Construction for an extended nip press belt

Claim 1

A belt for use in an extended nip press for dewatering a fibrous web, said extended nip press having a cylindrical press roller and an arcuate pressure shoe which together define a nip therebetween, said belt being passed through said nip in conjunction with at least one press felt supporting and carrying said fibrous web to be dewatered between said press felt and said arcuate pressure shoe, said belt having a shoe side and a felt side, said belt comprising: a base fabric in the form of an endless loop having an inner surface and an outer surface, said base fabric having machine direction and the cross-machine direction yarns, said machine-direction being around said loop and said cross-machine direction being across said loop, wherein at least one of said machine-direction yarns and said cross-machine direction yarns are spun yarns, and wherein said spun yarns are spun from a plurality of staple fibers; and a coating of a polymeric resin on said inner and outer surfaces of said base fabric, said coating impregnating and rendering said base fabric impervious to liquids, said coating being smooth and giving said belt a uniform thickness, wherein a plurality of grooves are cut in said coating on said outer surface of said base fabric, said plurality of grooves defining channels for water pressed from said fibrous web alternating with land areas, said land areas being anchored to said base fabric by said plurality of staple fibers of said spun yarns, so that said land areas will not delaminate from said belt.