With Specified Seam Structure Of Papermaking Belt Patents (Class 162/904)
  • Patent number: 9011645
    Abstract: A process for preparing a seam area for a paper machine clothing (PMC) base fabric includes the steps of: forming the PMC base fabric by flat-weaving, the PMC base fabric including warp yarns extending in machine direction and weft yarns extending in cross machine direction and interwoven with the warp yarns, the weft yarns including first weft yarns and a second weft yarn, the second weft yarn being a multifilament yarn, the warp yarns, the first weft yarns, and the multifilament yarn being woven together on a loom in an original weaving process, the multifilament yarn being positioned in an anticipated seam area; and folding over the PMC base fabric, after weaving the multifilament yarn with the warp yarns, to form a seam loop of the PMC base fabric such that the multifilament yarn is a first one of the weft yarns on a sheet side of the seam loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Matthew Ryan, Susanne Klaschka, Barbara Elmer
  • Patent number: 8980062
    Abstract: An industrial fabric, belt or sleeve and a method of making the fabric, belt or sleeve are disclosed. The industrial fabric, belt or sleeve is produced by spirally winding strips of polymeric material, such as an industrial strapping or ribbon material, around two rolls in a side-to-side manner in which a gap between adjacent edges is formed. A second material, for example a gap filler material, is placed between the adjacent edges, and the adjoining edges are joined by melting the filler material, strips of polymeric material, or both. The gap filler material can have a specific cross-sectional shape corresponding to the gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventors: Jonas Karlsson, Anders Nilsson, Mikael Danielsson, Marcus Backstrom
  • Patent number: 8840683
    Abstract: A method for forming an industrial textile product by spiral winding an array of machine direction (MD) yarns to form a system having a defined width, and then connecting the MD yarns in the cross machine (CD) direction with resin. This method is a replacement for conventional weaving or knitting of substrates which can be used as forming, press or dryer fabrics in papermaking, and other industrial applications. Devices for forming the product are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventor: Dana Eagles
  • Patent number: 8828097
    Abstract: A method for forming an industrial textile product by spiral winding an array of machine direction (MD) yarns to form a system having a defined width, and then connecting the MD yarns in the cross machine (CD) direction with resin. This method is a replacement for conventional weaving or knitting of substrates which can be used as forming, press or dryer fabrics in papermaking, and other industrial applications. Devices for forming the product are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventor: Dana Eagles
  • Patent number: 8753485
    Abstract: The present invention provides a multilayer multiaxial woven fabric for a papermachine having a reduced interference pattern and accordingly improved dewatering uniformity. The present invention also provides a method of forming such multilayer multiaxial fabric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventors: Steven Yook, William Maddock, Scott Quigley
  • Patent number: 8647474
    Abstract: The invention disclosed herein relates to the use of laser energy to weld or melt selected locations in papermachine clothing (“PMC”) and other industrial and engineered fabrics. The invention also relates to an improved seam for a papermaker or other industrial fabric that has properties such as strength, durability, openness, adequate number of support points, and fiber support index (FSI) essentially the same as the fabric body. The invention also relates to a fabric having a durable seam, wherein the seam width as measured in the MD is a fraction of the width of a normal seam or a seam that is formed using a conventional technique of equal strength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Albany International Corp
    Inventor: Dana Eagles
  • Patent number: 8597468
    Abstract: A joining process for an endless or seamed press fabric, the joining process including the step of providing a woven base fabric having a plurality of monofilament yarns including warp yarns extending in a machine direction and weft yarns extending in a cross machine direction, the woven base fabric being cut along one of the weft yarns and having two opposing ends and two side edges. A predetermined number of the weft yarns are removed along each of the two opposing ends to free a plurality of cut ends of the warp yarns, fringing the ends. The plurality of free cut ends of the two opposing ends are interdigitated with each other and the cut ends opposing and adjoining one another are heat bonded to define a joint area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Matthew Ryan, Susanne Klaschka
  • Patent number: 8540849
    Abstract: Press felts for papermaking include a batt fiber layer and a base fabric. The batt fiber layer is integrated into the base fabric. The base fabric includes a ground warp yarn, a ground weft yarn, and an additional warp yarn. The ground warp yarn and the ground weft yarn include monofilament yarns, and the additional warp yarn includes a material different from a material forming the ground warp yarn. The additional warp yarn is arranged so that, when the base fabric is viewed in cross-section in a warp yarn direction, the additional warp yarn ascends toward a wet paper web-side surface of the base fabric and descends toward a roll-side surface of the base fabric, relative to the at least one ground warp yarn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Ichikawa Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasuyuki Ogiwara
  • Patent number: 8361584
    Abstract: A clipper seam for joining the ends of a belt, are connected by interdigitated staples which are looped about a pintle and provide barbs on their remote ends to penetrate into the material of the belt. Each end is covered by an edge strip of vinyl by radio frequency welding, and a flap is attached to one end on the low pressure side of the belt by a portion, and folded over to cover the seam on the low pressure side by means of a flap which extends beyond the seam area of the other end. A central area to each side of the seam is impregnated with polyurethane to resist abrasion which tends to concentrate in this area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Madison Filter 981 Ltd.
