U.S. patent number 3,819,465 [Application Number 05/820,049] was granted by the patent office on 1974-06-25 for non-woven textile products.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Troy Mills, Inc.. Invention is credited to Alfred E. Guidotti, Robert A. Parsons.
United States Patent |
3,819,465 |
Parsons , et al. |
June 25, 1974 |
NON-WOVEN TEXTILE PRODUCTS
Abstract
This disclosure relates to composite textile constructions
formed by needle punching non-woven fibers into a layer of plastic
material. In one embodiment a batt of non-woven fibers is needle
punched into a plastic sheet and the composite laminate then hot
calendered to press the punched fibers into the plastic sheet
thereby forming a smooth surface. In another embodiment a non-woven
batt is is needle punched into a heat-retractable plastic grid or
shrinkable carrier. The grid is then caused to retract under
dimensionally controlled conditions whereby the fibers in the
unpunched portions of the batt will rise up in arch-like ridges or
designs out of the plane of the batt thereby presenting a resilient
textured surface.
Inventors: |
Parsons; Robert A. (Troy,
NH), Guidotti; Alfred E. (Chelmsford, MA) |
Assignee: |
Troy Mills, Inc. (Troy,
NH)
|
Family
ID: |
25229749 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/820,049 |
Filed: |
April 29, 1969 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
428/176; 442/13;
28/109; 156/84; 428/174; 428/359; 28/112; 156/148; 428/182 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B32B
5/22 (20130101); B32B 5/26 (20130101); B32B
27/12 (20130101); B32B 5/022 (20130101); Y10T
428/2904 (20150115); Y10T 428/24694 (20150115); B32B
2307/736 (20130101); Y10T 428/24645 (20150115); B32B
2262/0253 (20130101); Y10T 442/121 (20150401); Y10T
428/24628 (20150115); B32B 5/06 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
D04H
13/00 (20060101); B32b 005/06 () |
Field of
Search: |
;161/67,80,81,152-158,73,74,125,129,133 ;156/72,84,148 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: McCamish; Marion E.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Diller, Brown, Ramik and Holt
Claims
We claim:
1. An article of manufacture comprising a non-woven web of fibers
disposed upon a substrate comprised of a woven grid of shrinkable
material, wherein spaced groups of fibers have been forced from
said web through the adjacent surface of said substrate, said web
having an outer surface comprised of low portions and high portions
with the lower portions being located where the spaced groups of
fibers extend through the surface of said substrate and the high
portions being located intermediate thereof, said substrate having
been subjected to shrinkage subsequent to when said spaced groups
of fibers were forced therethrough so that the substrate has closed
upon said spaced groups of fibers and has caused said high portions
to raise above said low portions.
2. An article as defined in claim 1 wherein said woven grid of
shrinkable material is comprised of narrow flat strips of
thermoplastic material extending transversely and longitudinally of
said web.
3. An article as defined in claim 2 wherein said spaced groups of
fibers define a series of spaced rows of tufts underlying said
substrate directly below said low portions.
4. An article as defined in claim 1 wherein said spaced groups of
fibers have been needled to said substrate in a predetermined
repeatable pattern and said substrate has subsequently been
subjected to a controlled shrinkage operation so that said high
portions and said low portions provide said article with a textured
repeating surface design.
5. An article as defined in claim 4 wherein said woven grid is
comprised of strands of thin, flat, untwisted strips of
heat-retractable thermoplastic material.
6. An article as defined in claim 4 including a backing web fixed
to the underside of said substrate.
7. An article as defined in claim 6 wherein said spaced groups of
fibers have been needled through said backing web.
8. An article as defined in claim 4 wherein said spaced groups of
fibers define a series of spaced rows of tufts passing through said
substrate directly below said low portions.
9. An article as defined in claim 4 wherein said textured repeating
surface design is comprised of a plurality of resilient arch-like
ridges extending away from said substrate at locations where said
web has not been needled to said substrate.
10. A method of making a textile article comprising the steps of
providing a web of non-woven fibers and a substrate comprised of a
woven grid of shrinkable material, attaching said web to said grid
at spaced locations, and shrinking said substrate to reduce the
distance between said spaced locations for causing portions of said
web between said spaced locations to increase in thickness and form
raised surface portions between said spaced locations.
