COMPOSITE NON-DISTORTABLE NEEDLEPOINT CANVAS AND METHOD OF PRODUCING SAME

Abstract: A composite laminated, non-distortable needlepoint canvas material (20) comprised of a primary layer of non-elastic, open-mesh woven fabric (22) having a uniform weave pattern of mesh apertures and a relatively thin secondary mesh-stabilizing layer of sheer non-elastic fabric material (28). The threads (24,26) of the open-mesh primary layer (22) are impregnated and coated with a synthetic resin mesh-stiffening material and are bonded to the sheer secondary layer (28) by the synthetic resin mesh-stiffening material of the primary layer (22) or by a combination of such mesh-stiffening material and an applied synthetic adhesive. The threads (24,26) of the primary layer (22) are not susceptible to raveling at the edges of the composite needlepoint material (20). The sheer fabric secondary layer (28) may be a non-woven, semi-transparent, random-spun synthetic fiber material or a sheer closely woven fabric material.

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to needlepoint canvas and yardage. More particularly, the invention relates to open-mesh woven textile and fabric materials in which the holes or apertures between the natural or synthetic threads of the material are equal to or larger in size than the threads themselves and are intended to receive needle-directed yarn stitches for the purpose of creating a stitchery design on such textiles and fabrics. 2. Description of the Prior Art Needlepoint canvas, in its simplest form, is comprised of evenly spaced, durable warp and woof threads woven into a textile in which the holes or apertures between the threads are equal to or larger in size than the threads themselves. The canvas threads are usually composed of cotton or linen fibers, particularly where the gauge of the canvas (number of threads per inch) falls within the popular range of 10 to 18. The threads are composed of a number of fibre strands twisted together and covered with sizing (a stiffening agent such as starch). Fine gauge needlepoint fabrics normally have 18 to 40 threads per inch (sometimes up to 58 thread per inch) and are woven from silk or synthetic fiber threads in addition to cotton and linen fiber threads. Textile and fabric materials, manufactured for use as needlepoint canvas, are usually woven in 24, 27, 36, 37, 40, 43 and 54 inch widths (sometimes also available in 60 and 72 inch widths) with the edges firmly woven as a narrow "selvage" band, and such materials are sold by their manufacturers in "bolt" (roll) units having a minimum of 5-10 yards of material. Fabrics manufactured for use as petit point canvas may be woven in 22 inch widths. The warp threads lie parallel to the selvage edges and the weft threads lie at right angles thereto. The principal types of needlepoint canvases in use today are designated "mono-" meaning one thread on each side of each hole or aperture and "double" meaning two threads on each side of each major hole or aperture. There are two basic forms of mono- canvases,i.e., "mono-floating" and "mono-interlock." With mono-floating canvas (see FIGURE 1) the warp and weft (woof) threads are merely woven over and under each other whereas with mono-interlock canvas (see FIGURE 2) the warp threads (in fact) comprise two smaller (weaker) threads that are knotted or twisted at each over and under crossing of weft threads. Because of the weaving method, mono-floating canvases are subject to greater slippage between threads so that the mesh pattern of the canvas easily becomes distorted, i.e., the holes or apertures become of non-uniform size and configuration with repeated folding and needlepoint working of the canvas. After a great deal of handling even the best of canvases become limp. Further, mono-floating canvas pieces (cut from bolt yardage) are greatly subject to raveling (becoming unwoven) at the cut edges. Mono-interlock woven canvas is somewhat less subject to edge raveling. The smaller dual warp threads so weaken the total canvas that heavy sharp sizing starches are used to saturate the threads and provide body to the canvas. The increased quantities of sizing that are used to reinforce the smaller (weaker) warp threads render the canvas holes or apertures harsh and rough and thereby cause substantial needlepoint yarn wear and frequent yarn breakage, both during the needlepoint stitching process and afterwards while the needlepoint piece is in use. In performing needlepoint work, the body starch relaxes and flakes and the canvas itself experiences loss of stiffness and body. Overly stiff canvas becomes overly limp when worked. With the loss of body, mono-interlock canvas shifts and distorts and its weave pattern frequently interlocks the canvas distortions. Mono-interlock woven canvas is thereby more difficult to block or straighten when distorted out of shape through the application of needlepoint stitchery. Corrective blocking is frequently temporary. Thus, the canvas will often creep back into its pre-blocked distorted form and cannot be permanently blocked even by professional blockers. Double thread needlepoint canvas (also referred to as "Duo" or "Penelope") is woven with the warp and woof threads that form the principal holes or apertures of the canvas each comprised of a pair of slightly spaced threads (see FIGURE 3) which form small apertures. This weave of needlepoint canvas is useful when it is desired to use half stitches or where petit point stitches (small) and gross point stitches (large) are to be worked on the same canvas. In this instance, the canvas' woven structure permits shifting of warp and woof dual threads to make large and small aperture sizes. In other instances, as with the classic Aubusson tapestry stitch, the two vertical threads are not split to achieve a fine textured stitch but is rendered on double thread canvas without the tedium of separating the double vertical threads. U.S. Patent No. 4,328,270 to Kostovski teaches a laminated fabric comprised of a first layer and a second layer. The first layer is a backing web consisting of longitudinally extending filaments intersected by transverse extending filaments. This layer is a cellulose material, coated suitably to give it stiffness. Attached to the first