EP0232059A2 — Production of a shaped filamentary structure

Claim 1

Independent Claim 121 words

A method of producing a shaped filamentary structure comprising the steps of: subjecting uni- directional layers of filaments (16) to a needle punching action to give a degree of dimensional stability to the layer adequate to allow severing and manipulation of the layer: cutting a plurality of segments (36, 38) from the layer; assembling at least two of the segments in side-by-side contiguous relationship to produce a first filamentary layer of the required structural shape; superimposing at least one of similarly formed filamentary layers on the first layer and needle punching the assembled layers to produce cross linking of the layers by filaments displaced out of the layers and extending in a direction generally perpendicular to the faces of the layers.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 121 words

A method of producing a shaped filamentary structure comprising the steps of: subjecting uni- directional layers of filaments (16) to a needle punching action to give a degree of dimensional stability to the layer adequate to allow severing and manipulation of the layer: cutting a plurality of segments (36, 38) from the layer; assembling at least two of the segments in side-by-side contiguous relationship to produce a first filamentary layer of the required structural shape; superimposing at least one of similarly formed filamentary layers on the first layer and needle punching the assembled layers to produce cross linking of the layers by filaments displaced out of the layers and extending in a direction generally perpendicular to the faces of the layers.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 109 words

A method of producing a shaped filamentary structure as claimed in Claim 1, in which the segments forming the first filamentary layer are laid on a sub-structure (40) rigid enough to support the first layer to allow the subsequent layer(s) to be superimposed on it, but having a structure which permits needle penetration, at least the initial needle punching of the assembled layers involving penetration of the sub-structure, whereby the assembled layers become a structure, but the degree and density of the penetration being limited to ensure that the needled assembled layers can be separated from the sub-structure without damaging the shape and stability of the needled assembled layers.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 43 words

A method of producing a shaped filamentary structure as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which the segments are assembled in a former (54, 220) which locates the segments relatively to each other during the needle punching of the assembled layers.

Claim 5

Independent Claim 45 words

A method of producing a shaped filamentary structure as claimed in any one of Claims 1 - 3, in which the longitudinal axis of the filaments in a superimposed layer of segments are disposed at an angle to those of a lower layer of segments.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 39 words

A method of producing a shaped filamentary structure as claimed in Claim 4, in which the longitudinal axis of the filaments in the segments of each layer are disposed at an angle to those in the immediately preceding layer.

Claim 7

Independent Claim 53 words

A method of 'producing a shaped filamentary structure as claimed in any one of Claims 1 - 5, in which the needling of the uni-directional filaments prior to cutting out the segments is carried out with the filaments subjected to a tensile force in the direction of the longitudinal direction of the filaments.

Claim 8

Independent Claim 30 words

A method of producing a shaped filamentary structure as claimed in any one of Claims 1 - 6, in which the segments are formed into a circular or annular shape.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 61 words

A method of producing a shaped filamentary structure as claimed in Claim 7, in which the needling of the circular or annular assembly of the segments is carried out by reciprocating a needling head (42) equipped with the needles and causing relative rotary motion about the axis of the circle or annulus formed by the segments relative to the needling head.

Claim 10

Independent Claim 70 words

A method of producing a multilayer filamentary structure comprising the steps of: laying at least three filamentary layers (36, 38) one on top of another and needle'punching the assembly of layers in a manner such that the entire assembly is cross linked by filaments displaced from the filamentary layers and extending in a direction generally perpendicular to the faces of the layers without needling completely through the assembly of layers.

Claim 11

Independent Claim 70 words

A method of producing a multilayer filamentary structure comprising the steps of: laying at least three filamentary layers (36, 38) one on top of another and needle'punching the assembly of layers in a manner such that the entire assembly is cross linked by filaments displaced from the filamentary layers and extending in a direction generally perpendicular to the faces of the layers without needling completely through the assembly of layers.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 78 words

A method of producing a multilayer filamentary structure as claimed in Claim 9, in which the assembly is needle punched after the addition of a layer to one or more already laid layers and superimposing on the, punching motion a relative movement between the assembly and the needles (in the same sense as the punching action), so that the bottom limit of the punching action is moved upwards relatively to the assembly during the formation of the assembly.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 35 words

A method of producing a multilayer filamentary structure as claimed in Claim 10, in which the superimposed motion is achieved by lowering a support (40) on which the assembly is resting during the punching operation.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 87 words