    Inventor: Stephen Mark Coghlan
  • Patent number: 8308910
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a press felt with a seam, to a press felt, and a base fabric of a press felt. The base fabric is a one-base structure with machine direction yarns forming seam loops and further machine direction yarns running in the web-side surface layer. The machine direction yarns weave with cross yarns. The yarn ratio of the surface layer machine direction yarns to the intermediate layer and further the bottom layer machine direction yarns is at least 2:1:1. In addition, the surface layer machine direction yarns have a long run and their cross-sectional area is smaller than the yarns forming the seam loops.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Metso Fabrics, Inc.
    Inventors: Kati Mikkonen, Tauno Virtanen
  • Patent number: 8241465
    Abstract: A press felt for use in a paper, cardboard or tissue machine, with an open, load-carrying base structure which, viewed in longitudinal direction of the press felt, includes seam loops on one end, as well as seam loops at the other end, whereby the seam loops on the one end and the ones on the other end can be brought together for the purpose of producing the endless press felt and can be intermeshed with each other, so that a pass through opening is created through which a pintle can be guided, and comprising a machine side fibrous nonwoven structure which is located on the base structure and which provides the machine side of the press felt and which, viewed in longitudinal direction of the press felt, has one end section and one other end section, whereby when viewed in longitudinal direction of the press felt, the seam loops respectively extend at least partially over the end sections of the machine side fibrous nonwoven structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Bob Crook, Clifton Wilder
  • Patent number: 8172986
    Abstract: A fabric belt unit for manufacturing corrugated board in a corrugator machine includes a belt (1) joined together at its two ends (2, 3) to form a continuous belt. The fabric belt has an outer paper side (6) as well as an inner driven side (8). The belt ends (2, 3) are reduced thermally in thickness and have a plurality of approximately U-shaped clamps (7) which are connected to each other to form a joint. The U-shaped clamps (7) lie at a distance (a) one next to the other. The distance (u) of the driven side (8) of the belt to the plane (36) of the thickness-reduced belt ends (2, 3) is greater than the distance (v) between the paper side (6) and the plane (46) of the thickness-reduced belt ends (2, 3) in order to obtain a longer service life of the belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Muehlen Sohn GmbH & Co.
