# US 5,346,565 A · Water barrier of water-swellable clay sandwiched between interconnected layers of flexible fabric needled together using a lubricant > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,346,565 A - Document ID: US5346565A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 07/986,112 - Filed: 1992-12-04 - Granted: 1994-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 1990-12-17 - Assignees: American Colloid Company - Inventors: Alec W. White - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5346565A ## CPC - B09B 1/00: Dumping solid waste - E02B 3/122: {Flexible prefabricated covering elements, e.g. mats, strips} - E02D 31/004: {Sealing liners} - Y10S 55/09: Radioactive filters - Y10S 210/901: Specified land fill feature, e.g. prevention of ground water fouling - Y10S 210/911: Cumulative poison - Y10S 210/912: Heavy metal - Y10S 428/913: Material designed to be responsive to temperature, light, moisture - Y10T 428/24033: including stitching and discrete fastener[s], coating or bond - Y10T 428/24182: Inward from edge of web or sheet - Y10T 428/24777: Edge feature - Y10T 428/24785: including layer embodying mechanically interengaged strands, strand portions or strand-like strips [e.g., weave, knit, etc.] - Y10T 428/24893: including particulate material - Y10T 428/27: Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component, the element or component having a specified weight per unit area [e.g., gms/sq cm, lbs/sq ft, etc.] - Y10T 442/348: Mechanically needled or hydroentangled - Y10T 442/3496: Coated, impregnated, or autogenously bonded - Y10T 442/361: At least one layer is derived from water-settable material [e.g., cement, gypsum, etc.] - Y10T 442/662: Needled - Y10T 442/665: Including a layer derived from a water-settable material [e.g., cement, gypsum, etc.] - Y10T 442/667: Needled - B09B: DISPOSAL OF SOLID WASTE NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - E02B: HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING (ship-lifting E02C; dredging E02F) - E02D: FOUNDATIONS; EXCAVATIONS; EMBANKMENTS (specially adapted for hydraulic engineering E02B); UNDERGROUND OR UNDERWATER STRUCTURES {(tunnels, tunnelling, mining E21)} - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A multi-layer article of manufacture includes an intermediate layer of a water-swellable colloidal clay, such as bentonite, sandwiched between two layers of flexible sheet or fabric material wherein the two flexible layers of sheet or fabric material are structurally interconnected through the intermediate clay layer, such as by needle punching, after lubrication of the clay with a liquid, such as water, to interconnect fibers of one fabric layer to the other fabric layer at spaced locations over essentially the entire inner surface areas of both sheet or fabric material layers. ## Claims ### Claim 1 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 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 liquid lubricant, in an amount in the range of about 0.1% to about 40% based on the dry weight of the clay layer. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first and second sheet material layers is a non-woven fabric. ### Claim 3 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 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 liquid in an amount of about 0.1% to about 20% based on the dry weight of the water-swellable clay layer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3 wherein at least one of the first and second sheet material layers in a non-woven fabric. ### Claim 5 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 bentonite clay sandwiched therebetween, said pair of sheet material layers structurally interconnected one to the other by sewing or needle punching to interconnect fibers from flexible sheet material layer to the other flexible sheet material layer, thereby containing the clay layer therebetween after first wetting the clay layer with a lubricant in an amount in the range of about 0.1% to about 40% lubricant based on the dry weight of the clay layer. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The article of claim 5 wherein the pair of flexible sheet material layers are interconnected with fibers, filaments or strands of flexible material secured to both sheet materials at spaced locations over essentially the entire internal surface areas of said other sheet material layers to structurally secure the intermediate clay layer between the flexible sheet materials. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The article of claim 6 including dislodging fibers from the upper sheet material layer and securing the dislodged fibers to the other layer of sheet material to interconnect the upper and lower sheet material layers, and wherein the bentonite clay is a water-swellable clay. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The article of claim 5 further including binding the edges of the article to prevent a substantial amount of abrasive material from falling out of the edges of the article. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The article of claim 5 wherein one of the upper and lower sheet material layers is a non-woven fabric layer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The article of claim 7 wherein the surface of the clay directly beneath one of the sheet material layers has been wetted with water in an amount of at least about 0.1% by weight of water up to about 20% by weight water prior to needle punching. ### Claim 11 (depends on 5) The article of claim 5 wherein the upper and lower sheet material layers have a weight of about one to about 50 ounces of material per square yard. ### Claim 12 (depends on 5) The article of claim 5 further including a layer of flexible water-impermeable material substantially coextensive with and adhered to one of the sheet material layers. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The article of claim 12 wherein the layer of water-impermeable material is a polymeric sheet material adhesively secured to the upper flexible sheet material layer. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The article of claim 12 wherein the layer of water-impermeable material is a mixture of a water-swellable clay and polypropene or polybutene as a cohesive, sticky layer. ### Claim 15 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 capable of interacting with water-soluble contaminants from water contacting said layer, said pair of fabric layers 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 with a liquid lubricant in an amount in the range of about 0.1% to about 40% based on the dry weight of the contaminant-interacting layer. