Patents Examined by Karen M. Hastings
  • Patent number: 6176975
    Abstract: A headbox in a paper machine, which headbox has a stock outlet for a jet of stock having a specific length, angle of impact and point of encounter in relation to a nip in the wet section of the paper machine, which headbox has two stand parts, lifting arms with front and rear journalling means and a device for setting the position and alignment of the headbox so that the stock jet obtains said specific length, angle of impact and point of encounter, which setting device has two actuators mounted pivotably at the rear Journalling means of the lifting arms and at the stand parts, whereby the headbox is adjustable by means of a turning movement about said front bearing means of the lifting arms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2001
    Assignee: Valmet-Karlstad AB
    Inventors: Tommy Göran Andersson, Nils Ulf Haraldsson, Ernst Tomas Svensson
  • Patent number: 6174414
    Abstract: A high pressure shower system for cleaning perforations in a suction roll of a paper-making machine is disclosed. An elongated header pipe is mounted to the outside of the suction box and is fitted with a plurality of spaced high pressure nozzles directed at and in close proximity to the inside surface of the suction roll. The header pipe is driven in a longitudinal reciprocating manner providing complete spray coverage of the suction roll perforations. The water supply conduit to the header passes through the inside of the suction box which has a sealed slot opening to accommodate the reciprocal movement of the header.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2001
    Assignee: Bowater Pulp and Paper Canada Inc.
    Inventor: Raymond Theriault
  • Patent number: 6171446
    Abstract: A press felt for use in the press section of a papermaking machine includes a base fabric and at least one layer of an assembly of fibers, preferably forming a carded web or batt, the assembly of fibers containing a plurality of fibers having a deep grooved configuration. The deep-grooved fibers of the press felt provide improved dewatering properties to the press felt as compared to conventional round monofilaments of the same denier currently employed as the batt in press felts used in the press sections of papermaking machines. A method for at least partially dewatering a sheet of paper fibers within the press section of a papermaking machine includes positioning the sheet of paper fibers on the press felt described herein, transporting the sheet of paper fibers through the press section, and pressing the sheet to at least partially remove the water therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2001
    Assignee: Shakespeare Company
    Inventor: Michelle Diaz-Kotti
  • Patent number: 6165324
    Abstract: A headbox for discharging a jet consisting of one or more stock layers to a forming zone in a former comprising at least one separator vane separating two stock channels in order to keep the stocks on each side of the separator vane separated from each other and having engagement dowels arranged in a row for detachable mounting on a turbulence channel group via an engagement part with a through-running groove to receive the upstream end portion of the separator vane and its engagement dowels to secure the separator vane in machine direction, said groove having two longitudinally extending recesses with support and guide walls facing the free engagement end portions of the engagement dowels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2000
    Assignee: Valmet Karlstad AB
    Inventor: Anders Linden
  • Patent number: 6159342
    Abstract: A shoe press for a paper or board machine, comprising a press shoe and a counter roll, which between themselves form an extended nip for a paper or cardboard web and a circulated flexible belt, and a plurality of hydraulic loading cylinders which are arranged between a horizontal beam included in the frame system of the shoe press and the press shoe and adapted to press the press shoe against the counter roll, the pistons of the loading cylinders being fixedly connected to the horizontal beam. The working chambers of the loading cylinders are supplied with fluid by a common duct formed in an elongate duct member which is affixed to the beam. A vertical duct is formed in the piston of each loading cylinder and is connected to the common duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2000
    Assignee: Valmet-Karlstad AB
    Inventors: Lars Gustavsson, Erik Brox
  • Patent number: 6153056
    Abstract: Draining device and method for draining water from an interior surface of a felt belt loop circulating in a run direction via centrifugal force at a region of convex curvature of the interior surface of the felt belt. The draining device includes jets positioned across a width of the felt belt adapted to blast one of a displacing material and a displacing fluid against the felt belt at a position of one of in and in front of the convex region with respect to the run direction. The method includes directing jets of one of displacing fluid and displacing material against the interior surface of the felt belt to displace the water in the interior surface of the felt belt, and centrifugally spinning the displaced water out of the interior surface of the felt belt into a collecting device located within the felt belt loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2000
    Assignee: Voith Sulzer Papiertechnik Patent GmbH
    Inventor: Christian Schiel
  • Patent number: 6149771
    Abstract: Process for manufacturing a press jacket of flexible material for a press device and a press jacket that is adapted to drain a material web in a press opening in a paper making machine. The process includes arranging at least one reinforcing fiber in a jacket material that forms the press jacket so that the reinforcing fibers are arranged to run substantially in a peripheral direction of the press jacket, forming grooves to run substantially in the peripheral direction in at least one surface of the press jacket, and orienting the arrangment of the at least one reinforcing fiber and the formation of the grooves relative to each other so that the at least one reinforcing fiber and the grooves do not run radially superposed in a same direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2000
    Assignee: Voith Sulzer Papiermaschinen GmbH
    Inventor: Uwe Matuschczyk
  • Patent number: 6146500
