Papermakers belt having smooth surfaces and enlarged seam loops

Claim 2

A papermakers fabric comprising: a first layer defined by a first plurality of weft yarns; a second layer defined by a second plurality of weft yarns; a plurality of stuffer picks; and a plurality of warp yarns interwoven with said weft yarns to define a first surface of said first layer, a second surface on said second layer, and a plurality of stuffer pick receiving sheds interposed between said first and second layers, each shed for receiving at least one of said stuffer picks, a select number of said shed defining warp yarns extending out of a warp end of said fabric and being symmetrically rewoven into said fabric to produce a mirror image of itself when viewed with respect to the plane defined by said stuffer picks and to define a number of seam loops, one seam loop being formed by at least one of six adjacent shed defining warp yarns.

Claim 3

The papermakers fabric of claim 1, wherein each of said stuffer pick receiving sheds has four sides, each side being defined by one of said warp yarns.

Claim 4

The papermakers fabric of claim 1, wherein the size of each of said seam loops is determined by one crimp length of said warp yarn.

Claim 5

The papermakers fabric of claim 1, wherein said weft yarns are monofilament yarns.

Claim 6

The paparmakers fabric of claim 1, wherein said warp yarns are monofilament yarns.

Claim 7

The papermakers fabric of claim 1, wherein said stuffer picks are selected from the group consisting of monofilament yarns, multifilament yarns, staple yarns, and spun yarns.

Claim 8

A papermakers fabric comprising a multilayer fabric including a first layer defined by a first group of weft yarns, a second layer defined by a second group of weft yarns, and an intermediate layer defined by a third group of weft yarns; and a plurality of warp yarns interwoven with said three groups of weft yarns in accordance with the following weave pattern: all first warp yarns passing over all first through fourth weft yarns, under all fifth through thirteenth weft yarns, and over all fourteenth and eighteenth weft yarns, all second warp yarns passing under all first and second weft yarns, over all third weft yarns, under all fourth weft yarns, over all fifth yarns, under all sixth weft yarns, over all seventh through tenth weft yarns, and under all eleventh through eighteenth weft yarns, all third warp yarns passing under all first weft yarns, over all second weft yarns, under all third through eighth weft yarns, over all ninth weft yarns, over all tenth weft yarns, over all eleventh yarns, under all twelfth weft yarns, and over all thirteenth through eighteenth weft yarns, all fourth warp yarn passing over all first through sixth weft yarns, under all seventh weft yarns, over all eighth weft yarns, under all ninth through fourteenth weft yarns, over all fifteenth weft yarns, under all sixteenth weft yarns, over all seventeenth weft yarns, and under all eighteenth weft yarns, all fifth warp yarn passing under all first through seventh weft yarns, over all eighth through sixteenth weft yarns, and under all seventeenth and eighteenth weft yarns, and all sixth warp yarns passing under all first weft yarns, over all second through tenth weft yarns, and under all eleventh through eighteenth weft yarns.

Claim 9

A papermakers fabric comprising a multilayer fabric including a first layer defined by a first group of weft yarns, a second layer defined by a second group of weft yarns, and an intermediate layer defined by a third group of weft yarns; and a plurality of warp yarns interwoven with said three groups of weft yarns in accordance with the following weave pattern: all first warp yarns passing over all first through fourth weft yarns, under all fifth through thirteenth weft yarns, and over all fourteenth and eighteenth weft yarns, all second warp yarns passing under all first and second weft yarns, over all third weft yarns, under all fourth weft yarns, over all fifth yarns, under all sixth weft yarns, over all seventh through tenth weft yarns, and under all eleventh through eighteenth weft yarns, all third warp yarns passing under all first weft yarns, over all second weft yarns, under all third through eighth weft yarns, over all ninth weft yarns, over all tenth weft yarns, over all eleventh yarns, under all twelfth weft yarns, and over all thirteenth through eighteenth weft yarns, all fourth warp yarn passing over all first through sixth weft yarns, under all seventh weft yarns, over all eighth weft yarns, under all ninth through fourteenth weft yarns, over all fifteenth weft yarns, under all sixteenth weft yarns, over all seventeenth weft yarns, and under all eighteenth weft yarns, all fifth warp yarn passing under all first through seventh weft yarns, over all eighth through sixteenth weft yarns, and under all seventeenth and eighteenth weft yarns, and all sixth warp yarns passing under all first weft yarns, over all second through tenth weft yarns, and under all eleventh through eighteenth weft yarns.

