Method of making shaped felt

Abstract

Abstract Shaped felts are produced by forming a mat of crimped continuous synthetic textile filaments, subjecting a portion of the mat to a needling operation and moving the mat in relation to the needles until the entire surface of the mat has been pierced by the needles. The continuous filaments may be crimped then assembled under tension in substantially parallel form into a mat and then relaxed or alternatively the mat may be formed of potentially crimpable fibrous material and subsequently crimped by the action of water or evaporation of a solvent. Fibres which may be included in the felt include rayon, nylon and polyethylene terephthalate. Two or more layers may be needled together or a mat of the fibres may be needled to a base fabric, e.g. of cotton which may be woven or knitted, or to a base material comprising an elastomeric material. Binding agents such as thermoplastic resins may be added to the yarns or to the web before, during or after needling. A tennis ball core wound uniformly with a crimped nylon continuous filament yarn (see Division B8) is placed in slightly compressed condition between a rotatable table (45) and a needle plate (38) and subjected to a needling operation by means of a needling head (41), Fig. 5 (not shown). The table (45) is not only rotated but is moved in a direction parallel to shaft (47) so that the entire surface of the ball is needled to produce a felt-like surface. To prevent puncturing of the rubber core the needles used are provided with one barb formation only (Fig. 5a, not shown). In an alternative embodiment (Figs. 1-3, not shown), an endless belt is produced by needling a belt of continuous filament nylon 66 yarn on to a woven cotton fabric base supported on two rotatable rollers. Rotation of the rollers causes the entire surface of the belt to be presented in the area in which needling takes place.ALSO:A tennis ball is formed by winding a crimped nylon continuous p filament yarn uniformly on a rubber core placing the core in a slightly compressed condition between a rotatable table and a needle plate and subjecting the assembly to a needling operation. The table is not only rotated but is moved perpendicularly to the axis of the table so that the entire surface of the ball is needled to produce a felt-like surface.

Inventors

• 👤 Goy Ronald Stansfield

Bibliographic Details