Abstract: A method of manufacturing brush components is disclosed wherein an array of bristles which may either be loosely arranged in which case they should be substantially aligned or may be in the form of a knitted or woven tape is overlain by a membrane e.g. a polythene or polypropylene sheet, the bristles and membrane then being bent through 180.degree. about the center line of the array into a generally U-shaped configuration and subsequently held in that position by clamping means e.g. a metal channel or an extruded plastics beading. Preferably a strengthening wire is located over the top of the membrane and within the U at the base thereof.

Abstract: Methods of manufacturing brush components are disclosed in which a plurality of predetermined lengths of brush bristle formed of synthetic resinous material are fed from a supply into the nip of at least one pair of endless haul-off belts so that the bristles are arranged substantially uniformly and parallel to each other with their ends in line. In one construction a single pair of haul-off belts having a width which is less than the bristles is used, the bristles projecting beyond the sides of the belts, and the thus formed bristle array is fed into an extruder whereupon a plastics material is extruded over the projecting ends of the bristles to hold them together and/or the ends are fused together, the resultant product, on emerging from the ends of the belts, then being slit centrally to provide two endless components.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing brush components and the brushes themselves is disclosed, wherein a woven brush fabric is formed, the wefts being provided by tows made up of a plurality of bristle filaments, for example polypropylene mono-filaments, and the warps being made up of polyester yarn, the woven material subsequently having beads of molten polymeric material extruded therein, transverse to the wefts and being slit transverse to the wefts, either before or after the extrusion operation, thus providing a plurality of brush tapes or components which can then be assembled into a holder either on their own or together with other strips, using the extruded polymeric material as a locking bead engaging in a groove in the holder.Preferably, before or during the extrusion step, the fabric is heated to at least soften it, and preferably fuse the filaments together, in the vicinity of the extruded beads. It is also envisaged that heating without extrusion could be used.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing brushes wherein two brush tapes which are formed of synthetic resinous material and incorporate a plurality of bristle filaments held together by a knitting operation or a weaving operation or by means of an extruded bead are arranged adjacent each other and held in this relationship by means of a bead of synthetic resinous material running along one side edge of the tapes. This bead may be extruded around the adjacent edges of the tapes or if beads of plastics material are already present on the tapes, may be formed by fusing the two beads together. There may be more than two adjacent tapes which may be arranged side-by-side or at an angle to each other or spaced apart and the construction of the tapes can be the same or different. Furthermore, one or more barrier layers may be located between the tapes. It is even envisaged that un-beaded tapes could be fused together, and the bead would then be formed by a forming operation.