Abstract: Improvements in the internal dividers of a papermaking headbox are provided by stiffening the dividers only in the cross-machine direction. These cross-machine stiffened dividers provide for a smooth and thin divider that is flexible in the machine direction and yet is strong and resists distortion, buckling or bending in the cross-machine direction.

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.

Abstract: A mat containing highly machine direction oriented (90% or greater), discontinuous reinforcement fibers, is produced on inclined wire or rotary paper making machinery. Fibers are first uniformly dispersed in an aqueous medium containing thickeners and wetting agents. In one embodiment, antifoaming agents are also added to prevent floating fibers which entangle and reduce orientation. Thermoplastic fibers or particles may also be included. Stock is brought into an open headbox in a flow pattern which allows the fibers to decelerate before approaching the porous suction belt (wire). As the fibers approach the suction belt, the fibers begin to turn and align in the streamline so as to present one end toward the suction wire. The leading ends of the fibers are gripped by the moving belt which drags the fibers out of the dispersion stock in a straight line. The porous mat produced may be dried and bonded through hot air, heat and/or pressure, or chemical binders.

Abstract: The foam process is used to make non-woven webs from cellulose or synthetic fibers, which webs have as a component super absorbent polymer (SAP). In order to minimize water absorbency by the SAP, it may have a protective coating that dissolves only after in contact with water a few seconds; the SAP may be frozen (e.g. to about -18.degree. C.); and/or the SAP may be transported by highly chilled (e.g. about 1.degree. C.) water. The SAP, and liquid or foam carrier, is fed as a small volume flow into a conduit carrying a high volume flow of a fiber containing foam slurry, just before a foraminous element. A mechanical mixer may be provided in the conduit for mixing the SAP with the fiber-foam slurry. The addition of the SAP to the carrier fluid takes place no more than ten seconds (preferably no more than five seconds) before the fiber-foam slurry mixed with SAP is brought into operative association with one or more foraminous elements.

Abstract: A headbox of a paper machine which is provided with a dilution profiling system which uses a feedback-connected regulation system to control the cross-direction basis weight profile of the paper web produced by the paper machine. The dilution profiling system includes a feed header for a dilution liquid or for a stock suspension of a consistency lower than the consistency in the headbox, feed ducts fill idly coupled to the dilution header and regulation valves associated with the feed ducts for the dilution liquid, whereby the dilution liquid is passed to an area between a front wall of the inlet header of the headbox and a slice duct of the headbox. In the dilution profiling system, edge feed arrangements are integrated in both lateral areas of the headbox.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for combining a dilution flow with a stock flow passed out of an inlet header in a paper/board machine including dilution flow ducts through which the dilution flow is passed to selected locations across the width of the headbox of the paper/board machine in order to regulate the basis weight of the paper/board web. The dilution flow ducts are constructed so that they becomes narrower toward a final, downstream end. Branch ducts are placed in the area of the narrowing portion of each flow duct, and the dilution flow is passed out of the branch ducts into the system of pipes wherein the dilution flow is combined with the stock flow passed out of the inlet header.

Abstract: A system for combining a dilution flow with the stock flow passed from the inlet header of the headbox of a paper/board machine. The equipment comprises a valve which regulates the dilution flow and which consists of a valve housing, of a spindle, and of a flow duct placed in the spindle, which flow duct can be rotated into different regulation positions for the purpose of regulating the dilution flow departing from the valve. One end opening of the flow duct and the flow opening in the valve housing are placed in alignment with one another irrespective of the position of rotation of the spindle. The position of the other end opening of the duct placed in the spindle in relation to the flow opening in the valve housing can be regulated by rotating the spindle.

Abstract: A method and device in the regulation of a headbox. The headbox includes a pulp inlet header, after the pulp inlet header, seen in the pulp flow direction, a distributor manifold whose pipes are opened into an intermediate chamber. The headbox comprises an attenuation chamber placed in connection with the intermediate chamber and, after the intermediate chamber, a turbulence generator having tubes which are opened, at their outlet end, into a discharge duct and, at their inlet end, into the intermediate chamber. In the method, into different positions along the width of the headbox, a pulp suspension flow is introduced, the concentration of this flow is adjustable by combining two component flows. In the method, in the regulation of the concentration of the flow passed into the pulp suspension, two component flows are combined by into the pulp suspension flow introducing an additional flow. The mixing ratio of the combined flow is regulated by adjusting the additional component flow.

