Claims
- 1. A water and/or oil-impermeable impermeable sealing mat for use as a water and/or oil barrier consisting essentially of, in that order, a substrate layer, a layer of swellable clay, and a cover layer, wherein(a) at least one of the substrate and the cover layer consist of a non-woven textile material, (b) all three layers are bonded together by needling, (c) the swellable clay is at least partially embedded in a non-woven textile layer and (d) the thickness of the swellable clay is less than or substantially equal to the thickness of the non-woven textile layer or layers as a whole.
- 2. Sealing mat according to claim 1, wherein the non-woven textile material or materials have an area weight of about 250 to about 1000 g/m2, a thickness of about 2 to about 8 mm, effective opening sizes between about 0.08 and about 1.5 mm, water permeabilities at a load of 2 kN/m2 between about 10−3 and about 10−2 m/s and are made of spinning fibers with a length of cut of about 60 to about 150 mm.
- 3. Sealing mat according to claim 21, wherein one of the substrate and cover layer is a non-woven textile material and the other layer is a woven or knitted fabric, both of said substrate and cover layer consist of non-rotting synthetic resin fibers or filaments.
- 4. Sealing mat according to claim 3, wherein the fibers and/or filaments consist of polyolefin or polyester.
- 5. Sealing mat according to claim 4, wherein the polyolefin is polypropylene.
- 6. Sealing mat according to claim 4, wherein the polyolefin is high density polyethylene (HDPE).
- 7. Sealing mat according to claim 1, wherein the layer of swellable clay is uniform and has a thickness of about 0.5 to about 10 mm and the swellable clay is powdered or granular.
- 8. Sealing mat according to claim 1, wherein the swellable clay is bentonite.
- 9. Sealing mat according to claim 8, wherein the bentonite is an alkalimetal-activated bentonite.
- 10. Sealing mat according to claim 9, wherein the alkalimetal-activated bentonite is a sodium-activated bentonite.
- 11. Sealing mat according to claim 10, wherein the sodium-activated bentonite is powerded powdered and has such distribution of particle size that the major or predominant part of the particles have a size below 0.002 mm (2 microns).
- 12. Sealing mat according to claim 1110, wherein about 30 to about 50% of the employed bentonite is located in at least one of the substrate and/or the cover layer a portion of the employed bentonite is located in the or each non-woven layer.
- 13. Sealing mat according to claim 1, wherein(a) the substrate layer and the cover layer consist of non-woven textile materials, (b) the non-woven textile materials have an area weight of about 250 to about 1000 g/m2, a thickness of about 2 to about 8 mm, effective opening sizes between about 0.08 and about 1.5 mm, water permeabilities at a load of 2 kN/m2 between about 10−3 m/s and are made of spinning fibers with a length of cut of about 60 to about 150 mm, (c) the fibers of the non-woven textile materials consist of high density polyethylene, polypropylene or polyester, (d) the swellable clay is a powdered sodium-activated bentonite and has such distribution of particle size that the major or predominant part of the particles have a size below 0.002 mm (2 microns). (e) the thickness of the uniform bentonite layer is about, 0.5 to about 10 mm. (f) about 30 to about 50% of the employed bentonite is located in the substrate layer and in the cover layer.
- 14. A sealing mat turning impermeable upon interaction with water and for furnishing a water barrier comprising a substrate layer and a cover layer, each being a member selected from the group consisting of non-woven textile material, woven fabric and knitted fabric with the proviso that at least one of these layers is a non-woven textile material, a swellable clay which has the property of swelling and gelatinizing upon contact with water, located between the substrate and cover layer, said swellable clay having a thickness of from about 0.5 millimeters to 10 millimeters and constituting a water impermeable barrier when it swells, upon being wetted, and the two layers, with the swellable clay therebetween, being connected by needling, such that a strong mechanical coherence of said substrate layer, said cover layer and said clay is achieved by the needling, which strong mechanical coherence provides a pressure counteracting a swelling pressure of said clay when said clay swells.
