Abstract: Non-woven double layer industrial textiles comprising a plurality of interconnected selectively slit and profiled panels formed from suitable sheet or film materials. Each panel includes two fold regions at each end. Each fold region has an array of slots and strips which form hem loops and hem loop-receiving openings by folding each region beneath and toward the panel body. The panel further includes two seam regions at a central portion of the panel, which when folded, provide seam loops and seam loop receiving openings. Outside free edges of the end fold regions are returned and sealed interior to the double layer so as to avoid fraying of free ends. Each seam region of the folded panel is interconnectable with the corresponding seam region of adjacent similar folded panels by means of a seam connecting member. Additional panels composed of heat- or wear-resistant material can be connected to lateral outside edges of panels forming the textile.

Abstract: A papermaking fabric is treated by applying a nanoparticle type coating to improve their resistance to contamination by foreign matter in the papermaking system. The coating is applied during fabric manufacture and cured during heat setting. Alternatively, the coating applied or renewed by utilizing an existing shower or locating a spray boom or other suitable coating application device in the dryer section to apply the coating to the fabric in a controlled, uniform manner. Prior to application of the coating, the fabric is first thoroughly cleaned such as by showering or spraying, and then dried. Following controlled application of the coating, any excess material is removed by a suitable means, such as by vacuum, and the remaining coating on the fabric is then cured, either by utilizing the ambient heat of the dryer section or by a portable bank of heaters. In this manner, the fabric does not have to be removed from the machine in order to apply or renew the contaminant resistant coating.

Abstract: A non-contacting air seal device is provided in order to reduce or minimize the ingress of external air into a fluid spray apparatus for applying a fluid coating to a moving web in a papermaking machine. The air seal device includes two air seal assemblies located in tandem with convexly curved web facing surfaces arranged offset in a direction of travel of the web and in opposing relation to one another to define an S-shaped sinusoidal path along which the web travels as it passes through the seal device and wraps a portion of each of the convexly curved web facing surface as it either enters into or exits from the fluid spray apparatus. Each air seal assembly includes a roll, a rod, or a shoe that forms the convexly curved surface over which the web passes in a non-contacting manner on an air cushion which also minimizes ingress of both ambient and boundary layer air external to the fluid spray apparatus.

Abstract: A seaming element for an industrial textile, a textile with seaming elements, and a method. The seaming element has first and second end regions, a fold line in an intermediate fold region, and outer and inner surfaces. Each end region comprises slits extending from the outer surface through to the inner surface, defining protrusions which provide a profile to at least one of the surfaces. Apertures aligned along the fold line define a plurality of land areas. When the seaming element is folded along the fold line, the land areas form a plurality of loops defining a channel. When the seaming element is secured at each end region to a first end of the industrial textile, the loops are interdigitatable with corresponding loops on a compatible seaming element at a second end of the industrial textile, to define a single aligned channel to receive a securing means.

Abstract: A nozzle assembly with a self-cleaning face is provided, having a nozzle body with a liquid flow path defined therethrough with an inlet and a spray outlet. The nozzle body is mounted in a carrier body, and an annular gas flow channel is located about the nozzle body with a gas discharge outlet defined around the spray outlet. A porous surface is located about the annular gas flow channel at the gas discharge outlet. A racliused surface is formed in the carrier body at the air discharge outlet. A pathway is in communication with the porous surface and adapted to provide a low velocity fluid discharge from the porous surface. A spray device and method are also provided using the nozzle assembly with the self-cleaning face. An adaptor for retrofitting an existing nozzle is also provided.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a seaming element for attachment to an industrial textile. The industrial textile has opposed first and second seamable edge regions, while the seaming element has: i) a first lateral edge; ii) a second lateral edge; iii) a trailing edge; iv) a forward portion comprising a plurality of protruding seaming with successive loops spaced apart by an aperture, and v) a rearward portion continuous with the forward portion, with the rearward portion comprising an upper member and a lower member. The upper and lower members are substantially planar and have mutually opposed inner surfaces, with a portion of each inner surface bonded to the industrial textile at a selected one of the first and second seamable edge regions. At least one of the upper and lower member comprises one or more slits between the first lateral edge and the second lateral edge, with the one or more slits extending from the respective trailing edge in a direction towards the forward portion of the seaming element.

