Abstract: An needling machine and process needle a nonwoven fibrous web (2) fed in a direction of passage (3). A needling unit (5) with oscillatingly moved needles (11) is configured to needle and strengthen the nonwoven fibrous web (2). The needling unit (5) has a lifting drive (6) and parallel, linearly guided driving rods (15, 16) driven reversably thereby. The needling unit (5) has a supporting beam (8) connected to the needles (11) and extending in the direction of passage (3). Driving rods (15), arranged one after another in the direction of passage (3), are each connected to the supporting beam (8) via a respective beam bearing (18, 19) in an articulated manner. One of the beam bearings (18, 19), arranged one after another in the direction of passage (3), has an additional degree of freedom of motion.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a needled fiber structure using a needling machine having a needling head with a plurality of needles, the method including placing a first fiber layer on a support; needling the first fiber layer, with the needling head being in a first position relative to the support, at least at the end of needling the first layer; after needling the first layer, implementing relative movement between the support and the needling head so as to cause the needling head to go from the first position relative to the support to a second position that is different from the first; placing a second fiber layer on the needled first fiber layer; and needling the second fiber layer placed on the first fiber layer, the needling head being in the second position relative to the support at least at the beginning of needling the second fiber layer.

Abstract: A device for needling a fibrous web includes a needle bar. The needle bar carries a needle board having a plurality of needles and is guided by a bar carrier that is driven in an oscillating manner with superimposed horizontal and vertical motion via a crank drive. A phase-adjusting device adjusts a phase position of a crankshaft of the crank drive. The motion of the bar carrier is guided by a guiding device. To absorb inertial forces in the horizontal direction on the needle bar at large phase angles and to guarantee the mobility of the needle bar, the guiding device is formed by one or more guiding rods, which are connected to the bar carrier via a swivel joint. The driven needle bar is guided by the guide rods at the phase angle set by the phase-adjusting device in the angle range of 0 to 30 DEG.

Abstract: Design and manufacture of tufted articles, carpet tile webs and carpet tiles, and installation of carpet tiles, having different color, pile height, pile texture or other characteristics that, together with similar other such tiles, may be installed to create borders, edges or other multiple-tile designs, usually without any of the tiles looking out of place or improperly oriented relative to nap or the direction the tile is “facing.

Abstract: An apparatus is described for needling a fibrous web having at least one needle bar. On its underside, the needle bar carries a needle board with a multiplicity of needles, wherein the needle bar is guided via a movably held bar carrier. The bar carrier is driven in an oscillating manner with a superimposed horizontal and vertical movement by a crank mechanism drive. To this end, a phase shifting device is provided, by which the crankshafts of the crank mechanism drive can be adjusted depending on the phase relation. Here, the movement of the bar carrier is guided by a guide device. In order to obtain stable guidance with high flexibility in every situation, according to the invention the guide device is formed by a steering rod which is connected at one end to the bar carrier by a rotary joint and which is coupled with the other end to a steering gear by a second rotary joint.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for needling a fibrous web having at least one needle bar. The needle bar carries a needle board on the bottom thereof having a plurality of needles, the needle bar being guided by means of a moveably mounted bar carrier. The bar carrier is driven by a vertical drive in an oscillating manner in up and down movements. For straight guidance of the bar carrier, a guiding device is provided, which has at least one rocker held at the end by a rotary bearing of a machine frame. In order to obtain the straightest possible guide path in the bar carrier, according to the invention the opposite end of the rocker and the bar carrier are connected by a plurality of members of a coupling kinematic mechanism.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for needling a fibrous web having at least one needle bar. The needle bar carries a needle board on the bottom thereof having a plurality of needles, the needle bar being guided by means of a moveably mounted bar carrier. The bar carrier is driven by a vertical drive in an oscillating manner in up and down movements. For straight guidance of the bar carrier, a guiding device is provided, which has at least one rocker held at the end by a rotary bearing of a machine frame. In order to obtain the straightest possible guide path in the bar carrier, according to the invention the opposite end of the rocker and the bar carrier are connected by a plurality of members of a coupling kinematic mechanism.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for needling a web of fiber, said device comprising at least one driven needle beam. A vertical reciprocal movement of the needle beam is carried out by a vertical drive unit and a superposed horizontal reciprocal movement is carried out by a horizontal drive unit or due to a phase adjustment by the vertical drive unit. A weight balancing device is provided for balancing the inertia forces of the crank mechanisms. In order to be able to balance both vertical and horizontal inertia forces in a simple manner, the weight balancing device is formed by at least one balance weight which is associated with the crank mechanism of the vertical drive unit and which is set-off by an angle in the range of <180° from an eccentric element of the crank mechanism.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for needling a nonwoven web having on the base thereof at least one needle bar comprising a needle board having a plurality of needles. The needle bar is held by a bar carrier on which a vertical drive engages for oscillating motion of the bar carrier for an up and down movement. A superimposed horizontal drive is also associated with the bar carrier, by which a back-and-forth movement is induced. The horizontal drive has two eccentric drives coupled to a horizontal guide. The eccentric drives are each formed by a connecting rod and a crankshaft coupled to a connecting head of the connecting rod. According to the invention, the connecting rods are coupled to the horizontal guide with the connecting rod ends thereof in a diagonal orientation, the center axes of the connecting rods forming an angle.