layer is the second layer, a thin sheet of resinous film capable of receiving graphics. This film is configured with a design defined by transverse extending lines and longitudinally extending lines. In the openings defined by the first web, the overlying thin sheet of resinous material defines diagonal lines of weakness. Strands are locked between both layers by passing them through these diagonal lines of weakness into the openings defined in the first layer. G.B. 1,576,665 discloses a backing for tufted carpets which backing is a web bonded to a substrate. This reference is concerned with the combination of non-dye compatible substrates and piles such that when the two are colored, the substrate takes the dye differently than the pile resulting in shadowing of the ultimate product. To overcome this disadvantage, this reference teaches forming a web comprised of heat fusible fibers and fibers that are dye compatible with tufted pile loops which are added later. Thus this reference discloses a method of bonding a particular web between a standard substrate and a pile. It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved needlepoint canvas material which is non-distortable and dimensionally stable throughout the application thereto of needlepoint stitchery. It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved needlepoint canvas material which may be cut into non-rectangular regular shapes and an unlimited variety of irregular shapes and sizes without concern for edge raveling and with the material capable of accepting needlepoint stitchery to the last complete holes or apertures and thus to the edges thereof. It is a still further object of the invention to provide an improved needlepoint canvas material which, although manufactured in typical bolt widths, may be machine cut into relatively long, narrow, selvage-free strips for spooling and marketing without concern for edge raveling during its manipulation and the application of needlepoint stitchery. Another object of the invention is to provide a unique method for producing a needlepoint canvas material which is non-distortable and dimensionally stable, which does not require the application of excessive, yarn-damaging sizing compounds, which does not ravel at its edges during its manipulation and the application of needlepoint stitchery, and which does not require blocking after the completion of the needlework. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Disclosed herein is a laminated composite, non-distortable needlepoint canvas material comprised of: a primary layer of non-elastic, open-mesh material having a uniform gridwork pattern and defining apertures which are equal to or larger in size than the threads forming the material, the gridwork pattern defining the open areas or apertures for receiving needlepoint yarn, the mesh material being at least coated with a stiffening agent; and a relatively thin secondary layer overlying and bonded to the first layer, the apertures in the primary layer being functionally available for receipt of needlepoint yarn passed through the secondary layer; the material being characterized in that: the threads of the material being impregnated with the stiffening agent, the stiffening agent being a synthetic resin having adhesive properties; and in that the second layer is a mesh-stabilizing layer of shear, non-elastic fabric that is co-extensive with the primary layer such that the gridwork of the primary layer remains distinct through the secondary layer. The present invention relates to an improved needlepoint canvas material and the methodology for producing such material. The needlepoint canvas material of the invention is a flexible, non-distortable composite laminated sheet material comprised of a primary layer of non-elastic, open-mesh woven needlepoint fabric which has bonded to one of its faces a relatively thin, non-elastic secondary mesh-stabilizing layer of sheer fabric. The primary layer is preferably a mono-floating or mono-interlock needlepoint canvas material having uniformly sized and spaced mesh holes or apertures between the threads of the canvas with such apertures being equal to or larger in size than the threads themselves. Alternatively, the primary layer may be double thread needlepoint canvas material having principal holes or apertures and smaller holes or apertures. The threads of the open-mesh woven primary layer, in accordance with the invention, are impregnated and coated with a synthetic resin mesh-stiffening or sizing material such as polyvinyl acetate. The sheer fabric secondary layer of the composite laminated needlepoint canvas material is preferably a non-woven, semi-transparent, random-spun synthetic fiber material or a sheer closely woven fabric material. The sheer fabric secondary layer is bonded to the open-mesh primary layer by the synthetic resin mesh-stiffening material of the primary layer or by a combination of such mesh-stiffening material and a synthetic adhesive material which may be applied as a liquid thermoplastic adhesive to one face of the primary layer before it is compressively interfaced with the sheer secondary layer (with the application of heat). Alternatively, the liquid thermoplastic adhesive may be applied to one face of the sheer secondary layer before it is compressively interfaced with the open-mesh primary layer. As a still further alternative, the sheer secondary layer may have built-in adhesive properties which cooperate with the adhesive properties of the mesh-stiffening material of the primary layer to bond the secondary layer to the primary layer. Where the sheer secondary layer has built-in adhesive properties, such layer is preferably a thin fabric material made of non-woven, random-spun thermoplastic fibers with such material being capable of softening and fusing when heated and setting when cooled. The needlepoint canvas material of the invention, as a composite laminated sheet material having a primary layer of well accepted needlepoint canvas and a bonded secondary mesh stabiilizing layer of sheer fabric, provides the needlepoint artisan with an improved needlepoint canvas material which is non-distortable because the warp and woof threads of the layer are held in truer alignment and spacing through their bonding to the secondary mesh-stabilizing layer. Further, with the threads of the primary layer material bonded at one of its faces to the sheer secondary layer, the threads do not ravel at the edges of the canvas. The secondary layer is of such a sheerness that it is semi-transparent so that the holes or apertures of the canvas layer remain distinct to the needlepoint artisan and the secondary layer is relatively thin so that it is easily penetrated by the yarn-bearing stitchery needle. