Abstract:
The present invention is directed to a laminated net, and more specifically to a laminate comprising a nonwoven fabric and knitted net to be utilized as rounded bale wrap, wherein the wrap maintains the integrity of the bale during, pick-up, transport, and storage. The net of the present invention is laminate to nonwoven fabric. The nonwoven fabric provides additional coverage to the rounded bale so as to maintain the compact shape of the bale during pick-up, transport, and storage.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0001]     The present invention is directed to a laminated net, and more specifically to a laminate comprising a nonwoven fabric and knitted net to be utilized as rounded bale wrap, wherein the wrap maintains the integrity of the bale during, pick-up, transport, and storage.  
         [0002]     The net of the present invention is laminate to nonwoven fabric. The nonwoven fabric provides additional coverage to the rounded bale so as to maintain the compact shape of the bale during pick-up, transport, and storage.  
         [0003]     The present invention generally relates to a laminated net, and more specifically to a laminate comprising a nonwoven fabric and knitted net to be utilized as rounded bale wrap, wherein the wrap maintains the integrity of the bale during, pick-up, transport, and storage.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     Netting is often prepared either by knitting, weaving, or extrusion. Knitted netting typically comprises a plurality of threads oriented in a first direction and being essentially equal spaced from one another, and having wefts oriented in a second direction which is perpendicular to the first direction, the threads and wefts being interlocked and secured. Nets may be prepared by a Racshel knitting method, a process in which the threads are attached to knitting elements that comprise two needles and knock-over comb bars positioned opposite to one another, and comprising ground guide bars, pattern guide bars and stitch comb bars. An example of such a knitted net is described in European Patent No. 0 723 606, to Fryszer, et al., incorporated herein by reference.  
         [0005]     Knitted netting has a variety of end use applications, including but not limited to hay bale wrap, cargo wrap, netted bags, and drainage nets. Racshel knitted nets have been used for round hay bale wrapping as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,569,439 and No. 4,570,789, both of which are incorporated herein by reference. Twines and films have also been used to tie up hay bales; however the twine usually cuts in the bale and doesn&#39;t provide ample support to keep the bale tidy and neat. Further, the twining of the rolled bales with the binding yarn is relatively time-consuming and requires substantial manual labor. Film covers don&#39;t allow the rolled bale enough air circulation, which lead to the growth of mold and eventually rotting. The Racshel knitted net doesn&#39;t cut into the hay bale and allow ample amount of air to circulate through the bale. Although Racshel knitted netting has several advantages over twine and plastic film, the netting tends to shrink in overall width when pulled lengthwise. Due to the shrinkage in the width, the outer most edges of the hay bale are left exposed, which can cause the bale to become disheveled during pick-up and transport.  
         [0006]     There is an unmet need for a bale cover that will provide maximum coverage to a rounded bale maintaining the rolled bale compact shape during pick-up and transport, as well as during storage.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     The present invention is directed to a laminated net, and more specifically to a laminate comprising a nonwoven fabric and knitted net to be utilized as rounded bale wrap, wherein the wrap maintains the integrity of the bale during, pick-up, transport, and storage.  
         [0008]     The net of the present invention is laminate to nonwoven fabric. The nonwoven fabric provides additional coverage to the rounded bale so as to maintain the compact shape of the bale during pick-up, transport, and storage. Preferably, the nonwoven fabric is a continuous filament fabric. The knitted netting and nonwoven fabric may be mechanically or chemically bonded by various means.  
         [0009]     In accordance with the present invention, the netting comprises a plurality of chain yarns orientated in a first direction and a plurality of fill yarns orientated in a second direction. The yarns of the present invention may comprise flat filaments, such as tapes, monofilaments, or a combination thereof. The filaments of the nonwoven fabric and/or the knitted net may be of similar or dissimilar polymeric compositions. Suitable filaments, which may be blended in whole or part with natural or synthetic polymeric compositions, include polyamides, polyesters, polyolefins, polyvinyls, polyacrylics, and the blends or coextrusion products thereof. The synthetic polymers may be further selected from homopolymers; copolymers, conjugates and other derivatives including those thermoplastic polymers having incorporated melt additives or surface-active agents.  
         [0010]     Subsequent to formation of the nonwoven web and knitted net, the nonwoven web and/or knitted net may optionally be subjected to various chemical and/or mechanical post-treatments so as to impart a specific performance to the laminate. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]      FIG. 1  illustrates a view of a portion of a Racshel machine; and  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  is a diagrammatic view of an apparatus for imparting a three-dimensional image into a fabric. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0013]     While the present invention is susceptible of embodiment in various forms, there will hereinafter be described, presently preferred embodiments, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the invention, and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments disclosed herein.  
         [0014]     In accordance with the present invention, the differentially elongated knit is formed on a Racshel knitting machine. The machine comprises a plurality of latch needles, a plurality of lapping belts, a yarn laying-in comb and a plurality of guide bars having needle guides thereon. The latch needles are mounted in the machine to carry out a reciprocating motion in a given plane while the lapping belts are spaced from the needles on one side of the plane, i.e., on a downstream side, for guiding pattern yarns to the needles. In addition, the laying-in comb is mounted on the same side of the plane of the latch needles as the lapping belts and carries out an orbital motion perpendicularly of the plane of the latch needles to penetrate between the pattern yarns. The guide bars with the needle guides serve to lay-in stitch yarns and are mounted on an opposite side of the plane of the latch needles from the lapping belts, i.e., on the upstream side, and oscillate at an angle to the pattern yarns.  
