US3473205A - Felting apparatus and method - Google Patents

Felting apparatus and method Download PDF

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Publication number
US3473205A
US3473205A US670173A US3473205DA US3473205A US 3473205 A US3473205 A US 3473205A US 670173 A US670173 A US 670173A US 3473205D A US3473205D A US 3473205DA US 3473205 A US3473205 A US 3473205A
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United States
Prior art keywords
felting
fibers
fiber material
needle
needles
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Expired - Lifetime
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US670173A
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English (en)
Inventor
Josef Zocher
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Singer Co
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Singer Co
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Publication date
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    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D04—BRAIDING; LACE-MAKING; KNITTING; TRIMMINGS; NON-WOVEN FABRICS
    • D04H—MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS, e.g. FROM FIBRES OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; FABRICS MADE BY SUCH PROCESSES OR APPARATUS, e.g. FELTS, NON-WOVEN FABRICS; COTTON-WOOL; WADDING ; NON-WOVEN FABRICS FROM STAPLE FIBRES, FILAMENTS OR YARNS, BONDED WITH AT LEAST ONE WEB-LIKE MATERIAL DURING THEIR CONSOLIDATION
    • D04H18/00—Needling machines
    • D04H18/02—Needling machines with needles

Definitions

  • This disclosure sets forth a method and apparatus which includes advancing a fiber material across a supporting surface; providing a source of additional or secondary fibers on one side of the supporting surface and projecting felting needles through the fiber material, and into the source of additional fibers to intertwine fibers in the fiber material and also to intertwine fibers from the additional source into the fiber material. Needles are provided having novel felting barbs formed by die pressing with at least the fiber engaging surfaces thereof being rounded.
  • the novel apparatus and method disclosed herein provide for the efficient production of a needled fabric which can be patterned with fibers of different characteristics and includes means for drawing maximum amounts of fibers into the fabric with minimum fiber destruction.
  • This invention relates to method and apparatus for needling textile fabrics.
  • the invention is generally carried out by providing a primary fiber material either in loose fiber form which is compacted through an initial needling step or in a web form which has been previously compacted.
  • a web of fiber material is intended to include a primary fiber material either in loose or compacted form.
  • the web of fiber material is transported along a supporting surface where it is acted upon preferably by a series of felting needles.
  • a source of secondary fibers is provided on one side of the supporting surface in the path of travel of the felting needles so that said felting needles will draw additional or secondary fibers from said source into the web of material.
  • various effects can be provided in the web of material, such as color patterns, texture pile surface and the like by providing secondary fibers of different characteristics then the primary fiber material and/ or by relatively moving the primary and secondary fibers during the needling operation.
  • maximum fiber carrying capacity is provided with minimum fiber destruction so that the number of felting operations and needles is minimized.
  • fibers it is intended to include, filaments, threads, yarns, etc. of natural or synthetic nature.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide an improved apparatus and method in accordance with the foregoing object with which it is possible to produce unique patterns in the felted material.
  • a still further object of the invention is to provide an improved felting needle and method of manufacture 3,473,205 Patented Oct. 21, 1969 ice whereby the cutting of fibers by the needle is greatly reduced.
  • FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a portion of a preferred embodiment of the felting apparatus with the needle board shown broken into segments in order to illustrate the needles in various portions;
  • FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a portion of a modification of the felting apparatus of FIG. 1;
  • FIG. 3 is a plan view of a die pressed barb of a felting needle prior to final finishing
  • FIG. 4 is a plan view of the barb of the felting needle of FIG. 3 after having been further processed to form the novel barb;
  • FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a portion of a felting needle illustrating the novel die pressed barb.
