Abstract: The invention provides a shower module that includes an upper elongated chamber, a supply pipe located in the upper elongated chamber, wherein the supply pipe includes at least one discharge opening that faces a side wall of the upper elongated chamber, a lower elongated chamber located adjacent to the upper elongated chamber, wherein fluid flow is provided between the lower elongated chamber and the upper elongated chamber via a transfer opening, and wherein the lower elongated chamber includes a discharge opening; and a coupling mechanism for coupling a flexible member to the lower elongated chamber beneath and substantially parallel to the discharge opening. When incorporated with a rotary vacuum filter, the flexible member causes a reservoir of shower liquid to form on a mat located on the shower drum.

Abstract: A coating composition for an ink jet recording medium comprises an aqueous suspension of absorptive pigment, a binder, a sizing agent, and a cationic fixing agent. The coating composition combines solids content of greater than 30% with good runnability. The composition may preferably be dispersed at pH values in the range of 4.5 to 7.0. The pigment is preferably a mixture of 75% or more silica gel having a pore volume of 0.5-2.0 cc/g, and 10% or more alumina or alumina hydrate. A method for making down the coating composition includes the sequential steps of dispersing a polyvinyl alcohol binder in water, cooling the binder dispersion, dispersing a sizing agent, and mixing the suspension thoroughly before addition of a cationic fixing agent and pigment.

Abstract: A coating composition for an ink jet recording medium comprises an aqueous suspension of absorptive silica pigment, a polyvinyl alcohol binder, and a cationic fixing agent. The composition is dispersed at pH values in the range of 4.0 to 7.0. The pigment is preferably a mixture of 75% or more silica gel having a pore volume of 0.5-1.5 cc/g, and 10% or more alumina or alumina hydrate. A method for making down the coating composition and applying it to a substrate is also disclosed.

Abstract: An assembly having at least three coaters or separate doctor or blade units, all arranged at a single backing roll coating station is provided. At least two of the coater or blade units can be movably positioned for easy operation and servicing of all three units. Additionally, one or more of the coater units may have doctors or blades, and the coater units with blades or blade unit may each be angularly positioned through a range of blade angles to optimize coating operations.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for minimizing the problem of "fluting" or "corrugating" occuring in printed webs of light weight coated paper printed on both sides with thermosetting ink on heat-set web-offset printing presses resides in spreading the web in its width-wise direction as the printed web exits from the ink drying and heat setting oven of the press and passes over the web cooling chill rolls downstream from the oven, thereby to hold the printed web in a flat and smooth condition until it is cooled and the ink has taken a permanent set. Spreading the web prior to and during cooling allows the inks to thermoset in a flat state because the web is kept flat and free of flutes during thermosetting of the inks. The method and apparatus facilitate operation of the press at higher speeds and with lighter grades of paper than conventional, and provide for increased production efficiencies, lower costs, enhanced print quality, and access to new markets for web-offset printing.

Abstract: A method for protecting a roll of pressure-sensitive paper and a package produced by the method uses bubble wrap and film to protect the roll of paper. The bubble wrap has a plurality of bubbles which permanently entrap air. These pockets of air in the bubble wrap cushion the roll of paper initially as well as over long periods of time.

Abstract: A web processor includes a support for supporting a movable web to form a concave trough along a path having a longitudinal axis. A rotatable element is provided which includes a beam redirecting device for redirecting an incident beam of radiation to produce a resultant beam directed substantially orthogonally to the axis of rotation of the rotatable element. The rotatable element includes at least one lens for focussing the resultant beam to produce a focus point on the path. The path is configured such that rotation of the rotatable element locates the focus point on a line non-parallel to the longitudinal axis of the concave trough. In a method for treating a web, a movable web is formed into a concave trough having a longitudinal axis. An incident beam of radiation is directed to a beam redirecting device on a rotatable element to produce a resultant beam of radiation directed substantially orthogonally to an axis of rotation of the rotatable element.

Abstract: A printable transfer material for thermal image transfer onto a flat porous surface comprising a base, a release layer and an image receiving layer which contains a hydrophilic binder, a fine-grained thermoplastic polymer and silica.

Abstract: A fibrous friction material in a sheet form having a top surface and a bottom surface with at least one surface containing a mixture of from about 10 to 65% cellulose fibers, about 5 to 50% carbon fibers, about 5 to 50% activated carbon, about 1 to 20% novoloid fibers, up to 65% diatomatious earth particles, and latex in an amount sufficient to increase the strength of the said sheet, with said percentages being based on the total weight of said sheet. The material is impregnated with a thermosetting resin prior to use.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling a deflection roll for compressing a web of material includes a shaft and a hollow roll disposed around the shaft. The hollow roll includes a working surface where the hollow roll is engageable with a hard roll along an entire length of the working surface. At least two bearing devices are disposed within the roll and are substantially aligned with the working surface of said roll. Each bearing device has a predetermined positive bearing clearance facilitating displacement of each outer contact surface relative to a respective inner contact surface of each bearing. The deflection roll further includes a mechanism for displacing the working surface of the roll with a fluid where the displacing mechanism is disposed external to the bearing devices.

Abstract: A fountain applicator for applying coating liquid onto a web of paper carried past the applicator, has a coating liquid flow path that includes a curved surface along which a sheet of the coating liquid is flowed to subject the sheet to centrifugal force to cause air entrained in the coating liquid to move away from one side of the sheet that is toward the curved surface, so that the one side is relatively free of entrained air. After being flowed along the curved surface, the sheet of coating liquid is directed toward the web in a free standing jet curtain of coating liquid, to contact the web surface primarily with the one relatively air-free side of the coating liquid sheet to decrease the occurrence of skip coating on the web surface, especially when the web is traveling past the applicator at high speeds. The coating is applied in excess onto the web surface and is metered and leveled to a desired coat weight by a downstream doctor.

