Patents Examined by Karen M. Hastings
  • Patent number: 6440274
    Abstract: An easily manufactured shoe press belt for a papermaking machine comprises a high molecular weight cylindrical elastic member having embedded within it, between its inner and outer walls, a multiple layer base member formed by winding a belt-like woven fabric. The layers of the base member are substantially axially coextensive, reinforce the belt against sideward elongation, and achieve uniform hardness and improved durability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Assignee: Ichikawa Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Harushige Ikeda, Kenji Inoue, Hironori Misawa
  • Patent number: 6440273
    Abstract: A compact multilevel paper making machine is provided comprising a web-receiving region where a web of paper is received on a fabric forming a continuous loop, a reel-up for winding the paper web onto a roll, and a web transfer point disposed between the web-receiving region and the reel-up. The fabric receives the web at the web-receiving region and then supports and transports the web from the web-receiving region to the web transfer point in a first direction on a first defined vertical level. At the web transfer point, the web is separated from the fabric. The fabric loop further includes a return run from the web transfer point to the web-receiving region over which the fabric then travels. A cleaning section is also disposed along the return run of the fabric loop for cleaning the fabric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Assignee: Metso Paper Karlstad Aktiebolag (AB)
    Inventor: Dennis E. Jewitt
  • Patent number: 6436240
    Abstract: Papermachine clothing comprises a base fabric comprising at least two superimposed perforated non-woven membranes (11, 12), the upper or paper side one of which (11), has a lower maximum creep modulus and is less hard than the lower or machine side membrane (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Assignee: Voith Fabrics Heidenheim GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: John Jeffrey
  • Patent number: 6436241
    Abstract: Seal strip for a hollow circular cylindrical screening device, which screening device is intended to be used in a paper or cardboard machine for the production of paper or cardboard, the seal strip having an indicator for indicating wear of the seal strip. The indicator is arranged to continuously give a measure of a remaining wear allowance and preferably also a wear rate, of the seal strip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Assignee: JoCell Aktiebolag
    Inventors: Rolf Persson, Lars Eriksson, Bengt Åkerblom
  • Patent number: 6436239
    Abstract: Method to reduce adhesion of a damp fibrous material web, e.g., a paper or material web, to a rotating roll. The method includes producing a steam cushion between the rotating roll and the fibrous material web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Assignee: Voith Sulzer Papiermaschinen GmbH
    Inventor: Martin Kustermann
  • Patent number: 6432275
    Abstract: The invention concerns a headbox for a paper/board machine by whose means the basis weight of the web can be regulated. The headbox comprises a stock inlet header (Jl), which becomes narrower towards its end. Tubes (11a1, 11a2 . . . ) in a tube bank (11) open in the stock inlet header (J1) across the machine width, which tubes are connected with thickening elements (12a1, 12a2 . . . ) across the machine width, in which connection a flow (L1) is removed from the thickening element into the duct (D1) and said flow (L1) to be removed is regulated by means of a valve (V1, V2 . . . ). From the thickening element (12a1, 12a2 . . . ) a tube (14a1, 14a2 . . . ) for a flow (L2) of higher consistency is provided, which flow is passed further in the headbox.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2002
    Assignee: Metso Paper, Inc.
    Inventors: Jyrki Huovila, Petri Nyberg, Antti Suoperä, Tapani Nyman
  • Patent number: 6425980
    Abstract: Press device and process for treating a material web. The press device includes a first shoe press and a second shoe press. The first and the second shoe press are successively arranged in a web run direction. A transfer suction roll is positioned between the first shoe press and the second shoe press and is adapted to at least partially suction the material web and to guide the material web in a closed draw through at least one of the first and the second shoe presses. The process may includes at least partially suctioning the material web with the transfer suction roll, and guiding the material web in a closed draw through at least one of the first and the second shoe presses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2002
    Assignee: Voith Sulzer Papiertechnik Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Mirsberger, Hans Dahl, Andreas Meschenmoser
  • Patent number: 6409884
    Abstract: A press device having an extended press nip for pressing a running paper or paperboard web, comprising a carrier supporting a press shoe via a plurality of loading cylinders, out of which at least a few comprise a first cylinder member having a first end attached to or integrated in the press shoe, and a second cylinder member having a second end attached to or integrated in the carrier. The first and the second cylinder members are slidably coupled to each other by a coupling member, wherein the coupling member and the first cylinder member are displaceable in relation to each other with a first length of stroke, while the coupling member and the second cylinder member are displaceable in relation to each other with a second length of stroke. The coupling member is designed so that the first length of stroke runs closer to the carrier than the second length of stroke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2002
    Assignee: Metso Paper Karlstad AB
    Inventor: Erik Brox
  • Patent number: 6402890