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURE 1 is an enlarged top plan view of a segment of a typical piece of mono-floating thread woven needlepoint canvas; FIGURE 2 is an enlarged top plan view of a segment of a typical piece of mono-interlock thread woven needlepoint canvas; FIGURE 3 is an enlarged top plan view of a segment of a typical piece of double thread woven needlepoint canvas; FIGURE 4 is an enlarged top plan view of a composite laminated piece of the needlepoint canvas material of the present invention with the sheer non-woven, random-spun synthetic fiber secondary layer affixed to the underside of the open-mesh woven canvas primary layer of the composite material; FIGURE 5 is an enlarged sectional view of the needlepoint canvas material of FIGURE 4 taken along line 5-5 of FIGURE 4; FIGURE 6 is a somewhat diagramatic showing of one method of applying the sheer secondary layer to the open-mesh primary layer to form the composite laminated needlepoint canvas material of the invention; and FIGURE 7 is a somewhat diagrammatic showing of a second method of applying the sheet secondary layer to the open-mesh primary layer to form the composite laminated needlepoint canvas material of the invention. PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION Referring initially to FIGURES 1, 2 and 3 of the drawing, there is shown examples of the thread and weave structure of three of the most common needlepoint canvas types, i.e., mono-floating thread canvas (FIGURE 1), mono-interlock thread canvas (FIGURE 2) and double thread canvas (FIGURE 3). In the mono-floating canvas the warp threads 1 and the weft (woof) threads 2 are merely woven over and under each other. In the mono-interlock canvas the warp threads (in fact) comprise two smaller (weaker) threads 3 and 4 that are twisted at each over and under crossing of the weft threads 5. Double thread needlepoint canvas (FIGURE 3) is woven with pairs of warp threads 6 and 7 and pairs of weft threads 8 and 9 with each pair of threads defining with other pairs of threads principal apertures 10 and with the threads of each pair of threads defining with the threads of other pairs of threads small apertures 11 of the canvas. Referring next to FIGURES 4 and 5 of the drawing, the composite laminated needlepoint canvas material 20 of this invention comprises a non-elastic, open-mesh woven needlepoint fabric primary layer 22, comprised of warp threads 24 and weft threads 26, which has bonded to one of its faces a relatively thin, non-elastic, mesh-stabilizing secondary layer of sheer fabric material 28. The primary layer to secondary layer bonding areas 30 are formed by: a) the adhesive quality of the synthetic resin mesh-stiffening material impregnating and coating the threads of the primary layer; b) the combination of such mesh-stiffening material and a synthetic adhesive material applied to either the primary layer or the secondary layer as a liquid thermoplastic adhesive; or c) the combination of such mesh-stiffening material and the adhesive properties of the fibers of the secondary layer when the secondary layer is comprised of non-woven, random-spun thermoplastic fibers. Where a synthetic adhesive material is applied to the primary layer or secondary layer it may be a hot melt, solvent based or aqueous based adhesive, particularly an adhesive having a molecular affinity for the synthetic resin mesh-stiffening material of the primary layer. It may be applied to the secondary layer as a heated sprayed-on liquid adhesive. If applied to the open-mesh primary layer it may be printed on by an engraved calender roll as a heated viscous coating to the outermost surface contact areas of the warp and weft threads over the entire interface surface of the primary layer so that bonding of the layers occurs at a uniformly distributed multiplicity of the small bonding areas 30 throughout the composite material 20 and the apertures of the open-mesh primary layer are maintained functionally free of the adhesive material. In FIGURE 6 there is illustrated, in somewhat diagramatic fashion, one version of the method of applying the sheet secondary layer to the open-mesh primary layer to form the composite laminated needlepoint canvas material of the invention as shown in FIGURE 5. In accordance with the methodology illustrated in FIGURE 6 a web of non-elastic, open-mesh woven needlepoint fabric 22a is fed as a primary laminate layer between web transport or guide rolls 40 and 42 and discharged beyond such rolls as a downwardly depending moving loop 22b of the open-mesh fabric. The moving loop of fabric 22b passes into, through and out of tank 44 containing heated thermoplastic fabric impregnating and coating fluid 46 of low viscosity (as described hereinafter) stiffening or sizing the open-mesh fabric. The impregnated and coated moving web of open-mesh fabric 22 is taken up by heated pressure rolls 48 and 50 and during its passage between such rolls the fabric 22 is calendered so that the warp and weft threads of the fabric at their cross-over points are compressed together for adhesion and excess impregnating and coating fluid is squeezed from the fabric. The temperature of the thermoplastic fluid 46 in tank 44 is maintained above the fluid's resin fusing point and the web 22 is maintained at such temperature by the heated rolls 48 and 50 so that the apertures of the open-mesh primary layer of fabric, forming web 22, are maintained functionally free of the thermoplastic fluid. The web 22 is cooled to below the fusing temperature of the thermoplastic impregnating and coating fluid 46 during its forward movement between roll set 48-50 and the set of pressure rolls 52 and 54 with the consequence that the woven open-mesh fabric 22 becomes sized