Abstract: Methods and apparatus for recycling office waste paper and the like of the type having ink and laser print particles coated thereon. The waste paper is simultaneously pulped and ink particles dispersed by kneading the waste paper in the form of a high solids content aqueous mixture or sludge. After the simultaneous pulping and dispersing, no additional dispersion step is needed to form deinked paper stock. The high solids content aqueous mixture or sludge is diluted and forwarded to wet deinking separation devices such as a froth flotation unit or the like. The thus treated pulp is washed and results in the formation of a high quality pulp stock ready for bleaching and/or paper making procedures.

Abstract: A papermakers' screen basket for pressure screening of papermaking stock or for pressure filtering is formed with a support core formed with honeycomb like cells that extend radially in the direction of flow through the screen basket, and a thin covering having screening openings therethrough is supported on the inlet surface of the honeycomb cell core. The core is formed by rolling a flat section of core into the shape of a cylinder and welding the abutting ends to form a complete cylinder and then attaching a perforated or a mesh sheet-like metal covering against the core inlet surface, in which the thin sheet metal covering defines small openings, such as slots or apertures, leading into the honeycomb core, and is welded in place.

Abstract: A system and method for treating a waxed fiber paper product with a high wax content to remove a substantial portion of the wax content includes the pulping of the wax paper fiber at an elevated temperature in excess of the melting temperature of the wax to separate a pulp fraction and to form an emulsion of water and molten wax. The pulp fraction is separated from the emulsion by filtering in a reverse pressure screen in which a finely perforated screen defines a high pressure side and a low pressure side, and a major portion of the water/emulsion is removed from the suspension through the screen perforations leading from the high pressure side to the low pressure side, in which a rotor and foil arrangement within the reverse screen is operated under such conditions that the suspension at the high pressure side of the screen is maintained in a constant fluidized condition.

Abstract: Hydrocyclone cleaning systems and methods remove contaminants from a suspension of papermaking stock. A subsystem 10 employs forward cleaners for removing heavy contaminants while a subsystem 12 is fed directly from subsystem 10 and removes lightweight contaminants. The subsystem 12 also includes a through-flow cleaner which receives the rejects flow from a primary reverse flow cleaner and both systems are connected to a common surge tank arrangement. Both subsystems operate at low consistencies or high efficiency while the primary through-flow cleaner of subsystem 12 provides a system output having a consistency approximately twice as high as that of the input so that the overall operation operates both as a stock cleaner and a stock thickener.

Abstract: A rotary paper pulp refiner system and method includes a rotor having one or more refining elements mounted on a rotating shaft and complimentary non-rotating or stator elements defining with the rotating element a refining gap or gaps through which the paper stock material passes, and which the rotor is mounted for rotation on magnetic bearings that support the rotor shaft for rotation and define the axial and radial running position thereof. Optionally, a movable stator housing wall may also be controlled by a magnetic bearing.

Abstract: A hydrocyclone for separating lightweight contaminants from a suspension of papermakers'stock as a through-flow design in which an inlet section has a frusto-conical flow controlling wall and has a central flow stabilizer and a tangential inlet. The flow stabilizer has a paraboloid shape and defines with the flow control wall an annular flow space of constant area along the axial length of the flow stabilizer so that fluid entering a tangential inlet at the base of the paraboloid is caused to rotate about the flow stabilizer and is delivered to the interior of the hydrocyclone without a substantial change in axial velocity.

Abstract: Apparatus for selectively sorting pulp wood chips in accordance with a predetermined maximum thickness includes a plurality of disk members disposed in a plurality of separately rotatable rows, with each row having a plurality of the members disposed in spaced parallel vertical planes, and with members in adjacent rows intermeshing with equal spaces therebetween. Each disk member has a radially contoured outer periphery with the depth of the contour being sufficiently shallow to prevent chips of thickness greater than the predetermined maximum from passing between its outer peripheral edge and an opposing spacer mounted between disk members on an adjacent row. All the rows of disk members are driven in the same direction, but adjacent disks are preferably driven at different peripheral speeds.

Abstract: A fabric insertion system for placing fabric in the rock ballast roadbed of an existing railroad track at a predetermined depth beneath the ties of the track includes a car for supporting a roll of fabric which is to be inserted into the ballast. A fabric insertion sled is secured to the car in position beneath the car in the ballast at a predetermined depth beneath the ties. The sled receives fabric from the car and the fabric is diverted within the sled such that it emerges therefrom at the depth of the sled. Fabric is continuously inserted into the ballast as the car and sled are moved along the track.

