The present invention relates to an apparatus for forming air-laid absorbentcores (15,16), comprising a first and second mat-forming wheel (1,2), each ofthe mat-forming wheels having a series of moulds (3,4) along their peripheralsurface, air-laying means (6,10 and 8,12) for supplying air-entrained fibrousmaterial to the moulds on each mat-forming wheel, suction means (13,14) maintainingthe formed core elements in the respective moulds during a part of the path of themoulds on the respective mat-forming wheel and means for transferring a coreelement (16) on the second mat-forming wheel onto a core element (15) on the firstmat-forming wheel while the latter core element still is maintained in its mould,at least the air-laying means (8,12) associated with the second mat-formingwheel comprises means for supplying a mixture of air-entrained fibrous materialand discrete particles. According to the invention means (5,9 and 7,11) are arrangedfor applying a protective layer (22,23) to the bottom of each mould (3,4) of atleast the second mat-forming wheel (2), which protective layer (22,23) has thefunction of protecting the mould from discrete particles during air-layingof a mixture of air-entrained fibrous material and discrete particles and forpreventing discrete particles from exit out of the second core element duringand after transfer, and the two mat-forming wheels (1,2) forms such a nip betweeneach other that the second core element (16) will abut the first core element (15)before transfer.