Claim 10

The papermakers fabric of claim 7 wherein the weft yarns of said intermediate layer are stuffer picks.

Claim 11

The papermakers fabric of claim 7 wherein a select number of said warp yarns extend out of a warp end of said fabric and are symmetrically rewoven into said fabric to define a number of seam loops, one seam loop being formed by each of said so selected warp yarns.

Claim 12

The papermakers fabric of claim 9, wherein said number is at least one warp yarn in every six adjacent warp yarns

Claim 13

The papermakers fabric according to claim 8, wherein said stuffer picks are chosen from the group consisting of monofilament yarns, multifilament yarns, staple yarns, and spun yarns.

Claim 14

The papermakers fabric of claim 7, wherein said weft yarns of said first and second layers are monofilament yarns.

Claim 15

The papermakers fabric of claim 7, wherein said warp yarns are monofilament yarns.

Claim 16

A papermakers fabric comprising: a first layer defined by a first plurality of cross-machine direction weft yarns; a second layer defined by a second plurality of cross-machine direction weft yarns; and a plurality of machine direction warp yarns, each of said warp yarns interwoven with each of said layers of weft yarns to define a first surface of warp direction floats on said first layer and a second surface of warp direction floats on said second layer; all said warp yarns extending out of a warp end of said fabric and symmetrically rewoven into said fabric to produce a mirror image of itself when viewed with respect to an intermediate plane of said fabric and to define a number of binder loops and a number of seam loops, one seam loop being formed by at least one warp yarn in every six adjacent warp yarns.

Claim 17

A papermakers fabric comprising: a first layer defined by a first plurality of cross-machine direction weft yarns; a second layer defined by a second plurality of cross-machine direction weft yarns; and a plurality of machine direction warp yarns, each of said warp yarns interwoven with each of said layers of weft yarns to define a first surface of warp direction floats on said first layer and a second surface of warp direction floats on said second layer; all said warp yarns extending out of a warp end of said fabric and symmetrically rewoven into said fabric to produce a mirror image of itself when viewed with respect to an intermediate plane of said fabric and to define a number of binder loops and a number of seam loops, one seam loop being formed by at least one warp yarn in every six adjacent warp yarns.

Claim 18

A papermakers fabric comprising: a first layer defined by a first plurality of weft yarns; a second layer defined by a second plurality of weft yarns; and a plurality of warp yarns interwoven with said weft yarns to define a first surface on said first layer, a second surface on said second layer, and a plurality of stuffer pick receiving sheds interposed between said first and second layers, said warp yarns extending out of a warp end of said fabric, and being symmetrically rewoven into said fabric to produce a mirror image of itself when viewed with respect to an intermediate plane of said fabric and to define a number of seam loops, one seam loop being formed by at least one warp yarn in every six adjacent warp yarns, the remaining warp yarns defining binder loops.

Claim 19

A papermakers fabric comprising: a first layer defined by a first plurality of weft yarns; a second layer defined by a second plurality of weft yarns; and a plurality of warp yarns interwoven with said weft yarns to define a first surface on said first layer, a second surface on said second layer, and a plurality of stuffer pick receiving sheds interposed between said first and second layers, said warp yarns extending out of a warp end of said fabric, and being symmetrically rewoven into said fabric to produce a mirror image of itself when viewed with respect to an intermediate plane of said fabric and to define a number of seam loops, one seam loop being formed by at least one warp yarn in every six adjacent warp yarns, the remaining warp yarns defining binder loops.