Low density matting and process

A process for the production of a low density, transversely strengthened, three-dimensional, undulating peak and valley matting structure composed of a plurality of continuous melt-spun and self-bonded synthetic polymer filaments of a diameter of about 0.1 to 1.5 mm., which process comprises:

• melt-spinning said plurality of filaments from a series of closely spaced spinning orifices arranged in rows on the bottom face of a spinning nozzle such that the filaments fall vertically downwardly for deposit onto a moving support intersecting the filaments substantially horizontally at a distance of about 3 to 20 cm. below said nozzle face and having projections which provide a patterned reentrant supporting surface with uppermost salient portions and downwardly opening reentrant areas therebetween;
• first directing said filaments onto said uppermost salient portions for support thereon to form the peaks of said matting struture, and then directing said filaments as filamentary loops both longitudinally and transversely into said reentrant areas so as to form the valleys of said matting structure, the filaments from adjacent spinning orifices overlapping and self-bonding with each other at random points of intersection;
• cooling and solidfying the freshly deposited and self-bonded filaments while the mating is continuously transported away from the spinning nozzle on said moving support;
• and
• finally removing the cooled and solidified matting from the moving support.