MXPA01007039A

MXPA01007039A - Nonwoven fabric and method and apparatus for manufacturing same

Info

Publication number: MXPA01007039A
Application number: MXPA/A/2001/007039A
Authority: MX
Inventors: Wendell B Colson; Paul Swiscz; David Hartman
Original assignee: Wendell B Colson; David Hartman; Hunter Douglas Inc; Hunter Douglas Industries Bv; Paul Swiscz
Priority date: 1999-01-12
Filing date: 2001-07-11
Publication date: 2003-02-17

Abstract

An apparatus for fabricating a unique nonwoven fabric which has the appearance of a woven fabric includes a supply station for parallel warp yarns, a support structure for orienting the parallel warp yarns into a cylindrical orientation, a weft yarn applicator for wrapping weft yarns around the cylindrically oriented warp yarns after an adhesive scrim has been overlaid onto the warp yarns, a heating station for activating the adhesive and a cooling station for setting the adhesive, and a cutter for severing the cylindrically formed fabric laminate so that it can be flattened and wrapped onto a take-up roller. The weft yarn applicator including a rotating drum wherein a plurality of spools of weft yarn material are mounted in circumferentially spaced relationship and a tensioner is provided for applying the weft yarn material around the warp yarns in a predetermined tension which may be the same as, greater than, or less than the tension in the warp yarns.

Description

- * '- NON-WOVEN FABRIC AND METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE ELABORATION OF THE SAME FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates in general to non-woven fabric materials, to processes for the preparation of these materials and to various apparatuses used in the elaboration of these materials.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION As described above, the present invention relates to non-woven fabric materials and more particularly, to a non-woven fabric material that may have the appearance of a woven fabric that is designed easily together with an apparatus and method for making the same by pulling warp yarns finely bonded by an adhesive material along the longitudinal extension of the surface of a cylindrical support and by subsequently winding weft threads transversely around the warp yarns, cylindrically supported before activating the adhesive, and hardening the adhesive for bonding the entire product. Non-woven fabrics are similar to knitted fabrics and woven fabrics since they are all flat structures, inherently flexible, typically IteE: 131278 porous, composed mainly of natural or synthetic fiber materials (ie yarns, strands or filaments). Non-woven fabrics are unique in that they can be designed to resemble knitted fabrics or woven fabrics, but they can also be made to have superior physical characteristics with respect to knitted fabrics or woven fabrics. In this way, the non-woven fabrics are highly influenced by the properties of their constituent fibers and the manner in which the non-woven fabric is prepared. Typical methods for preparing non-woven fabrics include mechanical, chemical and thermal interlacing of layers or networks of fiber materials.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprises a non-woven fabric type material. The "fabric-like" material preferably has the general appearance of a fabric, more preferably a woven fabric, and has one or more characteristics of a traditional fabric fabric, including uniformity of texture, flexibility, strength, appearance and similar. A preferred embodiment of the fabric type material comprises substantially parallel yarn fibers (or fiber substitutes) retained together in a non-torsional manner by a ? 4l-itJ M í; lf • s, -...- ^^.,. ^ .. ,,, ^ ,,. ,,. ^^^^^ -; ¡^ ^ series of adhesive bridges or a combination of adhesive and yarn fiber bridges, dispersed on one side of the parallel fibers. This fabric-like material can be used as is, or can be further processed into other fabric-like materials by further processing as described herein. The present invention also provides an in-line, continuous method and apparatus for making these non-woven fabrics in a manner such that the non-woven fabric can have a variety of desirable physical characteristics. The method and apparatus are further designed such that the non-woven fabric can be produced relatively quickly compared to known systems for making woven fabrics. The term "yarn" will be referred to throughout the present specification and the term should be broadly construed to include mono- and multi-filament yarns and / or threads of various materials. The threads may be large or small diameter or large or small denier, and may be made of many types of materials including, without limitation, polyester, polyethylene, polypropylene and other polymers or plastics; wool, cotton, hemp and other natural fibers; mixtures of natural and / or synthetic fibers; as well as fiber substitutes such as glass, metal, graphite and * i? ct A »similar. It is conceivable that some warp and / or weft threads may be metals and / or metal alloys such as for example, copper wire and / or aluminum, or combinations of metals and synthetic and natural fibers. It should also be appreciated from the description that follows that various densities of warp or wrapping or weft yarn winding will be referred to and these densities will vary depending on the type of yarn as described above and the desired characteristics of the non woven product that is elaborate. For the purposes of this description, "warp" yarn materials include any combination of materials or combinations of yarns having the yarns or fiber substitute materials placed primarily to run in the machine direction of the apparatus and which are aligned with the yarn. a controlled manner before they are treated with an adhesive material to form a nonwoven, cloth-like substrate. The "weft" yarn materials include any combination of materials or yarn combinations having the yarns or fiber substitute materials placed primarily to run substantially perpendicular to the warp yarn materials. An especially preferred nonwoven fabric of the present invention has the appearance of a woven fabric, but it is considered a non-woven fabric because the warp and weft yarns do not intertwine or interweave, but rather are placed one over the other and Adhere together There are several embodiments of this product of this invention. The first embodiment comprises the laying of the weft yarns on a substrate composed of a conventional nonwoven fabric including, without limitation, a carded weave, joined, a weft deposited wet, a weft deposited with air or a weft joined by spinning. In a preferred embodiment of the non-woven fabric, a carded weft is used, joined as the substrate for the weft yarns. This weft material is particularly suitable for the non-woven fabric of the present invention because the carding process, by its nature, typically orients the fibers in the machine direction of the weft. A fiber orientation in which the majority portion of the fibers runs in the machine direction creates a substrate in which the fibers mimic the warp yarns and are substantially perpendicular to the orientation of the weft yarns. When viewed with a light shining through a product according to the present invention, the perpendicular orientation of the carded fibers in the weft relative to the weft yarns creates the visual impression of a woven cloth. The carded, bonded web can be printed with an adhesive or in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a randomly oriented glue or gauze of adhesive can be slightly attached to its surface prior to the application of the weft yarns. This type of adhesive engagement allows the use of a low level of adhesive by weight in a loosely applied lay such that there are portions of the weft threads that are not adhesively connected to the weft nonwoven substrate. The structure, due to the discontinuous lining of adhesive, also has a certain degree of porosity that mimics the breathability of a woven fabric having a construction of yarn in thread and not film. The resulting structure has an improved hand that imitates that of a woven material. The adhesive is preferably made of thermoplastic polymer, but other adhesives including thermosetting adhesives and 100% solids adhesives can be used. The preferred type of adhesive is preferably a thermally activated copolyester which at a basis weight represents approximately 10-20% by weight of the complete, non-woven structure. This canvas or gauze of adhesive is sandwiched between the non-woven substrate described above and the weft yarns. Once activated, the adhesive retains the weft yarns to the non-woven substrate. In yet another embodiment, a plurality of warp yarns are formed in an aligned, substantially parallel and equally spaced group. If desired, different warp yarns can be aligned, for example yarns of various types (synthetic, natural, yarn substitutes) and / or multi-denier yarns, using this apparatus, resulting in non-woven fabric materials having properties particularly interesting and unique. This parallel bundling of yarns is advantageously fixed in place by forming an adhesive coating, printed on only one side of the warp yarns, using a hot melt roller coater. The cooling of the hot melt adhesive occurs almost instantaneously and the resulting product is a fixed web or substrate consisting essentially of a plurality of aligned warp yarns and a film of adhesive placed substantially on only one side of the yarn fibers. An especially preferred embodiment of the warp yarn material generator, used herein, comprises a warp yarn aligner, through which a plurality of individual yarns or threads (equal or different) are passed to be placed in a warp yarn aligner. substantially parallel alignment. A once aligned, the threads are then passed to the adhesive station, which preferably is a hot melt roll coater, (eg, gravure). In this device, a thin film of hot melt adhesive is printed on only one side of the plurality of warp aligned yarns. The adhesive is not retained as a film after application; the adhesive is typically partially separated when applied to the parallel threads. The adhesive bridges and / or fragments of yarn strands (each independently with or without an adhesive coating) form and / or otherwise extend over the spaces between the parallel yarns. These bridges hold the threads together and prevent the individual threads or threads from twisting in relation to each other. As used herein, the term "bridges" is proposed to define the physical result of the application of a thin film of adhesive to one side of the warp aligned yarns; specifically a combination of adhesive strands, fragments coated with yarn thread adhesive, and / or fragments of yarn strands that contact the adhesive in one or more aligned yarns (eg, at two or more points), such that the series of aligned warp threads are retained together in a spatial arrangement, substantially "*" selected by the user, and where the threads are not twisted, rotated or otherwise separated one in relation to the other due to the presence of bridges on one side. In other words, the bridges secure the threads in place 5 in a manner selected by the manufacturer of the warp yarn material. In the cooling of the adhesive, a weft of flexible substrate, still attached of warp yarns having the appearance and feel of a non-woven fabric, is obtained. This thread substrate of warp is suitable for the additional process as a non-woven fabric or otherwise. If desired, this combination of adhesive warp yarn can be wound onto a reel for later handling, formed into sheets for other uses as desired. The preferred warp yarn aligner has a plurality of vertically offset sets of horizontally spaced rolls. The upper set of rollers is inside a horizontal plane placed above a horizontal plane that contains the set However, it is conceivable that the orientation of the roller assemblies is not an upper and lower roller assembly, but possibly a left and right roller assembly or somewhere intermediate so that the plane of the sets from rolls will be horizontally instead of vertically tfa «« ~. , ¿M¿ * á < Lja. «A-fc-. ... ta¿ á «ata¿tü > AIMED displaced or somewhere in between. The rollers are aligned transversely to each other. In the arrangement where the rollers are placed in horizontal planes, each roller in one set is horizontally misaligned from the rollers in the other set so that the rollers in each set are placed between the rollers of the other set and the upper perimeter of the rollers. Rollers in one set overlap the upper perimeter of the rollers in the other set. In this way, the warp yarns passing transversely through the sets of rollers must pass under the upper set of rollers and on the lower set of rollers that make contact with all the rollers in each set with a coupling arc in each case. roller. It has been found that a coupling arc of about 20 degrees is preferable in the present, although higher or lower degrees must also be useful. At least some of the rollers can be roughened on their outer surface to impart a vibration to the yarns, preferably in the plane of the weft. The warp yarns, for example, of a folder thereof, are roughly aligned when they are distributed to the rollers, for example, through a styling device or otherwise, they are passed through the spaces between the sets of fabrics. rolls as described above. The rollers are driven at a roller surface speed that is faster than the linear speed of the yarns. By over-driving the rollers relative to the linear speed of the yarns it has been found that the yarns become substantially parallel. The textured rollers can be run at a slower speed than the yarns and achieve the same effect, but the over-acceleration of the rollers at a ratio within the range of 2: 1 to 3: 1 has been found to be very effective. The parallel alignment of the warp yarns is important for most non-woven products because it results in a uniform appearance of the yarns which makes the appearance of the final product more similar to a knitted product. A preferred applicator of the hot melt adhesive is a Rototherm® hot melt roll coater. In the operation of the hot melt adhesive coating apparatus, the series of parallel warp yarns are pulled or pulled through the glue apparatus, supported by a series of rollers. A thin film web (varying from about 0.006 mm to 0.03 mm (0.25 to 1 mil)) of the hot melt adhesive is continuously coated by gravure on one side of the aligned wires of warp. The actual thickness of the film web varies within the specified range, and depends on the weight of the web and is usually applied from about 5% to 25% of the weight of the web. For a fabric weight of 50 g / m2 the adhesive can be applied from about 2 to 15 g / m2, preferably from about 5 to 10 g / m2. After it is coated by gravure, the warp thread substrate solidifies rapidly, fixing the parallel arrangement and the equal spacing of the threads. The adhesive film web also prevents twisting or winding of the yarns, which maintains the "feel of the product". A cooling path is provided to ensure that the adhesive web hardens before the substrate is collected, for example, in a roll form, sheet form, or other shape as desired by the manufacturer or end user. The orientation of the yarns produced in this embodiment, in which the fibers run in the machine direction, provides a substrate of non-woven fabric material in which the fibers imitate warp yarns, which can be used in subsequent processes of production of non-woven fabrics to produce materials that have the visual impression and physical sensation of a woven material. These materials often exceed the physical characteristics of woven fabrics, particularly with respect to to the resistance, resistance to tearing, fraying and the like, without the need for subsequent treatments, including chemical treatments, to achieve these properties. Subsequent treatments, if desired, can still be employed, particularly if beneficial properties were thus achieved. While the adhesive methods described above are preferred embodiments, other methods may be employed to preserve the aligned strands of the warp yarns. For example, the warp yarns may be contacted with a layer of dry adhesive that is heated and then cooled to bond the materials; the adhesive can be applied with a melt blown applicator; or the aligned strands of the warp yarns can be attached via an adhesive to another layer of the material, an adhesive film, or a substrate comprising adhesive and other non-woven fabric material. Another embodiment of the non-woven fabric of the present invention comprises the combination of warp yarns and weft yarns, with the weft yarns that are placed substantially perpendicular to the warp yarns. The terms "substantially perpendicular" are used to define a ratio of approximately 90 degrees to the intersection in the transverse direction of the threads of weft and warp each other. This can vary by up to about 5 degrees in any direction away from a perfect 90 degree intersection, for example, from about 85 degrees to about 95 degrees. This product produced according to the present invention has an intersection angle of about 89.7 degrees. In one embodiment of the apparatus in the transverse direction (or "XD"), the warp and weft threads adhere to each other with the same adhesive material that is used to join the warp yarns as a substrate. Thread density can be approximated as high as 140 threads per 2.54 cm (1 inch) for a single strand 36 count cotton thread. This is substantially greater than the density available in the same yarn count of a conventional woven fabric having a maximum yarn density of about 90 yarns per inch for the same yarn. The use of an open structure adhesive material (eg, canvas, lace or the like) in the preferred embodiments of the XD apparatus allows the formation of a finished fabric structure with very good handling properties. This is due to the ability of both the warp and weft yarns to move freely in positions where they are not linked by the exchange of adhesive. The adhesive preferably represents less than 5-20% by weight of the entire structure. In yet another embodiment of the XD apparatus, the warp and weft threads are again placed in a substantially perpendicular manner to each other as described above, but instead of being joined by a canvas or adhesive lace, they are joined by a weft of adhesive of blowing in the molten state. The meltblowing process is well known in the art and creates micro-denier yarns. These threads can be placed more evenly than the adhesive canvas, but still use less adhesive in the structure. Micro-denier threads, if activated properly, will create a finished structure that has a good hand, but a more uniform appearance than the finished structure provided with a canvas of adhesive. A preferred XD apparatus used herein for joining the warp yarn materials and weft yarn materials include the following components: (a) a supply station for the aligned weft yarn materials and the adhesive material , either as a movie, canvas or lace; or a meltblown pattern or other unusable material added to the supply station, (b) a warp yarn material distribution station wherein the warp yarn material is longitudinally adapted to the outer surface of a cylindrical support to extend longitudinally of the support, (c) a weft yarn application station through from which the warp material passes, (d) a heating or adhesive activation station, (e) a cooling or hardening adhesive station, and (f) a fabric tensioning station; for example, a tension roller, a mill, or the like. In the operation of a version of the XD apparatus, the transfer roller of the warp yarn material that is produced in the warp yarn material processing unit is transferred to the supply station and the warp yarn material extends through the apparatus in a transfer belt from the supply station to a tension station. As the warp yarn material extends through the apparatus it is supported along the length of a supporting surface, substantially cylindrical, or as an alternative, in polygonal cross section, in the transfer belt and the warp yarns or fibers keep its parallel relationship along the length of the cylindrical surface. The warp yarn material is thus placed in a substantially cylindrical configuration. A drive roller is placed between a tension roller at the tension station and a cooling or adhesive hardening station that is upstream of the tension station. The drive roller rotates the transfer belt along the length of the support surface thereby advancing the warp yarn material through the apparatus at little or no tension and at a predetermined and variable speed. Alternatively, the tension roller can be replaced with other conventional processing equipment, including for example, a milling machine, a mill, or the like. Before finding the adhesive hardening and activating stations, the warp yarn material passes through the weft yarn application station where a plurality of continuous weft yarns are wound around the warp yarn material with the material adhesive placed between the warp yarn material and the weft yarns. It will be appreciated that as the warp yarn material passes through the weft yarn application station it is still in a substantially cylindrical configuration. The composite structure, cylindrical warp yarn material, the adhesive and the weft yarns are passed through the activation or heating station where the adhesive is activated to join the warp yarn material and the weft yarns, together. Immediately thereafter, the composite structure passes through the hardening or cooling station where the adhesive hardens so that the warp yarn material and the weft yarns are adhesively bonded together in a substantially fixed, non-woven relationship. which has the appearance of a woven product. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that other systems for the activation and deactivation of the adhesive may be used such as by way of example, humidity, high frequency light, pressure or other temperature regulation systems. A cutter longitudinally cuts the composite structure and as the material continues through the apparatus, the material is forced into a flat configuration as the support surface progressively turns from a cylindrical configuration to a planar configuration. In one embodiment of the weft yarn application station, there is provided an enclosed rotating drum having a ring-like structure with a plurality of weft yarn materials supplies on separate individual spools, cones or the like. He The drum has a cylindrical axial passage along its longitudinal axis through which the warp threads with the overlap adhesive pass. Each spool of weft yarn material is associated with a tensioner also mounted on the rotating drum that is slightly separated from the cylindrical axial passage to be in a closely spaced relationship with the warp yarn material and the adhesive. The weft yarn material passes through the tensioner and subsequently around a guide pin which is also mounted on the drum but is immediately adjacent to the warp yarn material and the adhesive overlap. The weft yarn material, after passing through the tensioner, extends around the guide pin and immediately over the adhesive and is caused to be placed transversely around the adhesive and the warp yarns as the drum rotates about its axis . The tensioner can be adjusted so that the tension in the weft yarn, as it wraps around the warp yarn material, can be adjusted to have a tension equal to or greater than or less than any tension, which may be present in the yarns of the yarn. warp. In the tensor embodiment described above, up to twelve reels of weft yarn material can be mounted within the rotating drum in a radial wall thereof although the drum size can be increased or the density of the reels inside the drum can be increased. to allow more or less of the twelve reels. By providing twelve reels of material at a predetermined, equal, circumferential spacing within the drum, the drum can be properly balanced so that it can be rotated at high rates of speed substantially without vibration. In the tensor mode, it is also important that in the twelve reels, or however if they are used more, they are in exactly the same angular displacement. The exact angular displacement and the thrust of the weft yarns against the next adjacent warp yarn result in the weft yarns being placed in a precise and controllable way to optimize the packing of the weft yarns. If, however, an alternative spacing is desired, then equal, exact angular displacement is not necessary. In these cases, the spacing of the fibers will be controlled by a predetermined angular spacing of the rollers. The drum also has a separate power source for rotating the drum at a different speed than the energy source in the tension station in the apparatus that advances the transfer belt and the warp yarn material through the apparatus. Accordingly, the warp yarn material can be move linearly through the apparatus along the cylindrical support to either a selected stable speed and / or a variable speed, as long as the drum rotation ratio can be at a stable, selected, independent speed and / or at a speed variable. This allows the weft yarns to be wound around the warp yarn material at constant, predetermined and / or variable spacings, desired and also at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the warp yarn material. In other words, insofar as the weft yarn material is wound substantially perpendicular to the warp yarn material, it is actually misaligned slightly from the perpendicular and the misalignment angle may vary as the ratio or speed of rotation of the yarn changes. drum relative to the linear velocity at which the warp yarn material is advanced through the drum. For example, if the user wishes to vary the spacing by means of the weft threads, the web speed will be adjusted in relation to the speed of the drum (one faster, one slower). By varying the degree of difference at relative speeds the spacing of weft yarn to warp yarn is changed and the laying angle of the weft yarns is incidentally changed.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the apparatus XD, several previously identified and / or omitted components have been modified, as discussed in detail below. The warp yarn material continues to be supported in the transfer belt and is formed into a cylindrical shape. A drive roller continues to drive the warp yarn material, cylindrical through the weft yarn application station, where the cylinder of the warp yarns is supported to allow the application of the weft yarns. Heating and cooling stations are used to harden the adhesive between the warp and weft layers, and the cylindrical shape is cut and flattened under tension to form a unified structure that has the appearance of a woven fabric. In this embodiment, the weft yarn application station comprises an enclosed rotating drum having a ring-type enclosure with a plurality of wefts of weft yarn material on separate individual spools, cones or the like. The drum has a cylindrical axial passage along its longitudinal axis through which the warp yarns pass with the overlapped adhesive. The cylindrical axial passage is adjusted with a conical aligner, which serves as the final guide for guiding the rotating weft yarns at the position in the warp yarns in a substantially perpendicular alignment. The conical aligner is a stationary unit, having an angled or inclined surface directed toward the forward movement of the warp yarns. It has been found that a preferred slope ranging from about 15 to 60 degrees is effective, with a slope of 45 degrees which is most preferred. Each of the weft threads is distributed to a fixed point in the stationary conical aligner, and from that point each thread falls down the slope of the aligner and eventually falls in place of the warp cylindrical threads of the fabric, landing in the adhesive on the exposed surface of the warp yarns. By using the conical aligner described herein, the weft yarns do not overlap each other. Instead, the weft yarns slide down the aligner and over the warp fabric. In cases of narrow packing, the tension imparted to the weft yarns causes the individual yarns to stick together, while in the case of a loose pack, the individual yarns do not usually strike each other in the conical aligner . The individual fibers are placed transversely around the warp yarn substrate where they make contact with the adhesive on one side of the warp yarn substrate as the drum rotates. As described above, the rotation speed can vary as desired, from very slow (for example 200 rpm or less) to very fast (for example, more than 100 rpm). It has been found that a speed of approximately 500-600 rpm is very useful in the formation of the preferred nonwoven fabrics. The tension of the weft yarns is provided automatically by the centrifugal rotation of the drum. It will be appreciated that both the tension of the weft yarns and the conical aligner guide the placement of the warp yarns on the surface of the warp yarn material, in conjunction with the rotation of the weft yarns around the yarn material of warp results in a very high accuracy of the placement of the weft threads. The high accuracy of the yarn placement can result in a high packing density of the weft yarns, a uniformity of the weft yarn, structural design of the fabric based on the known placement of the weft yarns, and a high performance Complete improved product. As in the embodiment of the tensioner, described above, several spools (for example 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, etc.) of the weft yarn material can be mounted inside the rotating drum on a radial wall of the Even though the size of the drum can be increased or the density of the reels inside the drum can be increased to allow more or less of the twelve reels. An even number of reels have been found to be easy to space uniformly inside the drum. However, an odd number of reels would probably cool down, if properly spaced in the drum to maintain a balanced state. It will be appreciated that while the nonwoven product can be heat hardened and gives a high strength, finished lamination finished while still in the cylindrical configuration on the substantially cylindrical support surface as described above, a method can be used. of heat hardening and lamination, alternative. In an alternative, preferred method, the post-lamination treatment of the joined warp and weft yarns may be desirable. A laminating apparatus can be used, either as a separate unit, or as an integral part of the apparatus XD, placed, for example, from the drive roller and the tension roller. A laminator in this section is preferably a flat strip mill. The non-woven material is fed through the post-lamination section under a predetermined tension and re-heated, and re-cooled, before it coils on the tensioner roller. The use of the flat web laminator can reduce the undulation and / or shrinkage in the transverse direction of the product and produce a better bond. An especially preferred laminator apparatus comprises a separate unit with a continuous, strip-driven, dual-pressure lamination section that uses pressure, heat and cooling to bond at least two substrates (layers) with adhesive between the layer of the substrates. This separate laminating apparatus can be used to make a variety of composite and / or reinforced materials. One or more of the component parts of the laminated product (i.e., the substrates or layers) can be a woven fabric material, a nonwoven fabric web, or a fiber mat. Adhesive materials are used, preferably thermoplastic materials for joining the various substrates in the laminated construction. These materials can be melted and remelted again and again. When used to laminate yarns, especially polymer yarns, thermoplastic copolyester adhesives are preferred, since these materials may be selected to have a melting temperature below the melting temperature of the yarns. The industrial type laminated products that can be formed using the laminator described herein include mixtures based on natural and / or synthetic fabrics based on asbestos, based on glass, based on nylon, based on flame retardants and / or flame resistant. Laminated products of other materials can also be prepared as will be appreciated by those who have experience in the field. Non-woven fabrics such as those formed of either the XD apparatus described above are an especially preferred class of materials used as the layers or substrates in the pressurized mill described herein. Preferably, both substrates are substrates of non-woven fabrics, one of the fabric substrates representing the weft threads and another representing the warp threads. The adhesive used to bond the nonwoven substrates must be activated by heat during the lamination process. The combination of pressure, heating to activate the adhesive and cooling of the bonded substrates while still under pressure, minimizes shrinkage, adjusts the size of the yarn in the final nonwoven fabric laminate, and imparts high strength, including characteristics of resistance to fraying, to the final product. In addition, because the rolled product is forming under pressure, the warp and weft yarns are they force in intimate contact, whereby the adhesive between the layers is spread between them, giving the final rolled product the appearance of a woven product. The adhesive is captured between the warp yarns and the weft yarns, preferably in an invisible manner. The most preferred lamination apparatus used for pressure bonding of nonwoven substrates has an outer housing or frame in which a rectangular pressure box is mounted. The shape of the box does not need to be rectangular, but this form is currently preferred. The pressure box comprises two separate sections, an upper section and a lower section, each of which has pressure seals along its four edges, and each of which is additionally provided with a plurality of heating elements. and cooling. Two rotating, opposite driving belts, an upper drive belt and a lower drive belt, contact each other in and jointly run through a space between the two sections of the pressure box. The bands are dimensionally larger (length and width) than the seals of the pressure box. This is necessary to allow pressurization of the box, both above and below the two bands. One band is driven in a clockwise fashion and the other band is driven in the opposite direction of the clock hands. Once the bands are moving, one end of the pressure box is the entrance end (feed) and one end is the output end of the laminator. The lower section of the preferred pressure box is rigidly mounted to the frame or housing, while the upper section of the pressure box can be adjusted as necessary to allow access to the interior of the box. Normally, the sections are separated sufficiently to allow the passage of the driving belts through them under pressure (or in a depressurized state), with or without material to be laminated between them. If desired, these positions can be inverted, with the lower section, for example, spring mounted against an upper section of fixed position. During the rolling process, the substrate materials to be laminated are passed through a pressure seal at the inlet end of the pressure box, and in the space between the two driving belts. The air pressure applied to the upper and lower sections of the pressure box is used to compress the air-impermeable bands towards each other, creating a diaphragm effect between the bands, thereby compressing the substrates located between them. The movement of the two bands through the pressure band allows the continuous feeding of the substrate materials and the thermoplastic adhesive. Once in the same, the substrate is held or pressed together by the diaphragm effect caused by the pressure applied to the bands. The pressed substrates are then heated under pressure, melted and the adhesive is spread. This allows the substrate layers to be joined together, preferably with at least some portions of the warp yarn and weft threads that become co-planar or almost co-planar. The heated substrates are then cooled, while still under pressure, forming the final laminate. The cooled rolled product leaves the pressure box through the outlet pressure seal, where it is collected as desired. When two or more non-woven polyester substrates (e.g., at least one warp substrate and at least one weft substrate) are laminated to this apparatus, the thickness of the rolled product at the exit end of the laminator is at least 5%. , preferably at least 10]% and more preferably at least about 20% less than the combined thickness of the substrates and the adhesive, as measured at the inlet end of the laminator. The upper and lower sections of the box The pressure is equipped with a plurality of heating and cooling elements, which are used to activate and harden the thermoplastic adhesive between the substrate layers. Heating and cooling can be achieved by any means available to one skilled in the art. For example, hot granules, contact heating rods, radiant heating rods, hot fluids (eg, oil), hot gases (steam) and the like can be employed. Likewise, cooling fluids (for example water), adiabatic cooling methods, cold gases and the like may be employed. If desired, two separate pressure fluids can be employed, one serving as the heating medium, and the other serving as the cooling medium. The person skilled in the art can easily contemplate equivalent systems of pressurization and heating and / or cooling given this description. In an especially preferred embodiment, the plurality of heating and cooling bars located in the lower section of the pressure box are rigidly mounted, while the plurality of heating and cooling bars in the upper section of the pressure box are mounted to float on top of the materials that are laminated. This arrangement has been found to be especially useful in the preparation of non-woven fabrics. Shrinkage is minimized or eliminated and the final laminate has the physical characteristics (feel and appearance) of a thermomechanically finished fabric. Advantageously, at least about 10%, preferably at least about 25% and more preferably about 50% of the inside of the box at the inlet end of the pressure box is provided with heat rods, and the rest of the pressure box, again at least about 10%, preferably at least about 25% and more preferably about 50% of the inside of the box, is provided with cooling rods. The heating rods are ideally located at the inlet end of the pressure box and the cooling rods are ideally located at the outlet end of the pressure box. If desired, multiple heating and cooling zones can be included within the pressure box; for example, heat / cold, heat / cold, heat / cold, etc. Alternatively, the sequence may include a preheating section, complete heating and retention, followed by a cooling sequence. The only requirements for successful lamination are the heat activation of the adhesive and the cold hardening of the adhesive, both of which occur under pressure.