A method. of producing a multilayer filamentary structure as claimed in Claim 9, wherein each of the filamentary layers is itself formed by subjecting a uni- directional layer of filaments (16) to a needle punching action to give a degree of dimensional stability to the layer adequate to allow severing and manipulation of the layer; cutting a plurality of segments (36, 38) from the layer and assembling at least two of the segments in side-by-side contiguous relationship to produce a filamentary layer of the required structural shape.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 63 words

A method of producing a multilayer filamentary structure as claimed in Claim 11 or Claim 12, in which the support (40) has a structure which permits needle penetration but the degree and density of the penetration is limited to ensure that the needled assembled filamentary layers can be separated from the support without damaging the shape and stability of the needled assembled layers.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 136 words

Apparatus for producing a shaped filamentary structure comprising an open-topped receptacle (54) to receive segments of tilamentary material in a side-by-side arrangement; a support (74) for the filamentary segment arrangement located inside the receptacle in a manner which permits vertical motion of the support within the receptacle; a needling head (55) including a vertically reciprocable needle carrier; the needling head being located over part only of the receptacle (54); means for rotating the receptacle to bring a complete annulus of any filamentary segments in the receptacle under the needling head (55); whereby it is possible to needle punch all the filamentary material in the said complete annulus as the receptacle is rotated and the depth of penetration of the needles into the filamentary material can be varied by lowering the support (74) during the needling operation.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 136 words

Apparatus for producing a shaped filamentary structure comprising an open-topped receptacle (54) to receive segments of tilamentary material in a side-by-side arrangement; a support (74) for the filamentary segment arrangement located inside the receptacle in a manner which permits vertical motion of the support within the receptacle; a needling head (55) including a vertically reciprocable needle carrier; the needling head being located over part only of the receptacle (54); means for rotating the receptacle to bring a complete annulus of any filamentary segments in the receptacle under the needling head (55); whereby it is possible to needle punch all the filamentary material in the said complete annulus as the receptacle is rotated and the depth of penetration of the needles into the filamentary material can be varied by lowering the support (74) during the needling operation.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 39 words

Apparatus for producing a shaped filamentary structure as claimed in Claim 14, in which the apparatus includes means (152, 154, 156) for moving the needling head to a retracted location where it is not vertically aligned with the receptacle.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 40 words

Apparatus for producing a shaped filamentary structure as claimed in Claim 14 or Claim 15, in which the means for rotating the receptacle and for moving the support vertically comprise two separate motors (82, 106) each having its own gearing.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 135 words

Apparatus for producing a shaped filamentary structure as claimed in any one of Claims 14 - 16, in which the receptacle (54) is carried by a hollow spindle (100) rotatable about a vertical axis, there being a rotatable screw (126) also having a vertical axis inside the hollow spindle, a nut (128) engaging on the screw being mounted in the hollow spindle for vertical sliding motion, but restrained against rotary motion, so that rotation of the screw causes vertical axial motion of the nut; there being driving columns (79) connected to the support (74), having rotary driving connection with the receptacle (54) for rotating the support with the receptacle, and a connection with the nut for transmitting axial motion of the nut to the columns without applying rotary motion from the columns to the nut.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 111 words

1 8. A method of assembling a plurality of tows each comprising a multiplicity of filaments to form a filamentary sheet, in which the tows are drawn out from packages; subjected to tension applied to all the filaments and wound on to a take-up roller, in which the filaments of each tow are stretched over a banana shaped spreader, so that it is possible to constrain the filaments to spread or compress laterally by the orientation of the spreader relatively to the path of the filaments engaging with it, adjacent spreaders being offset from each other in the direction of travel of the filaments to permit lateral overlap of adjacent spreaders.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 111 words

1 8. A method of assembling a plurality of tows each comprising a multiplicity of filaments to form a filamentary sheet, in which the tows are drawn out from packages; subjected to tension applied to all the filaments and wound on to a take-up roller, in which the filaments of each tow are stretched over a banana shaped spreader, so that it is possible to constrain the filaments to spread or compress laterally by the orientation of the spreader relatively to the path of the filaments engaging with it, adjacent spreaders being offset from each other in the direction of travel of the filaments to permit lateral overlap of adjacent spreaders.

Production of a shaped filamentary structure

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