GB693711A - Improvements in or relating to a flexible web or sheet composed of fibrous materialsagglutinated by adhesives - Google Patents

Abstract

693,711. Agglutinated fibrous sheet materials; compound sheet materials. INTERNATIONAL CELLUCOTTON PRODUCTS CO. Nov. 21, 1950 [Aug. 4, 1950], No. 28416/50. Class 140. A flexible, porous, fabric - like sheet material. comprises a web of fibres, e.g. carded or air-laid, having its porosity increased by stretching to separate the fibres, and strengthened by the application of a number of lines of binding material. The binding material may be one which becomes stronger when stretched and the fibrous web may be stretched in the direction of the lines of binding material after application. The lines may be applied cross-wise of a web in which the fibres, although haphazardly arranged, tend to lie longitudinally and the web is then stretched cross-wise. Further adhesive lines may then be applied length-wise and the web stretched lengthwise. The adhesive may be softened by heat or solvents for stretching, or the web may be stretched before the adhesive has set. The web may be creped, calendered, embossed, subjected to a brushing operation before or after stretching. The stretching and brushing, if any, cause gathering or bunching of the fibres along the lines 6 and 7 of adhesive. Porosity may be further increased by removing a proportion of the fibres of the finished web. For instance short fibres may be included and subsequently shaken, blown or sucked out, or soluble fibres, e.g. polyvinyl resin fibres, may be dissolved out. A web bearing a net-like pattern of adhesive, e.g. crossing lines, may be permitted to shrink slightly from a stretched condition, which causes the areas of fibre surrounded by lines of binder to pucker or puff from the plane of the web. Laminated webs may be produced with layers of the same or different fibres. Two webs may be printed with lines of adhesive, crosswise on one web, lengthwise on the other, and assembled with the printed faces in engagement after the adhesive is too set to bond to additional fibres but will still bond to similar adhesive. Alternatively, a single web may be printed with adhesive lines which extend through the web, and assembled between two outer webs while the adhesive is still liquid. The fibres may be cotton, wool, silk, rayon, synthetic fibres, flax, sisal, hemp, jute, asbestos, and glass. The adhesive may one of several specified vinyl polymers and copolymers, polythene, nylon, cellulose acetate, hydroxymethyl cellulose. or carboxymethyl cellulose, and may contain fibres.