Abstract: The drive and guide device for a needle bar of a needle loom having a machine stand includes a first crankshaft rotatably supported in the machine stand; a needle bar supported in the machine stand; a first connecting rod supported on a first cam of the first crankshaft and connected to the needle bar; and a guide device for guiding the needle bar along a path extending perpendicular to the needle-punching support surface. The first connecting rod and/or the guide device comprises a leaf spring, which is rigidly connected to the needle bar to transmit a drive or guide force. As a result, lubrication points on elements of the needle loom which move from place to place are eliminated.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for needling a web of fiber, said device comprising at least one driven needle beam. A vertical reciprocal movement of the needle beam is carried out by a vertical drive unit and a superposed horizontal reciprocal movement is carried out by a horizontal drive unit or due to a phase adjustment by the vertical drive unit. A weight balancing device is provided for balancing the inertia forces of the crank mechanisms. In order to be able to balance both vertical and horizontal inertia forces in a simple manner, the weight balancing device is formed by at least one balance weight which is asso ciated with the crank mechanism of the vertical drive unit and which is set-off by an angle in the range of <180° from an eccentric element of the crank mechanism.

Abstract: The drive and guide device for a needle bar of a needle loom having a machine stand includes a first crankshaft rotatably supported in the machine stand; a needle bar supported in the machine stand; a first connecting rod supported on a first cam of the first crankshaft and connected to the needle bar; and a guide device for guiding the needle bar along a path extending perpendicular to the needle-punching support surface. The first connecting rod and/or the guide device comprises a leaf spring, which is rigidly connected to the needle bar to transmit a drive or guide force. As a result, lubrication points on elements of the needle loom which move from place to place are eliminated.

Abstract: An apparatus for needling a non-woven web. The apparatus comprises at least one needle beam. The needle beam, the lower side of which comprises a needle board having a plurality of needles, is held by a beam support, which is guided by means of a vertical drive for an oscillating movement in an upward and downward movement and is guided by means of a horizontal drive for an oscillating movement in a reciprocating movement. At least two driven eccentric shafts and several connecting rods, which are assigned to the eccentric shafts and the free ends of which are coupled to the beam support, are provided as the vertical drive. The horizontal drive comprises at least one horizontal link, one end of which is connected to the beam support and the opposite end of which is coupled to a gear kinematics, which comprises an eccentric drive.

Abstract: Methods of forming a loop product are provided. Some methods include (a) introducing a sheet-form substrate and a layer of polymeric fibers into a needle loom, with the fibers disposed on a first surface of the substrate, and (b) needling the fibers through the substrate to form hook-engageable loop structures of the fibers extending from a second surface of the substrate through holes formed in the substrate by the needling. Needling the fibers includes piercing the substrate with a plurality of needles while advancing the substrate in a machine direction at a predetermined speed, while cyclically advancing the needles in the machine direction, during piercing of the substrate, in a manner that causes the needles to travel in a substantially elliptical path, such that while the needles extend through the substrate the needles are moving in the machine direction.

