US1998779A

US1998779A - Floor covering and process of preparing the same

Info

Publication number: US1998779A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ralph G Jackson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1931-06-02
Filing date: 1931-06-02
Publication date: 1935-04-23
Anticipated expiration: 1952-04-23

Description

April 1935 R. G. JAcKsoN 1,998,779

FLOOR COVERING AND PROCESS OF PREPARING THE SAME Filed June 2, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 2?" 1. l (/29 2 l l if Z 2 7 2 a April 23, 1935. R. e. JACKSON 1,998,779

FLOOR COVERING AND PROCESS OF PREPARING THE SAME Filed June 2, 1931 2 sheets-sheetz Patented Apr. 23, 1935 UNITED STATES FLOOR oovnnmc AND rnocnss or PREPARING THE' SAME Ralph G. Jackson, Woodbury, N. J.

Application 33 Claims.

This invention relates to floor coverings and to a process of making the same and pertains generally to an improvement in the production of 1,729,882 and 1,729,833, both patented October 1,

floor covering including 1929. In these patents was described a new and improved type of smooth surface water proof the use of a sheet of fibrous material having penetrating decorative coloring therein and having the voids between the decorated fibers filled with a saturant filling material leaving the decorations visible therethrough and providing a toughening and wear resisting property to the decorated sheet.

In the present improvement, unexpected and remarkable effects in appearance and wearing quality have been obtained by using as the floor covering sheet in lieu of the felt or paper such as disclosed in Patents 1,729,832 and 1,729,833, a

new type of felt sheet peculiar in that it has what maybe defined as curled or kinky vegetable fibers of wood pulp. One such product now available is known as Krafelt and is identified and described generally in British Patent 313,085, although perhaps insufficiently therein and for which reason there will be embodied in this specification a short statement as to how the felt sheet is prepared prior to being treated decoratively and completed according to the present invention. The manufacture of the felted sheet, per se, is not claimed as a part of the present invention, but the resultant sheet and the steps of preparing it are peculiarly related to the resultant success achieved by the present invention, as will be shown. One characteristic appearance of the floor coverings made by this invention from the curly fiber type of sheet is the obtainable velvety texture of the surface which has an actual nap surface when the sheet is treated as prescribed herein. It has also been found that the final decorated and completed product is wear resisting, and will wear smoothly and uniformly with even texture and is highly resistant to tearing strains.

Certain ad 'tional peculiar advantages are obtained as a result of using the type of absorbent felt base described and in treating it in the manner explained herein. There appear to be at least two outstanding characteristics of the felted pulp fibers. One is the curled condition of the fibers and the other is the swelling of the fibers. Due to the fact that the fibers are swollen, they June 2, 1931, Serial No. 541,668 (01. ill-67.9)

make a more open felt than previously known; also paints and dyes penetrate better than they do in other sheets, and also due to the fact that the fibers are curled and hooked and matted together, the dyes or inks, although they may follow the fiber, do not spread out laterally so far as they would on fibrous material heretofore known. For this reason, more definite lines may be formed in the resultant product by printing or otherwise applying decorations. The printedor colored lines are smoother on the edges due to the fact'that the fibers are curled and do not extend so far in any direction. The sheet obtains its strength by interlocking of the fibers due to the shape of the fibers. In this type of sheet, the surface may be roughened, that is, the nap may be raised, mechanically, after the sheet has been made. Due to the formation of the sheet, the fibers after being raised are hooked and matted together and do not loos'en in such a way that they might tend to be lost from the sheet.

The above and other advantages, and features of the invention are described and claimed in the following specification and claims and the structure is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 represents diagrammatically a top plan view of a section of floor covering showing a portion which is decorated with relatively fine lines forming a conventional geometric design;

Fig. 2 is an edge view of the floor covering shown in Fig. 1, illustrating the decorating material extending in lines downward through the material of the base;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to that shown in Fig. l, but showing a modification of the coloring scheme, displaying solid. colors arranged in squares;

Fig. 4 is an edge view of the covering shown in Fig. 3, showing an example wherein a bacidng has been applied to the floor side .of the covering;

Fig. 5 is an edge view such as Fig. 4 of a piece of floor covering but having a surface decoration in the respective zones as well as penetrating decoration;

Fig. 6 is an edge view of door covering having a nap ing on the fioor side;

Fig. 7 is an edge view decorated floor covering, display surfaces;

Fig 8 is an edge view of a reversible piece of decorated floor covering having a nap surface on both sides; and

Fig. 9 is an edge view of an embossed sheet of decorated floor covering.

