Patents by Inventor Robert L. Crook

Robert L. Crook has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7871672
    Abstract: There is provided an industrial fabric comprising a layer of batt of fibres optionally needled to a base cloth, whereby during manufacture of the fabric a dispersion of particulate, polymeric material has been applied to the layer of batt of fibres and thermally activated to provide a discontinuous layer containing a mixture of batt fibres and a polymer-baft fibre matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Robert L. Crook, Senjay Patel, William Daniel Aldrich, Per Ola Lidar
  • Patent number: 7550061
    Abstract: A dewatering fabric for an ATMOS system or a TAD machine that includes a caliper of between approximately 0.1 mm and approximately 15 mm, a permeability value of between approximately 1 cfm and approximately 500 cfm, an overall density of between approximately 0.2 g/cm3 and approximately 1.10 g/cm3, and a weight of between approximately 100 g/m2 and approximately 3000 g/m2. A belt press for a paper machine can utilize the dewatering fabric. This Abstract is not intended to define the invention disclosed in the specification, nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: Voith Paper Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Hubert Walkenhaus, Robert L. Crook, Calvin Hayden
  • Patent number: 7267745
    Abstract: A paper makers felt comprising a fibrous outer layer formed of inter-engaged fibers of between 3.0 and 67 dtex inter-engaged preferably by needling, and a web layer formed of fibers which are between 200 and 600 dtex and are inter-engaged preferably by point bonding. The outer layer is engaged with the web layer, preferably by needling, forming a composite paper makers felt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2007
    Assignee: Voith Fabrics, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert L. Crook, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7260924
    Abstract: A pintle for joining the ends of a pin-seamable paper machine fabric wherein the pintle comprises a braided sheath of an ultra high molecular weight polyethylene yarn and optionally is filled with polyamide monofilament or polyethylene yarn. The pintle is configured to substantially fill the voids in the fabric loops when inserted so that a smoother seam is achieved that significantly reduces marks on the resultant paper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2007
    Assignee: Voith Fabrics, Inc.
    Inventors: Sanjay Patel, Robert L. Crook, Jr., Bryan Wilson
  • Patent number: 6998023
    Abstract: Papermachine clothing comprising a woven or non-woven support layer, a non-woven layer comprising ultra-coarse non-continuous fibers orientated close to the intended running directions of the clothing and two further layers of batt each comprising conventional somewhat finer staple fibers predominantly aligned close to the cross-machine direction. The ultra-coarse non-continuous fiber layer may comprise two such layers, one of which is biassed at an angle A to the running direction X of the clothing, the other of which is biased at an opposite angle B to the running direction X to provide a layer whose fibers while being substantially orientated in the machine direction also have a bi-axial construction with a cross-orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: Voith Fabrics Heidenheim GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Robert L. Crook
  • Patent number: 6712940
    Abstract: A papermachine belt particularly for use in a press and/or dryer section comprises a support fabric, a minimal nonwoven layer on the support fabric, a fusible thermoplastic layer, and a thicker batt over the thermoplastic layer. The whole structure is needled together, and the thermoplastic layer melted so that it is expressed through the overlying batt. The layer may be substituted by a nonwoven fabric containing composite yarns with thermoplastic sheaths or such yarns wound spirally around the belt. The support fabric may be substituted by a perforated composite membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: Voith Fabrics Heidenheim GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Robert L. Crook
  • Publication number: 20040033748
    Abstract: Papermachine clothing comprising a woven or non-woven support layer 4, a non-woven layer 6 comprising ultra-coarse non-continuous fibres orientated close to the intended running directions of the clothing and two further layers of batt 8,10 each comprising conventional somewhat finer staple fibres predominantly aligned close to the cross-machine direction. The ultra-coarse non-continuous fibre layer 6 may comprise two such layers, one of which 6a is biassed at an angle A to the running direction X of the clothing, the other of which 6b is biased at an opposite angle B to the running direction X to provide a layer 6 whose fibres whilst being substantially orientated in the machine direction also have a bi-axial construction with a cross-orientation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2003
    Publication date: February 19, 2004
    Inventor: Robert L. Crook
  • Publication number: 20020060058
    Abstract: A papermachine belt particularly for use in a press and/or dryer section comprises a support fabric, a minimal nonwoven layer on the support fabric, a fusible thermoplastic layer, and a thicker batt over the thermoplastic layer. The whole structure is needled together, and the thermoplastic layer melted so that it is expressed through the overlying batt. The layer may be substituted by a nonwoven fabric containing composite yarns with thermoplastic sheaths or such yarns wound spirally around the belt. The support fabric may be substituted by a perforated composite membrane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2001
