Method of imparting dimensional stability to felt backed surface coverings

Claim 1

IN A METHOD OF PRODUCING A DECORATIVE SURFACE COVERING FOR FLOORS, WALLS AND THE LIKE COMPRISING APPLYING A CLEAR LAYER OF A FUSIBLE RESINOUS COMPOSITION TO ONE SURFACE OF A WEB OF FELTED FIBERS CONTAINING A STRENGTHENING IMPREGNANT, HEATING TO FUSE SAID RESINOUS COMPOSITION TO YIELD A CLEAR FUSED WEAR LAYER INTEGRALLY BONDED TO SAID WEB, AND IMMEDIATELY PASSING THE RESULTING SHEET BETWEEN A ROTATING METAL ROLL WHICH ENGAGES SAID FUSED LAYER AND ROTATING RESILIENT SURFACED ROLL WHICH SUPPORTS SAID COATED WEB, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES DIRECTING A UNIFORM SPRAY OF WATER UPON THE COATED SURFACE OF SAID WEB OPPOSITE TO THAT BEARING THE COATING IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE HEATING STEP AND BEFORE THE SHEET PASSES-BETWEEN SAID ROLLS AND MAINTAINING A THIN UNIFORM FILM OF WATER UPON THE SURFACE OF SAID RESILIENT SURFACED ROLL AT THE POINT WHERE SAID RESILIENT SURFACED ROLL SUPPORTS SAID COATED WEB THEREBY EFFECTING THE INTRODUCTION OF A CONTROLLED AMOUNT OF WATER INTO SAID COATED WEB TO PRODUCE A DECORATIVE SURFACE COVERING WITH A HIGH DEGREE OF DIMENSIONAL STABILITY.