Abstract: An apparatus for needling a non-woven web. The apparatus comprises at least one needle beam. The needle beam, the lower side of which comprises a needle board having a plurality of needles, is held by a beam support, which is guided by means of a vertical drive for an oscillating movement in an upward and downward movement and is guided by means of a horizontal drive for an oscillating movement in a reciprocating movement. At least two driven eccentric shafts and several connecting rods, which are assigned to the eccentric shafts and the free ends of which are coupled to the beam support, are provided as the vertical drive. The horizontal drive comprises at least one horizontal link, one end of which is connected to the beam support and the opposite end of which is coupled to a gear kinematics, which comprises an eccentric drive.

Abstract: Method for producing a fibrous preform, especially by needling a fiber material (e.g., discontinuous pitch-based or PAN-based fiber). A needle-penetrable mold plate (10) having at least one mold cavity (12) therein for receiving the fiber material is provided. The use of a needle-penetrable mold plate allows the mold plate having the fiber material therein to be passed freely through a linear needling device, such as a linear needling loom, without having to take rigorous care to limit a needling path to the discontinuous fiber material, as in the conventional art. The mold plate is moved relative to the needling device one or more times until a desired level of material density (sometimes measured by fiber content percentage) is attained.

Abstract: A method for preparing a mat, including: a) deposition or projection of threads onto a traveling belt to form a lap of the threads that are driven by the belt, then b) needling by bearded needles passing through the lap and being displaced in the direction of the lap at substantially the same speed as that when they pass through the lap, with a stroke density ranging from 1 to 25 strokes per cm2. By the method the mat obtained can easily be deformed by hand to be placed in a mold for manufacture of a composite material by injection of resin (RTM). The mat may also be incorporated into a preimpregnated sheet (SMC) and be molded under pressure.

Abstract: The installation includes two needling apparatuses (2, 3) which succeed each other on one side of the path (1) for the fleece to be needled. The needles (47) have an “elliptical” movement, i.e. their reciprocating movement of penetration is combined with a reciprocating movement parallel to the direction of progression. The two mechanisms are actuated at the same speed but with a phase shift of 180° between them. The installation is used for balancing horizontal vibrations.

Abstract: An apparatus is described for needling a non-woven material with at least one needleboard (23) which is connected with push rods (26) guided in the needle-penetration direction and with at least one drive for the needleboard (23) acting upon the push rods (26). In order to provide advantageous drive conditions it is proposed that the drive is arranged as a hydrostatic resonance drive which comprises at least one working cylinder (1) with a piston (2) pressurized on both sides by a hydraulic spring (4, 5) each and a device for pressurizing the piston (2) with a frequency which corresponds to the resonance frequency of the oscillation system obtained from the moved masses and the hydraulic springs (4, 5).

Abstract: In a needle loom having at least one needle bar coupled by cam follower means to two eccentric shafts in order to be moved by said eccentric shafts in a movement path having two components which are normal to one another, the eccentric shafts are each provided with eccentric cams which have equal amounts of eccentricity and are adapted to be synchronously rotated, and said cam followers rotatably mounted on said eccentric cams are movably connected to one another by at least one coupling element which is adapted to yield in one direction but is stiff in a direction normal thereto.

Abstract: A system and method for reinforcing a textile web of a fiber web or a fiber fleece by needling in a plurality of directly successive steps are provided, in which the web is needed from both sides with a high needle density in an alternating manner and in the state of the needles stitched into the web is transported through a movement of the needles which extends in the longitudinal direction of the web, where each needle in a stitching-in movement grasps merely a single fiber, having a gauge of 1 to 2 dtex, from the web. By the aid of the invention very thin fleeces can be produced without damaging same during their processing.

