Abstract: Pile textile elements are disclosed in which textile filamentary materials are assembled in a bundle, these materials being held together at one end only, by any suitable means such as adhesive or crepe paper wrapped around the bundle. The other ends of the filamentary textile materials of the bundle are not connected. The pile elements can be fixed to a backing such as a textile backing, furniture, bedding etc., in a conventional manner.

Abstract: A machine for the manufacture of brushes having at least one brush head mounting structure for brush heads. The mounting structure is pivotal about two axes and furthermore is longitudinally movable. The machine comprises a bristle bunch holder for holding bristle bunches and movement devices for guiding the bristle bunch to a brush head. Between the bunch holder and the brush head there is arranged at least two heating elements with contact heating surfaces thereon. The heating elements are provided on a movable heating-element carrier which can be moved between an engaging position, in which one heating surface is adjacent to the brush head and the other adjacent to the bunch holder, and a rest position, which lies outside of the range of movement of the bristle bunch holder.

Abstract: The object of this invention is to provide an improved soft barrier fin weatherstrip 10 and method of manufacturing same. The weatherstrip 10, which is used for sealing openings between fixed and sliding members, comprises a soft barrier fin 16 preferably formed from polypropylene material. The fin 16 is coated or impregnated with paraffin which fills the openings or interstices in the fin. The coated fin 16 has good resistance to air and moisture infiltration. The fin 16 further reduces the noise generated by the weatherstrip 10 sliding on a mating surface, and the break-away force required to reverse the direction of the fin. The paraffin in the fin 16 acts as a lubricant between the weatherstrip 10 and mating surface.

Abstract: Use of vinyl acetate-ethylene copolymer emulsions as laminating adhesives for rug backing is disclosed. The copolymer emulsions are prepared by admixing vinyl acetate-ethylene copolymer, dispersant and thickening agent together, with or without the addition of filler. The vinyl acetate-ethylene copolymer can contain between about 20 and about 70 parts by weight of vinyl acetate and between about 30 and about 80 parts by weight of ethylene. The resulting vinyl acetate-ethylene copolymer emulsions have a glass transition temperature (T.sub.g) of between about -35.degree. C. and about -10.degree. C.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for continuously coating a bottom surface of a wear layer of a carpeting strip with latex foam during continuous manufacture of the carpeting strip and wherein such latex foam is cured to define a compressible backing material for the wear layer of such carpeting strip.

Abstract: A plurality of substantially parallel filamentary textile materials are assembled in a bundle to make a textile pile element. One end of the bundle has a base joining the materials at one end in a stable condition whereas the other end of the bundle contains strands which are free and open. The textile materials are retained in parallel arrangement by the base which is located in a mesh. The mesh is a support comprised of a planar structure having openings for receiving the bases of the elements. The mesh may be prefabricated or assembled during fabrication of the pile article. A pile textile article is made from the elements by a process of fabrication which includes the steps of inserting the textile elements in the opening in the mesh to result in an article which has application to furniture, clothing, toys, hats and decorative items.

Abstract: A tufted carpet product including a woven or non-woven primary backing material, a layer of foam compound adhered to the undersurface of said primary backing, rows of yarn elements tufted through the primary backing and the layer of foam compound to form a face of yarn on the upper surface of the primary backing and loop backs on the undersurface of the backing and foam compound, and optionally a thin layer of adhesive compound applied to the loop backs of the yarn elements.

Abstract: A weatherstrip and method for sealing a gap comprising a base preferably of fabric material, and one or more sealing bodies such as rows of pile fibers extending longitudinally there along. A barrier strip formed of a thin film or sheet of flexible plastic material is secured at one edge to the base and/or sealing bodies and projects substantially above the free or upper ends of the pile members. Foamed cellular plastic bodies may be used in place of the bodies of pile fibers, or a single body of pile or foamed plastic material may be used with the barrier strip located on one side thereof.

