Abstract: A covering layer of leather, textile or plastic sheet material is indirectly attached to a supporting structure, such as a seat or a dashboard, by a band-like insert which is affixed to the covering layer by one or more rows of decorative stitches and is secured to the supporting structure by a pair of rod-like securing elements and a thread, or by one or more pairs of complementary male and female detent elements.

Abstract: A clip is disclosed for securing a mat to a carpet wherein the clip has a main portion joined to a spike. The spike is inserted into and underlies the carpet such that the main portion is exposed. One-half of a loop and hook type fastener is secured to the exposed side of the main portion of the clip and the corresponding second half of the fastener is secured to the second surface of the mat to permit the mat to be secured to the main portion of the clip.

Abstract: A heat bond tape for carpet seaming and a method for making the tape. A yarn tape is fixed to a porous carrier strip during the tape knitting by stitching the yarn filaments to the carrier strip. The resulting tape carrier is adhered to a non-porous backing strip by a thermoplastic material, which adhesive material may be melted to join the edges of two pieces of carpet to the heat bond tape in the conventional manner.

Abstract: A method of laying carpet to avoid seam peaking, the method employing an enhanced width seaming tape spanning the abutting edges of the carpet forming the seam. The tape has a hot melt adhesive on the upper surface facing the carpet backing. An enhanced width carpet seaming iron is employed to melt the adhesive and to provide a bond between the tape and the carpet backing. In an alternative embodiment, the tape is made in three segments with one of them applied spanning the seam and the other two in flanking positions along either side of the seam spanning tape. In another embodiment the seaming tape is constructed with a composite modulus of elasticity which varies across the width of the tape. The invention also includes several embodiments of the enhanced width seaming iron for application of the tape to the carpet seam.

Abstract: Artificial athletic turf has a simulated grass surface provided by tufting strips into a backing fabric. The tufts are held in place by a precoat of polyurethane, and a reinforcing sheet is embedded within the precoat to provide tear resistance. A foamed polyurethane is placed on the precoat, and one or more reinforcing sheets are also embedded within or placed on the foamed polyurethane. The strips are hydrophobic plastic with strength to prevent damage, and the coatings are polyurethane reinforced for tear resistance, which also yields a resilience as needed for an athletic mat. One or more of the fibrous sheets may be needle felt to provide some of the needed resilience. The turf is cut along lines parallel and perpendicular to the tufting lines to provide tiles, and the tiles are assembled to form the desired turf.

Abstract: A removable section of carpet is provided with a zipper or velcro fastener surrounding its border in order that is can be removed, cleaned and then reinserted back in place by joining to the main floor carpet which is fitted with the mated fastener to form a general floor carpet with a flush removable section. The removable carpet may be peninsula-shaped for doorway use and when so shaped the non-fastened side is provided with a hinged clamp for fast release.A modification permits a removable section of carpet or covering on top of a tiled floor to be lifted out for disposal of the dirt swept onto its surface from the floor through an abutting surrounding apron that ascendingly slopes from the floor to a level equal to or above the removable carpet face.

Abstract: An articulated floor mat structure is disclosed, in which a series of rigid, slat-like elements are hinged together and locked to prevent lateral movement, to form a mat structure that can be rolled up. The individual structural elements are shaped to provide for slide-in or snap-in assembly of tread strips, along their upper surfaces, and pad strips, along their lower surfaces. Edge strips are secured along the side edges of the mat assembly in an advantageous manner, to retain the tread strips and pad strips in assembled positions. An arrangement of integral loop tabs on the edge strips and integral hook tabs on the structural members greatly expedites the assembly process and correspondingly reduces the cost of manufacture, without compromising performance.

Abstract: A plurality of rubber-backed dust control mats are interconnected by a connecting strip which has projections thereon which engage mating projections on the outer surface of the rubber backing on the mats.

Abstract: A rectangular tile-like carpet the body of which has front and back pile layers is disclosed. Both front and back sides of the carpet can be used, so that the frequency of cleaning the carpet can be reduced to save expenditure and labor. Also, the two pile layers increase the cushioning property of the carpet. Further, the front and back pile layers may have different colors to permit different colors to be enjoyed by merely inverting the carpet.