Abstract: An apparatus for needling a non-woven material is described, comprising at least one needleboard (1) which is drivable in a reciprocating manner in the needle-penetration direction (6) as well as in the direction of the passage (11) of the non-woven material, comprising an eccentric drive for the needleboard (1) which comprises two parallel eccentric shafts (2, 3) which are drivable in opposite directions and assume a different angular position (?), and couplers (5) which connect the connecting rods (4) of the two eccentric shafts (2, 3) in an articulated manner and comprise a guide arm (8) which is rigidly connected with the same, and a lifting guide means (9) for the guide arms (8) which forms a swiveling axis (10) for the guide arms (8) which is parallel to the eccentric shafts (2, 3). In order to provide advantageous constructional conditions it is proposed that either the guide arms or the couplers carry the needleboard.

Abstract: An apparatus is described for needling a non-woven material (1) with at least one needleboard (15) which is drivable in a reciprocating manner in the needle-penetration direction and with a stitch base which is opposite of the needleboard (15) and is made of a continuously revolving brush belt (5) forming a conveyor for the non-woven material (1). In order to provide advantageous constructional conditions it is proposed that the needleboard (15) comprises rows of needles which have an even distance of the rows and extend in at least in one section in the revolving direction (11) of the brush belt (5), and that the brush belt (5) and the needleboard (11) can be moved back and forth in a reciprocating manner by means of a traversing drive (20) during the conveyance of the non-woven material transversally to the revolving direction (11) of the brush belt (5) to an extent corresponding to the distance of the needle rows relative to each other or an integral multiple thereof.

Abstract: An apparatus is described for needling a non-woven material with at least one needleboard (1) which is drivable in a reciprocating manner by at least one eccentric drive in the needle-penetration direction, which needleboard is linked to the eccentric drive via push rods (6) each displaceably held in a guide sleeve (7), which eccentric drive consists of two parallel eccentric shafts (2, 3) which are drivable in opposite directions and are provided with connecting rods (4), with the guide sleeves (7) being swivelably held about an axle (8) extending parallel to the eccentric shafts (2, 3). In order to provide simple constructional conditions it is proposed that the two eccentric shafts (2, 3) are provided with a different angular position (&phgr;) and that the connecting rods (4) of the two eccentric shafts (2, 3) extend in an inclined manner with respect to each other.

Abstract: A fiber preform for manufacturing a brake disk out of composite material is itself manufactured by superposing and bonding together fiber layers. Structural fiber layers (10) are used to form at least a first preform portion that is to constitute the fiber reinforcement of the brake disk core, while the or each preform portion that is to constitute the fiber reinforcement of a friction portion of the brake disk is constituted by a felt (16, 18), at least in its portion adjacent to the friction face.

Abstract: An apparatus is described for needling a non-woven material with a support (3) which receives at least one needleboard (1) and is drivable in a reciprocating fashion both in the needle-penetration direction (5) as well as the direction of passage (6) of the non-woven material and on which are coupled the connecting rods (10) of two oppositely drivable eccentric drives (8, 9) for the drive in the needle-penetration direction (5) and on which there acts at least one additional eccentric drive (12).

Abstract: An apparatus is described for needling a non-woven material with a guide means (16) for the non-woven material between a perforated base plate (17) and a perforated stripping plate (18) as well as at least one needleboard (2) which is disposed on the side of the stripping plate (18) averted from the base plate (17) and is drivable in a reciprocating manner both in the needle penetration direction as well as the direction of passage (4, 15) of the non-woven material. In order to provide advantageous constructional conditions it is proposed that the base plate (17) and the stripping plate (18) are drivable synchronously with respect to the needleboard (2) in the direction of passage (15) of the non-woven material.

