US2380762A

US2380762A - Manufacture of sheet materials

Info

Publication number: US2380762A
Application number: US385030A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ralph G Jackson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1941-03-24
Filing date: 1941-03-24
Publication date: 1945-07-31
Anticipated expiration: 1962-07-31

Description

July 31, 1945. R. G. JACKSON 2,380,762

MANUFACTURE OF SHEET MATERIAL Filed March 24, 1941 Patented July 31, 1945 UNITED STATE s PATENT assoas'z OFFICE.

MANUFACTURE or sham MATERIALS 12.1,. G. Jackson, Woodbury, N. J.

v Application March 24, 1941, Serial No. 385,030

9 claims... (c|. 11'I8) This invention relates to a method of and apparatus fortreating sheet material particularly of the type employed for decorativeor other purposes, on doors. walls and other surfaces.

By means of this method and apparatus, sheet 1 material is provided which is of the general type described and claimed in my patents, Nos. 1,729,833 and 1,798,779; also, there is provided sheet material characterized by the uniform distgbution of the penetrant in the body of the s eet.

In applying a penetrant to a sheet material for impregnation purposes, it is frequently dimcult, particularly with a dense or fairly solid sheet,

to obtain uniform distribution of the penetrant in pores well down, in the body of the sheet. The term fpores" is-used as the equivalent of interstices to indicate space in the sheet not occupied by non-absorbent, material. For ordinary saturation purposes. for instance, a less filter whereby surface coloring of the sheet is f efiected, but little or no coloring into the body of the sheet.

In,the present invention, a sheet is provided with a multitude of very fine openings constituting ducts extending from a surface into the body of the sheet so that a penetrant, such as a saturan-t or decorative coloring material, applied to a surface of the sheet so treated, passes more freely into or through the sheet. Such pin hole piercing of the surface is preferably done by rouletting and is in contrast to perforations or any similar treatment such as requires the removal of any substantialaniount of the material of the sheet in the making of ,the openings. Although the surface of the sheet may be hard and compactand resistant toimpregnation, after the pene trant passes beneath the surfaces, it spreads latof a duct or pin hole opening than from the by way of illustration in the thickness of a laminated sheet in which .a penetrant;

of the sheet and the degree of lateral spread of The more dense the sheet the shorter the distance between the ducts.

Apparatus that may be employed in the present method, and certain types of products that are prepared thereby, are shown diagrammatically the'accom-panying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a vertical section of one form of appara'tus for piercing the surface of a sheet in accordance with the method of the present invention; Fig. la is a vertical section of a form of.apparatus for treating a rouletted sheet with a penetrant;

Fig. 1b is a fragment of a section of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 taken on line di -a;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic representation 'of a modification of the apparatus;

Fig. 3, is a fragmentary sectional view of a sheet and rouletting means applied thereto, the

rouletting means extending through the sheet from one side to the other; a r

Fig, 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on a plane parallel to and between the sides of a sheet, showing one arrangementof ducts ina sheet, and illustrating the. distribution ofa penetrant into the body of a sheet from the sides of one of the ducts:

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view through the thickness of a sheet in which ducts extend part-of the way through the sheet;

Flg. 6 is a fragmentarysectional view through ducts extend through one of the laminations;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary plan view of a sheet in which relatively short slits have been made prepared from such materials as animal, vezer normal surface of a sheet. The ducts are distributed uniformly and are spaced 9. predeterincrosssectionasshowriinFigA;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view .as'distinct from openings substantially circular through the thickness of a plastic sheet in which ducts and applied penetrant extend part of the way into the body of the sheet; and

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic representation. of

a fragment of a floor covering showing ducts and coloring material of figured decorations extending through the thickness of, the floor covering and showing the zoning of the different colors making up the flgured decorations.

