing extruded thermoplastic
material emitted from the thermoplastic material delivery means toward the gas jet,
causing the extruded thermoplastic material to be introduced into the shear layers
of the gas jet, and a thermoplastic material conduit which communicates the at least
one chamber with each of the thermoplastic material extrusion openings.
A method of producing fibers of a thermoplastic material is also provided which comprises
the steps of (a) forming a high velocity gas jet having shear layers, (b) extruding
at least one stream of a molten thermoplastic material from at least one thermoplastic
material delivery means arranged adjacent and at least partly surrounding the high
velocity gas jet, and (c) merging the at least one thermoplastic material stream with
the shear layers of the high velocity gas jet to attentuate the thermoplastic material
into fibers, forming thereby fiber streams of the thermoplastic material.
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