    Abstract: A shoe press unit comprises a support beam, a shoe element movably supported on the beam, a pressing unit arranged between the beam and the shoe element for urging the shoe element away from the beam and toward a counter element, and a flexible belt that is arranged to slide over the pressing surface of the shoe element. An oil evacuation arrangement is affixed to the shoe element proximate an upstream edge region thereof. The oil evacuation arrangement has an inlet opening located such that excess oil expelled from between the belt and the shoe element passes through the inlet opening. An evacuation duct is connected with the container for evacuating oil therefrom, and the duct is movably connected to an outlet pipe within the shoe press unit. In one embodiment, the duct is connected via a flexible bellows to a pipe fixed to the outlet pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2002
    Assignee: Metso Paper Karlstad AB
    Inventors: Lars Gustavsson, Mattias Alsing, Sven-Ove Andersson
  • Patent number: 6402892
    Abstract: In a method at the end of the drying section of a paper machine, drying cylinders (1, 2) are arranged in two substantially horizontal cylinder rows, wherein the first drying cylinders (1) are placed substantially higher than the second drying cylinders (2). In the method, the web (W) to be dried is conveyed alternately between the cylinder rows of the drying cylinders (1, 2). Further in the method, the transfer of the web (W) between the drying cylinders (1, 2) is supported by a wire run arrangement, and the web is guided after the last drying cylinder (1, 2) of the drying section (A) by a transfer arrangement in between the rolls of a pair of rolls in the calender section (B) of the paper machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2002
    Assignee: Valmet Corporation
    Inventors: Jukka Kilpiä, Robert Baril
  • Patent number: 6398915
    Abstract: A leader having a shape substantially that of a triangle which is used to pull a seamable papermaker's fabric onto a paper machine comprising a plastic coated substrate having plastic reinforcing strips thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: Albany International Corp.
    Inventor: Patrick Fargeout
  • Patent number: 6398916
    Abstract: A through-air drying paper making apparatus is provided comprising a twin-fabric forming section, a water-removing section arranged downstream of the forming section, and a web transfer device disposed between the forming section and the water-removing section. The forming section includes a forming roll, a pair of fabrics guided to travel about a portion of the circumference of the forming roll, and a headbox operable to deposit a slurry between the fabrics so as to form a paper web therebetween. Preferably, one of the fabrics in the forming section comprises a through-air drying (TAD) fabric arranged to carry the paper web through the water-removing section, while the other fabric comprises a forming wire. At the web transfer device, the paper web is separated from the forming wire and the paper web then carried on the TAD fabric through the water-removing section. The water-removing section includes at least one through-air dryer for at least partially drying the paper web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: Valmet Karlstad AB
    Inventor: Berndt Erik Ingvar Klerelid
  • Patent number: 6395137
    Abstract: The invention concerns a seal construction for a suction roll in a paper machine. The seal construction (10) comprises a substantially U-section holder (12) open towards the inner face (3) of the roll mantle, a seal which is mounted in the holder, which is placed in the axial direction of the roll, and which consists of a frame part (13) of the seal fitted in the holder (12) and of a wear part (11), which is fix to the frame part and which is placed against the inner face (3) of the roll mantle, and which seal construction also comprises loading means, such as a loading hose (15) or equivalent, by whose means the seal can be shifted in the holder (12) against the inner face (3) of the roll mantle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2002
    Assignee: Valmet Corporation
    Inventor: Jorma Snellman
  • Patent number: 6387216
    Abstract: A method of sealing the pressure chamber of a shoeless press comprising a roll and a concave counterpart provided with a nip pressure chamber and with a press belt by proportioning the edge radius of the pressure chamber and the radius of the path of the belt to the pressures acting under the belt. A pressure is generated under the press belt, outside the press chamber, with the aid of oil or gas, and a suitable lubrication leak is allowed from the pressure chamber by adjusting the pressure in the right proportion to the chamber pressure. The invention also includes an apparatus for carrying out the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2002
    Assignee: Metso Chemical Pulping Oy
    Inventor: Ilpo Koski
  • Patent number: 6379503
    Abstract: Machine equipment in a paper or board machine comprising at least one wear ledge for contact with a clothing, and a support body for the wear ledge and a device for mounting the wear ledge to its support body. In accordance with the invention, the mounting device has a locking bar arranged in a groove in the wear ledge, and a cavity is formed in the support body and contains a press bar. The support body defines a plurality of holes extending from the cavity and open toward the groove in the wear ledge. Connecting elements extend through the holes and are rigidly connected to the clamping bar and the press bar, and spring members in the cavity act between the press bar and an opposite support surface of the cavity to retain the wear ledge against the support body in a stable operating position. An expandable hose is arranged in the cavity so as, when activated, to press against the press bar so that the spring members are compressed and the wear ledge becomes free for pulling out along the locking bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Assignee: Metso Paper Karlstad AB
    Inventor: Per Anders Jansson
  • Patent number: 6372093
    Abstract: An adjustable foil apparatus for papermaking machines is described in which a pair of rigid foil members are mounted in a pair and are pivotable about substantially parallel longitudinal axes in mirror image fashion to provide selected angularity therebetween. A common operating mechanism is attached to both of the adjustable angle foils in the pair, such that actuation of the operating mechanism produces concurrent mirror image pivoting of the foils in the pair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2002
    Assignee: Wilbanks International, Inc.
