| abstract |
A method for producing the matrix for the embossing cylinder which has a uniform pattern design in the marginal areas adjoining the abutment where the ends of the blanket are joined to form the tube comprising (1) casting liquid silicone rubber on a sheet of leather having the desired grain and vulcanizing the silicone, (2) using the matrix thus formed to emboss, under heat and pressure in a press, a rectangular sheet of thermoplastic resin such as polyvinyl chloride film, (3) forming the embossed sheet into a tube, (4) placing the portion of the tube having abutting edges in a narrow platen press and reembossing the area surrounding the abutment with the silicone rubber matrix to mask the impression of the joint and provide a continuous uninterrupted pattern, and (5) using the positively-embossed thermoplastic sheet as a matrix for casting vulcanizable silicone rubber to form a negatively-embossed matrix for use as a blanket on an embossing roll. The embossing roll is used to produce continuous lengths of embossed thermoplastic film with a continuous, uninterrupted grain pattern. |