An needling machine and process needle a nonwoven fibrous web (2) fed in a direction of passage (3). A needling unit (5) with oscillatingly moved needles (11) is configured to needle and strengthen the nonwoven fibrous web (2). The needling unit (5) has a lifting drive (6) and parallel, linearly guided driving rods (15, 16) driven reversably thereby. The needling unit (5) has a supporting beam (8) connected to the needles (11) and extending in the direction of passage (3). Driving rods (15), arranged one after another in the direction of passage (3), are each connected to the supporting beam (8) via a respective beam bearing (18, 19) in an articulated manner. One of the beam bearings (18, 19), arranged one after another in the direction of passage (3), has an additional degree of freedom of motion.

Needling machine intended to consolidate, by needling, a web of fibres, in particular a sheet of non-woven fabric, comprising a series of needle-field boards, each board having at least one respective needle field projecting from one face, called the needle face, of the board, means for making the web of fibres move in front of the needles of the boards of the series of boards and means for moving the needles back and forth in a direction transverse to the movement of the web, such that they pass through the web of fibres passing in front of them in one direction and then the other, the series of needle-field boards comprising at least a first board comprising a first needle field and a second board comprising a second needle field, the first needle field being arranged on the needle face of the first board according to a first needle face pattern and the second needle field being arranged on the needle face of the second board according to a second needle face pattern, characterised in that the first needle face pattern is such that it cannot be superimposed on its image by a 180° rotation relative to an axis parallel to the direction of the needles and/or of movement of the needles, and the second needle face pattern is identical to the first needle face pattern, but is rotated by 180° relative thereto, relative to an axis parallel to the direction of the needles and/or of movement of the needles.

Needling machine intended to consolidate, by needling, a web of fibres, in particular a sheet of non-woven fabric, comprising a series of needle-field boards, each board having at least one respective needle field projecting from one face, called the needle face, of the board, means for making the web of fibres move in front of the needles of the boards of the series of boards and means for moving the needles back and forth in a direction transverse to the movement of the web, such that they pass through the web of fibres passing in front of them in one direction and then the other, the series of needle-field boards comprising at least a first board comprising a first needle field and a second board comprising a second needle field, the first needle field being arranged on the needle face of the first board according to a first needle face pattern and the second needle field being arranged on the needle face of the second board according to a second needle face pattern, characterised in that the first needle face pattern is such that it cannot be superimposed on its image by a 180° rotation relative to an axis parallel to the direction of the needles and/or of movement of the needles, and the second needle face pattern is identical to the first needle face pattern, but is rotated by 180° relative thereto, relative to an axis parallel to the direction of the needles and/or of movement of the needles.

A machine for forming an annular textile preform includes: a horizontal sheet-forming turntable for forming a helical fiber; a horizontal intermediate turntable positioned under the sheet-forming turntable; a horizontal intermediate unwinder positioned on the intermediate; a final horizontal unwinder positioned under the intermediate unwinder; and a horizontal preform-forming turntable positioned under the final unwinder.

A machine for forming an annular textile preform includes: a horizontal sheet-forming turntable for forming a helical fiber; a horizontal intermediate turntable positioned under the sheet-forming turntable; a horizontal intermediate unwinder positioned on the intermediate; a final horizontal unwinder positioned under the intermediate unwinder; and a horizontal preform-forming turntable positioned under the final unwinder.

Described is a composite made from a woven fabric, a non-woven fabric, or a knitted face fabric and a non-woven fabric. The woven fabric, the non-woven fabric, or the knitted face fabric is needle punched such that fibers protrude into the non-woven fabric. The woven fabric, the non-woven fabric, or the knitted face fabric has a first polymer having a first melting point and a second polymer having a second melting point being higher than the first melting point. The nonwoven backing material comprises a third polymer having a third melting point and a fourth polymer having a fourth melting point being higher than the third melting point. The woven fabric, the non-woven fabric, or the knitted face fabric is further bonded to the nonwoven backing material applying heat to at least partially melt or soften the first polymer and the third polymer such that they bond together.

Described is a composite made from a woven fabric, a non-woven fabric, or a knitted face fabric and a non-woven fabric. The woven fabric, the non-woven fabric, or the knitted face fabric is needle punched such that fibers protrude into the non-woven fabric. The woven fabric, the non-woven fabric, or the knitted face fabric has a first polymer having a first melting point and a second polymer having a second melting point being higher than the first melting point. The nonwoven backing material comprises a third polymer having a third melting point and a fourth polymer having a fourth melting point being higher than the third melting point. The woven fabric, the non-woven fabric, or the knitted face fabric is further bonded to the nonwoven backing material applying heat to at least partially melt or soften the first polymer and the third polymer such that they bond together.

A coated nonwoven product used to make engine hood insulation material is produced by a method which involves needle punching a carded, cross-lapped web, then calendering the resulting web and then applying a foam coating. Rotary screen printing is used to apply a dot pattern of an acrylic emulsion to the dried, foam-coated web. Thermoplastic and/or thermoset material is deposited onto the acrylic coating and excess material is removed by vacuum, leaving a corresponding dot coating pattern of said material. The coated web is heated using infrared energy before cooling, cold calendering and winding-up.

A coated nonwoven product used to make engine hood insulation material is produced by a method which involves needle punching a carded, cross-lapped web, then calendering the resulting web and then applying a foam coating. Rotary screen printing is used to apply a dot pattern of an acrylic emulsion to the dried, foam-coated web. Thermoplastic and/or thermoset material is deposited onto the acrylic coating and excess material is removed by vacuum, leaving a corresponding dot coating pattern of said material. The coated web is heated using infrared energy before cooling, cold calendering and winding-up.

A fluffing device for cotton swabs has a first body having a central opening admitting a cotton end on a rod of a cotton swab, geared elements within the body engaged to rotate relative to one another, needles attached to individual ones of the geared elements, the needles positioned to penetrate the cotton end of the cotton swab with the swab inserted into the central opening, and a physical input constrained to rotate the geared elements back and forth through a limited arc. The geared elements rotating move the needles in a manner urging portions of the cotton swab away from the rod, expanding and fluffing the cotton end.