a piece of decorated surface, and a backof a reversible piece of both sides constituting Referring in detail to the several figures of the drawings, l indicates an untreated portion of a sheet of unsaturated, absorbent, mechanically or chemically treated wood pulp having a kinky or curly fiber, and prepared as hereinafter described. 2 indicates a decorative penetrating col oring material which extends well down into, as for example, substantially through, the thickness of the felt from top to bottom. This may be applied in lines of different color, as indicated by Figs. 1 and 2, or it may be applied in solid colors, as indicated by Figs. 3 and 4, in which the parts 2 represent red and the parts 2 represent blue, thus simulating a tile effect. This coloring effect may be worked out as desired, as for instance, in alternate squares of black and white. 3 indicates an outer transparent wear surface coat, such as may be provided by a coating of cellulose ester lacquer or transparent varnish material. This is optional, and may be omitted,

although for some floor coverings, it may prove desirable. Instead of the geometric figures illus-' trated in the drawings, the decorations may be of any design.

The material of the colors and decorative effects ordinarily extend substantially through the thickness of the sheet, as shown in Fig. 2, following the individual fibers. In Fig: 4, however, is shown a sheet whereon a paint backing has been applied at 4. The paint backing is of plain color and is so applied that the oil or vehicle of the backing extends only a slight distance into the sheet, as shown, and the paint is of such a consistency that the pigment is not carried to any perceptible amount into the sheet. Instead of the paint backing, a backing containing rubber, or a composition of oil and cork, may be applied.

The degree of penetration and impregnation of the penetrating coloring material depends on the density and absorbability of the fibrous base, the thickness of the sheet, the amount of pressure used when the coloring material is employed and on the amount of and the degree of fiuidity of the coloring material. When a second or surface decorative paint 5 is applied as shown in Fig. 5, the paint will have the same color as the penetrating decorative material, but a much heavier consistency.

After the decorative media has been applied and allowed to dry, the sheet may be treated with a water proofing saturant such as a solution containing a cellulose ester, or containing resins and waxes, which completely fill the remaining voids between the fibers. The addition of resins and waxes to the saturant gives added smoothness to the surface when the sheet is subjected to pressure. It is contemplated that the saturant may be substantially transparent, as in the case of the inventions described in my Patents 1,729,832 and 1,729,833, hereinbefore mentioned.

The application of the coloring matter may be done in several ways. The color may be deposited by a printing machine and in this way a figured decoration may be obtained or a continuous color coating applied, or the sheet may be passed between rollers and the paint applied to one or both surfaces and forced in by the squeezing action of the rollers. As an optional method, the fibers may be tinted at the beater stage after they have been subjected to the curling or kinking treatment and just prior to the formation of them into the felt sheet.

After the saturant has dried, the sheet is subjected to pressure in a press or by passing it through calenders. Excellent eflects can also be produced by embossing, which is accomplished by using fluted rolls, or embossing rolls having any desired design thereon. Such an embossed sheet is shown in Fig. 9, the raised or embossed portions being designated by the reference numeral 6. a

It may be desirable to produce a sheet having a nap on one or both surfaces, as in Figs. 6 and 8, where the nap is indicated at 1, being confined to one surface in Fig. 6, but appearing on both in Fig. 8. In this event, in decorating the sheet, the amount of paint applied and the proportion of pigment and vehicle are controlled, so that only the quantity is applied which will sink into the surface to cover the fibers and give them color, but still leave a soft surface having a nap, which may be raised mechanically after the sheet is made. In painting a surface where a nap is to be raised, from 30% to 50% of the vehicle used in the paint will be volatile. In ordinary printing, such as is done on a hard surface, only from 5% to 15% of the vehicle is volatile matter. If paints of such low volatility were used here, the nap or figures would be so matted down that a hard surface material would be produced.

When so desired, instead of producing a soft surface material having a nap, a plain fioor covering sheet having a base of mechanically and chemically puffed and curled fibrous material may be finished on both sides, waterproofed, decorated, and surfaced, thereby producing a reversible finished floor covering. Such a finished material is shown in Fig. 7, the surfacing material, which may be of a cellulose ester or transparent artificial resin type, being indicated at 3.

It has also been found desirable to use two grades of paints, one which has great penetrating qualities, which will consist of very finely ground pigments in a penetrating medium, while the other may not contain such finely ground pigments and will be in a vehicle which does not have as great penetrating qualities. By applying penetrating paint first and then applying the other paint directly on top of it, both being of the same color, it has been found that there is a limited amount of pigment and vehicle left on the surface and when the sheet treated this way is passed through a calender or subjected to pressure, a smooth surface is obtained which is practically identical with the surface of a sheet of linoleum. Passing it under pressure, whether through calenders or a press, coupled with the influence of a binding medium or saturant, enables the production of a much harder sheet with better wear resisting qualities, and with a smoother surface than can be accomplished by using a printing machine. The use of two paints of the same color but a different degree of penetrability forms another feature of my invention.