  • FIG. 1 a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in part in FIG. 1.
  • a fiber supporting surface in the form of a needle plate 11 having needle apertures 12.
  • a web of fiber material 13 is advanced across the top of the needle plate by a power driven roll 14 or other suitable means.
  • the web of fiber material can be a mat of fibers, loose fibers, or loose fibers on a backing fabric.
  • the fiber material is a mat of fibers.
  • the fiber material is disposed between the needle plate 11 and a holding plate 15.
  • the holding plate has needle apertures 16 in line with the needle apertures 12 in the needle plate 11.
  • the needle apertures 16 in the holding plate 15 have upper and lower countersinks 17 and 18, respectively, for guiding the fibers.
  • a suitable machine frame not shown is provided for supporting the various elements described herein in a known manner.
  • the needle board 19 is shown broken into segments in order to illustrate the needles in various positions.
  • the needle board and hence the felting needles are disposed for projection through the web such as in FIG. 1 by reciprocation by conventional means which are also not shown. It is within the scope of the invention to mount needles above and/or below the fiber material.
  • the needles preferably include a shank 21, upper barbs 22, lower barbs 23, and a point 24. In the first embodiment of the invention, the upper barbs point towards the needle point and the lower barbs point away from the point of the felting needle although not limtied to this specific arrangement.
  • Beneath the needle plate is a source of secondary or additional fibers 25.
  • the additional fibers are preferably moved relative to the needle plate by a conveyor belt 26.
  • the additional fibers as illustrated, are disposed between the conveyor belt 26 and a stripping plate 27.
  • the stripping plate has needle apertures 28 in line with the needle apertures of the needle plate and the holding plate.
  • the needle apertures in the stripping plate have upper and lower countersinks 29 and 30, respectively, for guiding the fibers.
  • the additional fibers are fed onto the conveyor belt from a card including a hopper 31 by means of a roll 32.
  • the roll 32 is driven by conventional means which is not shown.
  • Additional fibers which traverse the conveyor belt without being used can be returned to the hopper by a suction conduit 33, or other suitable means such as a conveyor moving in a direction opposite to the conveyor 26 and oriented to deposit the fibers into the hopper 31.
  • the secondary fibers 25 may be of different character than the fibers in the web 13, as for example, in color, texture weight, length, etc. The operation of the embodiment of FIG. 1 is further described hereinafter.
  • FIG. 2 A modification of the invention is shown in FIG. 2.
  • the modification of FIG. 2 differs from the first described embodiment only in the structure and arrangement of the felting needles.
  • some of the felting needles 34 have barbs 35 which only point towards the points 36 of the needles while other needles 37 have barbs 38 which point only away from the points 39 of the needles.
  • the latter needles 37 are preferably longer. It is within the scope of the invention, however, to use various combinations of the felting needles of the first and second embodiments of the invention and it is not intended that the invention be limited to the specific arrangement illustrated.
  • a barb 40 of a felting needle 41 is illustrated in various steps of its formation.
  • the shank 42 of the felting needle is die pressed to form an eye 43 having rounded peripheral surfaces 44.
  • the rounded peripheral surfaces are formed by a die pressing operation.
  • lateral bulges 45 are formed in the shank of the needle due to the deformation of the material.
  • the lateral bulges are removed as by machining or the like and a slot 46 is preferably formed by pressing a die in communication with the eye 43 to produce the barb 40 having a point 47 along a portion of one side of the eye.
  • the die pressing steps have th effect of forming rounded surfaces at all of the fiber engaging surfaces of the barb in a relatively simple operation without requiring substantial additional finishing steps to form these surfaces.
  • the lack of any sharp edges at these surfaces increases the efiiciency of the needle by minimizing destruction of the fibers through cutting action which is an undesirable characteristic of needles not having rounded surfaces at these areas.
  • the portion 48 of the rounded peripheral surfaces 44 formed by the die pressing operation in the throat of the barb remains after the machining operation.
  • the shank 42 of the felting needle which normally has a circular cross section 49, preferably has a partial elliptical cross section 50 in the region of the barb 40.
