Heat set spiral link fabric with modified stuffer yarns

摘要

A stuffed spiral link fabric, providing a supporting surface for transporting a web includes a plurality of synthetic spiral coil members connected together serially by elongated hinge members extending through intermeshed portions of adjacent intermeshing spiral coil members to form a spiral link fabric and a plurality of elongated shaped synthetic stuffer yarns extending through central portions of the spiral coil members to form a stuffed spiral link fabric. The stuffed spiral link fabric is heat set to form a fabric in which each spiral coil member has a cross sectional shape having arcuate ends joined by substantially straight portions and a central portion of each spiral coil member is substantially filled with a stuffer yarn which engages and is clamped to each intermeshed portion adjacent thereto, reducing the air and moisture permeability of the fabric and increasing the fabric stability. The stuffer yarn is modified in shape and trapped in place in the spiral fabric by the heat setting step. A method for making the heat set stuffed spiral link fabric is described.