PAPERMAKING BELT HAVING BILATERALLY ALTERNATING TIE YARNS

The invention provides a papermaking belt comprising top and bottom layers of interwoven yarns. The top and bottom layers of yarns are tied together by tie yarns which pass over the top layer and under the bottom lay er cross-carrier yarns at spaced intervals. Each tie yarn bilaterally alternate s about at least one top layer or at least one bottom layer carrier yarn, whereby each of the tie yarns forms an undulating line passing completely underneath the at least one top or bottom layer carrier yarn at spaced intervals intermediate adjacent maxima of bilateral alternation of the tie yarn, the t ie yarn passing over the top layer cross-carrier yarns at adjacent maxima or ov er at least one carrier yarn at spaced intervals intermediate adjacent maxima o f bilateral alternation, the tie yarn passing under the bottom layer cross- carrier yarns at adjacent maxima.