    Inventor: Hartmut Bella
  • Patent number: 8088256
    Abstract: The invention disclosed herein relates to the use of laser energy to weld or fuse selected locations in paper machine clothing (“PMC”) and other industrial and engineered fabrics. The invention also relates to an improved loop seam for an on machine seamable papermaker or other industrial fabric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventors: Robert Hansen, Dana Eagles, Lennart Olsson
  • Patent number: 8083898
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a machine felt. Firstly a tube having a longitudinal yarn layer is manufactured with a peripheral length double the length of the machine felt, and a width that corresponds to the width of the machine felt. The tube is compressed into a flattened tube with the formation of longitudinal yarn loops which are exposed by the removal of fibers of a fiber batt layer. An auxiliary substrate web is manufactured with a width that is less than that of the machine felt; for the longitudinal yarns and/or for the auxiliary substrate web, a material is used that absorbs laser energy; the longitudinal yarns are brought together with the auxiliary substrate web and connected by a laser beam; the auxiliary substrate web is helically wound until the tube is formed; and upon exposure of the longitudinal yarn loops, the auxiliary substrate web(s) are also removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Heimbach GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Walter Best, Axel Burmeister, Christian Molls
  • Patent number: 8062480
    Abstract: The invention disclosed herein relates to the use of laser energy to weld or melt selected locations in papermachine clothing (“PMC”) and other industrial and engineered fabrics. The invention also relates to an improved seam for a papermaker or other industrial fabric that has properties such as strength, durability, openness, adequate number of support points, and fiber support index (FSI) essentially the same as the fabric body. The invention also relates to a fabric having a durable seam, wherein the seam width as measured in the MD is a fraction of the width of a normal seam or a seam that is formed using a conventional technique of equal strength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventor: Dana Eagles
  • Patent number: 8043477
    Abstract: Belt and method of making a belt for a paper making machine. The belt includes a flat woven material having a top side surface and a bottom side surface and two terminal ends separated in a machine direction. Folds formed in the flat woven material are separated in the machine direction, so that the two terminal ends are located under the bottom side surface. Seam loops are located at the folds, and the two terminal ends one of are arranged adjacent each other and overlap each other in a region offset from a center between the folds. The instant abstract is neither intended to define the invention disclosed in this specification nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Robert Crook, Clifton Wilder
  • Patent number: 7918970
    Abstract: A band for a machine for producing web material, in particular paper, board or tissue, includes at least one fabric layer having longitudinal filaments running substantially in a band longitudinal direction and transverse filaments running substantially in a band transverse direction, end regions of the longitudinal filaments being woven with transverse connecting filaments in order to provide an endless configuration of the band, cross-sectional widenings being provided at the filament ends of at least some of the longitudinal filaments woven with transverse connecting filaments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventor: Frank Bez
  • Patent number: 7897018
    Abstract: The invention discloses herein the use of short wavelength infrared energy to selectively control the locations where thermal fusing or bonding takes place or does not take place in an industrial fabric. Also, the method involves forming a mushroom cap on the tail of a fiber/yarn or monofilament and also creating a surface pattern formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventors: Joseph G. O'Connor, Maurice R. Paquin, Maryann Kenney, Dana Eagles, Jeffrey Scott Denton, Lynn F. Kroll, Jennifer L. Bowden, Amit Ganatra, John Michael Dempsey
  • Patent number: 7892402
    Abstract: A laminated on-machine-seamable industrial fabric made from a flat woven full width base fabric layer wherein the base fabric layer is folded inwardly and flattened to produce a fabric with seaming loops disposed at the two widthwise edges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventors: John M. Hawes, David S. Rougvie
  • Patent number: 7892401
    Abstract: A fabric for use in a papermaking machine, the fabric including a first end portion of the fabric having a first flexibility, and a second end portion of the fabric having a second flexibility. At least one of the first end portion and the second end portion is treated with an agent to reduce the flexibility associated therewith. The first end portion and the second end portion are coupled together. The agent is substantially removed from the first end portion and the second end portion. The reduced flexibility of the first end portion and/or the said second end portion define a stiffness that is substantially unaffected by a humid environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventor: Robert Crook
  • Patent number: 7789998
    Abstract: A pinseam press fabric is smoothed in the area of the seam by depositing polyurethane particles having a size of about 1 to 500 micrometers across the seam of the felt defined by the ends of the fabric. The polyurethane particles are drawn into the seam end by the application of a vacuum. Once the particles are deposited, the fabric is heated so that the polyurethane particles melt to form a polymeric matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Robert Crook, Sanjay Patel, Clifton Wilder