11. A method as in claim 10 wherein said step of attaching said web
to said grid comprises the step of needling spaced groups of fibers
to said grid.
12. A method as defined in claim 11 wherein said needling is
performed discriminately and provides a repeatable pattern design
of said raised surface portions.
13. A method as defined in claim 10 including the step of
restraining said substrate during the shrinking step for limiting
the amount of shrinkage.
14. A method as defined in claim 13 wherein said shrinking step is
performed by passing said article past a heat source, and
controlling shrinkage both longitudinally and transversely of said
substrate.
15. A method as defined in claim 14 including the step of treating
said non-woven fibers with a coating compound for effecting
fiber-to-fiber bonding.
16. A method as defined in claim 10 including the step of feeding
said article onto a pin tenter frame and providing slack along the
longitudinal length of said substrate.
17. A method as defined in claim 16 including the step of providing
slack along the transverse width of said substrate.
Description
This invention relates to non-woven textile constructions and, more
particularly to textile constructions wherein a batt of non-woven
fibers is needle punched into a layer of plastic material and
thereafter subjected to heat, and in one case pressure, to effect
various results.
In one embodiment of the invention the batt of non-woven fibers is
needle punched to a heat-retractable plastic grid or shrinkable
carrier which is thereafter caused to shrink under dimensionally
controlled conditions whereby the fibers in the unpunched portions
of the batt will rise up in archlike ridges or designs out of the
plane of the batt thereby presenting a resilient textured
surface.
In the conventional method of manufacturing needle punched fabrics,
a loosely formed batt of fibers is superimposed upon and
subsequently needle punched through a backing material, such as
woven jute, which rely for resilience upon the addition to the
bottom of the backing material a third component, such as an
elastomeric spongy, resilient layer. These components thus combined
are most often subjected to a saturation treatment using latex
emulsions and the like to bind the entire assembly into a composite
structure.
The very nature of the needle punching operation as it has been
practiced virtually eliminates the possibility of utilizing the
inherently advantageous properties of the face fibers. This is due
primarily to the fact that the needle punched product as produced
is of such a high density, closely packed, and filled with and
hardened by resin binders that any independent fiber motion, fiber
interaction or mobility in general is precluded.
A further disadvantage in the prior art needle punched fabrics is
the difficulty in achieving moldability. The term "moldability"
here refers to that property in a sheet-like material, whether a
textile product or not, which allows a deformation of the material
out of its plane and into a plane normal to the face of the
starting material all the while maintaining a smooth unbroken
surface. This disadvantage is due, again, to the general lack of
mobility or flexibility in the needle punched,
fiber-fabric-adhesive combination.
It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a needle
punched composite textile material exhibiting high resiliency,
lightness in weight, moldability, flexibility, as well as other
desirable properties suitable for automotive floor covering,
domestic and commercial area carpeting, marine deck covering,
upholstering and clothing such as coats, jackets and the like.
More particularly, it is an object of this invention, in one aspect
thereof, to provide a textile product that is manufactured by
bringing together a batt of non-woven fibers and a sheet of plastic
material, needling spaced groups of fibers into the sheet, and
applying heat and pressure to embed the needled fibers in the sheet
and thereby secure the batt thereto.
Another object of this invention is to provide a method of
manufacturing a non-woven textile product by bringing together a
batt of non-woven fibers and a sheet of plastic material, needle
punching spaced groups of the fibers into the sheet to form a
composite structure, and then running the composite structure
between a pair of rollers, the roller engaging the batt being cold
and the roller engaging the sheet being hot whereby the plastic is
fused or adheres to the needle punched fibers and the predominant
portion of the fibers in the batt remain free of the plastic
material.
