Abstract: A room darkener fabric has about 40-60% of flame-resistant warp yarns on a face and 60-40% on the back. The warp yarns produce a fire-resistant barrier for a middle layer of non-flame resistant black yarn. About 70-90% of the black filling yarns binds with the warp yarns and forms a middle layer so that both the face and back comprise approximately 85-95% white warp yarns and 5-15% black filling yarn, with the balance of the black filling yarns forming the middle layer. The filling yarn is a non-flame resistant yarn that is solution dyed black.

Abstract: A process for imparting antimicrobial properties to textile fabrics by applying an antimicrobial substance to the fibers from which the textile is woven, knit or constructed. Preferably the antimicrobial substance is applied, prior to weaving, to warp yarns on a slasher or warper or similar coating or finish application device before the warp ends are rolled up onto a loom or section beam. The warp yarns are then woven with fill yarns, not treated with the antimicrobial, into a cloth which is then sold in the loom state or subjected to subsequent finishing. A preferred cloth end use is mattress ticking.

Abstract: In circumstances where flooring may have a high moisture content, for example some types of concrete floors, at least one moisture sealing coating is applied to the floor to substantially preclude moisture migration from the floor, and then a first adhesive is applied over the moisture sealing coating and a scrim is applied to the first adhesive and held in place by the first adhesive. The scrim may be a layer of non-woven material that provides a surface substantially impervious to moisture. A second, carpet installation, adhesive is applied over the scrim, and commercial carpeting is laid on the second adhesive. Usually the scrim and carpeting will have seams, and the carpet installation is practiced so that the seams of the carpeting are substantially perpendicular to, or spaced at least about 6 inches from, the scrim seams. When worn the carpeting, scrim, and adhesive layers can be taken up, and the method repeated.

Abstract: Replacement of an existing permanent type commercial carpet installation is facilitated by applying a first pressure sensitive adhesive (preferably containing about 2-10% (by weight) shredded fiberglass) to an existing floor surface, e.g. using a napped roller, and applying a layer of creped kraft base paper with reinforcing yarns substantially directly to the first adhesive. The creped kraft paper layer provides a macroscopically smooth surface substantially impervious to moisture. A conventional, e.g. wet laid, carpet installation adhesive is applied in any conventional manner to the layer, and commercial carpeting is applied substantially directly to the wet laid adhesive.

Abstract: A method of making a polypropylene base fabric for outdoor use, and the fabric so produced, results in an outdoor use product (such as a furniture cover) having high mechanical durability, improved hand, excellent color durability, and lower soiling than comparable conventional products. The method is practiced using yarn comprising or consisting of polypropylene, UV inhibitor, and fluorochemical by: weaving the yarn using heavier yarn in the warp direction and finer yarn in the filling direction, or yarns of substantially equal size or denier in the warp and filling directions, to produce a fabric with a face, a center, and a back, with at least 50% (e.g. about 50-70%) of the filling yarn exposed to the fabric face (and for example about 6-10% in the center and about 20-40% in the back); washing the fabric with detergent and water to scour off the spin finish on the yarns; and drying the washed fabric at a temperature below the softening point of polypropylene (e.g. about 270-280° F.

Abstract: Denim fabric and articles of clothing having a “washed” or heather look/effect are produced in a manner that retains color intensity and substantially avoids the waste of chemicals and/or water inherent in conventional washing processes. A first coarse feeder yarn of cotton and/or other natural fiber by ring or open end spinning, and then is continuously dyed (such as by indigo rope dyeing, slasher dyeing, or sheet dyeing). The dyed yarn is dried and then cut up into lengths of about four inches long or less (and opened if necessary) into individual fibers. The fibers are blended with other fibers (e.g. about 10-90% greige fibers) to produce a blended composite. The blended composite is then carded, spun into yarn, and woven into denim fabric having a washed look, or a heather effect, which then can be made into any suitable article. A second coarse yarn made similar to the first coarse yarn may be added to the blending station.

