Papermaker's press felt with long machine direction floats in base fabric

Abstract

A papermaker's press felt includes: a base fabric, comprising: a set of top machine direction (MD) yarns; a set of bottom MD yarns; and a set of cross machine direction (CMD) yarns interwoven with the top MD yarns and the bottom MD yarns. The top MD yarns, bottom MD yarns, and CMD yarns are interwoven in a series of repeat units in which each top MD yarn forms a long MD paper side float above certain consecutive ones of the set of CMD yarns. The press felt further comprises at least one batt layer attached to the base fabric. In this configuration, the long paper side floats of the base fabric can provide a desirable balance of properties.

1 . A papermaker's press felt, comprising: 
 a base fabric, comprising:    a set of top machine direction (MD) yarns;    a set of bottom MD yarns;    a set of cross machine direction (CMD) yarns interwoven with the top MD yarns and the bottom MD yarns;    the top MD yarns, bottom MD yarns, and CMD yarns being interwoven in a series of repeat units in which each top MD yarn forms a long MD paper side float above certain consecutive ones of the set of CMD yarns;    the press felt further comprising at least one batt layer attached to the base fabric.    
   
   
       2 . The fabric defined in  claim 1 , wherein the set of top MD yarns includes twelve top MD yarns.  
   
   
       3 . The fabric defined in  claim 2 , wherein the long MD paper side floats pass over eleven CMD yarns.  
   
   
       4 . The fabric defined in  claim 2 , wherein the long MD paper side floats pass over five CMD yarns.  
   
   
       5 . The fabric defined in  claim 1 , wherein each of the CMD yarns forms only one paper side knuckle in the repeat unit.  
   
   
       6 . The fabric defined in  claim 1 , wherein each of the CMD yarns forms two machine side knuckles in the repeat unit.  
   
   
       7 . The fabric defined in  claim 1 , wherein each of the CMD yarns forms only one machine side knuckle in the repeat unit.  
   
   
       8 . The fabric defined in  claim 1 , further comprising a set of intermediate MD yarns positioned below the top MD yarns and above the bottom MD yarns.  
   
   
       9 . The fabric defined in  claim 8 , wherein the set of top MD yarns includes twelve top MD yarns.  
   
   
       10 . The fabric defined in  claim 9 , wherein the set of intermediate MD yarns includes six intermediate MD yarns.  
   
   
       11 . The fabric defined in  claim 9 , wherein the set of intermediate yarns includes twelve intermediate MD yarns.  
   
   
       12 . The fabric defined in  claim 9 , wherein the long MD paper side floats pass over eleven CMD yarns.  
   
   
       13 . The fabric defined in  claim 9 , wherein each of the CMD yarns forms only one paper side knuckle in the repeat unit.  
   
   
       14 . The fabric defined in  claim 9 , wherein each of the CMD yarns forms only one machine side knuckle in the repeat unit.  
   
   
       15 . A papermaker's press felt, comprising: 
 a base fabric, comprising:    a set of top machine direction (MD) yarns;    a set of intermediate MD yarns;    a set of bottom MD yarns;    a set of upper cross machine direction (CMD) yarns interwoven with the top MD yarns and the intermediate MD yarns; and    a set of lower CMD yarns interwoven with the intermediate MD yarns and the bottom MD yarns;    the top MD yarns, intermediate MD yarns, bottom MD yarns, upper CMD yarns and lower CMD yarns being interwoven in a series of repeat units in which each top MD yarn forms a long MD paper side float above certain consecutive ones of the top CMD yarns;    the press felt further comprising at least one batt layer attached to the base fabric.    
   
   
       16 . The fabric defined in  claim 15 , wherein the set of top MD yarns includes twelve top MD yarns.  
   
   
       17 . The fabric defined in  claim 16 , wherein the set of intermediate MD yarns includes six intermediate MD yarns.  
   
   
       18 . The fabric defined in  claim 16 , wherein the set of intermediate yarns includes twelve intermediate MD yarns.  
   
   
       19 . The fabric defined in  claim 16 , wherein the long MD paper side floats pass over eleven CMD yarns.  
   
   
       20 . The fabric defined in  claim 15 , wherein each of the upper CMD yarns forms two paper side knuckles in the repeat unit.  
   
   
       21 . The fabric defined in  claim 15 , wherein each of the lower CMD yarns forms only one machine side knuckle in the repeat unit.  
   
   
       22 . The fabric defined in  claim 15 , wherein the fabric is woven with warp yarns from two different warp beams.