Felt with cellulosic fibers for forming fiber cement articles

Abstract

A fiber cement felt includes: a base fabric layer including machine direction yarns (MD yarns) and cross-machine direction yarns (CMD yarns); and one or more batt layers overlying the base fabric layer. One of the MD yarns, CMD yarns, and batt layer includes erodible cellulosic fibers.

That which is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fiber cement felt, comprising:
 a base fabric layer including machine direction yarns (MD yarns) and cross-machine direction yarns (CMD yarns); and   one or more batt layers overlying the base fabric layer;   wherein one of the MD yarns, CMD yarns, and batt layer includes erodible cellulosic fibers.   
     
     
         2 . The fiber cement felt defined in  claim 1 , wherein the erodible cellulosic fibers are included in the batt layer. 
     
     
         3 . The fiber cement felt defined in  claim 2 , wherein the erodible cellulosic fibers comprise between about 5 and 95 percent by weight of the batt layer. 
     
     
         4 . The fiber cement felt defined in  claim 2 , wherein the erodible cellulosic fibers are sized between about 3 and 7 dtex. 
     
     
         5 . The fiber cement felt defined in  claim 2 , wherein the erodible cellulosic fibers have a water absorption of between about 10 and 35 percent. 
     
     
         6 . A fiber cement felt, comprising:
 a base fabric layer including machine direction yarns (MD yarns) and cross-machine direction yarns (CMD yarns); and   one or more batt layers overlying the base fabric layer;   wherein one of the MD yarns, CMD yarns, and batt layer includes erodible hydrophilic fibers.   
     
     
         7 . The fiber cement felt defined in  claim 6 , wherein the erodible hydrophilic fibers are included in the batt layer. 
     
     
         8 . The fiber cement felt defined in  claim 7 , wherein the erodible hydrophilic fibers have a water absorption of between about 10 and 35 percent. 
     
     
         9 . The fiber cement felt defined in  claim 7 , wherein the erodible hydrophilic fibers comprise between about 5 and 95 percent by weight of the batt layer. 
     
     
         10 . The fiber cement felt defined in  claim 6 , wherein the erodible hydrophilic fibers are sized between about 3 and 7 dtex. 
     
     
         11 . A fiber cement felt, comprising:
 a base fabric layer including machine direction yarns (MD yarns) and cross-machine direction yarns (CMD yarns); and   one or more batt layers overlying the base fabric layer;   wherein one of the MD yarns, CMD yarns, and batt layer includes hydrophilic cellulosic fibers.   
     
     
         12 . The fiber cement felt defined in  claim 11 , wherein the hydrophilic cellulosic fibers are included in the batt layer. 
     
     
         13 . The fiber cement felt defined in  claim 12 , wherein the hydrophilic cellulosic fibers have a water absorption of between about 10 and 35 percent. 
     
     
         14 . The fiber cement felt defined in  claim 12 , wherein the hydrophilic cellulosic fibers comprise between about 5 and 95 percent by weight of the batt layer. 
     
     
         15 . The fiber cement felt defined in  claim 12 , wherein the hydrophilic cellulosic fibers are sized between about 3 and 7 dtex. 
     
     
         16 . A method of manufacturing fiber cement, comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing a fiber cement felt, comprising:   a base fabric layer including machine direction yarns (MD yarns) and cross-machine direction yarns (CMD yarns); and   one or more batt layers overlying the base fabric layer;   wherein one of the MD yarns, CMD yarns, and batt layer includes cellulosic fibers;   (b) positioning the fiber cement felt on a series of support rolls of a fiber cement forming machine;   (c) depositing a fiber cement slurry on the fiber cement felt; and   (d) removing moisture from the slurry to form a fiber cement web;   (e) during steps (c) and/or (d), allowing the cellulosic fibers to erode from the felt; and   (f) repeating step (d) while substantially all of the cellulosic fibers have been eroded.   
     
     
         17 . The method defined in  claim 16 , wherein step (e) is completed within 24 hours of operation. 
     
     
         18 . The method defined in  claim 16 , wherein the cellulosic fibers are included in the batt layer. 
     
     
         19 . The method defined in  claim 18 , wherein the cellulosic fibers have a water absorption of between about 10 and 35 percent. 
     
     
         20 . The method defined in  claim 18 , wherein the cellulosic fibers comprise between about 5 and 95 percent by weight of the batt layer. 
     
     
         21 . The method defined in  claim 18 , wherein the cellulosic fibers are sized between about 3 and 7 dtex.