Abstract: A sealed shower system applies shower water to a pulp mat as it passes through a sealed chamber under a vacuum with an air supply that is externally regulated. The shower water forms a pond or film on the pulp mat. The amount of entrapped air is minimized through a downleg of a filter drum which results in maximum filtrate flow, an increased drainage rate, higher efficiency washing and a requirement for less shower water per pound of pulp. In addition, with less entrapped air in the filtrate, the length of the downleg can be reduced enabling lower building heights, smaller filtrate tanks and foam handling systems. The sealed shower system also forms part of a combined shower/hood structure that greatly reduces exhaust emissions.

Abstract: An improved thermally-responsive record material useful for bar coding is disclosed comprising a support having provided thereon in substantially contiguous relationship: a substantially colorless dye precursor comprising 2-anilino-3-methyl-6-dibutylaminofluoran; a sensitizer selected from the group consisting of 1,2-diphenoxyethane and 1,2-(4-methylphenoxy)ethane; an acidic developer material comprising bis-(3-allyl-4-hydroxyphenyl)sulfone which upon being heated reacts with said dye precursor to develop color; and a binder material. The improved thermally-responsive record material and bar code of the invention has a high print contrast signal; high dimensional stability in terms of low bar width growth degradation; a high percentage of successful decodes; and high contrast of the bar code with the background. The invention overcomes difficulties in past efforts to bring together a confluence of these characteristics in one coating formulation.

Abstract: A recording medium particularly suitable for electrophotographic copying is characterized by coated paper that for a given basis weight has proportionally less coating and proportionally more fiber than conventional coated paper made for electrophotographic processes. The base sheet of the coated paper is preferably formed square on a paper machine wet end and has on the order of 40-50% less filler than conventional sheet paper made for electrophotographic processes. After being formed and dried, the base sheet is provided with a top coat weight that is approximately 60% less than the typical coat weight used for conventional paper. The coating is formulated to have sufficient viscosity to stay more on the surface of the base sheet. The coated sheet is calendered to a medium gloss on the order of a 75.degree. TAPPI gloss of about 45, both to preserve a degree of surface roughness to enhance runnability of the paper through an electrophotographic copier and to provide a pleasant and easily readable surface.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting patches or areas of relatively high gloss on a moving web, and thereby associated wrinkles or other defects, and signalling the presence thereof comprises an analog and/or digital optical reflectivity sensor for sensing gloss on the surface of the moving web, a web marking device adjacent the edge of the moving web for marking the edge of the web with a dye, and a microcomputer for receiving the output signal from the sensor(s) and for controlling the operation of the marking device. The apparatus may also include a warning device such as a light or horn. The apparatus and method have particular applicability in association with paper web re-reeling equipment.

Abstract: A coater head for applying coating to a size press roll of a size press coater, the coater head has a flow passage with a metering device at its outlet end and a metering chamber immediately adjacent to the metering end. A shear developing passage delivers coating to the metering chamber and a mixing passage leading into the metering chamber mixes fresh coating with return coating on the surface of the roll to carry the fresh coating to the outlet end of the metering chamber. The metering chamber is dimensioned to form a stable vortex within the chamber thereby to improve the uniformity of the coating wet film.

Abstract: A method for protecting a roll of pressure-sensitive paper and a package produced by the method uses bubble wrap and film to protect the roll of paper. The bubble wrap has a plurality of bubbles which permanently entrap air. These pockets of air in the bubble wrap cushion the roll of paper initially as well as over long periods of time.

Abstract: A novel agricultural mulch and improved method of arranging the mulch on a growing field with furrows is disclosed wherein the mulch is made of an extensible paper substrate having a top surface and a bottom surface with side sections near the edges of the substrate capable of being turned up and bent back over the top surface of the paper substrate as the mulch is laid down over the growing field; the bottom surface of the paper substrate will be exposed for receiving soil from the field to anchor the mulch and protect it against the weathering of rain, sun and wind.

Abstract: A novel thermally responsive record material is disclosed, comprising support having provided thereon in substantially contiguous relationship with electron donating dye precursor, an acidic developer material, a sensitizer, and a binder therefor. The sensitizer comprises at least two components, the first component comprising 2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-4-methylpentane and the second component comprising a mixture of dimethyl terephthalate and 1,2-diphenoxyethane, the first component being in a range of weight ratios from 1:2 to 2:1 relative the second component, said second component comprising from 50 to 70% dimethyl terephthalate. The sensitizer is prepared by admixing the first component and the second component and grinding the sensitizer to a particle size of less than 1 micron.

Abstract: A fountain applicator for applying coating liquid onto a web of paper carried past the applicator, has a coating liquid flow path that includes a curved surface along which a sheet of the coating liquid is flowed to subject the sheet to centrifugal force to cause air entrained in the coating liquid to move away from one side of the sheet that is toward the curved surface, so that the one side is relatively free of entrained air. After being flowed along the curved surface, the sheet of coating liquid is directed toward the web in a free standing jet curtain of coating liquid, to contact the web surface primarily with the one relatively air-free side of the coating liquid sheet to decrease the occurrence of skip coating on the web surface, especially when the web is traveling past the applicator at high speeds. The coating is applied in excess onto the web surface and is metered and leveled to a desired coat weight by a downstream doctor.