or stiffened by the setting of the impregnating and coating material. The web 22 is thereafter moved through a preheating station which, as illustrated in FIGURE 6, may include a bank of infrared panels 56. These panels are operated to direct infrared radiation only to the upper surface of web 22 whereby the set thermoplastic impregnating and coating material on such web surface is preheated and softened. The web 22 is then directed immediately to the pressure nip 58 of a bonding station comprised of opposed rolls 60 and 62. A web of non-elastic, mesh-stabilizing sheer fabric material 28 (as the secondary layer) is fed over roll 60 and through the pressure nip 58 to interface under pressure with the web of open-mesh fabric 22 (as the primary layer) to form the composite laminated needlepoint canvas material 20 of the invention. Pressure roll 60 is heated to a precisely controlled temperature whereby as primary web 22 (with its preheated interface surface) and secondary web 28 are brought together in pressure nip 58 bonding occurs between the sheer material of web 28 and the outermost surface points of the warp and weft threads of the open-mesh fabric of web 22. The laminated canvas material 20 is thereafter fed to one or more additional pairs of opposed rotatable pressure rolls 64 and 66 at ambient temperature whereby the bonding points 30 (see FIGURE 5) of such laminated material are cooled to below the fusing temperature of the impregnating and coating material of the primary open-mesh fabric 22 at such bonding points. In FIGURE 7 there is illustrated, in somewhat diagramatic fashion, another version of the method of applying the sheer secondary layer of fabric 28 to the woven open-mesh primary layer of fabric 22 to form the composite laminated needlepoint canvas material 20 of the invention as shown in FIGURES 4 and 5. In accordance with the methodology illustrated in FIGURE 7 a web of non-elastic, open-mesh woven needlepoint fabric 22a is fed as a primary laminate layer between web transport or guide rolls 70 and 72 and discharged beyond such rolls as a downwardly depending moving loop 22b of the open-mesh fabric. The moving loop of fabric 22b passes into, through and out of tank 74 containing heated thermoplastic fabric impregnating and coating fluid 76 of low viscosity (as described hereinafter) for stiffening or sizing the open-mesh fabric. The impregnated and coated moving web of open-mesh fabric 22 is taken up by heated pressure rolls 78 and 80 and during its passage between such rolls the fabric 22 is calendered so that the warp and weft threads of the fabric at their cross-over points are compressed together for adhesion and excess impregnating and coating fluid is squeezed from the fabric. The temperature of the thermoplastic fluid 76 in tank 74 is maintained above the fluid's resin fusing point and the web 22 is maintained at such temperature by the heated rolls 78 and 80 so that the apertures of the open-mesh primary layer of fabric forming web 22 are maintained functionally free of the thermoplastic fluid. The web 22 is cooled to below the fusing temperature of the impregnating and coating fluid 76 during its forward movement between roll set 78-80 and the set of pressure rolls 82 and 84 with the consequence that the woven open-mesh fabric 22 becomes sized or stiffened by the setting of the impregnating and coating material. The web 22 is then fed as a primary laminate layer between a heated, etched-surface roll 86 and an idler roll 88 which rotatably holds fabric layer 22 to roll 86. An upper heated roll 90 rotatably interacts with heated roll 86 to calender the laminate bonding adhesive material 92 introduced to such rolls by a suitable feed device 94. A thin heated viscous calendered coating of adhesive material is carried by roll 86 to the laminate interface surface of the open-mesh fabric 22 whereat it is applied to the outermost coated surface contact areas of the warp and weft threads of such fabric surface in a uniform printed-on pattern of minute adhesive deposit points with the apertures of the open-mesh fabric maintained functionally free of the adhesive material. After the application of adhesive material 92 to the laminate interface surface of the open-mesh fabric primary layer 22, such layer is directed immediately to the pressure nip 96 of a bonding station comprised of opposed rolls 98 and 100. A web of non-elastic, mesh-stabilizing sheer fabric material 28, as a secondary laminate layer, is picked up by roll 98 and fed to the pressure nip 96 whereat the web 28 is interfaced under pressure and precisely controlled heat to primary layer 22 to form the composite laminated needlepoint canvas material 20 of the invention. The laminated canvas material 20 is thereafter fed to one or more additional pairs of opposing rotatable pressure rolls 102 and 104 at ambient temperature whereby the laminate bonding adhesive is cooled to below its fusing temperature. Where the composite laminated needlepoint canvas material of the invention takes the laminate form as shown in FIGURE 5 and is fabricated in accordance with the methodology illustrated in either FIGURE 6 or FIGURE 7, the primary laminate layer 22a (prior to impregnation) may be comprised of any suitable non-elastic, open-mesh woven needlepoint fabric having a uniform pattern of mesh apertures between the threads of the fabric with the apertures being equal to or larger in size than the threads forming the fabric. The sheer fabric secondary laminate layer 28 is preferably a non-woven, semi-transparent, random-spun synthetic fiber material or a sheer closely woven fabric material. Non-woven, synthetic fiber materials of the type that may be utilized include semi-transparent, random-spun polyesters and polyamides (and mixtures of polyester and polyamide fiber) having a material weight of 0.25 to 0.80 ounce or more per square yard. The weight of the secondary layer should increase as the size of the apertures of the primary layer increase. Where an interposed layer of thermoplastic adhesive is utilized (methodology of FIGURE 7) to assist in the bonding of the secondary layer 28 to the primary layer 22 such adhesive may be a hot melt, solvent based or aqueous based adhesive. Thus, latex based and