Abstract: A device and method of orienting a log in a veneer lathe charger to produce optimum positioning of the log in a veneer lathe when the log is loaded into the lathe by the charger includes a plurality of ultrasonic transducers which are positioned circumferentially and longitudinally about the log periphery. The ultrasonic transducers sense the position of the log and the log is re-oriented, under control of a computer which receives the outputs from the transducers, prior to loading the log into the veneer lathe.

Abstract: A pair of sonic transducers are mounted above a peeler block on a veneer lathe, adjacent opposite ends of the block. Bursts of sonic energy are directed downward to strike the surface of the block such that sonic energy is reflected from the block surface to the transducers. The distance from the transducers to the axis of rotation of the lathe spindle upon which the block is mounted is known and, as a consequence, the radius of the peeler block may be determined in response to the ultrasonically measured distance from the transducers to the block surface. A series of radius measurements may be made as the block is rotated on the lathe spindle. Additionally, measurements may be made when a log is first loaded onto the lathe, after the log is rounded up, and after peeling of the block is completed.

Abstract: A contaminant sorting device for sorting contaminant material, such as metal and rocks, from processing materials, such as wood chips, comprising a housing having internal walls formed of a surface of revolution into which housing is fed processing material at the upper portion thereof, an impeller disposed in the housing for receiving processing material and propelling it radially outwardly against the inner surfaces of the housing walls, a plurality of vibration sensing devices disposed around the walls of the housing for sensing vibrations due to impingement of the processing material on the walls, an electrical circuit for distinguishing between signals generated in response to impact of the processing material from response to impact of contaminant material, a series of trap doors each associated with a corresponding vibration sensing device and disposed downstream in the material flow path for diverting from the normal flow path a portion of processing material containing contaminant material.

Abstract: A contaminant sorting device for sorting contaminant material such as metal and rocks from process materials such as wood chips which are intended to be subsequently processed, comprises a material receiving surface upon which a layer of material is deposited which material contains both contaminant and process material, an impact sensing device for sensing vibrations of the material receiving surface upon impact of the material thereon, an electronic circuit for distinguishing between signals generated by impact of contaminant material from signals generated by impact of process material and for providing an output signal in response to receipt of a contaminant material signal, a flow diverting plate downstream from the material receiving surface which is activated by the signal produced in response to impact of the contaminant material so that the normal flow path of the layer of material is interrupted so as to divert that portion of material containing contaminant material to a separate receptacle, and ti

Abstract: A centrifugal rock crusher having a cylindrical housing with a rotatively driven impeller disposed concentrically therein with a plurality of impeller vanes disposed uniformly around the impeller defining channels through which rock to be crushed is centrifugally thrown against a plurality of uniformly concentrically spaced anvils secured within the housing adjacent the impeller. The impeller is generally formed of a pair of vertically spaced upper and lower disc-shaped members which support the impeller vanes between them and together define the channels through which the rock to be crushed is thrown. Upper and lower wear plates are respectively secured to the upper and lower disc-shaped members and are angled downwardly to direct the trajectory of rocks thrown from the impeller generally horizontally against the anvils. The anvils are radially disposed in two concentric rows around the inside of the cylindrical housing with adjacent anvils being in different rows so as to present a staggered anvil pattern.

Abstract: In a rotary screen for sorting wood or other particles of a desired size from other particles such as fine, moist, sticky sawdust particles, a plurality of balls are suspended beneath the screening surfaces in a manner such that the gyratory motion of the rotary screen imparts a resonant, pendulum-type motion to the balls, causing them to strike the bottom of the screening surfaces and loosen particles from the screen which would tend to clog the openings therein. The rotary screen includes a collection tray or "dust pan" to catch undersize particles, and a plurality of balls are also suspended beneath the bottom surface of the dust pan to strike it and prevent material build up in the dust pan.

Abstract: A saw tooth insert, for securing to a saw plate, comprises a front cutting surface containing two adjacent grooves extending for substantially the entire height of the cutting face and substantially radially outward from the rotational axis of the saw plate. The lower portions of the grooves end on opposite sides of the saw plate and the upper portions of the grooves form a central cutting edge between them and external cutting edges on each side of the cutting face where the grooves meet the side surfaces of the insert.