Abstract: Floor covering, such as carpets (40) or other covering materials for residential and general furnishing, are fixed to a floor or other surface (10) by means of an applied bonding layer (42).Embedded into the bonding layer are adhesive particles which are made chemically passive and the cohesive forces of which are greater in the thermoplastic state than their adhesive forces and which are converted, only after the carpet has been laid and adjusted in position, from their non-adhesive state into a malleable tacky phase of the layer as a result of the effect of temperature, after which a firm bond is produced in a cooling phase as a result of the lowering of this temperature.Alternatively, the bonding layer may be provided by a separate interlayer.

Abstract: A plurality of rubber-backed dust control mats are interconnected by a connecting strip which has projections thereon which engage mating projections on the outer surface of the rubber backing on the mats.

Abstract: A cylindrical fiber brush useful in electrostatic charging and cleaning in an electrostatographic imaging process comprises an elongated cylindrical core having bound thereto a spirally wound conductive pile fabric strip forming a spiral seam between adjacent windings of the fabric strip, the fiber fill density of said fabric strip at the strip edge being at least double the fiber fill density in the center portion of the fabric strip. The increased fiber fill density at the strip edges provides additional fibers to fill the seams between the adjacent windings and improves the charging and cleaning performance at low rotational speeds.

Abstract: A connecting structure for sections of floor coverings such as of floor covering use in public walking areas, the connecting structure having longitudinal transversely spaced upstanding T members adapted to be retained in accomodating side vertical openings of the adjacent edge portions of floor covering sections for connection of the sections and being sufficiently flexible to bend along a longitudinal axis for a roll up of adjacent sections.

Abstract: A new method of joining the edges of two sections of carpeting involves forming complementary curved surfaces on the opposed edges to be joined by means of a novel template, and securing the complementary surfaces in edge-to-edge engagement by sewing or adhesively joining the sections to form a seam that is substantially hidden by the pile of the carpet. Also, the seam of the present invention provides a new unified section of carpeting.

Abstract: A rectangular tile-like carpet is disclosed, the body of which has front and back pile layers. Both front and back sides of the carpet can be used, so that the frequency of cleaning the carpet can be reduced to save expenditure and labor. Also, the two pile layers increase the cushioning property of the carpet. Further, the front and back pile layers may have different colors to permit different colors be enjoyed by merely inverting the carpet.

Abstract: A carpet joining tape comprises two strips of metal foil (13, 16) which overlie each other and are separated by an electrically insulating material (14), such as a paper strip. The superimposed metal foil strips (13, 16) and interposed electrical insulating material (14) are secured together so that an electric current can be passed through both strips (13, 16) in series to resistively heat the strips (13, 16) so as to melt a heat softenable, carpet bonding adhesive (19). The metal foil strips (13, 16) and electrical insulating material (14) may be secured together and to a base insulating strip (11) beneath the lower foil strip (13) and to reinforcing material (18) on the upper metal foil strip (16) by lines of stitching (21), and a layer of carpet bonding, heat softenable adhesive material (19) is disposed on the upper surface of the upper metal foil strip (16) and reinforcing material (18).

Abstract: For anchoring carpeting such as of the artificial turf type, or the like, to other such carpeting or to an anchoring device, scrim carrying separable fastener means in the form of an extruded strip having an attachment flange along one edge engaged with one face of a margin of the scrim and resiliently flexible rib and groove fastener profile structure extending longitudinally along an opposite edge of the strip and adapted to be interlocked with complementary fastener profile structure. A bonding ribbon is engaged with the opposite face of the scrim margin and is bonded to the attachment flange through openings in the scrim margin. A method of making the carpet anchoring assembly is adapted to be practiced in apparatus which provides for extrusion of both the fastener strip and the bonding ribbon toward the scrim margin and effecting thermoplastic bonding between pressure rolls as the scrim moves along a continuous fabrication path.