Abstract: Denim fabric and articles of clothing having a “washed” or heather look/effect are produced in a manner that retains color intensity and substantially avoids the waste of chemicals and/or water inherent in conventional washing processes. A first coarse feeder yarn of cotton and/or other natural fiber by ring or open end spinning, and then is continuously dyed (such as by indigo rope dyeing, slasher dyeing, or sheet dyeing). The dyed yarn is dried and then cut up into lengths of about four inches long or less (and opened if necessary) into individual fibers. The fibers are blended with other fibers (e.g. about 10-90% greige fibers) to produce a blended composite. The blended composite is then carded, spun into yarn, and woven into denim fabric having a washed look, or a heather effect, which then can be made into any suitable article. A second coarse yarn made similar to the first coarse yarn may be added to the blending station.

Abstract: A process for preparing moisture wicking polyester fabrics is disclosed which comprises the steps of: winding hydrophobic polyester yarn onto a package; subjecting the wound package to a dyebath including at least one dye and an agent rendering the polyester yarn hydrophilic while subjecting the yarn to elevated temperatures, pressures or both to dye the polyester yarn and render the polyester fibers hydrophilic; and preparing the thus dyed and treated polyester yarn into a fabric, biaxially stretching and heat-setting the fabric.

Abstract: Fabrics and methods of making such fabrics whereby no evident pile structure is present in raised pattern areas on the face of the fabric. The construction of the fabric is nonetheless such that the yarns forming the raised pattern areas are more susceptible to napping as compared to the yarns forming the recessed ground regions of the fabric. This fabric construction of selected yarns will thus permit preferential napping of the pattern areas to be achieved (e.g., using conventional napping wires) while the adjacent ground regions of the fabric remain substantially unnapped. Subsequent shearing of the napped pattern areas thereby results in a velvet-like hand being achieved.

Abstract: A carpet in tile or roll form is produced using an open mesh reinforced foam layer with foam nodules. The carpet is produced having a primary backing through which carpet fiber bundles are tufted and a precoat layer which locks the tufts in place to prevent easy extraction of the fibers so that a tufted face and a relatively smooth back face are provided. The foam layer with foam nodules is brought into intimate contact with the relatively smooth back face, and is substantially permanently adhered to it producing a carpet tile or roll that is substantially prevented from curling or doming (or they are significantly reduced) and may be installed without adhesive if desired. Adhering may be practiced by using a non-fused adhesive formulation which is subsequently fused at a low temperature (about 310.degree. F.

Abstract: A process for arresting or attenuating ultraviolet induced damage to nylon fibers comprising dyeing cationic dyeable nylon fibers at a pH of about 2.5 or less with an acid dye, a fiber reactive dye or premetallized acid dye and, subsequent to exposing said fibers to fiber damaging amounts of ultraviolet light, applying a neutralizing aqueous solution having a pH of about 7.5 or greater to said fibers, thereby arresting or attenuating ultraviolet induced damage to said nylon fibers. The nylon fibers may be in a carpet which may be treated after installation.

Abstract: A jacquard cotton construction fabric, and garment made from the fabric, are produced by spinning and Z-twisting a first at least primarily cotton yarn, spinning and S-twisting a second at least primarily cotton yarn, dyeing the yarn a first color, dyeing the second yarn a second color different from the first color, and knitting a jacquard construction fabric using a ratio of between 70:30 to 30:70 of the first and second yarns so that a fabric having a torque below 8% (preferably less than 5%, e.g. between about 0-2%) is produced. The yarns are preferably substantially 100% cotton, and there may be either an S- or Z-twisted third yarn dyed a third color so that a three color jacquard construction fabric is produced with the first, second and third yarns.

Abstract: A fabric is constructed by weaving on a loom, with a loom setting of between about 78%-88% in the greige, using false twist textured polyester warp yam (about 140-160 denier, preferably about 150 denier with about 55-65 filaments in either single or 2 ply form) and air textured polyester weft yam (2-ply or 3-ply about 140-160 denier, preferably about 150 denier with about 90-110 filaments, preferably about 100 filaments), and finishing the fabric by scouring (on a jet or on a continuous scouring range) and printing or jet dyeing, and then heat setting at temperature of at least about 350.degree. F. The fabric scores between 4.5 and 5.0 on each of random tumble pilling, brush pilling, and Klopman method roughing and pilling, tests. The fabric also has a surface SMD of at least about 4.3, a bending rigidity 2HB of about 0.1 or less, a compressibility EMC% of less than about 28, a shearing stiffness G value of about 2 or less, and an extensibility EMT% of at least about 3.0.