  • the primary fiber material 13 is advanced across the needle plate 11 and the source of secondary additional fibers 25 is moved by the conveyor belt 26.
  • the felting needles 20 are reciprocated through the needle apertures 16 in the holding plate 15, through the fiber material, through the needle apertures 12 and 28 in the needle plate and the stripping plate, and into the supply of additional fibers.
  • the felting needles intertwine fibers in the fiber material and also intertwine fibers from the additional supply into the fiber material.
  • unique patterns can be obtained as for example by using fibers of different character such as, one color for the fiber material 13 and a different color for the supply of additional fibers 25.
  • Unique patterns can also be obtained by using different combinations of needles.
  • the countersinks in the needle apertures in the holding plate 15 and in the stripping plate 27 provide smooth non-interfering surfaces for guiding the fibers collected by the felting needles without causing cutting the fibers.
  • the suction conduit or other suitable means recirculates fibers 25 which traverse the conveyor belt 26 without being used and, the felting needles formed from die pressed barbs having rounded peripheral surfaces greatly reduce the cutting and undesirable destruction of the fibers while providing for maximum yarn carrying capacity.
  • a supporting surface for supporting a web of fiber material, a plurality of felting needles disposed for projection through said web of fiber material for compacting the fibers thereof, means for projecting said felting needles through said web of fiber material, and a source of additional fibers disposed on one side of said web of fiber material and in the path of travel of at least some of said felting needles such that during projection of said felting needles through said web of fiber material and into said source of additional fibers said felting needles will compact the fibers of said web of fiber material and draw additional fibers from said source of additional fibers into said web of fiber material.
  • said felting needles are provided with at least two felting barbs on the peripheral surface thereof with one of said barbs facing in one direction relative to its intended path of travel and the other of said barbs facing in a direction opposite to said one barb.
  • said felting needles are each provided with a plurality of felting barbs on the peripheral surface thereof and the felting barbs on at least some of said felting needles facing in a direction opposite to the direction of the felting barbs on the other of said felting needles.
  • said felting needles are each provided with a plurality of barbs on the peripheral surface thereof and said barbs being die pressed into said felting needle and having all of the fiber engaging surfaces thereof rounded.
  • said source of additional fibers includes fibers of a different character from the fibers in said web of fiber material.
  • a felting apparatus as recited in claim 1 further comprising a stripping plate disposed between said supporting surface and said source of additional fibers, said stripping plate having a plurality of apertures for receiving a felting needle therethrough and for guiding the fiber-s from said source of additional fibers when said felting needles draw additional fibers toward said web of fiber material.
  • a method of felting comprising disposing a web of fiber material on a supporting surface, furnishing a source of additional fibers adjacent to one side of said supporting surface, and projecting felting needles through the web of fiber material and into the source of additional fibers to intertwine the fibers in the web of fiber material and also drawing additional fibers from said supply of addi- 5 tional fibers to intertwine fibers from the additional source into the Web of fiber material.
  • a method of felting as recited in claim 9 which includes moving the additional fibers relative to the supporting surface.
  • a method of felting as recited in claim 9 further comprising furnishing fibers of a difierent character for said additional source of fibers from the fibers of said web of fiber material.
  • a method of felting as recited in claim 9 further comprising, providing felting needles having oppositely directed felting barbs for drawing fibers into said fiber material from either side of said fiber material.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Textile Engineering (AREA)
  • Nonwoven Fabrics (AREA)
  • Preliminary Treatment Of Fibers (AREA)
US670173A 1967-09-25 1967-09-25 Felting apparatus and method Expired - Lifetime US3473205A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US67017367A 1967-09-25 1967-09-25