The current rectangular pressure has a pressure area of approximately 9677.4 cm2 (1500 inches2). Drive belts, which are strips coated with substantially non-porous Teflon®, are pressurized from both sides of the pressure box with air pressure (or other fluid medium) of at least 0.14 kg / cm2 (2 psi), preferably at least about 0.35 kg / cm2 (5 lb / in2) and more preferably at least about 0.703 kg / cm2 (10 lb / in2). Greater pressures can be achieved with the modification of the equipment to support and sustain it. This pressure applied to the bands is equivalent to a compressive weight (force) that varies from approximately 1362 kg (3000 pounds) to approximately 6810 kg (15,000 pounds), applied to the area of 9677.4 cm2 (1500 in2) of the pressure box current. For the lamination of non-woven fabrics of the present invention, a compressive force of about 2270 kg (5,000 lbs) to about 6810 kg (15 lbs) is typical, and a compressive force of about 6810 kg (15 Ibs) (at 0.703 kg) / cm2 (10 lbs / in2)) has been found to be especially preferred to date. This is important because in a traditional pressure laminator, which uses top plate and bottom plate, if a weight of 6810 kg (15,000 lbs) was placed on the top plate to provide the compressive force to effect the lamination, any band that run for below this it will either stop and / or break, due to the excessive amount of friction that will be generated. Continuous low pressure rolling mills of this type (continuous, two bands, hot / cold zones) are commercially available. These laminators provide a maximum of approximately 0.035 kg / cm2 compressive force (0.5 lbs / in2). This upper limit is generally dictated by the arrest and / or breakage of the band. Other embodiments and additional embodiments of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description and the claims, which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, by way of illustration, show preferred embodiments of the present invention and the principles thereof. .

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a schematic, fragmentary isometric view of the apparatus of the present invention. Figure IB is a schematic vertical section taken through a flat bed laminator that is part of the apparatus shown in Figure 1. Figure 2 is a schematic, fragmentary top elevation of the apparatus shown in Figure 1 with the adhesive canvas removed for clarity. Figure 2B is a schematic vertical section, fragmentary taken through a portion of the apparatus of Figure 1 illustrating the endless turning of the transfer band used in the apparatus. Figure 3 is a fragmentary, schematic side elevational view of the apparatus shown in Figure 1. Figure 4 is a fragmentary, enlarged section taken along line 4-4 of Figure 3. Figure 5 is an enlarged section of Figure 3. a portion of Figure 4. Figure 6 is a fragmentary, enlarged section taken along line 6-6 of Figure 3. Figure 7 is an enlarged section taken along line 7-7 of the Figure 3. Figure 8 is a fragmentary, enlarged section taken along line 8-8 of Figure 3. Figure 9 is a fragmentary, enlarged section taken along line 9-9 of Figure 8 and that turns ninety degrees. Figure 10 is a fragmentary, enlarged section taken along line 10-10 of Figure 9. Figure 11 is a fragmentary, enlarged section taken along line 11-11 of Figure 8 which has been enlarged. rotated ninety degrees.

* XX.

Figure 12 is a fragmentary, enlarged section taken along line 12-12 of Figure 3. Figure 13 is an enlarged, fragmentary section taken along line 13-13 of Figure 3. Figure 14 is a fragmentary, enlarged section taken along line 14-14 of Figure 13. Figure 15 is an enlarged, sectional, additional view similar to Figure 13. Figure 16 is a fragmentary, enlarged section. taken along line 16-16 of Figure 4. 15 Figure 17 is a fragmentary isometric view, enlarged downward at the downstream end of the weft yarn application station and with the parts separated for clarity. Figure 18 is a fragmentary isometric section 20 similar to Figure 17 only enlarged further. Figure 19 is a fragmentary, enlarged section taken along line 19-19 of Figure 3. Figure 20 is a fragmentary section, enlarged taken along line 20-20 of Figure 19. Figure 21 is a fragmentary, enlarged section taken along line 21-21 of Figure 3. Figure 22 is a fragmentary, enlarged section taken along line 22-22 of Figure 3. Figure 23 is an isometric, fragmentary view of a nonwoven fabric material made with the apparatus illustrated in Figure 1. Figure 24 is a fragmentary isometric view and similar to Figure 23 of a second embodiment of a fabric made with the apparatus of Figure 1. Figure 25 is an isometric, fragmentary section of a third embodiment of the fabric made with the apparatus of Figure 1. Figure 26 is a fragmentary isometric view of a fourth embodiment of a fabric made with the apparatus of Figure 1. Figure 27 is a vertical section taken through the fabric of Figure 24 with the fabric being inverted. Figure 28 is a sectional view taken through the warp yarns of the non-woven fabric of the present invention with the adhesive being displayed on the radially outermost surface of the yarns. Figure 29 is a fragmentary isometric view of a fifth embodiment of a non-woven fabric made with the apparatus of Figure 1. Figure 30 is a vertical, fragmentary section taken through the apparatus of Figure 1 immediately downstream of the station. Application of weft yarns showing an alternative control system for the placement of the weft yarns through the warp yarns. Figure 31 is a fragmentary section taken along line 31-31 of Figure 30. Figure 32 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken along line 32-32 of Figure 33. Figure 33 is a fragmentary, enlarged section taken along line 33-33 of Figure 32. Figure 34 is a fragmentary, enlarged section taken along line 34-34 of Figure 32. Figure 35 is a fragmentary section , enlarged taken along line 35-35 of Figure 30.

