Resin reclamation in carpet manufacture

Abstract

Selvedge from carpeting containing meltable resin content is heated to melt and degrade said resin which is then separated by screening or straining from any solid residue. As an example, tufted carpeting having nylon yarn pile secured in a woven polypropylene primary back which is bonded by a thermoplastic adhesive to the pile yarns and to a secondary back of woven jute is so treated to separate a significant quantity of the resin from the jute. The jute residue may be incinerated to utilize the latent thermal energy therein. Alternatively, the secondary back may be of thermoplastic material or may be omitted. The reclaimed degraded resin is then substituted for the high molecular weight copolymer which constitutes a component of the adhesive for subsequent carpet manufacture. The process may be carried out in a double-walled vessel wherein the inner wall is pervious or it can be carried out with apparatus having a moving web of pervious material for supporting the selvedge or the like.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.