......DE....FRGB..........SE......................R0286318EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATIONA319901031EP88302889.619880330enenen3505919870406US19901031199044198810121988414 4D 21F 11/00 A 4D 21H 21/06 BdeHerstellung von nassgelegten, nichtgewebten FaserbahnenenMaufacture of wet laid nonwoven websfrFabrication de bandes fibreuses non tissées par voie humideJAMES RIVER CORPORATION00542193RM/P.71208.EP.RIVER CORPORATION, JAMES800 Connecticut AvenueNorwalk Connecticut 06856USTse, Stephen H.James River Corporation P.O. Box 2218Richmond Virginia 23217USHollenberg, David H.James River Corporation 1915 Marathon AvenueNeenah Wisconsin 54956USMartin, Richard L.James River Corporation 1915 Marathon AvenueNeenah Wisconsin 54956USManning, James H.James River Corporation 1915 Marathon AvenueNeenah Wisconsin 54956USArcher, Philip Bruceet al00027754Urquhart-Dykes & Lord, Midsummer House, 411C Midsummer BoulevardCentral Milton Keynes, Bucks. MK9 3BNGBDEFRGBSE19901031199044

A method for forming a non-woven fabric web by wet-laying fibers on paper-making equipment, the web comprising staple length natural or synthetic fibers and wood cellulose paper-making fibers wherein a water furnish of the fibers is made up with a nonionic associative thickener in the absence of a conventional surfactant. A preferred associative thickener for use with hydrophobic fibers is a nonionic urethane block copolymer having a polyethylene glycol backbone, the associative thickener acting as both surfactant and thickener. With predominately cellulosic fibers, i.e. conventional wood cellulose fibers, or a mixture of conventional and contorted wood fibers, and synthetic cellulosic fibers, such as rayon, a nonionic hydroxyethyl cellulose having a long alkyl side chain is preferred. Excellent consistency of the water fiber dispersion is obtained at relatively low viscosity with rapid drainage of water from the wire and uniform formation of the non-woven fabric.