- 15. A sealing mat according to claim 14, wherein both the substrate layer and the cover layer are of a non-woven textile material.
- 16. A sealing mat according to claim 15, wherein both of said substrate and cover layers are made of non-rotting synthetic resin fibers or filaments.
- 17. A sealing mat according to claim 14, wherein one of the substrate and cover layer is non-woven textile material and the other layer is woven or knitted fabric.
- 18. A sealing mat according to claim 17, wherein both of said substrate and cover layers are made of non-rotting synthetic resin fibers or filaments.
- 19. A sealing mat according to claim 14, wherein the swellable clay is bentonite.
- 20. A sealing mat according to claim 19, wherein the swellable clay bentonite, when dry, is powdered or granular form.
- 21. A sealing mat according to claim 20, wherein between 30% to 50% of the bentonite powder or granules, in the dry state, is located within one of the substrate or cover layers.
- 22. A sealing mat according to claim 20, wherein the swellable clay is a powdered sodium-activated bentonite and has such distribution of particle size that the major part of the particles have a size below 0.002 millimeters.
- 23. A sealing mat according to claim 20, wherein the bentonite is a natural sodium bentonite.
- 24. A sealing mat turning impermeable upon interaction with water and for furnishing a water barrier comprisinga) a substrate layer, b) a cover layer, c) an intermediate layer of a swellable clay which has a thickness of about 0.5 to 10 millimeters and has the property of swelling upon contact with water, said substrate layer and cover layer being selected from the group consisting of a non-woven textile material, a woven fabric and a knitted fabric with the proviso that at least one of said substrate layer and said cover layer is comprised of a non-woven textile material, said three layers being bonded together by needling to provide multiple individual holding fibers extending throughout the swellable clay layer and anchoring said substrate layer to said cover layer so that a strong mechanical coherence of said substrate layer, said cover layer and said clay is achieved by the needling which strong mechanical coherence provides a pressure counteracting a swelling pressure of said clay when said clay swells.
- 25. A sealing mat according to claim 24, wherein both of the cover and substrate layers are of non-woven textile material.
- 26. A sealing mat according to claim 25, wherein both of said substrate and cover layers are made of non-rotting synthetic resin fibers or filaments.
- 27. A sealing mat according to claim 24, wherein one of the substrate and cover layers is a non-woven textile material and the other layer is woven or knitted fabric.
- 28. A sealing mat according to claim 27, wherein both of said substrate and cover layers are made of non-rotting synthetic resin fibers or filaments.
- 29. A sealing mat according to claim 24, wherein the swellable clay is bentonite which, when dry, is in powdered or granular form.
- 30. A sealing mat according to claim 29, wherein between 30% to 50% of the bentonite powder or granules, in the dry state, is located within one of the substrate or cover layers.
- 31. A sealing mat according to claim 29, wherein the non-woven textile materials have an area weight of about 250 g/m2 to about 1000 g/m2, a thickness of about 2 to 8 millimeters, and effective opening sizes between 0.08 and 1.5 millimeters, water permeabilities at a load of 2 kN/m2 between about 10−3 and about 10−2 m/sec and are made of spinning fibers with a length of from about 60 to 150 millimeters.
- 32. A sealing mat according to claim 29, wherein the bentonite is a sodium bentonite.
- 33. A sealing mat turning impermeable upon interaction with water and for furnishing a water barrier consisting essentially of, in order, a substrate layer, a layer of swellable clay which has the property of swelling and gelatinizing upon contact with water, and a cover layer, wherein(a) each of the substrate layer and of the cover layer is a member selected from the group consisting of non-woven textile material, woven fabric and knitted fabric with the proviso that at least one of the substrate and the cover layers consists of a non-woven textile material, (b) the thickness of the swellable clay, in the dry state, is about 0.5 to 10 mm, and (c) all three layers are bonded together by needling, such that a strong mechanical coherence of said substrate layer, said cover layer and said clay is achieved by the needling which strong mechanical coherence furnishes a transmission of shear stresses from the cover layer to the substrate layer after swelling of the swellable clay.
