US1611760A

US1611760A - Cotton and kapok bat for upholstery

Info

Publication number: US1611760A
Authority: US
Inventors: Mann Leo
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1925-07-23
Filing date: 1925-07-23
Publication date: 1926-12-21
Anticipated expiration: 1943-12-21

Description

Patented then 231, 1926.

LIE-O MANN, OF CENTRAL FALLS, R-HODE ISLAND.

COTTON AND KAPOK BAT FOR UPHOLSIERY.

No Drawing.

The object of the present invention is to provide a novel bat or felt suitable for use as a filling for mattresses, upholstery, etc., and having the characteristic of being light in weight and resistant to packing notwithstanding repeated use of the mattress or upholstery. The packing of the fibre is a characteristic of cotton filler mattresses, the fibres moving into hard packed sections where subjected to repeated pressure at separated points. A further object is to provide a hat or felt for the stated purposes which, in addition to its lightness and springy characteristics, shall be substan tially resistant to moisture absorption and which also shall be substantially vermin proof.

In my bat or felt I employ kapok as one of the primary constituents. I-Ieretofore kapok has not been successfuly used as a filling for mattresses, or for other articles subjected to repeated pressure, because the fibres of kapok, while initially very soft and springy, gradually lose these desirable qualities when used in the mass, due to the fact that the fibres disintegrate.

I have discovered, however, that kapok may be so combined with cotton as to form a compound which possesses the desirable features of kapok and which at the same time does not possess the fault which has rendered its use unsatisfactory, that is to say its destruction due to inherent weakness and brittleness, when subjected to substantial wear.

In the production of my improved bat or felt, I so treat kapok and cotton fibres that the cotton fibres are caused to surround the kapok fibres. As an example, I take equal quantities of prime Japara kapok and high grade linter (the first cut from the delinted cotton seed). I then free each of the ingredients from dust, chafi', seeds, etc., by passing the same separately through a willower or duster. I then roughly mix the kapok and linters, this mixing operation being done by hand or machine as desired. I then pass the mixed fibres through a blend ing machine. For this purpose a willower will sufice.

Application filed July 23, 1925.

Serial No. 415,719.

The willower openings which ordinarilypermit the dirt, seed, etc., mixed in the fibre to drop out, are blocked by means of a plate or plates. The willower mixes the fibres to a substantial extent, but in order to achieve thorough blending and covering of. the kapok fibres with the cotton fibres, I pass the mixed fibres through a garnett which, in the processes of parallelizing the fibres, has the property of covering the Weak kapok fibres with the stronger cotton fibres, the latter bearing the brunt of the strain. imposed by the garnetting. I found that if the speed of the garnetting machine be slightly increased above its normal speed, it is possible to use somewhat less cotton in the compound. However, I prefer that sub stantially equal proportions, by weight, of kapok and cotton fibres be used. The garnett, in addition to parallelizing the fibres, imparts at the same time a slight twist to them. The fibres are discharged from the machine in a thin web, sections of the web being mechanically superposed one upon the other, i. e. layer upon layer, adhesion be tween the layers being effected by slight pressure. p

The bat or felt produced has a resiliency and longevity of cotton felts with the springy characteristic of kapok. Articles manufactured of this felt, such as mattresses, will be lighter in Weight than if produced of cotton felt alone and will possess a resiliency greater than possessed either by kapok or cotton felt alone. It will be sanitary and vermin resisting, and less absorptive than cotton felt. It will not pack into hard sections in the mattresses as will cotton felt, nor will it crumble or disintegrate as will kapok. I

Having described my invention What I. claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is as follows, it being understood that certain of these modifications may be made in the specific disclosure herein without departing from the spirit of the claims, for example in the use of the word garnett? I include any device of the general kind having the effect of parallelizing the fibres:

1. A bat consisting of successive superposed thin layers, each layer consisting of cotton and kapok fibre blended and the fibres parallelized, the kapok being at least 4:070 of the Whole, substantially as described.

2. A bat comprising superposed. thin layers, each layer consisting of approximately 40% kapok fibre and 60% cotton fibre, the

two being mixed and parallelized in such manner that individual kapok fibres are substantially covered by cotton fibres. 10

In testimony whereof, I have signed any name to this specification.

LEO MANN.