Albany International Corporation

Lawrence G Miller

Henry M Cooke

Robin Lotti-Fassnacht

Joseph Salitsky

Lars E Fagerholm

Karen L Crawford

Jeanette Hansson

Juha Tiilikka

A polymeric-resin-coated papermaking-processing belt, which may be used as a sheet-transfer, long nip press (LNP) or calender belt, includes a reinforcing base having the form of an endless loop with a face side and a back side, these being the outside and inside of the endless loop, respectively. The face side of the reinforcing base is coated with a polymeric resin material, while the back side has a staple fiber batt attached thereto. The staple fiber batt has a smooth, fused surface free of protruding fiber ends. This surface is kept clean more easily than that of a typical staple fiber batt. Methods for manufacturing the polymeric-resin-coated papermaking-processing belt, including several ways for providing the staple fiber batt with the smooth, fused surface, are also disclosed.

Method for improving the cleanability of coated belts with a needled web

A coater belt for carrying and supporting a web through a coating station on a paper or board machine, or an off-line coater, said belt comprising an endless base member and at least a first surface layer. Said surface layer is an impermeable coating comprising a first material and a particulate filler material. The filler material which are present in the web-contact surface provide a well-defined roughness on micro-scale of said web-contact surface. The web-contact surface further presents a well-defined surface energy for accomplishing an adhesion to the web for picking-up the web at an entrance side of the coating station and for holding the web against the coater belt during its path through the coating station.

Coater belt and a coating station including such a coater belt

Methods for closing a seam in a paper processing belt having a coating of polymeric resin material require the covering of the seam on the uncoated side of the belt with an encapsulating material, so that the seam will have compression properties substantially identical to those of use of the remainder of the belt. In one method, a viscous paste obtained by mixing a polymeric resin material with a blowing agent is used. Following installation of the fabric, or belt, on a paper machine by closing its pin seam with a pintle, the seam region on the non-paper side of the fabric or belt is impregnated with the viscous paste. The seam region is then heated to a temperature to activate the blowing agent and to create a foam from the paste. The foam fills voids in the seam region, and may pass out through the slit in the coating over the seam. Raising the temperature further cures the foam and may glue the slit closed. In other methods, a pre-foamed polymeric resin may be used to impregnate the seam region, or the seam region may be covered with a solid foam strip of a polymeric resin or a fibrous strip of fibrous batt material, either of which may be secured to the seam region by an adhesive. In each case, the belt so seamed may be used as a transfer belt or long nip press (LNP) belt, or in other paper processing applications.

Method of seam closure for sheet transfer and other paper processing

A method for closing a seam in a paper processing belt having a coating of polymeric resin material requires the use of a viscous paste obtained by mixing a polymeric resin material with a blowing agent. Following installation of the fabric, or belt, on a paper machine by closing its pin seam with a pintle, the seam region on the non-paper side of the fabric or belt is impregnated with the viscous paste. The seam region is then heated to a temperature to activate the blowing agent and to create a foam from the paste. The foam fills voids in the seam region, and may pass out through the slit in the coating over the seam. Raising the temperature further cures the foam and may glue the slit closed. The belt so seamed may be used as a transfer belt or long nip press (LNP) belt, or in other paper processing applications.

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Raynham, MA, United States of America

Lawrence G Miller