Simultaneous transfer printing and embossing or surface texturing method, and embossing member for use therein

Claim 1

A sheet, having ends, used as embossing member in the simultaneous embossing and heat transfer printing of fabrics containing thermoplastic fibers, said sheet comprising a heat resistant material with practically no affinity or permanent retention properties for vaporizable or sublimable dyes used in the process, but being permeable to vapors and/or gases of these dyes, the free circulation of the vapors and gases through the sheet being considerably improved by a sufficiently loose and/or porous construction, which construction makes it however insufficiently inert and/or insufficiently resistant to mechanical stress to be formed into an endless belt for service on a continuous heat transfer printing apparatus, said sheet having in at least one face a pattern in relief the three dimensional effect being created by alternation of raised and hollow portions and/or by apertures said pattern being permanently embossed in relief into the fabric to be decorated during the heat transfer printing operation, distinctively from the pattern in color transferred simultaneously without substantial alteration into the fabric from said sheet which being united with a temporary dye-bearing organ or being a unitary printing-embossing sheet, stores, already before its use on a heat transfer printing apparatus, in a dried state, highly volatile and penetrant sublimable and/or vaporizable dye in sufficient quantity to color at least one fabric during the simultaneous embossing and heat transfer printing process executed at a 340°-430° F. temperature range, corresponding to the softening point of the fabric to be decorated as well as to the vaporization or sublimation temperature of the dye.