Abstract: A fabric abrasion process comprises forwarding fabric along a path which brings a surface of the fabric in contact with a yieldable abrading element, for example, a roller, comprising abrasive particles supported by a yieldable body. Pressure is exerted on the fabric to urge it against the yieldable abrading element and cause a depression therein, thereby producing a pile on said surface of the fabric as the fabric passes over the abrading element. A machine for carrying out the process is also described.

Abstract: A presser foot, for a knitting machine having independently operable needles located in opposed needle beds, has a leading portion and a trailing portion extending rearwardly from the leading portion. The leading portion comprises a member with a smooth surface adapted to contact knitted loops when the presser foot is in use, the forward part of this smooth surface being higher than the rearward part and the two parts having a smooth transition between them. This member is adapted to resist deformation by the forces applied by knitted loops and is so shaped that the inclination of the forward part of said smooth surface which first contacts the knitted loops during relative movement of machine needles and presser foot, in use, is inclined to the direction of said relative movement at an angle less than 35.degree..

Abstract: In a flat V-bed knitting machine with independently operable needles there is provided a presser foot device comprising a presser foot carriage arranged for movement along the needle beds of the machine in synchronism with needle operation, and a support element extending down towards the gap between the walls of the needle beds and resiliently mounted in relation to the carriage for up-and-down movement.

Abstract: Bleached wood pulp is treated with a sulphite after bleaching and before or during flash drying to reduce the formation of nodules of agglomerated wood pulp fibres in the dried pulp, particularly in short fibre pulp from hard woods such as birch and eucalyptus. The sulphite is preferably added to the bleached pulp in the form of an aqueous solution of an alkali metal sulphite for example a 0.4 to 5 percent by weight solution of sodium sulphite. The process of the invention is particularly suitable for drying pulp which is at an acid pH due to residual acids remaining on the pulp from the bleaching process, for example pulp bleached by treatment with chlorine dioxide.

Abstract: A non-woven alginate fabric useful as a wound dressing is made by spreading a tow of calcium alginate filaments in a flow of water, overfeeding the spread filaments onto a water-pervious support so that the filaments cross over each other and drying the filaments so that the alginate filaments become bonded to each other at their points of contact where they cross over each other. The filaments used have preferably been stretched in an atmosphere of steam and water-washed but not dried and are preferably dried by suction on the water-pervious support.

Abstract: Cellulose ester fibres are dry-spun from a solution in an aliphatic carboxylic acid, which solution may comprise the product liquor of the carboxylation reaction used to form the cellulose ester. Spinnability is achieved by incorporating an organic fibre-forming carrier polymer such as poly(ethylene oxide) in the spinning dope. The process may be used to spin cellulose acetate fibres and is economical in avoiding the use of conventional acetate solvents and the various purification stages usually required after the acetate is formed by acetylation. Blow-spinning or centrifugal spinning may be used to spin fine fibres.

Abstract: A method of knitting a blank for a garment comprises the steps, carried out in a sequence involving knitting from one waist line to the other in the blank, of (a) knitting two front panels for the garment body with courses extending lengthwise of each front body panel and wales extending in the direction across each front body panel, in the finished garment; (b) knitting two sleeve panels for the garment with courses extending lengthwise of each sleeve panel; and (c) knitting a single rear panel for the garment body with courses extending across the rear panel and wales extending lengthwise of the rear panel. During the knitting, joins are formed between the front panels and the associated sleeve panels by a process involving the procedures of taking needles out of action while holding knitted loops on those needles, and then reintroducing the inactive needles to knitting action, at least one of said procedures being carried out progressively so that suture joins are produced.

Abstract: A presser foot for a knitting machine with independently operable needles has a cross-section which is triangular or approximately triangular.The presser foot may comprise two elements of strip-like form, for example of metallic sheet material, extending side-by-side in the longitudinal direction of the presser foot. These two elements are arranged so that longitudinally extending edges thereof which are intended to press on knitted loops and to be the lower longitudinally extending edges of the elements, in use, are more widely separated than the longitudinally extending edges of the elements located above them and intended to be the higher longitudinally extending edges, in use.

Abstract: A composite structure such as an aircraft brake disc has a matrix material reinforced by knitted panels of fabric arranged in a stack. The panels are knitted directly into the desired disc shape so that there is no fabric waste, by knitting a helix of fabric on a flat-bed weft knitting machine having a patterning mechanism which allows shaping and a presser foot or sinkers to hold the knitting down on the needles. The helix of fabric can be closed down to constitute the stack of disc panels directly or it can be separated into discrete disc panels by knitting in draw threads connecting successive windings of the helix. The disc panels may be knitted from oxidised acrylic yarn and then heated to carbonise the yarn. A stack of carbon fibre fabric panels may be embedded in a carbon matrix by carbon vapor deposition to form a brake disc.

Abstract: A filament yarn of greater than 60 percent extensibility is combined with a carrier yarn. The combined yarn is false-twisted under tension in a unit employing rotary friction elements so that the filaments of the extensible yarn break intermittently while the carrier yarn remains intact to produce a spun-like textured yarn. The tension during false-twisting may be increased to a level at which the broken filaments snarl and form slubs in the yarn. The process may be carried out with no heat setting of the false-twist to form crimps. Suitable extensible yarns include undrawn and partially-orientated yarns, polyamide and polyester yarns, and suitable carrier yarns include fully-drawn filament yarns and spun yarns.

