Abstract: Textile fabrics containing blends of synthetic fibers and cellulosic fibers are dyed in a continuous process such that the fibers of each class are substantially colored and a union dyeing is obtained. The method comprises continuously impregnating the fabric with a dyebath composition comprising a premetallized dyestuff and a reactive resin. After impregnation, the fabric is subjected to a temperature of from 280.degree. to 400.degree. F. to dry the fabric and to cure the dyebath composition on the fabric.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for automatically fabricating textile articles, such as bath throw rugs and the like. This apparatus includes devices for intermittently feeding continuous textile material suitable for fabricating the articles from a supply position to a cutting position in the apparatus. Devices successively cut slightly oversized textile articles from the continuous textile material in the cutting position. A robot mechanism successively picks-up and transports each cut article from the cutting position to an edge finishing position in the apparatus, rotates the cut articles in a predetermined pattern during edge finishing thereof and then transports the fabricated textile article to a stacking position and releases the fabricating textile article.

Abstract: A pile fabric is formed from interengaging ground yarns and cut pile tufts formed of wrap yarns extending upwardly from the ground yarns to form the face of the fabric. Each of the wrap yarns comprises a body strand of untwisted staple fibers and a binder strand helically wrapped around the body strand. The binder strands are preferably crimped textured strands and formed of a thermoplastic polymer having heat shrinkable and fusible properties and a relatively low melting point of less than about 300.degree. F. The staple fibers and ground yarns are formed of a material unaffected at the relatively low melting point of the binder strand. When a moderated amount of heat is applied to a cut pile fabric formed from such wrap yarns, the binder yarns shrink and are retractably positioned inwardly away from the face of the pile fabric and are hidden among the pile tufts and not visible.

Abstract: A pile fabric is formed of interengaging ground yarns and cut pile tufts. The tufts are formed of wrap yarns extending upwardly from the ground yarns and forming the face of the fabric. Each of the wrap yarns comprises a body strand of untwisted staple fibers and a crimped textured binder strand which has extensible and retractable properties. In the wrap yarn, the binder strand is helically wrapped around the body strand in an axially extended and tensioned condition and is reduced in bulk compared to the condition the binder strand would assume when relaxed. When tufts formed of such wrap yarns are cut to form the face of a cut pile fabric, the binder strands retract and position themselves inwardly away from the face of the pile fabric so as to be hidden among the pile tufts and not visible. The retraction of the binder yarns and the appearance, hand and integrity of the resulting fabric can all be enhanced by various finishing processes.

Abstract: Apparatus and method are provided in a system for continuously feeding disparate materials into a compounding extruder for the inline sheet extrusion of a highly filled thermoplastic material having at least about 65 percent by weight of filler. The apparatus and method of the present invention are particularly suitable in conjunction with the continuous lamination of the inline sheet extruder product with carpet.

Abstract: There is provided an electrical heating pad which includes an encapsulated electrical resistance heater. The upper surface of the pad is comprised of electrically conductive material for imparting antistatic properties to the upper surface of the pad.

Abstract: Textile fabrics formed at least partially of cationic dyeable polyester fibers are dyed in a continuous process with an aqueous dyebath comprising(a) 0 to 5 g/l of thickener;(b) cationic dyestuffs in an amount sufficient to dye the cationic dyeable polyester fibers to the desired depth of color;(c) 2 to 100 g/l of a partially sulfated adduct of ethylene oxide with an alkyl phenol or C.sub.8 to C.sub.16 fatty alcohols;(d) 2 to 60 g/l of nonionic or anionic surfactants; and(e) 5 to 50 g/l of at least one organic compound selected from the group consisting of aromatic nitrile ethers and ethoxylated chlorophenols.The fabrics are continuously dyed by padding, immersing, spraying or otherwise applying the dyestuffs, steaming the fabrics in their wet condition, and subsequently washing and drying.

Abstract: Textile fabrics formed at least partially of polyester fibers are dyed with an aqueous dyebath comprising(a) 0 to 5 g/l of thickener;(b) disperse dyestuffs in an amount sufficient to dye the fibers to the desired depth of color;(c) 2 to 100 g/l of a partially sulfated adduct of ethylene oxide with an alkyl phenyl or C.sub.8 to C.sub.16 fatty alcohols;(d) 0 to 60 g/l of nonionic or anionic surfactants; and(e) 5 to 50 g/l of at least one organic compound selected from the group consisting of aromatic nitrile ethers and ethoxylated chlorophenols.The fabrics may be continuously dyed by padding, immersing, spraying or otherwise applying the dyestuffs, steaming the fabrics in their wet condition, and subsequently washing and drying.

Abstract: Useful resilient extruded closed cell foam compositions are produced by the present invention by forming an extrudable blend comprising a heat activatible chemical blowing agent and a polymer component consisting essentially of chlorinated polyethylene and at least one other thermoplastic polymer. The amount of chlorinated polyethylene is from 0.025 to 0.5 parts per part of the thermoplastic polymer. The blend is extruded at a temperature below the activation temperature of the blowing agent to form an unfoamed thermoplastic sheet, and the sheet is thereafter heated to a temperature sufficient to activate the blowing agent and expand the sheet and produce a non-crosslinked closed cell thermoplastic foam.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for operating a tufting machine to prevent the formation of stop marks in the tufted fabric being made wherein upon stoppage of the tufting machine a positive overfeed of an incremental length of all of the tufting yarns occurs in a direction toward the tufting needles for immediately releasing high build up of tension in the tufting yarns and prevent robbing of the height of the last formed row of tufts. Apparatus in the form of a cooperating pair of slip clutches are provided in conjunction with an auxiliary drive apparatus which auxiliary drive apparatus is actuated in response to the stoppage of the machine for immediately providing a positive feed of the tufting yarns.