    Publication date: May 23, 2002
    Inventor: Robert L. Crook
  • Patent number: 6212739
    Abstract: A pintle wire (10) for insertion through interdigitating end loops of a belt fabric or of a spiral connector, is disclosed which is expandable after insertion into the seam, for example by way of a sheath (12) which includes a thermally activated expanding agent. This is subject to heating to expand the sheath (12) , causing the pintle wire (10) to swell and fill voids in the seam area reducing permeability in the seam and thus reducing marking of paper webs carried by the belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2001
    Inventors: Robert L. Crook, Ian Christison Sayers
  • Patent number: 6176271
    Abstract: In a seam, for example, for paper machine clothing, interdigitating seaming loops (13, 14) embrace deformable yarns (17) inserted between the last cross-machine direction yarns (15a) and the opposed seaming loops (14, 13). Alternatively, an insert may be in the form of a ladder-like member (30) comprising one or more cross-machine direction members (31, 32, 33) and a multiplicity of machine direction members (34) extending beyond the members (31, 32, 33) to locate the seaming loops. Also possible is the use of a strip or tape of foamed or foamable material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2001
    Assignee: Scapa Group PLC
    Inventors: Ian Christison Sayers, Robert L. Crook, Sanjay Patel
  • Patent number: 6071837
    Abstract: A membrane felt for a tissue making process using a Yankee or MG cylinder the membrane felt comprising a polymeric matrix membrane layer (11) and a supporting base structure (12). The polymeric matrix optionally at least partially encapsulates parallel yarns extending it at least one direction. The supporting base structure is a textile substrate. These are secured together, preferably via a batt fibre layer which may be needled between the supporting base structure and membrane layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2000
    Assignee: Voith Fabrics Heidenheim GmbH & Co KG
    Inventor: Robert L. Crook
  • Patent number: 5585430
    Abstract: A pintle wire comprises a polymer material containing a lubricant material of schistose nature. The polymer material comprises polyamide, polyester, copolyester, polyetheretherketone or polyphenylene sulphide. The schistose lubricant comprise graphite, molybdenum sulphide, cobalt sulphide, clay or silicate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 17, 1996
    Assignee: Scapa Group PLC
    Inventors: Sanjay Patel, Robert L. Crook
  • Patent number: 5514438
    Abstract: A papermakers fabric comprises a felt made up of a base cloth and a batt of fibres needled to the base cloth. The papermakers fabric is woven from machine direction yarns and cross machine direction yarns. The machine direction yarns form a series of loops at each of the fabric ends, the two sets of loops being interdigitable and capable of union by a pintle wire. The machine direction yarns comprise a core of cabled monofilaments surrounded by a sheath of multifilaments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 7, 1996
    Assignee: Scapa Group PLC
    Inventor: Robert L. Crook, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4896702
    Abstract: A seamed papermaking fabric having a multilayer base fabric includes an endless woven fabric forming a tubular belt that is flattened to form a base fabric with at least one helical coil seaming member inserted between opposing sidewall portions at each respective lengthwise extremity of the base fabric. The helical axes of the seaming members extend transverse to the lengthwise direction of the fabric and the coils of the seaming member extend through spaces between adjacent machine direction yarns and supportably engage the machine direction yarns. The opposed lengthwise extremities of the base fabric are joined together by interengagement of the coils of the respective seaming members and insertion of the pintle member axially through the interengaged coils to form a seamed endless fabric of substantially twice the predetermined thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 30, 1990
    Assignee: Niagara Lockport Industries Inc.
    Inventor: Robert L. Crook
  • Patent number: 4795480
    Abstract: A press felt base (single or multiple layer) having a plastic, fiber reinforced resinous matrix surface, wherein the surface is composed of a resin. The press felt base also having textile fibers distributed throughout the resin and having open air channels and voids throughout the resin once it is hardened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1986
    Date of Patent: January 3, 1989
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventors: Donald R. Boyer, Robert L. Crook
  • Patent number: 4752519
    Abstract: A press felt base (single or multiple layer) having a plastic, fiber reinforced resinous matrix surface, wherein the surface is composed of a resin. The press felt base also having textile fibers distributed throughout the resin and having open air channels and voids throughout the resin once it is hardened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1987
    Date of Patent: June 21, 1988
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventors: Donald R. Boyer, Robert L. Crook
  • Patent number: 4555440
    Abstract: A press felt is disclosed having a plurality of horizontal layers of parallel unwoven yarns, bound vertically together by a thread. The disclosed structure exhibits high compaction resistance and water retention characteristics. One of the layers may be made of resilient yarns to act as a shock absorber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 1985
    Date of Patent: November 26, 1985
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventor: Robert L. Crook