Dryer fabric for papermaking machine and method

Abstract

A dryer fabric and method for drying a web W of paper material is disclosed which includes passing the web through a dryer having a plurality of heated cylinders and holding the web in contact against the heated cylinders by means of a dryer fabric 24 arranged as an endless traveling dryer fabric. The dryer fabric includes a plurality of elongated helix means 30 extending in a cross-wise direction constructed from a polymeric material characterized by stress and heat resistance to which said fabric is subjected during endless travel about the rollers at elevated drying temperatures. Joint means 32 joins adjacent ones of helix means successively together in a machine direction to form an endless belt of desired dimension. Spaced upper and lower generally parallel loop runs 34a and 34b in the helix means 30 define a smooth generally flat paper contacting surface. An open mesh 36 is defined in the fabric between adjacent joint means and runs of loops 34 along the cross-wise and machine directions of the fabric through which heated vapor and the like flow and are transferred outwardly from the paper web. Polymeric filler strands are inserted across the helix means closing the mesh to reduce flow. The edges of the fabric are heat sealed retaining the filler strands and helix means as integral fabric structure. In one embodiment, the filler strand includes low-melt nylon strands 42 which are heated to expand and occupy the helix strips more completely and which interlock the upper and lower loop runs providing a more stable fabric structure.