A similar effect to that above described is obtained by employing a waterproof saturant containing waxes. The use of saturants containing resins and waxes may most readily be effected with the supplementary use of heat in order to insure ease of penetration. Such materials give added smoothness to the surface when the sheet is subjected to pressure. The resultant product when saturated with Wax, may readily be polished without the subsequent addition of wax in the course of ordinary floor covering use.

Another feature of this invention is the provision of a backing on a sheet of water proof felt of the type used as a base in the composition described herein. As a backing material, a coat of paint may be employed in order to give the tion of pigment back a uniform color, or a backing might be used containing rubber, or containing a composition of oil and cork. The backing with paint may in many instances be done advantageously before the felt sheet is saturated or decorated. It has been found that by putting a coat of paint on the floor side of the sheet when it is finished and allowing the oils or vehicle of this backing to slightly penetrate the sheet, the sheet is stiffened and given a tough layer on one side which enables the sheet to be handled without wrinkling. The paint must be of such a consistency that the vehicle will penetrate the sheet to a slight degree but the pigment will not be carried to any perceptible amount into the sheet.

Another method of increasing the stiffness of the sheet and making it easier to handle is to prime it with a penetrating sizing material or a priming material such as an oil with a slight amount of resin in it. The oil may be a drying oil such as linseed oil, china wood oil, and the like. The resin may be either natural such as colophony, or artificial such as a resin of the phenol-aldehyde or glycerol-phthalic acid type. The sheet is moistened part or all the way through with the said sizing or priming material and the oil allowed to set or oxidize. This will bond the fibers slightly and so fix them that when the sheet is distorted they will not push out of place and leave a mark on the face of the sheet. If the priming or sizing material were placed in the heaters when the sheet was made, the sheet would come out with the fibers so bonded together that it would not have the same penetrating qualities that it does if the sheet is formed first and the fibers placed and then the priming or sizing material used to toughen the sheet; In using the priming or sizing material, it is necessary to limit the quantity so that the voids of the sheet are not filled but an amount is applied simply suflicient to moisten the fibers and place them in a tacky and slightly stiffened condition. This can readily be done without decreasing the penetrating quality.

Another feature of this invention is the control of the amount of paint applied and the propor and vehicle so that only the quantity is applied which will sink into the sheet and leave only an amount on the surface or in sight on the surface to cover the fibers and give them color, but still leave a soft surface having a nap, when such a surface is desired. When the amount of coloring material is properly controlled, the sheet will be penetrated and yet there will not be enough left on the surface to make a continuous film. The nap is raised mechanically after the sheet has been decorated and saturated. By treating both sides of the felt base in this manner, a piece of goods may be produced having a relatively soft appearing surface on both sides.

If desired, a sheet of plain or solid color fioor covering material of Krafelt base may be finished on both sides, and thus made reversible, being waterproofed, decorated, and surfaced in substantial duplication on both sides, or with modification of design if the degree of penetration of the decorative medium be controlled with respect to the thickness of the sheet, coloring penetrating from the opposite faces toward the center only about one-half the thickness of the sheet.

The method of manufacturing the non-woven fibrous sheet material composed of artificially crinkled fibers and forming the base material for the improved impregnated product of this invention is essentially as follows: Wood or other suitable fibrous cellulosic pulp, prepared by any suitable chemical process for producing pulp, is treated with a swelling agent under conditions of concentration and temperature such that the reactivity of the solution does not reach the stage required to bring about gelatinization of the cellulose. The swelling agent is washed out before the reaction has. proceeded appreciably further than required to swell thefibers. The crinkled fibers are then made into a felt or paper by the usual paper-making steps. Among the various suitable swelling agents are zinc chloride, ferric chloride, various thiocyanates, cuprammonium solutions, etc., but preferably caustic alkali, and particularly sodium hydroxide in concentrations between 8% and 35%. If a caustic alkali other than sodium hydroxide is used these percentages represent an equivalent concentration of sodium hydroxide. While higher concentrations of caustic may be used it is not necessary or economical to go above 35%. While temperatures between -10 C. and +104 C. may be used in conducting the process, room temperature is the most desirable and convenient. In order to prevent a too drastic action of the caustic on the pulp and to prevent weight losses, the ratio of liquor to pulp should not rise too high. Thus excellent results are produced by using sodium hydroxide liquor in a proportion of from 4.5 to 7.4 parts by weight for one part of pulp. Since the proportion of liquor used in this present process is somewhat smaller than is used in other processes for treating cellulose, whether in the manufacture of pulp or in the treatment of finished pulp for the purpose of purifying it, the mixing of the pulp and liquor within the relatively short period permitted for contact between the pulp and caustic, is effected by means of an apparatus which squeezes the pulp without abrasive or other mechanical action which tends to break up the fiber. A suitable apparatus for this purpose is the usual kneading machine, or ordinary beater machine in which the beater roll is raised from about 3mm. to 12 mm. above the bed plate. The time of treatment, generally only a matter of several seconds to 30 minutes, should not extend beyond the point at which a superficial gelatinization of the fibers takes place and must stop before there is any appreciable loss of fiber identity. To this end a stream of water is run into the mixing apparatus to wash out the caustic and to stop the reaction after a time not appreciably longer than required to completely distribute the caustic throughout the pulp.