Abstract: An apparatus is described for needling a non-woven (2) with at least one support (6) for a needleboard (4) held in a frame (12) and with two parallel eccentric drives (7, 8) which are disposed between the frame (12) and the needleboard support (6) and are made of two parallel eccentric shafts (9 and 10) each for the needleboard drive in the needling direction on the one hand and in the direction of passage of the non-woven on the other hand. In order to provide advantageous constructional conditions it is proposed that an intermediate support (13) is provided between the needleboard support (6) and the frame (12) and that the intermediate support (13) is guided with respect to the frame (12) and the needleboard support (6) with respect to the intermediate support (13) in circular paths by way of the two eccentric drives (7, 8) which are disposed on the one hand between the frame (12) and the intermediate support (13) and on the other hand between the intermediate support (13) and the needleboard support (6).

Abstract: An apparatus is described for needling a non-woven material with a support (1) for at least one needleboard (3) with at least two eccentric drives (7, 8) which are drivably connected with the support (1) via connecting rods (9, 10) and with a device for adjusting the mutual angular position of the two eccentric drives (7, 8). In order to provide advantageous constructional conditions it is proposed that the device for adjusting the mutual angular position of the two eccentric drives (7, 8) consists of a superposition gear (17) in a gear train (11) for the drive connection of the two eccentric drives (7, 8).

Abstract: An apparatus is described for needling a non-woven material with a support (1) receiving at least one needleboard (3), which support is drivable in a reciprocating fashion both in the needle-penetration direction (5) as well as the direction of passage (6) of the non-woven material and on which are coupled the connecting rods (9, 10) of two oppositely drivable eccentric drives (7, 8) for the drive in the needle-penetration direction (5) and on which acts at least one additional eccentric drive (7, 8), and with a device for setting the movement component of the support in the direction of passage (6) of the non-woven material.

Abstract: An apparatus is described for needling a non-woven material with a support (3) which receives at least one needleboard (1) and is drivable in a reciprocating fashion both in the needle-penetration direction (5) as well as the direction of passage (6) of the non-woven material and on which are coupled the connecting rods (10) of two oppositely drivable eccentric drives (8, 9) for the drive in the needle-penetration direction (5) and on which there acts at least one additional eccentric drive (12).

Abstract: The description relates to a facility for needling of fleece with at least one needle board driven to and fro in stitching direction, which can be additionally driven in pendulum fashion in fleece feed direction (15) by means of an eccentric drive, which is provided with a connecting rod (3) articulated to a rocker arm (4) and a connecting pitman (8) to the needle board effective on this connecting rod assembly. To be able to easily adjust the rocking amplitude of the needle board in fleece feed direction (15) it is suggested that the swivel bearing (5) of the rocker arm (4) is seated on a rotatable crank arm (6) and that, for adjustment of the rocking amplitude of the connecting pitman (8), the neutral rocking position of the rocker arm (4) is adjustable via the crank arm (6) between an end position essentially running in the direction of the connecting pitman (8) and an end position running transverse thereto.

Abstract: The description relates to a facility for needling of fleece with at least one needle board (2) that can be driven to and fro in stitching direction (4) by means of pushing rods (3) borne displaceable in one guide sleeve (10) each, and with an additional drive (11) reciprocating in fleece feed direction (9) and effective on the movably borne guide sleeves (10), which is equipped with two parallel eccentric shafts (12, 13). To achieve simple constructional features it is suggested to bear the guide sleeves (10) via two brackets (16, 17) on the eccentrics (18) of the two equidirectionally driven eccentric shafts (12, 13), and to connect them non-rotatable with at least one of these brackets (16, 17).

Abstract: A method of forming a papermakers' felt first comprises providing a needle loom having a needle board, a plurality of needles mounted on the needle board, and a needle motion unit. The needle motion unit moves the needle board such that the needles mounted thereon travel on a predetermined path that includes upward and downward segments, wherein each of the upward and downward segments includes both forward and rearward motion. The method then comprises the step of continuously conveying a base fabric and a batt web overlying the base fabric in a first direction past the needle board. The base fabric includes a first set of machine direction yarns and a first set of cross machine direction yarns interwoven with the first set of machine direction yarns in a predetermine repeating pattern, and the batt web comprises batt fibers.

