Importance

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Abstract

A method and system for manufacturing endless needled felts having at least one layer of longitudinally-extending spiral windings of a fiber web is disclosed. The system includes first and second machines, one being utilized for applying and tacking spiral windings of a fiber web to an endless web or fabric and the other being utilized for full needling of the applied and tacked fiber web to the endless web or fabric. The first machine has associated therewith a web feeding device for feeding a fiber web having a width substantially less than the working width of the first machine, and a needling device having an operative width corresponding to the width of the fiber web. As an endless base fabric is moved in a longitudinal direction by the first machine, the web feeding and needling devices are reciprocated in unison in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction so as to feed longitudinally-extending spiral windings of the fiber web onto the endless fabric, and to then tack the fiber web to the endless fabric to thereby hold the fiber web in place on the base fabric. After the desired longitudinally-extending spiral windings of fiber web are applied and tacked to the endless fabric, the fabric is removed from the first machine and placed onto the second machine which may comprise a conventional needle loom. The second machine includes a full-width needling apparatus having a working width corresponding to the working width of a second machine, and is operative to fully needle the applied and tacked fibrous material to the endless fabric as it is moved past the full-width needling apparatus. By providing two separate machines, one for applying and tacking spiral windings of a fiber web to a base fabric and the other for fully needling the applied and tacked fiber web to the endless fabric, a more efficient utilization is made of the more expensive, slower operating full-width needling machine.

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First Claim