Abstract: A process for making a paper product comprising: providing a forming fabric; causing the forming fabric to rotate such that an upper surface of the forming fabric moves in a machine direction; providing a multi-layer headbox comprising first and second inlet headers and a slice outlet; providing a first aqueous slurry of first fibers to the first inlet header and a second aqueous slurry of second fibers to the second inlet header; combining streams of the first and second aqueous slurries to define a jet exiting the slice outlet; emitting the jet onto the upper surface of the forming fabric to form a web; causing the forming fabric to oscillate in a direction transverse to the machine direction, whereby at least a significant number of the first fibers are caused to align in a direction that deviates from the machine direction; and forming the paper product from the web.

Abstract: A shake mechanism is provided for shaking a breast roll at the wet end of a conventional glass mat machine. A method of producing a glass fiber mat is provided, the method involving combining glass fibers with a dispersant medium to form an aqueous slurry, and shaking the aqueous slurry to redistribute fibers from areas of high concentration to areas of lower concentration. A glass fiber mat production line is also provided, the production line comprising a slurry formation station for combining glass fibers with a dispersant medium to form an aqueous slurry, and a hydroformer for shaking the slurry to redistribute glass fibers from areas of high concentration to areas of lower concentration.

Abstract: Equipment for moving a roll in a paper machine has a movable cradle (13) for attachment to a roll (10). Two pairs of masses (16, 17) are supported rotatably on the cradle (13), in each of which there is an own drive shaft (18) for rotating the pairs of masses (16, 17). Drive devices (19) include a motor (21) and drive-train means (22). The drive-train means (22) include a pair of gears (23), which are arranged in connection with the drive shafts (18), for rotating the drive shafts (18) using a single motor (21). The drive-train means (22) also includes an adjustment element (33) for creating and adjusting the phase difference of the drive shafts (18). The adjustment element (33) is arranged between a gear (25) and the corresponding drive shaft (18), to change their position and thus to create and adjust a phase difference between the drive shafts (18).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for transferring vibrational forces to a wire of a papermaking machine for forming a web on the wire and for dampening vibrations imparted to the papermaking machine. In some embodiments, the apparatus is a vibrational device including a vibrational device frame, a vibration isolator coupled to the vibrational device frame to dampen vibration transmission to the papermaking machine, a vibration-inducing mechanism coupled to the vibrational device frame and operable to generate a vibration having a frequency and positioned laterally with respect to the vibration isolator in the cross-machine direction, and a vibrational head coupled to the vibration-inducing mechanism and directly contacting the wire to impart vibration to the wire.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for transferring a vibrational force to the wire of a papermaking machine in order to re-align the fibers of the web forming on the wire or to clean press section felts. In some embodiments, the apparatus is a vibrational device including at least one vibration-inducing mechanism, a vibrational head coupled to the vibration-inducing mechanism for vibrating the wire, and a dampening mechanism coupled between the vibrational head and the vibration-inducing mechanism.

Abstract: A process, and an apparatus, for improving sheet properties in the initial impingement zone of a paper making machine including a forming section, a forming fabric moving in the machine direction and a head box having a head box slice which delivers a stock jet onto the moving forming fabric. The scale and intensity of agitation within the stock is adjusted by adjusting some of the support elements beneath the forming fabric adjacent the head box slice so that they either contact, or do not contact, the machine side surface of the forming fabric and observing the effect, if any, that the adjustment has on the quality of the sheet product being made on the paper making machine. This technique is of use in a papermaking machine forming section having a single open surface forming fabric, in the initial open surface section of a so-called hybrid gap former having two superposed forming fabrics, and in the forming section of a two fabric papermaking machine.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for transferring vibrational forces to a wire of a papermaking machine for forming a web on the wire and for dampening vibrations imparted to the papermaking machine. In some embodiments, the apparatus is a vibrational device including a vibrational device frame, a vibration isolator coupled to the vibrational device frame to dampen vibration transmission to the papermaking machine, a vibration-inducing mechanism coupled to the vibrational device frame and operable to generate a vibration having a frequency and positioned laterally with respect to the vibration isolator in the cross-machine direction, and a vibrational head coupled to the vibration-inducing mechanism and directly contacting the wire to impart vibration to the wire.

Abstract: A forming board for a papermaking machine includes: a support; a transversely-extending lead blade attached to the support, the lead blade; a plurality of transversely-extending trailing blades; a mounting unit for each of the plurality of trailing blades, the mounting unit being attached to a respective trailing blade and to the support such that the upper surfaces of the lead blade and the trailing blades are substantially coplanar and such that gaps are defined between the trailing edges and leading edges of adjacent blades, the gaps being of substantially uniform width; and a drive unit attached to the mounting unit and to the support, the drive unit being configured to drive the trailing blades simultaneously to different longitudinal positions relative to the support, wherein the gap widths vary but remain substantially uniform.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for transferring a vibrational force to the wire of a papermaking machine in order to re-align the fibers of the web forming on the wire or to clean press section felts. In one preferred embodiment, the apparatus is a vibrational device including a vibrational device frame, at least one vibration-inducing mechanism coupled to the vibrational device frame, and a vibrational head coupled to the vibration-inducing mechanism for vibrating the wire.

