US1631692A - Felted fabric and process for the manufacture thereof - Google Patents

Description

Patented June 7, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELIO LDOLFO PEROGIO, OF MONTELUPONE, ITALY.

' rnm'nb'rnnrc AND rnocnss roa THE MANUFACTURE manor.

, I No Drawing. Application filed November 21, 1922, 'Serial No. 602,479, and in Italy December 8, 1921.

This invention has for its object to produce an improved felted fabric andan improved process for the manufacture thereof.

The improved felted fabric which Wlll not unravel and which is highly tenacious, elastic and pervious to liquids, is made by employing human and animal hair either mixed together, or used separately, by a new process of manufacture. I

The improved felted fabric can be pro? duced in a very large variety of forms, a nd owing to its filtering ower and its elasticity it can be used very" a vantageously as a .rn'aterial for making pressing bags for 011 mllls,

for the stearine industry and for the sugar,

industry, as well as in saddle making, in the rubber industry for the protection of the air tubes of neumatic wheel tyres, for powertransmission belting, etc. and when covered with emery powder, for polishing metals.

The improved process of manufacture of this improved felted fabric is as follows:

The hair (human or animal, or both) is mixed up together in its natural state and then formed into a stratified mass that is to say a mass of loosely interlaced hairs of the desired thickness in a basin of shape and size suited to the finished article to be made therefrom, containing water. This water is afterwards substituted by an abundant bath of a frothy lubricating emulsifying liquid, For this purpose an oil bath may be used, but I have found that the diluted waste water from soap factories, which costs noth' ing, is particularly well suited for the purpose. The stratified mass, immersed in the said bath, is then subjected to gentle rubbing effected with the hand or by any suitable mechanical means, in all directions over the surface of the stratified mass.

The result of this operation is to produce an interlacing or felting together of the hairs at the surface where a kind of crust is formed which allows of turning the strati fied mass upside down, and repeating the same rubbing on the other or inverted side thereof and over its whole area.

This treatment effects an interlacing o'f the hairs and a hardening of the entire surface.

Then, while the material is still in the lubricating bath, the shape is tightened, and consequently there is effected a successive interlacing of the hairs at the surface and in the interior of the mass by rubbing more energetically than before over the entire surface and by pressing upon the edges in order to produce the desired size and shape, the effect being that since the hairs are prevented from passing out at the surface by reason of the aforesaid crust, these hairs will be caused by the pressure'to penetrate more and more into the interior of the mass and to become still further interlaced, so that the entire mass becomes compact andhard and further rubbing does not result in further contraction of the mass or further modification of the shape which determines the end of the operation. At this oint the maximum tenacity and density 0 the felted fabric has been reached. 1

It is to be noted that the hairs of the product retain their polished surface due to the fact that the horny surface layer thereof is not injuriously affected. In the usual felting methods the said layer is generally softened or destroyed and considerable pressure is used more for cleaving the softened hairs than for the proper felting.

In the present process mere hand rubbing is sufficient, and it is possible to employ any kind of hair, for instance human hair which owing to the horny surface layer and stiff ness of the hairs cannot successfully be felted by the usual methods. In the present process the said layer facilitates the untearable tightening and interlacing of the hairs.

The final shape produced as above described, is allowed to dry naturally in the air, and afterwards, if necessary, its surface is coated with oxidized linseed oil or with a resin varnish or gum varnish if it is desired that it should be hardened to a further degree and have a polished surface without interfering with its filtering property. It is to be observed that this coating acts in a protecting capacity, for instance when used as a filter the linseed oil protects the hair from the action of the oil or water whereas when bing the entire outer surface of said stratified mass more energetically, pressing the edges of the mass so as to obtain the desired shape and finally allowing the mass to dry.

2. A process for the manufacture of a fabric of non-feltable material suchas human hair and animal hair which consists in intermingling hairs in a bath of a frothy lubricating emulsifying liquid when the hairs are in the natural state so as to form a stratified mass of suitable thickness, lightly rubbing the upper surface of the stratified mass in all directions while the mass is immersed in the bath, then turning the said Stratified mass and repeating the rubbing action, then rubbing the entire surface of the said Stratified mass more energetically, pressing the edges of the mass so as to obtain the desired sha e, allowing the mass to dry and finally ap ying a protective coating to the 20 entire sur ace of the mass.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ELIO ADOLFO PEROGIO.