A clothing or seamed felt for a pressing section of a machine producing a fibrous web includes at least one base structure and at least one staple fiber layer is disposed on the base structure. The staple fiber layer is disposed on a side facing the fibrous web and/or the machine. At least one seam zone has seam loops connected to one another by at least one pintle or seam wire making the clothing endless. The staple fiber layer is divided in the region of the seam zone by at least one cut forming a seam flap and a seam wedge or gusset. At least one connecting element is inserted between the seam flap and the seam wedge. The connecting element is materially connected, in particular welded, to staple fibers of the seam flap and/or of the seam wedge. A method for using the clothing is also provided.

A clothing or seamed felt for a pressing section of a machine producing a fibrous web includes at least one base structure and at least one staple fiber layer is disposed on the base structure. The staple fiber layer is disposed on a side facing the fibrous web and/or the machine. At least one seam zone has seam loops connected to one another by at least one pintle or seam wire making the clothing endless. The staple fiber layer is divided in the region of the seam zone by at least one cut forming a seam flap and a seam wedge or gusset. At least one connecting element is inserted between the seam flap and the seam wedge. The connecting element is materially connected, in particular welded, to staple fibers of the seam flap and/or of the seam wedge. A method for using the clothing is also provided.

A device for connecting two or more pieces of fabric. The devices is formed as a bonding strip having a base and a plurality of spikes extending from the base. The bonding strip is formed of a material having a forming temperature that is lower than that of the fabric to be bonded. To bond the two or more pieces of fabric, the spikes are pushed through the fabric. The spikes are then formed at a temperature that is at least as high as the forming temperature of the bonding strip but lower than the forming temperature of the fabric. The forming can be performed so that the spikes bend over and press against the fabric. The spikes can be arranged on first and second rows along the bonding strip, and the forming can be performed such that spikes from the first strip connect with spikes of the second strip.

A structured tissue belt assembly including a supporting layer and a nonwoven web contacting layer. The supporting layer has a top surface and a bottom surface and is formed of monofilaments including one or more layers of warp yarns interwoven with weft yarns in a repeating pattern. At least one of: a) at least some of the warp yarns; or b) at least some of the weft yarns, include laser energy absorbent material, and at least one of: a) at least some of the warp yarns; or b) at least some of the weft yarns include laser energy scattering material. Laser welds attach the bottom surface of the web contacting layer to the top surface of the supporting layer at points where the web contacting layer contacts the at least one of: a) the at least some of the warp yarns; or b) the at least some of the weft yarns that include laser energy absorbent material.

A structured tissue belt assembly including a supporting layer and a nonwoven web contacting layer. The supporting layer has a top surface and a bottom surface and is formed of monofilaments including one or more layers of warp yarns interwoven with weft yarns in a repeating pattern. At least one of: a) at least some of the warp yarns; or b) at least some of the weft yarns, include laser energy absorbent material, and at least one of: a) at least some of the warp yarns; or b) at least some of the weft yarns include laser energy scattering material. Laser welds attach the bottom surface of the web contacting layer to the top surface of the supporting layer at points where the web contacting layer contacts the at least one of: a) the at least some of the warp yarns; or b) the at least some of the weft yarns that include laser energy absorbent material.

A press felt is provided including a non-woven base fabric material formed of a first fabric structure, with the first fabric structure including an array of MD yarns connected with at least one layer of a hot melt adhesive web material and at least one layer of a non-woven backing. The non-woven backing includes a layer of a first yarn system and a layer of a second yarn system oriented transverse to the first yarn system. At least one of the first and second yarn systems includes a low melt temperature adhesive that is heat activated and binds the first and second yarn systems together. The nonwoven base fabric material has an MD length and CD width and is arranged in two superimposed layers joined by the MD oriented yarns at CD oriented fold regions at each of two opposing ends thereof.

A press felt is provided including a non-woven base fabric material formed of a first fabric structure, with the first fabric structure including an array of MD yarns connected with at least one layer of a hot melt adhesive web material and at least one layer of a non-woven backing. The non-woven backing includes a layer of a first yarn system and a layer of a second yarn system oriented transverse to the first yarn system. At least one of the first and second yarn systems includes a low melt temperature adhesive that is heat activated and binds the first and second yarn systems together. The nonwoven base fabric material has an MD length and CD width and is arranged in two superimposed layers joined by the MD oriented yarns at CD oriented fold regions at each of two opposing ends thereof.

A seamed press felt formed from a base fabric having a CD width and an MD length with two opposing MD ends that are joined to form a continuous belt. MD oriented yarns form uniform loops at the two opposing MD ends that are interdigitated to define a pintle channel extending across the CD width. CD oriented yarns are connected to the MD oriented yarns, in a woven or non-woven construction. Loop open spaces are located within the loops on each of the two opposing MD ends in a seam region, with the loop open spaces being defined between a last one of the CD yarns at each of the two opposing MD ends and the pintle channel. At least one CD monofilament support yarn is located in the loop open spaces on each of the two opposing MD ends. The at least one CD monofilament support yarn has a diameter that is at least 1.6 times a diameter of the CD oriented yarns. A pintle extends through the pintle channel to form a seam.

A seamed press felt formed from a base fabric having a CD width and an MD length with two opposing MD ends that are joined to form a continuous belt. MD oriented yarns form uniform loops at the two opposing MD ends that are interdigitated to define a pintle channel extending across the CD width. CD oriented yarns are connected to the MD oriented yarns, in a woven or non-woven construction. Loop open spaces are located within the loops on each of the two opposing MD ends in a seam region, with the loop open spaces being defined between a last one of the CD yarns at each of the two opposing MD ends and the pintle channel. At least one CD monofilament support yarn is located in the loop open spaces on each of the two opposing MD ends. The at least one CD monofilament support yarn has a diameter that is at least 1.6 times a diameter of the CD oriented yarns. A pintle extends through the pintle channel to form a seam.

A reinforced element for use in the construction and assembly of an industrial textile, the element comprising a fibrous reinforcing material encapsulated by a thermoplastic polymer matrix, wherein: the thermoplastic polymer matrix comprises an amorphous polyester, a low-crystallinity polyester, polyphenylene sulphide (PPS), or a mixture thereof; the fibrous reinforcing material comprises continuous filaments selected from the group consisting of thermoplastic polymeric filaments, thermosetting polymeric filaments, glass fibers and a mixture thereof such that a majority of the continuous filaments are oriented in a first direction and the remainder of the continuous filaments are oriented in a second direction that is generally perpendicular to the first direction; a temperature at which the amorphous polymer substantially enters a liquid state, or the melting point of the low-crystallinity polyester, is at least 10° C. less than the melting point of the thermoplastic polymeric filaments; and the polymer matrix and the fibrous reinforcing material are both substantially transparent to radiant laser energy in a range of from about 800 nm to about 1200 run.