| abstract |
A tissue sheet is made using a modified wet pressing process employing an integrally sealed air press. After initial formation and conventional vacuum dewatering, the wet web may be conformed to the surface contour of a relatively coarse fabric to give the web a textured surface. By creating a pressure differential across the web, the air press noncompressively dewaters the wet web to a consistency of about 30 to about 40 percent prior to a heated drying cylinder. The web may be dried to substantially preserve its three-dimensional, throughdried-like texture. The process provides a web having an exceptionally high degree of bulk and absorbency not expected in wet-pressed products. |