A further object of this invention, in yet another aspect thereof,
is to provide a novel, composite textile fabric having superior
resiliency properties comprising, at least, one layer of heat
shrinkable, filamentous, slit film, or woven heat-retractable
thermoplastic grid fabric in combination with at least one layer of
fibrous, synthetic, natural or otherwise blended non-woven batt
materials wherein the fibrous batt is attached in a preferential
pattern to the heat-retractable backing material and wherein the
composite structure is subsequently shrunk, by heat or chemical
action, under dimensionally controlled conditions so as to cause a
rearrangement or repositioning of the pattern, thus causing the
unattached portions of the batt to rise up and out of their plane
forming a textured pattern which may include longitudinally
disposed, continuous rows of arch-like ridges which when deformed
downward as if by foot pressure, exhibit extraordinary recovery
properties.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a method of
making a non-woven fabric exhibiting three dimensional effects and
having high resiliency properties, comprising the steps of bringing
together at least one batt of non-woven fibers and a retractable
mesh or woven grid, running the batt and grid through a needle loom
and needle punching spaced groups of the fibers into the grid at
predetermined points to form a composite structure, and running the
composite structure through a shrink oven or heating zone under a
predetermined time-temperature relationship and restraining the
grid against shrinkage in a direction aligned with its path of
movement through the heating zone while allowing controlled
shrinkage in a direction transverse to its path of movement through
the heating zone.
With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter
appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood
by reference to the following detailed description, the appended
claimed subject matter and the several views illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
IN THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a method of manufacturing one type of
non-woven fabric in accordance with one aspect of this invention,
and illustrates a non-woven web being superimposed upon a plastic
sheet and together therewith fed through a needle loom where spaced
groups of the fibers in the non-woven web are needle punched into
the plastic sheet to form a composite structure which is then fed
through calender rolls for a purpose to be more fully described
hereinafter.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view, taken partly in section along line
2--2 of FIG. 1, and illustrates a portion of the composite
structure after it has passed from beneath the needle loom and
shows spaced groups of fibers in the non-woven web being punched
into and extending through the plastic sheet.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view, taken partly in section along line
3--3 of FIG. 1, and illustrates a portion of the composite
structure after it has passed through the calender rolls and shows
the punched fibers being fully embedded in the plastic sheet as a
result of the heat and pressure applied by the calender rolls,
while the predominant portion of the fibers in the web not
extending into the plastic sheet is free of the plastic
material.
FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a method of manufacturing a non-woven
fabric exhibiting three dimensional effects and having high
resiliency properties formed in accordance with this invention, and
illustrates a non-woven web being superimposed upon a
heat-retractable plastic grid and being fed together therewith into
a needle loom where the web is needle punched to the grid at spaced
points defining a plurality of spaced rows or other predetermined
pattern or design.
FIG. 5 is a plan view of a portion of the plastic grid illustrated
in FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 6--6 of FIG. 4
and illustrates the non-woven web overlying the plastic grid prior
to being needled thereto and further illustrates a portion of the
needles in the needle loom which are, for illustrative purposes,
disposed in longitudinally extending rows.
FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 7--7 of FIG. 4
and illustrates a portion of the composite structure after passing
out of the needle loom and shows spaced groups of the fibers in the
web having been punched into and through the plastic grid.
FIG. 8 is a schematic view of the steps representing a continuation
of the method illustrated in FIG. 4, and further illustrates the
composite structure being subjected to a bath of acrylic or other
coating material to effect fiber-to-fiber bonding and then run
through a shrink oven where controlled shrinkage of the plastic
grid is allowed to occur.
FIG. 9 is a horizontal sectional view taken along line 9--9 of FIG.
8 and illustrates the tapered pin tenter conveyor used to move the
composite through the shrink oven and to facilitate the
differential shrinking operation.
FIG. 10 is a perspective view, taken partly in section along line
10--10 of FIG. 8, and illustrates a portion of the composite
structure prior to being subjected to the shrinking operation.
FIG. 11 is a perspective view, taken partly in section along line
11--11 of FIG. 8, and illustrates a portion of the composite
structure after being subjected to the differential shrinking
operation, and shows the unneedled portions of the non-woven web
having risen up out of their plane thereby forming longitudinally
disposed, continuous rows of arch-lke ridges.
FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the composite structure
illustrated in FIG. 11 after having been subjected to shrinking in
a direction aligned with its needle punched rows, and shows the
composite having acquired a more crowded zig-zag configuration and
wherein the rows of arch-like ridges have further bunched-up
thereby assuming a more resilient texture.
FIG. 13 is a schematic view of the initial steps in manufacturing a
three-layer composite in accordance with this invention, and
illustrates a plastic grid being sandwiched between two non-woven
webs and together therewith being fed into a needle loom similar to
that illustrated in FIG. 4.