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US3473205A true US3473205A (en) 1969-10-21

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US (1) US3473205A (de)
AT (1) AT318937B (de)
DE (1) DE1785256A1 (de)
FR (2) FR1582354A (de)
GB (2) GB1201998A (de)

Cited By (21)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4277531A (en) * 1979-08-06 1981-07-07 Ppg Industries, Inc. High strength fiber glass reinforced thermoplastic sheets and method of manufacturing same involving a reverse barb needling procedure
US4416936A (en) * 1980-07-18 1983-11-22 Phillips Petroleum Company Nonwoven fabric and method for its production
FR2697854A1 (fr) * 1992-11-09 1994-05-13 Fehrer Textilmasch Plaque perforée pour un dispositif d'aiguilletage d'un voile de fibres.
US5752301A (en) * 1995-10-16 1998-05-19 Fehrer; Ernst Apparatus for needling a fibrous web
US20110277937A1 (en) * 2002-11-01 2011-11-17 Hethcock J Donn Method and Apparatus for Z-Direction Reinforcement of Composite Laminates
EP2835419A1 (de) 2013-08-09 2015-02-11 Ahlstrom Corporation Wäschehilfe und Benutzer derselben
EP2835466A1 (de) 2013-08-09 2015-02-11 Ahlstrom Corporation Farbstoffempfangsmaterial und Verwendungen dafür
EP3034594A1 (de) 2014-12-15 2016-06-22 Ahlstrom Corporation Wäschehilfe und deren Verwendung
EP3056549A1 (de) 2015-02-10 2016-08-17 Ahlstrom Corporation Farbmittelzusammensetzung und Verwendungen davon
US10920351B2 (en) 2019-03-29 2021-02-16 Xerox Corporation Sewing method and apparatus to increase 3D object strength
US11046002B2 (en) 2019-03-29 2021-06-29 Xerox Corporation Wetting agent additive for an in-line quality check of composite-based additive manufacturing (CBAM) substrates
US11104077B2 (en) 2019-03-29 2021-08-31 Xerox Corporation Composite-based additive manufacturing (CBAM) image quality (IQ) verification and rejection handling
US11117325B2 (en) 2019-03-29 2021-09-14 Xerox Corporation Composite-based additive manufacturing (CBAM) augmented reality assisted sand blasting
US11130291B2 (en) 2019-03-29 2021-09-28 Xerox Corporation Composite-based additive manufacturing (CBAM) use of gravity for excess polymer removal
US11214000B2 (en) 2019-04-03 2022-01-04 Xerox Corporation Apparatus and method for fabricating multi-sided printed composite sheet structures
US11312049B2 (en) 2019-04-03 2022-04-26 Xerox Corporation Additive manufacturing system for halftone colored 3D objects
US11318671B2 (en) 2019-05-21 2022-05-03 Xerox Corporation System and method for sheeting and stacking 3D composite printed sheets
US11459521B2 (en) 2018-06-05 2022-10-04 Afton Chemical Coporation Lubricant composition and dispersants therefor having a beneficial effect on oxidation stability
US11485110B2 (en) 2019-03-29 2022-11-01 Xerox Corporation Cross layer fiber entanglement to increase strength of 3D part
US11518092B2 (en) 2019-06-19 2022-12-06 Xerox Corporation Patterned pre-stop for finishing additive manufactured 3D objects
US11731352B2 (en) 2019-03-29 2023-08-22 Xerox Corporation Apparatus and method for fabricating multi-polymer composite structures

Families Citing this family (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2356511C2 (de) * 1973-11-13 1982-08-26 Peter Dipl.-Ing. 7120 Bietigheim-Bissingen Stärk Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum Herstellen von Samt, Velours o.dgl. aus einem Faservlies
AT407059B (de) * 1998-05-13 2000-12-27 Fehrer Ernst Vorrichtung zum nadeln eines vlieses
PT104843A (pt) 2009-11-27 2011-05-27 Univ Do Minho Estruturas de n?o-tecido tridimensionais com forma para isolamento ac?stico e m?todo de produ??o associado
DE102019100916A1 (de) * 2019-01-15 2020-07-16 Adler Pelzer Holding Gmbh Kraftfahrzeug-Bodenverkleidung, Gepäckraumverkleidung oder Ladebodenverkleidung mit strukturgenadelter Teppich-Oberfläche
DE102019100919A1 (de) * 2019-01-15 2020-07-16 Adler Pelzer Holding Gmbh Kraftfahrzeug-Bodenverkleidung, Gepäckraumverkleidung oder Ladebodenverkleidung mit strukturgenadelter Teppich-Oberfläche (II)

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US461602A (en) * 1891-10-20 Alfred julius boult
US1454049A (en) * 1921-02-11 1923-05-08 Morris & Company Upholstery material
US2377564A (en) * 1942-09-18 1945-06-05 Thomas A Unsworth Interlacing needle loom
US3090099A (en) * 1960-05-13 1963-05-21 Chatham Mfg Company Method of needle punching fabrics so as to interlace the fibers thereof
US3307238A (en) * 1965-03-05 1967-03-07 Edson P Foster Felting needle

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US461602A (en) * 1891-10-20 Alfred julius boult
US1454049A (en) * 1921-02-11 1923-05-08 Morris & Company Upholstery material
US2377564A (en) * 1942-09-18 1945-06-05 Thomas A Unsworth Interlacing needle loom
US3090099A (en) * 1960-05-13 1963-05-21 Chatham Mfg Company Method of needle punching fabrics so as to interlace the fibers thereof
US3307238A (en) * 1965-03-05 1967-03-07 Edson P Foster Felting needle