Abstract: An improved carpet tile for commercial, industrial or home use. The carpet tile has two straight first and second edges. Its third and fourth edges each have a portion removed to form key sections at the ends and a channel indentation in the middle. The tile when installed registers diagonally with like tiles because key sections from two tiles having adjacent straight edges are received by a channel indentation of each side edge of the tile. Movement of the tile in relation to other tiles is reduced and unsightly continuous edge lines across the carpet surface are eliminated. This invention is particularly useful when applied to free-lay carpet tiles, which use no adhesive to hold them to the underlying surface, because it prevents such tiles from delaminating, curling or warping. The simple shape of the tile allows it to be manufactured and installed quickly and inexpensively.

Abstract: A thermally responsive substrate includes an electric circuit extending throughout the substrate and providing multiple terminal pads through the substrate for the application of electrical current for heating the thermally responsive substrate. A tool for the application of electrical current to the terminals pads includes a device having multiple spaced apart contact probes for engaging selected terminal pads of the substrate.

Abstract: A system and method for forming flat temporary seams between two sections of synthetic turf are disclosed. The synthetic turf includes a synthetic turf material having a polymeric backing thereon. A strip of the polymeric backing is removed along a first edge of a first section of synthetic turf and a first web of mated surface fastener material is fastened to the underside of the synthetic turf material along that edge. A strip of synthetic turf material is removed from the polymeric backing along a second edge of a second section of synthetic turf and a thickness of polymeric backing substantially equal to two mated webs of mated surface fastener material is removed from the exposed lip of polymeric backing. A second web of mated surface fastener material is then fastened to the exposed lip of polymeric backing along the second edge. A flat temporary seam may then be formed by overlapping and mating the first and second web of mated surface fastener material.

Abstract: A carpet seaming apparatus includes an elongated bonding tape having an electrical resistance circuit with contacts at the edge of the tape mounted on the face thereof with a hot melt adhesive in the form of elongated beads running the length of the tape that melts in response to electrical current in the resistive conductors. A tool having spaced apart electrical contacts for engaging the contacts adjacent the edges of the tape inducing an electrical current therein for heating and melting the hot melt adhesive.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for adhesively bonding together in edge abutting relationship two sheets of woven, felted or other textile such as carpet using a joining tape which includes electrically conductive-metal foil or wires and an integral layer of heat softenable adhesive. Electric current is passed through the foil or wires to thereby heat and soften the adhesive. A control circuit senses the voltage and current in the foil or wires and controls the current in accordance with an adjustable predetermined value to heat the adhesive to a temperature at which the adhesive becomes tacky. The control circuit maintains the adhesive in the tacky state while the abutting edges which overlap the tape are adjusted as required to form the desired join. The control circult is then adjusted to increase the current in the foil or wires to increase the temperature thereof and melt the adhesive so that it flows into the material of the sheets.

Abstract: A pressure sensitive one piece carpet-binder construction for releasably adhering working pieces, such as carpets or similar articles, to holding surfaces, such as a floor substrate.

Abstract: A latent pressure-sensitive sheet material, e.g., fastener or closure having a discontinuous surface is made by applying a solvent-based pressure-sensitive adhesive by means of a gravure roll onto a flocked pile surface which is adhered to a substrate by a permanent adhesive. The flocked pile surface serves as a reservoir for the pressure-sensitive adhesive. The pressure-sensitive adhesive is wicked towards the face of the flocked pile surface upon face-to-face mating of two fasteners. The reservoir of pressure-sensitive adhesive and the wicking action enables repeated fastening and unfastening of two mated fasteners without substantial loss of locking power. The fasteners are particularly useful for seaming carpets. Also, the reservoir of pressure-sensitive material in one said fastener can be a curable or crosslinkable pressure-sensitive adhesive material, e.g.

Abstract: A textile pile carpet tile having a pile body predominantly of loop pile extending from one end to the opposing end of the tile and a pair of opposing side marginal areas of predominantly cut pile extending along opposite sides of the pile body from said one end to the opposing end of the tile, and of an appearance contrasting with that of the pile body.

Abstract: A stair mat is installed on the stairs in a manner as an edge cushion cover of flexible synthetic resin and a tread mat are adapted to the stairs, being adjacent each other, by the use of a connecting base sheet member having stiffness.The connecting base sheet member is provided with a hook-shaped rib or a plurality of thorns, and the edge cushion cover is provided with a catching groove or a flexible connecting layer corresponding to the hook-shaped rib or a plurality of thorns on the under surface.