Abstract: The apparatus of the present invention is a papermaking machine with a forming fabric in a looped configuration. The forming fabric carries paper stock through the papermaking process. The forming fabric passes over a liquid-filled cavity which is bounded on its lower surface by a flexible non-permeable membrane. A roll with regular protrusions underneath the membrane is rotated to vertically excite the membrane, the liquid-filled cavity, and, subsequently, the paper stock in order to disperse the paper stock into a random orientation.

Abstract: A tissue web (W), which has improved formation and improved tensile properties but no appreciable deterioration of retention and layer purity, if applicable, in comparison with tissue webs produced in conventional twin wire tissue formers, may be formed in a roll type twin wire former by draining 90-99%, preferably 98-99%, of all drainable water from the slurry while on the forming roll (1), preferably a suction forming roll, the remaining 1-10%, preferably 1-2%, of the drainable water being sufficient to have a substantial amount of the papermaking fibers free in the slurry during an initial phase of a subsequent step, and, downstream of said forming roll (1), draining said remaining 1-10%, preferably 1-2%, from the slurry while vibrating the slurry sufficiently to create a micro-turbulence causing a small scale agitation of the fibers to prevent them from forming any appreciable fibrous web (W) on the two forming fabrics (3; 4) until the water remaining in the slurry is insufficient for allowing the fibers

Abstract: The invention is directed to a roll shake connected to a roll in a paper-making machine, wherein the roll is movable in a direction generally parallel to an axis of the roll. A first hydraulic ram assembly, including a first cylinder and a first ram reciprocally disposed in the first cylinder, is attached to the roll. A second hydraulic ram assembly, including a second cylinder and a second ram reciprocally disposed in the second cylinder, is rigidly connected to the first cylinder. A counter mass is connected to the second ram, and is movable in a direction generally parallel to the roll axis. A controller is connected to the first hydraulic ram assembly and the second hydraulic ram assembly. The controller independently controls reciprocating movements of the first ram and the second ram within the first cylinder and the second cylinder, respectively, whereby a resultant momentum of the roll and the counter mass is approximately equal to zero at any point in time.

Abstract: A turbulence roll for a web former. The roll generates high frequency small-scale vibration in the stock on the forming fabric whereby fluidization of the partially formed fiber mat and dispersion of fiber flocs in the stock is brought about. The turbulence roll is formed of a shaft on which a plurality of discs (32) is disposed a distance apart from each other and a plurality of lengthwise extending rods (34) is attached to the rims of the discs and spaced apart from each other.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for making a paper support for photographic paper by a Fourdrinier paper machine of the twin-wire type provided with a lower wire on which a wet web is formed and an endless upper wire facing said lower wire with the wet web between them wherein the upper wire comes in contact with the wet web after the latter has travelled a distance of 5 to 12 m from the point where the paper stock had been fed to the lower wire which is preferably shaked in a horizontal direction and the rate of drainage through the upper wire to the sum of drainages through the lower wire and the upper wire is adjusted to 15 to 50% to give a smooth surface on which a photographic emulsion layer is to be formed.

Abstract: In a Fourdrinier paper making machine a dispersion roll mounted between the headbox and the suction and dewatering means, underneath in contact with the Fourdrinier travelling fabric and extending laterally across the width of the fabric, and adapted to rotate at about the same speed as that of the fabric; the roll having a fluted surface of alternating lands and grooves, and a plurality of spaced, parallel, lateral slots across each said land to communicate each groove with the next adjacent groove. The function of the roll is to vibrate the travelling fabric and cause better dispersion of the paper fibers.

Abstract: A twin wire paper former incorporating a forming shoe having a curved solid forming surface across which the forming wires pass with one of the wires in direct contact therewith and the other sandwiching the stock from which the paper is to be formed therebetween. The tension in the other wire drives water from the stock contained between the two wires, out through the other wire, and the shoe is vibrated thereby to reduce the friction between the wire contacting the shoe, to reduce wear of the contacting wire and to improve drainage.

Abstract: The invention is to shake the upper run of a Fourdrinier forming fabric of a paper machine by imparting vibratory motion, in a direction transverse to the machine direction, to light-weight foil blades mounted at the dilute end of the Fourdrinier section. The foils, which are in contact with the fabric, cause the upper run to vibrate in the same transverse direction, thereby shaking the stock and improving paper formation. It is preferred to vibrate the foils at a frequency close to the resonant natural frequency of the upper run of a fabric or a harmonic thereof. All or part of the top surface of some of the foils, which contact the upper run of the forming fabric, may be coated with a material having a relatively high coefficient of friction to increase the frictional contact between the upper surface of the foil and the forming fabric.

Abstract: A process, and an apparatus, for improving sheet properties in the initial impingement zone of a paper making machine including a forming section, a forming fabric moving in the machine direction and a head box having a head box slice which delivers a stock jet onto the moving forming fabric. The scale and intensity of agitation within the stock is adjusted by adjusting some of the support elements beneath the forming fabric adjacent the head box slice so that they either contact, or do not contact, the machine side surface of the forming fabric and observing the effect, if any, that the adjustment has on the quality of the sheet product being made on the paper making machine. This technique is of use in a papermaking machine forming section having a single open surface forming fabric, in the initial open surface section of a so-called hybrid gap former having two superposed forming fabrics, and in the forming section of a two fabric papermaking machine.