Repair of sealing joints
Introduction
In the textile industry and in various professions, tow was one of the residual products of combing the fibers of hemp and other natural materials, such as linen.[1][2] It was sold entangled, in the form of tufts or skeins of uneven fibers. Its buyers were diverse, and thus, on the one hand there were the weavers of burlap and coarse fabrics, and on the other hand, it was one of the main products used by caulkers"). Tow was also used as a filling material by chair makers, saddlers, mattress makers, and furniture upholsterers.[3].
Burlaps and tow fabrics
The best quality tows, with a significant proportion of long fibres, could be combed and spun to make threads of low textile quality, but suitable for various other uses. These threads could be woven into relatively tight fabrics (tow fabrics) or rather coarse fabrics (burlaps).[4][5][6][7].
Caulking
[8]
Plumbing
In plumbing and in many fields of industry, it is necessary to secure joints of pipes, accessories and other devices so that they are tight against the passage of different liquids or gases. This is the purpose of sealed joints and gaskets. In domestic systems, the only joints to consider are fixed joints. In a "fixed" or static joint, tightness must be ensured between two elements that are immobile relative to each other. The traditional solution was a cord of tow without braiding or spun. When the thread narrowed the joint, it became watertight.[10].
General industry and shipbuilding
Contenido
Además de las uniones estáticas, hay casos industriales en los que se debe lograr la estanqueidad entre piezas con movimiento relativo (estanqueidad dinámica). Las hay de dos tipos: juntas con movimiento longitudinal bidireccional y con movimiento rotativo (válvulas con obturador rotativo, bombas y árboles de hélice). La solución tradicional se basaba en la estopa y los dispositivos empleados se llamaban estopadas o cajas de estopadas.[11][12].