Abstract: A molded foam-backed carpet assembly is provided which is suitable for use in automobiles and which includes a carpet layer, a moldable thermoplastic polymer layer and a sound deadening foam cushion bonded to the thermoplastic polymer layer. The physical properties of the foam are controlled to provide enhanced vibration damping and sound deadening in the carpet assembly.

Abstract: Three dimensional molded articles suitable for use as fibrous surfaced panels for automobile trunk compartments and the like are produced by molding a heated non-woven web formed of a blend of relatively high melting fibers and relatively low melting thermoplastic fibers. The low melting fibers form a multiplicity of bonds which impart shape retentive rigidity to the nonplanar three dimensional web. A characteristic feature of the molded article is that the low melting fibers present at one surface of the web have a fibrous form, while the low melting fibers present at the opposite surface of the web have portions which exhibit a nonfibrous fused form and form said bonds.

Abstract: A molded foam-backed carpet assembly is provided which is suitable for use in automobiles and which includes a carpet layer, a moldable thermoplastic polymer layer and one or more foam pads fusibly bonded to the thermoplastic polymer layer and extending over less than the entire surface of the thermoplastic polymer layer to provide desired cushioning and sound and thermal insulation only in preselected areas of the carpet where needed.

Abstract: Highly flexible compositions of matter useful in the preparation of carpet backing are disclosed comprising thermoplastic resin compositions including copolymers of ethylene and unsaturated esters of lower carboxylic acids, such as vinyl esters and/or lower alkyl acrylates, in admixture with olefinic elastomers and substantial amounts of filler. The preferred thermoplastic resins employed include the copolymers of ethylene and vinyl acetate, and the preferred olefinic elastomers disclosed are ethylene copolymer elastomers, such as copolymers of ethylene and propylene, as well as terpolymers of ethylene, propylene and a diene, and the compositions preferably include a stearate or stearic acid and a hydrocarbon oil component. Carpet constructions are also disclosed comprising a plurality of carpet fibers and a thermoplastic barrier coating comprising the above combination of a thermoplastic resin, an olefinic elastomer and a substantial portion of filler material.

Abstract: Fabrics formed at least partially of highly shrinkable fibers, such as polyester fibers, are dyed in a process which provides a number of significant economic and processing advantages over conventionally used dyeing processes, such as jet dyeing, producing a product with enhanced physical properties. The process involves first subjecting the fabric to a preparatory heat treatment step under conditions in which the fabric is allowed substantially complete freedom to relax and shrink, after which the fabric is wound onto a dye beam and beam-dyed. Following dyeing the fabric may be subjected to finishing operations, such as napping, and then to a tentering operation in which the fabric is stretched widthwise to restore a predetermined width, while being heated to a temperature greater than that used in the preparatory heat treatment step.

Abstract: In accordance with the invention there is provided a synthetic sewing thread of multifilament construction characterized by its ability to lessen the buildup of heat at the needle of a high speed sewing machine during the operation thereof, even during the sewing of relatively heavy weight fabrics, so as to allow the thread to be utilized as a substitute for the sewing threads conventionally required in high temperature sewing applications, such as cotton spun yarns or cotton sheathed core yarns. The thread comprises a plurality of texturized continuous synthetic filaments, the filaments having a nonlinear crimped configuration providing bulk to the thread and being entangled with one another along the length of the thread and being further bound together by twist. The thread has a heat protective lubricant coating applied thereto and penetrating the filament bundle.

Abstract: A paint roller particularly suited for texture painting and comprising a cylindrical core and a pile fabric covering secured to the cylindrical core, said pile fabric covering comprising a backing fabric and pile yarns interengaged with said backing fabric and extending from one face thereof to form a pile comprised of a multiplicity of upright pile loops, the density of the pile loops and the size of the pile yarns forming the loops being such as to render substantially the totality of each loop readily visible and to provide substantial void volume within the pile of the fabric for receiving and holding paint therein, said pile yarns each comprising a multifilament core and a polymeric coating forming a continuous sheath about the core and presenting the appearance of a monofilament pile yarn, said multifilament cores and sheath coatings cooperating to provide such flexural properties to the pile loops that the loops normally extend in a self-supporting, upright orientation from the backing fabric and are r

Abstract: This invention relates to a loop pile fabric comprising a backing fabric and resilient pile yarns interengaged with said backing fabric at spaced intervals and extending from one face thereof to form a pile comprised of a multiplicity of pile loops. The fabric is characterized by the pile loops extending substantially upright from the backing fabric and being randomly oriented relative to one another to provide a random appearance and a substantially non-directional grain to the pile. The fabric is further characterized by the density of the pile loops and the size of the pile yarns forming the pile loops being such that each pile loop has the major portion thereof out of contact with the adjacent surrounding pile loops and substantially the totality of each pile loop is readily visible to provide substantial void volume within the pile of the fabric.

Abstract: An improved process is provided for the transfer printing of textile materials. In the process of this invention a heat sublimable dyestuff is printed onto a carrier sheet. The carrier sheet is then brought in contact with the textile material to be printed. Sufficient heat and pressure is applied for a suitable dwell time causing sublimation of at least a substantial portion of the dyestuff from the carrier sheet. The volatilized dyestuff is then transferred and deposited on the surface of the textile material to be printed. The carrier sheet is then separated from the textile material. The printed surface of the textile material is then heated to at least the sublimation temperature of the dyestuff in substantial absence of a convective gas flow, other than the volatilized dyestuff and maintained at this temperature until a given desired degree of resublimation and deposition of the dyestuff from the surface of the textile material to the interior of the textile material is obtained.