  • Patent number: 7776187
    Abstract: An industrial belt having a non-linear seam adapted to be on-machine joinable. In a particular embodiment, the seam is made up of a opposite end regions of the belt having complementary projections, such as in the form of castellations, which engage at the seam, providing a completely integrated belt throughout the zone of the seam. In the field of papermaking, the belt of the invention can take the form of a transfer belt, whereby the invention provides a fully interlocking, strong seam which minimizes any potential mechanical or hydraulic sheet marking. The invention also includes a method of creating the end regions of the belt, seaming the belt, and casting the belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Spence, Paul Riding, John Jeffrey
  • Patent number: 7758728
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to papermaking, and relates more specifically to fabrics employed in making press felts on a paper machine, pulp machine fiber cement belts, and corrugated paper board, or box-board. The invention also relates to the monofilament base of fabric optionally with a needled batt which can provide one or more of the following advantages: hydrolysis resistant materials, providing light weight high strength fabrics, having a high permeability, and soft surface with a high coefficient of friction. The present invention also relates to an integrated loop seam integrated with machine direction yarns of the monofilament base which can provide one or more of the following advantages: extremely stable and flexible corrugator fabric, and the ability to provide a non-marking loop seam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventor: William Harwood
  • Patent number: 7722743
    Abstract: The invention is a method for manufacturing a felt belt having a support which is embedded in a fiber matrix and is made up of at least two yarn layers arranged one above another, at least one is a longitudinal yarn layer made up of longitudinal yarns extending in parallel fashion, and at least one is a transverse yarn layer made up of transverse yarns extending in parallel fashion, transverse yarns being present that are continuous over the width of the felt belt. For each longitudinal yarn layer, a first support module is manufactured, by means of a first auxiliary support web, at a width that is less than the width of the completed felt belt, the first auxiliary support web being wound in helical fashion, before, during, or after the application of yarns, to a width that corresponds to the width necessary for manufacture of the completed felt belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Heimbach GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Walter Best, Christian Molls, Dieter Telgmann
  • Patent number: 7641768
    Abstract: A method of joining two ends of a fabric for use in a paper machine, carried out using a joining assembly, includes the steps of: placing a first end of the fabric on a first portion of a pin plate, the pins in the first portion of the pin plate extending into the first end; placing a second end of the fabric on a second portion of the pin plate such that the first end and the second end are in close proximity to each other in a join area, the pins in the second portion of the pin plate extending into the second end; and joining the first end and the second end in the join area. The method results in a perforated (and therefore permeable) join area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Sanjay Patel, Robert Crook, Bryan Wilson
  • Patent number: 7611605
    Abstract: The roll properties of tissue sheets are improved by offsetting recurring surface features of the sheet relative to the surface features of adjacent sheets within the roll, such as by providing a throughdryer fabric with an offset seam. This provides the resulting tissue sheets with improved capabilities for providing an improved combination of roll bulk and roll firmness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Alan Burazin, Edward Joseph VanRengen, Kenneth Curtis Larson, Jerome Steven Veith, Ralph Lee Anderson, Michael William Veith
  • Patent number: 7527707
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing and a papermaker's or industrial fabric, which includes the application of a polymeric resin material onto preselected discrete locations on a base substrate in a controlled manner in droplets having an average diameter of 10? (10 microns) to point bond yarns, bond spiral wound strips together or to bond layers of a fabric together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventors: Francis L. Davenport, Charles E. Kramer, Joseph G. O'Connor, Maurice Paquin
  • Patent number: 7455078
    Abstract: A method of making a seam for an endless woven multilayer papermakers fabric such as a press felt base fabric, comprises selecting a repeating weave pattern so as to provide during weaving a body portion woven as a double layer, and a shed change for the warp yarns adjacent to the warp yarns of the body portion to provide a first and second seaming portion. In each seaming portion the warp yarns are separated into an upper group and a lower group such that the weft yarn interweaves separately with each group to form a distinct upper and lower layer. A forming wire is provided at the vertically aligned lateral edges of the fabric, and the weft yarn in sequence interweaves with the upper group of warp yarns to provide the upper layer, forms a seaming loop about the forming wire and interweaves with the lower group of warp yarns to provide the lower layer. The method and a fabric made by the method provide improved uniformity of the seaming loops and reduced sheet marking in the seam area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2008
    Assignee: AstenJohnson, Inc.