Figure 36 is an isometric, fragmentary view looking down on the control system of Figure 30. Figure 37 is a schematic side elevation of the apparatus of Figure 1. Figure 38 is a schematic side elevation of the apparatus of the Figure 1 with an alternative tension system to that illustrated in Figure 37. Figure 39 is a schematic side elevation of the apparatus of Figure 1 showing an alternative supply system for the warp yarns and the adhesive web to that of the Figure 37. Figure 40 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken along line 40-40 of Figure IB. Figure 41 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken along line 41-41 of Figure IB. Figure 42 is a schematic side elevation of the warp yarn material processing unit. Figure 43 is a top plan view of the manufacturing unit shown in Figure 42 with portions removed for clarity. Figure 44 is a front terminal elevation of the apparatus of Figure 43. Figure 45 is an enlarged section taken along line 45-45 of Figure 43. Figure 46 is a fragmentary, enlarged section taken along line 46-46 of the Figure 45 with the parts removed for clarity. Figure 47 is a fragmentary, enlarged section taken along line 47-47 of Figure 46. Figure 48 is a fragmentary, enlarged section taken along line 48-48 of Figure 46. Figure 49 is a fragmentary, enlarged section taken along line 49-49 of Figure 46. Figure 50 is a fragmentary, enlarged section taken along line 50-50 of Figure 45. Figure 51 is a fragmentary, enlarged section taken along line 51-51 of Figure 50. Figure 52 is a schematic side elevation of the preferred alignment unit of the warp yarn material; Figure 53 is a top plan view of the alignment unit of the warp yarn material shown in Figure 52 with portions removed for clarity; Figure 54 is a front end elevation of the apparatus of Figure 53; Figure 55 is a partial cross-sectional view of the preferred warp yarn alignment unit and the hot melt adhesive applicator and the cooling section, with parts removed for clarity; Figure 56 is a fragmentary, enlarged section taken along line B-B of Figure 55 with parts removed for clarity; Figure 57 is an elevation view of the preferred hot melt adhesive roller coater, Rototherm®, showing the exit route of the warp yarn material, coated with adhesive; Figure 58 is another elevation view of the preferred Rototherm® hot melt adhesive roll coater, shown in the uncoupled position, showing the exit path of the adhesive coated warp yarn material; Figure 59 is an elevation view of a preferred warp yarn alignment apparatus; with the folding station; the yarn alignment station; adhesive application station and cooling station; Figure 60 illustrates the gravure coating of the adhesive on one side of the aligned warp yarns; Figure 61A is an enlarged illustration of the side with adhesive application of the warp yarn fabric showing the applied adhesive (dark color) and the bridges that retain the fibers in a non-twist and parallel relationship; Figure 61B is an enlarged illustration of the uncoated side of the warp yarn fabric, confirming that the parallel fibers have little adhesive passing through the opposite surface to that of Figure 61A; Figure 62 is a schematic side elevation of a preferred embodiment of the weft yarn application apparatus (XD) of the present invention; Figure 63 is a schematic, fragmentary top elevation of the apparatus shown in Figure 62 with the adhesive removed for clarity; Figure 64 is a schematic, fragmentary lateral elevation of the apparatus shown in Figure 62; Figure 65 is a fragmentary section enlarged taken along line 8-8 of Figure 64; Figure 66 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken along line 9-9 of Figure 65 and rotated ninety degrees; Figure 67 is a fragmentary, enlarged section taken along line 10-10 of Figure 66; Figure 68 is a fragmentary, enlarged section taken along line 11-11 of Figure 65 that has been rotated ninety degrees; Figure 69 is a side cut of the conical aligner showing how the weft yarns are distributed to the surface of the warp yarns in a tightly packed arrangement; Figure 70 is a perspective view showing the weft threads that are applied at a wide spacing to the warp yarn cylinder, showing how the weft yarns slide the surface of the conical aligner to fall just below the yarn material of the yarn. warp; Figure 71 is a side view of a preferred embodiment in the pressure box and a drive belt system for the laminator of the invention in which eight heating rods (four in each section) and eight cooling bars (four in each section) are used for pressure lamination of nonwoven fabric substrates; Figure 72 is a terminal view of the pressure box of Figure 71, showing the pressure distribution system for the upper and lower sections of the pressure box; Figure 73 is a top view of the upper section of the pressure box of Figure 71, showing the spacing of the heating and cooling bars; Figure 74 is a side view of the pressure box of Figure 71, showing the mounting brackets for the heating and cooling bars of the upper (movable) section and the mounting brackets for the heating and cooling bars of the lower section (fixed). Also shown is a modality of the side sealing element, Figure 75 illustrates the lateral pressure seal of Figure 74 in greater detail; Figure 76 is a side view of the pressure box of Figure 71, showing the inlet pressure seal element of the pressure box; and Figure 77 is a side view of the pressure box of Figure 71, showing the pressure seal of output from the pressure box.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODALITIES The present invention includes three main apparatuses for making nonwoven fabric, all of which can be used either separately for the production of non-woven fabric products and / or preferentially, used in combination for the production of non-woven, high-strength, high-quality fabrics that have a hand and the appearance of woven fabrics. The present invention generally consists of (1) a warp yarn alignment apparatus, having two especially preferred embodiments, as well as the non-woven fabric products generated by it, (2) a weft yarn application apparatus ( or DX apparatus), which has two especially preferred embodiments, as well as the non-woven fabric products generated by it; and (3) a high pressure lamination apparatus that can be used to fuse the product generated from the XD apparatus into a high strength non-woven fabric resistant to fraying. Some of the embodiments described in detail below have additional and / or alternative component parts, all of which contribute to the special characteristics of the non-woven fabric products made by the apparatuses. One embodiment of the processing apparatus 60 non-woven fabric is shown in Figure 1 to include an elongated line frame 62 that includes a warp yarn material supply station 64, a weft yarn application station 66, a heating station 68, a station 70 of cooling, a flattening station 72 which may include a flat-blade laminator 74 (Figure IB), a tensioning or winding station 76. As will be described in more detail below, a warp yarn material 78 is provided on a supply roll 80 at the warp yarn material supply station. The warp yarn material is prepared in a warp yarn processing unit, two of which are described in greater detail below.

SUBSTRATES OF URINE WIRE AND APPARATUS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT THEREOF A preferred nonwoven fabric of the present invention has parallel threads retained in a substantially parallel and non-twisting relationship in the form of a nonwoven fabric sheet. These materials are referred to herein as warp yarn substrates, and two manufacturing units have been developed for the formation of these substrates. In each case, adhesive is applied to one side of the parallel threads. He adhesive is advantageously applied in a random pattern, forming adhesive bridges between the parallel threads. These adhesive bridges provide the structure of the warp yarn substrate, giving a fabric-like flexibility and feel. The bridges also retain the placement parallel to the fibers and prevent the twisting of individual fibers. A preferred warp yarn making unit is illustrated in Figures 42 to 51. As illustrated herein, the warp yarn manufacturing unit 82 includes a supply of warp yarn 84 that is passed through an alignment station 86 in an adhesive application station 88 and then to a roller Transfer 90, driven acting as a rewind roll in the warp yarn apparatus and as an unwind roll in the weft yarn apparatus (XD), as described below. The transfer roll may also be the supply roll for the warp yarn material supply station 64 of the nonwoven fabric manufacturing apparatus. The transfer roller 90 is brought to the warp yarn material supply station of the non-woven fabric manufacturing apparatus of Figure 1, where the warp yarn material is introduced to the rest of the apparatus. Of course, the manufacturing unit 82 and the manufacturing apparatus 60 can be integrated, thereby preventing the transfer roller 90 from passing the warp yarn material 78 directly from the manufacturing unit to the supply station. The warp yarn manufacturing unit 82, shown in Figures 42 through 51, includes a frame 92 for the warp yarn alignment station 86 and the adhesive application station 88 where an adhesive is applied to the yarns. of warp lined up to create a laminated product of warp yarn and preferred adhesive, such as the warp yarn material 78. It will be appreciated that the following description that at least one embodiment of the non-woven product of the invention is not made of independent warp threads, but rather is made of a substrate simply having a majority of interconnected fibers, oriented mainly in the direction of the machine or the warp. One type of substrate having these characteristics is a carded, bonded weave although other substrates can be used including, without limitation, nonwoven products joined by spinning, nonwoven product deposited with air, and nonwoven products deposited wet. In the case that a substrate that includes simply interconnected warp fibers is used, the substrate will not be through the warp alignment station 86 of the warp yarn material manufacturing unit but rather directly to the adhesive application station 88. The warp yarn making unit 82 further includes a yarn supply station 94 that supports multiple horizontally-stowed, rotatable stokers 96 of roughly aligned warp yarns that are ultimately integrated into the warp yarn material. It will be appreciated that the multiple thread folders are provided to achieve a desired density of warp yarn which is preferably from about 40 to 90 threads per inch. Each wire folder is rotatably mounted and supported on a frame 98 in the manufacturing unit and is restricted from free rotation through the use of a conventional brake or friction drive system 100 to allow proper feeding of the wires under tension in the alignment station. The threads are pulled through the alignment station by the driven transfer roller 90. The alignment station 86 includes two vertically offset assemblies 102 and 104 of rollers 106 horizontally spaced apart. The upper assembly 102 is within a horizontal plane placed above the a horizontal plane containing the lower roller assembly 104, although it is conceivable that the orientation of the roller assemblies is not an upper or lower assembly but possibly a left and right assembly or somewhere in between so that the planes of the Roller assemblies will move horizontally instead of vertically or somewhere in between. The rollers 106 are aligned transversely to each other. Additionally, when the rollers are in horizontal planes, the rollers in each set are horizontally misaligned from the rollers in the other set, so that the rollers in each set are placed between rollers of the other set and the outer perimeter of the rollers in a set vertically overlaps the outer perimeter of the rollers in the other set. In this way, the warp yarns passing transversely through the roller assemblies must pass under the upper set of rollers 102 and on the lower set of the rollers 104 in a generally sinuous or serpentine route as seen in the Figure 45. The warp yarns in the preferred embodiment couple in an arcuate fashion at approximately 20 degrees each roll. The yarns could be contacted with more or less of each of the rollers and the amount of contact could vary from roller to roller within a row of rollers.

The preferred roll diameter is approximately 5.08 cm (2 inches), although this diameter does not appear to be critical. In the illustrated embodiment, there are 10 rolls in each set although variable numbers of rolls can be used. If desired, these rollers can be heated and / or cooled, which could be used to impart desired characteristics to the yarns. As can be seen in Figure 46, the peripheral surface of the rollers 106 closest to the yarn supply station 94 preferably has a thicker surface texture than the rollers closest to the adhesive application station 86. It will be appreciated that the surface roughness of the rolls, preferably, gradually decreases from the supply station to the adhesive application station. The surface texture of the thicker or rougher roller will preferably be finer than a 600-grit sandpaper and more particularly, it is estimated to be similar to a 1000 grit sandpaper. The surface texture is very fine and provides for the use of materials similar to those used in an Analox, ceramic, conventional roller. The material used to provide the surface texture is an LC-4 ceramic coating provided by Prexair Surface Technologies of New Haven, C. In at least one modality, the rollers 106 positioned at the exit end of the alignment station 86 closest to the adhesive application station 88 are actually polished and therefore have a very smooth surface texture. The rollers are driven rotatably by a drive system 108 to rotate about their longitudinal axes. The surface speed of the alignment rollers 106 is substantially greater than the linear velocity of the warp yarns as they pass through the yarn aligner. The preferred ratio is about 20: 1 with the roller surface velocity at about 91.20 to 152 meters (300 to 500 feet) per minute and the linear speed of the warp yarn at about 6.08 meters (20 feet) per minute. Because the roller surface velocity is much greater than the linear yarn speed, it is easy to understand because the warp yarn beams 96 must be restricted from rotating freely to prevent the yarn from overflowing. Other yarn / roller contact grades, roller speeds, roll to wire ratios, surface textures and surface texture gradients can be used. These parameters will be affected by at least the thread type, thread size and thread material. It is believed that the over-impulse of the wires relieves tension and causes the threads to relax and extend, while the texture on the surface of the rollers 106 causes the yarns to vibrate and agitate causing them to strike their neighboring wires, finally finding in this way an approximately equidistant domestic position of each of their neighboring wires. This domestic position is believed to be the position of balance between the adjacent threads. At present, it is only assumed that the threads are aligned in the thread aligner, what is known is that the threads are substantially aligned as illustrated in FIGS. 46 to 49. While a preferred system has been described To align the warp yarns, another system will be to use conventional combs to separate and align the yarns. The system used to align the warp yarns does not affect the alignment of the weft threads but can affect the aesthetics of the non-woven product. After the threads pass through the warp yarn alignment station 86 they pass to the adhesive application station 88. The adhesive application station in a preferred embodiment comprises a lace-up supply roller 110 or adhesive web having a conventional friction or brake drag system (not shown) to prevent free rotation and thus the surpassed, a carrier roller 112, driven and rotatable, in the opposite direction to the hands of the 54 watch, of the canvas or adhesive lace, and an infrared heater 114 adjacent to the carrier roller. The adhesive web 116 passes from its supply roll 110 below the first free roll 118 (Figures 45 to 50) and subsequently into the upper half of the adhesive carrying roll 112 which moves in an upstream direction. Whereas in the carrier roller, the adhesive web passes under the infrared heater 114 (as best seen in Figure 45), where it is heated to a temperature that begins to melt the adhesive to make it sticky. The adhesive carrier roller itself is cooled internally in a conventional manner with a liquid refrigerant 120, for example, so that only the outer surface of the adhesive web is activated and becomes tacky. Once sticky, the adhesive web 116 is combined or fused into the warp yarns 84 that are fed downward on the underside of the carrier roller. The adhesive web has sufficient structural integrity to act as a thread carrier, once attached thereto, and holds the wires in a parallel relationship without twisting. The resulting laminated product of warp yarns and adhesives is defined as a modality of the warp yarn material. The warp yarn material passes through the top of a second free roll 122 (Figures 45 and 50) subsequently it is pulled on the supply roller 90, which is driven by the warp yarn material where it is collected for transfer to the station 64 for the supply of the apparatus 60 for manufacturing the non-woven material. While the unit 82 for manufacturing the warp yarn material has been described as being separate from the apparatus 60 of the present invention, it is to be understood that the manufacturing unit can be integrated into the rest of the apparatus in the station 64 for supplying warp yarn material of the apparatus. A preferred lace or adhesive web 116 is a hot melt adhesive which can be heated to be activated and cooled to harden. An example is made from a hot melt copolyester polymer. This canvas, or lace, is a weft ideo copolyester Bostic PE 120-15 with a basis weight of 15 I igramos per square meter, is produced by the Bostic Company I ide Meddleton, Massachussets. The warp yarn, by way of example, may be a 36/1 spun polyester yarn available from Burlington Industries of Greensboro, North Carolina, or Carolina Mills of Maiden, Carolina.