Abstract: An improved process is disclosed for manufacturing carpet. The improved process involves replacing from 4% to 25% of a carboxylated styrene-butadiene rubber carpet backing adhesive in a conventional carpet manufacturing process with a water soluble saponified tall oil pitch tackifier, thereby improving the bond strength between the carpet and backing.

Abstract: In the production of a pile fabric by the method described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,878,011 in which pile tufts are implanted in a layer of adhesive and the adhesive is subsequently heated to reduce the viscosity of the adhesive temporarily, the pile tufts are subjected to a tamping operation while the viscosity of the adhesive is reduced.

Abstract: A method of making sound insulating floor or wall covering in which carpet is backed with a layer of sound insulating material and a layer of contour retaining material for holding the covering in a desired contoured shape. The latter material, which is conveniently a carpet precoat, is made formable for instance by heating, the carpet and its backing is shaped to desired form, and the retaining material is allowed to set thus holding the carpet and sound insulating layer to that shape. Desirably, the insulating material is a curable rubbery polymer which is cured before carpet shaping takes place. For improved sound insulating properties, deaerated insulating material is used.

Abstract: Standard weather stripping composed of a backing strip and a pile body projecting from one face of the backing strip is guided into a channel having a pair of spaced apart side walls and a bottom wall. Also guided into that channel and positioned against the side of the pile body is an impervious resilient film barrier which extends from the top of the pile body down to the base thereof and across the adjacent side edge margin of the backing strip. The channel side walls are clinched against the bottom wall thereby capturing the weather stripping between those walls and bending the film barrier adjacent the base of the pile body so that the resiliency of the barrier tends to bias the portion of the barrier projecting out of the channel against the pile body so that it remains in an erect position and prevents moisture and drafts from penetrating into the pile body.

Abstract: This invention resides in a flame-resistant nonwoven fabric having an upper and a lower surface and comprising dyeable, flame-resistant fibers and base fibers. In one embodiment the upper surface is substantially, completely comprised of polyvinyl chloride fibers and the lower surface is a blend of adhering base fibers and polyvinyl chloride fibers. The fabric is formed by needling base fibers together to form a batt, needling polyvinyl chloride fibers and the batt together, and heating the lower surface of the fabric to adhere the polyvinyl chloride and base fibers together.

Abstract: Free-radical graft polymerization of an unsaturated monomer like acrylic acid, methacrylic acid and so forth on mineral oils such as rubber processing and/or extending oils provides a "grafted oil" which can be used to extend polymers such as carboxylated SBR latices with substantial retention of their original adhesive properties. These graft modified oils, also, can be used as seeds or emulsifiers, when emulsified, in emulsion polymerization. These grafted oils can be used as plasticizers for plastics and dry rubbers.

Abstract: A soft non marring carpet type support for articles while being heated into a softened condition consisting of either an intermittent or a continuous line of fine fiberglass fibers to accommodate either a flat or uneven surface in contact with the flexible tips, the support being so gentle and so distributed so as not to leave any impression on the articles softened surface. The support transmits a minimum of heat or cold by conduction, is transparent to infrared radiation across its thickness and also at the same time transmits infrared radiation through the length of its opticle fibers.

Abstract: A method for increasing the depth of a tack-spun thermoplastic pile on a backing layer comprises space heating the pile side of the product for a time and temperature less than that at which the pile collapses, said temperature being between the glass rubber transition temperature but above ambient and the temperature at which the pile collapses, using a heat source not in contact with the pile, and subsequently cooling the pile to ambient temperature.

Abstract: Pile textile elements are disclosed in which heat fusible textile filamentary materials are assembled in a bundle wrapped in a plastic envelope. The filaments are held together at one end only of the bundle by fusing the ends of the filaments and the plastic envelope while they are in contact, under pressure, with a heated flat surface. The fused end of the bundle forms a base to facilitate handling of the pile textile element, and also facilitating securing the element to a suitable backing, such as a textile backing, furniture, bedding, etc., in a conventional manner.

