Manufacturing process for combining a layer of pulp fibers with another substrate

A process for hydro-entangling a layer of fibers into a web, said process comprising:

• conveying a web to lie against a traveling hydro-entangling fabric;
• depositing a layer of fibers onto a traveling forming fabric, the forming fabric supporting the fiber layer from below:
• converging the forming fabric and the hydro-entangling fabric at a combining location where the forming fabric and hydro-entangling fabric orient and travel adjacent each other such that the fiber layer and web are sandwiched between the forming fabric and the hydro-entangling fabric with the fiber layer supported from below by the hydro-entangling fabric and web;
• separating the forming fabric from the fiber layer after the web and overlying fiber layer are supported by the hydro-entangling fabric;
• and
• conveying the hydro-entangling fabric through a hydro-entangling station to hydro-entangle the fibers into the web;
• and
• wherein the fiber layer is deposited onto the forming fabric at a location below the combining location such that the fiber layer is supported from below and conveyed by the forming fabric up to the combining location.

A process for hydro-entangling a layer of fibers into a web, said process comprising:

• conveying a web to lie against a traveling hydro-entangling fabric;
• conveying a layer of fibers on a first traveling belt, the fiber layer fully supported from below by the first belt;
• orienting the direction of travel of the first belt with respect to the hydro-entangling fabric so as to transfer the fiber layer from the first belt to overlie the web on the hydro-entangling fabric at a transfer location;
• conveying the web and fiber layer through a hydro-entangling station to hydro-entangle the fibers into the web;
• and
• wherein the fiber layer is deposited onto the first traveling belt at a location below the transfer location such that the fiber layer is supported from below and conveyed by the forming fabric up to the transfer location.

A process for conveying a fiber layer between processing stations, said process comprising:

• conveying a layer of fibers on a first traveling belt, the fiber layer supported from below by the first belt;
• converging the first traveling belt with a second traveling belt at a combining location where the first belt and second belt merge such that the fiber layer is sandwiched between the first belt and second belt;
• re-orienting the relative position of the merged first and second belts such that the second belt is disposed below the fiber layer;
• separating the first belt from the fiber layer after the fiber layer is fully supported from below by the second belt;
• wherein the merged first and second belts are conveyed over a vacuum source to aid in separation of the first belt from the fiber layer;
• and
• further comprising use of hydro-entangling manifold in combination with the vacuum source to aid in separation of the fiber layer from the first belt.