Thomas W Tolbert

6579403, Jun 17, 2003

Dec 21, 2000

09/748638

Thomas Warren Tolbert - Fort Mill SC
Carmen Lee Waite - Charlotte NC

Springs Industries, Inc. - Fort Mill SC

B32B 714

156291, 156390, 156295, 156297, 427377, 4273899

Processes for constructing textile articles using curable hot melt adhesives is disclosed. In the process, a molten curable hot melt adhesive is applied to a fabric surface along a simulated sewing path and contacted to another fabric surface so that the adhesive is disposed between the fabric surfaces. The adhesive bonds the fabric surfaces so that the article can withstand subsequent fabric processing. The adhesive cures over time, causing an irreversible increase in the initial softening point of the adhesive. The resultant textile articles exhibit good seam strengths, durability and desirable aesthetics.

20030234070, Dec 25, 2003

Mar 26, 1996

08/622070

JOHN D. RUPEL - VERONA WI, US
DARRELL J. KUTCHMAREK - WAUNAKEE WI, US
THOMAS W. TOLBERT - FORT MILL SC, US

B32B003/00
B65B011/00

156/070000

A method for producing an expandable and collapsible product for use in a window covering includes the steps of pleating a continuous length of material, bonding together opposing faces that face one side of the product to form a series of enclosed cells, bonding together opposed faces facing the other side of the product to form another series of enclosed cells, and removing creases from one side of the product to open one of the series of enclosed cells so that the other series of enclosed cells remains intact and connected to one another. The creases may be removed by abrading the material along the creases. The opposed faces may be bonded by applying a bead of adhesive to one of the faces and compressing the faces together. Also provided is a window covering having a multi-cellular expandable and collapsible body. The body has a number of strips of material that are creased in the center parallel to the long edges. The long edges are joined together to form a tab. Each of the strips of material define an elongated cell bounded by the creased fold on one side and the tab on the other. Successive cells are joined together by a bond line intermediate the creased folds and the tabs. A headrail is connected to the top of the body, and a bottom rail is connected to the bottom of the body. The body is provided with a means for raising and lowering the bottom rail with respect to the headrail.

20060174999, Aug 10, 2006

Jan 18, 2006

11/334176

John Rupel - Middleton WI, US
Darrell Kutchmarek - Waunakee WI, US
Thomas Tolbert - Fort Mill SC, US
Ren Judkins - Pittsburgh PA, US

B32B 37/00

156197000

A method for producing a cellular window covering product includes the steps of pleating a continuous length of material, bonding together opposing faces on one side of the product to form a series of enclosed cells, bonding together opposed faces on the other side of the product to form another series of enclosed cells, and removing creases from one side of the product to open one of the series of enclosed cells while the other series of enclosed cells remains intact and connected. The creases may be removed by abrading the material along the creases. The opposed faces may be bonded by applying a bead of adhesive to one of the faces and compressing the faces together. Also provided is a window covering having an expandable and collapsible body. The body has a number of strips of material that are creased in the center parallel to the long edges, which are joined together to form a tab. Each of the strips of material define an elongated cell bounded by the creased fold on one side and the tab on the other. Successive cells are joined together by bond lines intermediate the folds and the tabs. A headrail is connected to the top of the body, and a bottom rail is connected to the bottom of the body. The body is provided with a means for raising and lowering the bottom rail with respect to the headrail.

49313428, Jun 5, 1990

Nov 16, 1987

7/120864

Thomas W. Tolbert - Fort Mill SC
Jeffrey S. Dugan - Matthews NC
John V. Cauthen - Van Wyck SC
James E. Hendrix - Spartanburg SC

Springs Industries, Inc. - Fort Mill SC

E06B 394

428 90

An accordion folded laminate of a fiber sheet reinforced with a thermoplastic film and bonded together with adhesive is utilized as a window shade or as a shower curtain or other end use product. In the preferred form, the thermoplastic sheet comprises polyester and the adhesive comprises a low melt polyester adhesive powder. The powder is applied uniformly to the reverse face of the fiber sheet and is heated to a temperature higher than its melt temperature, and the thermoplastic sheet is pressed over the adhesive against the polyester sheet. This laminate is subsequently formed into an accordion folded configuration, with the edges of the accordion folds being heated to a temperature higher than the melt temperature of the adhesive, causing the folds to retain a memory that enhances the appearance and function of the end use product.

50912437, Feb 25, 1992

Apr 4, 1989

7/333174

Thomas W. Tolbert - Fort Mill SC
Pamela J. Jaco - Rock Hill SC
Jeffrey S. Dugan - Charlotte NC
James E. Hendrix - Spartanburg SC

Springs Industries, Inc. - Fort Mill SC

B32B 700

428253

A fire-resistant fabric suitable for use as a flame barrier comprising a flame durable textile fabric substrate formed of corespun yarns, the yarns comprising a core of flame resistant filament and a sheath of staple fibers, and an intumescent coating carried by one surface of the textile fabric substrate. In normal use, the fabric is flexible and conformable and has good air porosity. When exposed to high temperature and/or a flame, however, the intumescent coating reacts and swells to form a char which closes the pores or interstices of the fabric to thus prevent flame or hot gases from penetrating therethrough.

49276980, May 22, 1990

Mar 15, 1989

7/324266

Pamela J. Jaco - Rock Hill SC
Thomas W. Tolbert - Fort Mill SC

Springs Industries, Inc. - Fort Mill SC

B32B 2714

428198

A fabric formed of yarns having a core formed of fire-resistant filaments and a sheath formed of staple fibers and a cured, crosslinked composition applied to one surface of the fabric is provided. The composition comprises a first crosslinkable resin having an affinity for the fire-resistant filament core and a second crosslinkable resin having an affinity for the staple fiber sheath and for the first crosslinkable resin. The fabric because of the composition is pucker and shrink resistant, and the tensile strength and flexibility of the yarns and the aesthetic appeal of the fabric are maintained when the fabric is washed repeatedly.

45470294, Oct 15, 1985

Oct 19, 1984

6/662586

Thomas A. Kutnyak - Tucson AZ
Thomas W. Tolbert - Greenwood SC

Automation Industries, Inc. - Greenwich CT

H01R 1108

339 16R

A self-locking electrical and mechanical connecting means and method between a helical curved end-portion of a self-supporting resilient, electrical wire-helix of a certain radius and a nominally straight-axis, metal socket-portion of an electrical terminal characterized in that the socket is plastically deformed to self-lock onto the elastically deformed and somewhat straightened wire-helix end-portion.

59255811, Jul 20, 1999

Oct 15, 1996

8/732529

Thomas Warren Tolbert - Fort Mill SC

Spring Industries, Inc. - Fort Mill SC

D03D 300

442334

The present invention relates to a textile laminate comprising a fiberfill web substrate and a face layer. The fiberfill web substrate has a plurality of first fibers at the surface of the substrate. The face layer comprises a plurality of extruded second fibers which are mechanically intertangled with the plurality of first fibers at the surface of the substrate to thereby form the textile laminate. Typically, the first fibers of the fiberfill web are polyester fiberfill fibers and the second fibers of the extruded face layer are polypropylene fibers.