Water-barrier of water-swellable clay sandwiched between interconnected layers of flexible fabric needled together using a lubricant

A multi-layer article of manufacture comprising a pair of flexible sheet material layers having a contaminant interacting layer of material sandwiched therebetween, said contaminant-interacting layer being capable of interacting with water-soluble contaminants from water contacting said layer, said pair of fabric layers having been structurally interconnected one to the other with continuous, elongated fibers to confine the contaminant-interacting layer therebetween, after wetting at least one of the surfaces of the layer of contaminant-interacting material.

A method of manufacturing a multi-layer water barrier including a lower layer of fabric, an upper layer of fabric and an intermediate layer of a powdered or granular abrasive material secured between the fabric layers by needle punching or sewing, the improvement comprising applying a lubricating-effective amount of a lubricant to the abrasive material to lubricate the penetration of a needle through the layer of abrasive material, while interconnecting fibers from one flexible sheet material layer to the other flexible sheet material layer, thereby reducing needle wear and friction and needle breakage and providing consistent, effective securing of the upper and lower fabric layers surrounding a uniform thickness of abrasive material.

A method of preventing water from contacting a structure comprising installing a multi-layer article of manufacture against said structure, said multi-layer article including first and second sheet material layers having a layer of water-swellable clay therebetween, said first and second sheet material layers having been secured together on opposite sides of the clay layer by needle punching or sewing to interconnect fibers from one flexible sheet material layer to the other flexible sheet material layer, thereby confining the clay therebetween after contacting the clay with a lubrication-effective amount of liquid.

A multi-layer article of manufacture useful as a waterproofing material comprising a pair of flexible sheet material layers having a layer of powdered or granular clay sandwiched therebetween, said pair of sheet material layers consisting essentially of fibers selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, polyester, nylon, propylene-ethylene copolymers, polypropylene-polyamide copolymers, and combinations thereof, said sheet material layers having been structurally interconnected one to the other by sewing or needle punching to interconnect fibers from one flexible sheet material layer to the other flexible sheet material layer, to confine the clay therebetween after first wetting the clay surface directly beneath one of the sheet material layers for lubrication.

A multi-layer article of manufacture comprising a pair of flexible sheet material layers having a water-swellable clay layer sandwiched therebetween, said pair of fabric layers consisting essentially of fibers selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, polyester, nylon, propylene-ethylene copolymers, polypropylene-polyamide copolymers, and combinations thereof, said sheet material layers having been structurally interconnected one to the other with continuous, elongated fibers to confine the clay layer therebetween, after wetting at least one of the surfaces of the clay layer.

A method of manufacturing a multi-layer water barrier including a lower layer of fabric, and an upper layer of fabric wherein said fabrics consisting essentially of fibers selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, polyester, nylon, propylene-ethylene copolymers, polypropylene-polyamide copolymers, and combinations thereof, and an intermediate layer of a powdered or granular abrasive material secured between the fabric layers by needle punching or sewing, the improvement comprising applying a lubricating-effective amount of a lubricant to the abrasive material to lubricate the penetration of a needle through the layer of abrasive material, to interconnect fibers from one flexible sheet material layer to the other flexible sheet material layer, thereby reducing needle wear and friction and needle breakage and providing consistent, effective securing of the upper and lower fabric layers surrounding a uniform thickness of said abrasive material.

A method of preventing water from contacting a structure comprising installing a multi-layer article of manufacture against said structure, said multi-layer article including first and second sheet material layers having a layer of water-swellable clay therebetween, said first and second sheet material layers having been secured together on opposite sides of the clay layer by needle punching or sewing to interconnect fibers from one flexible sheet material layer to the other flexible sheet material layer, thereby confining the clay therebetween after contacting the clay with a lubrication-effective amount of liquid.