A non-woven mat of inorganic fiber is disclosed having a substance which
is lower at the edges of the mat than in the remainder of the mat.
Apparatus for making such a mat includes: a source of a slurry of
inorganic fiber in a liquid; a forming wire disposed to move past the
source, the liquid passing through the forming wire to deposit the
inorganic fiber on the forming wire; a mask across a part of the width of
the forming wire to hinder passage of the liquid through the forming wire
over the part, the effectiveness of the mask varying in the direction of
movement of the forming wire past the slurry source. A method of making
the mat includes passing a forming wire past a slurry of inorganic fibers
in a liquid while masking a part of the width of the forming wire as it
passes through the slurry, the masking varying along the length of the
forming wire as it passes through the slurry; and urging the slurry
against the forming wire and causing the liquid to pass through the
forming wire, whereby a non-woven mat of inorganic fiber is formed having
an uneven substance (weight/unit area) in the cross direction.