FIG. 14 is a vertical sectional view taken through a portion of a
composite three-layer construction, and illustrates a non-woven top
web needle punched into a plastic grid after a non-woven backing or
bottom web was first needled to the grid.
FIG. 15 is a vertical sectional view taken through a composite
three-layer construction wherein a layer of foam is disposed
between a non-woven web and a plastic grid backing, and illustrates
spaced groups of fibers in the web having been needle punched
through the foam and into the plastic grid.
FIG. 16 is a schematic view of another form of apparatus for
treating the composite structure to produce fabrics in accordance
with the present invention.
FIG. 17 is an enlarged fragmentary portion of the composite
structure and illustrates a batt needled to a woven,
heat-shrinkable, thermoplastic web, the web being disposed between
the non-woven batt and the heat source.
FIG. 18 is a fragmentary plan view, taken on line 18--18 of FIG.
16, and illustrates the tapered pin tenter conveyor used to move
the material beneath the heat source and control the amount of
shrinkage.
Referring now to the drawings in detail, there is seen in FIG. 1 a
schematic illustration of an apparatus generally referred to by the
numeral 10 for manufacturing a non-woven fabric in accordance with
this invention. The apparatus 10 includes conventional means (not
shown) for superimposing a non-woven web 11 of fiberous, synthetic,
natural or otherwise blended batt materials onto a sheet 12 of
thermoplastic material also supplied by conventional means (not
shown) of the apparatus 10.
The web 11 and sheet 12 are guided by means such as rolls 13 into a
conventional needle loom generally referred to by the numeral 14.
The loom 14 includes a plurality of needles 15 of the type more
clearly illustrated in FIG. 6. The loom 14 also includes a backing
plate 16 for supporting and restraining the web 11 and sheet 12
while the needles 15 are punched therethrough.
The needle loom 14 serves to punch spaced groups of fibers 17 from
the web 11 into the sheet 12. As seen most clearly in FIG. 2, the
spaced groups of fibers 17 are punched into the sheet 12 and
terminate in tufts 18 which extend therethrough thus forming a
composite laminated structure 19 comprised of a first layer of
non-woven fibers joined to a second layer of plastic material 12 by
means of needle punched fibers 17.
Although the composite structure 19 has been herein described as
being combined by needle punching equipment, this should in no way
be construed to mean that other methods of attachment such as that
provided by the "Maliwatt" system -- U.S. Pat. No. 3,030,786 -- to
H. Mauersberger or a multiple head sewing machine, for that matter,
could not be used.
Referring again to the apparatus 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 for
manufacturing a non-woven fabric in accordance with this invention,
after the composite 19 passes from beneath the needle loom 14 it is
run between calender rolls 20 for the application of heat and
pressure thereto. The calender rolls 20 include a lower roller 21
which is heated by appropriate means 21a and which is applied to
the plastic sheet side of the composite 19. A cold or rubber roll
22 is applied to the web side of the composite 19.
The composite 19 is run through the calender rolls 20 at a rate of
approximately 15 to 25 feet per minute, at a temperature in the
range of approximately 240.degree. to 340.degree. F, and under
suitable pressure such that the web 11 is fixed or fused to the
temporarily softened plastic sheet 12 and the tufts 18 which had
previously extended therethrough are substantially completely
embedded therein. As seen most clearly in FIG. 3, although random
fibers may still extend through the sheet 12, the tufts 18 are
effectively contained within the plane of the sheet 12 such that
the sheet side of the composite 19 presents a smooth surface. It
should be noted that the sheet 12 is merely fixed or fastened to
the facing fibers in the web 11 and that the plastic material has
not melted to the extent that it permeates the major portion of the
web 11. The predominant portion of the fibers in the web 11 remain
free of the plastic material and thus remain soft and pliable.
After the composite 19 passes from between the calender rolls 20 it
may be guided by a roll 23 onto a take-up roll 24 for subsequent
processing or storage.
Referring now to FIG. 4, there is schematically illustrated an
apparatus 30 for manufacturing a non-woven fabric comprising at
least one non-woven web and a heat-retractable plastic grid or
carrier member. The apparatus 30 includes conventional means (not
shown) for dispensing a roll 31 of a non-woven web 32 of fibrous,
synthetic, natural or otherwise blended batt materials into a
superimposed overlying relation to a thermoplastic grid 33
similarly dispensed by the apparatus 30 by conventional means (not
shown) from a roll 34. The web 32 may be formed of an 80-20 blend
of rayon and nylon fibers of 3 inch staple length and weighing 5.4
oz./sq. yard.
