Abstract: An apparatus and method for making a strong, high loft, low density nonwoven fabric from a web comprising at least about 5 percent bicomponent fibers, and the fabric formed thereby; wherein the web is superimposed on a first carrier belt, an open mesh belt is superimposed on the web, and the web and belts are caused to travel in a tensioned curvilinear path adjacent a heating means to heat fuse the low melting point component of the conjugate fibers to fibers in the web.

Abstract: A nonwoven fabric comprising at least 15 percent conjugate fibers having a low melting point component and method of making the same, said fabric comprising high loft regions immediately adjacent densified regions produced by compressing the web at a temperature below the softening point of the low melting point component of the conjugate fiber and at a temperature and pressure sufficient to deform and compact the conjugate fibers and compact the fibers of the web in only the densified regions.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for producing a fabric from a fibrous web comprising at least 5 percent thermoplastic fibers, said method comprising superimposing the web on a first carrier belt, superimposing a second carrier belt on the web, causing the web and belts to travel about at least two heated rolls, and cooling the web between the belts.

Abstract: A water impervious laminated material is described. A preferred embodiment comprises a three-layer plastic film sandwiched between and fuse bonded to two layers of conjugate fibers having a low melting sheath and a high melting core. The inner layer of the plastic film is relatively high melting while the two outer plies of the film are low melting. The sheaths of the conjugate fibers have been fuse bonded to the plastic film at a temperature below the melt temperature of the cores of the conjugate fibers so that the cores retain their initial fiber-like integrity.

Abstract: A water-impervious, smooth-surfaced, gas-permeable, bacterial barrier, repellent treated, laminated material is described. A preferred embodiment comprises a ply of hydrophobic microfine fibers fuse bonded to a layer of conjugate fibers having a low melting sheath and a high melting core. The ply of hydrophobic microfine fibers is low melting. The sheaths of the conjugate fibers have been fuse bonded to the hydrophobic microfine fibers at a temperature below the melt temperature of the cores of the conjugate fibers so that the cores retain their initial fiber-like integrity. The laminated material is preferably impregnated with both a repellent binder and a repellent finish to secure good repellency, lamination and peelability.

Abstract: A water impervious laminated material is described. A preferred embodiment comprises a three-layer plastic film sandwiched between and fuse bonded to two layers of conjugate fibers having a low melting sheath and a high melting core. The inner layer of the plastic film is relatively high melting while the two outer plies of the film are low melting. The sheaths of the conjugate fibers have been fuse bonded to the plastic film at a temperature below the melt temperature of the cores of the conjugate fibers so that the cores retain their initial fiber-like integrity.

Abstract: There is disclosed a fabric made up of short conjugate fusible fibers and longer, base fibers. The conjugate fibers have an exposed low melting point component having a lower melting point than the remainder of said fibers and said base fibers. In the method of the present invention, a web of short conjugate fibers and longer base fibers is passed through an entangling mechanism where the short fusible fibers are concentrated and intertwined in heavily entangled knot areas. The entangled web is heated to thermobond at least the low melting point component of the conjugate fibers to each other and preferably to the surrounding base fibers to reinforce and strengthen the fabric.

Abstract: A water impervious laminated material is described. A preferred embodiment comprises a three-layer plastic film sandwiched between and fuse bonded to two layers of conjugate fibers having a low melting sheath and a high melting core. The inner layer of the plastic film is relatively high melting while the two outer plies of the film are low melting. The sheaths of the conjugate fibers have been fuse bonded to the plastic film at a temperature below the melt temperature of the cores of the conjugate fibers so that the cores retain their initial fiber-like integrity.