INorte. The warp yarns 84 described above I can also be used as the weft yarns in a manner described below. Another weft or warp yarn may be a 30/1 button thread (polyester) yarn) available from Uniblend Spinners Inc. of Conway, South Carolina. Other warp and weft threads include commercially available and custom made fibers, and the like. As mentioned previously, a non-woven substrate such as a weft, attached web (not shown) can be used in place of the warp yarns 84 in the laminated structure of the warp yarn material. This non-woven substrate is manufactured by Hollingsworth and Vose of Floyd, Virginia, and identified by the model No. TR2232. This non-woven material should have a basis weight of between 40-60 grams per square meter with a fiber denier between 1 to 5 and preferably about 1.5. An especially preferred embodiment of the warp yarn material manufacturing unit of the present invention is shown in Figures 52 to 60. Figure 61A shows the detailed relationship between the aligned warp yarns 84 and the melt adhesive film 116B in hot that hold the threads together in a cohesive product. As illustrated in Figures 52 through 60, the warp yarn manufacturing unit 82 includes a yarn supply station 94 that retains multiple horizontally and rotatably stored binder 96 from roughly aligned warp yarns that will eventually be integrated into the yarn. yarn material warp. It will be appreciated that multiple wire beams (preferentially formed with equal tension in all the yarns) are provided to achieve a desired warp yarn density which may vary from about 10 to about 180 yarns per 2.54 cm (one inch), and they preferably range from about 40 to 90 threads per 2.54 cm (1 inch). The range of yarn density could be higher or lower, depending on the desired characteristics of the non-woven material, as well as the denier and the surface characteristics of the yarns used. Each wire folder is rotatably mounted and supported on a frame 98 in the manufacturing unit and is restricted from rotating freely through the use of a conventional friction or brake drag system 100 to allow proper feeding of the wires under tension in the alignment station. The threads are pushed through the alignment station by the driven transfer roller 90. As illustrated in Figure 55, alignment station 86 includes two vertically offset assemblies 102 and 104 of rollers 106 horizontally spaced apart. The upper assembly 102 is within a horizontal plane positioned above a horizontal plane containing the lower roller assembly 104, although it is conceivable that the orientation of the roller assemblies is not a upper and lower set, but possibly a left and right set or some intermediate point so that the planes of the sets of rollers will move in a horizontal rather than vertical, or at an intermediate point. The rollers 106 are aligned transversely to each other. Additionally, when the rollers are in horizontal planes, the rollers in each set are horizontally misaligned from the rollers in the other set, so that the rollers in each set are placed between the rollers of the other set and the outer perimeter of the rollers in one set vertically overlaps the outer perimeter of the rollers in the other set. In this way, the warp yarns passing transversely through the roller assemblies must pass under the upper roller assembly 102 and over the lower roller assembly 104 in a generally sinusoidal or serpentine route as seen in Figure 55. The warp yarns in the preferred embodiment couple in an arcuate fashion by approximately 20 degrees each roll. The yarns may contact more or less each of the rollers and the amount of contact may vary from roll to roll in a row of rolls. The preferred roll diameter is approximately 5.08 cm (2 inches), although this diameter does not appear to be critical. In the illustrated mode, there are 20 rolls in each set, although variable numbers of rollers could be used. As can be seen in Figure 56, the peripheral surface of the rollers 106 closest to the yarn supply station 94, preferably has a coarse or rough surface texture than the rollers closest to the adhesive application station 86. . It will be appreciated that the surface roughness of the rolls, preferably, gradually decreases from the supply station to the adhesive application station. The surface texture of the thicker roll will preferably be finer than a number 600 grit sandpaper and more particularly it is estimated to be similar to a 1000 grit sandpaper. The surface texture is very fine and is provided by the use of materials similar to those used in a ceramic, conventional Analox roller. The material used to provide the surface texture is an LC-4 ceramic coating provided by Prexair Surface Technologies of New Haven, CT. In at least one embodiment, the rollers 106 positioned at the exit end of the alignment station 86 closest to the adhesive application station 88 are actually polished and therefore have a very smooth surface texture. As with the previously described modality, if desired, these rollers they can be heated and / or cooled, to impart distinctive characteristics to the threads. The rollers are rotationally driven by a drive system 108 to rotate about their longitudinal axes. The surface speed of the alignment rollers 106 is substantially greater than the linear velocity of the warp yarns as they pass through the yarn aligner. The preferred ratio is preferably from 20: 1-3: 1 with the roll surface velocity to approximately 60.8 to 91.2 meters (200 to 300 feet) per minute and the linear velocity of the warp yarn to approximately 30.4 meters (100 feet) ) per minute. Because the surface velocity of the roller is much greater than the linear speed of the yarn, it is easy to understand why the warp yarn beams 96 should be restricted from rotating freely to prevent the yarn from overflowing. Other yarn / roller contact grades, roller speeds, roll to wire ratios, surface textures and surface texture gradients can be used. These parameters will be affected by at least the type of thread, thread size and thread material. It is believed that over-driving of the yarns alleviates any tension in the yarns and causes the yarns to relax and spread, while the texture in the surface of the rollers 106 causes the wires to vibrate and agitate causing them to strike their neighboring wires, finally finally finding a domestic position approximately equidistant from each of their neighboring wires. This domestic position is the position of equilibrium between the adjacent threads. At present, it is only assumed that the yarns are aligned in the yarn aligner, what is known is that the yarns are substantially aligned as illustrated in Figures 47 to 49. As best illustrated in Figures 60, 61A and 61B, a thin film of hot melt adhesive is then applied to one side of the aligned yarns, forming a weft of bridges to the adjacent, aligned yarns. This film is cooled with air and the resulting warp, cohesive, warp yarn material is collected for further use. Figure 61A is a photograph of the side of the warp yarn fabric with the adhesive bridges that retain the fibers in a parallel and untwisted relationship. Figure 61B is a photograph of the uncoated side of the parallel yarns, confirming that the warp yarn substrate has adhesive only substantially on one side of the fibers. As shown in this figure, some minor amounts of adhesive can escape through the warp thread substrate from the side with the desired bridges. However, substantially all of the adhesive remains on the side of the aligned wires to which it is applied. It is applied that no more than about 10 percent, preferably no more than about 5 percent, of the applied adhesive passes through the untreated side of the aligned yarns. Figures 57 through 60 show the preferred adhesive application unit 88, where the aligned warp yarns 84 are passed through a series of rollers in contact on one side with the hot melt adhesive coater roll 90. This coater roll 90 is driven through a channel containing hot melt adhesive, 116A, and a thin weave (approximately 0.006 to 0.025 mm (0.25 to 1 mil thick)) of hot melt adhesive is printed by rotogravure on one side of the warp threads 84, aligned. Figure 60 illustrates a simplified version of the adhesive application on one side of the yarns aligned with a roller 90 of rotogravure adhesive. As illustrated, the rotogravure roll picks up the molten adhesive 116A and deposits the adhesive only on one side of the aligned yarns, bridging therein, which produces a flexible sheet of aligned yarns once the adhesive has cooled. Figure 58 is an approach view of the relationship between the adhesive roll 90, coated with a thin film of the hot melt adhesive 116A and the aligned wire roller 122, which transports the aligned wires 84. In this figure, the two rolls are shown in an uncoupled mode. When these two rollers come into contact with each other, the exposed side of the aligned yarns 84 is printed or coated with a thin film of hot melt adhesive 116A. As the molten hot melt adhesive 116A is cooled the aligned yarns are transformed into a coherent, flexible sheet 116B. As shown in Figure 59, to ensure complete drying or cooling of the adhesive, the coherent sheet of aligned wires and adhesive is passed through a station 95 in which it passes over a series of rollers to the take-up reel 125. In the winding reel 125, the non-woven warp yarn fabric material is collected, for example, for further processing or for use as a non-woven fabric. A preferred adhesive is a hot melt adhesive that can be heated to be activated and cooled to cure, for example, a hot melt copolyester polymer. This adhesive is the EMS Grillon 1533 copolyester, produced by EMS Chemie of Sumter, South Carolina. The warp thread, for example, can be a 36/1 spun polyester yarn available from Burlington Industries of Greensboro, North Carolina, or Carolina Mills of Maiden, North Carolina. Another warp yarn may be a 30/1 button yarn (spun polyester) available from Uniblend Spinners Inc. of Conway, South Carolina. The aligned sheet of warp yarns, joined together on one side by adhesive bridges, is an especially preferred embodiment of the present invention. This non-woven fabric has a unique appearance, and as described above, can be manufactured using any number of different yarns and / or yarn substitutes, including metals such as copper, silver, gold, platinum and the like. Bridges formed on one side of the aligned yarns together hold the material, giving the appearance and feel of a cloth product.

WOVEN AND FABRIC THREAD DEVICE FORMED THEREOF Two embodiments of the weft yarn or XD apparatus are described herein, each of which places the weft yarns substantially perpendicular to the warp yarns aligned. This apparatus is described in detail in Figures 1 to 7. As illustrated herein, the warp yarn material 78 is passed in a transfer band 124, endless recirculation, preferably Teflon®, together with a support structure 126, substantially cylindrical which forms the warp yarn material in the general shape of a cylinder with the warp yarns or threads in the material being aligned longitudinally along the length of the substantially cylindrical support surface. When formed in the cylindrical shape, the warp yarn material is advanced through the weft yarn application station 66 at a predetermined speed with the adhesive placed on the outer surface of the warp yarn material, cylindrically shaped . As the warp yarn material passes through the weft yarn application station, a series of weft yarns 128, best seen in Figures 8, 12-15, 17 and 18) located radially on a drum rotary 130 at an equal distance from each other are wound transversely around the warp yarn material, cylindrically shaped at a predetermined speed and the resultant laminate from the warp yarn material 78, canvas or adhesive lace 116 and weft yarns 128 then, it is advanced through the heating station 68 where the canvas or adhesive lace is activated so that the adhesive bonds the warp yarn material of the weft yarns. It will be appreciated that as an alternative, the adhesive may be sprayed onto the warp yarns before the weft yarns are laid. Immediately after the material passes through the cooling or adhesive hardening station 70, where the adhesive hardens so as not to be sticky any longer. As the resulting rolled cloth product 131 proceeds from the cooling station to the winding station 76, a cutter 132, preferably a rotary cutter, longitudinally cuts the cylindrical rolled product and the rolled material progressively changes from its cylindrical orientation to a generally flat orientation in the flattening station 72. At the end downstream of the flattening station, the web passes down and around a drive roll 133 (Figure 2B), which is below the web and is returned to the supply station 64 via the tensioner roller 135 and free rollers 137. The drive roller, through its drive coupling with the endless belt, thus advances the warp yarn material through the apparatus. By passing the drive roller, the laminate material, in a preferred embodiment, is passed through a flatbed mill 74, after which it is wound onto a roller winding 136 in the winding station that can be removed from the apparatus when necessary or at predetermined intervals. Figure 2 is another schematic view looking down on the apparatus shown in Figure 1. This Figure illustrates the longitudinal orientation, or in the machine direction of the warp yarn material as it enters the yarn application station 66. of weft and resultant nonwoven fabric laminate 131 extending from the weft yarn application station to the winding station 76. As best illustrated in Figures 4 to 7, the support structure 126 extends from the supply station through the station 66 of application of weft yarn to the winding station to support the warp yarn material 78 and finally the laminated product 131 of non-woven fabric in a desired orientation for processing. The support structure includes a horizontal folder 138 that extends uninterrupted from the supply station 64 to the winding station 66. The horizontal folder is covered with, a rigid foam 140 or other desirable material is supported which will maintain its shape and configuration over time. The foam is a rigid polyurethane foam manufactured by Great Stuff and distributed through the Home Depot centers throughout the United States of America.

America. The foam is typically used to insulate hinge windows. At the supply station and as best seen in Figures 4 and 5, the foam, having an outer low-friction shell 142, defines a flat upper surface and as the foam body progresses to the wire application station 66 In the case of a weft, the outer cover is progressively transformed into a substantially cylindrical configuration. As seen in Figure 6, at an intermediate location between the supply station and the weft yarn application station, the outer cover of the foam is somewhat semi-cylindrical, but as it reaches the weft yarn application station as see in Figure 7, the outer cover is substantially cylindrical. The inverted transformation of the outer shell is presented from the weft yarn application station to the drive roller 133 for a purpose to be described later. The supply of the warp yarn material 78 is placed on the transfer roller 90 at the supply station and the yarns or fibers on the material 78 extend in a side-by-side parallel relationship. A suitable friction or brake system (not seen) prevents the roller 110 from rotating freely and thus overpassing. The material is passed over a free roller 144 on the Teflon® endless, driven, Teflon® band 124 that supports the warp yarn material and advances it through the weft yarn application station. The Teflon® band conforms to the support structure 126 and slides on a stainless steel wear plate that acts as the outer cover 142 of the foam body 140. When the warp yarn material is first fed onto the transmission surface as seen in Figure 4, the yarns or fibers of the material are placed in a parallel side-to-side relationship and extend longitudinally of the apparatus. Figure 4 also shows the layer of the canvas or adhesive lace 116 of the material placed on the warp yarn material as the material progresses in and along the belt conveyance. As will be seen in Figure 6, as the warp yarn material progresses through the apparatus, it is supported and transported by the Teflon® band along the support structure. Initially, it assumes a concave arcuate orientation downward, and finally, when it reaches the weft yarn application station as shown in Figure 7, it assumes a substantially cylindrical configuration with only a small longitudinal separation at the bottom of the cylinder. As seen in Figure 8, at station 66 of application of weft threads, the foam body 140 and the wear plate or cover 142 of stainless steel are interrupted but the transmission with band 124 of Teflon® continues through the weft yarn application station and is supported by ring 144 cylindrical, internal, rigid that extends substantially the entire length of the station of application of weft threads. The cylindrical ring 144 is almost contiguous with the foam 140 and essentially forms a continuation of the foam body through the weft yarn application station with only a small gap that exists according to the Teflon® band and the material of the yarn. Warp yarn are fed through the center of the weft yarn application station. The weft yarn application station 66, as is probably best seen in Figures 8 and 17, includes an outer housing 146 having a front wall 148 or upstream with a central circular opening 150 through it, a rear wall 152 or downstream having a circular opening, lined therethrough, an upper wall 156, a bottom wall 158 and side walls 160. As seen in Figure 8, a rigid support ring 162 having a flange peripheral 164 at its upstream end is bolted or otherwise secured to rear wall 152 of housing and defines a cylindrical passage 166 through the weft yarn application station. An inner cylindrical surface of the support ring is circumferentially separated from the web as it extends through the weft yarn application station. The support ring carries at longitudinally spaced locations on its outer surface, the inner runs of the large-diameter, thin-section ball bearings 168 such as the type provided by Kaydon Corp. of Sumter, South Carolina. The outer races of the ball bearings respectively support another cylindrical body 170 which forms the inner cylindrical wall of the rotating drum. The inner cylindrical wall of the rotary drum supports a front radial wall 162 at the upstream end of the drum and the rear radial wall 164 at the downstream end of the drum, and the radial walls support an outer cylindrical wall 176 of the drum. The rear radial wall 174 has concentric ring-like portions defining an inner ring plate 175 and an outer ring plate 177. The inner ring plate is secured by fasteners to the ends of the inner cylindrical wall 170 and the outer ring plate is secured with fasteners to an annular flange 179 secured to the inner cylindrical wall 170, as best seen in FIG.