Abstract: Underpants suitable for use by male persons, have a pouch for holding a fluid-absorbing pad, and a fly opening. The latter makes the underpants more acceptable to men and in some cases appears to give psychological help for reducing incontinence. The pouch is preferably external, with an impermeable outer panel to prevent leakage from the pad. The inner panel of the pouch is permeable and made of a hydrophobic fabric such as polyester to keep the wearer dry and comfortable. The fly opening is conveniently located at or adjacent to a side of the pouch at the front of the underpants. It may have a fastening.

Abstract: A method of knitting a blank for a sleeved garment wherein the blank is knitted in one piece in the form of a cross starting at the waist of a body panel, subsequently knitting fabric constituting a sleeve and shoulder region of the blank and finally knitting a further body panel in the direction from the neck region to the waist. In knitting the portion of the first body panel above the arm pit level, progressively shorter courses are formed and in knitting the portion of the further body panel above the arm pit level, progressively longer courses are formed, whereby the outer parts of the sleeve and shoulder fabric are inclined with respect to the courses in the body panels.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming a coherent and substantially uniform sheet of dry fibrous material comprises a feed conveyor arranged to receive and convey the fibrous material, a spreader, a collection conveyor positioned to receive and convey fibrous material discharged by the spreader and means for consolidating the fibrous material received by the collection conveyor. The spreader has a first member which comprises an assembly of blades extending across the feed conveyor and rotatable so that the blades at their lowest position are closely adjacent to the feed conveyor and rotate towards the fibrous material on the feed conveyor to lift the fibrous material off the feed conveyor, and a second member positioned so that fibrous material thus lifted off the conveyor is subjected to a fibre-separating action between the first and second members before being discharged from the spreader.

Abstract: A method of reducing the liquid content of air-permeable material in tubular form, especially for reducing the moisture content of tubular fabric, involves moving the tube of material longitudinally through a device for applying suction to the outer surface of the tube, either in a single area which extends all round the tube or in a plurality of areas which together extend substantially all round the tube.Means for carrying the method into effect may comprise one or more hollow members defining a frame to surround the tube of material from which liquid is to be removed. Each hollow member has apertures in its inwardly-facing wall, each of which apertures communicates with the hollow interior of its hollow member, and means is provided for creating a sub-atmospheric pressure in each hollow member.

Abstract: A water-based coating composition which emits very little pollutants on curing to a water-resistant coating comprises a synthetic resin containing free carboxyl groups held in solution or stable dispersion in water by an amine. The amine is a tertiary carbinamine containing at least two hydroxymethyl groups bonded to the carbon atom carrying the amine group. The coating compositions react with formaldehyde to produce stable fluid emulsion coating compositions having similar properties on curing. The coating compositions are used to coat substrates.

Abstract: A process for producing a consolidated sheet of substantially dry fibrous material, for example wood pulp, comprising supplying fibrous material, having a moisture content of not more than 30 percent by weight on the total weight of the fibrous material, to a hopper and onto a gas-pervious conveyor while drawing gas through the conveyor (and through the fibrous material thereon), carrying the dry fibrous material on the conveyor surface from the hopper beneath means for reducing upward protrusions therefrom to form a layer of the fibrous material and applying pressure to said layer to consolidate the fibrous material to form a coherent sheet.

Abstract: Wood pulp is dried by contacting it with heated air and subjecting the air and pulp to turbulence in a dryer comprising relatively contrarotating members which intermesh on rotation so that dried wood pulp fibres are suspended in the air issuing from the dryer. The heated air is produced by heating air in a burner to a temperature of from 300.degree. to 600.degree. C. by burning a fuel in the air.The dried wood pulp fibres are separated from the air and a portion of the air thus separated is recycled to the burner. The air admitted to the burner comprises fresh air and recycled air, the proportion of fresh air being such that the heated air contacting the pulp has an oxygen content of less than 10 percent by volume. The use of recycled air reduces the risk of fire when drying the wood pulp.

Abstract: A yarn take-up mechanism for a knitting machine, especially a flat V-bed knitting machine comprises a yarn take-up arm pivotally mounted at one end on a stanchion and urged by a spring to pivot so that its other end moves away from the stanchion. Said other end of the arm carries a movable yarn guide and the yarn path in the take-up mechanism is from a fixed yarn guide on the stanchion through the movable yarn guide and back to the other fixed guide on the stanchion, the fixed guides being close together and adjacent the location of the movable guide when it is in the position closest to the stanchion. The end of the take-up arm carrying the movable yarn guide is flexible whereas the remainder of the arm is stiff.

Abstract: Sulphur is stabilized in a form wholly or partially insoluble in carbon disulphide by incorporating therewith a dixanthogen of the formula ##STR1## wherein R and R.sup.1 are each independently an alkyl, cycloalkyl, aralkyl or aryl group and may be substituted by halogen or alkoxy and n is 2 or 4. The insoluble sulphur can for example be plastic sulphur or white sulphur or substantially wholly insoluble sulphur derived therefrom. The sulphur is particularly useful in the vulcanization of rubber.

Abstract: A facing or lining material of a thermoplastic such as polypropylene is provided with a key fabric bonded to its reverse face so that a reinforcing material such as fibre-reinforced resin or hydraulic cement can be bonded to it. The key fabric is a pile fabric made for example by tufting, and the pile fibres can be embedded in the reinforcement material to provide a strong bond. Glass fibres are suitable for the pile and are made of alkali-resistant glass for use with cement reinforcement. The composite material can be used for lining vessels, tanks, ducts and pipes in chemical plant and as an external or internal facing material for buildings.