Abstract: A papermaker's through-air dryer (TAD) fabric for use in the production of tissue and towel products. The fabric is woven according to a 10-shed, semi-duplex weave design in which the warp and weft yarns are arranged so as to form pockets of at least two differing sizes in a first planar fabric surface. The pockets are designed and arranged to impart a measure of bulk and absorbency to the paper products conveyed thereon by providing MD oriented recesses in the PS fabric surface into which a portion of the component fibers of the paper products formed on the fabric are deflected during manufacture.

Abstract: A press felt formed of two stacked layers of woven single layer base fabric, each layer being formed by warp yarns interwoven with two systems of weft yarns according to a single layer weave pattern. The layers are needled with a batt layer. In the woven single layer base fabric: a) the warp yarns are polymeric monofilaments arranged as a single layer and there are two systems of weft yarns; b) the first system of weft yarns are formed by cabled polymeric monofilaments and the second system of well yarns are single polymeric monofilaments; c) the cabled polymeric monofilaments are 50% to 85% in one repeat; d) the cabled monofilaments are each formed of at least two monofilaments which are cabled together; and e) at least two of the cabled well yarns in each repeat are adjacent to each other.

Abstract: A nonwoven industrial textile for conveying in an industrial process, seaming elements and methods of manufacture. The textile comprises at least first and second layers of film. Each layer comprises protrusions separated by land areas and each defining an aperture for a flow path through the layer. For at least one of the layers, the protrusions comprise a first set having first and second ends integral with contiguous land areas, and at least a second set of protrusions each comprising a first end integral with a contiguous land area and an opposing second end having a configuration selected from a detached free end; and a weakened end portion integral with but detachable from a contiguous land area in response to strain. The construction allows for relative movement of the layers during travel over machine components such as rolls, reducing internal strain and risk of delamination.

Abstract: A seaming element for an industrial textile and a method of manufacture. The seaming element comprises an elongate body folded along its length at a folded connection region comprising a plurality of channeled protrusions securable to corresponding channeled protrusions of a complementary seaming element affixed to an opposing seamable edge. First and second body members extend from respective edges of the folded connection region, each body member being directly securable to the first seamable edge. At least one of the body members comprises a longitudinal profiled region proximate and substantially parallel to a free edge of the respective member. The method includes providing an array of apertures to form the channeled protrusions, and the profiled region is formed in a progressive roll forming process. The seaming element enables improved consistency and reliability of bonding of the element to the textile by laser welding, adhesives or other methods.

Abstract: A seamed press felt formed from a base fabric material including MD yarns arranged in two superimposed layers joined by the MD yarns at CD folds at opposing ends thereof to form a continuous unbroken tube-like structure. The MD yarns form loops at the folds to define a pintle channel. A generally planar yarn assembly including an array of polymeric yarns bonded to an elastic carrier material that is extensible by at least 1% is located inside the base fabric with the yarns of the array oriented in the CD. A high surface contact area material is bonded to the elastic carrier material at both exterior MD ends adjacent to the MD loops at the folds. Each of the MD ends is anchored in a fixed position adjacent to the loops at the folds. A pintle extends through the channel defined by intermeshing the loops from the opposing ends.

Abstract: A profiled film structure, textiles comprising at least two layers of the structure, and methods of making the structure and textiles. Each film layer is profiled with regularly arranged protrusions, separated by planar land areas. Portions of at least one side wall of the protrusions are slit to create apertures extending through the film and top members forming coplanar latching means extending over the apertures. When the upper surface of a first layer of the film is brought into contiguous relationship with the upper surface of a second layer of the film, and the protrusions of each of the respective layers are aligned between adjacent protrusions of the other layer, the latching means of each layer are received and retained within the apertures of the opposing layer, resulting in an efficiently assembled self-locking structure having selectable permeability for fluid flow through the structure.