    Abstract: A suction breast roll former has a support surface with a plurality of apertures formed therein that are operatively connected to a vacuum source. A headbox has a flexible roof extending downstream from a slice opening and disposed adjacent to a support surface of the suction breast roll. The headbox permits the flexible roof to bend over a range of movement relative to the support surface to match the shape of a drainage curve suiting current operating conditions. A method of forming a paper web includes the steps of supplying an aqueous suspension of papermaking fibers to a forming zone created between the suction breast roll and the headbox. The headbox includes a slice body and an apron that define a slice opening therebetween and also has a flexible roof extending from the slice opening and spaced from the support surface to define a forming zone therebetween. A forming fabric is passed through the forming zone to receive the aqueous suspension of papermaking fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Stephen Hada, Keith Douglas Glass, Ronald Frederick Gropp
  • Patent number: 6143135
    Abstract: An air press for noncompressively dewatering a wet web to consistency levels not previously thought possible at industrially useful speeds without thermal dewatering. The air press has an air plenum and a vacuum collection device, each on opposite sides of two support fabrics that sandwich the paper web. There are cross machine sealing blade(s) that impinge upon the support fabrics and is opposed on the other side of the support fabrics by a sealing member formed of deformable material. The air plenum and vacuum collection device are movable relative to one another so that the sealing blade and deformable sealing member form a seal in the operating position of the air press.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2000
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Stephen Hada, Michael Alan Hermans, Charles Robert Tomsovic, David V. Lange, Roger A. Kanitz, Richard D. Hauser, Patrick W. Murry, Doug A. Rounds, Robert L. Clarke
  • Patent number: 6139691
    Abstract: A shoe press for a paper or board machine, comprising a press shoe, a counter roll and a circulated flexible belt. A plurality of hydraulic loading cylinders for pressing the press shoe against the counter roll are arranged between a horizontal frame beam and the press shoe. The pistons of the loading cylinders are connected to the horizontal beam. The shoe press may have first hydrostatic compartments in the surface of the press shoe facing the counter roll and second hydrostatic compartments arranged between the side of the press shoe facing the loading cylinders and the loading cylinders. For supplying the working chambers of the loading cylinders and/or the first and/or second hydrostatic compartments with hydraulic fluid, there is arranged a duct which extends in the longitudinal direction of the press shoe and is common to all working chambers and the first and second hydrostatic compartments, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2000
    Assignee: Valmet-Karlstad AB
    Inventor: Erik Brox
  • Patent number: 6139690
    Abstract: A former with a sieve, preferably with a cylinder mold, is provided with an adjustable discharge aperture for a fibrous material suspension exiting from a chamber that is formed between the sieve and an upper lip formed by a flow guide plate. The upper lip has a first end facing away from the chamber and is guided in a floating manner by a pressure medium in a direction toward the sieve, as well as in the opposite direction. The upper lip is supported in a floating manner also by a pressure medium at its second end facing toward the chamber. In this way, deflections of the upper lip in the region of the inlet aperture can be largely avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2000
    Assignee: Voith Sulzer Papiermaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Gunter Halmschlager, Herbert Haunlieb
  • Patent number: 6136154
    Abstract: Press section of a machine for manufacturing a fibrous pulp web. The press section may include a press roll, at least one flexible circulating press belt, at least one press shoe, and at least one extended press nip formed to extend in a web run direction by the press shoe pressing the flexible circulating press belt against the press roll. The press section further includes one of a felt or screen belt that may be guided through the at least one extended nip, and the press roll may be substantially centrally located within the press section and may have a diameter greater than a diameter of the at least one flexible circulating press belt. The center press roll has two press shoes positioned opposite it; the two press shoes are offset with respect to one another such that the direction of force exerted by each extends through the center press roll axis and defines an acute angle, with support elements within the center press roll positioned opposite the press shoes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2000
    Assignee: Voith Sulzer Papiermaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Gerhard Kotitschke, Wolfgang Mayer, Klaus Esslinger, Andreas Meschenmoser, Gunther Mohrhardt
  • Patent number: 6132559
    Abstract: A method and device for dewatering a paper or board web and passing the web as a closed draw from a lower wire of a web forming section, in which the web is formed between the lower wire and an upper wire, to the press section and through one or more dewatering press nips in the press section. The web is separated from the upper wire on a first suction zone or block of the suction roll, after which the web is affixed to the lower wire over a second suction zone or block of the suction roll. The web is then affixed, in a pre-press and transfer nip formed by the suction roll and a smooth-faced roll, onto the outer face of a substantially non-watering-receiving transfer belt, the web being passed on support of this belt into the first press nip. In the press nip, water is pressed out of the web into a water-receiving press felt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2000
    Assignee: Valmet Corporation
    Inventors: Arto Haavanlammi, Ari Puurtinen, Mika Viertola
  • Patent number: 6126788