    Inventor: Brent Swaine
  • Patent number: 7384515
    Abstract: A fabric and a method of forming a fabric formed by the steps of providing an endless fabric having at least two layers of MD yarns, raveling CD yarns in an area of said endless fabric to be cut, cutting at least one layer of MD yarns at a first predetermined location, and cutting at least one layer of MD yarns at a second predetermined location. The method also includes steps of folding the endless fabric in half in the MD direction, placing the first and second predetermined locations proximally to one another, forming loops from at least one uncut layer of MD yarns when said fabric is folded, and seaming the loops to form an endless fabric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventors: Tobias Byfeldt, Bjorn Rydin
  • Patent number: 7381307
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of manufacturing a press felt and to a press felt and a base fabric. The base fabric comprises at least a first planar compo-nent (4), which includes a first transverse (CMD) joining edge area (11) and a second transverse joining edge area (12). The joining edge areas (11, 12) are arranged to overlap each other and attached to each other undetachably.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: Tamfelt OYJ ABP
    Inventor: Leena Silakoski
  • Patent number: 7381306
    Abstract: The invention concerns a paper machine belt having front ends (6, 7) extending transversely to the machine direction and having a yarn structure (2, 4) made up of longitudinal yarns (3) extending in the machine direction and transverse yarns (5) extending transversely to the machine direction, and having a coupling device (8, 32, 52, 62, 72, 82, 92) connecting or capable of connecting the front ends (6, 7), which device comprises at both front ends (6, 7) coupling elements (9, 10; 33, 34, 35, 36; 53, 54; 63, 64: 83, 84; 93, 94) engaging respectively onto the yarn structure (2, 4); which is characterized in that the coupling elements (9, 10; 33, 34, 35, 36; 53, 54; 63, 64; 83, 84; 93, 94) are propping themselves against the side facing away from the front edges (6, 7) transverse yarns (5) belonging to the yarn structure (2, 4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: Heimbach GmbH & Co
    Inventors: Walter Best, Christian Molls
  • Patent number: 7381308
    Abstract: A method of seaming an on-machine-seamable multiaxial papermaker's fabric to prevent yarn migration. The multiaxial fabric is in the form of an endless loop flattened into two layers along fold lines. CD yarns are removed from the folds to create extended ravel areas. This leaves the MD yarns unbound in the ravel areas. Seam loops are then formed from the unbound MD yarns at the folds. CD materials (e.g. continuous CD yarns) are affixed to (rewoven into) the fabric along the edges of the ravel area at each fold. The affixed CD materials bind the CD yarn tails along the edges of the ravel areas to prevent migration of CD yarn tails into the seam area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventors: Glenn Kornett, Bjorn Rydin, Bodil Jonasson, Sandra Rae, Frank Oxley, Dave Krebs
  • Patent number: 7306704
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a press felt, a press section, and a press felt. The press felt comprises a base structure (11), a batt fibre layer (12) being attached to a first, web-side surface (B) of the base structure. Further, the structure of the press felt is compacted by treating it with a polymer material at least on the side of the first felt surface (B). After the polymer treatment, the surface of the felt is ground smooth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: Tamfelt Oyj ABP
    Inventor: Kari Hyvönen
  • Patent number: 7294238
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention is an endless non-woven tissue making fabric having a three-dimensional texture suitable for use as a fabric for producing three-dimensional fibrous webs. The endless non-woven tissue making fabric comprises a plurality of substantially parallel adjoining sections of non-woven material. Each section of non-woven material has a width substantially less than the width of the non-woven tissue making fabric. Each section of non-woven material may be joined to at least one other adjoining section of non-woven material. The non-woven tissue making fabric has a machine direction, a cross-machine direction, a tissue contacting surface and a tissue machine contacting surface. The tissue contacting surface comprises solid matter at a plurality of heights such that the tissue contacting surface of the non-woven tissue making fabric has an Overall Surface Depth of at least 0.2 mm in regions of solid matter on the tissue contacting surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Peter Bakken, Mark Alan Burazin, Jeffrey Dean Lindsay
  • Patent number: 7238259
    Abstract: A papermaker's fabric and a method of forming a papermaker's fabric, for installation in a papermaking machine. The papermaker's fabric having a plurality of cross-machine, a plurality of machine directional yarns, and a plurality of heat shrunk joints connecting ends of either the machine directional yarns or the cross machine directional yarns to form and continuous loop of fabric. The papermaker's fabric is formed by providing a fixture for securing a plurality of heat shrink tubing sections. Two or more corresponding yarns of the papermaker's fabric are inserted into each of the heat shrink tubing sections and heat is applied to the heat shrink tubing. Upon application of the heat the heat shrink tubing reduces its size to form a tight joint between two yarns inserted therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2007
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventors: Joseph G. O'Connor, Victor P. Laskorski
  • Publication number: 20070137770