The time of treatment is dependent for the most part upon the speed at which the caustic solution is distributed throughout the pulp and upon the temperature of the solution since caustic alkali solution, as pointed out in the mentioned application, becomes increasingly reactive as the temperature is lowered, also because of the increased tendency of the cellulose to dissolve in cold caustic the time of treatment must be shortened. With excellent mixing, as when a small quantity of pulp is stirred rapidly with a paddle into the caustic solution, thirty seconds is sufficient, even at a temperature as high as room temperature, i. e. 20 to 30 C. When large quantities of pulp are treated, it is not possible, however, to cause such rapid admixture of pulp and caustic in the mixing machine and the time of treatment is, therefore, somewhat longer, usually between 10 and 30 minutes. A practical method of determining the end point, the time at which the reaction between the caustic and fibers should be stopped, consists in dispersing the fibers in freeness and a short draining time under the same conditions denoting a high freeness. Inasmuch as the highly absorbent crinkled fibers from which the base is made have a remarkably high freeness as compared to other pulps, the

freeness value not only determines the end point referred to above but also serves to identify the product. Since this high freeness does not permit of measurement with sufficient accuracy by the 'methods conventionally used, it has been found necessary to express the freeness values in terms of a freeness testing method which requires a longer time in seconds for the water to drain from the pulp. The freeness is defined as the time in seconds for the water level of a dispersion of the pulp, at 25 C. containing 5 grams of bone dry pulp in suflicient water to make 1000 cc. of pulp suspension, to drop 30 centimeters when the suspension is contained in a vertical glass tube 1H; inches in diameter closed at the bottom with a circular brass wire screen 1 inches in diameter, 0.006 inches thick and having a mesh of 50 x 70. In conducting the test the lower end of the tube is provided with an extension which is filled with water to the level of the screen at the bottom of the tube so that the pulp in the tube will not deposit upon the screen until an orifice in the extension is opened permitting the water to flow down through the pulp deposited thereon.

The duration of the caustic treatment, under the particular conditions of temperature and concentration, should be such that the freeness as defined above is between certain limits. It should be pointed out, however, that it is unnecessary for the skilled operator to conduct such a freeness test to aid in carrying out the process or to identify the product, the experience gained through trial and error being sufficient to determine the duration of the treatment which seldom exceeds 30 minutes and is preferably no longer than required to uniformly distribute the caustic throughout the pulp.

The unusually high freeness of the pulp from which is made the base material for the new impregnated article of manufacture is shown by comparison with other pulps known to have a high freeness value. Thus the fibers of kraft pulp crinkled at 25 C. with 22% sodium hydroxide had a freeness of 26.4 seconds and when crinkled with 8% caustic had a freeness of 39.2 seconds whereas the same pulp without the crinkling treatment has a much slower freeness as evidenced by the 63.7 seconds found as its freeness value. Similarly, bleached sulfite pulp crinkled with 18% caustic has a freeness of 36.6 seconds whereas ordinary bleached sulfite without the crinkling treatment has a freeness of 105.8 seconds and the more porous specially purified bleached sulfite pulp without the crinkling treatment has a freeness of 80.8 seconds. A sample of blotter pulp tested had a freeness of 284 seconds.

After the crinkling process has been completed and the caustic removed from the pulp by washing, the pulp may be beaten, while dispersed in water, with a paper beating machine in order to improve the strength of the felted product.

pulp may be impregnated directly, especially when the impregnating media is an aqueous dispersion, and the impregnating pulp then made into sheet form.

The crinkled fibers obtained by the described method of treating pulp with caustic and washing out the caustic after a short time, or these fibers after the mentioned beating in water, are deposited in the form of a sheet, as in known methods of manufacturing paper, and the sheet is thereupon dried. The exceptionally high porosity of the resulting product may be noted from the fact that the porosity, as determined by the Gurley Densometer, varies from 0.4 seconds to 12 seconds as compared to blotting paper which seldom shows, by the same test, a porosity less than 40 seconds.

