Firebreak fabric
AssigneeDidier Royaerts
InventorsJoseph Rousset, deceased, Felix G. Rousset, legal representative, Didier Royaerts
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fabric suitable for use as a firebreak is knitted from a yarn formed from a first synthetic material having high mechanical strength and high reflectivity and a second non-flammable, thermally stabilized synthetic material having a high reflectivity. Preferably the first synthetic material is an aramide filament, and preferably the second synthetic material is a pre-oxidized filament. Preferably the fibers are cracked whereby they exhibit highly reflective surfaces especially useful in the reflection of heat produced by a fire.
Claims24
A fabric for use as a firebreak, comprising:
- a knitted fabric formed by knitting a spun yarn made of first and second synthetic materials;
- said first synthetic material comprising aramide fibers formed by cracking an aramide filament to provide said aramide fibers having lengths of from about 60 millimeters to about 200 millimeters in length;
- said second synthetic material comprising thermally stabilized synthetic fibers having high reflectivity, said thermally stabilized synthetic fibers being formed by cracking a thermally stabilized synthetic filament to provide said thermally stabilized synthetic fibers having lengths of from about 60 millimeters to about 200 millimeters in length;
- said spun yarn formed by mixing a majority of said second synthetic material with a minority of said first synthetic material and spinning the mixture to form said spun yarn.
A fire-protected object, comprising:
- an object which is vulnerable to fire;
- and
- a knitted fabric firebreak material provided on at least a portion of a surface of said object;
- wherein said knitted fabric firebreak material is formed by knitting a spun yarn made of first and second synthetic materials;
- said first synthetic material comprising aramide fibers formed by cracking an aramide filament to provide said aramide fibers having lengths of from about 60 millimeters to about 200 millimeters in length;
- said second synthetic material comprising thermally stabilized synthetic fibers having high reflectivity, said thermally stabilized synthetic fibers being formed by cracking a thermally stabilized synthetic filament to provide said thermally stabilized synthetic fibers having lengths of from about 60 millimeters to about 200 millimeters in length;
- said spun yarn formed by mixing a majority of said second synthetic material with a minority of said first synthetic material and spinning the mixture to form said spun yarn.
A method of making a firebreak material comprising:
- cracking an aramide filament by stretching the filament until breaking to form aramide fibers having barbs or hairs extending therefrom;
- cracking a thermally stabilized synthetic filament by stretching the thermally stabilized synthetic filament until breaking to form thermally stabilized synthetic fibers having barbs or hairs extending therefrom;
- mixing the aramide fibers and stabilized synthetic fibers;
- spinning the fiber mixture to produce a composite yarn;
- and
- knitting the spun yarn to produce a firebreak fabric.
A method for protecting an object from exposure to fire, comprising:
- placing a knitted fabric firebreak material between the object and the source of the fire, said knitted fabric being knitted from a yarn spun from a mixture of cracked first synthetic fibers having high mechanical strength and high reflectivity, and cracked, non-flammable, thermally stabilized second synthetic fibers having high reflectivity.
A method for controlling the spreading of a fire, comprising:
- placing a knitted fabric firebreak material around at least a portion of the fire, said knitted fabric being knitted from a yarn spun from a mixture of cracked first synthetic fibers having high mechanical strength and high reflectivity, and cracked, non-flammable, thermally stabilized second synthetic fibers having high reflectivity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.