Abstract: A laminated printing blanket having compressible and resilient properties and a method for its production are provided. The compressible characteristics are provided by disposing an intermediate layer having substantially uniformly distributed voids of substantially uniform size between the base layer and the surface layer of the printing blanket. The voids of the compressible intermediate layer are formed by introducing microcapsules into an elastomeric compound formulated for production of the intermediate layer, and by vulcanizing the intermediate layer at a temperature below the melting point of the microcapsules to a degree sufficient to fix the microcapsules in place within the structure of the intermediate layer. A final vulcanizing step completes the curing of all layers to produce a laminated unitary blanket.

Abstract: A hand tool for cutting a textile cot from an associated mandrel, method of making such tool, and method of utilizing the tool and removing such a cot from the mandrel are provided wherein such tool is in the form of a pliers-like instrument having a special cutting blade.

Abstract: A tool for cutting a textile cot from an associated mandrel is provided wherein such tool is particularly adapted to be attached to one of a cooperating pair of machine components which are relatively movable toward and away from each other and a mandrel with a cot to be cut supported on the other component whereupon the cot is cut axially along its length upon relatively moving the components toward each other.

Abstract: In a loop picker having at least one face block and a plurality of laminated fabric layers including laminated fabric layers disposed around the face block and laminated fabric layers defining a picker stick receiving passage, the improvement wherein at least one of the face block and plurality of laminated layers is made of a triaxial fabric.