As seen most clearly in FIG. 5, the grid 33 may be comprised of a
plurality of longitudinal strips 35 interwoven into a mesh-like
structure with a plurality of transversely extending strips 36. The
strips 35 and 36 are preferably formed of heat-retractable
synthetic filaments or ribbon yarns such as Poly-Bac, a primary
polypropylene carpet backing material as produced by
Pachogue-Plymouth Corporation, or other thermoplastic materials.
The strips 35 and 36 have been internally stressed so that they
will shrink, upon application of an appropriate heat or chemical
treatment, preferably of the order of 35 percent or more. In the
preferred embodiment, the treatment will be the application of
heat; however, the invention is not intended to be so limited and
the strips 35, 36 may be formed of such materials that they will
shrink upon application of chemical treatment.
The apparatus 30 may further include means such as guide rolls 37
for guiding the web 32 and grid 33 into a needle loom 38. The
needle loom 38, which is somewhat similar to the needle loom 14
illustrated in FIG. 1, includes a plurality of needles 39 which may
be disposed, as seen most clearly in FIG. 6, in longitudinally
extending rows, and a backing plate 40 having a plurality of holes
41 formed therein aligned with the needles 39. The needles 39 may
also be disposed in other pre-set patterns to vary the final
surface design of the material.
The needle loom 38, which may be of the conventional type such as
the Model 6A "Fiber-Locker" as manufactured by the James Hunter
Machine Company of North Adams, Massachusetts, causes the barbed
needles 39 to punch spaced groups of fibers 42 of the web 32 into
and through the grid 33 in longitudinally disposed rows having a
center-to-center distance of approximately 0.5 inches or in
patterns other than rows provided that some substantial distance is
left between groups of fibers. As seen most clearly in FIG. 7, the
spaced groups of fibers 42 extend through the grid 33 and terminate
in tufts 43 thereby securing the web 32 to the grid 33 thus forming
a composite laminated structure 44.
The apparatus 30 may further include means such as draw-through
rolls 45 and 46 for moving the composite 44 from beneath the needle
loom 38 and onto a take-up roll 47 for subsequent processing.
Referring now to FIG. 8, the composite 44 may be guided by a series
of rollers 38 through a tank 49 having a bath 50 comprising a 5-10
percent arcylic solution. The acrylic bath 50 is an optional
feature in this invention and is intended for the purpose of
effecting fiber-to-fiber bonding in the non-woven web 32. The
acrylic treatment is not intended to effect any bonding between the
web 32 and the grid 33 as in the resin treated fabrics of the prior
art and, therefore, the percentage of acrylic substances in the
bath 50 need not be so great as to cause any stiffening of the
fibers in the web 32. Fiber-to-fiber bonding may be accomplished by
compounds other than acrylic and may be accomplished by spraying
the fiber surface subsequent to shrinking.
After passing between the squeeze rollers 51 and 52, the composite
44 is fed into a shrink oven 53. The shrink oven 53 includes
suitable heating means such as a hot air circulating device 54.
Because the composite 44, due to the heat-retractable
characteristics of the grid 33, will tend to shrink in both the
longitudinal and transverse dimensions, the shrink oven is provided
with a tapered pin tenter conveyor 55 which allows controlled
shrinkage of the composite 44 in the transverse dimension, while
restraining uncontrolled shrinkage in the longitudinal
dimension.
The conveyor 55 includes two chains 56, having pins 57 disposed
thereon, entrained over drive sprockets 58. In a preferred
embodiment, the chains 56 at the entrance end 59 of the oven 53 are
separated by a distance R, and at the exit end 60 are separated by
a distance S. The distance R corresponds to the width or transverse
dimension of the composite 44 prior to entry into the oven 53, and
the distance S corresponds to the width to which the composite 44
is intended to be shrunk. The spacing between the chains 56 may be
varied at either end of the oven 53 by moving the sprockets 58 in
or out along screws 61. At the outlet end 60 each of the screws 61
may be attached to a pivot linkage 62 which permits the sprockets
58 at the outlet end 60 to be rotated about pivot pins 63 as they
are moved inwardly thus maintaining an aligned relationship with
the sprockets 58 at the inlet end 59 so that the chains 56 will not
tend to become disengaged from the sprockets 58.