The crinkled fibrous product as described, or the paper or felt produced therefrom, are characterized by a coloration test with zinc chloriodide. This test, taken in connection with other characteristics mentioned hereinafter, also serves to identify the new impregnated product. In making the test the pulp or paper is dispersed in 10 cc. distilled water in a test tube, and the water drained and expressed from the pulp by pressure to about 75% moisture. When this pulp is transferred to a test tube containing 5 cc. of zinc chloriodide solution at 20-25 C. and shaken until dispersed there is a prompt appearance of a blue ,color in the pulp which indicates that it has been treated with a sodium hydroxide solution of 7.5% to 35% concentration. Mixtures of treated and untreated fibers are recognized under the microscope after standing with zinc chloriodide'solution. The color produced by the crinkled unbleached kraft pulps is almost black due to the brown color of the pulp. This test distinguishes from pulps made by the soda process with 8%-1l% sodium hydroxide solution under high temperature and pressure but which have not received the additional sodium hydroxide treatment of the crinkling process described herein. Pulp made from the soda process and which has not been crinkled as described show only a very slight coloration readily distinguished from the deeper color produced by the treated pulp.

One form of the highly porous sheet material above described may also be prepared by the method set forth in Patent 1,757,756, issued to George L. Schwartz, May 6, 1930, which consists in treating a felt or paper made from ordinary paper pulp with a swelling agent such as sodium hydroxide at a concentration of 2.5 to 8 mols per mols of water for 15 to 20 seconds at a temperature between the freezing point and 20 C. higher, 1. e., between 12 C. and +8 C. for sodium hydroxide, and washing out the gelatinizing or swelling agent at the completion of the reaction. It will be noted that when the absorbent felted product is made by treating paper instead of pulp, which is subsequently felted it is necessary to use a more reactive swelling agent, at the low temperature mentioned.

macaw It is to be understood that the term artificially crinkled fibers, as used in the claims, refers to the curled and kinked product obtained as -decorations and causing artificially curled vegetable fibers by thereto a decorative medium to provide'figured hydroxide solution,

above described by the action of a swelling agent on fibers in pulp form which is'washed out of the fibers after the short time required for completion of the desired reaction between the swelling agent and fibers, as distinguished from the fibers in paper which has been merely puffed by the treatment of paper as for instance by the means used in the previously mentioned patent which consists in crystallizing salts in a sheet of paper. The objects of the present invention cannot be obtained with products of the kind of this latter type.

The crinkled fibers from which the base of the new impregnated article is made is also to be distinguished from the fibers of pulp which have received asubsequent purifying treatment with caustic inasmuch as this treatment is extended as to time and is, furthermore, usually conducted. under drastic conditions with respect to high liquor ratio and mechanical manipulation as are suitable for the production of high grade papers. The described crinkled product cannot be produced under these conditions.

Claims to a sheet covering having nap surface characteristics are presented in my copending application Serial 634,057, filed September 20, 1932.

I claim:

1. A process of making sheets suitable for use in smooth surface floor coverings which process comprises treating a non-woven felted sheet of artificially curled vegetable fibers by applying thereto a decorative medium to provide figured decorations and causing the same to penetrate into the body of the sheet and tint the fibers and be visible on at least one face of the sheet, and subsequently saturating the decorated sheet with a water proof toughening agent capable of solidifying and resisting wear.

2. A process of making sheets suitable for use in smooth surface fioor coverings which process comprises treating a non-woven felted sheet of artificially curled vegetable fibers by applying thereto a decorative medium to provide figured the same to penetrate into the body of the sheet and tint the fibers and be visible on at least one face of the sheet, and subsequently saturating the decorated sheet with a water proof toughening agent capable of solidifying and resisting wear, said curled vegetable fibers-being characterized by the particular shape and condition resulting from treating them while in pulp form with a swelling agent, washing out the swelling agent before the reaction has proceeded appreciably further than required to swell the fibers, and making the fibers into a felted sheet.

3. A process of making sheets suitable for'use in smooth surface fioor coverings which process comprises treating a non-woven felted ,sheet of pply n decorations and causing the same to penetrate into the body of the sheet and tint the fibers and be visible on at least one face of the sheet, and subsequently saturating the decorated sheet with a water proof toughening agent capable of solidifying and resisting wear, said curled vegetable fibers being characterized by the particular shape and condition resulting from treating them while in pulp form with an aqueous sodium washing out the solution before the reaction has proceeded appreciably further than required to swell the fibers, and making the fibers into a felted sheet.

