(19)
(11) EP 0 695 827 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
21.05.1997 Bulletin 1997/21

(43) Date of publication A2:
07.02.1996 Bulletin 1996/06

(21) Application number: 95303854.4

(22) Date of filing: 06.06.1995
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)6: D21F 1/00, D21F 7/10
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE DE ES FR GB IT NL SE

(30) Priority: 09.06.1994 US 257565
25.04.1995 US 428661

(71) Applicant: ALBANY INTERNATIONAL CORP.
Albany, New York 12204 (US)

(72) Inventors:
  • Miller, Lawrence G.
    Raynham, Massachusetts 02767 (US)
  • Lotti-Fassnacht, Robin
    Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey 07849 (US)
  • Cooke, Henry M.
    Randolph, Massachusetts 02368 (US)

(74) Representative: Lowther, Deborah Jane et al
Abel & Imray, Northumberland House, 303-306 High Holborn
London WC1V 7LH
London WC1V 7LH (GB)

   


(54) Method of seam closure for sheet transfer and other paper processing belts


(57) A loop-and-pintle seam in a paper-processing belt (72) having a polymeric-resin coating (68) is closed by covering the seam on the uncoated side with an encapsulating material, so that the seam area (50) has compression properties substantially identical to those of the remainder of the belt. After installing the belt (72) and closing the pin seam with a pintle (76), the seam region (50) is impregnated on the non-paper side with a viscous paste comprising a polymeric-resin material and a blowing agent. The paste is heated to create a foam that fills the voids in the seam region (50) and the slit (78) in the coating (68), before being cured. Alternatively, a solid foam strip (88) of a polymeric resin may be glued to the seam region (50). The belt may be used as a transfer or long-nip-press (LNP) belt.






Search report