- 34. A sealing mat according to claim 33, wherein the swellable clay is at least partially embedded in the non-woven textile layer.
- 35. A sealing mat according to claim 33, wherein one of the substrate and cover layers is non-woven textile material and the other layer is a woven or knitted fabric, both of said substrate and cover layers consisting of non-rotting synthetic resin fibers or filaments.
- 36. A sealing mat according to claim 35, wherein the fibers and/or filaments consist of polyolefin or polyester.
- 37. A sealing mat according to claim 36, wherein the polyolefin is polypropylene.
- 38. A sealing mat according to claim 36, wherein the polyolefin is high density polyethylene (HDPE).
- 39. A sealing mat according to claim 36, wherein the layer of swellable clay is uniform and swellable clay is powdered or granular.
- 40. A sealing mat according to claim 33, wherein the swellable clay is bentonite.
- 41. A sealing mat according to claim 40, wherein the bentonite is an alkalimetal-activated bentonite.
- 42. A sealing mat according to claim 41, wherein the alkalimetal-activated bentonite is a sodium-activated bentonite.
- 43. A sealing mat according to claim 42, wherein the sodium-activated bentonite is powdered and such distribution of particle size that the major or predominant part of the particles have a size below 0.002 mm (2 microns).
- 44. A sealing mat according to claim 43, wherein about 30% to about 50% of the employed bentonite is located in at least one of the substrate and/or the cover layers.
- 45. A sealing mat according to claim 40, wherein the bentonite is a natural sodium bentonite.
- 46. A sealing mat according to claim 45, wherein about 30% to about 50% of the employed bentonite is located in the substrate layer and in the cover layer.
- 47. A sealing mat turning impermeable upon interaction with water and for furnishing a water barrier consisting essentially ofa first layer being a member selected from the group consisting of non-woven textile material, woven fabric and knitted fabric; a layer of swellable clay disposed adjacent to the first layer and having a thickness of from about 0.5 millimeters to 10 millimeters; a third layer of a non-woven textile material disposed adjacent to the layer of swellable clay, wherein the first layer, the layer of swellable clay and the third layer are bonded together by needling.
- 48. The sealing mat according to claim 47 wherein the swellable clay is at least partially embedded in the layer or layers of non-woven textile material.
- 49. The sealing mat according to claim 47 wherein the thickness of the swellable clay is less than or substantially equal to the thickness of the layer or layers of non-woven textile material as a whole.
- 50. The sealing mat according to claim 47, wherein the first layer is a layer of non-woven textile material pretreated with bentonite.
- 51. The sealing mat according to claim 47, wherein the first layer is a layer not pretreated with bentonite, and wherein the third layer is a layer not pretreated with bentonite.
- 52. The sealing mat according to claim 47 wherein the thickness of the non-woven textile materials is from about 2 to about 8 mm.
- 53. A sealing mat turning impermeable upon interaction with water and for furnishing a water barrier consisting essentially ofa first layer being a member selected from the group consisting of non-woven textile material, woven fabric and knitted fabric: a layer of swellable clay disposed adjacent to the first layer and having a thickness of from about 0.5 millimeters to 10 millimeters; a third layer of a non-woven textile material disposed adjacent to the layer of swellable clay; holding fibers furnished by needling and drawn through the layer of swellable clay for holding together the first layer, the layer of swellable clay, and the third layer and for preventing any lateral shifting of the swellable clay in a planar direction of the sealing mat.
- 54. The sealing mat according to claim 53 wherein the swellable clay is at least partially embedded in a layer of non-woven textile material.
- 55. The sealing mat according to claim 53 wherein the thickness of the swellable clay is less than or substantially equal to the thickness of the layer or layers of non-woven textile material as a whole.
- 56. The sealing mat turning impermeable according to claim 53, whereinthe holding fibers remain substantially anchored over part of their length in the cover layer, whereas another part of the length of the same fibers is fixedly retained in the support layer.