Abstract: A dual-purpose temporary carpet and carpet underlay construction and method of continuously making such construction are provided wherein the construction comprises a top decorative wear layer, a latex foam cushion, and a copolymer latex adhesive bonding the wear layer and latex foam cushion with the decorative wear layer enabling the construction to be useable as a temporary carpet and with the construction being useable as an underlay for a carpet.

Abstract: A method of forming a layer of blown cellular urethane on a carpet backing comprising the steps of providing a mixture of reactive urethane forming agents, shaping the reactive mixture into a layer upon a latex film, applying the underside of a heated carpet backing directly to the layer of reactive mixture, and heating the layer of reactive mixture to expedite reaction of the reactive mixture and chemical blowing of the reactive mixture into an enlarged layer of cellular urethane on the carpet backing between the backing and the latex film. Apparatus for performing the method is disclosed as is the resultant product.

Abstract: In the manufacture of a shaped automobile carpet in which a spun nonwoven-fabric backing composed of two dissimilar types of polyester filaments is tufted, then provided on its back with a layer of a polymeric dispersion binder, and shaped in heated state, the improvement which comprises bonding to the underside of the carpet before shaping a spun nonwoven fabric having isotropic strength properties and a weight per unit area of about 20 to 60 g/m.sup.2. Advantageously, the spun nonwoven fabric is bonded to the underside by a layer of sintered polyethylene powder. Such carpet shows less spacing than heretofore between the tufts in critical zones of curvature.

Abstract: A weather strip has an elongate base with one or more rows of fibers adjacent an elongate windbreak. The elongate windbreak is formed from a row of individual fibers which are bonded together during the process of manufacture. The bonding of fibers to form a windbreak is accomplished by exposing the base and fiber rows to an application of energy, such as radiofrequency energy, sufficient to bond the windbreak fibers together and insufficient to bond the remaining fibers together.

Abstract: In procedure for making nonwoven pile articles by assembling an array of cut pile fibers or yarns having free ends disposed substantially in a common plane and adhering a backing to the free ends, the step of treating the fibers or yarns with steam after assembling the array but before applying the backing thereto.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing transfer sheets is disclosed in which short fibers are temporarily stuck to a base sheet to form a short fiber layer to which two kinds of adhesives are applied to a desired design or letter to be transferred. When the transfer sheet thus made is put on a clothes or the like and heat and pressure are applied, the short fibers are transferred to the clothes only where coated with the adhesive.

Abstract: A material, such as a web, mat or slab is disclosed, for covering a surface of a building, for decorative purposes. It comprises a carrier layer or foil and elongate elements, especially small plastic material tubes, fixed thereto and disposed at an acute angle to the carrier layer. The elongate elements extending through the carrier layer are anchored to the back of the carrier layer by the portion at the back of the carrier layer. Additionally, there is disclosed a method of and apparatus for making such a material.

Abstract: There is disclosed a process for preparing a tufted carpet consisting essentially of feeding simultaneously into a tufting machine a woven or bonded nonwoven sheet of continuous polypropylene filaments and a dyeable, bonded, nonwoven sheet of continuous synthetic organic filaments, said sheets being fed in surface contact with each other, and tufting a pile yarn through both sheets to develop a tufted face having tufts extending above the dyeable, bonded, nonwoven sheet, said pile yarn being selected so as to be dyeable in conjunction with the dyeable, bonded, nonwoven sheet.

Abstract: A conveying mechanism for a non-woven carpet machine which includes a pair of conveyor belts along each edge of the backing material for pulling the backing material from its roll and pushing it toward a portion of the machine where bonding material is applied to the backing material. Hot air from the curing oven can be directed against the backing material after the bonding material is applied thereto to make the bonding material tacky so that when yarn is embedded in the bonding material it will not easily be pulled out.A mechanism for advancing the backing material includes means for intermittently pulling the backing layers at a constant rate of speed through the well of the machine and oven and past the cutting mechanism, while a pin roller engages the backing material before the well. An adjustable torque controlled motor is connected to the pin roller so that a constant tension is maintained in the backing material.

