Asbestos shorts/floats

Floats n. A term used in the past for asbestos filler in the form of very fine, short fibers with associated dust. 

Some confusion of asbestos with asbestine (q.v.) exists in the literature. According to Heaton this latter term derived from its origin as a fine powder obtained by grinding and air floating waste asbestos Toch differentiates between the two as asbestine having a short fibre and asbestos having a long fibre. 

Friction products - Paper and shingle fibers are used in molded clutch plates and disk brake pads, while short and float fibers are used in brake linings. Clutch plates are also made from open-weave asbestos cloth impregnated with resin. In all cases, asbestos is used for its durabiUty, heat and moisture resistance, low thermal conductivity, and high strength. 

Plastics - Abrasion-free asbestos is used to thicken and reinforce thermosets, providing heat, tear, and electrical resistance, low heat deformation, high strength, and stif iess. Short and float fibers are used as fillers mat, felt, paper and cloth are impregnated with resin to form laminates. 

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