- 57. The sealing mat according to claim 53, wherein the first layer is a layer of non-woven textile material pretreated with bentonite.
- 58. The sealing mat according to claim 53, wherein the first layer is a layer of non-woven textile material pretreated with bentonite, and wherein the third layer is a layer of non-woven textile material pretreated with bentonite.
- 59. An impermeable sealing mat furnishing a water barrierconsisting essentially of a first layer comprising a member selected from the group consisting of non-woven textile material, woven fabric and knitted fabric; a layer of swollen clay disposed adjacent to the first layer and formed of a layer of swellable clay turned impermeable by interaction with water; a third layer comprising a non-woven textile material and disposed adjacent to the layer of swollen clay, wherein the first layer, the layer of swellable clay and the third layer are bonded together by needling prior to turning the swellable clay impermeable by interaction with water.
- 60. The sealing mat according to claim 59 wherein the swollen clay is at least partially embedded in a layer of non-woven textile material.
- 61. A method for producing an impermeable sealing mat comprising the steps:applying a layer of swellable clay to a first layer comprising a non-woven textile material; applying a third layer comprising a member selected from the group consisting of non-woven textile material, woven fabric and knitted fabric to the layer of swellable clay such that the third layer is disposed adjacent to the layer of swellable clay; bonding the first layer, the layer of swellable clay and the third layer together by needling thereby forming a sealing mat; laying the sealing mat out at a site of use; moistening the sealing mat and rendering the sealing mat impermeable to water.
- 62. The method according to claim 61 wherein the swellable clay is a powdery bentonite; further comprising distributing the powdery bentonite by vibration.
- 63. The method according to claim 61 further comprising at least partially embedding the swellable clay in a layer of non-woven textile material.
- 64. The method according to claim 61 further comprising maintaining the thickness of the swellable clay at a time prior to laying out to less than or to substantially equal to the thickness of the layer of non-woven textile material or to the layers of non-woven textile material as a whole.
- 65. The method according to claim 61 further comprising maintaining the thickness of the swellable clay at a time prior to laying out to less than about five times the thickness of the layer or layers of non-woven textile material as a whole.
- 66. A method for producing an impermeable sealing mat comprising the steps:applying a layer of swellable clay, having a thickness of 0.5 mm to 10 mm, to a first layer comprising a member selected from the group consisting of non-woven textile material, woven fabric and knitted fabric; applying a third layer comprising a non-woven textile material to the layer of swellable clay such that the third layer is disposed adjacent to the layer of swellable clay; bonding the first layer, the layer of swellable clay and the third layer together by needling thereby forming a sealing mat; laying the sealing mat out at a site of use; moistening the sealing mat and rendering the sealing mat impermeable to water.
- 67. The method according to claim 66 wherein the swellable clay is a bentonite.
- 68. The method according to claim 66 further comprising at least partially embedding the swellable clay in a layer of non-woven textile material.
- 69. The method according to claim 66 further comprising maintaining the thickness of the swellable clay at a time prior to laying out to less than or to substantially equal to the thickness of the layer of non-woven textile material or to the layers non-woven textile material as a whole.
- 70. The method according to claim 66 further comprising maintaining the thickness of the swellable clay at a time prior to laying out to less than about five times the thickness of the layer or layers of non-woven textile material as a whole.
- 71. The method according to claim 66, further comprising pretreating the first layer consisting of non-woven textile material with bentonite.
- 72. The method according to claim 66, further comprising pretreating the first layer consisting of non-woven textile material with bentonite; and pretreating the third layer consisting of non-woven textile material with bentonite.
- 73. An impermeable sealing mat obtained by performing the steps:applying a layer of swellable clay to a first layer comprising a non-woven textile material; applying a third layer comprising a member selected from the group consisting of non-woven textile material, woven fabric, and knitted fabric to the layer of swellable clay such that the third layer is disposed adjacent to the layer of swellable clay; bonding the first layer, the layer of swellable clay, and the third layer together by needling, thereby forming a sealing mat; laying the sealing mat out at a site of use; moistening the sealing mat and rendering the sealing mat impermeable to water.