Abstract: A drive apparatus for the needle bar of a needle machine includes a first drive mechanism connected with the needle bar and which applies a first movement component extending perpendicular to the needle bar, a second drive mechanism connected with the needle bar which applies second movement component parallel to the needle bar, and an additional mechanism for varying the movement stroke of the parallel component. Two eccentric shafts are assigned to the second drive mechanism, these eccentric shafts being driven at the same speed and the eccentric sections of which having a connecting rod supported thereon converting the rotating movement of the associated eccentric section into a linear oscillating movement. The two linear oscillation movements are supplied to a coupling bridge at two first and second hinge points spaced apart from one another. The coupling bridge is coupled with the needle bar or a carrier thereof at a third hinge point arranged between the first and second hinge points.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for needling a fiber fleece, the needles are rotated around their own axes at least during their stitching-in motion into the fiber fleece, in order to produce a mutual twisting of fibers within the fiber fleece. In an embodiment of the invention, the needles are moreover moved in parallel to the fiber fleece in two directions orthogonal with respect to one another by drive means which are controllable independently from one another. Thereby, various variation alternatives are provided to influence the formation of stitches.

Abstract: The invention relates to the field of forming fibrous structures by needling processes. A process is provided for achieving a desired Z-fiber distribution in a fibrous structure by controlling transport depth during formation of the fibrous structure in a series of needling passes. Each needling pass generates a portion of Z-fiber bundles that penetrate adjacent fibrous layers, the Z-fiber bundles penetrating only those adjacent fibrous layers that need more Z-fiber bundles to attain a predetermined number of Z-fiber bundles within each fibrous layer.

Abstract: Fiber preforms for use in the manufacture of composite material annular ps are made by winding superposed layers of a strip of cloth (10) of spiral or helical shape comprising substantially helical warp threads and substantially radial weft threads. The mass per unit area of the warp of the helical cloth increases between its inside diameter and its outside diameter, and the layers of the strip of cloth are needled so as to be bonded together by fibers pulled from the yarn of the cloth, the increase in mass per unit area of the warp at least approximately compensating, in terms of density per unit volume of the preform, the decrease in density of the weft between the inside diameter and the outside diameter.

Abstract: There is described an apparatus for needling a web, comprising at least one needle board (2) reciprocatingly movable in stitching direction of the needles via an eccentric drive (5), which needle board is reciprocatingly movable in direction of web movement (16) by means of an additional eccentric drive (15), which consists of two parallel eccentric shafts (17) which are movable in opposite directions and are provided with connecting rods (19).

Abstract: Preforms for producing annular parts of composite material are produced by inding a strip (1) of fibrous material around an elliptical mandrel (10) to produce an elliptical sleeve which can be cut obliquely, cutting taking place either before or after one or more densification steps. The cutting plane is inclined relative to the right cross section of the elliptical sleeve, and the inner and outer portions of the cut rings are machined to obtain circular elements. Such elements can produce annular parts of composite material having a reduced tendency to delanination under circumferential stress. The superposed layers are needling together during winding. A uniform needling density per unit area can be obtained by controlled displacement of the needle board (5) and of the elliptical mandrel (10) relative to each other as the mandrel turns, to compensate for the eccentricity of the cross section of the mandrel. These methods are particularly suitable for producing brake disk preforms.

Abstract: A needling machine for the fabrication of non woven products includes apparatus for needling a lap passing between two perforated steel plates, and introducing mechanism for introducing the fiber lap between the two plates, an extractor for extracting the lap downstream of the needling apparatus, a drive source for driving the needling apparatus with a periodical-striking motion, and a processing and control device connected to the needling drive source. The needling machine further includes an electromechanical speed control for driving at a variable speed the extractor, controlled by the processing and control device to provide the extraction means with an extraction speed modulated to the striking frequency at about an average extraction speed.

Abstract: A device for needling a prebonded web (1), comprises at least one needle board (3) reciprocatingly movable in a needling direction, and a web support (2) disposed opposite the needle board (3) between a feed roller (7) and a discharge roller (8). To avoid a stripper it is proposed that the needle board (3) be disposed directly opposite the web support (2), that the web support be provided with a continuous convex curvature in direction of web movement (6), and that the discharge rate of the discharge roller (8) exceed the feed rate of the feed roller (7).