         [0015]      FIG. 1 , is representative of a Racshel machine, whereby it is provided with a comb plate  1  in which a plurality of latch needles  3  are mounted for reciprocating motion along their axes  2  in a vertical plane, as viewed. As shown, the needles  3  are disposed on a bar  4  which is movable up and down.  
         [0016]     In addition, the machine includes a plurality of lapping belts or guide bars  5  spaced from the needles  3  on one side, i.e., the downstream side, of the plane of the needles  3  for guiding pattern yarns to the needles  3 . A yarn laying-in comb  6  is also mounted on the same side of the plane  2  of the latch needles  3  in order to carry out an orbital motion perpendicularly of the plane  2  while penetrating between the pattern yarns. As indicated in chain-dotted line  7 , the orbital motion is a combined stroke and oscillating motion. The comb  6  is provided with a plurality of parallel sinkers  8  each of which carries a guide rod  9  and which has a deflecting edge  10  at the forward end extending towards the plane  2 . In addition, each sinker  8  has a yarn catch  11  at a lower region of the deflecting edge  10  below the guide rod  9 . A trace comb  12  is also mounted over the comb plate  1  in known manner.  
         [0017]     The machine also has a plurality of guide bars  13  which have needle guides thereon for directing stitch yarns to the latch needles  3 . As shown, the guide bars  13  are mounted on the side of the plane  2  of the latch needles  3  opposite the lapping belts  5 , i.e., on the upstream side. Suitable means are also provided for oscillating the guide bars  13  at an angle to the pattern yarns.  
         [0018]     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the lapping belts  5  are positioned at an acute angle downstream of the plane  2 . A yarn guide  14  is also disposed between the belts  5  and the guide bars  13  for deflecting the pattern yarns upon laying-in of the stitch yarns. This yarn guide  14  is used for laying the pattern yarns in the needle lanes (not shown). The yarn guide  14  may be coupled to the guide bars  13  so as to move therewith or may be provided with an independent drive (not shown).  
         [0019]     The Racshel knitted net of the present invention is laminated to a nonwoven fabric to provide improved coverage to the rounded bale. Preferably, the nonwoven fabric is a continuous filament fabric. In general, continuous filament nonwoven fabric formation involves the practice of the spunbond process. A spunbond process involves supplying a molten polymer, which is then extruded under pressure through a large number of orifices in a plate known as a spinneret or die. Optionally, the molten polymer may incorporate a filament modifying melt additive. The resulting continuous filaments are quenched and drawn by any of a number of methods, such as slot draw systems, attenuator guns, or Godet rolls. The continuous filaments are collected as a loose web upon a moving foraminous surface, such as a wire mesh conveyor belt. When more than one spinneret is used in line for the purpose of forming a multi-layered fabric, the subsequent webs are collected upon the uppermost surface of the previously formed web. The web is then at least temporarily consolidated, usually by means involving heat and pressure, such as by thermal point bonding. Using this means, the web or layers of webs are passed between two hot metal rolls, one of which has an embossed pattern to impart and achieve the desired degree of point bonding, usually on the order of 10 to 40 percent of the overall surface area being so bonded.  
         [0020]     Subsequent to formation of the nonwoven web, the nonwoven may optionally be subjected to various chemical and/or mechanical post-treatments. For instance, the nonwoven web may be imparted with hydrophobicity and/or antimicrobials. Further, the nonwoven web may be microcreped, apertured, or three-dimensionally imaged to impart a specific performance to the web. A particular microcreping process that can be employed is commercially available from the Micrex Corporation of Walpole, Mass., and is referred to by the registered mark of the same company as “MICREX”. The apparatus for performing MICREXING is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,260,778; No. 3,810,280; No. 4,090,385; and No. 4,717,329, hereby incorporated by reference.  
         [0021]      FIG. 2  includes an imaging and patterning drum  18  comprising a three-dimensional image transfer device for effecting imaging and patterning of a nonwoven web. The formed web is trained over a guide roller  20  and directed to the image transfer device  18 , where a plurality of three-dimensional images are imparted into the fabric on the foraminous forming surface of the device. The web of fibers is juxtaposed to the image transfer device  18 , and high pressure water from manifolds  22  is directed against the outwardly facing surface from jet spaced radially outwardly of the image transfer device  18 . The image transfer device  18 , and manifolds  22 , may be formed and operated in accordance with the teachings of commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,098,764, No. 5,244,711, No. 5,822,823, and No. 5,827,597, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference. The fabric can be vacuum dewatered at  24 , and dried at an elevated temperature on drying cans  26 .  
         [0022]     The Racshel knitted netting and spunbond nonwoven fabric may be mechanically or chemically bonded by various means known by those skilled in the art, including but not limited to adhesive or stitching.  
         [0023]     Subsequent to formation, the laminate net material may optionally be subjected to various chemical and/or mechanical post-treatments. The material is then collected and packaged in a continuous form, such as in a roll form, or alternatively, the laminate net material may comprise a series of weak points whereby desired lengths of twine material may be detracted from the remainder of the continuous packaged form.  
         [0024]     From the foregoing, it will be observed that numerous modifications and variations can be affected without departing from the true spirit and scope of the novel concept of the present invention. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific embodiments illustrated herein is intended or should be inferred. The disclosure is intended to cover, by the appended claims, all such modifications as fall within the scope of the claims