Abstract A pile fabric designed particularly for use as a cover of a tennis ball. The fabric has a base structure comprising knitted cotton yarns, preferably in two layers laid back-to-back. A pile surface is provided on one side of the base structure by a fleece preferably composed of a plurality of carded webs having synthetic components including polyester, acrylic, polypropylene fibers. The webs are integrated with one another and with the base structure by the fibrous components of the webs passing substantially perpendicular to the plane of the webs through the adjoining webs and the base structure. When the disclosed fabric is used as a tennis ball cover, it is cut into blanks of conventional configuration and applied to the core structure of the tennis ball by suitable adhesives. The integration of the webs and base structure into a unitary fabric is effected by a series of needling operations, selected ones of which provide full penetration of the assembled layers with fine needles, and others of which provide only partial penetration of the assembled layers by course needles.
A product according to claim 1 wherein said two layers knitted base fabric comprise flat knits in which all of the needle loops are positioned on one face of the fabric, the back face being relatively smooth, said two layers oriented with the smooth back faces confronting one another in face-to-face engagement.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
34 words
A product according to claim 2 wherein said layers are integral parts of a knitted tubular structure which is flattened with the smooth face of the knitted structure on the interior of the tube.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
A product according to claim 2 wherein each knitted layer comprises two yarn systems which knit and tuck alternately and in alternate wales so that the yarns of one system tuck when the yarns of the other system knit.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
A tennis ball comprising a resilient core of elastomeric material and a covering comprised of two blanks made in accordance with claim 1 and securely bonded to said core by said adhesive coating.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
233 words
A method of producing a pile fabric having a pile on one surface and being smooth on the opposite surface comprising the steps of supplying a web of fibrous material having staple lengths in the range of at least 1 1/2 inches supplying a base structure of knitted fabric from yarns of a predetermined size in a given knitted construction, needling said web through said base structure by penetrating felting needles downwardly through said web and then through said base structure, thereafter needling said composite structure from the opposite surface to project the felting needles through said base structure and thereafter through said fibrous layer to remove the major portion of loose fiber ends from the undersurface of said composite structure, selecting felting needles in the aforesaid needling operations having a fine thickness relative to the knit construction of said base structure so that said felting needles may penetrate through said base structure without rupturing the yarns of said knitted structure, thereafter needling said composite structure from the fibrous face thereof to consolidate the web of fibrous structure in the composite fabric structure, selecting coarser felting needles for said consolidating needling operation, and controlling the penetration of said coarser felting needles so as to avoid engagement of the barbs of said coarser needles with the knitted yarns of the knitted base structures, thereby avoiding rupture of the yarns by said consolidating needling operation.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
50 words
A method according to claim 6 including an additional step of needling said consolidated web with fine felting needles which penetrate through the entire consolidated structure, the fineness of the needles being selected to avoid rupture of the yarns of the knitted structure by the barbs of said fine needles.