acrylic, polyester and polyamide based adhesives, along with a variety of other thermoplastic synthetic adhesives, are suitable for bonding the secondary layer 28 to the primary layer 22. Depending upon the particular adhesive, the bonding temperature will be within the range of ambient temperature to 450°F and the viscosity of the adhesive will be within the range of 500 to 5,000 centipoise. The interposed layer of adhesive may be applied in printed on fashion to the primary layer 22 as illustrated in FIGURE 7 or may be sprayed onto the secondary layer 28 before it is interfaced with primary layer 22. The methodology of the invention as illustrated in FIGURES 6 and 7 shows the impregnation and coating of the primary woven laminate layer 22a by passing a web of such primary layer material through a single bath or tank 44 or 74 containing the heated thermoplastic fabric impregnating and coating fluid 46 or 76. In a number of instances (depending on the ability of the thread material to absorb the impregnating fluid, thread denier and mesh size of the fabric) the impregnation and coating of the primary layer 22a may require the passage of the web of such layer through two or more baths of the thermoplastic fabric impregnating and coating fluid to attain the desired degree of stiffening or sizing of the woven primary layer. The impregnating and coating fluid may be selected from a variety of thermoplastic resin based materials including polyvinyl acetate, vinyl/acrylic copolymer and polyvinyl chloride and may take the form of emulsions, plastisols, organisols and hot melts. These resin based impregnating and coating materials have a molecular affinity for any interposed layer of adhesive and the non-woven, random-spun synthetic fiber secondary layer materials when used to form the composite material of the invention and improve the laminate bonding characteristics of such material. Also, a wide range of impregnation bath temperatures may be employed (up to about 230°C). EXAMPLE I A broad selection of composite laminated, non-distortable needlepoint canvas materials have been fabricated in accordance with the invention in yardage quantities. For example, a most suitable composite canvas material for needlepoint stitchery is prepared utilizing commercially available non-elastic, cotton thread open-mesh, mono-floating weave, 12 gauge (unsized) needlepoint canvas material weighing 4.0 ounces per square yard and having an average thickness of 0.03 inch. A web of such woven material, as a primary laminate layer, is impregnated and coated with heated thermoplastic polyvinyl acetate emulsion polymer through immersion treatment in a sequence of two baths of the polymer. After the impregnation and coating treatment to stiffen or size the primary layer web such web is compressed under the pressure of opposing calender rolls and cooled to set the polymer. Following the setting of the fabric stiffening polymer, the impregnated and coated primary laminate layer (weighing 5.0 ounces per square yard) is surface heated on the side of the layer to be interfaced with a mesh-stabilizing secondary layer of sheer fabric material to soften the polymer coating to reactivate the adhesive characteristics of such coating. Finally, the surface heated primary layer of polymer impregnated and coated open-mesh fabric is interfaced under pressure with a secondary layer of commercially available non-elastic, non-woven, semi-transparent, spunbonded polyester synthetic fiber material weighing 0.5 ounce per square yard with the softened polymer coating on the primary layer acting as an adhesive to bond the secondary layer to the primary layer. The resulting composite laminate material is cooled to reset the polymer with such composite material having an average thickness of 0.034 inch and having a weight of 5.5 ounces per square yard. EXAMPLE II As another example of the composite laminated, non-distortable needlepoint canvas material of the invention, a primary layer of woven cotton thread open-mesh, 12-gauge needlepoint fabric (as described in the previous example) is impregnated and coated in a single immersion treatment with polyvinyl acetate polymer. The sheer secondary layer of the composite is comprised of commercially available non-elastic, non-woven, semi-transparent, spunbonded polyamide synthetic fiber material weighing 0.4 ounce per square yard. A preheated emulsion of thermoplastic based adhesive is utilized to assist in the bonding of the secondary layer to the primary layer. The hot adhesive is applied to the outermost surface areas of the warp and weft threads on the laminate interface side of the primary layer by an engraved, heated calendering roller. Approximately 0.3 ounce of adhesive is utilized per square yard of the primary layer material. The open-mesh primary layer, with adhesive thereon, is thereafter interfaced with the sheer secondary layer and laminated under pressure by passage through a pair of opposing heated rolls. The hot thermoplastic based adhesive and softened, reactivated polyvinyl acetate polymer coating on the woven primary layer combine to bond the sheet non-woven secondary layer to the open-mesh woven primary layer. The resulting composite laminate material is cooled to set the thermoplastic based adhesive and reset the coating polymer with such composite material having an average thickness of 0.034 inch and having a weight of 5.1 ounces per square yard. The unique composite needlepoint canvas material of the above examples is non-distortable when needlepoint stitchery is applied and the material exhibits no edge raveling when cut into a variety of rectangular and irregular shapes. Further, the materials are easily machine cut into narrow ravel-free strips. The disclosed improved composite laminated needlepoint canvas material, although produced in bolt quantities of common widths, does not require that the selvage edges of the primary open-mesh canvas layer be retained to inhibit raveling. In fact, the composite material is fabricated utilizing bolt widths of the primary canvas layer from which the selvage areas have been removed. Removal of the selvage edges also eliminates aperture distorts in the area of the selvages. Because the composite material does not ravel, it may be readily