Abstract: A stair mat is installed on the stairs by adapting an edge cushion cover and a tread mat on the tread of the stairs adjacent to each other; a rigid or semi-rigid fixing tongue is projected from the front edge of the tread mat, and the edge cushion cover is detachably set on the fixing tongue so as to cover the forward edge of the stairs.

Abstract: A latent pressure-sensitive fastener having a discontinuous surface is made by spraying an aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive onto a flocked pile surface which is adhered to a substrate by a permanent adhesive. The flocked pile surface serves as a reservoir for the pressure-sensitive adhesive. The pressure-sensitive adhesive is wicked towards the face of the flocked pile surface upon face-to-face mating of two fasteners. The reservoir of pressure-sensitive adhesive and the wicking action enables repeated fastening and unfastening of two mated fasteners without loss of locking power. The fasteners are particularly useful for seaming carpets.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium wherein a ferromagnetic substance consisting of Fe, Co, Ni or alloy thereof is vacuum evaporated and deposited on a substrate made of a plastic film or a sheet of non-magnetic metal. The thin ferromagnetic film has the columnar crystal structure, and the columnar crystals are coated with a layer of oxide of the ferromagnetic substance.

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: Structures are provided in strip or sheet-like fastening materials formed by molding together with an apparatus and method for producing same. In one form, a strip-like fastening material is formed by molding a plurality of narrow strips, each containing at least one row of fastening elements extending longitudinally therealong and guiding said strips into edgewise abutment whereafter they are fastened together, such as by welding, to form a wider strip or sheet of fastening material containing a plurality of rows of molded fastening elements. The fastening elements may comprise molded hooks with or without barbs, arrowhead formations, mushroom-like formations, loops of plastic or otherwise formed formations which may intermesh with the same or different formations of another strip to effect the fastening of the two strips together. In a particular form, hook or barb-shaped elements are formed along respective strips of metal or plastic by stamping or molding and the strips are hingedly joined together.

Abstract: A weather-resistant covering is made of three superimposed sheets of vulcanizable material such as ethylene-propylene copolymers, e.g. ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer. The inner layer contains a vulcanization accelerator and advantageously the outer layers do not. An additional inner layer such as a non-woven textile fabric can be provided to increase strength and dimensional stability. A roof can be covered by placing a plurality of strips of such covering side-by-side with slight overlap, welding them together into impervious seams by application of a volatile solvent or swelling agent for the outer layers.

Abstract: A seam and method for forming such seam to join pieces of synthetic turf material together are disclosed. In the disclosed method, edges of synthetic turf material, having a polymeric backing thereon, are abutted together and the abutted edges are positioned over a reinforcing tape material. The reinforcing tape material is a fabric strip that is coated with a polymeric material that is substantially the same as the polymeric material forming the backing of the synthetic turf. A volatile solvent material, capable of dissolving the polymeric material forming the backing of the synthetic turf, and the coating on the reinforcing tape is thereafter applied to at least a portion of the abutted edges and the adjacent surface of the reinforcing tape. Pressure is applied to urge the abutted edges into contact with the surface of the reinforcing tape and the volatile solvent is allowed to evaporate, thereby forming the seam, having improved structural properties.

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: Carpeting especially suitable for use in areas subjected to heavy wear or abrasive weather includes a plurality of cured, rubber-based strips with filaments embedded in and projecting upwardly from them forming a pile on their upper surfaces. The strips lie side-to-side, and each is bonded along its bottom surface only to a vulcanized, rubber-based sheet that does not project substantially into the spaces between the elements. Apparatus and a method for making the carpeting are also disclosed.

Abstract: A carpet construction comprises a plurality of square sheet materials butt-joined together to jointly provide a continuous planar upper surface. The sheet materials in each two adjacent rows are disposed in such a manner that the abutting lines of one of the two adjacent rows of sheet materials are disposed out of registration with those of the other. A plurality of stringer tapes are fixedly secured respectively to the lower marginal portions of the rows of sheet materials adjacent to their abutting ends and edges. Each opposed stringer tapes are coupled together to retain the sheet materials in butt-jointed condition. A plurality of connective members are secured respectively to rows of interengaged fastener elements of each mating stringer tapes immediately adjacent to the opposite ends thereof to retain the same in coupled condition.