Figure 14. A variable speed electric motor 178, which serves as a power or power medium for the weft yarn application station, is mounted on the upstream surface of the front wall 148 of the housing and has a drive shaft. 180 which extends into the interior of the housing and supports a drive pulley 182 that is aligned with one of the ball bearings 168. The inner cylindrical wall 170 supports a pulley 186 around which a drive belt 188 extends to interconnect in operable form the drum with the drive pulley 182 of the electric motor. The energization of the electric motor thus rotates the drum at varying speeds. The details of the ball bearing assembly and the drive belt are probably best seen in the enlarged view in Figure 10. The rear radial wall 174 or downstream of the rotating drum consists of a circular plate having a plurality ( in the described embodiment, six) circular openings 190, circumferentially spaced, through it. A peripheral seat 192 passes around each opening so that the disc-like closure plate 194 can seat in the seat to selectively close the opening. Butterfly screw fasteners 196 secure type closure plates disc to the rear wall of the drum for easy attachment and removal. This relationship is probably best illustrated in Figures 9, 14, 15 and 17. Each disc-type closure plate 194 has an opening 198 secured thereto at its geometric center so that the opening is placed on the inner side of the disc. The opening serves as a guide for the weft yarn material 128, as will be explained later herein. A plurality of source supplies of the weft yarn material in the form of spools 200 of this material are provided and removably mounted on the inner surface of the front apparatus 172 of the rotating drum, again in a circumferentially spaced relation and an alignment with the circular openings 190 in the rear wall of the drum. It should be appreciated that the number of spools of the weft yarn material can vary and while in the described embodiment it shows six of these spools, more or less can be used, in a preferred embodiment, 12 spools of these are used. The weft yarn material extends from a reel 200 to the opening 198 in the associated closure disc 194 and then passes radially inwardly through a gap 202 between the closure disk and the front wall of the drum as seen best in Figure 15. Associated with each closing disc and in radial alignment with this is a tensioner 204 for ? Ú? ÁiiJ i ± á ^ 14 controlling the tension of the weft yarn material mounted on the downstream side of the rear wall 174. The tensioner 204 as best seen in Figures 14, 18 and 31 consists of a threaded rod 206 projecting downstream of the machine and which has a base 208 disc type. A collar 210 is slidably placed on the rod and also a disc-like base in a confrontational relationship with the disk-type base 212 of the rod. A coil spring 214 is mounted concentrically on the rod and in engagement with the collar 210 at one end in engagement with a threaded nut 216 at the opposite end, so that the nut can be threaded into the rod and placed in any position longitudinal selected to vary the compressive force of the spiral spring. The weft material 128 passes between the base of the rod and the base of the collar and is allowed to slide between them but in a frictional engagement therewith. The drag with friction in the weft yarn material is regulated by the compressive force of the spring. Immediately adjacent to the tensioner 204 and in radial alignment therewith at the innermost edge of the rear wall 274 of the drum 136 is a guide pin 218 which also protrudes under the machine and around which the weft yarn material extends. . The guide pin is placed immediately adjacent to the weft yarn material 78, for example, at a distance of about 0.038 cm (0.015 inches), although other separations can be used the guide pin thus allows the weft yarn 128 to be applied very accurately through the material of warp yarn as the drum is rotated in a manner that is described in more detail below. As is most likely seen in Figure 18, a plurality of leveling plates 220 of a generally L-shaped cross-section are mounted on the current surface below the rear wall 174 of the rotating drum immediately adjacent to a tensioner. associated 204 and guide pin 218 are placed to the right or in the clockwise direction from the tensioner and guide pin when measured upstream. The leveling plate is mounted at a distance approximately equal to the thickness of the weft yarns 128 from the outer adhesive surface of the warp yarn material 78 to ensure a uniform level winding of the weft yarn material on the canvas or in the yarn. Adhesive box the warp thread material. An alternative guide pin in the form of a leveling block 222 is illustrated in Figures 30 to 36. Here, it will be seen that the leveling block is placed immediately adjacent to an associated tensioner 204 which serves both to guide the weft yarn 128 as it is placed on the warp yarn material 78 and also to ensure that the pre-weft yarn wraps are in a single layer and are packaged together as desired. Block 222 provides significant control with respect to the placement of the weft yarn material and provides exact placement of the yarns in relation to one another. Weft threads can be packed very densely up to 140, cotton count yarns 36/1 per inch by 2.54 cm (one inch) or can be placed exactly with no more than 10 thousandths of a flea difference in the position of a thread and in the position of the next adjacent thread. The leveling block 222 as best seen in Figure 36 generally has an L-shape in the cross-section and is rotatably mounted to a ring block 224 (which replaces the inner ring plate 175 previously described) in the inner periphery of the rear wall 174 of the rotating drum 130 with a pivot assembly. The pivot assembly as best seen in Figures 30 and 31 includes a pivot shaft 226 that is keyed to the leveling block and secured thereto with a head screw 228 with the pivot shaft which is mounted rotatably in a pair of ball bearings 230 mounted within the ring block. The most extreme The interior of the pivot shaft also has a head screw 232 secured therein that retains a compression spring 234 between the end cap and a butt joint surface 236 within the annulus block. The compressive force of the compression spring can be adjusted with the cap screw and serves to operably pull the leveling block against a low friction washer 238 to adjust the ease with which the leveling block is allowed to rotate with the pivot tree. A spiral spring 240 fixed to the rear wall 174 of the rotary drum 130 and the leveling block 222 deflects the opposite end of the block against the underlying previously woven weft material 128. This keeps the wraps or coils of the weft yarn material at a uniform level which is desirable for the finished non-woven fabric product. The leveling block has two legs 242 and 244 which define a slot 246 at its junction with the confining groove and which controls a segment of the weft yarn material 128 as it is transferred from the adjacent tensioner 204 and associated with the surface of the material 78 of warp yarn in a controlled manner. Of course, when leveling blocks are used, the leveling plates 240 previously described are not necessary. An adjustable separator 248 is mounted on the block 222 and functions to selectively adjust the spacing between the leveling block and the ring block 224 (Figures 30 and 31), so that the slot 246 in the leveling block can be aligned with the tensioner 204, so that The weft threads pass in a straight line through the tensioner and the groove in the leveling block before it is applied to the adhesive canvas. Adjustable separator 248, as is probably best seen in Figures 30, 35 and 36, includes a L-shaped wedge base 250 having a short leg 252 with a circular passage 254 therethrough and a long leg 256. having a slot 258 at its free end to bifurcate the long leg, thereby defining a pair of arms 262 astride. The long leg tapers in the cross section so that it is thicker at the end adjacent to the short leg 252 and thinner at its free end 260. The L-shaped base is secured to one end of the leveling block 222 with an adjustable cap screw 264 which passes through passage 254 in the short leg such that the short leg is captured between the head 266 of the screw and a fixed washer 268 in the screw. The screw is threadably received in a hole 270 threaded at the end of the leveling block and can be adjusted therein so that as the screw is advanced into or back out of the threaded hole in the block of leveling, the L-shaped base moves slidably relative to the pivot shaft 226. The slot 258 in the long leg hingedly mounts the pivot shaft so that the arms 262 are positioned above and below the pivot shaft. The sliding movement of the L-shaped shaft along the length of the long leg 256 between the leveling block and the ring block causes the spacing between the leveling block and the ring block to be adjusted as the Screw 264 head in or out of the threaded hole. The L-shaped base is preferably made of a low friction material that interacts with the low friction washer 238 described previously so that the leveling block rotates freely relative to the ring block as desired. The station 68 for heating or activation of adhesive consists of a cylindrical core 272 of steel or other, heat transfer that is placed inside the band 124 immediately below the station 66 for application of weft yarn material and forms a axial extension of the rigid cylindrical ring 162 in the weft yarn application station. Resistive heat elements 274 are positioned circumferentially around the steel core 272 with resistive heat elements connected to a source electrical cable through the wiring 276 as best seen possibly in Figures 8 and 10, which passes through the cylindrical ring support at a weft yarn application station and out of the apparatus through a circular aperture 278 therein. so that it can be plugged into a power source in a conventional manner. When applied to an electrical current to the resistive elements, the metal core 272 is heated thereby radiating heat outwardly through the warp yarn material, the canvas or adhesive lace of the warp yarn material, and the coating layer of the weft yarn material. The heat is controlled to sufficiently activate the adhesive on the adhesive web to join the warp and weft threads together. In addition to the heating and cooling means described herein, the person skilled in the art can select other heating and cooling means, for example, steam heat and cooling water mist, they can be cooled. As the material 131 composed of the warp and weft joined yarns moves downstream, it is then found to the station 70 for cooling or hardening of adhesive which, again, includes a cylinder 280 of steel or other, heat conductor that is immediately below the band 124. A system 282 of Heat transfer internally of the cylinder 280 uses circulating refrigerant from the inlet and outlet tubes 284, respectively, in a conventional manner to remove heat from the composite material. The refrigerant transfer tubes seen in Figure 19, for example, are connected to the heat transfer system so that a continuous supply of cooling fluid can be circulated through the cooling station to harden the adhesive of the refrigerant. canvas or lace, thereby securely joining the warp and weft yarn material. As the composite material 131 leaves the cooling station 70 and moves further downstream, it engages the fabric cutter 132 which is conventional and is mounted to a support 286 immediately below the foam support 140. The cutter serves to cut the material 131 composed of the warp and weft yarn material along its length as it moves along the apparatus. Ultrasonic heat means (not shown) can also be used to fuse the cut edges of the fabric material as it is being cut. According to the fabric material, the composite further progresses downstream after it is cut, flattened as the support structure 126 transgresses from a cylindrical configuration to a flat configuration in the flattening station 72. Accordingly, as the non-woven fabric material reaches the drive roller 133 and then passes to the winding station 76, it has flattened on the belt or belt 124 and wound around the winding roll 136 until an amount has accumulated. desired of the fabric material. The reeling roller can then be removed from the machine and replaced with another reeling roller to continue the process. The resulting nonwoven fabric has both warp and weft threads secured by adhesive that contact only a portion of the individual threads, i.e., wire-to-wire, or point-to-point contact. No thread in the product is intentionally coated completely with the adhesive. This factor retains the feeling of non-woven fabric as being more like a woven fabric. This non-woven fabric material is another especially preferred embodiment of the present invention. To further describe a preferred method of making the non-woven fabric of the invention, and operation of the apparatus therefor, a supply roll 90 of the warp yarn material that was prepared in the material processing unit 82 thread The warp is mounted on the supply station 64 and the warp yarn materials are pulled through the apparatus to the winding station where the winding roll 136 is secured. The drive roll 133 is rotationally driven by a motor (not shown) at the same speed as the transfer belt 124 and the motor is controlled by a control system in the box 302 (Figures 1-3) which also serves as the control system for the motor 178 in the weft yarn application station 76, the heating station 68 and the cooling station 70. To begin to make the non-woven fabric 131, after the warp yarns have been aligned and the adhesive has been applied thereon, or in the alternative to a non-woven substrate in the yarn material processing unit 82 warp, to create the warp yarn material, the drive roller 133 and the transfer belt 124 are urged in conjunction with the winding roll 136. The Teflon® band 124 supports and moves the warp yarn material throughout of the length of the device. A braking force (not shown) is applied to the supply roll of the warp yarn material to facilitate regulation of the tension in the warp yarn material and avoids overshoots. The rotating drum 130 in the weft yarn application station is then activated to rotate in the direction of the clockwise hands as seen upstream in Figures 17 and 18. Before advancing the warp yarns and before rotating the drum, the threads of the weft yarn material mounted on the drum are threaded through the associated openings 198, the tensioners 204 and around the guide pins 218 and are initially tape bonded to the warp yarn material 78. Therefore, it will be appreciated that when the drum is rotated in the clockwise direction, the various strands of the weft yarn material 128 are wrapped around the warp yarn material, which is simultaneously moving in a linear fashion to the yarn. through the weft yarn application station 66 so that the various threads of the weft yarn material are wrapped around the warp yarn in an adjacent direction. As will be appreciated, by varying the speed of rotation of the drum relative to the linear velocity of the warp yarn material passing through the drum, the spacing of the threads of the weft yarns can be regulated so that the strands place either in a closely packed contiguous relationship or separate slightly with the spacing that is variable but precise with each other depending on the relative speeds of the rotating drum and the drive roller and the transfer belt that advances the transfer belt and the yarn material warp linearly through the drum. Of course, the greater the ratio of the linear velocity of the warp yarn material to the rotational speed of the drum, the greater will be the spacing between the windings of the threads of the weft yarns. As will also be appreciated, as the warp yarn material is moving linearly in one direction of the machine, as the weft yarns are wound around, the weft yarns do not wind perfectly perpendicular to the warp yarns or fibers in the warp yarn material although they are substantially so. Again, as the ratio of the linear velocity of the warp yarn material to the rotational speed of the drum increases, the winding angle of the weft yarn material with respect to the length of the warp yarns decreases. The winding angle can vary at any point to be slightly more than about 89.7 degrees depending on the relative differential in the speeds. In other words, when the linear velocity of the warp yarn material becomes slow relative to the rotating speed of the drum, the yarns can be wound closely together and in a substantially perpendicular manner to the warp yarns or fibers in the yarn. yarn material • W 86 warp (ie, approaching 90 degrees), but as the linear velocity of the warp yarn material increases without increasing the rotating speed of the drum, the winding angle decreases to, for example, about 80-85 degrees. The winding angle is the angle between the longitudinal axis of the machine and the transverse direction of the weft yarn material. As mentioned previously, after the weft yarn material is wound around the adhesive web and the underlying warp yarns or fibers of the warp yarn material, the combined materials pass through the heating station 68 where the activates the adhesive to a sticky state such that the warp and weft yarn material are adhesively bonded or bonded together. As the material further proceeds downstream, it passes through a cooling station 70 where the adhesive hardens to remove the sticky or sticky nature of the adhesive but still the warp and weft threads are joined together in a nonwoven fabric, as shown in FIG. you want The further movement of the warp and weft material along the length of the machine causes the cylindrically wound weft yarns to be cut by the cutter 132, thereby forming a weft of non-woven fabric material 131 that is flattened as it proceeds towards the roller drive, a flatbed mill 74 (if used), and finally the winding roller 136 (or rolling mill, not shown), by the progressively flattening nature of the support structure 126 on which the material is guided. The material is wrapped around the winding roll in the winding station that can be removed from the machine when a desired amount of non-woven fabric material is rolled thereon. The adhesive web or lace 116 of the warp yarn material 178 can come in numerous forms but in a preferred embodiment, it is a weft of adhesive strands which has been jointly secured in a random manner providing gaps between them. A suitable adhesive web is manufactured by Bostic Company of Middleton, Massachusetts. Accordingly, when the adhesive web is activated in the heating station, the adhesive does not cover the entire surface area of the warp and weft yarn material but rather preferably has a basis weight that is about 5-20. % of the total weight of the structure. The amount of adhesive placed has a direct bearing on the softness and hand of the non-woven fabric material made with the apparatus described above and of course, this is a variable that is controlled with the type of the canvas or other adhesive material used.

Another type of adhesive material that can be used is a meltblowing adhesive. A meltblown adhesive web can be compared, or a meltblown applicator can be used to blow the adhesive on the adhesive backing roll of the adhesive applicator for laminating on the aligned warp yarns, or the adhesive blown with fusion could be blown directly on the warp threads. The advantage of a meltblown adhesive can be the uniformity of the weft in the low density of the base weight of the adhesive. Since the meltblown fibers are micro-denier fibers, a very low density and very uniform weft can be created for the joining of the warp yarns to the weft yarns of the non-woven material. The uniformity of the adhesive web can improve the appearance of the non-woven product. As mentioned previously, by varying the speed of rotation of the drum 130 relative to the linear speed of the web 124, the windings of the weft yarn material may be placed either immediately adjacent and contiguous with each other or in a separate relationship. This is illustrated, for example, in Figures 23 and 24, respectively. The warp threads 84 as illustrated in each embodiment are placed adjacent to each other but the spacing of the windings is varied. of the plot thread 128. Figure 25 shows an even greater spacing of the weft threads 128 relative to the warp yarns 84 and it should be appreciated, although not evident in the drawings, that the greater the spacing of the windings of the mesh yarns, smaller will be the angle of the winding of the weft yarns made with the longitudinal axis of the warp yarns. In other words, as the weft yarns are wound closer and closer together, the winding angle of the weft yarn increases to reach 90 degrees, but as the spacing of the weft yarns increases, the angle decreases to example approximately 80-85 degrees. Figure 27 is a schematic view illustrating the adhesive bond between the warp yarns 84 and weft 128, while Figure 28 is a schematic view illustrating how the adhesive on the canvas 116 applies only to the radially over surface outside of the warp threads 84. Figure 29 illustrates yet another embodiment of a fabric that can be made with the apparatus of the present invention and wherein the weft yarn material 128 is a denier or diameter smaller than the warp yarns 84. It will be appreciated that the warp yarns may also be of a smaller denier relative to the weft yarns. In addition, mixtures of weft threads (not shown), for example, yarns of various types (synthetic, natural, yarn substitutes) and / or yarns of various denier, can be applied as weft yarns using this apparatus, resulting in non-woven fabric materials having properties particularly interesting and unique. In Figures 60 to 70 another preferred version of the apparatus XD is shown, and includes an elongated in-line frame 62 'which includes a warp yarn material supply station 64', a weft yarn application station 66 ' , a heating station 68 ', a cooling station 70', a flattening station 72 ', and a winding station 76'. From the winding station, the non-woven fabric, composed of this invention, can either be used directly, with a light filtering medium, or can be laminated under pressure in a high-strength composite fabric, suitable for use under extreme conditions, for example, as a sailboat fabric. As shown in Figures 60 and 62, a warp yarn material 78 'is provided in a supply roll 80' in the warp yarn material supply station 64 '. Once in place at the supply station 64 'of the apparatus of the present invention, the warp yarn material 78' is passed in an endless, recirculating transfer band 124 ', preferably of PTFE (Teflon®). A series of bars and folding points (not shown) convert the flat sheet of the warp yarn material and the band into a curved or cylindrical shape. This folding box equipment is known in the art, and once the warp yarn material has the overall shape of a cylinder, with the adhesive layer on the outer or exposed surface, the warp yarns are ready for use. make over-rolled with the weft yarn material. Once formed into a cylindrical shape, the warp yarn material is advanced through the weft yarn application station 66 'at a predetermined speed with the warp yarn adhesive film placed on the outer surface of the material of warp yarn, cylindrically shaped. As the warp yarn material passes through the weft yarn application station, a series of weft yarns 128 'located radially on a rotating drum 130' at an equal distance from each other are wound transversely around the yarn material of warp, cylindrically shaped at a predetermined speed and the resulting composite structure of the warp yarn material 78 ', the adhesive film 116' and the weft yarns 128 'is then advanced through the heating station 68' where the Adhesive film is melted so *, that the adhesive will bond the warp yarn material and the weft yarns. Immediately afterwards, the composite material passes through the cooling or adhesive hardening station 70 ', where the adhesive hardens so as not to be sticky any longer. The composite fabric product 131 ', attached from the cooling station to the winding station 76', continues, a cutter 172 ', preferably a rotary cutter, longitudinally cuts the fabric, composite, cylindrical material and the fabric material , composite, cut changes progressively from its cylindrical orientation, back to a generally flat orientation and a flattening station 72 '. At the end downstream of the applanation station, the web passes down and around a drive roller 133 'which is below the endless belt, where the web is returned to the supply station 64' and the tension roller 135 'and the free rollers 137'. The drive roller, through its drive coupling with the endless belt, thus advances the warp yarn material through the apparatus. Figure 63 is another schematic view looking down on the apparatus shown in Figure 62. This view illustrates the longitudinal orientation, or the direction of the machine, the conformable warp yarn material enters the weft yarn application station 66 'and the resulting composite, non-woven fabric product 131' extending from the weft yarn application station towards the winding station 76 '. The supply of the warp yarn material 78 'is placed on the transfer roller 90 at the supply station and the yarns or fibers on the material 78' extend in a parallel side-to-side relationship. A suitable braking or friction system (not shown) prevents the roller 110 'from rotating freely and thus overpassing. The material is passed over a free or idle roller 144 'on the web 124 of PTFE (Teflon®), endless, driven, recirculating, which supports the warp yarn material and makes it advance through the station. Weft thread application. The PTFE (Teflon®) band conforms to the support structure 126 'and slides on a stainless steel wear plate. As seen in Figure 63, at the weft yarn application station 66 ', the PTFE web 124' (Teflon®) continues through the weft yarn application station which is supported by an inner cylindrical ring , rigid 144 'extending substantially for full length of the weft yarn application station. Figure 64 illustrates application station 66 ' of weft yarns including an outer housing 146 'having a rear or downstream wall, 152', having an aligned circular aperture 154 'therethrough, an upper wall 156', a bottom wall 158 ', and side walls 160 '. A rigid support ring 162 'having a peripheral flange 164' at its upstream end is bolted or otherwise fastened to the rear wall 152 'of the housing and defines a cylindrical passage 166' through the receiving station. application of weft threads. An inner cylindrical surface of the support ring is circumferentially separated from the web as it extends through the weft yarn application station. The support ring carries at longitudinally spaced locations on its outer surface, the inner runs of the ball bearings 168 ', of large diameter thin section such as of the type provided by Kaydon Corp. of Sumter, South Carolina. The outer runs of the ball bearings respectively support another cylindrical body 170 'which forms the inner cylindrical wall of the rotating drum. The inner cylindrical apparatus of the rotary drum supports a front radial wall 172 'at the upstream end of the drum and the radial wheel 194' at the downstream end of the drum, and the radial walls support a wall cylindrical external 176 'of the drum. The radial wheel 194 'has guide posts 195' on the outer edges for the distribution of the weft threads to the warp ring. The innermost portion of the radial wheel ends in the conical aligner 200, which has a radius, curved or inclined surface. The tapered aligner 200 guides the weft yarns in an alignment substantially perpendicular to the warp yarns. A variable speed electric motor 178 ', which serves as a power medium for the weft yarn application station, is mounted on the upstream surface of the front wall 148' of the housing and has a drive shaft 180 'which it extends into the interior of the housing and supports a drive pulley 182 'which is aligned with one of the ball bearings 168'. The inner cylindrical wall 170 'supports a pulley 186' around which a drive belt 188 'extends to operably interconnect the drum with the drive pulley 182' of the electric motor. The energization of the electric motor thus rotates the drum at variably selected speeds. The details of the ball bearing assembly and the drive belt are probably best seen in the enlarged view in Figure 65. A plurality of source supplies of the material of weft yarns are provided in the form of spools 206 'of this material and removably mounted on the inner surface of the front wall 172' of the rotating drum, and again in a circumferentially spaced relationship and aligned with the circular apertures 190 'on the back wall of the drum. It should be appreciated tthe number of spools of the warp yarn material can vary and while the described mode shows six of these spools, more or less can be used, in one preferred embodiment, twelve of these spools are used. The weft yarn material extends from a reel 206 to the opening 198 'in the disc 194' and then passes radially inward toward the surface of the disc 194 'to another opening in the base of the disc 194'. As the weft yarn application drum rotates, the weft yarns are distributed through guides 204 'of the disk 194' and the yarns slide on the curved slope of the conical aligner 200, whereby each yarn is distributed to the warp in a substantially perpendicular alignment. Figures 69 and 70 better illustrate the tapered aligner of the present invention. As shown in Figure 69, in particular, the conical aligner 200 is a stationary device, with an angle or surface slope tfaces toward the direction of travel of the warp yarn materials. The weft threads are distributed on the surface of the conical aligner by rotating pulleys toperate in conjunction with the rotating drum. As with the XD modality described previously, mixtures of weft yarns (not shown) can be applied, for example yarns of various types (synthetic, natural, yarn substitutes) and / or yarns of various denier, such as weft yarns using this apparatus, resulting in non-woven fabric materials having particularly interesting and unique properties. The individual weft threads are each distributed to substantially the same point on the inclined surface of the conical aligner. As they fall on the inclined surface, they are forced, one after the other, downwards in a narrow spacing on the surface of the warp threads, coated with adhesive. Figure 70 shows a perspective view of the application of the weft yarns, in a wide spacing manner, to the warp yarns. Figures 69 and 80 are perspective views showing the conical aligner 200 of the right and left sides, respectively. Once the weft yarns have been applied to the warp yarn material, the adhesive between the yarns must be heated and cooled to form a non-woven fabric. These steps are carried out in the next part of the device as discussed below. The adhesive heating station 68 ' consists of a cylindrical core 272 'of steel or other heat transfer material which is placed internally in the web 124' immediately downstream from the station 66 of application of the weft yarn material and forms an axial extension of the rigid cylindrical ring 162 'in the weft yarn application station. Heat resistive elements 274 'are placed circumferentially around the steel core 272' with the resistive heating elements connected to an electrical source by the wiring 276 'as best seen possibly in Figures 67 and 69, which passes through the cylindrical ring support in the weft yarn application station and out of the apparatus through a circular opening 278 'therein so that a power source can be plugged in a conventional manner. When an electric current is applied to the resistive elements, the metal core 272 'is heated, thereby radiating heat outwardly through the warp yarn material, the adhesive into the warp yarn material, and the underlying layer of the yarn. material of weft threads. The heat is controlled to sufficiently melt the adhesive to join the warp and weft threads together. According to the material 131 'of fabric, composite, of the joined warp and weft yarns current moves below, then it is to the station 70 of cooling or hardening of adhesive that again, includes a cylinder 280 'of steel or other material, conductor of heat that is immediately below the band 124'. A heat transfer system 282 'internally of the cylinder 280 uses circulating refrigerant (e.g., cold water) from the inlet and outlet tubes 284', respectively, in a conventional manner to remove heat from the fabric, composite material . The coolant transfer tubes (not shown) are connected to the heat transfer system so that a continuous supply of fluid or coolant can be recirculated through the cooling station to harden the adhesive, thereby bonding in a manner secure the warp and weft yarn material. As the composite material 131 'leaves the cooling station 70' and moves further downstream, it engages the fabric cutter 132 'which is conventional and is mounted on a support 286'. The cutter serves to cut the material 131 'of fabric, composed along its length as it moves along the apparatus. As the material further proceeds downstream after it is cut, it flattens out as the support structure 126 'transgresses from a Cylindrical configuration to a flat configuration in the flattening station 72 '. Accordingly, as the cloth, composite, non-woven material reaches the drive roll 133 'and then passes to the winding station 76', it has flattened into the web 124 'and is wound around the winding roll 136' until a desired amount of cloth material has accumulated. The reeling roller can then be removed from the machine and replaced with another reeling roller to continue the process. If desired, the combined warp and weft yarn material, formed in any of the XD apparatuses described above, can be reused as a substrate material. The adhesive material will be required for further processing with additional layers of the weft yarn materials, but composite structures can be formed using the apparatus described herein.

