Dryer felt having soft, bulky surface
AssigneeScapa Dryers, Inc.
InventorWilliam T. Westhead
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A dryer felt having a soft, bulky top surface and comprising at least a top surface, which is defined by a plurality of machine direction yarns and a plurality of cross machine direction yarns interwoven according to a desired weave pattern. A preselected number of the yarns of the top surface are encapsulated yarns, the number being chosen to ensure that a major portion of the top surface is soft and bulky.
Claims21
A dryer felt for processing a paper web, said dryer felt comprising:
- a top surface, a plurality of machine direction yarns and a plurality of cross machine direction yarns interwoven in a binding relationship according to a desired weave pattern to produce said top surface;
- and a preselected number of said yarns of said top surface being encapsulated yarns, said number being chosen to ensure that a major portion of said top surface is soft and bulky, each of said encapsulated yarns comprising a plurality of filaments treated with a heat resistant resin so that said filaments together act as a monifilament core, and an encapsulating sheath surrounding the full length of said core, said sheath defining a soft, bulky outer surface which, when woven into said fabric, acts to prevent yarn migration of said encapsulated yarns in said fabric and wherein said encapsulated yarns reduced undue marking of said paper web while contributing to fabric stability.
A method of making a dryer felt for processing a paper web, said dryer felt having a soft, bulky surface, the method comprising the steps of weaving a fabric having a top surface, defining said top surface by a plurality of machine direction yarns and a plurality of cross machine direction yarns interwoven in a binding relationship, and creating a soft, bulky surface on a major portion of said top surface by having encapsulated yarns constitute a preselected number of said yarns of said top surface, each of said encapsulated yarns comprising a plurality of filaments treated with a heat resistant resin so that said filaments together act as a monofilament core, and an encapsulating sheath surrounding the full length of said core, said sheath defining a soft, bulky outer surface which, when woven into said fabric, acts to prevent yarn migration of said encapsulated yarns in said fabric, and wherein encapsulated yarns reduce undue marking of said paper web while contributing to fabric stability.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.