Abstract: A web-like fibrous material consisting of fibres standing on end is produced from a starting material consisting of a web-like fibrous material, in which the fibres are oriented substantially transversely or longitudinally of the web. The starting material is cut into strips which in well-known manner are arranged side by side with the fibres standing on end. It is the object of the invention to eliminate the spaces or interfaces between these strips in a more efficient manner than has hitherto been possible. To this end, the side-by-side pattern of strips is deposited on a moving intermediary supporting surface, on which they are retained by an attractive force directed towards said surface and are at the same time subjected to a spreading action transversly of the strips, whereafter the fibres are deposited at a second depositing position on a moving product receiving surface while at the same time interrupting the attractive force acting on the fibres being deposited.

Abstract: A tufted pile fabric for use indoors or outdoors as a substantially permanent floor covering. The tufted pile fabric is made entirely from man-made or synthetic materials and includes a synthetic plastic primary backing, and a synthetic plastic secondary backing, laminated together by a hot melt adhesive to form a relatively rigid impervious sheet. The structure is then provided with a plurality of perforations through the substantially impervious sheet comprising the secondary backing, the hot melt adhesive and the primary backing to give the fabric a softer hand and breathability. The tufted pile fabric may then be adhesively secured to a floor structure by a water based adhesive, inert to the primary and secondary backings and hot melt adhesive, with the water evaporating through the perforations to set the adhesive and thereby avoid puckers and edge rippling due to unbonding the pile fabric from the floor structure.

Abstract: A backing material for handcraft yarn arts comprises a foundation fabric having plural thermo plastic pile threads extending from one surface thereon in substantially upright direction with the free ends deformed by melting to assume enlarged, deformed configurations in a random and irregular pattern. Yarn of a generally soft or porous nature is placed in a desired pattern on the upstanding threads and loosely retained thereon while being readily removed to alter the pattern. When a final pattern is achieved, heat and pressure is applied, urging the yarn fully into and within the pile threads and further deforming the free ends into enlarged deformations for securely anchoring the yarn and providing a substantially permanent yarn part handcraft product.

Abstract: A suede-like raised woven fabric which comprises: warp yarns; weft yarns, each being a single twist filament yarn or a loopy textured filament yarn consisting of a bundle of fine fibers; and an elastic polymer applied to the fabric. The bundle of fine fibers consists of a raised portion having an average monofilament denier of from 0.05 to 0.4 and an unraised portion having an average monofilament denier of above 0.4 but not exceeding 0.8.

Abstract: A fabric to have a coating of controlled thickness applied to its upper surface moves between a supporting roll and a supporting plate. The lower surface of the fabric contacts the supporting roll and supporting plate but is unsupported therebetween. Between the supporting roll and plate, the moving fabric is depressed by a blade extending across its width. Near to the blade and between this blade and the supporting plate, a coating is applied to the upper surface of the fabric. A gauging device adjacent to where the coating is applied controls the thickness of the coating. The distance between the blade which depresses the fabric and the supporting plate should be several orders of magnitude greater than the distance between this blade and the gauging device. Any variations in fabric thickness as the fabric passes over the supporting plate would cause corresponding variations in the coating thickness if the coating were being applied over this plate.

Abstract: A pile product comprising a plurality of relatively long, thin face fibers extending from a base is molded from a crosslinkable polymeric material. During formation of the fibers, crosslinking of the polymeric material is initiated by heat activating a substance incorporated in the polymeric material which promotes crosslinking. Crosslinking imparts hot strength to the pile fibers so that the pile product, while still hot, can be removed from the mold without materially deforming the fibers. Consequently, the time it takes to mold the pile product is significantly reduced, thereby increasing productivity and lowering the cost of the product. Moreover energy is conserved because the mold is not continuously cycled between high and low extremes in temperature.

Abstract: The disclosure herein is concerned with critical electron-beam radiation parameters and beam-passage rates and adjustments that have been found to enable high-speed curing of adhesives used to bond flock and similar materials to heat-sensitive substrates that otherwise inherently limit the degree of thermal curing that may be employed as by other means, and consequently limit the speed of curing.