    Abstract: A transport belt and method of making a transport belt for a web-processing machine, in particular a paper machine, paperboard machine or tissue machine, is provided. The transport belt has a load-bearing carrier structure which is covered at least in sections by a polymer areal structure, as the result of which the polymer areal structure and the load-bearing carrier structure make contact with each other in sections either indirectly or directly. The contact region between the load-bearing carrier structure and the polymer areal structure comprises sections in which the carrier structure can move relative to the polymer areal structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2006
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Inventors: Arved H. Westerkamp, Hubert Walkenhaus
  • Patent number: 7229531
    Abstract: A method of seaming an on-machine-seamable multiaxial papermaker's fabric to prevent yarn migration. The multiaxial fabric is in the form of an endless loop flattened into two layers along fold lines. CD yarns are removed from the folds to create ravel areas. This leaves the MD yarns unbound in the ravel areas. Seam loops are then formed from the unbound MD yarns at the folds. A thin porous material is sewn to the fabric at each fold. The porous material binds the CD yarns along the edges of the ravel areas while allowing passage of the seam loops through the material. The laminate prevents migration of CD yarn tails into the seam area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventors: Steven S. Yook, Michael A. Royo
  • Patent number: 7220340
    Abstract: The invention concerns a porous paper machine clothing (1) for dewatering a paper web in a paper machine, having a yarn layer made up of at least one ply (2) of longitudinal yarns (3) and at least one ply (4) of transverse yarns (5, 6, 7) that cross the longitudinal yarns (3), which is characterized in that the longitudinal and transverse yarns (3, 5, 6, 7) are connected positively to one another at crossing points (8). The invention further concerns a method for manufacturing a porous paper machine clothing of this kind.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2007
    Assignee: Heimbach Gmbh & Co.
    Inventor: Walter Best
  • Patent number: 7147756
    Abstract: An industrial process fabric and a method for manufacturing such a fabric. The fabric is made of material and is endless, or made endless with a seam, in the machine direction of a machine on which it is used. The fabric comprises at least one layer composed of a spirally-wound strip made of material and having a width which is smaller than the width of the final fabric. The longitudinal axis of the spirally-wound strip of material makes an angle with the machine direction of the fabric. The fabric strip of material may advantageously be a flat-woven fabric of MD and CD yarns in any weave pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventor: Francis L. Davenport
  • Patent number: 7141144
    Abstract: A multi-layer woven papermaker's fabric having at least two sets of seam loops. Longer and a shorter seam attachment mechanisms are used to connect the bottom and top layer seam loops. The longer attachment mechanism in the top layer being over the shorter attachment mechanism in the bottom layer, and vice versa. A pintle or installation cable is positioned between each set of connectors to form a seam. The pair of connectors for each set of seam loops comprises different lengths in the MD direction such that the pintle or installation cables on adjacent layers are offset in the MD direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventor: Björn Rydin
  • Patent number: 7135094
    Abstract: An endless papermaking press felt comprises a base and a batt layer intertwiningly integrated with the base. The batt layer comprises a wet paper web side layer and a machine side layer formed on an outer surface and inner surface of a base respectively, The base is manufactured from belt-shaped partial base bodies, which are connected to one another in side-by-side relationship. The press felt can be manufactured easily and at reduced cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: Ichikawa Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazumasa Watanabe, Hirokuni Ohno
  • Patent number: 7029555
    Abstract: A diagonally joined cylindrical fabric in the form of a cylindrical endless fabric is obtained by shifting ends of facing wefts of a non-endless fabric leftward or rightward and joining together the ends of the wefts to thereby form a joining portion inclined relative to an axis of a cylinder. The cylindrical fabric comprises a weave pattern in which warp passes over continuous two or more wefts, then passes under a less number of wefts, the joining portion at ends of the fabric formed into an endless cylindrical shape is inclined relative to the axis at 25° to 5°. The surface of the cylindrical fabric is formed with crimps that are longer in a face length direction than in a circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Nippon Filcon Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Yamanaka, Tatsuya Fujimura
  • Patent number: 7005041
    Abstract: The invention concerns a paper machine belt (1) having end edges (6, 7) extending transversely to the running direction, and having longitudinal yarns (3) that go as far as the end edges (6, 7), the end edges (6, 7) being connected to one another by way of a coupling device (8; 31; 41) that has complementary coupling elements (9, 10; 32, 33; 42, 43) which are connected to longitudinal yarns (3) and to which are attached coupling members (26; 35, 36; 45, 46) that are connected to one another in hinge-like fashion. The paper machine belt is characterized in that on at least one of the end edges (6, 7), the coupling element(s) (9, 10; 32, 33; 42, 43) is/are connected to the longitudinal yarns (3) via insertion connections. The invention furthermore refers to a method for creating a connection of the end edges (6, 7) of such a paper machine belt (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: Heimbach GmbH & Co.
