Gates Formed-fibre Products, Inc.

Albany International Corporation

Elwood G Trask

Ronald W Adams

Gerald J Smith

Robert R Walters

Brian Campbell

Frederick S Campbell

Leon Rorie

Jon Johnston

Paul Ellis

Walter Gasior

Roland Phaneuf

A nonwoven fibrous flexible material includes a needled web having a front outer surface and a non-glazed back surface disposed opposite thereof. The web includes interengaged first fibers and second thermoplastic fibers with the outer surface being substantially free of the second thermoplastic fibers. The web also has a plurality of weld joints between the second thermoplastic fibers and at least a portion of the first fibers proximate the back surface.

Method of producing a nonwoven fibrous textured panel and panel produced

A method for producing a nonwoven fibrous, flexible panel having a textured outer surface, including the steps: of providing a needled web comprised of interengaged first fibers and second thermoplastic fibers; needlepunching the web to produce the textured outer surface; and passing a fluid, at a temperature sufficient to melt at least a portion of the second thermoplastic fibers, through the web in a direction from the textured outer surface to produce a plurality of weld joints of the melted second thermoplastic fibers, the textured outer surface thereafter being substantially free of the second thermoplastic fibers. A nonwoven fibrous panel produced by the methods characterized herein is also described.

Method of producing a nonwoven dibrous textured panel and panel produced

A composite structural material and a method of making it, which material is thermoformable and capable of being rigidified by application of a resin, and which is useful in certain electronics applications because of a metallic layer incorporated within the structure. A layer of a selected metal is needle punched onto a fibrous batt of selected synthetic thermoplastic fibers, which is then thermoformed to a desired shape and rigidified by contacting with, and being embedded in, a suitable resin. Specific applications of the use of this composite include a parabolic dish-shaped antenna, an electromagnetic interference shield for electronic equipment, and a radioactive emission shield.

Formable fiber composite

A nonwoven textile fiber panel, useful, for instance, in manufacturing car truck liners, in which synthetic thermoplastic fibers that vary in fiber length, diameter, denier, and/or density are needle-punched to produce a carpeting material, which can then be directly utilized, or thermoformed to retain a desired shape. The fibers that one desires to show up on the face side of the final product are preferentially driven by the needle barbs of a needle loom through the precursor batt material. This preferential needling can also be enhanced through selection of various needle lengths, needle diameters, and barb spacing configurations.

Preferentially needled textile panel and method

A nonwoven textile panel for use as a fire retardant and sound deadening barrier in the interiors of aircraft, comprised of three layers of nonwoven textile fibers of polyphenylene sulfide fibers and Nomex brand aramid fibers that have been carded, cross-lapped, needle punched and thermally bonded by heating the panel to the temperature softening point of the polyphenylene sulfide fibers. The fibers are capable of being thermoformed and retaining a permanent shape due to the thermoplastic properties of the polyphenylene sulfide fibers.

Fire retardent structural textile panel

A nonwoven textile panel for use as a fire retardant and sound deadening barrier in the interiors of aircraft, comprised of five layers of nonwoven textile fibers of polyphenylene sulfide fibers and Nomex brand aramid fibers that have been carded, cross-lapped, needle punched and thermally bonded by heating the panel to the temperature softening point of the polyphenylene sulfide fibers, whose panel exterior is comprised of a skin of polyvinyl chloride that has been adhered to the outermost fibrous layer. The fibers are capable of being thermoformed and retaining a permanent shape due to the thermoplastic properties of the polyphenylene sulfide fibers. An important alternative embodiment uses a layer of polyester polyurethane foam underneath the vinyl to shield it from the heat radiating properties of the polyphenylene sulfide and prevent puckering of the vinyl material during the processing.

Fire retardant structural textile panel

The disclosure is of an improved textile construction, useful as underlayment for carpeting. The construction comprises high temperature resistant staple fibers needled to a scrim of interwoven, high-temperature resistant yarns. The needled fabric has one surface treated to bond the surface fibers in place and one moisture-impervious film surface.

Carpet underlayment of needled scrim and fibrous layer with moisture

The disclosure is of a method for improving the acid resistance, hydrophobicity, oleophobicity and dust or dirt release properties of synthetic organic fibers. The method comprises coating the fibers with an aqueous dispersion of polytetrafluoroethylene particles in the presence of a water soluble, chromium complex of a long chain fluorochemical. The method is particularly advantageous for improving polyaramid fibers such as Nomex fibers in fabrics to be used as a filter means.

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Auburn, ME, United States of America

Elwood G Trask