Filing Information

Inventor(s)	Alec W. White ·
Assignee(s)	American Colloid Company ·  View assignee updates
Attorney/Agent(s)	Marshall, O'Toole, Gerstein, Murray & Borun ·
Primary Examiner	James C. Cannon ·
Application Number	US7990989
Filing date	12/16/1992
Issue date	02/14/1995
Predicted expiration date	02/14/2012
U.S. Classifications	156/71  · /521.691  ·
International Classifications	B01D 3900  ·
Kind Code	A
International Classifications	112420;440;262.1 ·
Related U.S. Application Data	CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 07/677,005, filed Apr. 2, 1991, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,237,945, which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 07/628,497, filed Dec. 17, 1990, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,174,231.

Patent Family

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a water barrier fabric, in flexible or rigid form, and articles manufactured thereby, formed by dispersing a water-absorbent material, in powdered or granular form, among a mass of fibers during the formation of a loose mat of said fibers, to homogeneously disperse the powdered or granular water-absorbent material above, below and on each side of the fibers forming the mat, and thereafter densifying and structurally consolidating the mat, to secure the fibers in position surrounding and entrapping the water-absorbent material, such as by sewing, quilting, needle punching or otherwise bonding the fibers into a consolidated, structurally secure fabric at least partially filled with the powdered or granular water-absorbent material. In a preferred embodiment, one, or both, major surfaces of the fabric is coated with a water-insoluble adhesive to substantially increase the tensile strength of the fabric and to prevent shifting of fibers when installed on sloping surfaces.

Independent Claims | See all claims (41)

1. 1. An article of manufacture comprising a mat of fibers having a powdered or granular material distributed among the fibers throughout at least a portion of a thickness of the article and consolidated sufficiently by sewing or needle punching to prevent substantial loss of the powdered or granular material during handling and installation, said article including an adhesive coating to increase the strength of the product.
2. 14. A water submersible article of manufacture comprising a mat of fibers having a powdered or granular material distributed among the fibers throughout at least a portion of a thickness of the article and consolidated sufficiently by sewing or needle punching to prevent substantial loss of the powdered or granular material during handling and installation, wherein the article further includes a heavy material distributed essentially coextensive with a major surface of the article to provide an overall mat specific gravity greater than 1.0.
3. 17. An article of manufacture that is buoyant in water comprising a mat of fibers having a powdered or granular material distributed among the fibers throughout at least a portion of a thickness of the article and consolidated sufficiently by sewing or needle punching to prevent substantial loss of the powdered or granular material during handling and installation, including an adhesive coating over at least one major surface, wherein the article further includes a buoyant material distributed essentially coextensive with a major surface of the article to provide buoyancy of the article on water.
4. 21. A method of manufacturing a fabric at least partially filled with a powdered or granular material dispersed throughout at least a portion of a thickness of the fabric comprising:depositing fibers onto a support surface to form a loose mat of fiber having spaces between adjacent fiber;depositing the powdered or granular material among the fibers such that the powdered or granular material is received in a portion of said spaces between adjacent fibers;compressing the fibers together to eliminate a substantial portion of said spaces that are not filled with said powdered or granular material;securing the fibers together by sewing or needle punching while the fibers are in the compressed state to structurally consolidate the fibers together and form a partially filled fabric and to lock the powdered or granular material in position between said fibers; andcoating an outer surface of the consolidated fabric with an adhesive in an amount sufficient to increase the tensile strength of the article.
5. 41.41. A method of manufacturing a fibrous material having contained therein or thereon a powdered or granular abrasive material, wherein the fibrous material is sewn or needle punched to consolidate fibers of the fibrous material and hold the powdered or granular material in place, the improvement comprising first wetting the abrasive material or the fibers prior to sewing or needle punching the fibrous material together, and coating at least one major surface of the article, after consolidation, with a water-insoluble adhesive.