Abstract: A flexible, moisture-impervious package for moistened webs includes a pocket portion and a flap section. The pocket portion includes an interior compartment in which the moistened webs are retained. A weakened region provided in a top wall of the pocket portion defines a plug section that is separate from surrounding sections of the top wall to form a dispensing opening through which the moistened webs can be removed. The flap section has a pressure sensitive adhesive layer on an inwardly facing surface, and this adhesive layer is adhered to the top wall in at least the plug section and the wall sections surrounding the plug section.

Abstract: A sheet material dispensing apparatus wherein the sheet passes through a nip formed by a drive roller and a pressure roller. A lever is mounted for rotation about a first point and a gear segment is mounted for rotation about a second point. When the lever is rotated, a point or surface on the lever slidingly contacts a point or surface on the gear segment causing the gear segment to rotate through a greater angle than the lever. The teeth of the gear segment are operably engaged with gear means which causes rotation of the drive roller. In another aspect of the invention, the gear means for rotating the drive roller includes a floating gear mounted in a slot that is aligned generally parallel to the teeth of the gear segment and which causes rotation of the drive roller during one direction of travel of the gear segment and is disengaged from the drive roller during the other direction of travel of the lever.

Abstract: A liquid impregnating system for impregnating, with a liquid, absorbent, compressible product maintained at least in part within the interior compartment of a tub or other container. The impregnating operation is carried out by compressing the product to increase the residence volume in the tub for the impregnating liquid, and directing the liquid into engagement with the product while it is maintained in its compressed condition. Most preferably, the product is a stack of absorbent sheets and the compressing operation is carried out by pressing downwardly on the uppermost sheet of the stack in localized areas intermediate end margins to cause end margins of at least some adjacent sheets in the stack to fan apart. This increases the accessibility of absorbent surface area within the stack to the impregnating liquid.

Abstract: Disclosed is an improved lithographic plate processing apparatus which comprises means for moving an exposed lithographic plate through the apparatus on an uphill slope, developer means within the apparatus for applying a developer liquid to the plate as it moves through the apparatus, and gumming means within the apparatus for applying gum to the plate after it has been developed, the gumming means including a baffle member under which the plate passes in contact and which forms a dam to hold a puddle of gum on the plate and against the baffle member, and spray means for spraying the gum onto the plate, the improvement comprising, as part of the gumming means, a rotatable gumming scrub brush between the baffle member and the spray means and in a position to scrub the plate when it passes thereunder.

Abstract: A conversion solution for zinc oxide coated electrophotographic master printing plates is provided containing triethylenetetramine or ethylenediamine which replaces the normally used ferrocyanide in conventional EP master conversions solutions.

Abstract: An apparatus for increasing the width, or cross-machine-direction dimension of a fluid-entrained (e.g. air-entrained) stream of fibers prior to depositing the fibers on a foraminous forming surface to form a fibrous web structure. A rotatable spreading roll intercepts the open downstream end of a conveying duct through which the fluid-entrained stream of fibers is directed, and this roll includes a plurality of axially spaced disks providing flow-directing channels between them. The rotational axis of the spreading roll is oriented obliquely to the duct so that the lateral dimension of flow-directing channels between laterally spaced-apart duct sidewalls is greater than the width of the duct at its open downstream end, as measured generally normal to the direction of fiber flow through the duct.

Abstract: An apparatus for increasing the width, or cross-machine-direction dimension of a fluid-entrained (e.g., air-entrained) stream of fibers to form a fibrous web that is wider than the stream of fibers. A rotatable spreading roll having a foraminous outer surface obliquely intercepts the open downstream end of a conveying duct through which the fluid-entrained stream of fibers is directed, and an intermediate web, wider than the stream of fiber in the first conveying duct, is deposited on this foraminous surface. The spreading roll is rotated to direct the intermediate web into communication with the upstream end of a second conveying duct, and a pressure differential established through the apparatus functions to relaunch the fibers of the intermediate web into the second conveying duct, and ultimately onto a foraminous forming surface to form a fibrous web product that is wider than the initially formed stream of fibers in the first conveying duct.

Abstract: Disclosed is a release sheet having on at least one of its outer surfaces a dried and cured coating composition comprising a release agent, a cross-linkable thermoplastic resin, and a water dispersible organic compound containing polyoxyethylene, polyoxypropylene, or a block copolymer of polyoxyethylene and polyoxypropylene.

Abstract: Chemicals produced during pulping operations are recovered and separated by passing chemical-containing liquors from said operations through one or more units containing activated carbon. The chemicals are recovered from said units by introducing a solvent into said unit and separating the materials removed therefrom in a fractionating column.

