Multilayer bonded fabric and method of and apparatus for making same

Claim 2

A multilayer bonded textile composite comprising a first polyamide knit layer, a first binder layer bonded to said first polyamide knit layer, a needled nonwoven polyester layer bonded to said first polyamide knit layer by said first binder layer, a second binder layer bonded to said nonwoven needled polyester layer, a second polyamide knit layer identical to said first polyamide knit layer and bonded by said second binder layer to said nonwoven needled polyester layer, a third binder layer bonded to said second polyamide knit layer, and a lace layer bonded to said second polyamide knit layer by said third binder layer.

Claim 3

The composite defined in claim 1 wherein: said first and second polyamide knit layers each have a weight per unit area of 30 to 50 g/m 2 ; said binder layers are each composed of binder granules containing polyamide, polyester or polyethylene and of particle size between 80 and 400 deposited in a layer of 10 to 18 g/m 2 ; the weight per unit area of the nonwoven needled polyester layer is 70 to 130 g/m 2 ; the weight per unit area of the knitted lace is 40 to 90 g/m 2 ; and the lace is composed of polyamide, viscose or polyamide/viscose yarn.

Claim 4

The composite defined in claim 2 wherein said binder contains two to 8% N dibutylmaleate or 40% dimethyladipate.

Claim 5

A method of making the composite defined in claim 1 wherein: each of said first knitted layer, said nonwoven needled polyester layer and said second knitted layer is provided with the respective binder layer by depositing particles of the binder uniformly over a surface thereof and passing the binder-particle coated layer through a sintering chamber wherein the binder particles are fused to the surface upon which they were deposited; the binder-coated surface of said first layer is pressed against the uncoated surface of said nonwoven needled polyester layer, the binder-coated surface is pressed against the uncoated surface of said second knitted layer and said lace layer is pressed against the binder-coated surface of said second knitted layer under heat and pressure sufficient to effect bonding of said layers together; the resulting composite is cooled; and the cooled composite is wound in a coil.

Claim 6

The method defined in claim 4 wherein said layers are advanced at a speed of 5 to 15 meters per minute through the steps and bonding is effected between moving surfaces heated to a temperature of 60° to 150° C. while cooling is effected by bringing the composite into contact with a surface at a temperature of 10° to 20° C.

Claim 7

The method defined in claim 5 wherein the composite is further cooled by bringing it to contact with a second surface at a temperature of -5° to -10° C.

Claim 8

An apparatus for making the composite defined in claim 1 which comprises: supply means for delivering a plurality of fabric layers; respective spreaders for depositing upon an upper surface of each of said fabric layers a respective coating of binder particles fusible to the respective fabric layer and to the other layers; respective conveyors carrying the fabric layers coated with the binder particles along a path; means forming a sintering chamber along said path at a temperature effecting bonding of the binder particles to the respective layers; at least two pairs of pressing rollers each traversed by at least two of said layers coated with the binder particles and heated to press the layers together and bond them into said composite; means for feeding at least one additional fabric layer between at least one of said pairs of pressing rollers to bond said additional layer to said composite; cooling means having at least one cooling surface connected by said composite and disposed downstream of said pairs of pressing rollers; and means for coiling the cooled composite.

Claim 9

The apparatus defined in claim 7 wherein said chamber is provided with infrared radiation sources for at least one of said layers and heating tubes traversed by a heating fluid for another of said layers, the cooling surface being formed by at least one hollow cooling roll traversed by a cooling fluid.

Claim 10

The apparatus defined in claim 8, further comprising a cooling drum connected with a source of another cooling fluid at a temperature lower than that of the first cooling fluid.

Claim 11

The apparatus defined in claim 8 wherein the means for feeding said further layer includes a plurality of guide rollers, said guide rollers having at least a first guide roller and a last guide roller along a path of said further fabric formed with grooves running outwardly from the center of the respective roller to spread said further layer.

Claim 12

The apparatus defined in claim 10 wherein each of said spreaders includes a hopper converging toward a longitudinal slot extending the full width of the respective layer, a groove shaft rotatable at said slot and a reciprocating screen deposit beneath said slot.