US2087260A - Homogeneous piled surface - Google Patents

Description

July 20, 1937. L; x5.- MILLER Y 2,087,260 4 HouoanNEous PILED SURFACE Filled April 18, 1935 Vfl-wb i Wwf SW' Patented July 20, 1937 PATENT OFFICE 2,087,260 HOMOGENOUS FILED SURFACE Louis P. Miller, Brooklyn, N. Y., assigner to Research Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application April 18, 1935, Serial No. 17,126

13 Claims. (Cl. 91-68) This invention. relates to piles and piled sur-f faces and their manufacture, and is directed particularly to a pile comprising attenuated elements and an indurated binding substance with which they are combined into a homogeneous structure,

C and to a method of making the same.

I'he invention is especially valuable when it is included in the method of piling surfaces comprising: coating the surface to be piled with adhesive, placing the coated surface in an electric field, and supplying fibers or other pile forming elements to the region of the electric ileld, that they may be oriented and deposited on the adhesive covered surface by the action onthe l5 electric field.

'Ihe principal object of the invention is to form a pile of attenuated particles, such as rayon .fibers or flocks, wherein one end of each fiber is incorporated into an indurated material and makes a homogeneous structure with it.v

Another object of the invention is to incorporate one end of each of a group of fibers into an induratable binding material to form a pile by the use of a. solvent common to fibers and bind- 111g material. V

Another object of the invention is to so control the softening action of a solvent included in an induratable binding material o'n the bers to be attached thereto in the forming of a pile that one end of each ber will be amalgamated with the binding material to make a common substance with it.

A specific object of the invention is to make a l pile of cellulose derivative fibers by fastening one end of each fiber into the pile structure with an adhesive, including a volatile solvent for the cellulose derivative, such as acetone, and then driving out the solvent and indurating the adhesive.

40 A further specific object ls the production of a pile of attenuated elements upon a surface by coating the surface with an adhesive including a solvent for the elements, orienting the elements and projecting them endwise with an electric field into the adhesive, holding them in oriented position until the solvent has softened the imbedded ends of the elements and incorporated them into the adhesive to make a homogeneous structure with it, and then indurating the adhesive.

The products obtained from a. realization of the above objects and such other objects as will be pointed out in the following exposition are characterized by the strong attachment between the individual fibers or elements and the common binding material. When very ine bers, such as rayon flocks, are projected endwise, fori` instance under the influence o f an electric field. into an. adhesive, they do not penetrate deeply, as a rule, and are not always wetted sulilciently by an 5 ordinary adhesive to produce a strong bond between adhesive and liber. The result is a pile with an appreciable number of elements which will become dislodged when the pile is brushed or given otherA rigorous handling. An adhesive l0 with a constituent that is a. solvent for the bers,

on the other hand, definitely wets, and partially dissolves, each fiber that contacts it for any length of time, and the result is a blending or incorporating of fibers and adhesive into a homol5 geneous whole. Upon evaporation of the solvent or solvents and induration `of the adhesive a very strongly bonded pile results.

In the following description of the invention reference is hadto the appended drawingin 20 which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view, in side elevation, of apparatus useful in practicing the method of the invention; and

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view 25 of the product made with the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 taken on line 2-2 of that figure.

In Fig. 1, numeral I'identiles a 'sheet material, for example, a sheet of closely woven cloth, a surface of which is to be piled. Sheet I is moved 30 over rolls 2 and 3 in the direction indicated and in doing so passes under electrode 4 which is insulated from ground and maintained at a high potential with respect to ground by connecting it to a source (not shown) of high voltage, prefer- 35 ably unidirectional, current by conductor 5. A suitable adhesive is applied to the under surface of sheet I by rolls 6 and 1 in the manner readily appreciated by those familiar with the coating art. The aidhesive'is held in container 8, which 40 has a close fitting top, except for the projecting area of roll 6, to minimize the losses of solvent by evaporation.

The attenuated elements, such as textile fibers, used in building` the pile are distributed by means 45 9 upon belt II) moving over rolls II and I 2. Belt III- may be of metal and held at ground potential, or it may be of semi-conducting or insulating material, in which case it is passed over an electrode I3, grounded at I4. In either 5o case a strong electric eld that terminates on electrode 4 exists adjacent the top of belt I0; and this electric field, which can be considered. as existing between electrodes 4 and I3, lifts the fibers from the surface of belt I0 and de- 55 =posits than nlv surment sheets. in

'onendposiuon to tiatfsurfa. Sheet Imoves at a 'ratewhich permits-the pile to form lwith the density. After deposition-.the piled sin-face ismoved-tmoughla neating chamber I5, I5' containing electricalheating `elements I6 and I 'I wherein the solvents are driven from the adhesive, to be collected for reuse if economically advisable, and the adhesive hardened to the desired degree.

The several stepsrecommended in electrically depositing fibers are disclosed in detail` in U. S. patent applications Serial' No. 692,201, of A. F. Meston led October 4, 1933, and Serial No. 699,456, of H. F. Wintermute illed Nov. 23, 1933.

