Abstract: A dryer felt or fabric with a reduced potential for creating static electricity when running on a papermaking machine. The fabric is woven from a number of machine direction and cross-machine direction yarns with selected machine direction and/or cross-machine direction yarns comprising a blend of anti-static yarn combined with other yarns. The anti-static yarn may take the form of a staple, continuous filament or monofilament and may be a carbon content acrylic anti-static fiber, a silver coated nylon continuous filament, a nylon monofilament coated with carbon, or an acrylic fiber carbon coated. After being woven, the fabric is typically resin treated with a heat-resistant resin.

Abstract: The present invention is directed at modifying a resin-treated dryer fabric in such a way that its scaffolding effect is reduced or eliminated. Further, according to the teachings of the present invention, the resin used to coat the dryer fabric is itself made self-extinguishing, such that even if the fabric acts as a scaffold, the resin will not burn. Even further, a degree of flame retardancy is imparted to the base fabric in those cases where the base fabric itself is not self-extinguishing. A dryer fabric in which the woven fabric material is treated with an admixture of flame retardant material and resin, such that the flame retardant and resin are added to either the yarns of the fabric or the woven fabric at the same time. The admixture may take the form of a solution, a suspension, a colloidal suspension, a dispersion or an emulsion of flame retardant material and resin.

Abstract: A clipper seam for use with a pintle or lacing unit to join adjacent ends of a papermakers belt or the like. The clipper seam comprises two seam webbings, each of which is woven as a one-piece unit to form a pocket for receiving one of the ends of the papermakers belt. As woven, the pocket is defined by first and second flaps, each of the flaps having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surfaces being in a spaced relationship to define the pocket, which is adapted to receive one of the ends of the papermakers belt. Each of the outer surfaces define a stepped, tapered construction. A tongue portion also forms part of the seam webbing. Recessed margins are provided on both the top and bottom surfaces of the tongue, near the distal end or selvage of the tongue. A plurality of clipper hooks adapted to receive one or more pintles are secured to the tongue within the recessed margin.

Abstract: A dryer felt having a soft, bulky top surface and comprising at least a top surface, which is defined by a plurality of machine direction yarns and a plurality of cross machine direction yarns interwoven according to a desired weave pattern. A preselected number of the yarns of the top surface are encapsulated yarns, the number being chosen to ensure that a major portion of the top surface is soft and bulky. Each of the encapsulated yarns comprises a straight, twistless monofilament core and a close-fitting encapsulating sheath surrounding the full length of the core.

Abstract: A dryer felt comprising a plurality of machine direction and cross machine direction yarns interwoven to provide a multiple-plane fabric having at least a base plane, a top plane and an intermediate plane positioned between the base plane and the top plane. The base plane is defined by a first plurality of cross machine direction yarns, the top plane is defined by a second plurality of the cross machine direction yarns, and the intermediate plane is defined by a third plurality of the cross machine direction yarns. In one embodiment, encapsulated stuffer yarns constituted the third plurality of the cross machine direction yarns. In another embodiment, encapsulated filling yarns constitute the third plurality of the cross machine direction yarns. In all embodiments, each of the encapsulated yarns comprises a straight, twistless monofilament core and a close-fitting encapsulating sheath surrounding the full length of the core.

Abstract: A dryer felt comprising a multiple-plane fabric having at least a base plane, a top plane and an intermediate plane positioned between the base plane and the top plane. The base plane is defined by a first plurality of cross machine direction yarns; the top plane is defined by a second plurality of cross machine direction yarns; and the intermediate plane is defined by a third plurality of cross machine direction yarns. In one embodiment encapsulated stuffer yarns constitute the third plurality of cross machine direction yarns. In another embodiment, encapsulated filling yarns constitute the third plurality of cross machine direction yarns.

Abstract: A dryer felt having a soft, bulky top surface and comprising at least a top surface, which is defined by a plurality of machine direction yarns and a plurality of cross machine direction yarns interwoven according to a desired weave pattern. A preselected number of the yarns of the top surface are encapsulated yarns, the number being chosen to ensure that a major portion of the top surface is soft and bulky.

Abstract: A dryer felt comprising a plurality of warp yarns and a plurality of weft yarns interwoven according to a selected weave pattern. A characteristic of the dryer felt being that at least one of the yarns comprises a core fiber made from a synthetic monofilament, a synthetic multifilament, or a synthetic fiber, a first sheath formed by wrapping a first high temperature resistant aramid fiber around the core fiber in a first direction, a second sheath formed by wrapping a second high temperature resistant aramid fiber around the first sheath in a direction different from the first direction, and a covering formed by coating the second sheath with a high temperature resistant resin.