Abstract: A carpet seaming iron includes a platen, a heating element conductively coupled to the platen, and a passageway interposed between the platen and handle. The passageway is configured to accommodate a piece of seaming tape over the platen and under the handle of the seaming iron. The handle is designed to protrude between adjacent pieces of carpet that are to be seamed together. The seaming iron may be used to make a seam using a seaming tape having thermal adhesive on an upper side, by heating the seaming tape from below. Advantageously, a seam may be completed without contact between the thermal adhesive of the seaming tape and the platen of the seaming iron.

Abstract: A self-extinguishing blanket comprises an insulating layer of glass fiber strands which include air spaces within the layer. Each surface of the layer has a bi-directional strand reinforced plastic film which extends continuously along the surface for keeping moisture out of the layer. Each plastic film is attached to the associated surface of the insulation layer by non-contiguous, longitudinally and laterally spaced apart areas of a thermoplastic adhesive. The adhesive areas provide attachment between the strand reinforcement and the layer of glass fiber strands. Each area of adhesive attachment provides sufficient retention to prevent shifting of the film during the sewing together of peripheral edge portions of the sandwiched plastic films and inner insulation layer as required to produce a selected, peripheral configuration of a blanket package.