Abstract: A method for producing a tubular needle punched felt, comprising the steps of: (a) overlapping not less than two long sheets comprising a web to form thin layer portions at both side edges of the overlapped sheets and a thick layer portion at the central portion of the overlapped sheets by dislocating the sheets in width direction; (b) needle punching one part or whole of the above central thick layer portion of the overlapped sheets to form a lapped sheet; (c) rolling the lapped sheet and transforming the lapped sheet into a tubular one and overlapping the above thin layer portions with each other; and (d) needle punching the above overlapped thin layer portions to make the thin layer portions one body. The tubular needle punched felt obtained in this invention can be suitably used as a tubular felt used in the INS method and the like.

Abstract: In order to ensure a desirable withdrawal of the felt in an apparatus for needling a felt from one side, the stripper plate (3) is provided on that side which faces the support (2) for the felt with guide ribs (7), which extend between the longitudinal rows of holes (4) and protrude from the underside surface of the plate and have a height amounting to 0.2 to 2 times the diameter of the holes.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for papermaking fabrics (W) with a machine direction fiber batt (24) is disclosed. A carding machine (B, B') is arranged with its carding cylinder (39) parallel to the axis of rotation (22) of carriage rollers (20) about which a base fabric (16) travels in a machine direction. A carded batt (24) with fibers (36) oriented in the machine direction is fed directly in the machine direction onto base fabric (16). An auxiliary needling unit (A) including an auxiliary needling module (44) lightly tacks machine direction batt (24) to base fabric (16) across its width. For this purpose, carding machine (B) and base fabric (16) move relative to one another in a direction transverse to the machine direction. In one embodiment, card (B) moves transversely in synchronization with auxiliary needling unit (A) while carriage (18) carrying the base fabric is stationary.

Abstract: Process of manufacturing a papermakers' wet press felt for the wet end and a felt produced thereby with one or two flaps (14, 10), made of two batts (12, 13) needled onto each side of the felt (1), which ends in two rows of loops (4, 5) that are intended to seam the felt, characterized in that the rows of loops (4, 5) are joined during needling by temporary, removable connecting means (6) placed in relation to the flap(s) (14, 16) which have a greater width than the widths of the finally cut flaps (14, 16).The flap(s) (14, 10) are not damaged during the needling operation and are easily loosened without damage by removing the spiral (7) which form the temporary joining means (6).

Abstract: Method and apparatus for producing homogeneously needled three-dimensional structures formed of superposed layers of fibrous material and the needled structures produced thereby. As layers of fibrous material are added to a stack of needled layers, the needling needles are moved away from the stack so as to maintain a uniform depth of needling over the entire stack, and to achieve a uniformly needled result. To permit the same density of needling in the initial layers, a substrate layer of needle penetrable material is used to support the initial layers which can then be needled as through they were layed on top of other needled layers. For the final layers, the needling rate is reduced to compensate for the lessened clogging of the needle in having fewer layers to penetrate in the final needling.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing endless, needled, longitudinally oriented, paper machine felts having a predetermined width formed from a plurality of overlapping loops of a narrower width strip is disclosed.

Abstract: An endless fibrous web is to be needled from both sides by needling means for piercing the web in only one direction. For that purpose the web is needled in the form of a twisted endless web, which is known as a Mobius web and has been formed in that the two ends of a finite length of the web have been rotated through 180.degree. relative to each other about the longitudinal axis of the web and have then been joined.

Abstract: A papermaker's felt having an elongated base fabric, at least one batt layer, and means to interconnect the opposite longitudinal ends of the base fabric to make an endless felt. The endless felt is made by providing seaming loops on opposite longitudinal ends of the base fabric and bringing the loops into interdigitated engagement on the papter making machine; introducing a core element into the common bight of said loops to connect them; and finally needling the batt layer so that the abutting ends thereof (which abut each other at right angles to the longitudinal direction and obliquely to the thickness direction) are engaged without any opening between them.