Abstract: A method in the regulation of a pulp suspension flow through the headbox of a paper machine/board machine wherein an additional flow is introduced into the pulp suspension at different points across the width of the headbox. The concentration of the additional flow is regulated by a mixer unit which includes a displaceable distributor part such that when the mixing ratio is being regulated, the flow resistances of the component flows, of the additional flow, entering into the mixer unit are adjusted by displacing the distributor part of the mixer unit in a chamber of the mixer unit.

Abstract: A movement compensator apparatus and method for compensating for movements taking place during tilting of a headbox of a paper machine and preventing transfer of strains from a pulp supply pipe in the headbox to a stationary pulp supply pipe. The movement compensator has a first pipe connected to the supply pipe by a connecting flange that permits rotation of the first pipe and the supply pipe relative to one another, and a second pipe connected to the first pipe by another connecting flange that permits rotation of the first pipe and the second pipe relative to one another. The second pipe is further connected to the stationary supply pipe by a third connecting flange that also permits rotation of the second pipe and the stationary supply pipe relative to one another.

Abstract: In order to independently influence the dewatering performance of a wet forming section of a paper machine as well as the quality of a web produced by the machine, a paper machine head box is mounted on a swiveling device adapted to move a nozzle of the head box around a periphery of a forming cylinder. Two continuous-loop forming wires wrap about the forming cylinder and pulp is discharged through the nozzle into a gap formed by the two wires. A method of operation of the wet forming section includes the step of swiveling both the head box nozzle and an inlet roll (upon which one of the wires is wrapped) around the forming cylinder in a circular arc.

Abstract: A method and device in the regulation of a headbox. The headbox includes a pulp inlet header, after the pulp inlet header, seen in the pulp flow direction, a distributor manifold whose pipes are opened into an intermediate chamber. The headbox comprises an attenuation chamber placed in connection with the intermediate chamber and, after the intermediate chamber, a turbulence generator having tubes which are opened, at their outlet end, into a discharge duct and, at their inlet end, into the intermediate chamber. In the method, into different positions along the width of the headbox, a pulp suspension flow is introduced, the concentration of this flow is adjustable by combining two component flows. In the method, in the regulation of the concentration of the flow passed into the pulp suspension, two component flows are combined by into the pulp suspension flow introducing an additional flow. The mixing ratio of the combined flow is regulated by adjusting the additional component flow.

Abstract: A throttle device for stock suspensions in a paper machine including a feed line, a drain line and a spatially variable cavity connecting the feed line and drain line with each other. The cavities provided with a plurality of nestable walls in which the nesting effects a lengthening of the flow path.

Abstract: A method and device for the regulation of a pulp suspension flow in a multi-layer headbox and a multi-layer headbox for a paper machine/board machine. For the formation of different layers in the web, at least two pulp suspensions having different pulp concepts flow through the multi-layer headbox. The flow of a pulp suspension that forms one of the layers in the web is regulated by regulating the component flows that constitute this flow and regulating the concentration of the component flows independently from one another. In this manner, i.e., by regulating only this the particular layer, the total flow of the pulp suspension leaving the headbox is regulated.

Abstract: A two-wire web-forming section for a paper machine includes two wire loops, consisting of a first wire (1) and a second wire (2), water draining therethrough from a web (W) to be formed in two directions within a two-wire dewatering zone established by the wires. A breast roll (4) guiding first wire (1) is open and a constricted slice jet (S) comes into contact with first wire (1) within the contact area of open roll (4) and with second wire (2) downstream of breast roll (5) guiding it. The distance (1) of wire (1) lying on open breast roll (4) at the diverging point of the first wire and breast roll (4) from said second wire (2) lying straight between its own breast roll (5) and the guide element (6) guiding the wires together is less, preferably 1-4 mm less than the thickness of the constricted slice jet (S).

Abstract: A structure and method for the improved formation and dewatering of a papermaking web onto a porous forming surface wherein a layer of water is first formed by depositing water onto a traveling wire and a stock slurry is deposited from a headbox slice onto the layer of water so that the layer of stock first interfaces with the water and improved fiber formation occurs onto the forming surface.

