Abstract A random linear streaked design is achieved in a non-woven needled fabric structure particularly adapted for carpets by: laying up a web comprised of dyed staple fiber bundles, individual bundles being of one of a plurality of colors, by opening the bundles and blending the bundles forming the web to a controlled degree such that individual bundles in the web retain their distinct coloration; garnetting the web to orient the fibers at a speed whereby further blending is minimized; crosslapping said web onto a preformed backing web positioned on a stationary apron to form a plurality of layers in which the garnetted fibers are substantially parallel to cross-machine direction; and transporting said backing web and overlying layers to a needling operation and needling the web and overlying layers to form an integral, unitary, needled fabric in which the slightly opened commingled fibers form colorful streaks having a random linear design comprised of the plurality of colors forming the original staple fiber bundles.
A METHOD OF MANUFACTURING A NON-WOVEN NEEDLED FABRIC HVING A RANDOM LINEAR STREAKED DESIGN OF A PLURALITY OF COLORS COMPRISING: A. FORMING A FIBROUS LAYER BY OPENING AND BLENDING DYED STAPLE ORGANIC FIBER BUNDLES TO A CONTROLLED DEGREE SUCH THAT EACH OF THE BUNDLES RETAINS ITS DISTINCT COLORATION, THE INDIVIDUAL BUNDLES BEING OF ONE OF A PLURALITY OF COLORS; B. GARNETTING SAID LAYER INTO A WEB WHEREBY THE FIBERS RE ORIENTED BUT AT A SPEED WHEREBY FURTHER FIBER BLENDING IS MINIMIZED; C. CROSS-LAPPING SAID WEB ONTO A BACKING WEB POSITIONED ON A STATIONARY APRON TO BUILD UP SUFFICIENT LAYERS TO HIDE THE BACKING; D. TRANSPORTING SAID BACKING WEB AND PLURALITY OF SURFACING LAYERS TO A NEEDLING STATION AND NEEDLING THE WEB AND OVERLYING LAYERS TO FORM AN INTEGRAL, UNITARY, NEEDLED FABRIC IN WHICH THE COMINGLED FIBERS FORM COLORFUL STREAKS HAVING A RANDOM LINEAR PATTERN OF THE PLURALITY OF COLORS OF THE STAPLE FIBER BUNDLES.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
154 words
A METHOD OF MANUFACTURING A NON-WOVEN NEEDLED FABRIC HVING A RANDOM LINEAR STREAKED DESIGN OF A PLURALITY OF COLORS COMPRISING: A. FORMING A FIBROUS LAYER BY OPENING AND BLENDING DYED STAPLE ORGANIC FIBER BUNDLES TO A CONTROLLED DEGREE SUCH THAT EACH OF THE BUNDLES RETAINS ITS DISTINCT COLORATION, THE INDIVIDUAL BUNDLES BEING OF ONE OF A PLURALITY OF COLORS; B. GARNETTING SAID LAYER INTO A WEB WHEREBY THE FIBERS RE ORIENTED BUT AT A SPEED WHEREBY FURTHER FIBER BLENDING IS MINIMIZED; C. CROSS-LAPPING SAID WEB ONTO A BACKING WEB POSITIONED ON A STATIONARY APRON TO BUILD UP SUFFICIENT LAYERS TO HIDE THE BACKING; D. TRANSPORTING SAID BACKING WEB AND PLURALITY OF SURFACING LAYERS TO A NEEDLING STATION AND NEEDLING THE WEB AND OVERLYING LAYERS TO FORM AN INTEGRAL, UNITARY, NEEDLED FABRIC IN WHICH THE COMINGLED FIBERS FORM COLORFUL STREAKS HAVING A RANDOM LINEAR PATTERN OF THE PLURALITY OF COLORS OF THE STAPLE FIBER BUNDLES.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the denier of the staple fibers is from about 3 to 8 and wherein the lengths of said fibers are from about 2 to 4 inches.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method in accordance with claim 2 wherein the fibers are of a fire-retardant modacrylic composition.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method in accordance with claim 2 wherein a dimensionally stable scrim is positioned over the backing web.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method in accordance with claim 2 wherein a dimensionally stable scrim is united to the back of the needled fabric at a second needling station and a latex backing is thereafter secured to form a decorative streaked carpet structure.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method in accordance with claim 3 wherein a dimensionally stable scrim is united to the back of the needled fabric at a second needling station and a latex backing thereafter applied to form a decorative carpet structure having a flame-retardant random linear streaked surface.