Felt with seam for paper manufacture

Abstract

In a seam felt for paper manufacture, seam loops formed at opposite ends of a length of ground fabric to which layers of batt fiber are integrated by needle punching, are formed as groups of loops composed of machine direction yarns. When the opposite ends of the ground fabric are brought together, the groups of loops are intermeshed in an alternating arrangement to form a common bore for receiving a seam thread by which the intermeshed groups of loops are secured together. The loops of each group can be held together by adhesive bonding, or by heat adhesion if the machine direction yarns are core-in-sheath composite fibers wherein the sheath has a lower melting point than that of the core.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application claims priority on the basis of Japanese patent application 232191 / 2008, filed Sep. 10, 2008. The disclosure of Japanese application 232191 / 2008 is hereby incorporated by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]This invention relates to a felt employed in the press part of a paper manufacture machine, and particularly to a felt having seam loops, hereinafter sometimes be referred to simply as a “seam felt”.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]In a paper manufacturing process, water is conventionally squeezed out from a wet paper web in the press part of a papermaking machine by means of a needle felt and a pair of press rolls. It is known to utilize a felt formed into an endless belt by connecting both ends of an elongated felt by means of seam loop. As shown in FIG. 1, the elongated felt F is formed into the shape of a belt, so that the loops L at its ends can be brought together and connected.[0004]As shown in FIG. 2, the felt...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0017]An object of the invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, and to provide a seam felt for paper manufacture having ends that can be joined more quickly and easily so that installation of the felt in a papermaking machine can be carried out more quickly and easily.

[0025]One of the advantages of the Invention is that, with groups of seam loops each composed of two or more loops of MD yarn arranged side by side, even if the yarns forming the seam loops are thin, the seam loops at the opposite ends of the ground fabric can be brought easily into stable meshing relationship easily when the ends are connected while the felt is being installed in a papermaking machine.

[0026]Another advantage is that if the seam loops in a group are joined together by adhesive bonding or fused together, the group becomes more difficult to displace either in the cross-machine direction or in directions transverse to the faces of the felt. Therefore, the seam loops can be more stably positioned in the desired configuration so that intermeshing of the seam loops can be carried out smoothly.

Problems solved by technology

If the meshing of the seam loops L is poor, the insertion of the seam thread S can require a considerable amount of time and effort.

When one or more of the loops becomes smaller, the space for receiving the seam thread S, formed by the intermeshing loops, becomes uneven, increasing the difficulty of insertion of the core line member.

In addition, the engagement of the seam loops L in an alternating arrangement is by its nature complicated and difficult.

The difficulty of arranging the loops in proper intermeshing relationship also increases as the diameter of the MD direction yarns decreases, making the assembly of the felt more time-consuming.

Images