4. A process of making sheets suitable for use in smooth surface fioor coverings which process comprises treating a non-woven felted sheet of artificially curled vegetable fibers by applying thereto a decorative medium to provide figured decorations and causing the same to penetrate into the body of the sheet and tint the fibers and be visible on at least one face of the sheet, and subsequently saturating the decorated sheet with a water proof toughening agent capable of solidifying and resisting wear, said curled vegetable fibers being characterized by the particular shape and condition resulting from treating them while in. pulp form with sodium hydroxide of 8% to 35% concentratiomwashing out the caustic after a time not appreciably longer than required to completely distribute the caustic solution throughout the pulp, and making the fibers into felt.

5. A process of making sheets suitable for-use in smooth surface fioor coverings which process comprises treating a non-woven felted sheet of artificially curled vegetable fibers by applying thereto a decorative medium to provide figured decorations and causing the same to penetrate into the body of the sheet and tint the fibers and be visible on at leastv one face of the sheet, and subsequently saturating the decorated sheet with a water proof toughening agent capable of solidifying and resisting wear, said curled vegetable fibers being characterized by the particular shape and condition resulting from treating them while in pulp form with an aqueous sodium hydroxide solution of 8% to 35% concentration within a temperature range of approximately -10 C. to +l0i C., mixing the solution with the pulp in an apparatus which squeezes the pulp without abrasive action, washing out the caustic alkali after a time not appreciably longer than required to completely distribute the caustic solution throughout the pulp by said apparatus, and making the fibers into felt.

6. A process of making sheets suitable for use in smooth surface fioor coverings which process comprises treating a non-woven felted sheet of artifically curled vegetable fibers by applying thereto a decorative medium to provide figured decorations and causing the same to penetrate into the body of the sheet and tint the fibers and be visible on at least one face of the sheet, and subsequently saturating the decorated sheet with a water proof toughening agent capable of solidifying and resisting wear, said curled vegetable fibers being characterized by the particular shape and condition resulting from treating them while in pulp form with sodium hydroxide solution of 8% to 35% concentration in the proportion of about 4.5 to 7.4 parts by weight of solution for one part by weight of pulp, mixing the solution with the pulp in squeezes the pulp without abrasive action, washing out the caustic alkali after a time not appreciably longer than required to completely distribute the caustic solution throughout the pulp an apparatus which.

into the body of the sheet and tint the fibers and be visible on at least one face of the sheet, and subsequently saturating the decorated sheet with a water proof toughening agent capable of solidifying and resisting wear, said curled vegetable fibers being characterized by the particular shape and condition resulting from treating them while in pulp form with sodium hydroxide solution of 8% to 35% concentration, in the proportion of about 4.5 to 7.4 parts by weight of solution for one part by weight of pulp, mixing the solution with the pulp for 10 to 30 minutes in an apparatus which squeezes the pulp without abrasive action, washing out the caustic, and making the fibers into felt.

8. A process of making sheets suitable for use in smooth surface fioor coverings which process comprises treating a non-woven felted sheet of artificially curled vegetable fibers by applying thereto a decorative medium to provide figured decorations and causing the same to penetrate into the body of the sheet and tint the fibers and be visible on at least one face of the sheet, and subsequently saturating the decorated sheet with a water proof toughening agent capable of solidifying and resisting wear, said curled vegetable fibers being characterized by the particular shape and condition resulting from treating them while in pulp form with sodium hydroxide solution of 18% concentration, in the proportion of about 4.5 to 7.4 parts by weight of solution for one part by weight of pulp, mixing the solution with the pulp for minutes in an apparatus which squeezes the pulp without abrasive action, washing out the caustic, and making the fibers into felt.

9. As a new article of manufacture, a tough, pliable sheet material comprising a non-woven base of artificially crinkled fibers, said base carrying coloring media forming figured decorations, and being impregnated with a saturating composition disclosing the coloring media therethrough and providing a toughening effect resistant to floor covering usage.

10. As a new article of manufacture, a tough, pliable sheet material comprising a non-woven base of artificially crinkled fibers, said base carrying figured decorations extending well down into the sheet and tinting the fibers, and said base being impregnated with a saturating composition filling the voids between the fibers and disclosing the tint thereof through the composition and providing a toughening effect resistant to abrasion.

11. A fioor covering of the smooth surface type comprising a sheet of absorbent felted fibrous material containing a substantial proportion of curled cellulose fibers and having colored decorative figures visible on at least one face thereof and extending well down into the body of the sheet and tinting the fibers but not filling the voids between the fibers.

12. A floor covering of the smooth surface water proof type comprising a sheet of absorbent felted fibrous material containing a substantial proportion of curled cellulose fibers and having colored decorative figures visible on at least one face thereof and extending well down into the body of the sheet and tinting the fibers but not filling the voids between the fibers, and a water proof transparent saturant filling material which has been dried by evaporation filling the voids between the fibers and substantially throughout the thickness of the sheet and providing a smooth tough wear surface.