The present method maybe applied to various types ofsheet materials thatare impregnable, or capable of being impregnated. Fibrous sheets table or mineral fibers with or without binders are used. .Felt, asbestos, wood, or'plper sheets,

mined distance apart depending upon the'density or sheets preparedfrom certain types of plastic 2 a,sso,':es eomposiuonseresetistectorilyemplond- TheluusiendL-duetslmuextendthroulhthe plasflcoomposltionmubeotthewpeotelinoupperlsyerlmlyorthromhhoththeluen. leumcompositlomeplestlcwoodeompositionor lhl'lmlwhichillmtntesnporoulphstic otherplnsticwithslmcientplesticbindermixed sheethsvinleheckingiendeluerotphstie withenberornnelymundnb'ertobeeslen- U ll,ductseresholm utendinlm f om deredtotormesolidthomhporoussheet. tluoulhtheplllticlqer. Theductsinsuche mestiesheetssrezenerellyoonsideredunsuitsheetmsy.ildesired.extendthmhthenhstic ebletorpenetretionmirpooes. Anyplesticsheet, layer liendnlsothroluhflaebeckincluerl. whetherornot iteontninsnbemissuitable for 'lhehorilontnilinesll'betweentheductsllillususeinthe presentproceagifltisporoumnfld 1. trl' h nmtlfldenthotpenetnflonote penetnble with I. fluid penetrsnt used. for settrout (colored blue,- for instnnoe) with said uretion or deearativepurposes. By peri'ontin: ducts extending port the m throuah the such a sheet, penetration is obtainable not only sheet. In linoleum with e burlap beckini, i'or n-omanoutersurieeebutslsolaterallynnmthe instance. the eolorins msteriel ml! extend" wellsoteachduct. Bincepenetretionisthusobll Jninllidefleet tlined.esmoothersurteoeoenbeinitisllyprovldedonesheetanddependenoeneednotbeentirely placed on penetration from such surface only.

The ducts in a sheet may be pin ducts, such a thoseproduoedhyroulettesor othertypesoi'hole tonninzor mechines. Ductserealsopm- Punch duoed by drillinz, in which case some of the metu'ieloi'thesheettreetedisremoyedendthe formedbytheuseoi'averyiinedrilLsoiinethat theproductwheninuse,

plemedsheetwillpassintothebodyofthesheet throuzhtheductsendlaternlly beneeth the-m greeterthnn s tit-5m aseiinishediiooroovaointsl extendirom themu I 'n; we of illustration, the mm mm (m. 1) a sheet I! in position to:- pain:

adjacent ducts as at 22. Ordinarily, as in the case of a hard Krai'elt sheet, the ducts may be spaced from one-sixteenth to one-eighth of an inch apart.. The spacing of ducts as well as the viscosity of the penetrant varies with the density or absorbency of the sheet.

A penetrant suitable for floor covering purposes may be prepared by grinding from about two to three parts by weight of pigment to one part by weight of oil or vehicle to form a paste. The proportion of oil to pigment depends upon the oil absorption of the pigment. Some pigments require more oil to wet them or to'make a paste than other pigments. The above paste is thinned to a suitable consistency with either oil or naphtha in the case of oil paints, and in the case of water paints, thinning may be accomplished with water. I V

A suitable formula for a green penetrant is as follows:

' Pounds Chrome green 250 Cliffstone L 200 The above mixture is ground with about 210 pounds boiled linseed oil, and-the resulting paste thinned down to a proper viscosity.

To produce a blue penetrant, the following formula may be used:

Pounds Ultramarine blue 250 Cliffstone 200 Lithopone 375 Cliffstone 200 The latter pigments are ground in about 200 pounds of boiled oil to form a paste which is thinned to a desired consistency.

The viscosity of a penetrant, such as the above paints, may vary from to seconds on a #10 Ford viscosity cup. Such 'vis'cosities vary depending on the amount of penetration. desired, and ,on the manner of applying the penetrant. The pigments and oils are also varied, both in composition and in theirproportions.'- The pr'oportions may be' varied for reasons other than those indicated above, namely, for the purpose of varying the'color obtained in a sheet.

Certain sheets tend to repel penetrants such as coloring materials primarily because of their moisture content. A satisfactory moisture content is below two or three per cent. Some papers have a higher proportion of moisture and are still usable. A "bone dry" paper is desirable, but

I paper carrying up to or about five per cent of moisture is considered practical for penetration purposes with decorating or other media,

In the use of print blocks i1 and it, such as those on flat bed machines in floor covering plants, it is not necessary that there shall be any definite relation between the spacing of the lines on a print block and the spacing of the ducts in a sheet. The paint or'penetrant is deposited by the wooden lines of a block and the paint thus applied covers the entire surface of the sheets therefrom, so that when a sheet is passed betweenthe rollers, it is pierced by the points. The points 21 are long enough to pierce a sheet through its thickness or part of the way through its thickness. The sheet 24, after piercing, is passed between

rollers

28 and 29 which may be engraved rollers, or other rollers by which a penetrant may beapplied either to the top of the sheet or to the bottom or both. After applying the penetrant, the sheet is passed between calenurants, may be applied such as asphalts, tar and.