Abstract: In apparatus for applying a sliver at a bias to an endless backing web in the making of a paper machine felt, a needle machine is preceded by a sliver feeder, which is operable by a traversing drive to perform a traversing movement across the working width of the needle machine. Irregularities can be avoided because an automatically controlled position-correcting mechanism is provided, which serves to compensate any deviation of the actual course of one longitudinal edge of the backing web from a predetermined, desired course of said longitudinal edge, and means are provided for controlling the traversing drive so that the traversing movement of the sliver feeder will be influenced by changes of the width and/or length of the backing web.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the manufacture of a press felt for a paper machine and a press felt manufactured by means of said method. The method comprises the manufacture of a seamed fabric and the needling of a fibrous layer on at least one side of the seamed fabric. the fibrous layer is incised in such a way that the seam of the seamed fabric can be opened by removing a connecting thread and correspondingly rejoined after the press felt is mounted in the paper machine by passing the connecting thread back in place so as to join the press felt into an endless loop. In order to eliminate the marking caused by the seam, and in order to increase the water space, at least one surface fabric is provided on at least one surface of the seamed fabric between the seamed fabric and the fibrous layer. The incision of the fibrous layer is made through the surface fabric/surface fabrics up to the seamed fabric.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for manufacturing an axi-symmetrical three-dimensional structure formed by superposed layers of fibrous material bonded together, said process comprising the following steps of:--bringing onto a rotary mandrel having the section of the structure to be manufactured, a tape of fibrous material whose width is several times less than the length of a generatrix of said structure:--winding the tape over the mandrel to form superposed layers, each layer being formed by successive turns of the tape of fibrous material, and--during winding, successively bonding the layers together by needling, said needling being effected at the place where the tape is superposed on the mandrel or on the previously formed layer. The invention also relates to an apparatus for carrying out said process.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing an endless tubular felt includes superposing layers of tubular felt one upon the other and binding of the superposed layers together. A marking line is applied to the top surface of the superposed layers in continuous manner as the felt is trained about the driven rolls. The rolls include needle segments which move the felt axially of the roll. A scanner scans the position of the marking line shortly before the completion of one revolution. A controller compares the position of the marking line with a reference and causes the needle means to be adjusted to that the marking line corresponds with the reference.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a loop-shaped substrate composed solely of helical wound yarns. An endless winding belt is mounted on a pair of support rolls for travel in an endless path and a plurality of yarns are connected in parallel spaced relation to a threading section disposed along a side edge of the belt. As the belt is driven in its endless path, the yarns are wound on the rolls in a helical pattern. Guide members are located adjacent and upstream each of the rolls and include a plurality of openings to receive and uniformly space the respective yarns. After the group of yarns has been wound in a single convolution, the wound convolution is shifted laterally along the length of the rolls to thereby enable subsequent convolutions of the yarns to be wound on said rolls.

Abstract: A felt for paper manufacture and the method for producing the felt. At least two fabrics having a single weave or double combination weave structure are piled to form a ground fabric. A lap is fed on the ground fabric and the lap and fabrics of the ground fabric are combined with each other by needling.

Abstract: Apparatus for manufacturing endless needled paper machine felts comprising at least one ply formed by a plurality of overlapping loops of a sliver web comprises a needling machine having a working width corresponding to the width of the paper machine felt, and a sliver web feeder which is adapted to be reciprocated throughtout the working width of the needling machine. To ensure that the needling can be properly effected without a formation of wrinkles, a needling device having a working width corresponding to that of the feeder is provided between the feeder and the needling machine and is adapted to be reciprocated in unison with the feeder throughout the working width of the needling machine.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a base fabric composed solely of warp yarns to be used in making a papermaker's felt. A plurality of yarns are drawn from a supply and wound around a pair of parallel drive rolls in a helical pattern by a travelling winding member. Two sets of parallel guide tines project from each end of the winding member. The corresponding ends of a plurality of loops are attached to the trailing ends of the first set of tines and pass around the rolls and the opposite ends of the loops are attached to the leading ends of the second set of tines. The yarns to be wound are attached to the trailing ends of the second set of tines. As the rolls rotate, the winding member travels in an endless path around the rolls to draw the yarns from the supply and wind the yarns in a helical pattern. A comb is located parallel to the rolls and the tines pass through the teeth of the comb to maintain proper spacing and order of the yarns as they are wound.

Abstract: The invention refers to a method for the production of velour needlefelt webs by processing a fiber fleece bonded through needling, using velour or fork needles forming pile loops. At least one fiber fleece band which consists of several layers is helically wound to form a tube which continuously develops in an axial direction. The tube rotates about its own axis, wherein the individual layers of the fleece band partly overlap on each wind and the lower or inner-lying layers of the wound tube are bonded in a width which is smaller, preferably up to half the width of the width of the fleece band in a known manner using felting needles and from the upper or outer-lying loose fiber layer of the wound tube, the fibers forming the pile loops are pushed through the pre-bonded lower or inner-lying fiber layer in a known manner using fork needles. The finished processed tube is cut open in the axial direction, said flat and the so-formed material web is wound up. spThis is a divisional of a previous application Ser.

Abstract: A needle punched papermaking felt is described which comprises a plurality of layers of foundation fabrics formed in an endless form by joining the opposite edges of long woven form foundation fabrics or foundation fabrics woven in an endless form, laying over one or both sides of said foundation fabrics batts consisting of synthetic fibers or natural fibers or mixtures thereof, and by felting by a needle punching process to cause the component fibers to be entangled with each other. A thin layer of batts consisting of synthetic fibers, natural fibers or their mixtures, may be interposed between the adjacent layers of the foundation fabrics.