13. A process of producing a sheet suitable for use as a smooth surface floor covering comprising applying a penetrating decorative coloring material to one face of a sheet of absorbent felted fibrous material containing a substantial proportion of curled cellulose fibers and thereby causing the coloring material to tint the fibers and form figured decorations but not fill the voids between the fibers, and then applying pressure to the sheet of felted fibrous material to secure a smooth surface thereon.

14. A process of producing a sheet suitable for use as a smooth surface fioor covering of the water proof type comprising applying a penetrating decorative coloring material to one face of a sheet of absorbent felted fibrous material containing a substantial proportion of curled cellulose fibers and thereby causing the coloring material to tint the fibers and form figured decorations but not fill the voids between the fibers, filling the voids between the fibers with a water proof transparent saturant filling material, and drying said water proof transparent saturant filling material by evaporation, and then applying pressure to the sheet of felted fibrous material to secure a smooth surface thereon.

15. A floor covering of the smooth surface type comprising a sheet of absorbent felted fibrous material containing a substantial proportion of curled cellulose fibers and having figured decorative surface coloring visible on at least one face thereof and additional coloring material of the same color as the surface coloring but more penetrating in quality extending well down into the body of the sheet and tinting the fibers but not filling the voids between the fibers.

16. A floor covering of the smooth surface type comprising a sheet of absorbent felted fibrous material containing a substantial proportion of curled cellulose fibers and having figured decorative surface coloring visible on at least one face thereof and additional coloring material of the same color as the surface coloring but more penetrating in quality extending well down into the body of the sheet and tinting the fibers but not filling the voids between the fibers, and a water proof transparent saturant filling material which has been dried by evaporation filling the voids between the fibers and substantially throughout the thickness of the sheet and providing a smooth, tough, wear surface.

17. A process of producing a sheet suitable for use as a smooth surface fioor covering comprising applying a penetrating decorative coloring material to one face of a sheet of absorbent felted fibrous material containing a substantial proportion of curled cellulose fibers and thereby causing the coloring material to tint the fibers and form figured decorations but not fill the voids between the fibers, applying a top coating of relatively non-penetrating surface coloring material of the same color as said penetrating decorative coloring material, and then applying pressure to the sheet of felted fibrous material to secure a smooth surface thereon.

18. A process of producing a sheet suitable for use as a smooth surface fioor covering of the water proof type comprising applying a penetrating decorative coloring material to one face of a sheet of absorbent felted fibrous material containing a substantial proportion of curled cellulose fibers and thereby causing the coloring material to tint the fibers and form figured decorations but not fill the voids between the fibers, filling the voids between the fibers with a: water proof transparent saturant filling material by evaporation, applying a top coating of relatively non-penetrating surface coloring material of the same color as said penetrating decorative coloring material, and then applying pressure to the sheet of felted fibrous material to secure a smooth surface thereon.

19. A floor covering of the smooth surface type comprising a'sheet of absorbent felted fibrous material containing a substantial proportion of curled cellulose fibers and bearing printed figured decorations, the colors of which printed decorations extend through the thickness of the sheet and are also visible on the upper surface of the sheet.

20. A floor covering of the smooth surface water proof type comprising a sheet of absorbent felted fibrous material containing a substantial proportion of curled cellulose fibers and bearing printed figured decorations, the colors of which printed decorations extend through the thickness of the sheet and are also visible on the upper surface of the sheet, and a water proof transparent saturant filling material which has been dried by evaporation filling the voids between the fibers and substantially throughout the thickness of the sheet and providing a smooth tough wear surface.

21. As a new article of manufacture, a felted sheet of chemically softened and puffed wood fibers, carrying coloring material forming decorative figures and having the voids therebe'tween filled with a transparent water proofing saturant material.

22. A. fioor covering of the smooth surface type comprising a sheet of absorbent felted fibrous material containing a substantial proportion of curled cellulose fibers and having decorative colored figures visible on at least one face thereof and extending well down into the body of the sheet and tinting the fibers but not filling the voids between the fibers, the amount of coloring applied having been so controlled that no continuous film appears on the surface of the sheet.

23. A process of producing a sheet suitable for use as a smooth surface fioor covering of the water proof type comprising applying a penetrating decorative-v coloring material to one face of a sheet of absorbent felted fibrous material containing a substantial proportion of curled cellulose fibers and thereby causing the coloring material to tint the fibers and form figured decorations but not fill gthe voids between the fibers, filling the voids between the fibers with a water proof transparentsaturant filling material, and drying said water proof transparent saturant filling material by "evaporation, controlling the amount of coloring applied so as to leave no continuous film of color anywhere on the surface of the sheet, and then applying pressure to the sheet of felted fibrous material to secure a smooth surface thereon.