PRESSURE LAMINATION APPARATUS AND NON-WOVEN FABRICS FORMED THEREOF If desired, the connection between the warp yarns and the weft yarns can be made more intimate, for example, by heating and cooling the product under pressure, for example, by a rolling device. One embodiment of a flat bed rolling mill 74 as illustrated in Figure 9 can be placed between the drive roller 133 and the roller 136. The flatbed mill can be of a conventional type made by Reliant of the United Kingdom and serves to further improve the heating and cooling stations 68 and 70, described previously, respectively. The flat bed laminator reheats and then cools the nonwoven fabric 131 to harden the adhesive in a flat configuration, opposite to the cylindrical one, which is sometimes advantageous depending on the type of threads used and further improves the connection as well. A schematic representation of a flat bed laminator of the type that can be employed in the apparatus of the present invention is shown in Figure IB. It will be appreciated that the laminator is placed at the downstream end of the apparatus in a position to receive the laminate fabric material 131 of the present invention. The rolling mill includes a housing 288 in which a pair of driven driving belts 290 are placed, between which the rolled product passes and is driven through a heating / cooling system 292 with a first segment of the system comprising a heater 94 with conventional heating coils or the like, above and below the fabric and the second segment of the system which is a chiller 296 with lines of conventional cooling down and above the fabric. Accordingly, as the fabric passes through the heating / cooling system, the adhesive is initially reactivated or re-melted with the rolled product in a flat orientation and subsequently and shortly the rolled product is cooled to thereby harden the adhesive Pressure is applied to the rolled product by the pressure bands 290 as it proceeds through the heating / cooling system up and down the rolled product so that the cross section of the rolled product changes from the arrangement illustrated in Figure 41 where the yarns of The weft is slightly attached to the warp yarns to an orientation as shown in Figure 42 where the weft threads are additionally embedded in the adhesive and therefore adhere more closely to the warp yarns. After leaving the cooler 296, the fabric passes around the end of the lower pressure band 290 and then is directed upstream through a pair of idle or free rollers 300 and onto the winding roll 136 at the downstream end of the apparatus. of elaboration. In Figures 71 to 77 there is illustrated an especially preferred high pressure lamination apparatus 400. The laminator 400 comprises a housing or frame in the which is mounted a pressure box. The pressure box comprises two separate pressure sections, an upper section and a lower section, wherein the space formed between the two pressure sections defines the rolling section. Two driving belts, rotating, opposite, an upper drive belt and a lower drive belt, are mounted rotatably in the housing or frame, and the belts contact each other and are pulled through the rolling section by drive rollers mounted on the outlet end. A pressure generator is used to supply air pressure (or other fluid, liquid or gas medium) to the upper and lower sections of the pressure box to compress the substrate materials carried between the two driving belts. The pressure is maintained because the box has pressure seals around the points of contact with the band. In the rectangular box of the preferred embodiment, side seals are provided on the sides of both the upper and lower section of the pressure box. Inlet and outlet seals are also provided in the upper or lower sections of the pressure box, ensuring that the desired diaphragm effect can be created in it. When pressurized, the apparatus causes the lamination or pressure of the substrates placed between the two bands.