Abstract: A flame-retardant pile carpet having a relatively pliable primary backing and a tufted surface, said surface being comprised of fibers selected from the group consisting of polyester and polyamide fibers having incorporated therein from 0.1 to 15 percent by weight of a compound selected from the group consisting of zinc oxide and zinc hydroxide, said fibers being bonded to said backing with a bonding substance comprising a latex material and a hydrate material, said latex material being selected from the group consisting of polymers and copolymers of vinylidene chloride, and said hydrate material being selected from the group consisting of aluminum hydroxide and hydrated aluminum oxide, the ratio by weight of said latex material to said hydrate material being within the range 1:2 to 1:4.5.

Abstract: A carpeting strip, method of making such strip, and carpet employing same are provided wherein such carpeting strip has integral joining means enabling the forming of a substantially invisible seam between an adjoining pair of carpeting strips upon providing a carpet employing such strips.

Abstract: Method and apparatus to produce a bonded loop pile carpet. The carpet machine is of the rotary type which uses cooperating blade members to form the yarn loops for bonding to a backing sheet. One of the blade members is reciprocably mounted in the machine and moves in a downward curved angular path to contact the yarn.

Abstract: A process of forming an emboss on textile material such as blankets, bedspreads and the like wherein areas to be unembossed are outlined on the textile material preferably after the textile material has been washed, subsequently treating the outlined areas with a resinous material preferably having additives such as an affixer and a softener which is subsequently permitted to cure and performing a teazeling operation on the textile material to remove the nap from the untreated areas and finally subjecting the teazeled textile material to a finishing operation to provide a smooth teazel nap of the desired length on the textile material.

Abstract: A weatherseal is made by extruding a resin base with a relatively thick, flat support portion and a relatively thin, portion U-shaped in cross section and joined to opposite side edges of the support portion to arch over the center of the support portion. While the resin material is still plastic, a pressure differential expands the U-shaped portion to reduce the thickness of the walls of the U-shaped portion, and then each side of the U-shaped portion is cut at a predetermined distance from the support to leave a pair of thin, spaced-apart resilient fins. Then fibrous pile material is secured to the support between the fins to form a double-fin, pile weatherseal.

Abstract: The method of this disclosure permits the application of a foam layer, in fluid form, to a relatively porous substrate and the formation of a contoured foam laminate using a relatively rigid foam. The method includes heating the substrate prior to application of the fluid foam and forming the laminate in a die prior to completion of foaming. The laminate includes a flexible substrate, preferably a polyurethane foam layer and a lattice skrim located between the substrate and the exposed surface of the foam layer.

Abstract: A process is provided for the production of pile surfaced products in which the pile is produced by tack spinning thermoplastic polymer composition onto one or both external surfaces, preferably one of a foundation layer which comprises at least two sheets which adhere together using an adhesive having a softening point similar to that of the thermoplastic polymer composition.

Abstract: A method for making a nonwoven pile web from differently colored pile yarns, lying side by side, and being arranged so as to form a color-configuration and being adhered perpendicularly in a sub-layer.

Abstract: A process is provided for manufacturing a product which has a fibrous surface and is formed by the conversion of a non-fibrous polymer, which process comprises placing a polymer between drawing surfaces which adjoin the polymer and adhere thereto and separating the surfaces. At least one of the surfaces is formed by a carrier for the polymer and for the fibers, through which carrier a fluid is blown such as to flow around the fibers in statu nascendi and orient and stabilize them as their viscosity increases. An apparatus for carrying out said process is also provided.

Abstract: This invention relates to a reinforced fabric composition and to a method of making the same. The fabric composition includes a fabric base, a heat conductive metallic foil secured to the base, and a non-woven batt of fibers over the metallic foil, the batt and the foil being mechanically locked to the base solely by fibers of the batt which have been pushed through the foil and through the base and are locked against the bottom of the base. The preferred method of the present invention involves applying the metallic foil over a web of the fabric base, applying a non-woven batt of fibers over the foil and needle punching the resulting composite with barbed needles while incrementally advancing the composite to force fibers from the batt through the foil and through the fabric base to thereby densify the composite and securely interlock the fabric base, the foil and the batt together.