Abstract: Sieve bend for separating particles of differing size in a liquid slurry. The bend structure defines a passage having an inlet end and a discharge end, with a throat of decreasing cross sectional area at the discharge end of the passage, and a sieve screen for receiving slurry flowing from the discharge end of the passage. The throat is formed in part by a movable member, with means for adjusting the position of the movable member to vary the cross sectional area of the throat and means for temporarily moving the movable member to an open position to clear debris from the throat. The sieve screen is mounted in a housing associated with the bend structure, and the housing is vibrated in a resonant manner to dislodge material from the screen. A repulping box is positioned midway along the screen for supplying additional liquid to the slurry as it passes over the screen.

Abstract: A novel composite board of mineral wool, perlite, and cellulosic newsprint fibers for use as an acoustical tile is disclosed. The board displays a high porosity, a fine pore structure, a low density gradient through its thickness and an acceptable strength. The board is manufactured by a process that includes a flotation step prior to the final formation step.

Abstract: The manufacture of sag-resistant, lightweight structural mineral panels on a foraminous support wire is accomplished by forming a dilute aqueous dispersion of mineral fiber and/or aggregate and an anionically stabilized latex binder, coupling the binder solids onto the mineral fiber materials by adding a small amount of a flocculant such as a cationic polyacrylamide, and passing the slurry onto a first flooded section of the support wire to form an open, entangled, structural mass having water in interstitial spaces of the entangled mass. Water is stripped from the mass and the mass dried without collapse of the open structure by passing heated dry air through the open entangled structure.

Abstract: A system and process for controlling the displacement of a thickness regulating member which regulates the basis weight of a sheet being formed from fluid material. The displacement of the thickness regulating member is determined by measuring the forces which slice rods exert on the thickness regulating member.

Abstract: Method and apparatus in the headbox of a paper machine and in its approach pipe system. In the headbox, pulp suspension is fed through the approach pipe system and a pressure screen arrangement, if any, to a distributing header part, from which the pulp suspension flow is conducted through a turbulence generator section and further to a lip section. A pulp suspension jet is discharged from a lip aperture of the lip section onto a forming wire or into a throat defined by a pair of forming wires. At least part of the approach pipe system, the distribution header part, and the turbulence generator section are arranged to have two or several substantially parallel pulp suspension flow passages. The different passages operate substantially simultaneously in parallel, when the headbox has been set to operate in a higher flow rate range.

Abstract: In a papermaking or like operation wherein fibers are supplied to a headbox in a foamed furnish, a method of controlling furnish flow including the steps of controllably advancing the furnish along a flow path to the headbox, measuring the volume flow rate of furnish through a fixed cross-sectional area in the path with a magnetic flowmeter, combining the flow rate measurement at least with measured values of furnish density and pressure in the path and with a reference pressure value to obtain a corrected volume flow rate value, and controlling the advance of furnish in the path upon departure of this corrected value from a desired value so as to change the corrected value toward the desired value. A temperature measurement can also be combined with the other measured values, and with a reference temperature value, in obtaining the corrected flow rate value.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for regulating pressure in a wedge-shaped space between the wall of the headbox lip beam or the like and the breast roll. An arrangement is provided by which air jets are directed in a direction opposite to the direction in which the forming wire moves on the breast roll to eject air out of the wedge-shaped space to maintain the pressure induced therein at a desired level. The apparatus includes a blow box coupled to a source of pressurized air and the box having a wall in opposed relationship to the forming wire in which nozzle openings or slots are formed through which the air jets are directed. The blow box has a wider side which substantially closes the wedge-shaped space. Water jets are directed into the wedge-shaped space by water supply devices provided on the blow box for cleaning purposes.

Abstract: The present invention teaches a method and apparatus for controlling the size of an opening through which material is metered by generating energy in the form of a magnetic field close to an element which forms an integral part of the metering device, the element movable relative to another member. The method and apparatus can be utilized for controlling a desired physical property of a product which is dependent on the metering operation, such properties as basis weight, caliper, density, bulk, reel hardness, gloss, smoothness, and opacity, of interest in the paper, plastics and coating fields.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a paper web from a fiber suspension are disclosed. These include injecting a fiber suspension stream through a slice opening onto the upper surface of a travelling paper web-forming surface, maintaining that surface free of support for a predetermined distance downstream of the slice opening, maintaining a flexible lip near the upper surface of the web-forming surface for a portion of that predetermined distance, and applying a vacuum to the lower surface of the web-forming surface throughout the predetermined distance. In this manner, both the method and apparatus can produce a paper web and substantially dewater the fiber suspension within the space between the flexible lip and the web-forming suspension and substantially reduce disturbances during formation of the web and throughout the predetermined distance.