    Inventor: Walter Best
  • Patent number: 7005038
    Abstract: A paper process belt and method for manufacturing the same are provided. The belt includes at least one elongated resilient coupling filament operatively connected to a first end section of the belt and a second end section of the belt such that the first end section, the second end section and a body portion of the belt are substantially continuous with one another. The belt is configured to operatively engage a paper manufacturing machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: National Wire Fabric, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Maguire
  • Patent number: 6998024
    Abstract: Highly textured tissue sheets, particularly suitable for use as bath tissue, are produced by throughdrying and have a low number and/or low amount of pinholes. The low number or amount of pinholes is provided by using a throughdrying fabric having parallel wide ridges with a height suited to the particular tissue sheet being produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Alan Burazin, Cristina Asensio Muilally, Andrew Peter Bakken
  • Patent number: 6918998
    Abstract: An on-machine-seamable industrial fabric comprising rings connected by pintles. In one principal embodiment, the rings are oriented in the machine direction and the pintles extend at an angle, connecting the rings. Such configuration improves the strength of the fabric and provides resistance to needling damage. In another principal embodiment, the rings are oriented in the cross-machine direction and the pintles extend in the machine direction, joining the rings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventor: Robert A. Hansen
  • Patent number: 6880583
    Abstract: A papermaking or other industrial fabric formed from a base fabric and having a seam where a first end of the base fabric is attached to a second end of the base fabric. At least one preformed coil is used to attach the first end of the base fabric to the second end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventor: Alan L. Billings
  • Patent number: 6878238
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention is an endless non-woven tissue making fabric having a three-dimensional texture suitable for use as a fabric for producing three-dimensional fibrous webs. The endless non-woven tissue making fabric comprises a plurality of substantially parallel adjoining sections of non-woven material. Each section of non-woven material has a width substantially less than the width of the non-woven tissue making fabric. Each section of non-woven material may be joined to at least one other adjoining section of non-woven material. The non-woven tissue making fabric has a machine direction, a cross-machine direction, a tissue contacting surface and a tissue machine contacting surface. The tissue contacting surface comprises solid matter at a plurality of heights such that the tissue contacting surface of the non-woven tissue making fabric has an Overall Surface Depth of at least 0.2 mm in regions of solid matter on the tissue contacting surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Peter Bakken, Mark Alan Burazin, Jeffrey Dean Lindsay
  • Patent number: 6875315
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention is an endless non-woven tissue making fabric. The endless non-woven tissue making fabric has a machine direction, cross-machine direction, a tissue machine contacting surface, a tissue contacting surface, a first side edge, and a second side edge. The non-woven tissue making fabric comprises a fabric strip of non-woven material comprising at least one layer of non-woven material. The fabric strip has a first edge, an opposing second edge, a machine direction, and a cross-machine direction. The fabric strip may be spirally wound in a plurality of contiguous turns wherein the first edge in a turn of the fabric strip extends beyond the second edge of an adjacent turn of the fabric strip, thereby forming a spirally continuous seam with adjacent turns of the fabric strip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2005
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Peter Bakken, Mark Alan Burazin, Jeffrey Dean Lindsay
  • Patent number: RE39709
    Abstract: A multilayer papermaker's press felt fabric comprising in combination a woven first fabric layer, typically a double layer fabric, has a cross machine direction pin seam. A second fabric layer is located on the paper side face of the first fabric layer, and a layer of needled batt is applied to the paper side face of the second layer binding the layers together. A flap comprising a short length of the second fabric layer with attached batt overlays the pin seam area in the first layer. The second layer comprises a plurality of relatively narrow strips, which are located with a lateral edge at a first cant angle of from more than 1° to less than 20° to the machine direction. A third layer, similar to the second layer, can be included on the machine side of the first layer; the strip widths, the cant angles, and the direction of the cant angle relative to the machine direction for each of the two strips need not be the same. The fabric is assembled using a spiral winding technique.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2007
    Assignee: AstenJohnson, Inc.
    Inventors: Eugene Z. Fekete, Edwin R. Perry, Robert P. Burke