Collapse to view only § 1630.5 - Labeling.
- § 1630.1 - Definitions.
- § 1630.2 - Scope and application.
- § 1630.3 - General requirements.
- § 1630.4 - Test procedure.
- § 1630.5 - Labeling.
§ 1630.1 - Definitions.
In addition to the definitions given in section 2 of the Flammable Fabrics Act, as amended (Sec. 1, 81 Stat. 568; 15 U.S.C. 1191), and the procedures under that act for setting standards (part 1607 of this chapter), the following definitions apply for the purposes of this Standard:
(a) Acceptance Criterion means that at least seven out of eight individual specimens of a given carpet or rug shall meet the test criterion as defined in this Standard.
(b) Test Criterion means the basis for judging whether or not a single specimen of carpet or rug has passed the test, i.e., the charred portion of a tested specimen shall not extend to within 2.54 cm. (1.0 in.) of the edge of the hole in the flattening frame at any point.
(c) Carpet means any type of finished product made in whole or in part of fabric or related material and intended for use or which may reasonably be expected to be used as a floor covering which is exposed to traffic in homes, offices, or other places of assembly or accommodation, and which may or may not be fastened to the floor by mechanical means such as nails, tacks, barbs, staples, adhesives, and which has one dimension greater than 1.83 m. (6 ft.) and a surface area greater than 2.23 m. 2 (24 sq. ft.). Products such as “carpet squares”, with one dimension less than 1.83 m. (6 ft.) and a surface area less than 2.23 m. 2 (24 sq. ft.), but intended to be assembled upon installation into assemblies which may have one dimension greater than 1.83 m. (6 ft.) and a surface area greater than 2.23 m. 2 (24 sq. ft.), are included in this definition. Mats, hides with natural or synthetic fibers, and other similar products in the above, defined dimensions are included in this definition, but resilient floor coverings such as linoleum, asphalt tile and vinyl tile are not.
(d) Rug means the same as carpet and shall be accepted as interchangeable with carpet.
(e) Traffic Surface means a surface of a carpet or rug which is intended to be walked upon.
(f) Timed Burning Tablet (pill) means a methenamine tablet, flat, with a nominal heat of combustion value of 7180 calories/gram, a mass of 150 mg ±5mg and a nominal diameter of 6mm.
(g) Fire-Retardant Treatment means any process to which a carpet or rug has been exposed which significantly decreases the flammability of that carpet or rug and enables it to meet the acceptance criterion of this Standard.
§ 1630.2 - Scope and application.
(a) This Standard provides a test method to determine the surface flammability of carpets and rugs when exposed to a standard small source of ignition under carefully prescribed draft-protected conditions. It is applicable to all types of carpets and rugs used as floor covering materials regardless of their method of fabrication or whether they are made of natural or synthetic fibers or films, or combinations of or substitutes for these.
(b) One of a kind, carpet or rug, such as an antique, an Oriental, or a hide, may be excluded from testing under this Standard pursuant to conditions established by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
§ 1630.3 - General requirements.
(a) Summary of test method. This method involves the exposure of each of eight conditioned, replicate specimens of a given carpet or rug to a standard igniting source in a draft-protected environment, and measurement of the proximity of the charred portion to the edge of the hole in the prescribed flattening frame.
(b) Test criterion. A specimen passes the test if the charred portion does not extend to within 2.54 cm. (1.0 in.) of the edge of the hole in the flattening frame at any point.
(c) Acceptance criterion. At least seven of the eight specimens shall meet the test criterion in order to conform with this Standard.
§ 1630.4 - Test procedure.
(a) Apparatus—(1) Test chamber. The test chamber shall consist of an open top hollow cube made of noncombustible material
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1 6.35 mm ( 1/4 in.) cement asbestos board is a suitable material.
Note:A minimum of two chambers and two extra bottoms is suggested for efficient operation.
(2) Flattening frame. A steel plate, 22.86 × 22.86 cm. (9 × 9 in.), 6.35 mm. ( 1/4 in.) thick with a 20.32 cm. (8 in.) diameter hole in its center is required to hold the carpet or rug flat during the course of the test. It is recommended that one be provided for each test chamber.
(3) Standard igniting source. A methenamine tablet, flat, with a nominal heat of combustion value of 7180 calories/gram, a mass of 150 mg ±5 mg and a nominal diameter of 6mm. These tablets shall be stored in a desiccator over a desiccant for 24 hours prior to use. (Small quantities of absorbed water may cause the tablets to fracture when first ignited. If a major fracture occurs, any results from that test shall be ignored, and it shall be repeated.)
(4) Test specimens. Each test specimen shall be a 22.86 × 22.86 cm. (9 × 9 in.) section of the carpet or rug to be tested. Eight specimens are required.
(5) Circulating air oven. A forced circulation drying oven capable of removing the moisture from the specimens when maintained at 105 °C. (221 °F.) for 2 hours.
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2 Option 1 of ASTM D 2654-67T, “Methods of Test for Amount of Moisture in Textile Materials,” describes a satisfactory oven. (“1969 Book of ASTM Standards,” part 24, published by the American Society for Testing and Materials, 1916 Race Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 19103.)
(6) Desiccating cabinet. An airtight and moisture tight cabinet capable of holding the floor covering specimens horizontally without contacting each other during the cooling period following drying, and containing silica gel desiccant.
(7) Gloves. Nonhygroscopic gloves (such as rubber polyethylene) for handling the sample after drying, and raising the pile on specimens prior to testing.