cut into an unlimited variety of regular and irregular shapes and sizes with the cut material capable of accepting needlepoint stitchery to the last complete holes or apertures and thus to the edges thereof. In addition, the material may be die cut at the time of its manufacture into popular design shapes or machine cut at such time into relatively long, narrow, selvage-free strips for separate spooling in a wide variety of widths, even widths down to about one inch. Thus, long strips of the material may be spooled in a variety of pre-cut widths for use in making long decorative (sag-free) popular bellpull and tapestry pieces, belts and bands bearing needlepoint stitchery, and the like, without requiring that the needlepoint artisan make long careful cuts by hand along warp or weft threads as with prior needlepoint canvas materials. Further, long strips of the composite needlepoint canvas material may be cut from bolt material along the "straight-of-the-grain" of the material (the so-called north-south direction of the primary layer of open-mesh woven material and the direction parallel to the original selvages of such layer) to obtain strips of maximum strength and free of gravity sag (north-south, wrap-aligned cut strips are classically stronger than east-west, weft-aligned cut strips) without wasting large quantities of the bolt or yardage material along, and adjacent to, the length of the strips. In general, the capability of providing pre-cut, spooled, selvage-free, non-raveling needlepoint canvas material provides the needlepoint artisan with a unique material in sub-bolt, warp-aligned widths that can be quickly, easily and accurately cut east-west (weft aligned) of the material grain. In addition to unique strip forms of the composite needlepoint canvas material of the invention, the material may be cut into shapes that are free-standing and thus may have needlepoint stitchery applied as a total design to the edges of the shapes without requiring surrounding and tedious background stitchery. Also, the composite laminated material is better able to support mixed-media craftwork in that, in addition to needlepoint stitchery it may accept heavy beadwork in adjacent and abutting design areas without causing sagging of the canvas threads and material distortion. The non-elastic, mesh-stabilizing secondary layer of sheer fabric material, which is bonded to the open-mesh primary layer, provides additional unique features to the composite laminated needlepoint canvas material of the invention. The sheer secondary layer is semi-transparent so that the apertures of the primary open-mesh layer remain distinct to the needlepoint artisan and the secondary layer is extremely thin so that its fibers or threads do not inhibit the manipulation of the yarn-bearing needle through the apertures or the pull of the yard therethrough. The sheer secondary layer may be bulk color tinted prior to lamination to provide color contrast with respect to the threads of the primary layer so that the apertures of the primary layer in effect are frame and stand out to promote eye-ease, i.e., the air spaces of the primary layer canvas are in effect colorable. Light pre-tinting of the secondary layer does not limit its sheerness and semi-transparency. Alternatively, as means for providing color contrast and framing of the apertures, the primary layer of canvas can be pre-colored(coloration of the thread used in weaving the canvas) to contrast with an untinted or contrast tinted sheer secondary layer. In bulk form both the primary layer and the secondary layer can be pre-color matched with the sheerness of the secondary layer providing the desired contrast between such layers. Most importantly, the presence of the sheet secondary layer provides a full surface effect to both faces of the composite laminated needlepoint material with each face of such material readily accepting fully detailed needlepoint, mixed-media or cross-stitch designs, patterns or decalcomania, regardless of the open aperture mesh gauge of the primary layer. This now provides the needlepoint artisan with two means of framing the apertures of the primary layer, i.e., viewing the apertures from the primary layer side of the composite material and therethrough to the contrasting sheer secondary layer, or viewing the apertures from the secondary layer side through the contrasting sheer secondary layer. Thus, the laminated needlepoint material of the invention, on either or both of its faces, accepts detailed designs applied by paints, marking pens, inks, crayons and a wide variety of iron-on transfer patterns, decalcomania, cross-stitch transfers or dressmaker type carbon sheets and fabric dyes. Such detailed design means and methods of designs make it possible to align to a precise fractional thread count because of the total colorable surface of the secondary layer and the warp and weft threads of the material are held in regular, nondistortable arrangement of apertures of the primary open-mesh layer of the material. The unique material of the invention thereby eliminates the need for the present costly state-of-the-art tedious hand painting of the individual canvas threads to achieve exact design alignment and color coverage. The various color tintings of the sheer secondary layer and coloring of the threads of the primary layer also helps to cost-effectively eliminate canvas "grin-through" where the needlepoint yarn does not fully cover the canvas threads and spots of canvas are visible between the stitches. In addition, the sheer secondary layer may be pre-printed with needlework guiding grids and measurement indicia (including numbers, lines and regularly spaced color symbols) so that precise design layouts may be easily made and design enlargement or miniaturization may be accomplished on the fabric itself. Such preprinted integral grids and indicia substantially eliminate the need for separate measuring grids and devices and graphs and charts that require tedius back and forth reference and counting of stitches. In the specification and drawing figures there has been set forth preferred embodiments of the invention and although specific terms have been employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the following claims.

