Patent ID: 8083898

Claim:
A method for manufacturing a machine felt ( 35 ) of finite length, comprising the steps of: providing a tube having at least one longitudinal yarn layer, made up respectively of longitudinal yarns ( 13 , 14 ) proceeding in parallel fashion, is manufactured with a peripheral length that corresponds to at least double the length of the machine felt ( 35 ) to be produced, and with a width that corresponds at least to the width of the machine felt ( 35 ) to be produced; and compressing the tube into a flattened tube ( 16 ) with mutual abutment of its inner sides and with the formation of front ends ( 36 , 37 ) and of longitudinal yarn loops ( 39 , 40 ), exposing the yarn loops ( 39 , 40 ) by the removal of fibers of a previously applied fiber batt layer ( 38 ), with formation of a respective channel ( 41 , 42 ) extending along the associated front end ( 36 , 37 ), manufacturing at least one auxiliary substrate web ( 5 ) with a width that is less than that of the machine felt ( 35 ) that is to be produced; for the longitudinal yarns ( 13 , 14 ) and/or for the at least one auxiliary substrate web ( 5 ), at least in part a material is used that has the property of absorbing laser energy and of being capable of being brought by means of laser energy, at least superficially and at least partially, to melting temperature; the longitudinal yarns ( 13 , 14 ) are brought together with the auxiliary substrate web ( 5 ) in its longitudinal direction and connected to one another by the action of a laser beam; the auxiliary substrate web ( 5 ) is or are helically wound until the tube is formed; and upon exposure of the longitudinal yarn loops ( 39 , 40 ), the portion of the auxiliary substrate web(s) ( 5 ) present there is also removed.