Process for producing a coated substrate

Claim 1

A process which comprises a. foaming by air whipping an aqueous emulsion polymerized latex composition consisting essentially and predominantly of water and polymer of an ethylenically unsaturated monomer and containing a water soluble organic surfactant, said surfactant consisting essentially of at least about 40 percent by weight of a water soluble salt of a saturated alkanoic acid of 18 carbon atoms; b. applying the resultant polymeric foam directly to a permeable textile fabric substrate; c. partially drying the foam and substrate to a moisture content of less then about 20 percent by weight and retaining the foam in its expanded form during the drying process without appreciable curing or gelation; d. completely crushing the partially dried, uncured polymeric foam adhering to the substrate; and e. thereafter heating the resultant crushed polymeric foam coated substrate to thereby cure the polymeric coating whereby to produce a soft, pliable and durable coated textile fabric having an adherent crushed foam polymer backing, said backing being opaque with little penetration or strikethrough and having a density of about 30 to 65 lbs. per cubic ft.