Claims: A laminated composite, non-distortable needlepoint canvas material comprised of: a primary layer of non-elastic, open-mesh material having a uniform gridwork pattern, and defining apertures or open areas which are equal to or larger in size than the threads forming said material, said gridwork pattern defining said open areas or apertures for receiving needlepoint yarn, said mesh material being at least coated with a stiffening agent; and a relatively thin secondary layer overlying and permanently bonded to said first layer, said apertures in said primary layer being functionally available for receipt of needlepoint yarn passed through said secondary layer; said open mesh material being characterized in that: said threads of said open mesh material are impregnated with said stiffening agent, said stiffening agent being a synthetic resin having adhesive properties; the said open areas being functionally free of said synthetic resin and in that said second layer is a mesh-stabilizing layer of sheer, non-elastic fabric that is co-extensive with said primary layer such that the gridwork of said primary layer remains distinct through said secondary layer. A composite laminated, non-distortable needlepoint canvas material as claimed in claim 1 wherein said relatively thin secondary mesh stabilizing layer of sheer non-elastic fabric material is permanently bonded to the threads of said primary layer in part by the synthetic resin mesh-stiffening material coating said threads and in part by an interposed layer of synthetic resin adhesive, the apertures of said primary layer being functionally free of said interposed synthetic resin adhesive. A composite laminated, non-distortable needlepoint canvas material as claimed in claims 1 or 2 wherein the relatively thin secondary mesh-stabilizing layer of sheer non-elastic fabric material is a non-woven, random-spun synthetic fiber textile material. A composite laminated, non-distortable needlepoint canvas material as claimed in claims 1 or 2 wherein the non-woven, random-spun synthetic fiber textile material is made from synthetic resins selected from the group consisting of polyamides and polyesters. A composite laminated, non-distortable needlepoint canvas material as claimed in claims 1 or 2 wherein the relatively thin secondary mesh-stabilizing layer of sheer non-elastic fabric material is a closely woven textile material. A composite laminated, non-distortable needlepoint canvas material as claimed in claims 1 or 2 wherein the primary layer of non-elastic, open-mesh woven fabric is a fabric selected from the group comprising mono-floating, mono-interlock and double thread woven canvas material. A composite laminated, non-distortable needlepoint canvas material as claimed in claims 1 or 2 wherein the primary layer of non-elastic, open-mesh woven fabric is a fabric woven of threads selected from the group comprising cotton, linen, silk, rayon, mixtures of cotton, linen, silk and/or rayon and mixtures of cotton or linen with polyesters or polyamides. A composite laminated, non-distortable needlepoint canvas material as claimed in claims 1 or 2 wherein the synthetic resin mesh-stiffening material impregnating and coating the threads of primary layer of woven fabric material is polyvinyl acetate. A composite laminated, non-distortable needlepoint canvas material as claimed in claim 2 wherein the interposed layer of synethetic resin adhesive bonding in part the secondary layer of sheer fabric material to the primary layer of open-mesh woven material is selected from the group comprising hot melt, solvent based and aqueous based thermoplastic adhesives. A composite laminated, non-distortable needlepoint canvas material as claimed in claim 2 wherein the interposed layer of synthetic resin adhesive bonding in part the secondary layer of sheer fabric material to the primary layer of open-mesh woven material is selected from the group comprising latex based, acrylic based, polyester based, polyamide based and vinyl based thermoplastic adhesives. A composite laminated, non-distortable needlepoint canvas material as claimed in claims 1 or 2 wherein the relatively thin secondary mesh-stabilizing layer of sheer non-elastic fabric material is color tinted to provide a color contrast between the threads of the open-mesh fabric material of said primary layer and thereby provide clear definition to the apertures of said primary layer. A composite laminated, non-distortable needlepoint canvas material as claimed in claims 1 or 2 wherein the threads of the open-mesh fabric material of the primary layer are color tinted to provide a color contrast between said threads and the sheer fabric material of said secondary layer and thereby provide clear definition to the apertures of said primary layer. A composite laminated, non-distortable needlepoint canvas material as claimed in claims 1 or 2 wherein the relatively thin secondary mesh-stabilizing layer of sheer non-elastic fabric material is preprinted with guiding grids and measurement indicia for design alignment with the threads and apertures of the open-mesh fabric material of the primary layer. A composite laminated, non-distortable