other bitumens. In the preparation of roofin sheets in which it is essential that the fibrous material employed for this purpose be filled, saturation may be accomplished quickly and thoroughly. A sheet. after being pierced may be passed through asaturation tank with or without means for subjecting the saturant to pressure. Under certain conditions plastics or thermoplastics in fluid or melted form are forced into a pierced sheet. Plastic wood or a plastic made from pigment and oil may be used for this purpose. The plastic after entrance into the ducts and pores of a sheet eventually solidifies.

For some purposes it is found desirable to maintain the upper surface of a-floor covering, for instance, smooth and fairly dense. In such case the backof the sheet may be pierced and ducts provided in the sheet which pass about threequarters or'four-fiiths of the way through the thickness of the sheet without breaking the top surface. The penetrant is then applied to the pierced side of the sheet. By this method, a penetrant of higher viscosity can be used whereby a saving of solvents or other vehicle is realized and a denser sheet is obtainable. I

In the preparation of a sheet material in ac- V cordance with the present invention, a sheet may be pierced before there are any operations on pressed into the sheet, forming an inlaid material.

In other words, the sheet forms a matrix into which a plastic material can be forced. A sheet to be decorated may be primed or moistened before the decorating material is applied. A sheet may be saturated or surface-treated after the decoratin material is applied. It may or may not be calendered or pressed to a smooth surface at any stage during processing. The calenderingtime depends on the nature of the materials used and thedrying time of such materials and also whether or not they, are thermoplastic.

' Ducts may be any shape in cross section. as. for instance, circular, or substantially so, as shown in Fig. 4, or they may be in the form of slots or slits, as shown in the sheet 32 at P3 (Fiz'. 'l) Depending on the nature of a sheet and the cross section of apiercing means, the ducts w en made may be invisible to the naked eye when the goods is used as a floor covering.

In Fig. 9 a sheet having figured decorations, hereinbefore referred to, is illustrated. Decorative figures may extend part of the way through the thicknessof a sheet as illustrated in Fig. 8, or all of "the way through the thickness of a sheet 35 as shown at 38 and 31.' The sheet 35 may be a porous plastic composition provided with a backing such as woven goods 38, or felt or other goods A linoleum or other floor covering material may be pierced clear through from the top to the bottom of the sheet asshown at 39 to provide for penetration of the various colors, employed in figured decorations, through the thickness of the sheet. Thus, an inlaid effect is produced on the top surface of sheet goods as well as on the bottom surface of the sheet goods. By means of the ducts, the inlaid effect on the bottom surface of the sheet goods is rendered more pronounced. i

The present invention has numerous advantages in addition to those referred to above. Less expensive sheet material may be used to start with and by'piercing of such sheet material, the latter is rendered more flexible. By piercing, one may use a denser, smoother sheet which does not require so much filling material or top dressing in order to provide a compact, smooth sheet when finished. When applying saturants, penetration is more complete. The ducts serve the purpose of permitting a sheet to be filled with harder, and better wear-resisting materials than the composition of the sheet itself. The sheet-acts as a skeleton which is filled with the wear-resisting materials. Inthe preparation of decorative sheets, the ducts make it possible to use a denser and harder sheet and yet make it possible to penetrate the sheet with colorings well down into the sheet or all the way through it.

One of the difiicu'lties in the manufacture of decorative sheets is the preparation of a solid Sheet from porous sheet materials. If there are any pores in a floor covering, for instance, after the surface is worn down from use, the worn sheet is more apt to collect dirt. A sheet prepared by the present process is readily rendered solid throughout and free frompores. The more solid a sheet, the more satisfactory it is as a wear surface.

What is claimed is:

' l. A method of manufacturing decorative impregnated sheet material, which method comprises piercing a fibrous sheet the surface of which is resistant to impregnation by fluid coloring or: toughening penetrants, said piercing providing a multiplicity of minute ducts positioned closely together and extending uniformly across its surface without removing any of the material of the sheet, and applying a fluid decorative medium penetratingly to the surface of the sheet in certain prescribed zones to saturate the material of the sheet and extend laterally from each duct, the ducts being so small as to be sublaterally from each duct, the ducts being so small as to be substantially imperceptible to the eye when the goods is used as a floor covering.