Fig. 2 shows a portion of the product of the invention in which fabric 2I corresponds to sheet lsubstance had been distributed which had a solvent or softening effect upon bers 23. 'I'he solvent softened or partially dissolved the ends of the fibers projecting into or contacting the adhesive and broughtabout an intimate associationy of the materials comprising bers and adhesive as. shown at 24, with the result that upon driving out the solvent and indurating the adhesive the fibers were autogenously welded to the binding'materlal'in what may be termed a homogeneous whole. i

I have obtained very satisfactory results with a solvent common to both binding material and bers. For example, in depositing cellulose acetate rayon fibers, I have used acetone in an adhesive composition comprising cellulose acetate, a relatively high boiling point solvent, such as ethylene glycol mono-methyl ether (Cel1o solve) and a plasticizer. Deposition with this combination under conditions which controlled the evaporation of the acetone and the surface penetrativeness of the adhesive have produced piles with very strongly attached bers. The deposition apparatus is preferably enclosed in a chamber when a highly volatile solvent, such as acetone, is used and it has bee'n found advisable to control the gaseous contents of the chamber as to temperature and other vapor pressure conditions and to guard against possible explotion.

Other llulose derivatives, such as the esters and ethers of cellulose, as well as other iibrous substances capable'of being dissolved or softened by an ingredient od.' the adhesive composition, may be used in place of cellulose acetate.

While the invention has been particularly described for the purpose of illustration in connection with the production of a product including a fabric backing, other backings, such as sheets of preformed indurated material, may be used, orv the bers may be deposited; on a layer of adhesive on a temporary backing. being later removed from the temporary backing and used as such or applied to a permanent backing.

It will be appreciated bythose familiar with the characteristics of adhesives and textile and other flbers'that many embodiments of my invention are possible. What I wish to emphasize as the-broad conception of the invention is the adsense breaking oi-y the surface of theber where I claim: j

1. A method of making pi1e-surfaced.mate' rial. which comprises depositing attenuated bers of a cellulosic derivative in a layer of an adhe-` 2. A method of making pile-surfaced materialv which comprises depositing attenuated bers of a cellulose ester in a layer of an adhesive composition including a substance having a solvent actionon said cellulose ester, and indurating the adhesive layer.

3. A method of making pile-surfaced material which comprises depositing attenuated bers of cellulose acetate in a layer of an adhesive composition including a substance having a solvent action on said cellulose acetate, and indurating the adhesive layer. I

4. A method of making pile-surfaced material which comprises depositing attenuated fibers of a cellulosic derivative in a layer of an 'adhesive composition including a similar cellulosic derivative and a substance having a solvent action on said cellulosic derivative, and indurating the adhesive layer.

5. A method of making pile-surfaced material which comprises depositing attenuated bers of a cellulosic derivative in a layer of an adhesive composition including cellulose acetate and a substance having a solvent action on-said cellulosic derivative, and indurating the adhesive layer.

6. A method of making pile-surfaced material which comprises forming a layer of an adhesive composition comprising a cellulosic derivative, a volatile solvent therefor, a high boiling solvent, and a plasticizer, depositing thereon attenuated fibers of a similar cellulosic derivative and indurating the adhesive layer by removing the volatile solvent.

7. A method of making a pile-surfaced material which comprises forming a layer of an adhe-y sive composition comprising cellulose acetate, acetone ethylene glycol mono-methyl ether and a plasticizer, depositing thereon attenuated fibers of cellulose acetate and indurating the adhesive layer by removing the acetone. l

8. A pile-surfaced sheet material comprising a layer of indurated adhesive substance and a pile consisting of attenuated bers embedded at one end in said layer and physically homogeneous therewith. f

9. A pile-surfaced sheet material comprising a layer of indurated adhesive substance and a pile consisting of attenuated bers embedded at one end in said layer and physically and chemically homogeneous therewith.

10. A pile-surfaced sheet material comprising a layer of indurated cellulosic substance and a pile consisting of attenuated fibers of a cellulose derivative embedded at one end in said layer and physically homogeneous therewith.

11. A pile-surfaced sheet material comprising a, layery of indurated plastic composition including cellulose acetate and apile consisting of attenuated fibers of cellulose acetate embedded at one end in said layer and physically homogeneous therewith.

.it eontsctstnebindingimaterai-so that the den: l `nite interface which- '.separates two s uch substances is, -to -an appreciable `degree; eliminated and 'the fiber. becomes -integrally .united wlththe binding material.`

12. A pile-surfaced sheet material comprising a. backing, a layer of indurated adhesive substance thereon and a. pile consisting of attenuated bers embedded at one end in said layer 5 and physically homogeneous therewith.

13. A pile-surfaced sheet material comprising a backing, a layer of indurated plastic composition including cellulose acetate thereon and a pile consisting of attenuated bers of cellulose acetate embedded at one end in said layer and physically homogeneous therewith.

LOUIS P. LULLER.

Images