Abstract: The invention refers to a machine for the production of velour needlefelt webs through processing a fiber fleece bonded through needling, using velour or fork needles forming pile loops, wherein at least one fiber fleece band consisting of several layers is helically wound to form a tube continuously developing in axial direction, said tube rotating about its own axis, wherein the individual layers of the fleece band partly overlap on each wind and the lower or inner-lying layers of the wound tube are bonded in a width which is smaller, preferably up to half the width of the width of the fleece band in a known manner using felting needles and from the upper or outer-lying loose fiber layer of the wound tube, the fibers forming the pile loops are pushed through the pre-bonded lower or inner-lying fiber layer in a known manner using fork needles and wherein the finished processed tube is cut open in axial direction, laid flat and the so-formed material web wound up.

Abstract: The disclosure is of a composite papermakers felt made up of a textile base layer, an intermediate layer of polymeric resin foam particles and a covering layer of non-woven staple fibers. The felt is useful in the wet press section of a papermaking machine. The disclosure is also of a method of manufacturing the felt of the invention.

Abstract: A fiber glass mat making process is described which utilizes an improved method of transferring unbonded mat from a mat forming chain to a bonding station on a continuous basis.The system involves passing the unbonded mat from a continuous conveyor surface to a roll which has on its surface a draped conveyor chain rotating around the roll but driven by the roll on which it is draped. By permitting the draped chain to hang freely below the roll and to rotate with the roll stray strands falling between the conveyor surface and the roll are returned on the draped chain to the feed end of the bonding station. Means are also provided to maintain the draped chain centered to insure that mat is delivered to the bonding station in a straight line from the conveyor surface.

Abstract: A fiber glass reinforced thermoplastic laminant of high flexural strength and a method of preparing the laminant is described in which special needling of the fiber glass mat used as the reinforcement is undertaken to minimize damage to the strands making up the mat during needling while insuring that the strands are moved during needling of the mat to provide strands in the mat that are transverse through the long axis of the mat after needling. The mat upon completion of the needling is then laminated with a thermoplastic resin to produce a sheet product having improved tensile characteristics.

Abstract: A papermaking fabric composed of a base having a fibrous batt needled to one surface thereof, the base being formed of interwoven core wrapped yarns, comprising core yarns which are effectively heat infusible and wrapping yarns which are effectively heat fusible, the fibrous batt being either heat fusible or heat infusible, the wrapping yarns of the interwoven base being heat fused to each other at their points of contact with each other on the side of the interwoven base opposite the fibrous batt.

Abstract: A nonwoven fabric is produced by forming a batt of fibers which are oriented primarily transverse relative to the direction of movement of the batt, stretching said batt longitudinally relative to the direction of movement of the batt, and needling the stretched batt. Also apparatus suitable for the production of the novel fabric is disclosed.

Abstract: An apparatus for continuously producing needled, non-woven tubing by winding a web on a stationary mandrel, multi-needling overlying turns and frictionally driving the formed tube about the periphery of the mandrel. The mandrel is tapered to accomodate shrinkage of the tube and to assist ejection of the formed tube without application of longitudinal tension on the formed tube. The mandrel preferably includes a helical surface for progressively ejecting the rotating tubing from the static mandrel. The tube product may be formed with diameters as low as 4 millimeters and walls as thin as 0.5 millimeters and is radially compressed immediately after needling.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel felt construction for use in the press section of the papermaking machine. More particularly, this invention has to do with a papermakers' felt having a paper-sheet-contacting layer comprised of substantially flat fibers joined by any suitable means to either a woven or nonwoven intermediate batt layer and/or base layer.

Abstract: A method for continuously producing needled, non-woven tubing by winding a web on a stationary mandrel, multi-needling overlying turns and frictionally driving the formed tube about the periphery of the mandrel. The mandrel is tapered to accommodate shrinkage of the tube and to assist ejection of the formed tube without application of longitudinal tension on the formed tube. The mandrel preferably includes a helical surface for progressively ejecting the rotating tubing from the static mandrel. The tube product may be formed with diameters as low as 4 millimeters and walls as thin as 0.5 millimeters and is radially compressed immediately after needling.

Abstract: A non-woven fabric web is converted to a tubular shape by forming the web between a cylindrical mandrel and surrounding sleeve, and passing reciprocating barbed needles through the region where the sides of the web abut each other, to form a butt joint thereat. The apparatus includes a pair of rollers for drawing the tubular shaped web between the mandrel and sleeve, as well as a motor and control circuit for operating the reciprocating needles.

Abstract: A perforated table is pivoted on a vertical axis to a machine frame on one side thereof. An upper set of juxtaposed, closely spaced needling units is arranged over the table in a transverse row. A perforated stripper is disposed between the upper set of needling units and the table. A lower set of juxtaposed, closely spaced needling units is secured to the table and arranged on the underside thereof in a transverse row. Each row of needling units has the same length, which defines the working width of the machine.Drive means for operating the needling units of the upper and lower sets in unison are provided and comprise flexible couplings between adjacent needling units in each set. Each needling unit is provided on the underside with needles and operable by the drive means to move the needles up and down.