Papermakers fabric using differential melt yarns

A papermakers fabric comprising a woven structure formed by weaving a plurality of machine direction and cross-machine direction yarns in accordance with a preselected weave pattern, said woven structure defining at least a top layer, an intermediate layer and a bottom layer, and bonding yarn means defined in only one of said layers, said bonding yarn means having been melted to flow around and between unmelted yarns and reformed within said woven structure for simultaneously controlling the permeability and stability of said fabric, and for locking said fabric structure together by means of said reformed yarns being bonded to unmelted yarns.

A papermakers fabric comprising a plurality of machine direction and cross-machine direction yarns interwoven according to a preselected weave pattern to define a woven structure, a select number of said cross-machine direction yarns being slit-film yarns having a melting point lower than the alteration temperature of any of the remaining yarns of the fabric, said select number of yarns having been melted to flow around and between unmelted yarns and reformed within said woven structure for controlling permeability, said reformed yarns being bonded to unmelted yarns to lock said yarns together for enhanced fabric stability, said unmelted yarns being unchanged by the melting of said select number of yarns.

A papermakers fabric comprising a plurality of machine direction and cross-machine direction yarns interwoven according to a preselected weave pattern to define a woven structure, a select number of said cross-machine direction yarns being split-film yarns having a melting point lower than the alteration temperature of any of the remaining yarns of the fabric, said select number of yarns having been melted to flow around and between unmelted yarns and reformed within said woven structure for controlling permeability, said reformed yarns being bonded to unmelted yarns to lock said yarns together for enhanced fabric stability, said unmelted yarns being unchanged by the melting of said select number of yarns.

A papermakers fabric comprising a plurality of machine direction and cross-machine direction yarns interwoven according to a preselected weave pattern to define a woven structure, a select number of said yarns having a melting point lower than the alteration temperature of any of the remaining yarns of the fabric, said select number of yarns having been melted to flow around and between unmelted yarns and reformed within said woven structure for controlling permeability, said reformed yarns being bonded to unmelted yarns to lock said yarns together for enhanced fabric stability, said yarns of said select number each having an inextensible core surrounded by a low melt material, said core being unchanged during the melting of said melt material, and said unmelted yarns being unchanged by the melting of said select number of yarns.

A papermakers fabric comprising a plurality of machine direction and cross-machine direction yarns interwoven according to a preselected weave pattern to define a woven structure having a top layer defining a top surface, and a bottom layer defining a bottom surface, a select number of the yarns of at least one of said layers being synthetic yarns having a melting point lower than the alteration temperature of any of the remaining yarns of the fabric, said select number of yarns having been melted to flow around and between unmelted yarns and reformed on said woven structure for providing the surface associated with said layer with a smooth surface, said unmelted yarns being unchanged by the melting of said select number of yarns.