Abstract: A floor covering, such as a carpet or carpet tile, which comprises a primary backing sheet having a fibrous face wear surface and back surface and first and second backing layers and with a low density, resilient, non-elastomeric, closed cell polymeric foam layer, such as a thermoset, cross-linked polyethylene foam layer, positioned between and bonded to the first and second backing layers, optionally with a secondary backing layer bonded to the secondary bitumen backing layer. A method of producing a floor covering, such as a carpet tile, which comprises providing a primary backing sheet having a fibrous face wear surface and a back surface and bonding a first bitumen backing layer onto the primary backing sheet, bonding a low density, thermoset, polymeric foam layer to the first bitumen backing layer through a glass tissue to protect the polymeric foam layer and stabilize the composite, and bonding a second bitumen backing layer onto the polymeric foam layer.

Abstract: A printable carpet material which carpet material comprises a fibrous face, a primary backing sheet and a backing layer comprising a bitumen backing composition containing a thermosetting amount of a hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene-diisocyanate urethane polymer to provide a heat stable carpet material subject to a wet stream printing process without substantial carpet material edge loss or distortion. A method of preparing a carpet material which is steam printable and which method comprises applying as a backing layer to a fibrous carpet material a bitumen backing composition containing a thermosetting amount of a hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene-diisocyanate urethane polymer which permits the carpet material so prepared to be subject to wet, steam printing processes without substantial carpet material edge loss or distortion.

Abstract: A carpet tile of improved dimensional stability having a hot melt composition backing layer and which has a secondary backing of a glass fiber tissue sheet material directly adjacent to a non-woven fibrous sheet material, such as a polypropylene sheet material. The backing layer penetrates the glass fiber tissue sheet material and partially penetrates and bonds the fibrous sheet material which forms the exterior surface of the secondary backing. The method of producing the carpet tile includes forcing the liquid, hot melt composition into the secondary backing sheet employing a roll-over-roll applicator.

Abstract: A carpet tile and method of production wherein the carpet tile comprises a carpet tile having a fibrous face, such as a tufted face, and a fibrous back surface secured to a primary backing and comprising three separate hot melt coating composition layers and a secondary backing on the back surface of the carpet tile.

Abstract: An antistatic or electrically conductive carpet tile and a method of producing such carpet tile, which method comprises forming a plurality of separate columns of electrically conductive material, extending generally perpendicularly between the back surface of the carpet tile and the face of the carpet tile, the electrically conductive columns formed in a nonelectrically conductive thick backing layer, so as to provide an electrically conductive path from the face of the carpet to ground. An antistatic carpet which comprises a fibrous face secured to a primary backing layer, an electrically conductive precoating layer on the backing layer, and a nonelectrically conductive backing layer and a plurality of columns of electrically conductive material, such as electrically conductive polymeric ink, extending from the back surface of the carpet tile to the nonelectrically conductive backing layer and into contact with the electrically conductive precoat layer or face.

Abstract: In the production of decorated tufted carpet tiles, a tufted carpet web is made by tufting a pile yarn in a substrate, precoating and backing the tufted substrate on the backside, followed by dyeing, imprinting with a pattern, steaming, washing and drying the carpet web, and thereafter by punching or cutting tiles from the carpet web in the process, the carpet web, prior to the dyeing step and preferably after precoating, is heat treated by being exposed to a temperature of 120.degree.-200.degree. C., preferably 140.degree.-170.degree. C., for 1-8 minutes, preferably for 3-5 minutes, while it is freely supported on an auxiliary carrier, and then subjected to cooling to below 50.degree. C.