Abstract: A seaming element for seaming industrial textiles for filtration or other uses, an industrial textile with seaming elements, and a method of seaming such textiles. The seaming element is secured to a first seamable end or edge of the fabric, and includes at least one extension member, which can be a channelled protrusion, and which is engageable with a corresponding at least one extension member of a corresponding seaming element secured to the second seamable end or edge. The seaming elements are configured and dimensioned so that when the extensions or protrusions of the two seaming elements are aligned together and engaged, in some embodiments being secured by a pintle, they have a thickness which is compatible with the caliper of the finished fabric, to form a secure seam while avoiding or minimizing any discontinuity or irregularity in the finished fabric.

Abstract: A seamed press felt formed from a base fabric material including MD yarns arranged in two superimposed layers joined by the MD yarns at CD folds at opposing ends thereof to form a continuous unbroken tube-like structure. The MD yarns form loops at the folds to define a pintle channel. A generally planar yarn assembly including an array of polymeric yarns bonded to an elastic carrier material that is extensible by at least 1% is located inside the base fabric with the yarns of the array oriented in the CD. A high surface contact area material is bonded to the elastic carrier material at both exterior MD ends adjacent to the MD loops at the folds. Each of the MD ends is anchored in a fixed position adjacent to the loops at the folds. A pintle extends through the channel defined by intermeshing the loops from the opposing ends.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a seaming element for attachment to an industrial textile. The industrial textile has opposed first and second seamable edge regions, while the seaming element has: i) a first lateral edge; ii) a second lateral edge; iii) a trailing edge; iv) a forward portion comprising a plurality of protruding seaming with successive loops spaced apart by an aperture, and v) a rearward portion continuous with the forward portion, with the rearward portion comprising an upper member and a lower member. The upper and lower members are substantially planar and have mutually opposed inner surfaces, with a portion of each inner surface bonded to the industrial textile at a selected one of the first and second seamable edge regions. At least one of the upper and lower member comprises one or more slits between the first lateral edge and the second lateral edge, with the one or more slits extending from the respective trailing edge in a direction towards the forward portion of the seaming element.

Abstract: A press felt formed of two stacked layers of woven single layer base fabric, each layer being formed by warp yarns interwoven with two systems of weft yarns according to a single layer weave pattern. The layers are needled with a batt layer. In the woven single layer base fabric: a) the warp yarns are polymeric monofilaments arranged as a single layer and there are two systems of weft yarns; b) the first system of weft yarns are formed by cabled polymeric monofilaments and the second system of well yarns are single polymeric monofilaments; c) the cabled polymeric monofilaments are 50% to 85% in one repeat; d) the cabled monofilaments are each formed of at least two monofilaments which are cabled together; and e) at least two of the cabled well yarns in each repeat are adjacent to each other.

Abstract: A seaming element for seaming an industrial textile, an industrial textile, and a method of seaming. A first region of the seaming element comprises at least one securing member, and a second region is securable to the textile. Spaced-apart protrusions in the securing members are interdigitatable with corresponding protrusions in an opposing element, or the other seamable edge of the textile. Opposing protrusions are interdigitated to define first and second channels for securing means. Where the seaming element has two or more securing members, the protrusions of the outer securing member are aligned with those of an inner securing member of the opposing element, and the protrusions of an inner securing member are aligned with those of the outer securing member of the opposing element. Where the securing means is a pintle, the free ends can be inserted back into the channel to secure the seam.

Abstract: A woven single layer papermakers' fabric, having a sheet support surface and a machine side surface, comprises a set of monofilament machine direction (MD) oriented warp yarns interwoven with a set of monofilament weft yarns in a ten shed repeating weave pattern, wherein in each repeat of the repeating weave pattern, at least 50% of the warp yarns each forms in the sheet support surface at least one long float over nine consecutive weft yarns. Adjacent long floats define elongated MD oriented pockets in the sheet support surface. The fabrics provide improved properties for forming and conveying topographically patterned products such as tissue.