Gapped bedplate for uniform carpet back coating

An apparatus comprising a means for moving a web of material along a substantially horizontal path;

• a means for applying tension on the web of material as it passes along the substantially horizontal path;
• a bedplate with a substantially horizontal upper surface, said bedplate being supported by a frame and positioned in a manner such that the bedplate is below said path and spans across it;
• and a doctor blade assembly attached to a frame and positioned in a manner such that the doctor blade is above said path;
• wherein two bars are attached to the substantially horizontal upper surface of the bedplate in a manner such that the bars transversely span across the bedplate, with the first bar positioned upstream of the doctor blade and the second bar positioned downstream of the doctor blade.

An apparatus comprising a pre-tenter having pre-tenter pins along the edge which pass through the edge of the greige good to move the greige good along a substantially horizontal path;

• a bedplate attached to a frame and positioned in a manner such that the bedplate is downstream of the pre-tenter, and below and spanning across the horizontal path, said bedplate having upper and lower surfaces;
• a doctor blade assembly attached to a frame and positioned in a manner such that the doctor blade assembly is above the horizontal path;
• wherein the upper surface of the bedplate is recessed at a point upstream of the doctor blade to a point downstream of the doctor blade;
• a tenter having tenter pins along the edge which pass through the edge of the back coated greige good as it passes along the horizontal path and positioned downstream of the bedplate and doctor blade;
• an oven for curing the back coated greige good;
• and a collecting device for the cured coated greige good, wherein the pre-tenter pins and tenter pins move the greige good along the substantially horizontal path at a rate to maintain sufficient tension on the greige good to keep it taunt as it passes across the recess under the doctor blade.

A process for the production of a finished carpeting article having a uniform back coating comprising:

• A) moving a greige good face side down along a substantially horizontal path;
• B) applying tension to the greige good as it moves along the path;
• C) applying a puddle of a frothed composition to the reverse side of the greige good through a supply means;
• D) passing the greige good with the puddle over a bedplate and under a doctor blade, wherein the bedplate is positioned below the substantially horizontal path and spans across it, and the doctor blade is attached to a frame and positioned above the substantially horizontal path, and wherein the upper surface of the bedplate is recessed in the area around the doctor blade;
• E) allowing the face fibers of the greige good to fall into the recess in the bedplate;
• F) forming a uniform coating on the back face of the fibers of the greige good;
• and
• G) collecting the back coated greige good.

A process for the production of a finished carpet article having a uniform back coating comprising:

• A) moving a greige good face side down along a substantially horizontal path;
• B) applying tension to the greige good as it moves along the path;
• C) applying a puddle of a frothed composition to the reverse side of the greige good through a supply means;
• D) passing the greige good with the puddle over a bedplate and under a doctor blade, wherein the bedplate is positioned below the substantially horizontal path and spans across it, and the doctor blade is attached to a frame and positioned above the substantially horizontal path, and wherein two bars are attached to the substantially horizontal upper surface of the bedplate in a manner that the two bars transversely span across the bedplate, with the first bar positioned upstream of the doctor blade and the second bar positioned downstream of the doctor blade, thereby forming a recess in conjunction with the bedplate in the area around the doctor blade assembly;
• E) allowing the face fibers of the greige good to fall into the recess;
• F) forming a uniform coating on the back face of the fibers of the greige good;
• and
• G) collecting the back coated greige good.

A process for the production of a finished carpet article having a uniform back coating comprising:

• A) moving a greige good face side down along a substantially horizontal path;
• B) applying tension to the greige good as it moves along the path;
• C) applying a puddle of a frothed composition to the reverse side of the greige good through a supply means;
• D) passing the greige good with the puddle over a first bedplate, under a doctor blade assembly, and over a second bedplate, wherein the bedplates are positioned below the substantially horizontal path and span across it, and the doctor blade is attached to a frame and positioned above the substantially horizontal path, and wherein the two bedplates are adjacent to each other but do not contact each other, thereby forming a recess in the area under the doctor blade;
• E) allowing the face fibers of the greige good to fall into the recess;
• F) forming a uniform coating on the back face of the fibers of the greige good;
• and
• G) collecting the back coated greige good.