Abstract: Flocked fabric products having a woven corduroy appearance, including method and apparatus for producing such fabrics wherein an indefinite length substrate sheet is transported in a generally horizontal path of travel through a coating apparatus where a mass of viscous adhesive material is applied to the upper surface of the sheet while support means located beneath the sheet prevent displacement of the sheet from its path of travel and provide dimensional stability thereto. Immediately downstream of the support means the upper surface of the sheet and the adhesive material thereon is contacted by the notched edge of a knife blade to dispose the adhesive mass in a plurality of parallel upstanding ribs having upwardly tapered sides in transverse cross-section.

Abstract: An ornamented article of clothing constituting a fabric substrate which forms at least a part of an article of clothing has applied to it in a pattern, with the aid of a stencil, an area of predetermined configuration such as a design, a character or a phrase in the form of an adhesive coating composed of a film-forming solid and a liquid solvent. The adhesive coating bonds to the substrate as by permeation into interstices thereof so that when the coating dries it will firmly adhere thereto. While the coating still is wet there are applied to the coating particles composed of a plastic material which is attackable by one or more constitutents of the still-wet adhesive, specifically the solvent or a plasticizer incorporated in the plastic solid. This attack on the surfaces of the particles causes the particles to bond to the adhesive coating.

Abstract: A backing material for handcraft yarn arts comprises a foundation fabric having plural thermo plastic pile threads extending from one surface thereon in substantially upright direction with the free ends deformed by melting to assume enlarged, deformed configurations in a random and irregular pattern. Yarn of a generally soft or porous nature is placed in a desired pattern on the upstanding threads and loosely retained thereon while being readily removed to alter the pattern. When a final pattern is achieved, heat and pressure is applied, urging the yarn fully into and within the pile threads and further deforming the free ends into enlarged deformations for securely anchoring the yarn and providing a substantially permanent yarn part handcraft product.

Abstract: Resilient element material for a vibratory feeder is molded of a resilient plastic resin to have a base and generally upright elements molded integrally with the base and having upper ends that cooperate to support objects being fed vibrationally. The upright elements are configured so they bend in the feed direction and brace against bending in a direction opposite to the feed direction. This can be done by providing abutments or buttresses adjacent the elements, or configuring the elements so that the weight of the objects places a load on their upper ends spaced toward the direction of feed from respective lines perpendicular to the base through the centers of the bottoms of the elements. The upright elements then bend consistently in the feed direction under the weight of the objects during vibration to convey the objects along. The elements can also be molded to be tapered and to incline from a perpendicular to the base toward the direction of feed to bend reliably in the feed direction.

Abstract: In a carpeting material of the kind comprising a backing fabric and fibres standing up from the backing fabric as pile or tufts, the pile or tuft fibres comprise 75 to 98 per cent by weight of conventional carpet fibres and 2 to 25 per cent by weight of stiff fibres or filaments arranged to act as dirt scrapers. The conventional carpet fibres are nylon, acrylic, regenerated cellulose, wool, polyester, cotton or polypropylene fibres, or a mixture of two or more of these, of less than 30 decitex per filament. The stiff fibres or filaments may be heavy monofilaments, for example of nylon, polyester or unplasticized polypropylene of from 30 to 300 tex, or they may be of metallic material. Alternatively, the stiff fibres can be in the form of twisted yarn which has been resinated to stiffen it.Processes for making the carpeting material are also described and claimed.

Abstract: A pattern is printed with adhesive as a design on certain selected areas of a shrinkable substrate and the adhesive is dried. Flock is preferably applied to the selected design prior to drying. Supplemental adhesive is then applied to other areas ("background" areas) of the substrate, and is dried. Preferably such supplemental adhesive is applied over the surface of the entire substrate and over the adhering flock that has already been applied, and the entire substrate plus existing flock is covered with additional flock, followed by drying of the adhesive.The entire substrate thus prepared is then subjected to shrinkage, causing differential shrinkage of the design areas and the background areas, and producing a fabric having a novel three-dimensional pattern or design.The fabric product preferably has a plurality of upstanding flock fibres and the substrate is shrunken more tightly in some areas than in others.