needlepoint canvas material as claimed in claims 1 or 2 wherein said composite material is initially fabricated in bolt widths which may thereafter be cut into relatively long, narrow selvage-free strips for spooling. A composite laminated, non-distortable needlepoint canvas material as claimed in claims 1 or 2 wherein said composite material is initially fabricated in bolt widths which may thereafter be cut into shapes that are free-standing and thus may have needlepoint stitchery applied to the full apertures at the edges thereof. A method of producing a composite laminated, non-distortable needlepoint canvas material which comprises a primary layer and a secondary layer, said layers being bonded by means of heat and pressure and then allowed to cool naturally, said method being characterized by: a) impregnating and coating said primary layer of non-elastic, open-mesh woven fabric material having a uniform gridwork pattern with mesh apertures with a synthetic resin mesh-stiffening material having adhesive properties; and b) assembling the resin impregnated and coated primary layer of woven fabric material and said relatively thin secondary mesh-stabilizing layer of sheer non-elastic fabric material; said heat and pressure applied to the assembly of said primary layer and said secondary layer acting to soften the synthetic resin coating of said primary layer to bond said secondary layer to said primary layer to form said composite laminated canvas and material; and said cooling of said composite laminated canvas material to ambient temperature causing the curing of the synthetic resin material forming the bond between said secondary layer and said primary layer. A method of producing a composite laminated, non-distortable needlepoint canvas material as claimed in claim 16 wherein one side of said primary layer coated with the synthetic resin mesh-stiffening material and intended to interface with said secondary layer, is heated prior to said assembly step to soften said coating material to facilitate the bonding of said secondary layer to said primary layer, said two layers then both being exposed to heat and pressure in said assembly step to further soften said coating and bond the two layers together. A method of producing a composite laminated, non-distortable needlepoint canvas material as claimed in claim 16 or 17 wherein said assembling step includes interposing an interposed layer of synthetic resin adhesive between said primary and secondary layers and said heat and pressure applying step includes applying heat and pressure to said interposed layer of synthetic resin adhesive to soften the interposed layer of synthetic resin adhesive and bond said secondary layer to said primary layer in part by said coated mesh-stabilizing material and in part by said resin adhesive to form said composite laminated canvas material. A method of producing a composite laminated, non-distortable needlepoint canvas material as claimed in claim 18 wherein the interposed layer of synthetic resin adhesive is a heated liquid thermoplastic resin adhesive and is interposed between said primary layer and said secondary layer by coating said heated liquid adhesive on the side of said primary layer interfacing with said secondary layer before the assembly of said primary and secondary layers, said coating of said heated liquid adhesive of said primary layer being only applied to the threads of said primary layer in the areas of their interfacing contact with said secondary layer whereby the apertures of said primary layer remain functionally free of said adhesive after said secondary layer is bonded to said primary layer. A method of producing a composite laminated, non-distortable needlepoint canvas material as claimed in claim 18 wherein the interposed layer of synthetic resin adhesive is a heated liquid thermoplastic resin adhesive and is interposed between said primary layer and said secondary layer by spraying said heated liquid adhesive on the side of said secondary layer interfacing with said primary layer before the assembly of said primary and secondary layers. A method of producing a composite laminated, non-distortable needlepoint canvas material as claimed in claims 16 or 18 wherein the synthetic resin mesh-stiffening material for impregnating and coating the primary layer of woven fabric material is polyvinyl acetate. A method of producing a composite laminated, non-distortable needlepoint canvas material as claimed in claim 18 wherein the heated liquid thermoplastic resin adhesive forming said interposed adhesive layer is selected from the group comprising hot melt, solvent based and aqueous based thermoplastic adhesives. A method of producing a composite laminated, non-distortable needlepoint canvas material as claimed in claim 18 wherein the heated liquid thermoplastic resin adhesive forming said interposed adhesive layer is selected from the group comprising latex based, acrylic based, polyester based, polyamide based and vinyl based thermoplastic adhesives.

Inventors: KATZ, MARCELLA M.
Applicants: KATZ, MARCELLA M.
Application year: 1986
Main classification: D03D25
IPC codes: B32B5, D05C17, A41D31, D06M17, B32B27, B63H9