With reference to Figure 71, several essential components of the preferred pressure box 401 used in the pressure laminator of the present invention are shown in cross section. As illustrated, two rotatable bands, the upper band 412 and the lower band 404, mounted on a plurality of support rollers (upper-410, 420, 430; bottom 410, 520, 530), are pulled through the pressure box 401, between upper section 412 and lower section 414, entering inlet end 416 and exiting outlet end 418, by their respective (upper) and 630 (bottom) drive rollers 550. The alignment of the two rotating bands 402 and 404 is maintained by an electrical alignment system comprising an alignment carriage 700, an alignment pivot 710, an alignment servo motor 720, electric and an electrical alignment eye 730. If either of the bands moves out of alignment, the electric eye 730 detects the same and activates the alignment servomotor, which causes the band to be adjusted as necessary by lateral movement of the alignment carriage 700. Eight separate radiant heat bars (310A, 310B, 310C, 310D ... 310H) are shown at the inlet end 416 of the pressure box 401 and eight separate cooling bars (320A, 320B, 320C, 320D. .. 320H) they show at the outlet end 418 of the pressure box 401. Four of the heat bars are rigidly mounted in the lower section 414 of the pressure box 401, specifically the heat bars 310A, 310C, 310E and 3G. The other four radiant heat bars (310B, 310D, 310F and 310H) are mounted flexibly such that they float above the upper band, allowing materials of variable thickness to pass underneath. Four of the cooling bars are rigidly mounted in the lower section 414 of the pressure box 401, specifically the cooling bars 320A, 320C, 320E and 320G. The other four cooling bars (320B, 320D, 320F and 320H) are mounted flexibly such that they float above the upper band, allowing materials of varying thickness to pass underneath. As illustrated, the plurality of heating and cooling bars are preferably arranged in a stepped configuration. In this way, the substrate is heated from below, then from above, then from below, etc., and cooling is achieved in the same way; the substrate cools from below, then from above, then from below, etc. This arrangement allows rapid and uniform heating, as well as fast and uniform cooling of the substrate materials that are laminated in the pressure laminator. The Uniformity of heating and cooling under pressure leads to improved physical characteristics of the resulting laminated products. In the case of non-woven fabric laminated in this way, the shrinkage of the fabrics is kept to a minimum and the resulting laminate has the appearance and feel of a woven fabric. In the preferred embodiment, at least 75 percent of the band width is heated and cooled by these elements. For example, in a band with a width of 73.6 cm (29 inches), the central 55.8 cm (22 inches) are heated and cooled. In a band with a width of 193.04 cm (76 inches), central 1252.4 cm (60 inches) will be heated and cooled. The ER177A Relian heat bars (England) are each provided with a thermocouple to measure the pressure distributed to the bands. The cooling bars are each provided with cooling tubes fed by water. The thickness of the glass fiber band impregnated with PTFE can be modified as desired, and depends on the nature of the materials being rolled and the desired operating speed in feet per minute (fpm.) For laminating non-woven fabrics, a band thickness that preferably varies from 0.051 to 0.51 mm (2 to 20 mils), preferably 0.127 a 0. 381 mm (5 to 15 thousandths of an inch) has been found satisfactory. The bands with a thickness of 0.355 mm (14 mils) have been operated at 5 fpm, with a temperature of 193.3 ° C (380 ° F) that is distributed to the substrates. The bands with a thickness of 0.127 mm (5 mils) have been operated at 12 fpm, with a temperature of 193.3 ° C (380 ° F) that is distributed to the substrates. The optimum band speeds of 50, 60, 70, ... 100 fpm can be achieved by changing the thickness and / or composition of the band. The optimum speed of the web for the lamination of non-woven fabrics is commonly believed to be 60-70 fpm. Any other way in which higher speeds are achieved is to simply increase the size of the rolling mill. The preferred apparatus, current has a length of approximately 1.21 meters (4 feet). Increasing the size from 2 to 10 times will allow faster operating speeds. During the rolling process, the substrate material can create a back pressure since any air trapped in the substances is spread. To deal with this back pressure, at least one (or both) of the fiberglass discharge bands impregnated with PTF (Teflon®) used in the pressure laminator of the present invention can be modified at the outer edges, to comprise a fiberglass mat :? ^ t thick porous (approximately 0.3175 cm (0.121 inches)) (not shown). This porous fiberglass mat allows expanded air of the heated rolled product to escape via lateral (transverse) porosity. Figure 72 illustrates in cross-section a view of the pressure box 1, showing in particular the air pressure supply line 600, and the preferred points of the contact 602 and 604 with the upper section 412 and the individual section 414 of the box of pressure, respectively. The pressure box is advantageously made of metal, such as aluminum (5.08 to 12.7 cm (2 to 5 inches thick)) and held together by a plurality of threaded steel rods and nuts 606 and 608. As shown in Figure 72, the heating and cooling bars located in the lower section 414 of the pressure box are secured in place at each end by a fixed support 610. The heating and cooling bars located in the upper section 414 of the pressure box are mounted in a pin mounting 612, which allows upward movement of the bars, while gravity keeps the bars resting on the upper band. A plurality of cooling water lines, the inlet 614 and the inlet 616 are also shown in this illustration. Electric heating wires (not shown) are provided in a manner similar to water lines. Figure 73 illustrates a top view of the interior of the upper section 412 of the pressure box 401, showing the presently preferred arrangement of the upper heating rods (310B, 310D, 310F and 310H) and the cooling rods (320B, 320D, 320F and 320H). The pressurized box 401 is held together by steel bars 700 mounted to the threaded rods 706 shown at the four corners. The nuts that are screwed into them are not shown in this illustration. The sides 402 of the housing or frame, to which the steel bars and all the rollers and controls are mounted, are also shown in this figure. Figure 74 illustrates, the spigot holder 812 for the upper section, the heating and cooling bars, which can be displaced vertically. As illustrated, the spigot bracket comprises a steel mounting bracket 800, fixed at one end to the aluminum side wall of the upper section 412 of the pressure box. A slot (not shown) is provided near the opposite end of the bracket 800, through which a post 810 is mounted. The post 810 is mounted to the top of the heating and cooling bar at one end and is terminated at the end. opposite extreme 818, and limiting in this way the vertical displacement distance of the heating and cooling bars. The support for the heating and cooling bars 820 of the lower section is also a steel support, but both the heating and cooling rods and the aluminum side wall of the lower section 414 of the pressure box are rigidly joined together. A suitable side entry and inlet seal 850 is illustrated in Figure 74 and is illustrated in greater detail in Figure 75. This seal is formed from an aluminum, curved, high-tempered 700 tab (0.008 x 1 3 / 8 inch) sandwiched between the 710 PTFE (Teflon®) tape of 0.051 mm (2 mils) on the top side and the 720 polyethylene tape of an ultra high molecular weight of 0.254 mm (10 mils) on the bottom side. The seal is held in place by a steel bracket 870. As illustrated in Figures 76 and 77, it has been found that the aluminum pressure seal taught in Figure 74 can be simplified, such that the side and inlet pressure seals consist predominantly of the curved aluminum slat 700 as shown in FIG. describes previously. The tape in the polyethylene of an ultra-high-grade pincer can be omitted and the PTFE tape can be omitted, except at the corners 770 of the box pressure, where the tapes can still be useful. This improved side seal and inlet pressure seal is best illustrated in Figure 76. The inlet and outlet pressure seals are best illustrated in Figure 76. In addition to the curved aluminum spline 700, the side of the belt in the Aluminum splint is coated with the PTFE 900 (Teflon®) fiberglass fabric, 0.127 mm (5 mils), which extends beyond the end of the aluminum seal and is mounted to the inside of the box frame of pressure. This exit seal design prevents the drive belt from attaching to the aluminum splint. In use, the composite, composite fabric material formed by the XD apparatus having adhesive between a layer of warp yarns aligned on one side and a layer of weft yarns substantially perpendicular to the warp yarns on the other side. side, it is fed to the pressure laminator, either directly (as with the flatbed laminator described above), or by a feed roller. The composite material is pulled at the distal portion by drive belts, through the inlet seal and into the pressurized heating zone. The heating zone melts the adhesive between the fabric layers and causes the adhesive bridges to flow and extend between the fabric layers. The pressure keeps ^ ... i ^ at ^ faj ^ ^ MmáÜa '"- - -" - -'íi i ?? f'Él?) jgiti i? t ??? iM _ lJ j¡ jii ^ the cloth in its place , preventing shrinkage, and the cooling zone, which has the same pressure as the heating zone, cools the melted adhesive and fixes the unit between the fabric layers. This non-woven fabric material has very high strength characteristics and anti-fraying characteristics, and represents yet another especially preferred embodiment of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION It will be appreciated that in one or all of the nonwoven embodiments, described above, one can run through one of the adhesive application stations a second time so that adhesive will be applied to the laminated product and then the covered laminate product. with adhesive it is secured to the warp yarns or other substrate to form a new warp yarn material having the laminated product secured thereto for passage through the non-woven product apparatus again so that a laminated product can be placed of multiple layers of warp and weft threads. It is also within the scope of this invention to include multiple weft application stations that are wound in the same direction or in opposite directions to create various angles of the placement weft yarns. Still another potential modality is laminar - * Eft? F films on the front or back of the non-woven product of the invention for structural or performance reasons. Alternatively, a film could also be placed between the weft warp yarns so that the yarns will then provide structural support to the film. A key feature of the nonwoven product apparatus of the present invention is that it provides a method for designing a non-woven article. The weft yarns may have different properties, the warp yarns may have different properties, the distance between the warp yarns and the distance between the weft yarns may be adjusted, the amount and equipment of the adhesive may be adjusted, the angle The weft yarns in relation to the warp yarns can be adjusted and the multiple weft and warp supply application stations can be used to create a multitude of different structures at a very efficient and high speed. As a result of the foregoing, the non-woven product may also have the same or different resistances in its warp and weft directions. Although the present invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present description has been elaborated as an example, and changes can be made in the detail of structures without * 114 depart from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims. It is noted that in relation to this date, the best method known by the applicant to carry out the present invention is that which is clear from the present description of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS Having described the invention as above, the content of the following claims is claimed as property: 1. An apparatus for forming a nonwoven product having warp threads and weft threads, the apparatus is characterized in that it comprises, in combination, a system of warp yarn support including a substantially cylindrical, elongated support structure having a substantially cylindrical, outer, low friction surface, a supply of parallel, elongated warp yarns placed side by side along the length of the yarn. the substantially cylindrical surface, an adhesive distribution system for applying inert adhesive through the radially outermost surface of the warp yarns, a distribution system for the weft yarn material including a drum mounted for rotation about the support structure, a means of energy for rotating the drum around r of the support structure, at least one source supply of the weft yarn material mounted on the drum for rotation therewith, and a guiding system for the distribution of the weft yarn material from the source supply to the surface radially outermost of the threads of warp, in the rotation of the drum such that the weft yarn material is wound around the warp yarns in a substantially perpendicular relationship therewith, a winding system, driven downstream of the weft yarn distribution system operatively connected to the warp yarns to move the warp yarns along the support structure and through the weft yarn distribution system, and a heater downstream of the weft yarn distribution system to activate the bonding adhesive of the woven material of weft yarn to the warp yarns, wherein the driven system and the power means or power to rotate the drum are independently operated and at least one is driven in a variable manner such that the winding angle of the material of weft yarn in relation to the warp yarns, is variable. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the angle of winding of the weft yarns relative to the warp yarns is in the range of 80 degrees to slightly more than about 89.7 degrees. 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the adhesive is applies through the top of the warp yarns as they move along the support structure. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the adhesive is in the form of a canvas. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the canvas provides adhesive which is not more than about 20% by weight of the non-woven product. 6. An apparatus for forming a nonwoven product having warp yarns and weft yarns, the apparatus characterized in that it comprises in combination, a warp yarn support system that includes a substantially cylindrical, elongated support structure having a substantially cylindrical, exterior, low friction surface, a supply of parallel, elongated warp yarns placed side by side along the length of the substantially cylindrical surface, an adhesive distribution system for applying inert adhesive through the radially outermost surface of the warp yarns, a distribution system for the weft yarn material including a drum mounted for the rotation around the support structure, an energy means for rotating the drum around the support structure, at least a source supply of the weft yarn material mounted on the drum for rotation therewith, and a guidance system for the distribution of the weft yarn material from the source supply to the radially outermost surface of the warp yarns, in the rotation of the drum such that the weft yarn material is wrapped around the warp yarns in a substantially perpendicular relation thereto, a winding system, driven downstream of the weft yarn distribution system operatively connected to the warp yarns to move the warp yarns along the support structure and through the weft yarn distribution system, and a heater downstream of the weft yarn distribution system to activate the adhesive for bonding the yarn. material wound from weft yarn to the warp yarns, wherein the drum in the weft yarn distribution station additionally includes a radial wall and the source supply of the weft yarn material is mounted to the radial wall, there is a plurality of source supplies circumferentially spaced around the radial wall. 7. The apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that the source supplies of weft yarn material are spools of weft yarn material. The apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that the drum comprises a hollow ring that surrounds the cylindrical support structure having front and rear radial walls with inner and outer surfaces and inner and outer cylindrical walls that interconnect with the Front and rear walls and the source supplies of the weft yarn material are mounted on the inner surface of the front wall. The apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that the weft yarn material of each of the source supplies is fed to the rear wall of the drum and radially inward along the rear wall to the yarns of warp in the cylindrical support structure. The apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that it further includes a tensioner in the rear wall of the drum associated with each of the source supplies through which the weft yarn material passes to maintain a predetermined tension in the weft yarn material according to Applies around the warp threads. The apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that the tensioner is variable to selectively regulate the tension in the weft yarn material as it is applied around the warp yarns. The apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that the tensioner is separated from the warp yarns and additionally includes a guide pin on the rear wall associated with each of the tensioners and placed immediately adjacent to the warp yarns and around of which the weft yarns extend before they are folded around the warp yarns. The apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that the tensioner includes two control plates between which the weft yarn material and deflection means extend which operatively couple one of the control plates to deflect it towards the other one. the control plates for applying pressure to the weft yarn material between the control plates. The apparatus according to claim 13, characterized in that it also includes a means for varying the deviation of a control plate, «« FcA > A & «- -a, ^, J, ^ ,;» «, > A < :: j5 :: J ^^^ thus varying the pressure applied to the weft yarn material. 15. The apparatus according to claim 12, characterized in that it further includes a leveling plate on the rear wall associated with each of the guide pins, the leveling plate which is placed to be on top of a plurality of turns of the material of Weft yarn is separated from the warp yarns at a distance substantially equal to the diameter of the weft yarn material to ensure a single layer wrapping of the weft yarn material around the warp yarns. 16. An apparatus for forming a non-woven product having warp yarns and weft yarns, the apparatus characterized in that it comprises in combination, a warp yarn support system that includes a substantially cylindrical, elongated support structure having an substantially cylindrical, exterior, low friction surface, a supply of parallel, elongated, warp yarns placed side by side along the length of the substantially cylindrical surface, an adhesive distribution system for applying inert adhesive through the radially outermost surface of the warp yarns, a distribution system for the weft yarn material including a drum mounted for rotation about the support structure, an energy means for rotating the drum around the supporting structure, at least one source supply of the weft yarn material mounted on the drum for rotation therewith, and a guiding system for the distribution of the weft yarn material from the source supply to the radially outermost surface of the yarns of warp, in the rotation of the drum such that the weft yarn material is wrapped around the warp yarns in a substantially perpendicular relationship therewith, a winding system, driven downstream of the weft yarn distribution system connected in a manner operative to the warp yarns to move the warp yarns along the support structure and through the weft yarn distribution system, and a heater downstream of the weft yarn distribution system to activate the weft yarn adhesive joining of the woven material of weft yarn to the warp yarns, wherein the adhesive applied to the warp yarns is 5-20% by weight of the non-woven product. 17. The apparatus according to claim 16, characterized in that the adhesive comprises a canvas of the adhesive material. 18. The apparatus according to claim 17, characterized in that it additionally includes a canvas supply roll and the adhesive distribution system places the canvas on the top of the warp yarns before the weft yarn material is applied. wrap around the warp threads so that the canvas is placed between the warp threads and the woven material of weft yarn. 19. The apparatus according to claim 18, characterized in that the canvas comprises yarns of yarn randomly placed defining spacings between the strands. 20. An apparatus for forming a non-woven product having warp yarns and weft yarns, the apparatus characterized in that it comprises in combination, a warp yarn support system including a substantially cylindrical, elongated support structure having a substantially cylindrical, exterior, low friction surface, a supply of parallel, elongated warp yarns placed side by side along the length of the substantially cylindrical surface, an adhesive distribution system for applying inert adhesive through the surface radially outermost of the warp yarns, a distribution system for the weft yarn material including a drum mounted for rotation about the support structure, an energy means for rotating the drum around the supporting structure , at least one source supply of the weft yarn material mounted on the drum for rotation therewith, and a guiding system for the distribution of the weft yarn material from the source supply to the radially outermost surface of the yarns of warp, in the rotation of the drum such that the weft yarn material is wrapped around the warp yarns in a substantially perpendicular relationship therewith, a winding system, driven downstream of the weft yarn distribution system connected in a manner operative to the warp threads to move the warp threads along the support structure and through the distribution system n of weft threads, and a heater downstream of the weft yarn distribution system for activating the adhesive for joining the wound weft yarn material to the warp yarns, wherein the adhesive is in the form of a canvas . 21. The apparatus in accordance with «- * - * -» »*« * fen claim 20, characterized in that it also includes a canvas supply roll and the adhesive distribution system places the canvas on top of the warp yarns before the Weft yarn material is wound around the warp yarns so that the canvas is placed between the warp yarns and the woven material of weft yarn. 22. The apparatus according to claim 21, characterized in that the canvas comprises adhesive strands randomly placed. 23. The apparatus according to claim 22, characterized in that there are separations between the strands. 24. An apparatus for forming a nonwoven product having warp yarns and weft yarns, the apparatus characterized in that it comprises in combination, a warp yarn support system that includes a substantially cylindrical, elongated support structure having a substantially cylindrical, exterior, low friction surface, a supply of parallel, elongated warp yarns placed side by side along the length of the substantially cylindrical surface, an adhesive distribution system for applying inert adhesive through the radially outermost surface of the warp yarns, a distribution system for the weft yarn material including a drum mounted for rotation around the supporting structure, an energy means for rotating the drum around the support structure, at least a source supply of the weft yarn material mounted on the drum for rotation therewith, and a guidance system for the distribution of yarn material Weft from the supply of supply to the radially outermost surface of the warp yarns, in the rotation of the drum such that the weft yarn material is wrapped around the warp yarns in a substantially perpendicular relationship with these, a system winding, driven downstream of the weft yarn distribution system operatively connected to the warp yarns to move the warp yarns along the support structure and through the weft yarn distribution system, and a heater downstream of the weft yarn distribution system to activate the adhesive for joining the woven material of weft yarn to the warp yarns imbre, where there are 40-100 warp threads per inch along the periphery of the outer surface of the support structure. 25. The apparatus according to claim 24, characterized in that the weft yarn material is wound around the warp yarns to establish 40-100 turns of the weft yarn material per inch about the length of the warp yarns. 26. The apparatus according to claim 21 0 25, characterized in that the inert adhesive is in the form of a canvas. 27. The apparatus according to claim 26, characterized in that the canvas comprises adhesive strands randomly placed. 28. The apparatus according to claim 27, characterized in that the strands define gaps between them such that the adhesive is applied to the warp yarns to be 5-20% by weight of the non-woven product. 29. An apparatus for forming a nonwoven product having warp yarns and weft yarns, the apparatus characterized in that it comprises in combination, a warp yarn support system that includes a substantially cylindrical, elongated support structure having a surface substantially cylindrical, exterior, low friction, a supply of warp, parallel, elongated warps placed side by side along the length of the substantially cylindrical surface, an adhesive distribution system for applying inert adhesive through the radially outermost surface of the warp yarns, a distribution system for the weft yarn material • including a drum mounted for rotation around the support structure, an energy means for rotating the drum around the support structure, at least one source supply of the weft yarn material mounted on the drum for rotation therewith, and a guiding system for the distribution of the weft yarn material from the source supply to the radially outermost surface of the warp yarns, in the drum rotation such that the weft yarn material is wrapped around the warp yarns in a substantial relationship perpendicular to these, a winding system, driven downstream of the network thread distribution system connected operative to the warp yarns to move the warp yarns along the support structure and through the weft yarn distribution system, and a heater downstream of the weft yarn distribution system to activate the adhesive for the joining of the woven material of weft yarn to the warp yarns, wherein the weft yarn material is wound around the warp yarns to establish 40-100 turns of weft yarn material per inch about the length of the warp yarns. 30. The apparatus according to claim 29, characterized in that the adhesive is in the form of a canvas. 31. The apparatus according to claim 30, characterized in that the canvas comprises randomly placed strands of adhesive. 32. The apparatus according to claim 31, characterized in that the strands define gaps between them such that the adhesive is applied to the warp yarns to define 5-20% of the weight of the non-woven product. 33. An apparatus for forming a non-woven product having warp yarns and weft yarns, the apparatus characterized in that it comprises in combination, a warp yarn support system that includes a substantially cylindrical, elongated support structure having an substantially cylindrical, exterior, low friction surface, a supply of parallel, elongated, warp yarns placed side by side along the length of the substantially cylindrical surface, an adhesive distribution system for applying inert adhesive through the radially outermost surface of the warp yarns, a distribution system for the weft yarn material including a drum mounted for rotation around the supporting structure, an energy means for rotating the drum around the support structure, at least a source supply of the weft yarn material mounted on the drum for rotation therewith, and a guidance system for the distribution of yarn material Weft from the supply of supply to the radially outermost surface of the warp yarns, in the rotation of the drum such that the weft yarn material is wrapped around the warp yarns in a substantially perpendicular relationship with these, a system winding, driven downstream of the weft yarn distribution system operatively connected to the warp yarns to move the warp yarns along the support structure and through the weft yarn distribution system, and a heater downstream of the weft yarn distribution system to activate the adhesive for joining the woven material of weft yarn to the warp yarns imbre, where the tension in the warp threads is substantially equal to the tension in the weft yarn material as the weft yarn material is wrapped around the warp yarns. The apparatus according to claim 33, characterized in that it further includes a tensioner in operative engagement with the weft yarn material to selectively tension the weft yarn material as it is wound around the warp yarns to match the tension in the warp threads created by the winding system as it pulls the warp threads through the apparatus. A non-woven fabric, characterized in that it is composed of a layer of warp yarns and a second layer of weft yarns, the density of at least one of the warp yarns and the weft yarns in the fabric that is in the range of 40-140 threads per inch. 36. The fabric according to claim 35, characterized in that the density of both the warp yarns and the weft yarns in the fabric is in the range of 40-140 yarns per inch. 37. The fabric according to claim 35 or 36, characterized in that the denier of the warp and weft yarns is different. 