Referring specifically now to FIG. 9, there is illustrated a
plurality of lines 64 which represent longitudinal rows defined by
the points at which the web 32 is stitched to the grid 33 to form
the composite 44. The dimension R' represents the distance between
two of such rows prior to shrinkage in the transverse direction and
the dimension S' represents the same distance subsequent to
shrinkage.
In operation, the composite 44 is fed into the shrink oven 53 and
fastened to the pins 57 of the conveyor 55 at the inlet end 59. The
composite 44 is advanced into the oven 53, which has been heated to
a temperature sufficient to shrink the grid 33 (approximately
330.degree.-350.degree. F), and at a forward speed of approximately
10 yards per minute. Of course, the speed is variable depending
upon the temperature, length of oven, desired amount of shrinkage
etc. The pins 57 serve to restrain the composite 44 from shrinking
in the length or longitudinal dimension, while the tapered
disposition of the chains 56 from the inlet 59 to the outlet 60
permits controlled shrinkage in the width or transverse
dimension.
A comparison of FIGS. 10 and 11, FIG. 10 being a portion of the
composite 44 prior to shrinkage and FIG. 11 being a portion of the
composite 44 subsequent to shrinkage, shows that the dimension R'
between adjacent stitch lines in the unshrunk sample has been
reduced to the dimension S' in the shrunk sample thereby causing
the unsecured fibers in the web 32 disposed between adjacent stitch
lines to rise up out of the plane of the web 32 thus forming
arch-like ridges 65 leaving air pockets or spaces 66 therebeneath.
The resulting structure is both eye pleasing, resembling a more
expensive woven fabric, as well as highly cushion-like and
resilient.
It should be noted that the above described differential shrinking
operation, although preferably performed on a tapered pin tenter
conveyor as herein disclosed, may also be suitably performed on a
pin tenter frame having parallel chains. In such a construction the
chains would be set apart a distance corresponding to the desired
dimension after shrinkage. The composite 44 would be fed onto the
chains overlapping at the sides and with a predetermined amount of
slack therebetween. The composite 44 would then be permitted to
shrink in width to a point where slack would no longer be evident
between the pin chains of the tenter.
In another variation the chains could be initially set apart to a
distance corresponding to the preshrunk dimension of the composite
44 and then moved inwardly by hand or other suitable automatic
means as a selected length of the composite 44 is conveyed through
the shrink oven 53.
In each of the above described methods of differential shrinkage
the composite 44 is restrained by means of the pins 57 from
uncontrolled shrinking in the length or lontitudinal dimension.
However, in each case a certain amount of longitudinal shrinking is
desirable. This may be readily accomplished by overfeeding the
composite 44 into the shrink oven 53 at a greater rate than the
rate of movement of the conveyor 55. This will cause some slack to
be evident between the pins 57 in the longitudinal dimension thus
resulting in a small amount of longitudinal shrinkage. The amount
of longitudinal shrinkage desirable may be as much as thirty
percent, but this may be varied depending on the amount of
overfeed.
A composite structure 44 that has been shrunk in the length as well
as in the width is illustrated in FIG. 12. It is apparent that the
longitudinal stitch lines, herein referred to by the numeral 67,
have acquired a more crowded, zig-zag configuration and the ridges
65 have further branched up thereby presenting a more resilient
surface.
As illustrated in FIG. 13, a multi-layered composite structure may
be formed by bringing together two or more non-woven webs of
varying qualities in combination with a plastic grid in accordance
with the foregoing disclosure. A plastic grid 70 is schematically
illustrated as being sandwiched between two non-woven webs 71 and
72.
A composite structure 73 is illustrated in FIG. 14 and may be
constructed in accordance with the foregoing disclosure by first
needle punching the non-woven bottom or backing web 72 to the grid
70 and thereafter needle punching the higher quality web 71
downwardly into the grid 70 and backing web 72. the composite 73
may then be differentially shrunk in the above described manner
with the grid 70 serving as the shrinking vehicle or carrier. It is
possible to have the higher quality web 71 on either side of the
backing web 72 and the web 71 may or may not be pre-needled to the
web 72.