- 74. An impermeable sealing mat obtained by performing the steps:applying a layer of swellable clay, having a thickness of 0.5 mm to 10 mm, to a first layer comprising a member selected from the group consisting of non-woven textile material, woven fabric, and knitted fabric; applying a third layer comprising a non-woven textile material to the layer of swellable clay such that the third layer is disposed adjacent to the layer of swellable clay; bonding the first layer, the layer of swellable clay, and the third layer together by needling, thereby forming a sealing mat; laying the sealing mat out at a site of use; moistening the sealing mat and rendering the sealing mat impermeable to water.
- 75. A method for producing an impermeable sealing mat comprising the steps:applying a powdery bentonite on a substrate layer of a non-woven textile material; distributing the powdery bentonite in the substrate layer by vibration; applying a bentonite onto said substrate layer for forming a bentonite layer; placing a cover layer onto the bentonite layer; needling the substrate layer, the bentonite layer, and the cover layer on a needle loom.
- 76. The method according to claim 75, wherein the cover layer is a layer consisting of a non-woven textile material.
- 77. The method according to claim 75, wherein the cover layer is a layer consisting of a non-woven textile material with included bentonite, obtained by applying powdery bentonite on the non-woven textile material and distributing the powdery bentonite in the non-woven textile material by vibration.
- 78. A method for producing an impermeable sealing mat comprising the steps:impregnating the substrate layer of a non-woven textile material with an aqueous bentonite suspension; applying a bentonite onto said substrate layer for forming a bentonite layer; placing a cover layer onto the bentonite layer; needling the substrate layer, the bentonite layer, and the cover layer on a needle loom; and drying the needled substrate layer, bentonite layer, and cover layer.
- 79. The method according to claim 78, wherein the cover layer is a layer consisting of a non-woven textile material with included bentonite, obtained by applying powdery bentonite on the non-woven textile material and distributing the powdery bentonite in the non-woven textile material by vibration.
- 80. The method for producing an impermeable sealing mat according to claim 79, further comprising the step:drying the impregnated layers.
- 81. The method according to claim 78, wherein the cover layer is a layer consisting of a non-woven textile material.
- 82. A method for producing an impermeable sealing mat comprising the steps:rolling an aqueous bentonite paste into a substrate layer of a non-woven textile material; applying bentonite onto said substrate layer for forming a bentonite layer; placing a cover layer onto the bentonite layer; needling the substrate layer, the bentonite layer and the cover layer on a needle loom; and drying the needled substrate layer, bentonite layer, and cover layer.
- 83. The method according to claim 82, wherein the cover layer is a layer consisting of a non-woven textile material.
- 84. The method according to claim 82, wherein the cover layer is a layer consisting of a non-woven textile material with included bentonite, obtained by applying powdery bentonite on the non-woven textile material and distributing the powdery bentonite in the non-woven textile material by vibration.
- 85. A method for producing an impermeable sealing mat comprising the steps:unwinding a roll of non-woven textile material off a reel; guiding the unwound non-woven textile material to a needling loom for forming a substrate layer; applying a weighed quantity of dry bentonite onto the substrate layer for forming a bentonite interlayer; feeding a roll of non-woven textile material through a further reel to the bentonite interlayer for forming a cover layer; passing the substrate layer, the bentonite interlayer, and the cover layer through a needle loom; firmly needling the substrate layer, the bentonite interlayer, and the cover layer mechanically together.
- 86. A sealing mat turning impermeable upon interaction with water and for furnishing a water barrier consisting essentially ofa first layer being a member selected from the group consisting of non-woven textile material, woven fabric and knitted fabric; a layer of swellable clay disposed adjacent to the first layer and having a thickness of more than about 10 millimeters; a third layer of a non-woven textile material disposed adjacent to the layer of swellable clay, wherein the first layer, the layer of swellable clay and the third layer are bonded together by needling.
