Abstract: A light weight, low density absorbent structure suitable for use in disposable absorbent products which is formed from a fibrous web of cellulose and cellulose acetate fibers. The fibrous web is treated with a triacetin solvent and heat cured to bond the fibers. The absorbent structure has excellent structural integrity and an absorbent capacity and strength which is equal to or exceeds that of absorbent structures having twice the basis weight.

Abstract: A process for making mechanically expanded fiber from fibrous material having a fibrillar ultrastructure. The expanded fiber is made by impacting the fibrous material with a plurality of fine media. Impacting by the fine media causes the fibers to expand from a fibrous form to a highly fibrillated form, wherein fibrils separate from, or become substantially disassociated from, the fibrous material ultrastructure. Cellulosic fibrous material is particularly applicable to the process. Cellulosic fibrous material is preferably impacted with fine media at least until the cellulose-containing phase of an aqueous slurry containing 0.5%, by weight, of cellulosic material will retain at least fifty percent of the initial volume of such cellulose-containing phase upon unagitated settling for a period of sixty minutes.

Abstract: Antibacterial cleansing products comprise from about 0.001% to about 50% of a bisbiguanide bactericidal substance, and from about 0.05% to about 99% of specific nonionic surfactants.

Abstract: A process for imparting antimicrobial properties to a material comprises applying to the material an external binder system having dissolved therein a salt of a monocarboxylate antimicrobial agent, and then applying to the material a water-proofing treatment having dissolved therein a substantially nonantimicrobial proton donor.

Abstract: Described herein is a vehicle-mounted tree harvesting machine. The tree harvesting machine includes a shear which cuts the trees and is arranged so that its cutting motion tends to direct the trees to fall by gravity into a bunching means in alignment with the shear. Once in the bunching means the cut trees are held there by a cantilevered bar. The harvesting vehicle then can move from cutting site to cutting site dragging the cut trees behind it. When the bunching means is full the cantilevered bar can be opened and the vehicle moved forward leaving the cut trees behind in a neat bunch.

Abstract: A folded surgical drape has protective flaps which protect against potential contamination of the sterile, operation-side surface of the drape. For a drape that is commonly folded in the lateral direction utilizing fan folds such that two juxtaposed stacks of panels are formed, an extra flap of material is retained at the top of each fan folded stack which is folded down along the side of each stack adjacent to the other stack and tucked between the lowermost pair of drape panels of the stack.

Abstract: A two piece belt system for use on a back closure surgical gown has a lefthand belt section with one end fixed to the gown front at about waist level. The lefthand belt section is removably retained in a tunnel-like pouch attached to the front of the gown. The righthand belt section is attached to the outer edge of the right rear flap of the gown at about waist level; its free end is releasably attached to a card-like transfer device. The transfer device is removably retained in the pouch.

Abstract: A surgical gown sleeve has a polymeric material as an outer surface layer of at least a portion of the sleeve. A collar of material is attached to the lower forearm region of the sleeve and overlies a portion of the sleeve. The collar prevents roll-down of the cuff of a surgical glove which is pulled over it.

Abstract: Described herein is a drape for covering an overhead table. The drape includes a doubled flap connected to the underside of each of a first pair of juxtaposed stacks of panels made by folds around parallel fold lines, in turn shortened transversely from each end to form a second pair of stacks of panels. The folded drape is positioned adjacent a reference edge of the table to be draped, and transversely unfolded so that the fold lines of each stack of the first pair of stacks are parallel to the table edge. The reference edge is covered, preparatory to positioning of the table, by the doubled flap which is folded atop one of first pair of stacks. The edges other than the reference edge can then be draped by unfolding one of the stacks of panels to cover them. The flap is held in position hanging over the reference edge of the table by the weight of the unfolded stack of panels above the flap and by the rest of the drape.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a wrap for a sterile article. The wrap is a sheet which encases the article to be wrapped by means of at least two inward folds, forming panels atop the article to be shielded. One of these panels has attached to it a member which extends underneath the package from a point on the panel spaced from its inward fold line so that the article can be unwrapped by reaching under the wrapped article and grabbing the member. By pulling the member towards the user with the package oriented with the panel that is attached to the member away from the user, the package can be unwrapped without reaching over and contaminating the exposed sterile article.

Abstract: A belt package for a surgical gown is disclosed in which a belt is fan-folded within a tubular belt support and one belt end is folded over and temporarily attached to the front of the belt support. The folded over belt end includes a line of weakness situated a short distance from the tip of the belt end to form a detachable portion useful in insuring sterility. The belt end is folded over by first folding the detachable portion against the rest of the belt end at a point on the belt near the weakened line but between the line and the point of exit of belt from the belt support. The detachable portion is then folded against the belt support face by a fold in the belt near the point of exit from the belt support. The end is temporarily attached to the belt support at point between the line of weakness and the first fold.

Abstract: A tufted material is disclosed having a primary tufting substrate made up of layers of molecularly oriented film. The layers are laminated together in a generally undisturbed condition so that at least two layers have directions of molecular orientation that are perpendicular. The layers are molecularly oriented to the point of splitting parallel to the direction of said molecular orientation under the tufting needles, allowing the needles to penetrate easily, securing the tufts in place, and resulting in good tuft registration.