Abstract: The edges of a synthetic turf material are secured by forming a slot in the base structure that supports the synthetic turf material and thereafter inserting the edge of the turf material to be secured into the slot with an elongated retainer strip being inserted into the slot to secure the turf in place. The elongated retainer strip is sized to frictionally engage one side of the elongated slot and the synthetic turf edge to urge it into frictional contact with the other side of the elongated slot.

Abstract: A carpet fitting, such as a cover strip, threshold guard, edging piece, threshold strip or joining strip of which, in use, a surface is exposed to view. Such exposed surface is coated with flock by electrostatic deposition. Further surface areas may be so coated. The flock may be selected to blend with the carpet and the flock coating assists in preventing persons from slipping on the fitting.

Abstract: A carpet construction comprises a pair of sheet materials having their opposed ends disposed in abutting engagement with each other. A sliding clasp fastener having a pair of stringer tapes carrying along their longitudinal edges rows of interengageable elements is provided for jointing the sheet materials together, the stringer tapes being attached to the reverse surfaces of the sheet materials immediately adjacent to the abutting ends thereof. A protective member extends along the length of the sliding clasp fastener and covers the coupled rows of fastener elements so as to prevent foreign matters from entering the spaces between the fastener elements. The protective member has means for preventing the coupled rows of fastener elements from displacement in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the sliding clasp fastener.

Abstract: A floor mat comprises substantially rigid, elongated rails disposed generally parallel to each other in closely spaced relation. Each rail has a base portion for supporting the mat and a top portion with a tread surface such as a strip of carpet, abrasive or vinyl thereon. Cooperative ball and socket structures along opposite sides of the rails fixedly space the rails from each other but permit rotational movement of the rails relative to each other whereby the floor mat may be rolled up or adjust itself to irregular floor surfaces.

Abstract: An artificial tennis-playing court surface which comprises a flat, woven, fiber-glass, base sheet, one surface of the sheet characterized by a plurality of napped, generally upright, glass fibers and a layer of a cross-linked resin bonded to the upper surface, the resin forming a coating about and between the napped glass fibers to provide a rough, resin, fiber-coated surface, and a backing sheet secured to the opposite surface of the fiber-glass base sheet. A process of manufacturing an artificial tennis court-playing surface, which process comprises: napping the surface of a woven fiber-glass base sheet to provide a napped surface comprising a plurality of fine glass fibers protruding therefrom; coating the napped surface with a thin layer of a cross-linkable resin to coat the napped fibers and between the napped fibers; and securing a backing sheet to the fiber-glass base sheet.

Abstract: A flexible, permeable seaming tape is treated by saturating one side with a liquid adhesive, which is allowed to dry so that the adhesive becomes inactive or non-tacky, thereby enabling the coated tape to be easily handled, coiled, etc. To seam together two carpet sections a strip of the tape is placed on a surface adhesive-side-up. The undersides of the sections adjacent the edges to be joined are coated with a liquid adhesive similar to that applied to the tape, and while still tacky, are urged downwardly against the tape with their edges in abutting relation. The still-damp adhesive on the carpet dissolves or reactivates the dry adhesive in the tape to form, when dried, a strong cohesive bond between the tape and carpet. The tape may comprise a single layer of non-woven material, or a non-woven material secured to a fiber matrix which resists lateral stretching.

Abstract: A latent pressure-sensitive fastener having a discontinuous surface is made by spraying an aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesive onto a flocked pile surface which is adhered to a substrate by a permanent adhesive. The flocked pile surface serves as a reservoir for the pressure-sensitive adhesive. The pressure-sensitive adhesive is wicked towards the face of the flocked pile surface upon face-to-face mating of two fasteners. The reservoir of pressure-sensitive adhesive and the wicking action enables repeated fastening and unfastening of two mated fasteners without loss of locking power. The fasteners are particularly useful for seaming carpets.