Abstract: An automatic adjustable vacuum bleed valve particularly, but not exclusively, for use with a suction box of a paper making machine. The valve defines a first chamber connected to the suction box. A second chamber extends within the body of the valve and is connectible to a vacuum source. A hollow cylindrical valve stem passes through the second chamber and has a stem valve secured thereto to seat in the port in a wall of the second chamber. A further valve is positioned concentrically with the valve stem and seats in an opening provided in the body. The further valve has a stem slidingly engaged in a lower end of the valve stem. An upper end of the cylindrical valve stem is flexibly connected to the valve body by an impervious diaphragm having opposed surfaces, one of which is exposed to atmosphere and the other exposed to the first chamber. The control flow of fluid, such as water, is introduced in the cylindrical valve stem.

Abstract: A basementless separator system for removing liquid from a liquid/gaseous mixture. The system includes a separator for separating the liquid and gas therein. A first conduit communicates the separator with the source of the liquid/gaseous mixture. A secnd conduit communicates the separator with a vacuum source to draw the liquid/gaseous mixture into the separator and to remove the separated gas from the separator. A first valve is on the separator in alignment with a liquid storage tank to open and close a discharge opening for separated liquid from the separator to be collected in the storage tank. A second valve is on the storage tank to open and close a drainage opening in the tank to control drainage of liquid therefrom. A level sensor is on the tank to indicate a predetermined level of collected liquids stored in the tank. Controls are responsive to the liquid condition in the tank to open and close the valves and periodically drain from the tank the liquid collected therein.

Abstract: A pair of enclosed explosion chamber flowboxes are combined so that the top exit slice plate of the first chamber provides the lower exit slice plate of the second chamber downstream of the first chamber so that pressurized furnishes for a two-ply web are laid one on top of the other over a very short distance.

Abstract: A constant flow felt dewatering system including first and second suction pipes with a slot in each pipe. A felt is positioned to pass over the slots of the first and second pipes. A centrifugal exhauster is connected by conduits to the first and second suction pipes. Drive structure is provided to operate the centrifugal exhauster and apply suction to the first and second suction pipes and to advance the felt over the pipes whereupon suction is applied thereto to dewater the felt. Controls are responsive to change in felt conditions to vary the dwell time of the felt with respect to the slots in order to maintain a substantially constant flow.

Abstract: The apparatus for manufacturing the fiberboard is in the form of two vertically opposed endless conveyors upon each of which a fiber layer is formed. Each conveyor has a slanted running portion as a part thereof. A suction box is disposed along the inner surface of each of the slanted running portions so that a fiber layer producing section is formed in each slanted portion. A passage is formed between the conveyors to direct a slurry flow of fibers along each conveyor. The relative speeds of the slurry flow through the passage along the surface of the conveyors is adjusted to be different than the running speed of the conveyors; a supply duct for the slurry flow is disposed in the center of said passage and has an outlet near the upper ends of the fiber layer forming sections. The two layers simultaneously formed can be placed upon each other to form a single layer of fiberboard.

Abstract: A former for a paper machine: The paper machine includes a perforated forming cylinder and a suction device for drawing water inward through the perforations. An inner and an outer belt are wrapped around the forming cylinder. The outer belt meets the inner belt at the peripheral surface of the forming cylinder in a generally wedge-shaped inlet slot located at and upstream of the bottom of the forming cylinder. A pulp fiber suspension nozzle of a width that covers the axial length of the forming cylinder injects pulp into the inlet slot. A supporting device is provided at the inlet slot and includes a convexly curved surface, convexly curved around an axis generally parallel to the cylinder axis. The supporting device includes a concavely curved surface that follows the convexly curved surface downstream of the flow of pulp. A suction device communicates with the concavely curved surface beneath the outer belt. The outer belt rides over the convexly curved surface and down onto the concavely curved surface.

Abstract: The invention relates to a paper machine of the kind having a continuous inner wire cloth and a continuous outer wire cloth which are passed together around a deflecting component, located within the inner wire cloth, for effecting extraction of water through the outer wire cloth, said machine also having a water extraction box located within the inner wire cloth in front of the deflecting component, and a breast (delivery) box, an upper lip of which lies adjacent the inner wire cloth in the vicinity of the water extraction box and defines, with a support surface provided by the water extraction box, a preliminary water extraction zone in which water can be extracted through the inner wire cloth into the water extraction box.

Abstract: A method and apparatus in a paper making machine for transferring a web from a pick-up fabric to a flow-through drying wire for transport of the wire supported web to a flow-through dryer cylinder including passing a section of the flow-through drying wire over the web supported by the pick-up fabric thereby defining a sandwich structure of the drying wire, the web and the pick-up fabric. A first vacuum is applied by a first vacuum member on the sandwich structure from the flow-through drying wire side over a narrow first detaching zone. The direction of the pick-up fabric with respect to the flow-through drying wire is deviated and a second vacuum is applied by a second vacuum member over a second detaching zone subsequent to the first detaching zone in the direction of web travel from the drying wire side thereof thereby securing the web on the flow-through drying wire. The pick-up fabric may thus comprise either a felt or wire structure.

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 dewatering suction apparatus for paper making machine having foil plates which form suction slots under a wet paper conveyor belt has an air outlet nozzle which injects air under the conveyor belt on the up-stream side of the suction slots generally counter to the direction of movement of the belt. The apparatus also has an auxiliary suction device on both side edges of the belt. The auxiliary suction device has a side edge sensing finger to control the size of the suction slot opening at each side edge of the belt.