(8) Hood. A hood capable of being closed and having its draft turned off during each test and capable of rapidly removing the products of combustion following each test. The front or sides of the hood should be transparent to permit observation of the tests in progress.
(9) Mirror. A small mirror mounted above each test chamber at an angle to permit observation of the specimen from outside of the hood.
(10) Vacuum cleaner. A vacuum cleaner to remove all loose material from each specimen prior to conditioning. All surfaces of the vacuum cleaner contacting the specimen shall be flat and smooth.
(b) Sampling—(1)(i) Selection of samples. Select a sample of the material representative of the lot and large enough to permit cutting eight test specimens 22.86 × 22.86 cm. (9 × 9 in.), free from creases, fold marks, delaminations, or other distortions. The test specimens should contain the most flammable parts of the traffic surface at their centers. The most flammable area may be determined on the basis of experience or through pretesting.
(ii) If the carpet or rug has had a fire-retardant treatment, or is made of fibers which have had a fire-retardant treatment, the selected sample or over-sized specimens thereof shall be washed, prior to cutting of test specimens after they have been washed and dried either 10 times in accordance with sections 8.2.2, 8.2.3, and 8.3.1(A) of AATCC Test Method 124-1996 “Appearance of Fabrics after Repeated Home Laundering,” using wash temperature V (60° ±3 °C, 140° ±5 °F) specified in Table II of that method, and the water level, agitator speed, washing time, spin speed and final spin cycle specified for “Normal/Cotton Sturdy” in Table III, and drying shall be performed in accordance with section 8.3.1(A) of that test method, Tumble Dry, maximum load 3.64 Kg (8 pounds), using the exhaust temperature (66° ±5 °C, 150° ±10 °F) and cool down time of 10 minutes specified in the “Durable Press” conditions of Table IV; or such number of times by another washing and drying procedure which the Consumer Product Safety Commission has determined to be equivalent of AATCC Test Method 124-1996. Alternatively, the selected sample or oversized specimens thereof may be washed, drycleaned, or shampooed 10 times, prior to cutting of test specimens, in such manner as the manufacturer or other interested party shall previously have established to the satisfaction of the Consumer Product Safety Commission is normally used for that type of carpet or rug in service.
(iii) AATCC Test Method 124-1996 “Appearance of Fabrics after Repeated Home Laundering,” is found in Technical Manual of the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists, vol. 73, 1997, which is incorporated by reference. Copies of this document are available from the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists, P.O. Box 12215, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709. This document is also available for inspection at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For information on the availability of this material at NARA, call 202-741-6030, or go to: http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/code_of_federal_regulations/ibr_locations.html. This incorporation by reference was approved by the Director of the Federal Register in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 Cspan part 51.
(2) Cutting. Cut eight 22.86±0.64 cm. (9± 1/4 in.) square specimens of each carpet or rug to be tested to comply with paragraph (b)(1) of this section.
(c) Conditioning. (1) Clean each specimen with the vacuum cleaner until it is free of all loose ends left during the manufacturing process and from any material that may have been worked into the pile during handling. Care must be exercised to avoid “fuzzing” of the pile yarn.
(2) Place the specimens in the drying oven in a manner that will permit free circulation of the air at 105 °C. (221 °F.) around them for 2 hours.
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3 If the specimens are moist when received, permit them to air-dry at laboratory conditions prior to placement in the oven. A satisfactory preconditioning procedure may be found in ASTM D 1776-67, “Conditioning Textiles and Textile Products for Testing.” (“1969 Book of ASTM Standards”, part 24, published by the American Society for Testing and Materials, 1916 Race Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 19103.)
(d) Testing. (1) Place the test chamber in the draft-protected environment (hood with draft off) with its bottom in place. Wearing gloves, remove a test specimen from the desiccator and brush its surface with a gloved hand in such a manner as to raise its pile. Place the specimen on the center of the floor of the test chamber, traffic surface up, exercising care that the specimen is horizontal and flat. Place the flattening frame on the specimen and position a methenamine tablet on one of its flat sides in the center of the 20.32 cm. (8 in.) hole.
(2) Ignite the tablet by touching a lighted match or an equivalent igniting source carefully to its top. If more than 2 minutes elapse between the removal of the specimen from the desiccator and the ignition of the tablet, the conditioning must be repeated.
(3) Continue each test until one of the following conditions occurs:
(i) The last vestige of flame or glow disappears. (This is frequently accompanied by a final puff of smoke.)
(ii) The flaming or smoldering has approached within 2.54 cm. (1.0 in.) of the edge of the hole in the flattening frame at any point.
(4) When all combustion has ceased, ventilate the hood and measure the shortest distance between the edge of the hole in the flattening frame and the charred area. Record the distance measured for each specimen.
(5) Remove the specimen from the chamber and remove any burn residue from the floor of the chamber. Before proceeding to the next test, the floor must be cooled to normal room temperature or replaced with one that is at normal room temperature.
(e) Report. The number of specimens of the eight tested in which the charred area does not extend to within 2.54 cm. (1.0 in.) of the edge of the hole in the flattening frame shall be reported.
(f) Interpretation of results. If the charred area does not extend to within 2.54 cm. (1.0 in.) of the edge of the hole in the flattening frame at any point for at least seven of the eight specimens, the carpet or rug meets the acceptance criterion.
§ 1630.5 - Labeling.
If the carpet or rug has had a fire-retardant treatment or is made of fibers which have had a fire-retardant treatment, it shall be labeled with the letter “T” pursuant to conditions established by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.