Abstract: A method for producing carpeting of a type having pile yarns adhesively bonded to a backing which comprises providing a thin flexible core member having longitudinal and transverse axes, winding a continuous yarn around the core member in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis so as to form a plurality of elongated loops conforming to the cross-sectional configuration of the core member, positioning the core member having the yarn wound thereon on a backing sheet so that the longitudinal axis is parallel to the sheet and the transverse axis is perpendicular to the sheet and so that one end of each of the loops contacts the backing sheet, adhering the end of the loops contacting the backing sheet to the backing sheet, cutting the other ends of the loops, and removing the core member. Carpeting characterized by good register between different colors and different heights with a high degree of flexibility in the design pattern is obtained by this method.

Abstract: Tightly woven colored fabrics such as twills, denims, sateens, and poplins are provided with pattern areas thereon simulating the appearance of a printed design and wherein the pattern areas are of a color tone contrasting with the color of adjacent pattern areas and have a discernible softer texture imparting further contrast with the non-pattern areas. The contrasting tone colored pattern areas may either have a lighter color tone appearance than the non-pattern areas or a darker color tone appearance or the pattern areas may appear to change in color tone with respect to the background areas when the fabric is viewed at different angles.

Abstract: A napped fabric is treated to bond the nap fibers together while leaving the nap structure largely open and porous.The surface of the bonded nap is then subjected to a series of spaced short cuts to form spaced clumps of bonded fibers which clumps have free ends projecting from the bonded nap so that they can be brushed from stable upright positions to bent-over positions, giving an attractive rough appearance resembling a split suede leather.

Abstract: A humidifier pad is disclosed which comprises a body portion having opposing surfaces. In the body portion there are a plurality of openings which allow communication between one of the surfaces to another of the surfaces. A pluality of projections extend from at least one of the surfaces. The pad may be formed in the shape of a drum wherein the drum comprises one or more pads placed within one another. Flexible plastic material which resists hydrolytic aging may be used in the manufacture of the pad to provide the consumer with a long-lasting easily maintained unit.

Abstract: A synthetic suede is disclosed comprising a flexible backing having a multiplicity of upstanding flock fibers adhered to the base, and a fatty acid radical cationic softener substantially uniformly distributed over at least portions of the fibers at or near their ends. Typical cationic softeners include the fatty acid quaternary ammonium softeners.

Abstract: An artificial ski matting wherein a plurality of ski mats may be interlocked to form an artificial skiing surface. Each mat includes a base ski support surface and an plurality of spaced pegs having flexible "fluff" fingers on each peg. A second plurality of spaced pegs are interposed on the mat and having flexible "turn" fingers on each peg. The "fluff" fingers form a generally horizontal ski surface permitting skis to sink into the fluff fingers and track on the mat as a ski would do in natural snow. The "turn" fingers form a generally horizontal ski surface lower than the first-mentioned horizontal ski surface permitting skis to dig into the mat and "turn" thereon. Finally, the base ski support surface supports the skis when they dig down into the mat, such as when sufficient centrifugal force is created either in a dip or turn while skiing. In this manner, the effect of compaction of natural snow is created.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1.

Abstract: A method for producing carpeting of type having pile yarns adhesively bonded to a backing which comprises providing a thin flexible core member having longitudinal and transverse axes, winding a continuous yarn around the core member in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis so as to form a plurality of elongated loops conforming to the cross-sectional configuration of the core member, positioning the core member having the yarn wound thereon on a backing sheet so that the longitudinal axis is parallel to the sheet and the transverse axis is perpendicular to the sheet and so that one end of each of the loops contacts the backing sheet, adhering the end of the loops contacting the backing sheet to the backing sheet, cutting the other ends of the loops, and removing the core member.

Abstract: A flocked weatherstrip is provided for sealing the space between two relatively movable closure members such as sliding doors. The weatherstrip includes a plastic base strip mounting on one of the closure members and having a body of elongated fibers attached to a surface thereof for sealing engagement with the other closure member. The body of flocked fibers includes two groups of interspersed elongated fibers of common material having different deniers and lengths, whereby the body of fibers is of greatest density adjacent the surface of the strip.