Armstrong Cork Company

Gary E Williams

Donald E Schneider

George A Tudor

The process for making a surface covering having an embossed wear surface, including embossed design portions which differ in elevation and shading, by depositing a liquid resinous base coating onto a backing, depositing a layer of resinous dryblend onto the liquid resinous coating while it is still wet, heating to sinter the dryblend and at least partially set the base coating, producing a design on the sintered layer by applying settable resinous ink to at least a portion thereof in sufficient amounts and viscosity to permit penetration of the ink into the dryblend layer to a depth of about 10 mils (0.254 mm) at the points of application, at least a portion of the design being formed by applying the ink in minute separate but closely spaced deposits, and heating the composite structure for final fusion to form a non-porous sheet wherein the design areas containing the closely spaced ink deposits may differ in shading and elevation in their ink-containing and non-ink-containing portions. These design areas may also differ in shading and elevation from the other ink-containing and non-ink-containing areas of the sheet. The resulting sheet may then be passed around a smooth (or textured) roll with the face of the sheet in contact therewith to provide any smoothing or texturing effect desired. Optionally, an overall resinous top coat may be applied.

Decorative multi-level embossed surface covering

The process for making a surface covering having an embossed wear surface, including embossed design portions which differ in elevation and shading, by depositing a liquid resinous base coating onto a backing, depositing a layer of resinous dryblend onto the liquid resinous coating while it is still wet, heating to sinter the dryblend and at least partially set the base coating, producing a design on the sintered layer by appling settable resinous ink to at least a portion thereof in sufficient amounts and viscosity to permit penetration of the ink into the dryblend layer to a depth of about 10 mils (0.254 mm) at the points of application, at least a portion of the design being formed by applying the ink in minute separate but closely spaced deposits, and heating the composite structure for final fusion to form a non-porous sheet wherein the design areas containing the closely spaced ink deposits may differ in shading and elevation in their ink-containing and non-ink-containing portions. These design areas may also differ in shading and elevation from the other ink-containing and non-ink-containing areas of the sheet. The resulting sheet may then be passed around a smooth (or textured) roll with the face of the sheet in contact therewith to provide any smoothing or texturing effect desired. Optionally, an overall resinous top coat may be applied.

Process for producing decorative multi-level embossed surface covering

Migration of plasticizer from plasticized PVC substrate is inhibited by coating the surface of the substrate by the steps of (1) applying to the surface of the plasticized polyvinyl chloride a solution consisting essentially of an inert organic solvent and an isocyanate-terminated polyurethane, said coating having a viscosity of from about 50 to 200 centipoise; (2) removing the organic solvent from the applied solution wherein a first substantially homogeneous film of thermosettable polyurethane is formed of from about 1.0 to 2.0 mils in thickness; (3) applying to the substantially homogeneous film surface of Step 2 said coating composition of Step 1; (4) removing said organic solvent from the applied solution of Step 3 wherein a second substantially homogeneous film of a thermosettable polyurethane is formed of from 2.0 to 3.0 mils in thickness; (5) repeating Steps 1 and 2 wherein said coating solution is applied to the surface of the substantially homogeneous film of Step 4 to form a third substantially homogeneous film of a thermosettable polyurethane of from about 1.5 to 3.0 mils in thickness; thereby inhibiting plasticizer migration from the polyvinyl chloride substrate to the third substantially homogeneous film.

Growing community of inventors

Lancaster, PA, United States of America

Gary E Williams