Abstract: In a paper-manufacturing machine a web is subjected to suction by placing a space between the web and a suction roll lapped thereby in communication with a region of substantially less than atmospheric pressure which is maintained at a part of the suction roll which is not lapped by the web. The structure includes a jacket which defines with the part of the suction roll which is not lapped by the web a hollow region with which a source of suction communicates. This hollow region of less than atmospheric pressure is situated at the exterior of the suction roll and bounded in part by an exterior surface of the suction roll, so that the hollow interior of the shell of the suction roll need not necessarily be utilized for providing the suction at the web.

Abstract: A horizontal, Fourdrinier foraminous belt type, countercurrent, high-capacity, cellulose pulp washer is described. The described washer is equipped with a hood positioned over a portion of the belt and over vacuum boxes or receptacles under the upper loop of the belt. The gases and vapors drawn into the vacuum boxes or receptacles with the wash liquid are separated from the liquid in the receptacles and recycled to the hood to control the atmosphere in the hood and maintain the desired pressure differential for operation of the washer.

Abstract: A method and machine for manufacturing a multilayer paper board which includes an outer web bonded to a base web has the features of initially forming the outer web on a planar section of a single wire where through a suitable structure a first dewatering stage of the web on the single wire is provided, a second dewatering stage being provided by way of a suitable dewatering show subsequent to the first dewatering stage with this second dewatering stage having an initial portion where dewatering takes place simultaneous in opposite directions and a final portion where dewatering takes place only outwardly away from the first wire.

Abstract: A papermaking machine having pulp supplied in a regulated excess amount through a feed channel onto a movable water-pervious element and having a sump positioned at the end of the feed channel to receive the overflow. The amount of pulp in the sump relative to the desired overflow rate is used to produce a control signal for regulating the machine. Should there be an excess amount of pulp in the sump over the desired amount, the negative pressure in the vacuum box is increased to withdraw more water. Also, the degree of grinding of the pulp can be varied in dependence on the control signal.

Abstract: A shear roll is situated above an upper surface of a top run of a Fourdrinier fabric such that a lower portion of the shear roll is adapted to penetrate a pulp stock web situated on the Fourdrinier fabric. The shear roll is operated by an external source of power, the source of power adapted to drive the shear roll at a surface speed exceeding a linear speed of the fabric by greater than 3% and less than 8% of the speed of the fabric. The shear roll is situated at a location where a consistency of the pulp stock web considered on a fibre basis situated on the fabric is between 2% and 5 1/2%; and the shear roll adapted to provide a shearing action to fibre bundles and flocs situated in the pulp stock web as the pulp stock web passes between the shear roll and the fabric, there re-working the pulp stock web and re-forming the fibre network and smearing the flocs thereof.

Abstract: In a vertical twin-wire paper machine, the initial forming zone is a wedge-shaped zone defined by a small number of deflectors arranged to bring the two wires into pressure engagement with the sheet therebetween and to remove the initial free or rapidly draining water from between the wires as quickly as possible, consistent with good sheet formation with the economical retention of formed components. The two wires and the sheet therebetween travel through a pressure zone which includes a convexly curved intermittent surface and guide rolls arranged to guide the wires from the wedge zone into wrapping engagement with the intermittent surface under tension causing pressure on the sheet and continued extrusion of liquid through one or both wires.

Abstract: An apparatus for improving the dewatering capability of a rotary drum vacuum filter or washer is described in which a suction box, independently supported above the filter drum, having an apertured outermost surface, and a vacuum means operating upon the box, is combined with a foraminous belt, tensioned to contact the suction box apertured surface and that portion of the drum surface not adjacent the box such that rotation of the drum causes the belt to rotate with the drum, sliding over the suction box. In operation, a cake or fibrous web that is formed upon the belt while it is in contact with the filter drum surface, partially submerged in a slurry of the material to be recovered, is subsequently subjected to the suction box vacuum means as the belt-supported web passes over the apertured surface. A discharge box at the trailing edge of the suction box is supplied with pressurized air to blow the cake or fibrous web from the foraminous belt surface at the product discharge point.

Abstract: A paper machine has a wire which transports a web to a detaching location where the web is to be detached from the wire and transported to a press section. A felt travels up to and beyond the detaching location to engage the web at the detaching location and receive the web from the wire while continuing to transport the web, while it adheres to the felt, to the press section. At the detaching location, by way of a structure which preferably is in the form of a suction box, a flow of air is created to travel first through the wire, then through the web, and then through the felt with this flow of air being highly localized so as to travel only through a relatively narrow rectangular area which extends transversely across the felt throughout the entire width thereof as well as the entire width of the web and wire.

Abstract: An automatic adjustable bleed valve having an angularly displaceable valve body provided with an inlet opening and an outlet opening. A passageway interconnects a lower inlet and upper outlet openings. A gravity actuated displaceable valve element is mounted for guided movement in the passageway. A valve element seat is provided internally of the valve body about the inlet opening for receiving the valve element in close seated contact thereon. A stop element is provided internally of the body adjacent the outlet opening to limit the displacement of the valve element while permitting fluid passage from the inlet opening to the outlet opening about the valve element. A locking element is provided to hold the valve body in the desired angular position of adjustment.

Abstract: A fibrous board is formed by conventional water laid techniques such as the utilization of a Fourdrinier machine. After the board has formed and has been consolidated, it is subjected to a vacuum action to remove additional water from the wet board structure just prior to the time the wet board structure moves into an oven where final board drying is carried out.

Abstract: A papermaking machine of the Fourdrinier type having a machine wire which passes about a breast roll adjacent a head box and which passes around a further curved guide member spaced from the breast roll and about which guide member there is also entrained a belt in the form of a felt or additional wire. Beneath the machine wire between the breast roll and the curved guide member is a suction region which is characterized in that it is free of any wire supports or the like which would create pressure impulses in the suspension on the wire, which pressure impulses would interfere with the formation of the paper sheet.