Method of applying patterns to vinyl floor coverings

Claim 1

THE METHOD OF MAKING A VINYL TYPE COVERING FOR FLOORS, WALLS AND THE LIKE WHICH COMPRISES THE STEPS OF PRINTING A VINYL RESIN INK ON A STRIPPABLE BACKING MATERIAL, HEATING THE PRINTED BACKING MATERIAL SO AS TO REMOVE SOLVENT THEREFROM, APPLYING TO SAID PRINTED BACKING, MALLEABLE RESINOUS GRANULES COMPRISING A MIXTURE OF POLYMERS FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF POLYVINYL CHLORIDE, COPOLYMERS OF VINYL CHLORIDE AND VINYL ACETATE AND COPOLYMERS OF VINYL CHLORIDE AND VINYLIDENE CHLORIDE, THE SAID GRANULES FURTHER COMPRISING A POLYMER MIXTURE IN WHICH 45 TO 90 PERCENT, BY WEIGHT, THEREOF IS A POLYMER OBTAINED BY EMULSION POLYMERIZATION AND 10 TO 55 PERCENT THEREOF IS A DISPERSION TYPE POLYMER, PRESSING THE SAID GRANULES INTO A CONTINUOUS SHEET AND ONTO THE PRINTED BACKING, PASSING THE RESULTING COMPOSITE VINYL SHEET AND BACKING THROUGH A HEATING ZONE MAINTAINED BETWEEN 120* C. AND 180* C, AND STRIPPING THE VINYL LAYER FROM THE BACKING MATERIAL THEREBY PROVIDING A COVERING OF AT LEAST 10 MILS THICKNESS HAVING INLAID THEREIN, FOR AT LEAST 5 PERCENT OF ITS THICKNESS, A REGULARLY REPEATABLE PATTERN.

Claim 2

THE METHOD OF MAKING A VINYL TYPE COVERING FOR FLOORS, WALLS AND THE LIKE WHICH COMPRISES THE STEPS OF PRINTING A VINYL RESIN INK ON A STRIPPABLE BACKING MATERIAL, HEATING THE PRINTED BACKING MATERIAL SO AS TO REMOVE SOLVENT THEREFROM, APPLYING TO SAID PRINTED BACKING, MALLEABLE RESINOUS GRANULES COMPRISING A MIXTURE OF POLYMERS FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF POLYVINYL CHLORIDE, COPOLYMERS OF VINYL CHLORIDE AND VINYL ACETATE AND COPOLYMERS OF VINYL CHLORIDE AND VINYLIDENE CHLORIDE, THE SAID GRANULES FURTHER COMPRISING A POLYMER MIXTURE IN WHICH 45 TO 90 PERCENT, BY WEIGHT, THEREOF IS A POLYMER OBTAINED BY EMULSION POLYMERIZATION AND 10 TO 55 PERCENT THEREOF IS A DISPERSION TYPE POLYMER, PRESSING THE SAID GRANULES INTO A CONTINUOUS SHEET AND ONTO THE PRINTED BACKING, PASSING THE RESULTING COMPOSITE VINYL SHEET AND BACKING THROUGH A HEATING ZONE MAINTAINED BETWEEN 120* C. AND 180* C, AND STRIPPING THE VINYL LAYER FROM THE BACKING MATERIAL THEREBY PROVIDING A COVERING OF AT LEAST 10 MILS THICKNESS HAVING INLAID THEREIN, FOR AT LEAST 5 PERCENT OF ITS THICKNESS, A REGULARLY REPEATABLE PATTERN.