38. The fabric according to claim 35 or 36, characterized in that the denier of the threads of Warp and weft is the same. 39. A nonwoven fabric characterized in that it comprises a layer of warp yarns and a second layer of weft yarns, the weft yarns extending at an angle in the range of about 80 to about '89.7 degrees relative to the length of the warp threads. 40. A cover for an architectural opening, comprising in combination, a nonwoven fabric having a layer of warp yarns and a second layer of weft yarns, the warp yarns and the weft yarns that are joined together to define open interstices between them, and a control system to suspend the non-woven fabric in the architectural opening. 41. The cover according to claim 40, characterized in that the density of at least one of the layers of yarns in the fabric is in the range of 40-100 threads per inch. 42. The cover according to claim 40, characterized in that the density of both layers of yarns in the fabric is in the range of 40 to 140. The cover according to claim 40, characterized in that the weft yarns in the second layer it extends at an angle in the range of 80 degrees to 89.7 degrees relative to the length of the warp yarns in a layer. 44. A non-woven fabric, characterized in that it is composed of a layer of warp yarns and a layer of weft threads adhesively secured together, the adhesive constituting 5 to 20% by weight of the total weight of the non-woven fabric . 45. The non-woven fabric according to claim 44, characterized in that the density of at least one of the warp yarns and the weft yarns in the fabric is in the range of 40-100 threads per inch. 46. The non-woven fabric according to claim 45, characterized in that the density of both the warp yarns and the weft yarns in the fabric is in the range of 40-100 threads per inch. 47. The non-woven fabric according to any of claims 44 to 46, characterized in that the denier of the warp and weft yarns is different. 48. A non-woven fabric characterized in that it has a layer of warp yarns and a layer of weft yarns that have been adhesively bonded together while the tension of the warp yarns and the weft yarns was substantially the same. 49. The non-woven fabric according to claim 48, characterized in that the density of at least one of the warp yarns and the weft yarns in the fabric is in the range of 40-100 threads per inch. 50. The non-woven fabric according to claim 49, characterized in that the density of both the warp yarns and the weft yarns in the fabric is in the range of 40-100 threads per inch. 51. The nonwoven fabric according to claim 48, characterized in that the denier of the warp and weft yarns is different. 52. The non-woven fabric according to claim 48, characterized in that the weft yarns extend at an angle of about 80 degrees to about 89.7 degrees relative to the length of the warp yarns. 53. A nonwoven fabric characterized in that it comprises a first layer of parallel yarns in a first direction, a second layer of parallel yarns in a second direction, the first and second layers adhering together with the first and second directions only substantially perpendicular between yes. 54. The non-woven fabric according to claim 53, characterized in that the first and Second layer adhere by an adhesive material. 55. The non-woven fabric according to claim 54, characterized in that the adhesive material is contained substantially only between the first and second layers. 56. The non-woven fabric according to claim 54 or 55, characterized in that the adhesive material as applied between the layers has a low density. 57. The non-woven fabric according to claim 56, characterized in that the adhesive material is from about 5 to 20 weight percent of the total weight of the fabric. 58. The non-woven fabric according to claim 57, characterized in that the adhesive material is from about 10 to about 15 weight percent of the total weight of the fabric. 59. The non-woven fabric according to any of claims 54 to 58, characterized in that the adhesive includes bridges. 60. The non-woven fabric according to any of claims 53 to 59, characterized in that at least one of the first and second layers includes at least 40 threads per inch, in a transverse direction of the threads. 61. The non-woven fabric according to any of claims 53 to 60, characterized in that at least one of the first and second layer is included between 60 and 100 threads per inch in a transverse direction of the threads. 62. The non-woven fabric according to any of claims 53 to 61, characterized in that the first direction and the second direction includes an angle between about 80 and about 89.97 degrees. The non-woven fabric according to claim 62, characterized in that the angle is in the range of about 85 to 89.7 degrees. 64. The non-woven fabric according to claims 53 to 63, characterized in that the yarns are separated equally. 65. The non-woven fabric according to any of claims 53 to 64, characterized in that the fabric has a resistance in the first direction equal to the resistance to the second direction. 66. The non-woven fabric according to any of claims 53 to 65, characterized in that the yarns in the first direction represent the warp yarns in a density of 40 to 90 threads per inch of a count thread 30/1 to 36/1. 67. The non-woven fabric according to any of claims 53 to 66, characterized in that the yarns in the second direction represent the weft yarns in a density of 90 to 140 yarns per inch of a count yarn of 36/1. 68. The non-woven fabric according to claim 66 or 67, characterized in that one or more of the warp yarns comprise spun polyester yarns. 69. The non-woven fabric according to claim 67 or 68, characterized in that one or more of the weft yarns comprises single-stranded cotton yarns. 70. The non-woven fabric according to any of claims 66 to 69, characterized in that one or more of the weft yarns is of a denier value smaller than the warp yarns. 71. A method for making a non-woven fabric as defined by any of the appended claims 53 to 69, characterized in that the yarns in the first direction are aligned through defined spaces between a set of rolls, while the rolls are They drive at a roller surface speed faster than the linear speed of the wires. 72. The method according to claim 71, characterized in that the surface speed of the roller is from about 2 to about 20 times greater than the linear speed of the yarns. 73. A method for forming a non-woven product having warp yarn material in a first direction the weft yarn material in a second direction, the method characterized in that it includes the steps of: supplying a plurality of warp yarns longitudinally of its length in the first direction; supporting the plurality of warp yarns in a relationship that moves longitudinally and in a side-by-side arrangement along the length of an elongate, substantially cylindrical support surface; apply adhesive through the radially outermost surfaces of the warp yarns; supplying and guiding the warp yarn material longitudinally of its length in the second direction from a source supply; winding at least one individual warp yarn and around the radially outermost surface of the warp yarns in a substantially perpendicular relationship therewith; moving the warp yarns along the support surface for downstream harvesting subsequent to the winding step; heating and activating the adhesive in this way to join the weft yarns wound to the warp yarns. 74. The method according to claim 73, characterized in that the step of applying adhesive includes: providing the adhesive in the form of a canvas from a supply; and placing the canvas on top of the warp yarns before the step of winding the weft threads around the warp threads, thereby placing the canvas between the warp threads and the weft threads. 75. The method according to claim 73 or 74, characterized in that the weft yarns are wound around the warp yarns to establish 40 to 100 turns per inch of weft yarns along the length of the warp yarns. . 76. The method according to claim 73 to 75, characterized in that the step of applying adhesive and the winding step are repeated at least a second time in the same warp yarns to obtain multiple layers of warp and weft yarns. 77. A non-woven fabric, characterized in that the fabric consists essentially of yarns in the direction of the warp, substantially parallel supported and joined on one side by an adhesive, the adhesive having a thickness 5 from about 0.006 mm to about 0.0254 mm (0.25 to 1 thousandth of an inch). 78. A nonwoven fabric characterized in that the fabric consists essentially of substantially parallel warp yarns supported and joined in the direction of the warp. On one side by an adhesive, the adhesive is applied to one side of the fibers at a level of about 5 weight percent to about 25 weight percent, based on the weight of the fabric. 79. The non-woven fabric according to claim 78, characterized in that the weight of the fabric is about 50 g / m2 and the adhesive has a weight of about 2 to 15 g / m2. 80. The non-woven fabric according to claim 78, characterized in that the weight of the fabric 20 is about 50 g / m2 and the adhesive has a weight of about 5 to 10 g / m2. 81. The non-woven fabric according to claims 77 to 78, characterized in that the yarns are selected from the group consisting of polymer fibers, 25 natural fibers, synthetic fibers, composite fibers, carbon fibers, glass fibers and metal fibers. 82. The non-woven fabric according to claim 81, characterized in that the polymer fibers are selected from the group consisting of polyester, polyethylene, polystyrene and nylon fibers. 83. The non-woven fabric according to claim 81, characterized in that the natural fibers are selected from the group consisting of cotton fibers, rayon fibers and wool fibers. 84. The non-woven fabric according to claim 81, characterized in that the fibers are glass fibers. 85. The non-woven fabric according to claim 81, characterized in that the fibers are metallic fibers, selected from the group consisting of copper, gold, aluminum, silver and platinum. 86. The non-woven fabric according to claim 77 or 78, characterized in that the adhesive is applied to the yarns by immersion / saturation with retention, spraying, gravure coating, or kiss-type coating. 87. A method for forming a non-woven fibrous web, the method characterized in that it comprises the steps of: a. form a substantially parallel arrangement of threads, the arrangement of threads that has two sides, one upper side and one side of the bottom, b. joining the parallel array of wires with bridges comprising a web of molten or wet adhesive; and c. cooling the wet or molten adhesive web to form a cohesive substrate comprising parallel non-woven yarns. 88. A non-woven warp substrate, non-twisting, substantially parallel characterized in that it comprises a non-woven fibrous web made according to the method of claim 87. 89. The method according to claim 87, characterized in that the adhesive film is applied to the fibrous web by immersion / compression saturation, spraying, rotogravure coating, or kiss-type coating. 90. The method according to claim 87, characterized in that the fibers are selected from the group consisting of polymer fibers, natural fibers, synthetic fibers, composite fibers, carbon fibers, glass fibers and metal fibers. 91. The method according to claim 90, characterized in that the polymer fibers are selected from the group consisting of polyester, polyethylene, polypropylene, and nylon fibers. 92. The method according to claim 90, characterized in that the natural fibers are selected from the group consisting of cotton fibers, rayon fibers and wool fibers. 93. The method according to claim 90, characterized in that the fibers are glass fibers. 94. The method according to claim 90, characterized in that the fibers are metallic fibers, selected from the group consisting of copper, gold, aluminum, silver and platinum. 95. A sheet or sheet of non-woven fabric characterized in that it comprises substantially parallel strands of thread halted together in the form of a sheet by adhesive bridge applied to one side of the strands of thread. 96. The sheet or sheet of non-woven fabric according to claim 95, characterized in that the adhesive bridges prevent the twisting of the individual strands of yarn in the sheet. 97. The sheet or sheet of non-woven fabric according to claim 95, characterized in that the individual strands of thread in the sheet have approximately the same denier. 98. The sheet or sheet of non-woven fabric according to claim 95 or 96, characterized in that the individual yarn strands are independently selected from the group consisting of natural fibers, synthetic fibers, glass, metals and graphite. 99. The non-woven fabric according to claim 98, characterized in that the polyester fibers are selected from the group consisting of polyester, polyethylene, polypropylene and nylon fibers. 100. The non-woven fabric according to claim 98, characterized in that the natural fibers are selected from the group consisting of cotton fibers, rayon fibers and wool fibers. 101. The non-woven fabric according to claim 98, characterized in that the fibers are glass fibers. 102. The non-woven fabric according to claim 98, characterized in that the fibers are metallic fibers, selected from the group consisting of copper, gold, aluminum, silver and platinum 103. An apparatus for forming a non-woven fabric product having substantially perpendicular warp threads and weft threads, the apparatus characterized in that it comprises in combination: a warp yarn support system that includes a substantially cylindrical, elongate support structure having a substantially cylindrical, exterior, low friction surface, a supply of parallel, elongated, warp yarns placed side by side along the length of the substantially cylindrical surface, a adhesive distribution system for applying inert adhesive through the radially outermost surface of the warp yarns, a distribution system for the weft yarn material including a drum mounted for rotation about the support structure, a energy means for rotating the drum around the support structure, at least one source supply of the weft yarn material mounted on the drum for rotation therewith, and a guiding system for the distribution of the weft yarn material from the source supply to the radially outermost surface of the warp yarns, in the rotation of the drum such that the weft yarn material is wrapped around the warp yarns in a substantially perpendicular relation therewith, a winding system, driven downstream of the weft yarn distribution system operatively connected to the warp yarns to move the warp yarns along the support structure and through the weft yarn distribution system, and a heater downstream of the weft yarn distribution system to activate the adhesive for the bonding of the weft yarn wound material to the warp threads, wherein the driven system and the power means or power to rotate the drum are independently operated and at least one is driven in a variable manner such that the winding angle of the weft yarn material is variable. relation to warp threads. 104. The apparatus according to claim 103, characterized in that the source supplies of the weft yarn material are spools of the weft yarn material. The apparatus according to claim 103, characterized in that the drum comprises a hollow ring surrounding the cylindrical support structure having a radial wall with inner and outer surfaces and a separate radial wheel interconnected with the radial wall and the source supplies. of the warp yarn material are mounted on the inner surface of the radial wall. 106. The apparatus according to claim 105, characterized in that the weft yarn material of each of the source supplies is fed to the radial wheel, radially inwardly along the radial wheel to the yarns of warp in the cylindrical support structure. 107. The apparatus according to claim 106, characterized in that the radial wheel further includes a conical alignment guide positioned immediately adjacent the warp yarns and around which the weft yarns extend before they wind around the yarns. of warp. 108. The apparatus according to claim 107, characterized in that the slope of the conical alignment guide varies from about 15 to 60 degrees. 109. The apparatus according to claim 108, characterized in that the slope of the conical alignment guide is approximately 45 degrees. 110. The apparatus according to claim 103, characterized in that the weft yarn material is wound around the warp yarns to establish 40-100 turns of the weft yarn material per inch along the length of the yarns. of warp. 111. An apparatus for forming a non-woven fabric product having warp yarns and substantially perpendicular weft yarns, the apparatus characterized in that it comprises in combination: a warp yarn distribution support system comprising the supply of warp yarns , parallel, elongated placed side by side, the warp yarns having adhesive on its exposed surface, a weft yarn distribution support system comprising a rotating drum with a supply of weft yarn material mounted therein and with a conical alignment guide for distributing the weft yarn material to the outer surface coated with adhesive from the warp yarns in the drum rotation, such that the weft yarn material is wrapped around the warp yarns in the yarn. a substantially perpendicular relationship with these, a winding system, driven downstream of the wire distribution system d The frame is operatively connected to the warp yarns to move the warp yarns along the support structure and through the weft yarn distribution system, and a heater downstream of the weft yarn distribution system to activate the yarn. adhesive for joining the wound material of weft threads to the warp threads, wherein the driven system and the means of power or energy for rotating the drum are independently operated and at least one is driven in a variable manner such that the winding angle of the weft yarn material relative to the warp yarns is variable. 112. The apparatus according to claim 111, characterized in that the variation of the speed of the rotating drum relative to the speed of the warp yarn winding system changes the packing of the weft yarns in the warp yarns. 113. The apparatus according to claim 111 or 112 wherein the variation of the speed of the warp yarn winding system relative to the speed of the rotating drum and changes the packing of the weft yarns in the warp yarns. 114. A non-woven fabric characterized in that it comprises a first layer of warp yarns, a second layer of weft yarns substantially perpendicular to the warp and adhesive yarns between the layers of warp and weft yarns, the density of at least one of warp threads and weft threads in the fabric that is in the range of 40-140 threads per inch. 115. The non-woven fabric according to claim 114, characterized in that each of the individual fibers of warp yarns and weft yarns is independently selected from the group consisting of polymer fibers, natural fibers, synthetic fibers, composite fibers, carbon fibers, glass fibers and metal fibers. 116. The non-woven fabric according to claim 115, characterized in that the polymer fibers are selected from the group consisting of polyester, polyethylene, polypropylene and nylon fibers. 117. The non-woven fabric according to claim 115, characterized in that the natural fibers are selected from the group consisting of cotton fibers, rayon fibers and wool fibers. 118. The non-woven fabric according to claim 114, characterized in that the fibers are glass fibers. 119. The non-woven fabric according to claim 115, characterized in that the fibers are metallic fibers selected from the group consisting of copper, gold, aluminum, silver and platinum. 120. The non-woven fabric according to claim 115, characterized in that the density of both the warp yarns and the weft yarns in the fabric is in the range of 40-140 yarns per inch. 121. The fabric in accordance with claims 114 to 121, characterized in that the denier of the warp and weft yarns is different. 122. The fabric according to any of claims 114 to 121, characterized in that the denier of the fibers of the individual yarns in the warp and weft yarns is different. 123. The fabric according to any of claims 114 to 121, characterized in that the denier of the warp and weft yarns is the same. 124. A frayed, non-woven fabric characterized in that it comprises a layer of polyester warp yarns and a layer of substantially perpendicular polyester weft yarns, adhesively secured together, the adhesive constituting 5-20 weight percent of the total weight of the non-woven fabric. 125. The non-woven fraying fabric according to claim 124, characterized in that the density of at least one of the warp yarns and the weft yarns in the fabric is in the range of 40-100 threads per inch. 126. The non-woven fraying fabric according to claim 124, characterized in that the density of both the warp yarns and the weft yarns in the fabric are in the range of 40-100 threads per inch. 127. The non-woven fraying fabric according to any of claims 124 to 126, characterized in that the denier of the warp and weft yarns is different. 128. A method for forming a nonwoven product having the warp yarn material in a first direction is the weft yarn material in a direction substantially perpendicular to the warp yarns., the method characterized in that it includes the steps of: supplying a plurality of warp yarns substantially parallel longitudinally of their length in the first direction, the warp yarns having adhesive on substantially only one side thereof;; supporting the plurality of warp yarns, with the adhesive exposed, in a longitudinally moving relationship and in a side-by-side arrangement along the length of the substantially cylindrical, elongate support surface; winding at least one individual weft yarn to and around the radially outermost surface of the warp yarns in a substantially perpendicular relationship therewith; move the warp threads along the support surface for downstream collection, subsequent to the winding step; heating and activating the adhesive in this way to join the weft yarns wound to the warp yarns. 129. The method according to claim 128, characterized in that the weft yarns are wound around the warp yarns to establish 40 to 100 turns per inch of weft yarns along the length of the warp yarns. 130. A pressure lamination apparatus useful in the production of non-woven fabrics, the lamination apparatus characterized in that it comprises: (a) a housing or frame in which a pressure box is mounted; (b) the pressure box comprising two separate, budget sections, an upper section and a lower section, wherein the space formed between the two sections defines a rolling section; (c) two driving, rotating, counterbalancing bands, an upper drive belt and a lower drive belt, mounted rotatably in the housing or frame, wherein the bands contact each other in and pass in the same direction to through the rolling section; (d) a fluid medium pressure generator for supplying pressure to the upper and lower sections of the pressure box to compress the driving belts moving between them; and (e) so that, depending on the direction of rotation of the bands, one end of the lamination section acts as an inlet for the substrates to be laminated and the opposite end acts as an outlet for the laminated materials Pressure. 131. The pressure lamination apparatus according to claim 130, characterized in that the upper section in the pressure box further comprises a plurality of heating elements. 132. The pressure lamination apparatus according to claim 130, characterized in that the upper section of the pressure box further comprises a plurality of cooling elements. 133. The pressure lamination apparatus according to claim 130, characterized in that the lower section of the pressure box further comprises a plurality of heating elements. 13 The pressure lamination apparatus according to claim 133, characterized in that the lower heating elements are fixed in their place. 135. The pressure lamination apparatus according to claim 130, characterized in that the lower section of the pressure box further comprises a plurality of cooling elements. 136. The pressure lamination apparatus according to claim 135, characterized in that the lower cooling elements are fixed in place. 137. The pressure lamination apparatus according to claim 135, characterized in that the lower section of the pressure box is rigidly mounted to the frame or housing. 138. The pressure lamination apparatus according to claim 130, characterized in that the upper section of the pressure box is mounted to the frame in an adjustable manner. 139. The pressure lamination apparatus according to claim 130, characterized in that the sections of the pressure box further comprise pressure seals on the sides and the inlet and outlet ends of the lamination section. 140. The pressure lamination apparatus according to claim 139, characterized in that the drive belts are pressurized within a range from approximately 1,362 kilograms (3000 pounds) to approximately 6,810 kilograms (15,000 pounds), over an area of approximately 9,675 cm2 (1500 inches). 141. The pressure lamination apparatus according to claim 140, characterized in that the drive belts are pressurized within a range of about 3., 178 to approximately 4,540 kilograms (7,000 to 10,000 pounds), over an area of approximately 9,675 cm2 (1500 inches2). 142. The pressure lamination apparatus according to claim 140, characterized in that the drive belts are pressurized to approximately 6,810 kilograms (15,000 pounds). 143. A woven, laminated nc fabric formed in the apparatus of claim 130, the laminated fabric characterized in that it comprises: a first nonwoven layer and a second nonwoven layer laminated together to form a composite, laminated fabric; the first non-woven layer having yarns aligned in the machine direction; the second nonwoven layer having aligned threads substantially perpendicular to the machine direction; the laminated composite fabric that includes Adjacent adhesive placed between the first and second non-woven layers. 144. The laminated nonwoven fabric according to claim 143, characterized in that each of the individual fibers of warp yarns and weft yarns is independently selected from the group consisting of polymer fibers, natural fibers, synthetic fibers, fibers composite, carbon fibers, glass fibers and metal fibers. 145. The laminated nonwoven fabric according to claim 144, characterized in that the polymer fibers are selected from the group consisting of polyester, polyethylene, polypropylene and nylon fibers. 146. The laminated nonwoven fabric according to claim 144, characterized in that the natural fibers are selected from the group consisting of cotton fibers, rayon fibers and wool fibers. 147. The laminated nonwoven fabric, according to claim 144, characterized in that the fibers are glass fibers. 148. The laminated nonwoven fabric according to claim 144, characterized in that the fibers are metallic fibers selected from the group consisting of copper, gold, aluminum, silver and platinum. 149. Non-woven, laminated fabric characterized because it comprises: a first non-woven layer of yarns aligned in the machine direction. a second nonwoven layer, aligned substantially perpendicular to the machine direction; a suitable bonding amount of heat activatable adhesive placed between the first and second non-woven layers; the adhesive that is heated under pressure and cooled under pressure to give a non-woven, laminated fabric. 150. The laminated non-woven fabric according to claim 149, characterized in that the pressure is about 1,362 kilograms (3000 pounds). 151. The laminated nonwoven fabric according to claim 149, characterized in that the pressure is at least 4,540 kilograms (10,000 pounds). 152. The laminated non-woven fabric according to claim 149, characterized in that the pressure is 6,810 kilograms (15,000 pounds). 153. The laminated non-woven fabric according to claim 149, characterized in that each of the individual fibers of the warp yarns and the weft yarns are independently selected from the group consisting of polymer fibers, natural fibers, i tUAdUAváákAz ***. synthetic fibers, composite fibers, carbon fibers, glass fibers and metal fibers. 154. The laminated, non-woven fabric according to claim 149, characterized in that the polymer fibers are independently selected from the group consisting of polyester, polyethylene, polypropylene, and nylon fibers. 155. The laminated non-woven fabric according to claim 149, characterized in that the natural fibers are independently selected from the group consisting of cotton fibers, rayon fibers and wool fibers. 156. The laminated nonwoven fabric according to claim 149, characterized in that one or more of the fibers are glass fibers. 157. The laminated non-woven fabric according to claim 149, characterized in that one or more of the fibers are metallic fibers, selected from the group consisting of copper, gold, aluminum, silver and platinum.