Process of laminating carpet to elastomeric backing

Claim 3

A process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the compressive molding pressure is selected from the range of about 50 psi to about 250 psi, the curable elastomeric backing section is heated to a temperature within the range of about 250° F. to about 400° F., the pile carpet section is cooled to a temperature less than about 100° F., and the heating of the curable elastomeric backing section is maintained for a period of time selected from the range of about one minute to about twenty minutes.

Claim 4

A process as claimed in claim 2 wherein the carpet pile is cooled to a temperature less than about 75° F.

Claim 5

A process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the curable elastomeric backing section is composed of a heat curable rubber.

Claim 6

A process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the elastomeric backing material is a styrene-butadiene rubber and the carpet is a nylon-tufted, cut pile carpet with a jute backing.

Claim 7

A process as claimed in claim 5 wherein the nylon-tufted carpet and the styrene-butadiene rubber are subjected to a pressure of about 150 psi±10 psi for approximately 5 minutes while simultaneously heating the styrene-butadiene rubber to a temperature of approximately 325° F.±10° F. and simultaneously cooling the pile of the nylon-tufted carpet to approximately 60° F.±5° F.

Claim 8

A process as claimed in claim 1 wherein a plurality of curable elastomeric backing sections are separately molded to a plurality of pile carpet sections during one molding cycle.

Claim 11

A process of simultaneously laminating a plurality of curable elastomeric backing sections to a plurality of heat deformable pile carpet sections, comprising: placing one curable elastomeric backing section and one carpet section within each of a plurality of molds so that each elastomeric backing section is in contact with a first portion of each mold and each carpet section is in contact with a second portion of each mold, interleaving one mold having an elastomeric backing section and a carpet section therein between each pair of a plurality of adjacent platens so that each mold will be inverted relative to the next adjacent mold, said plurality of platens comprising a first platen and a second platen, and at least one intermediate platen located between the first and second platens, each platen having heat transfer means for use in separately regulating the temperature of the platen, placing each curable elastomeric backing section and carpet section under a compressive molding pressure of at least 50 psi by moving the plurality of platens toward one another, crushing each carpet pile while each curable elastomeric backing section and pile carpet section are under the compressive molding pressure, heating the first portion of each mold by transferring heat through the heat transfer means in each platen adjacent to the first portion of each mold to set each elastomeric backing simultaneously while each carpet and curable elastomeric backing section are under pressure, cooling the second portion of each mold by transferring heat through the heat transfer means in each platen adjacent to the second portion of each mold to cool each adjacent carpet pile to maintain the carpet pile below a temperature at which the carpet pile becomes substantially permanently deformed under the applied molding pressure so as to maintain the resiliency of the carpet pile upon release of the compressive molding pressure, the cooling being conducted simultaneously while each carpet and backing section are under pressure, and maintaining the heating of the curable elastomeric backing section until each elastomeric backing section is set.

Claim 12

A process of simultaneously laminating a plurality of curable elastomeric backing sections to a plurality of heat deformable pile carpet sections, comprising: placing one curable elastomeric backing section and one carpet section within each of a plurality of molds so that each elastomeric backing section is in contact with a first portion of each mold and each carpet section is in contact with a second portion of each mold, interleaving one mold having an elastomeric backing section and a carpet section therein between each pair of a plurality of adjacent platens so that each mold will be inverted relative to the next adjacent mold, said plurality of platens comprising a first platen and a second platen, and at least one intermediate platen located between the first and second platens, each platen having heat transfer means for use in separately regulating the temperature of the platen, placing each curable elastomeric backing section and carpet section under a compressive molding pressure of at least 50 psi by moving the plurality of platens toward one another, crushing each carpet pile while each curable elastomeric backing section and pile carpet section are under the compressive molding pressure, heating the first portion of each mold by transferring heat through the heat transfer means in each platen adjacent to the first portion of each mold to set each elastomeric backing simultaneously while each carpet and curable elastomeric backing section are under pressure, cooling the second portion of each mold by transferring heat through the heat transfer means in each platen adjacent to the second portion of each mold to cool each adjacent carpet pile to maintain the carpet pile below a temperature at which the carpet pile becomes substantially permanently deformed under the applied molding pressure so as to maintain the resiliency of the carpet pile upon release of the compressive molding pressure, the cooling being conducted simultaneously while each carpet and backing section are under pressure, and maintaining the heating of the curable elastomeric backing section until each elastomeric backing section is set.

Claim 13

A process as claimed in claim 9 wherein the heating of the first portion of each mold is accomplished by circulating a heating fluid through the heat transfer means in each platen adjacent each first portion of each mold and the cooling of the second portion of each mold is accomplished by circulating a cooling fluid through the heat transfer means in each platen adjacent the second portion of each mold.

Claim 14

A process as claimed in claim 9 including providing each intermediate platen with a projection adapted to engage a corresponding stop to limit relative movement among the plurality of platens, moving the plurality of platens away from each other after each heat curable elastomeric backing section is set, and limiting relative movement of the intermediate platens by allowing each projection of each intermediate platen to engage a corresponding stop.

Claim 15

A process as claimed in claim 9 wherein the compressive molding pressure is selected from the range of about 50 psi to about 250 psi, the curable elastomeric backing section is heated to a temperature within the range of about 250° F. to about 400° F., the pile carpet section is cooled to a temperature less than about 100° F., and the heating of the curable elastomeric backing section is maintained for a period of time selected from the range of about one minute to about twenty minutes.

Claim 16

A process as claimed in claim 12 wherein the carpet pile is cooled to a temperature less than about 75° F.

Claim 17

A process as claimed in claim 9 wherein the curable elastomeric backing section is composed of a heat curable rubber.

Claim 18

A process as claimed in claim 9 wherein the elastomeric backing material is a styrene-butadiene rubber and the carpet is a nylon-tufted, cut pile carpet with a jute backing.

Claim 19

A process as claimed in claim 15 wherein the nylon-tufted carpet and the styrene-butadiene rubber are subjected to a pressure of about 150 psi±10 psi for approximately 5 minutes while simultaneously heating the styrene-butadiene rubber to a temperature of approximately 325° F.±10° F. and simultaneously cooling the pile of the nylon-tufted carpet to approximately 60° F.±5° F.