- 87. A sealing mat turning impermeable upon interaction with water and for furnishing a water barrier consisting essentially ofa first layer being a member selected from the group consisting of non-woven textile material, woven fabric and knitted fabric; a layer of swellable clay disposed adjacent to the first layer; a third layer of a non-woven textile material disposed adjacent to the layer of swellable clay, wherein the sum of the thicknesses of the first layer, of the layer of swellable clay and of the third layer is limited such that the layers can pass together through a needle loom, and wherein the first layer, the layer of swellable clay and the third layer are bonded together by needling.
- 88. A sealing mat turning impermeable upon interaction with water and for furnishing a water barrier consisting essentially ofa first layer being a member selected from the group consisting of non-woven textile material, woven fabric and knitted fabric; a layer of swellable clay disposed adjacent to the first layer; a third layer of a non-woven textile material disposed adjacent to the layer of swellable clay, wherein the first layer, the layer of swellable clay and the third layer are bonded together by needling and wherein the sum of the thicknesses of the first layer, of the layer of swellable clay and of the third layer is limited such that the layers needled together exhibit mechanical coherence.
- 89. A sealing mat turning impermeable upon interaction with water and for furnishing a water barrier consisting essentially ofa first layer being a member selected from the group consisting of non-woven textile material, woven fabric and knitted fabric; a layer of swellable clay disposed adjacent to the first layer; a third layer of a non-woven textile material disposed adjacent to the layer of swellable clay, wherein the first layer, the layer of swellable clay and the third layer are bonded together by needling and wherein the sum of the thicknesses of the first layer, of the layer of swellable clay and of the third layer is limited such that the layers needled together exhibit a flexibility to a degree that approaches the good pliability properties of mechanically consolidated non-woven textile materials.
- 90. A hydrated sealing mat comprisinga first layer and a second layer, each layer being a member selected from the group consisting of non-woven textile material, woven fabric and knitted fabric with the proviso that at least one of these layers is a non-woven textile material, a hydrated clay which is located between the first layer and the second layer, said hydrated clay acting as a water impermeable barrier and the first layer and the second layer, with the hydrated clay therebetween, being connected by needling wherein needles, have caused at least some of the fibers of the at least one layer made of the non-woven textile material to pass through the hydrated clay and anchor to the other layer to draw the two layers towards each other with the hydrated clay in between and anchor to the other layer to draw the two layers towards each other with the hydrated clay enclosed therebetween, such that a strong mechanical coherence of said first layer, said second layer and said clay is achieved by the needling, which strong mechanical coherence provides a pressure counteracting a swelling pressure of said hydrated clay.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
37 04 503 |
Feb 1987 |
DE |
|
Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 07/155,506 filed Feb. 12, 1988. This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/124,486, filed Sep. 22, 1993, now abandoned, which is a continuation of Reissue application Ser. No. 07/877,043, filed Apr. 27, 1992, now abandoned, which was an application for reissue of U.S. Pat. No. 5,041,330 issued Aug. 20, 1991, which was based on application Ser. No. 07/412,803, filed Sep. 27, 1989, which was in turn a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 07/155,506 filed Feb. 12, 1988, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (24)
Foreign Referenced Citations (5)
Number |
Date |
Country |
1247347 |
Dec 1988 |
CA |
2 264 258 |
Jul 1974 |
DE |
2 327 618 |
Dec 1974 |
DE |
37 04 503 C2 |
Aug 1988 |
DE |
2 151 912 A |
Jul 1985 |
GB |
Divisions (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
07/412803 |
Sep 1989 |
US |
Child |
08/570194 |
|
US |
Continuations (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
08/124486 |
Sep 1993 |
US |
Child |
07/412803 |
|
US |
Parent |
07/877043 |
Apr 1992 |
US |
Child |
08/124486 |
|
US |
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
07/155506 |
Feb 1988 |
US |
Child |
07/877043 |
|
US |
Reissues (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
07/412803 |
Sep 1989 |
US |
Child |
08/570194 |
|
US |