3. A method of manufacturing decorative impregnated sheet material, which method comprises rouletting a sheet, the surface of which is resistant to impregnation by fiuid coloring or toughening penetrants, said rouletting providing a multiplicity of minute ducts positioned closely together and extending well down into the body of said sheetwhile leaving the surface sufficiently continuous to print upon, and applying a decorative saturant in figured decorations to the sheet to penetrate the sheet therewith and uniformly distribute the saturant in the body of the sheet and laterally from each duct, the ducts being so small as to be substantially imperceptible to the eye when the goods is used as a floor covering.

4. A method of manufacturing decorative impregnated sheet material, which method comprises piercing a fibrous-sheet, the surface of i which is resistant to impregnation by fluid coloringor toughening penetrants, said piercing providing a multiplicity of minute ducts positioned closely together and extending well into the body of the sheet to provide ducts for introduction of a fiuid penetrant into the body of the sheet, the

ducts being so spaced that when said fluid penetrant is applied the penetrant entering the ducts and spreading laterally therefrom is uniformly distributed in the body of the sheet while the surstantially imperceptible to the eye when the 1 goods is used as a floor covering.

' 2. A method of manufacturing decorative imregnated sheet material, which method com-' prises subjecting a sheet the surface of which is resistan to i p gnation by fluid coloring or toughening penetrants to pin piercingto provide a multiplicity of minute ducts positioned closely together and extending well down into the body of said sheet, and applying a decorative saturant in figured color decorations to the sheet in certain prescribed zones and poresin the material of the sheet and extend soastofillth'epinholes face of the sheet remains sufilciently continuous to print upon, and applying a decorative fluid penetrant to the sheet in certain prescribed zones to form figured decorations and causing the penetrant to enter deep down into the ducts and laterally therefrom to the body of the sheet, the ducts being so small as to be substantially imperceptible to the eye when the goods is used as a floor covering.

5. A method of manufacturing a decorative floor covering, which method comprises piercing a porous plastic sheet to provide a multiplicity of minute ducts positioned closely together and extending straight into said sheet for the introduction of a coloring material into the body of the sheet, and applying a coloring medium to the surface of said sheet in the form of figured decorations, and causing said coloringmedium to extend into the body of the sheet by penetrating straight into the sheet through said ducts and laterally from said ducts into the pores of the sheet between the ducts to display a figured pattern at the surface of the sheet and to provide substantially the same pattern well down into'the body of the sheet, the ducts being so small as to be substantially imperceptible to the eye when the goods is used as a floor covering.

6. A method of manufacturing a decorative floor covering, which method comprises piercing a porous sheet to provide a multiplicity of minute ducts positioned closely together and extending straight into said sheet for introduction of coloring matter into the body of the sheet, and applying coloring matter to said sheet over areas in 'the form of figured decorations simulating an multiplicity of minute ducts positioned closely to-.

gether and of relatively small cross section, and extending from a surface ofv the sheet straight into the body thereof for the passage of coloring matter into the body of the sheet, said sheet h'aving been porous prior to impregnation and sufficiently smooth to print upon, said sheet having coloring matter in said-ducts and in the pores of the sheet displaying figured decorations extending from one surface of the sheet with substantially the same pattern of figured decoration well down into the body of the sheet, the ducts being so small as to be substantially imperceptible to the user when the goods is used as a floor covering.

8. As an article of manufacture, a decorative covering comprising a pliable sheet having a,

multiplicity of minute ducts positioned closely together and of relatively small cross section/extending from one surface of the sheet straight into the body thereof and said sheet having been porous prior to impregnation and sufficiently smooth to print upon, and coloring matter impre'gnated into the ducts and in the pores of the sheet between the ducts providing an inlaid effect in apattern appearing on the surface of the sheet and the same pattern extending well down into the body of the sheet, the ducts being so small as to be substantially imperceptible to the eye when the goods is used as a floor covering.

9. As an article of manufacture, a'decorative floor covering comprising a fibrous sheet havin a multiplicity of minute ducts positioned closely together and of relatively small cross section extending substantially straight through the thickness of the sheet and said sheet having been porous prior to impregnation and suf'ficiently smooth ing so smallas to be substantially imperceptible to the eye when the goods is used as a floor covering.

RALPH G. JACKSON.