Abstract: The tail end of a first sliver and the leading end of a second sliver are superposed and clamped together and their fibres are then combined by means of a plurality of needles which are reciprocated through the ends of the two strips transverse thereto.

Abstract: This invention relates to needling of continuous glass yarn mats.The invention consists in subjecting the mat to the action, preferably simultaneous action, of needles of different diameters. Thus perforations of different dimensions, preferably regularly distributed, are made in the mat.This mat is intended to be used as reinforcement in composite materials with a base of thermoplastic resins, in particular in laminates.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for papermaking fabrics (W) with a machine direction fiber batt (24) is disclosed. A carding machine (B, B') is arranged with its carding cylinder (39) parallel to the axis of rotation (22) of carriage rollers (20) about which a base fabric (16) travels in a machine direction. A carded batt (24) with fibers (36) oriented in the machine direction is fed directly in the machine direction onto base fabric (16). An auxiliary needling unit (A) including an auxiliary needling module (44) lightly tacks machine direction batt (24) to base fabric (16) across its width. For this purpose, carding machine (B) and base fabric (16) move relative to one another in a direction transverse to the machine direction. In one embodiment, card (B) moves transversely in synchronization with auxiliary needling unit (A) while carriage (18) carrying the base fabric is stationary.

Abstract: An apparatus for needling a nonwoven web comprises a needle carrier, which is adapted to be driven, and a bedplate and a stripper for guiding the web between them. In order to impart a pure rotary motion to the needle carrier, the needle carrier consists of a roller and is adapted to rotate about its own axis and to revolve in the opposite sense about an axis of revolution which is parallel to the axis of the roller so that each needle describes a hypocycloidal path.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for producing homogeneously needled three-dimensional structures formed of superposed layers of fibrous material and the needled structures produced thereby. As layers of fibrous material are added to a stack of needled layers, the needling needles are moved away from the stack so as to maintain a uniform depth of needling over the entire stack, and to achieve a uniformly needled result. To permit the same density of needling in the initial layers, a substrate layer of needle penetrable material is used to support the initial layers which can then be needled as through they were layed on top of other needled layers. For the final layers, the needling rate is reduced to compensate for the lessened clogging of the needle in having fewer layers to penetrate in the final needling.

Abstract: In apparatus for applying a sliver at a bias to an endless backing web in the making of a paper machine felt, a needle machine is preceded by a sliver feeder, which is operable by a traversing drive to perform a traversing movement across the working width of the needle machine. Irregularities can be avoided because an automatically controlled position-correcting mechanism is provided, which serves to compensate any deviation of the actual course of one longitudinal edge of the backing web from a predetermined, desired course of said longitudinal edge, and means are provided for controlling the traversing drive so that the traversing movement of the sliver feeder will be influenced by changes of the width and/or length of the backing web.