Abstract: A process for making a cement and non-asbestos fiber mat on a Hatschek machine having a cylinder vat, a cylinder in the cylinder vat, and a porous surface on the cylinder on which the mat is formed and through which drainage water passes including the steps of introducing a slurry of cement and non-asbestos fibers and clay and poly(ethylene oxide) and water into the cylinder vat, and maintaining a lesser portion of the porous surface in engagement with the cement and non-asbestos slurry than the portion of the surface which is otherwise normally engaged by a cement and asbestos slurry of the same depth to thereby form the cement and non-asbestos fiber mat on the lesser portion of the porous surface and thus provide a lesser area for the slurry to drain than the area through which a cement and asbestos slurry drains, the poly(ethylene oxide) and clay causing the drainage water to be substantially clear and not to have any appreciable amount of cement fines, the cement and non-asbestos fiber mat containing Port

Abstract: A paper stock diffuser system employing a plurality of spaced, generally V-shaped projections having adjoining shear surfaces diverging away from one another.

Abstract: A process for modifying a paper machine headbox manually-adjustable slice rod assembly. The slice rod assembly is cut and a fluid actuator is inserted to permit the assembly to be operated by the fluid actuator in combination with a screw jack.

Abstract: The distribution and orientation of the fibers in a short fiber fleece is improved by flowing the fiber suspension onto the surface of a rotating drum through a plurality of relatively narrow channels formed in a chute. The channels may be parallel partition walls extending in the flow direction or the channels may be formed by hoses or pipes placed one next to the other on the chute. The flow speed at the exit end of the chute may be increased by narrowing the exit end cross-sectional area.

Abstract: A method and machine for fabricating building boards or the like, especially asbestos cement plates, contains a turbulence device having at least one channel with a step-shaped widened portion. The channel either has the form of a slot extending over the entire width of the machine or there are provided a series of cylindrical bores forming essentially parallel channels. An intermediate chamber or compartment merges with the channel or channels. Leading from the intermediate chamber is an outlet gap to the upper surface of a felt band.

Abstract: Multilayer paper of superior layer purity and formation is produced by discharging a plurality of superimposed jets of papermaking stock from a headbox into the throat of a roll former, preventing the discharged jets from coming together for a short distance by introducing air between adjacent jets as they leave the headbox, and maintaining the velocity of the jet closest to a plain forming roll in the roll former slightly higher than the velocity of an adjacent discharged jet.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for feeding a fibre suspension onto the wire of a web former through a guiding device consisting of a plurality of guiding channels through which the fibre suspension flows parallelly and which are connected to a slice chamber leading to a slice and extending across the wire of the web former. A means for separating the dilute outer part of the jet of stock flowing in from every single flow channel is disposed downstream of the guiding device. The outer portion is deflected from the direction of flow of the thicker and more homogeneous core part and the latter is allowed to proceed up to the lip substantially maintaining its direction. Thus, a situation is reached, whereby considerably less local consistency variations occur in the lip flow across the head box. Preferably, this means is formed by a plate in which there are openings disposed coaxially with regard to the manifold tubes so that the diameter of the openings of the plate is smaller than that of the openings of the tubes.

Abstract: A method of forming a multi-ply web by providing upper and lower outer surface plies of low consistency stock on an intermediate high consistency stock layer joined and delivered from a slice chamber for producing a smooth finished web. A stream of high consistency stock is subjected to highly efficient fiber distributing agitation and stabilization in a tortuous path, and then joins the high consistency stock as an intermediate ply layer between the low consistency stock ply layers. The flow of the intermediate ply layer to juncture with the outer ply layers is modulated and smoothed so that the outer ply layers on the intermediate ply layer will present substantially smooth outer surfaces for the multi-ply paper web.