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The article of claim 15 wherein the pair of flexible sheet material layers are interconnected with fibers, filaments or strands of flexible material secured to both sheet materials at spaced locations over essentially the entire surface areas of both sheet materials to structurally secure the intermediate clay layer between the flexible sheet materials. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The article of claim 15 wherein the contaminant interacting layer is selected form the group consisting of a contaminant adsorbent, contaminant absorbent, contaminant reactant, contaminant ion-exchange and contaminant neutralizing material. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The article of claim 17 wherein the contaminant-interacting material is selected from the group consisting of a zeolite, an organophilic clay, and mixtures. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The article of claim 18 wherein the contaminant-interacting material is an ion-exchanging material. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The article of claim 15 wherein the article further includes a water-swellable clay between said sheet material layers. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The article of claim 20 wherein said water-swellable clay is admixed with said contaminant interacting material. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The article of claim 20 wherein said water-swellable clay is provided as a seperate layer disposed on a down-stream side of the contaminant-interacting material. ### Claim 23 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 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 with a liquid in an amount of about 0.1% to about 40% based on the dry weight of the clay layer for lubrication. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The article of claim 23 wherein the pair of flexible sheet material layers are interconnected with fibers, filaments or strands of flexible material secured to both sheet materials at spaced locations over essentially the entire internal surface areas of said sheet material layers to structurally secure the intermediate clay layer between the flexible sheet materials. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The article of claim 24 including dislodging fibers from the upper sheet material layer and securing the dislodged fibers to the other layer of sheet material to interconnect the upper and lower sheet material layers. ### Claim 26 (depends on 23) The article of claim 23 further including binding the edges of the article to prevent a substantial amount of clay from falling out of the edges of the article. ### Claim 27 (depends on 23) The article of claim 23 wherein one of the upper and lower sheet material layers is a non-woven fabric layer. ### Claim 28 (depends on 23) The article of claim 23 further including a layer of flexible water-impermeable material substantially coextensive with and adhered to one of the sheet material layers. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The article of claim 28 wherein the layer of water-impermeable material is a polymeric sheet material adhesively secured to the upper flexible sheet material layer. ### Claim 30 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 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 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 with a liquid in an amount in the range of about 0.1% to about 40% based on the dry weight of the clay layer. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The article of claim 30 wherein the pair of flexible sheet material layers are interconnected with fibers, filaments or strands of flexible material secured to both sheet materials at spaced locations over essentially the entire surface areas of both sheet materials to structurally secure the intermediate clay layer between the flexible sheet materials. ### Claim 32 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 water-swellable bentonite clay secured between the fabric layers by needle punching or sewing, the improvement comprising applying about 0.1% to about 40%, by dry weight of said bentonite clay layer, of a lubricant to the bentonite clay layer to lubricate the penetration of needles through the layer of clay, while interconnecting fibers from one flexible fabric layer to the other flexible fabric 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 bentonite clay. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) In the method of claim 32 wherein the lubricant is a liquid comprising water and the liquid is applied to the needles or to the clay particles where the clay particles are in contact with said needles. ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) In the method of claim 33 wherein the water is applied over substantially an entire surface area of the clay layer on the clay surface first contacted with the needle. ### Claim 35 (depends on 32) The method of claim 32 wherein at least one of the sheet material layers if a non-woven fabric. ### Claim 36 A method of manufacturing a multi-layer water barrier including a lower layer of fabric, and an upper layer of fabric wherein said fabrics consist 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 water-swellable bentonite clay secured between the fabric layers by needle punching or sewing, the improvement comprising applying a liquid to the abrasive material in an amount in the range of about 10% to about 20% based on the dry weight of the clay layer to lubricate the penetration of needles through the layer of bentonite clay, to interconnect fibers from one flexible fabric layer to the other flexible fabric 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 bentonite clay. ### Claim 37 (depends on 36) In the method of claim 36 wherein the liquid comprises water and the liquid is applied to the needles or to the clay particles where the clay particles are in contact with said needles. ### Claim 38 (depends on 37) In the method of claim 37 wherein the water is applied over substantially an entire surface area of the clay layer on the clay surface first contacted with the needles. ### Claim 39 (depends on 36) The method of claim 36 wherein at least one of the sheet material layers is a non-woven fabric.