    Abstract: An apparatus for the dewatering of a traveling press felt carries a purging fluid to the inside surface of the felt loop. The purging fluid flushes water from the felt into receptacles inside the felt loop. Purging nozzles oriented in the cross machine direction, or a multitude of suction slots oriented in the running direction, may be used. The nozzles or slots are incorporated into a nozzle block that is fastened to a suction box or a blow box.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Inventor: Christian Schiel
  • Patent number: 6126786
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating turbulence in stock to deflocculate the stock in an open surface forming section of a paper making machine comprises a dewatering box providing vacuum assisted drainage and which has a set of dewatering elements that impart turbulence into relatively thick stock layers carried at machine operating speeds of equal up to about 400 m/min, for the production of paper products having a basis weight generally in excess of about 160 gsm. Each set of elements includes a lead-in element, at least one intermediate element, and a trailing element. The path of the forming fabric is deflected downwardly as it passes over the intermediate elements, which are inclined at an angle of from about 0.25.degree. to about 10.degree. from a plane defined by forming fabric supporting surfaces on the lead-in and riser elements. This vertical movement initiates turbulence and agitation in the stock, which acts both to deflocculate the stock and to diminish the possibility of sheet sealing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Inventors: James D. White, Douglas R. McPherson, Richard E. Pitt
  • Patent number: 6120649
    Abstract: Blade holder for creping of a web travelling on a rotating cylinder (2) or for doctoring the surface of the cylinder, comprising a blade (3) directed opposite to the travelling direction of the cylinder (2), a blade carrier (41) for the blade, further comprising a pressure ledge (13) extending along the whole length of the blade and arranged to exert a pressure at or adjacent to the upper longitudinal edge of the blade (3) via pivotable pressure arms (15) evenly distributed along the length of the ledge and arranged on the blade carrier (41) to bring said edge to engagement against the cylinder (2). Each pressure arm (15) is arranged to be individually actuated by a pressure means having a double folded membrane (35) for actuation of the pressure arm (15) by means of a pressure medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2000
    Assignee: BTG Kalle Inventing AB
    Inventor: Tore Eriksson
  • Patent number: 6117271
    Abstract: A slice lip apparatus is disclosed for guiding a flow of stock from a headbox so that the stock flows between a first and a second wire of a former. The apparatus includes a lip which is disposed adjacent to the first wire. A movable lip is spaced relative to the lip so that the lips defined therebetween a slice for the passage therethrough of the flow of stock. An adjustable guide shoe is disposed adjacent to the movable lip for guiding the second wire. A linkage extends between the movable lip and the adjustable guide shoe. The arrangement is such that when the movable lip is selectively moved relative to the lip, such selective movement generates a corresponding movement of the adjustable guide shoe relative to the first wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2000
    Assignee: Beloit Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert E. Page
  • Patent number: 6103066
    Abstract: A method for transferring a paper web in high-speed paper machines having a press section arranged between a web former and a dryer section. In the press section, there is one or more press nip zones dewatering the web, at least the last one of which is an extended nip through which at least two press fabrics that receive water are passed. The web is passed between the press fabrics through the last extended-nip zone so that the draining of water out of the web takes place through both faces of the web. After the last extended-nip zone, the web follows one of the fabrics passing through the last extended-nip zone by the effect of a difference in pressure avoiding rewetting of the web. The fabric carrying the web is passed through a gently loaded transfer nip zone in which the web is transferred onto a transfer surface more adhesive than the face of the fabric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2000
    Assignee: Valmet Corporation
    Inventor: Jorma Laapotti
  • Patent number: 6099692
    Abstract: A headbox of a paper or board machine having an inlet, a distributor for feeding stock suspension to be distributed over the machine width into the inlet. A turbulence generator downstream of the distributor has a hydraulic diameter of less than 17 mm in the downstream end region. The hydraulic diameter is the diameter of individual channels through the turbulence generator. The turbulence generator has channels or plates that define several channels, each in accordance with the desired hydraulic diameter. Dimensions of the hydraulic diameter are disclosed. The turbulence generator has lands at the downstream end. The land area ratio is disclosed. A nozzle or the like downstream of the turbulence generator introduces the stock suspension over the machine width to a wire or wires of the next section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2000
    Assignee: Voith Sulzer Papiermaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Elmer Weisshuhn, Ulrich Begemann, Volker Schmidt-Rohr
  • Patent number: 6093283
    Abstract: A method of supporting a press shoe in a shoe press for a paper or board machine, said press shoe forming together with a counter roll an extended nip for a paper or cardboard web and for a flexible circulated belt. On the outside of the loading cylinder of the press shoe there is arranged a compartment, to which hydraulic fluid is supplied in such a manner that the hydraulic fluid in the compartment directly or indirectly exerts a force upon the press shoe in the direction opposite to that of the force exerted upon the press shoe by the loading cylinder. The cylinder part of the loading cylinder is movably arranged on the piston part. Said forces are dimensioned such that in operation they create a gap between the press shoe and the loading cylinder, or between the supporting beam of the press shoe and the loading cylinder, thereby allowing hydraulic fluid to flow out of the compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2000
    Assignee: Valmet-Karlstad AB
    Inventors: Joakim Palmgren, Mikael Nyman, Erik Brox