Abstract: A method for forming a multilayer jet by delivering a plurality of superposed, spaced apart jets of stock through a slice opening towards a web forming zone, keeping the jets separated for part of the distance between the slice opening and the forming zone, and thereafter, but not later than the arrival of the jets at the forming zone, allowing the jets to come into direct contact to produce a stratified jet. Separation of the jets in this fashion is effected by forming and maintaining gaseous wedges in the spaces between them after delivery through the slice opening.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a continuous process for manufacturing articles comprised of fiber-reinforced hydraulically bound material. A layer of the fiber-reinforcing and hydraulically bindable materials are placed on a first endless carrier while a second similar layer is formed on a second endless carrier. The layer formed on the second carrier is deposited on the layer formed on the first carrier by reversing the second carrier and the composite layer formed as a result is thereafter given the desired shape and is hardened.A number of fibrous network structures are used with the hydraulically bindable material and the two are formed into a layer with the networks distributed in it. Water is removed from that layer by suction, while on the second carrier a number of fibrous networks are likewise supplied to be formed into a layer comprised of the hydraulically bindable material with the networks distributed in it and water is also removed by suction from this layer.

Abstract: Fiber reinforced cement is continuously prepared by forming a conveyor by connecting a plurality of suction boxes each having a perforated plate, contacting the perforated plates of the suction boxes with a filter cloth and moving the suction boxes with the filter cloth at a synchronous speed, feeding a cementitious slurry and a fiber on the filter cloth, removing excess water by suction from the cementitious slurry through a suction trough connected to a suction device, and releasing the suction on the suction boxes to separate the filter cloth from the perforated plates of the suction boxes.

Abstract: A web-forming method and apparatus particularly suited for cellulose pulp. The web is initially formed on a rotary wire cylinder which has a horizontal axis and a crest situated at the highest part of the cylinder over the horizontal axis, the cylinder during rotation thus having an upwardly travelling side which turns upwardly toward the crest and a downwardly travelling side which turns downwardly from the crest. At the upwardly travelling side of the cylinder is a headbox having its slice situated adjacent the crest for projecting onto the rotating cylinder a pulp slurry jet at a speed greater than the peripheral speed of the cylinder, so that the deposited pulp slurry will start to form a web while turning with the cylinder up to and then downwardly from the crest thereof. An outer wire has a portion wrapped partially around the cylinder, through an angle of at least 180.degree.

Abstract: A twin-wire paper machine and method for operating the same. The machine includes an endless carrier wire and an endless pressure wire respectively extending along closed separate loops and having common run portions between which a web is compressed while travelling from an inlet end to an outlet end of the common run portions. A pair of guide rolls are respectively situated in the loops and engage the wires in advance of the inlet end of the common run portions to direct the wires respectively along converging paths toward the inlet end of the common run portions, these converging wire paths forming an entrance region where a headbox is located for directing a stock jet through a slice defined by a pair of lips of the headbox. A forming board engages one of the wires between the inlet end of the common run portions and the guide roll which engages this one wire, and the stock jet is directed toward this one wire and the forming board engaging the same.

Abstract: In a method of making non-woven fibrous material such as paper, the papermaking stock as it is being delivered to the foraminous support of a papermaking machine has air under pressure introduced into it to produce foaming of the stock and the stock is subjected to turbulence. This is effected by providing the head-box of the papermaking machine with a slice the body of which includes a slot through which the stock flows to the foraminous support and which is shaped to impart turbulence to the stock. The body also includes an air supply passage which communicates with the slot to introduce the pressurised air into the stock.

Abstract: In a device for feeding fiber suspension to the web-forming part of a paper machine the tendency of the fibers in the suspension to flocculate and form fiber clusters, before being fed onto the web-forming wire, is eliminated by spraying jets of water or steam or both into the head box which is supplied with a fiber suspension of a consistency greater than the desired. The jets cause strong turbulences in the head box and thereby effectively disperse the fiber clusters.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for controlling the thickness of coatings on webs at a plurality of cross-directional positions while a coating procedure is taking place. The deflection of the metering element is controlled automatically in response to measurements of the uncoated and coated web that determine the thickness of the coating being applied at a plurality of cross-directional positions. In one preferred embodiment, a bimetallic member having a plurality of separated tongue-like extensions corresponding to cross-directional positions along the blade is used, the tongue-like extensions pressing on the back of the blade at their ends in response to heat applied dependent upon the determined thickness of the coating being applied. In another embodiment, pneumatic actuators whose pressure may be varied in response to the determined thickness are used to adjust the position of the metering element at a plurality of cross-directional positions to locally vary the thickness of the applied coating.