Abstract: A colored yarn is made in an inexpensive manner that allows a wide variety of different colors or hues within the product line, and also allows a wide variety of different effects to be produced including yarns with minimal leather effect, or yarns with a distinct and desired heather effect. A first coarse feeder yarn, e.g. a 1/1 semi worsted yarn, is ring or open end spun with about 2.5 turns per inch. The coarse feeder yarn is dyed, dried, and then cut and opened up into individual fibers about four inches long or less (preferably two inches long or less). The individual fibers are blended with differently colored or hued fibers produced in the same way, and/or with greige or colored staple fibers, to produce a blended composite of fibers. The blended composite is then spun, for example ring spun or open end spun, into a final colored yarn. Rayon fibers may especially effectively and uniquely be utilized, although almost any fiber or mix of fibers can be used.

Abstract: Stain-resistant nylon carpet is prepared by dyeing and printing cationic-dyeable nylon fibers with acid or premetallized dye. Lightfastness and depth of shade of an apparent value equal to acid dyeable nylons is obtained with superior stain resistance equal to commercially available solution dyed nylon carpeting.

Abstract: Stain-resistant, lightfast nylon carpet is prepared by dyeing cationic-dyeable nylon fibers by applying a print paste containing an acid dye or a premetallized acid dye at a pH of from about 2.0 to about 6-5 and fixing the dye to the fibers, forming the printed nylon fibers into a carpet, applying a print paste containing an acid dye or premetallized acid dye and dyeing the nylon fibers contacted with the print pastes and thereafter heating the dyeladen fibers to fix the dye into the fibers. Stain-resistant lightfast nylon yarns are prepared by printing cationic-dyeable yarn with a premetallized acid dye at a pH of about 4.0 to less than about 6.5 then fixing the dye to the yarn.

Abstract: New wall to wall carpeting is applied directly over worn broadloom or tile wall to wall carpeting having a backing secured to a hard floor surface (e.g. directly attached, such as by adhesive, to an existing concrete floor) and a top pile surface. The worn carpeting is cleaned and then a high molecular weight acrylic ester polymer emulsion adhesive is sprayed onto the top pile surface of the old carpet. The vinyl backing of one or more new carpet strips is applied directly to the adhesive. A fire retardant is preferably included with the adhesive or separately applied to the top pile surface of the old carpet. If desired the adhesive may be applied to only a small part of the old carpet for holding strips of hook fasteners, and the new carpet backing may include loop fasteners which cooperate with the hook fasteners and hold the new carpet in place.

Abstract: New wall to wall carpeting is applied directly over worn broadloom or tile wall to wall carpeting having a backing secured to a hard floor surface (e.g. directly attached, such as by adhesive, to an existing concrete floor) and a top pile surface. The worn carpeting is cleaned and then a high molecular weight acrylic ester polymer emulsion adhesive is sprayed onto the top pile surface of the old carpet. The vinyl backing of one or more new carpet strips is applied directly to the adhesive. A fire retardant is preferably included with the adhesive or separately applied to the top pile surface of the old carpet. If desired the adhesive may be applied to only a small part of the old carpet for holding strips of hook fasteners, and the new carpet backing may include loop fasteners which cooperate with the hook fasteners and hold the new carpet in place.

Abstract: New wall to wall carpeting is applied directly over worn broadloom or tile wall to wall carpeting having a backing secured to a hard floor surface (e.g. directly attached, such as by adhesive, to an existing concrete floor) and a top pile surface. The worn carpeting is cleaned and then a high molecular weight acrylic ester polymer emulsion adhesive is sprayed onto the top pile surface of the old carpet. The vinyl backing of one or more new carpet strips is applied directly to the adhesive. A fire retardant is preferably included with the adhesive or separately applied to the top pile surface of the old carpet. If desired the adhesive may be applied to only a small part of the old carpet for holding strips of hook fasteners, and the new carpet backing may include loop fasteners which cooperate with the hook fasteners and hold the new carpet in place.

Abstract: A stiff fabric comprises a woven synthetic fabric coated with a latex compound aerated to provide a weight upon application to the fabric of between 0.63-0.89 gms./ml. The compound is pressed into the fabric by a knife blade having a rounded convex lower edge whereby the compound applied to one side of the fabric passes into the interstices but remains substantially clear of the face side. The compound is cured on the fabric in an oven at approximately 149.degree. C. for 45-60 seconds.