GB815083A - Improvements in moulded mats - Google Patents

Abstract

<PICT:0815083/IV (a)/1> <PICT:0815083/IV (a)/2> A moulded mat such as a car mat comprises a continuous base layer of a vulcanized natural or synthetic rubber composition having adhered thereto a coloured surface layer of a thermoplastic composition based on a polymer derived from vinyl or vinylidene chloride. The surface layer may comprise polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene chloride, a copolymer of vinyl chloride and vinyl acetate, a mixture of polyvinyl chloride with neoprene or a butadieneacrylonitrile copolymer. A non-migrating plasticizer such as an epoxydized oil or polypropylene adipate may be added to the surface layer composition. An adhesive such as a vulcanizable rubber solution, which may contain a polyisocyanate, may be applied to the rubber sheet, before the coloured surface layer is superposed. The assembly of rubber base layer and coloured thermoplastic resin surface sheet is placed in a vacuum mould with the thermoplastic layer in contact with the moulding surface 3, Fig. 2; suction is applied through apertures A and vacuum connection 5, the assembly is placed in an autoclave, and vulcanizing is effected while maintaining the vacuum. The assembly is removed and the mat stripped from the mould. In preparing the assembly to be moulded and vulcanized, a web 6, Fig. 4, consisting of the rubber base layer backed by a removable liner and coated on the exposed side with a polyisocyanate adhesive, is coated while passing around a roller 8, with a solution of a vulcanizable adhesive comprising butadiene-acrylonitrile copolymer rubber, chlorinated rubber, polyindene resin, dibutyl phthalate, calcium silicate, titanium dioxide, and vulcanizing ingredients, applied by roller 7 contacting roll 9 dipping in trough 10 containing the adhesive. The adhesive-coated web is passed over drying rolls 12, 13 where drying may be expedited by the use of hot air, infra-red lamps, or heaters 22; further adhesive is applied at 14, and dried, the liner 16 is wound off on to a spool 17, a sheet 18 of the vinyl or vinylidene chloride polymer composition is pressed on to the rubber base by pressure rollers 19, 20 and the composite sheet is formed into a roll 21. According to the Provisional Specification, the rubber sheet may be coated with a vulcanizable rubber solution which may contain a polyisocyanate, and the polyvinyl chloride sheet may be coated with a resorcinol resin solution.