24'. As a new article of manufacture a sheet of absorbent felted fibrous material containing a substantial proportion of curled cellulose fibers and having decorative colored figures visible on at least one face thereof and extending well down into the body of the sheet and tinting the fibers but not filling the voids between the fibers, and a stiffening composition on said sheet and extending within the body of the sheet on one face thereof.

25. A process of producing a sheet suitable for use as a smooth surfacefioor covering comprising applying a penetrating decorative coloring material to one face of a sheet of absorbent felted 'the impregnated fibrous material containing a substantial proportion of curled cellulose fibers and thereby causing the coloring material to tint the fibers and form figured decorations but not fill the voids between the fibers, and then applying pressure to the sheet of felted fibrous material to secure a smooth surface thereon, applying a stiffening composition to one side of the sheet, and then filling the voids between the fibers with a water proof transparent saturant filling material, and drying said water proof transparent saturant filling material by evaporation.

26. A process of producing a sheet suitable for use as a fioor covering which process comprises priming a sheet of felted fibrous material having chemically curled and puffed fibers without filling the voids in the sheet, by coating one surface of said sheet with a priming material containing a drying oil, allowing said priming material to dry and thereby cause a setting of the fibers, then applying a decorative coloring to the sheet and causing the coloring to penetrate along the fibers and form figured decorations through the sheet.

2'7. A process of producing a sheet suitable for use as a fioor covering which process comprises priming a sheet of felted fibrous material having chemically curled and puffed fibers without filling the voids in the sheet, by coating one surface of said sheet with a priming material containing a drying oil, allowing said priming material to dry and thereby cause a setting of the fibers, then applying a decorative coloring to the sheet and causing the coloring to penetrate along the fibers and form figured decorations through the sheet, and finally water proofing said sheet by filling the voids between the fibers thereof with a transparent water proof saturant filling material.

28. As a new article of manufacture, a reversible piece of plain fioor covering having a base of chemically curled and swollen fibers, and water proofed, decorated with pigment on both sides forming figures and surfaced with a hard transparent wear surfacing material.

29. A process of producing a decorative sheet material which process comprises priming a sheet of felted fibrous material with priming material in an amount insuflicient to fill the voids in the sheet, applying apenetrating decorative coloring material to a face of the primed sheet and causing the coloring material to penetrate into the sheet and tint the fibers in the body of the sheet, and applying pressure to the surface of the decorated sheet to form a smooth, compacted wear surface.

30. A process of producing a decorative sheet material which process comprises priming a sheet of felted fibrous material with priming material in an amount insufficient to fill the voids in the sheet, applying a penetrating decorative coloring material to a face of the primed sheet and causing the coloring to penetrate along the fibers and form figured decorations through the sheet, and applying pressure to the surface of the decorated sheet to form a smooth, compacted wear surface.

31. A process of producing a decorative sheet material which process comprises impregnating a sheet of felted fibrous material, containing a substantial proportion of crinkled cellulose fibers,

with a composition containing resin and oil without filling the voids in the sheet, applying a penetrating decorative coloring material to a face of sheet and causing the coloring to penetrate along the fibers and form figured decorations through the sheet, and applying pressure to the surface of the decorated sheet.

32. A process of producing a decorative sheet -material which process comprises impregnating a sheet of porous fibrous material with a composition to serve as a fiber coating and binding agent the said composition being applied to fill the voids between the fibers to only a limited extent, the quantity in the voids being insuflicient to fill them, applying a decorative coloring material to the face of the sheet thus impregnated and causing the coloring material to penetrate well down into the body of the sheet, and applying pressure to the surface of the sheet thus impregnated and decorated to form a smooth, compacted wear surface.

33. A process of producing a decorative sheet material which process comprises impregnating a sheet of porous fibrous material with a composition containing resin and oil to serve as a binding agent the said composition being applied to fill the voids between the fibers to only a limited extent, the quantity in the voids being insufficient to fill them, applying decorative coloring matter to the impregnated sheet and causing the coloring matter to penetrate substantially through the thickness of the sheet, and applying pressure to the surface of the decorated sheet to form a smooth, compacted wear surface.

RALPH G. JACKSON.

CERTIFICATE OF EURRMHQN.

Patent Ne. 1,998,??9. April 23, 1935.

RALPH G. EACKSOM it is hereby certified that errer appears in the printed specification of the above numbere eatem requiring correction as feliews: Page 4, seeend ceiumn, line 4e fer "mending" read staning; and page 5, second eelumn, line 49, ciaim 6, fer "artifieally" read artifieialiy; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these eerree'tions therein that the same may eenform to the record of the ease in the Patent Gifice.

Signed and seeded this em day 0% Gateber, A. D. 1935.

Lesl ie Frazer (Seal) Acting (lemmissioner of Patents,