    Inventor: John R. Brewer
  • Patent number: 6372092
    Abstract: Headbox of a paper machine and a process of supplying a material suspension, The headbox includes at least one material suspension supplying system, and a headbox nozzle that includes a first dividing wall having a machine width and a second dividing wall having a machine width. The first and second dividing walls are arranged to form a first path in which a total nozzle cross-section steadily and continually decreases in a material flow direction and to form a second path, arranged to follow the first path, in which a total nozzle cross-section continually increases in the material flow direction. The process includes includes accelerating the material suspension along a first path having a total nozzle cross-section that steadily and continually decreases in a material flow direction, and decelerating the material suspension along a second path having a total nozzle cross-section that continually increases in the material flow direction. The second path is arranged to follow the first path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2002
    Assignee: Voith Sulzer Papiertechnik Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Alfred Bubik, Joachim Henssler, Jürgen Prössl, Karl Müller, Walter Holzer, Mathias Schwaner
  • Patent number: 6368462
    Abstract: The invention relates to a headbox (10) for a paper/boardmaking machine. The headbox (10) including a stock flow header (11) and, following the stock flow header, a piping system such as an inlet pipe manifold, and/or a turbulence generator (14) and a tapered slice (15), wherefrom the stock is passed onto the forming wire (H1). The construction of said headbox further includes a flow header (J) for a dilution liquid the flow header having connected thereto an inlet channel (S1), a return pipe (S2) and outlet channels (D1, D2, D3, . . . ) that are distributed over the full length of said flow channel for passing the dilution water to control valves (V1, V2, . . . ) and, therefrom, further to different points along the cross-machine width of the headbox so as to mix with the stock delivered from the stock flow header (11) in order to control the consistency of the stock to a desired value, thus accomplishing the control of the web basis weight profile in cross-machine direction over the headbox.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2002
    Assignee: Valmet Corporation
    Inventors: Juhana Lumiala, Antti Poikolainen
  • Patent number: 6368466
    Abstract: A press section of a paper making machine for dewatering a paper web (W) formed in a preceding forming section in which dewatering felts (11, 28) are applied to both surfaces of the paper web (W) as the paper web (W) travels in a closed draw from the forming section through a first extended nip press (NP1), thereby drawing a substantial amount of water simultaneously and symmetrically from both surfaces of the paper web (W). The upper felt (11) transports the paper web (W) from the first extended nip (NP1) to a smooth surfaced center roll (30) where the paper web (W) passes through at least one roll nip (N1, N2) or extended nip (NP2′, NP3′). The center roll (30) is positioned at an elevation higher than the first extended nip (NP1) thereby reducing the length of the press section. In a second roll nip (N2), a press fabric (33) is substituted for the upper felt (11) to efficiently remove additional water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2002
    Assignee: Valmet Corporation
    Inventor: Jorma Laapotti
  • Patent number: 6361657
    Abstract: A flexible mounting for use in the forming section of a twin forming fabric paper making machine consisting essentially of a base member supported by the paper making machine structure to which is attached a flexible C-shaped beam. The C-shaped beam has one edge attached to the base member, and a fabric contacting blade attachment means at the other edge. A pressurized loading tube is located within the C-shaped beam between the base member and the second edge of the C-shaped beam. When the pressurized loading tube is loaded, the C-shaped beam flexes thus allowing the blade to move initially into contact with a forming fabric. As the pressurized tube is further loaded, the contact face of the blade is moved into further engagement with the forming fabric. In a preferred construction, the wrap angle of the fabrics at or about the blade leading edge can be minimized. The mounting thus can diminish wear of the fabric as it passes over the blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2002
    Inventor: Douglas R. McPherson