Abstract: A stabilized absorbent rayon web which may be used alone or which may serve as outer plies for absorbent structures. The rayon web may be a spunbonded web or an air laid, wet laid or carded web of staple length or longer fibers, with substantial fiber orientation in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the web by virtue of the way in which the web is formed or by virtue of mechanical or hydraulic needling. The thermoplastic web is melted into the rayon web from the bottom surface thereof to a controlled penetration depth of from about 10% to about 40% and preferably from about 10% to about 25%. As a result, the cross over points of the rayon fibers are effectively stabilized from the bottom of the rayon web to the controlled penetration depth therein while the aesthetics of the upper surface of the rayon web are undisturbed. The thermoplastic web may be of any appropriate polymer and any structural form having an open area of at least about 40%.

Abstract: Strong, low basis weight, spontaneously dispersible sheets of modified cellulosic fibers. The sheets are prepared from modified cellulosic fibers such as cross-linked carboxymethyl cellulose or essentially acidic sodium carboxymethyl cellulose. Mixtures of modified fibers with unmodified fibers are also disclosed. The process of preparing the sheets comprises the steps of airlaying the fibers to form an airfelt, increasing the moisture content of the airfelt, and compacting the moisturized airfelt.

Abstract: Wet-laid sheets of softwood high yield fibers in combination with hardwood high yield fibers. The sheets, which are strong enough to be handled by commercial equipment, are formed on conventional papermaking machines using a furnish comprising a major proportion of softwood high yield fibers in admixture with a minor proportion of hardwood high yield fibers. The hardwood high yield fibers are specially prepared by a procedure comprising treating hardwood with relatively high levels of chemicals under relative stringent conditions and defibrating the treated hardwood with relatively high levels of power input. Airfelts made from these sheets exhibit low wet densities. Processes for making the sheets and the airfelts are also provided.

Abstract: A single-use, nonwoven surgical gown having a bib at the chest area configured to provide a sterile hand support pocket in the aseptic zone and an additional barrier layer in the critical chest area to guard against microbial transmission. The bib may also be configured to provide a belt tunnel within which a wraparound belt may be attached and stored and which will allow for vertical adjustment of the belt while providing the surgical gown with a clear and unencumbered front. The bib is attached to the inside of the gown front with access to the hand support pocket and bib tunnel through appropriately located slits in the gown front.

Abstract: A surgical head drape of a single sheet of flexible material which is a barrier to bacterial migration provided with a pair of opposed and spaced apart side slits extending oppositely inwardly of both side edges to define a connecting tab portion integrally connecting a base sheet panel portion adapted to be inserted under the patient's head and covering the head end portion of an operating table with a turban sheet panel portion adapted to be wrapped around the patient's head with the turban sheet panel portion folded to overlie the base sheet panel portion during initial presentation (i.e., approach to the patient). The slits are dog-legged or jogged at the inner end portion thereof defining an offset connecting fold line therebetween and the drape is folded therearound to position the turban sheet panel portion on the base sheet panel portion with the leading edges of the base and turban sheet panel portions being offset so that the base sheet panel portion extends beyond the turban sheet panel portion.

Abstract: A liquid impervious cuff assembly for a disposable surgical gown or the like comprising a stockinette folded back upon itself to form a double-walled, substantially cylindrical cuff envelope folded at its forward end, open at its rearward end and having inner and outer walls. A layer of liquid impervious material is located between the inner and outer walls of the cuff envelope. The open end of the cuff envelope and the fluid impervious layer between the wall thereof are attached to the free end of a surgical gown sleeve. This attachement may be accomplished by sewing the inner wall, the liquid impervious layer and the outer wall at the open end of the cuff envelope to the free end of the surgical sleeve. The cuff assembly may be adhesively attached to the free end of the gown sleeve.

Abstract: Improved tissue, continuous filament nonwoven laminates which are characterized by relatively high strength or toughness, relatively high loft and drape together with low noise or paper-like rattle. The improved tissue, continuous filament nonwoven laminates, while exhibiting a relatively high strength, are comprised of a low tensile strength, low basis weight, lightly bonded or unbonded layer of continuous filament nonwoven which is impregnated with about 50% to about 120%, based on the continuous filament nonwoven layer basis weight, of soft, tacky latex solids. The impregnated continuous filament nonwoven is combined under minimum combining pressures, while in the impregnated moist state between at least two, soft absorbent tissue facing layers prior to drying the laminate and curing the latex solids.

Abstract: A moist pulp fiberization device wherein picked moist pulp enters a tubular chamber behind a fiberizing blade mounted coaxially within the chamber, the fiberizing blade being configured to produce a turbulent vortex with little, if any, pressure differential within the chamber, the flow of pulp through the chamber being induced and controlled by drawing a vacuum on the trailing end of the chamber and providing an adjustable orifice plate intermediate the fiberizing blade and the trailing end of the chamber; if required, the fibers withdrawn from the chamber may be successively introduced into one or more additional chambers of like configuration to effect substantially complete fiber separation, whereupon the separated fibers are discharged for subsequent processing and use.