Abstract: Heat activated, fabric conditioning products are made by impregnating a thick, absorbent substrate with fabric-conditioner chemicals. Such products are designed for use at elevated temperatures encountered in laundry dryers. This invention provides a process for impregnating the substrate with liquid fabric conditioning chemicals. By limiting the volume of impregnate in contact with the substrate during compression of the substrate in a nip, precise control is obtained over both the quantity of impregnate and the uniformity of the impregnate in the substrate. It is critical that the volume of impregnate available at the nip be limited to a volume equal to or less than the apparent void volume of the substrate when compressed to a thickness equal to the nip gap.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for directing a foamed material, such as a foamed binder, across the lateral dimension of a moving surface in a uniform and controlled metered flow. In accordance with the method the foamed material is fed into an interior compartment of an applicator unit and is spread laterally as it moves through the compartment toward a laterally extending metering flow gap. After being laterally spread the foamed material is metered in a uniform, controlled manner across the lateral dimension of the moving surface. The applicator unit of this invention has a housing that includes a body portion and a door portion movable relative to each other to form, in a closed condition, the interior compartment that receives the foamed material. The body portion and door portion also aid in forming the laterally extending metering flow gap in communication with the interior compartment, and a passage extends through a wall of the housing to permit the foamed material to be introduced into the applicator unit.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for forming a strong, soft, fibrous sheet material having substantial stretch in all directions in its own plane, by formimg a web of cellulosic fibers having a basis weight of from about 5 to about 55 pounds per ream of 2,880 square feet, adhering one surface of the web to a creping surface in a fine pattern arrangement by a bonding material adhered to one surface of the web and to the creping surface in the fine pattern arrangement, and creping the web from the creping surface to form the sheet material. Sheet materials formed by the above method are also disclosed.

Abstract: A nonwoven absorbent structure usable by itself, as a wiper for example, or usable in combination with other elements, such as an internal absorbent member of a disposable diaper. The absorbent structure includes a dry-formed fibrous section in which the average fiber length is about 1.2 millimeters or longer, and a liquid-transmitting layer of particulate material associated with at least one surface of the fibrous section and having a density greater than that of the fibrous section. At least 50% of the particles, by weight, are of a size that will pass through a 48 mesh screen, and the particulate material is chemically bonded together to form the liquid-transmitting layer(s). Particles of the layer(s) are located between fibers at and adjacent the associated surface(s) of the fibrous section to form a zone in which particles and fibers are intermixed.

Abstract: Densified regions are formed in a low integrity dry-formed nonwoven fibrous web by embossing a front surface of the web with spaced-apart raised surfaces of an embossing roll. The web is embossed to the extent that the densified regions will transmit a treating fluid completely through their thickness to the front surface of the web while non-densified or high loft regions will not. Simultaneously with the embossing, treating fluid from a treating fluid conveying surface is applied to a rear surface of the web. The fluid migrates completely through the thickness of the web to the front surface in substantially only the densified regions of the web.The product of this invention is a dry-formed web having a basis weight in the range of about 0.5 oz./yds..sup.2 to about 8.0 oz./yds..sup.2. A surface of the web has an undulate profile including high loft regions and valley regions. The density of the web in the high loft regions is less than about 0.10 gr.

Abstract: A nonwoven, self-sustaining, absorbent fabric comprising a batt of randomly arranged, intermingled cellulosic fibers has a plurality of high loft, loosely compacted regions separated from each other by highly compressed regions. An adhesive material penetrates through the compressed regions to form bonded fiber networks extending completely through the batt, and said adhesive material only partially penetrates through said high loft regions whereby the fibers in the interiors of said high loft regions are unbonded by said adhesive so that said regions are highly absorbent. A method of manufacturing the above-described nonwoven fabric by moistening opposed surfaces of a loosely compacted, randomly oriented cellulosic fiber batt, embossing said moistened batt for providing a pattern in said surfaces, applying an adhesive to the patterned surfaces of the batt and setting said adhesive.

Abstract: A presensitized planographic printing plate which is imaged by exposure to conventional ultraviolet light sources through a mask which is formed on the surface of the plate by means of a laser beam.

Abstract: A disposable, compactable moisture-impervious package for dispensing a stack of premoistened sheets has a pocket portion and a flap portion, each made of a pliable and compactable moisture-impervious material. The pocket portion has first and second walls adhered to each other to provide a compartment between them for receiving the stack of sheets. The sheets are retained in the compartment with their flat surfaces generally parallel to the first and second walls of the pocket. A dispensing opening is provided in one of the walls of the pocket overlying the flat surfaces of the sheets, and a primary seal for the opening prevents the undesirable evaporation of moisture from the sheets. The flap portion of the package extends from a wall of the pocket portion, and is removably securable over the dispensing opening to provide a secondary moisture-impervious seal after the primary seal has been broken.

Abstract: This invention relates to a carding process for forming a nonwoven fibrous structure including a blend of short fibers under 1/4 inch in length and longer reinforcing fibers. In accordance with the process fibers are separated from a fibrous feed by engaging the feed with projections on the periphery of a main carding drum that is rotating at a surface speed of at least 12,500 feet/minute. The rotating main drum directs the fibers into a working section in which projections on rotating worker and turner satellite rolls cooperate with the projections on the main drum to individualize the fibers and blend them together. The necessary interaction between the projections of the main drum and the projections of the satellite rolls to both individualize and blend the fibers is achieved by pressurizing the working section to a level that minimizes undesirable air flow characteristics about the satellite rolls.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for reducing the density and increasing the bulk of a fibrous web having an initial basis weight between 20 and 60 pounds per ream and an initial nondirectional breaking length between 50 and 500 meters.The web is loosely placed between a pair of wire screens. The screens and the web are then transported past a nozzle assembly that impinges a gaseous medium onto the surface of the web with sufficient velocity so that the fibrous web is decompacted throughout the entire thickness of the web.