Abstract: A lightweight, high-strength composite fabric suitable for use in carpet backing, roofing and membranes and other products which employ rugged fabrics. The composite fabric comprises a layer of nonwoven material disposed between a layer of low shrinkage warp strands and a layer of low shrinkage weft strands. The layers are stitched or knitted together and the resultant fabric may be coated with a resin or sizing to prevent slippage between the several layers of the fabric and impart a measure of stiffness to the fabric. The fabric may be manufactured in sheet or, more preferably, roll form and may be coated with materials suitable for desired end applications, e.g., bituminous material whereby the fabric may function as a ready-to-use roofing membrane or other high-strength fabric product.

Abstract: A preformed, unitary composite for reinforcing while suppressing curl in bituminous roofing membranes includes as a first layer, an open, non-woven grid of low shrinkage, continuous filament polyester yarns that are at low tension and adhesively secured together, and as a second layer, a lightweight, preformed fiberglass mat, the second layer being adhesively secured to one side of the first layer. The adhesive secures the two layers together such that at least some of the individual yarns of the first layer are at least partially coated and impregnated by the adhesive without forming a film that closes all openings through the composite. The adhesive that secures the continuous filament yarns of the first layer together and that secures the first and second layers together is a vulcanizable rubber binder, such as cross-linked styrene butadiene rubber, which includes about 50 to about 80% styrene.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing a fibrous material product by advancing a mat of glass fibers arranged in laminations extending at least substantially parallel to opposite major surfaces of the mat along a gap extending between successive driven conveyors which engage the opposite major surfaces of the mat to control the advance of the mat along the gap, and driving the conveyors at progressively slower speeds along the gap so that the laminations are deformed in at least two separate stages into a reorientation in which at least a major portion of the laminations extend across the thickness of the mat. The resulting product has an improved compression strength.

Abstract: A bale of elongated flexible bags of generally rectangular section each contains one or more batts of fibrous heat insulating material, the bags being aligned in a row with larger faces in mutual contact. A sleeve of flexible relatively non-extensible material having a width which is a substantial proportion of the length of the batts extends around the row of bags and retains the fibrous heat insulating material in a compressed state in which the uncompressed volume of the heat insulating material is reduced but which results in substantially full recovery to the uncompressed volume when the heat insulating material is removed from the bags after the wrapping sleeve has been removed.

Abstract: A glass fiber board product exhibits substantially improved compressive strength and is formed from a laminar mat of glass fiber containing a bonding substance. The mat is processed to rearrange the laminations of the mat so that at least a major portion extends across the thickness of the mat and the mat is then heat-cured and cut perpendicular to the major surfaces of the mat to form strips having opposite longitudinal cut faces. The strips are adhered together in side-by-side relationship to form boards with the cut faces forming opposite major surfaces of the boards. A backing sheet may be adhered to one or both sides of the board. Alternatively, boards cut from the cured mat are adhered together in stacks, which are then cut perpendicular to the boards.

Abstract: An exterior insulation layer secured to an above-grade portion of a building basement is protected by a protective sheathing, preferably of impact resistant PVC or the like. The sheathing reaches about 6"-12" below the ground so that the fill of the wall holds the lower end of the sheet in place. The upper portion of the sheeting is directly or indirectly connected to the wall by nails or the like fasteners disposed at a location spaced inwardly of the plane of the exterior of the protective sheet. The advance is in the extreme simplicity and the resulting low cost of the overall insulation of the wall.

Abstract: A metal building insulation system facilitates the installation of insulation in the roof and walls of a building from the exterior of the building and employs channel members fitted over outwardly facing flanges on the structural members from the exterior of the building, the channel members having opposed side walls for receiving the structural members therebetween and intermediate walls connecting the side walls. At least one layer of insulating material is retained between successive structural members by means of projections extending outwardly from the side walls of the channel members and inwardly facing flanges on the structural members.