Filing Information

Inventor(s)	Francis J. Cunnane, III · H. Thomas Sanders ·
Assignee(s)	AstenJohnson, Inc. ·  View assignee updates
Attorney/Agent(s)	Volpe & Koenig, PC ·
Primary Examiner	Karen M. Hastings ·
Application Number	US8342827
Filing date	11/21/1994
Issue date	01/30/2001
Predicted expiration date	10/02/2012
U.S. Classifications	162/358.2  · 442/270  · 162/900  · 428/398  · 139/383.A  ·
International Classifications	--
Kind Code	B2
International Classifications	1623581 · 1623582 · 162900 · 428229 · 428234 · 428398 · 139383 A · 442270 ·
Related U.S. Application Data	This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/955,513, filed on Oct. 2, 1992, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,368,696.

Patent Family

Abstract

Hollow synthetic monofilament yarns are used in the construction of a base fabric for a papermakers wet felt. The synthetic hollow monofilament yarns have selected interior void, compressibility and resiliency characteristics and are interwoven with other yarns to form a woven base fabric with the hollow monofilament yarns predominating, on at least the paper carrying side of the base fabric. The weaving and finishing of the base fabric results in the hollow monofilament yarns retaining a substantially unflattened cross-section. Accordingly, substantially unflattened portions of the hollow monofilament yarns predominate the paper carrying side of the base fabric thereby providing a cushioning surface which is compressibly resilient to assist in the dewatering of the aqueous paper web as it is transported through a press nip during the manufacture of the paper. Hollow nylon monofilament yarns having approximately 18% internal core void have been found to exhibit the desired compressibility and resiliency characteristics. Preferably a fibrous batt is needled to the base fabric to finish the wet press felt.

Independent Claims | See all claims (9)

1. 1. A wet press felt comprising: a woven base fabric having a paper carrying side; said base fabric including a first system of yarns interwoven with a second system of yarns; said first system yarns being hollow, synthetic monofilament yarns having an O-shaped cross-section and an internal core void of at least 16%, being compressible from a substantially round cross-section to a fully flattened cross-section when subjected to nip pressures of at least 200 psi, and being sufficiently resilient to rebound to an uncompressed state after passing through a press nip; and said base fabric being woven and finished such that in said finished base fabric: portions of said first system yarns which contact said second system yarns have at least a partially flattened cross-section, and said first system yarns remain substantially unflattened in cross-section thereby defining resiliently compressible cushioning for enhancing wet press felt performance in dewatering an aqueous paper web through a press nip.