The top web 71 may be of one color and the bottom web 72 may be of
a second different color thus providing a reversibility feature to
the product.
Still another advantage of the composite 73 could be obtained by
making the web 71 of a more sophisticated type of fiber exhibiting
high abrasion resistance, high resiliency, and making the bottom
web 72 of a less expensive grade of fiber which could exhibit added
bulk and resiliency to the over-all structure, as well as be made
to provide anti-skid properties.
Yet another multi-layered composite 80 is illustrated in FIG. 15.
The composite 80 is formed by sandwiching a layer of foam 81
between a top web of non-woven fibers 82 and a plastic grid 83. The
manufacture of the composite 80 is identical to the manufacture of
the composite 44; however, after shrinkage of the grid, the foam
layer 81 serves to fill the spaces 66 left beneath the rising
arch-like ridges 65 thus increasing the over-all resiliency of the
product.
FIG. 16 illustrates a modified method and apparatus for producing a
textile product in accordance with the present invention. A
composite sheet 90 is moved by cooperating feed rolls 92 and 94
from a supply roll 96 onto a pin tenter conveyor, generally
indicated by the numeral 98, such that the composite is passed
beneath a heat source, generally indicated by the numeral 100.
After the composite 90 is shrunk in the manner heretofore
described, the composite 90 can be passed over a spray station 102
wherein an acrylic spray, or the like, can be applied to the
wear-surface of the composite. Draw through rolls 104 and 106 may
be utilized to feed the treated composite onto a take-up roll 108
driven by a variable speed motor 110. The heat source 100 is
comprised of a plurality of calrods 112 which are electrically
connected to a suitable power source 114 and extend for the full
transverse width of the composite 90. Preferably, the heat source
100 includes a reflector 116 and is supported above the composite
90 by adjustable supporting structure 120 whereby the distance
between the heat source 100 and the composite 90 may be varied.
While not essential, it is preferable that a fan 122, or other
source of cooling air, is provided for reducing the temperature of
the composite just after passage beneath the heat source 100.
As is shown in FIG. 17, the composite 90 is comprised of a batt
124, which is comprised of a non-woven material, needled to a web
126 of woven, heat-shrinkable, thermoplastic material, As the
composite 90 is passed through the heat zone 100, it is preferable
that the web 126 is located on the side thereof toward the heat
source 100 while the non-woven batt slides across and is supported
by a heat-resistant support surface 128 which may be formed of
asbestos or other like material.
As is shown in FIG. 18, the composite 90 is reduced in transverse
width as it is moved beneath the heat source 100 by the conveyor
98. The amount of transverse shrinkage may be controlled by
adjustment of sprockets 130 along threaded shafts 132 and 134. As
shown, sprockets 130 may be mounted upon internally threaded
gimbals 136 for adjustment purposes.
The treated composite 90, as is shown at the right in FIG. 18,
exhibits design portions 140 which provide a textured design to the
non-woven web 124 in a manner similar to the ridges 65, as shown in
FIG. 11.
The design formed by the raised portions 140 is directly dependent
upon the needling operation of attaching the non-woven batt to the
shrinkable carrier or web 33 and 126. By varying the spacing
between the needles 39 (FIG. 6), and by varying the speed of the
composite through the needle loom and varying the reciprocating
speed of the needle loom, it is possible to obtain an infinite
variety of raised, tuft-like, textured designs heretofore
impossible to obtain except by such conventional methods as weaving
or tufting.
It is apparent from the foregoing that the present invention
provides novel non-woven fabric constructions and novel methods for
making the same. The concept of attaching a non-woven batt to a
thermoplastic sheet, or grid, provides textile materials having
desirable characteristics absent from the prior art. The process of
shrinking the grid, or woven web, subsequent to needling makes it
possible to manufacture a textile material having raised design
portions thereon, the design being readily reproduceable.
Complete control over the amount of shrinkage is provided by the
present invention wherein the pin tenter conveyors 55 and 98
control the amount of transverse shrinkage, while the amount of
longitudinal shrinkage is readily controlled by the amount of
overfeed governed by the speed of feed rolls 92 and 94, which are
driven by variable speed motor 144.
While preferred forms and arrangement of parts have been shown in
illustrating the invention, it is to be clearly understood that
various changes in details and arrangement of parts may be made
without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
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