Abstract: To form carpet tiles that lie flat, a layer of thermoplastic material is doctored onto a carrier sheet and a piece of carpeting to be coated is laid on the layer. The carpet piece has dimensions slightly larger than the desired carpet tile. Heat is applied to the layer to bond the layer of thermoplastic material to the carpet piece and the bonded layer and carpet piece are cooled so as to form a coated carpet piece. The carrier sheet is then stripped from the coated carpet piece and waste is trimmed from the periphery of the bonded carpet piece so as to form a carpet tile. The carrier sheet is supported on a substantially flat surface during the heating and cooling steps so that the carpet piece is maintained in a substantially flat and relaxed condition and the warps and wefts of the carpet piece do not support the weight of the carpet piece.

Abstract: Tufted carpeting has a unitary primary backing comprising a woven synthetic scrim with a backing layer of staple fibers needled onto its back surface before tufting. The tuft bases are at least partially surrounded by the fibers of the backing layer, and sizing is applied to the underside of the carpet after tufting. The resulting product has excellent dimensional stability, stiffness and flame retardance, and requires no secondary backing. In the preferred embodiment, the staple fibers are needled through the scrim to provide, in addition to the backing layer, a dyeable subface on the face side.

Abstract: Process for preparing a synthetic suede product from three or more separate layers of non-fibrous materials welded together: two outer layers with outwardly extending polyurethane fibers and at least one inner layer of polyurethane film, sheet, web, or foam. The process comprises continuously feeding at least three separate films, sheets or webs of the appropriate non-fibrous feed materials into the nip formed by two rotating, heated cylinders wherein the feed materials are contacted under pressure with two heated flexible molding bands provided with a multiplicity of molding cavities whereby outwardly extending fibrous polyurethane surfaces are formed and wherein the separate layers are welded together. The novel synthetic suede product obtained by this process is also disclosed and claimed.

Abstract: A process for producing a flocked fabric laminate by coating an auxiliary substrate with a temporary adhesive binder, flocking the coated auxiliary substrate with flock fibers, coating the flock fibers with a curable flock adhesive binder, marrying a substrate backing layer to the binder coated flock, permanently setting the flock adhesive binder, and then removing the auxiliary substrate from the fabric laminate whereby the flock remains secured to the substrate backing layer is disclosed. Flocked fabric laminates obtained by such method are also described.

Abstract: A low-melting point layer of thermoplastic synthetic film is superimposed upon the rear side of a primary backing layer. Pile-forming yarns are then tufted from this rear side through both of these layers to form at the front side of the primary backing layer a pile, while forming at the exposed rear side of the film layer respective loops. The film layer is then exposed to heat, causing it to melt and to bond the loops to the primary backing layer.

Abstract: A process for making fabrics with non-woven pile where a continuous thread or band is fed to a parallel passage having two parallel support bands each carrying a layer of adhesive. The thread or fabric is prefolded with a flexible bladelet and then driven with a substantially circular movement by folder blades against the support band. After having produced the desired adhesive connection of the fabric and the band, the adhesive is cured and the support bands are separated to produce the finished product.

Abstract: A pile weatherstripping has a continuous length of a resin anchorage base with even lengths of filaments secured to opposite sides of the base along the length of the base and extending away from the base in the same general direction on each side of the base. The filaments are long enough and dense enough to form insulating pile rows extending out of a retainer slot in which the anchorage base has an interference fit. A sheet resin fin preferably extends continuously outward from the base between the filaments on the opposite sides of the base, and such a weatherstripping is preferably made by wrapping a multifilament yarn around a plurality of bases, securing the yarn to opposite sides of the bases, and then slitting to separate each individual weatherstrip.