PROCESO PARA AUMENTAR EL VOLUMEN DEL TEJIDO FIBROSO REDUCIDO

EL CUAL COMPRENDE : a) PROPORCIONAR UN TEJIDO REDUCIDO QUE ESTA COMPUESTO DE CREPE Y TIENE UN PLANO GENERAL; b) ANADIR HUMEDAD POR LO MENOS A LAS PORCIONES SELECCIONADAS DEL TEJIDO REDUCIDO, PROVOCANDO ASI LA RELAJACION DEL CREPE EN LAS PORCIONES SELECCIONADAS DEL TEJIDO Y LA EXPANSION DE LAS PORCIONES SELECCIONADAS DEL TEJIDO HACIA FUERA DEL PLANO GENERAL DEL TEJIDO; Y c) RETENER EL CREPE EN EL RESTO DEL TEJIDO A process for increasing bulk of a foreshortened fibrous web comprises adding moisture to at least the web's selected portions, thereby causing the crepe in the selected portions to relax and the selected portions to expand, while retaining the crepe in the rest of the web. A preferred apparatus comprises a pair of opposite surfaces, at least one of which having expansion conduits therethrough, the web being impressed between the surfaces. A temperature differential is created between the two opposite surfaces, sufficient to drive the moisture added to the selected portions therethrough, thus relaxing crepe in the selected portions which expand into the expansion conduits, while the crepe is retained in the rest of the web impressed between the two surfaces.