Cited By (27)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4277531A (en) * 1979-08-06 1981-07-07 Ppg Industries, Inc. High strength fiber glass reinforced thermoplastic sheets and method of manufacturing same involving a reverse barb needling procedure
US4416936A (en) * 1980-07-18 1983-11-22 Phillips Petroleum Company Nonwoven fabric and method for its production
FR2697854A1 (fr) * 1992-11-09 1994-05-13 Fehrer Textilmasch Plaque perforée pour un dispositif d'aiguilletage d'un voile de fibres.
AT398088B (de) * 1992-11-09 1994-09-26 Fehrer Textilmasch Lochplatte für eine vorrichtung zum nadeln eines faservlieses
US5384944A (en) * 1992-11-09 1995-01-31 Textilmaschinenfabrik Dr. Ernst Fehrer Aktiengesellschaft Needling plate with recesses on downstream edges of the through holes
US5752301A (en) * 1995-10-16 1998-05-19 Fehrer; Ernst Apparatus for needling a fibrous web
US20110277937A1 (en) * 2002-11-01 2011-11-17 Hethcock J Donn Method and Apparatus for Z-Direction Reinforcement of Composite Laminates
US8214981B2 (en) * 2002-11-01 2012-07-10 Bell Helicopter Textron Inc. Method and apparatus for Z-direction reinforcement of composite laminates
EP2835419A1 (de) 2013-08-09 2015-02-11 Ahlstrom Corporation Wäschehilfe und Benutzer derselben
EP2835466A1 (de) 2013-08-09 2015-02-11 Ahlstrom Corporation Farbstoffempfangsmaterial und Verwendungen dafür
WO2015018981A1 (en) 2013-08-09 2015-02-12 Ahlstrom Corporation Fugitive dye catching material
WO2015018982A1 (en) 2013-08-09 2015-02-12 Ahlstrom Corporation Dye-receiving materials and uses thereof in printing and dyeing
EP3034594A1 (de) 2014-12-15 2016-06-22 Ahlstrom Corporation Wäschehilfe und deren Verwendung
EP3056549A1 (de) 2015-02-10 2016-08-17 Ahlstrom Corporation Farbmittelzusammensetzung und Verwendungen davon
US11459521B2 (en) 2018-06-05 2022-10-04 Afton Chemical Coporation Lubricant composition and dispersants therefor having a beneficial effect on oxidation stability
US11104077B2 (en) 2019-03-29 2021-08-31 Xerox Corporation Composite-based additive manufacturing (CBAM) image quality (IQ) verification and rejection handling
US11046002B2 (en) 2019-03-29 2021-06-29 Xerox Corporation Wetting agent additive for an in-line quality check of composite-based additive manufacturing (CBAM) substrates
US11117325B2 (en) 2019-03-29 2021-09-14 Xerox Corporation Composite-based additive manufacturing (CBAM) augmented reality assisted sand blasting
US11130291B2 (en) 2019-03-29 2021-09-28 Xerox Corporation Composite-based additive manufacturing (CBAM) use of gravity for excess polymer removal
US10920351B2 (en) 2019-03-29 2021-02-16 Xerox Corporation Sewing method and apparatus to increase 3D object strength
US11485110B2 (en) 2019-03-29 2022-11-01 Xerox Corporation Cross layer fiber entanglement to increase strength of 3D part
US11731352B2 (en) 2019-03-29 2023-08-22 Xerox Corporation Apparatus and method for fabricating multi-polymer composite structures
US11840784B2 (en) 2019-03-29 2023-12-12 Xerox Corporation Sewing method and apparatus to increase 3D object strength
US11214000B2 (en) 2019-04-03 2022-01-04 Xerox Corporation Apparatus and method for fabricating multi-sided printed composite sheet structures
US11312049B2 (en) 2019-04-03 2022-04-26 Xerox Corporation Additive manufacturing system for halftone colored 3D objects
US11318671B2 (en) 2019-05-21 2022-05-03 Xerox Corporation System and method for sheeting and stacking 3D composite printed sheets
US11518092B2 (en) 2019-06-19 2022-12-06 Xerox Corporation Patterned pre-stop for finishing additive manufactured 3D objects

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FR1582354A (de) 1969-09-26
FR1583013A (de) 1969-10-10
DE1785256A1 (de) 1972-01-05
AT318937B (de) 1974-11-25
GB1201998A (en) 1970-08-12
GB1201999A (en) 1970-08-12

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