Papermakers wet felt with ribbed and smooth surface textures

A papermakers felt having a machine element contacting surface and a paper-receiving surface, said felt comprising:

• a bottom layer woven from a first plurality of machine direction and cross machine yarns in accordance with a preselected weave pattern, said machine direction yarns being of greater diameter than said cross machine direction yarns, said bottom layer defining said machine element contacting surface as a series of alternating machine direction abrasion-resisting ribs and machine direction drainage grooves across the width of said bottom layer, said ribs being formed by said machine direction yarns, with the frequency of said ribs and the widths of said grooves being determined by said weave pattern;
• an intermediate layer woven from a plurality of machine direction and cross machine direction yarns to define a plurality of drainage interstices;
• a top layer of non-woven material, said top layer defining said paper-receiving surface;
• and
• wherein select fibers of said top layer are displaced from said top layer and extend through said intermediate and bottom layers to hold said top, intermediate and bottom layers together.

A papermakers wet felt of composite structure having a machine element contacting surface and a paper-receiving surface, said felt comprising:

• a first layer woven from a first plurality of machine direction and cross machine direction yarns, said machine direction yarns being of greater diameter than said cross machine direction yarns, said first layer defining said machine element contacting surface as alternating machine direction abrasion-resisting ribs and machine direction drainage grooves across the width of said first layer, said ribs being formed by said machine direction yarns, with the frequency of said ribs and the widths of said grooves being determined by said weave pattern;
• a second layer woven from a second plurality of machine direction and cross machine direction yarns, said second layer being in surface contact with said first layer, and defining a plurality of drainage interstices;
• and
• a third layer of non-woven fibers, said third layer being in surface contact with said second layer and defining said paper-receiving surface, select fibers of said third layer being displaced from said third layer and extending through said first and second layers to hold said three layers together.

A method of making a papermakers felt comprising the steps of:

• providing a first cloth woven from a first plurality of machine direction and cross machine direction yarns, said machine direction yarns being of greater diameter than said cross machine direction yarns, said first cloth defining alternating machine direction abrasion-resisting ribs and machine direction drainage grooves across the width of said first cloth, said ribs being formed by said machine direction yarns;
• providing a second cloth woven from a second plurality of machine direction and cross machine direction yarns to define a plurality of drainage interstices;
• positioning a surface of said first cloth against a surface of said second cloth;
• positioning a surface of a non-woven web of batting fibers against the remaining surface of said second cloth;
• and
• performing a needling operation to cause select fibers of said non-woven web to be carried through said first and second cloths to firmly fasten said web and said first and second cloths into a composite structure.

A method of making a papermakers felt comprising the steps of:

• weaving a first cloth from a plurality of machine direction and cross machine direction yarns, said machine direction yarns chosen to be of greater diameter than said cross machine direction yarns so that said first cloth defines alternating machine direction abrasion-resisting ribs and machine direction drainage grooves across the width of said first cloth, said ribs being formed by said machine direction yarns;
• weaving a second cloth from a second plurality of machine direction and cross machine direction yarns to define a plurality of drainage interstices;
• positioning said first cloth in surface contact with said second cloth;
• positioning a non-woven web of batting fibers in surface contact with said second cloth;
• performing a needling operation to cause select fibers of said non-woven web to be carried through said first and second cloths to firmly fasten said first and second cloths into a composite structure.