Abstract: A method of producing a shaped fibrous fabric structure is similar to that described in the parent application, in that a continuous filament sheet is subjected to a needle punching action, segments are cut from the sheet and these segments are assembled to form an annulus, and then subjected to rotary motion under a reciprocating needling head and continuing to add segments to build up a stack of layers while at the same time continuing the needling action, and lowering the base of the stack relatively to the needling head. However, in a final step, one or more layers of segments are added to the top of the stack, and these are needled into the stack without lowering the stack. Furthermore, these additional layers are preferably made entirely of stapled fibers.

Abstract: In a needle loom for needling a fiber batt continuously moved through the needle loom, a horizontal driving apparatus connected to a needle bar for horizontally driving said needle bar to and fro is provided which is driven in synchronism with a vertical driving apparatus providing the needle bar with a reciprocating up and down movement by which needles affixed to the needle bar are stitched into the fiber batt to be needled. The timing of the horizontal and vertical movements imposed onto the needle bar is adjusted in a manner that the needle bar horizontally follows the movement of the fiber batt when the needles are stitched in the fiber batt, whereas in the horizontal return stroke of the needle bar its needles are out of the fiber batt.

Abstract: An apparatus for needling a fibrous web comprises a row of needle beams arrayed adjacently each other in a direction of an operating width. The needle beams may be attached to exchangeable needle boards and are driven with the needle boards up and down in a reciprocating motion path. The fibrous web is guided by a fibrous web support and a stripper positioned between the needle beams and the support. A conveyor conveys the exchangeable needle boards to and from the needle beams. The conveyor device extends alongside the row of needle beams and comprises revolving endless traction devices arranged at each side of the needle beams outside the reciprocating motion path, and needle board entrainment elements in the form of bearing flanges for supporting side edges of the needle boards.

Abstract: Fibrous substrates for the production of carbon and/or ceramic (including mixtures of these) fiber reinforced carbon and/or ceramic (including mixtures of these) matrix composites, particularly friction discs, and to methods of manufacture of same. Offcut waste fibrous sheet material may be recycled and reformed into a web useful in the manufacture of such composites.

Abstract: In a method of making a carbon fibre preform such as for use in the manufacture of a friction disc a compressible body of carbon fibre or carbon fibre precursor material is acted upon by compressing means to compress the body to a required thickness and then operated upon by means such as a barbed needle-punch needle for a stitching thread which penetrates substantially the whole thickness of the body whereby the compressed preform may be removed from action by the compressing means in a free-standing and compressed state. If the method uses carbon fibre precursor material, that is then subjected to carbonization.

Abstract: The described apparatus for needling a nonwoven web comprises at least one needle beam for carrying a needle board, a rocker for guiding the needle beam and a slider-crank mechanism for actuating the needle beam. To effect a mass compensation it is proposed that two needle beams are arranged one behind the other in the direction of travel of the nonwoven web and are guided each by a rocker and actuated each by a slider-crank mechanism and that the two slider-crank mechanisms comprise parallel crankshafts or eccentric shafts, which are rotated in mutually opposite senses.

Abstract: The material web is guided at a predetermined speed over a plurality of needle rollers rotating about their longitudinal axis and arranged transversely to the direction of movement of the material web. The material web covers part of the surface of each of the needle rollers. The circumferential speed of the needle rollers is set relative to the speed of the material web in such a way that the desired amount of needling, with adjustable longitudinal stretching, is obtained.

Abstract: The described apparatus for needling a circular nonwoven web, particularly a nonwoven web having the configuration of a circular ring, comprises a needle board, which carries a multiplicity of needles and is adapted to be driven to reciprocate said needles in a predetermined piercing direction. The apparatus also comprises a turntable (1), which comprises a web support that is adapted to support the nonwoven web. The needle board is provided with needles only in at least one sector-shaped region, which has the configuration of a sector with respect to the axis of rotation of the turntable.