US2337163A - Apparatus for conditioning paper - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 21, 1943. s. MILNE APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING PAPER Filed Dec. 11, 1940 I INVENTOR.

Patented Dec. 21, 1943 2,337,163 APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING PAPER Samuel Milne, Edinbur Hird Milne and John h, Scotland; Samuel Innes Melvin executors of said Samuel Milne, deceased Application December 11, 1940, Serial No. 369,627 In Great Britain June 22, 1939 1 Claim.

My invention relates to improvements in paper manuacture and it is directed mor particularly to the provision of a unique and novel device which is characterized principally by it relamosphere if it were left exposed. Paper which has been so ,treatedQto a large extent is immune from that shrinkage and distortion (known also as cockling") which occurs in untreated paper upon its exposure to the atmosphere.

The avoidance of shrinkage and distortion is important and is very much to be desired. For

instance, in multi-color printing work and the like, where successive printing operations are rei quired to be in exact register upon the paper being used, it is essential that th dimensions of the paper he not affected by atmospheric conditions in the slightestdegree.

Methods for conditioning paper, heretofore Conditioning the objections aboverecited, and which also gives known, all have'the common objection that large cumbersome means are necessary to accomplish their-purpose. This objection adds greatly to the costof manufacturing the-devices and accordinglygwe have devised novel means wherewhich obviates the need for the large and cumbersome means heretofore referred to.

Proposals for conditioning paper have already been made, but not with the success which is desired. Some, for instance, have involved the provision of conditioning machines of a somewhat large size and which are entirely independent of their respective paper-making machines. Oftentimes, these machines ar required to be placed in special buildings specially fitted with larger air fans, special air-conditioning devices, and the like. This type of machine requires an undue proportion of additional floor space, calls for additional labour, and increase the amount of broken paper, among other things.

The object of the present invention is to provide a method of and means for the conditioning of paper which eliminates or substantially reduces '35 by such a difficulty and objection is overcome. We accomplish this by the provision of a device x cooling cylinders or against and while it is still in the a better result in the paper product.

With the above primary object in view, among the other objects of my invention are: first, to provide a simplified construction of a conditioning device; second, to secure a higher degree of accuracy in the character of the work performed therewith than has heretofore been possible; third, to attain a higher degree of spe d in t performance of' the work done therewith due to its unique and simplified construction; fourth, to attain a flexibility or a capability of adjustment by which a larger variety of work can be produced on the same machine; fifth, to attain a greater ease in the adjustment and repair of the machine; and sixth, to provide an improved conditioning device which may be made mor economically and with fewer operations in the manufacture of its parts, as well as in the assembly thereof, than prior devices heretofore known in the art.

Accordingto this invention, the paper, immediately upori leaving the paper-making machine hot dry state (with or without the intermediate reeling) is led on .to cooling rolls or cylinders which are provided with smooth rustless surfaces.

The cooling cylinders mayusefully be made, for instance, of brass, or of copper, or of iron with a copper or nickel or chromium coating, and they could be cooled by allowing. cold water to flow through them, which cold water could be taken from and returned to the mill circuit, or otherwise, all as may be convenient.

There may be any desired number of these cylinders, depending upon the speed of the paper making machine used in conjunction therewith and uponputput required therefrom.

Either during or afterthe cooling process, moisture is imparted to the paper in definitely controlled amounts from felts which are so disposed as to press the paper against the same other cylinders.

When the moisture, is applied to the paper after the paper is cooled, this application may be made by the use of any of the well-known forms of web-moistening or dampening devices which may be placed between the cooling cylinders and the reeling-up gear. It is preferred, however, that the moisture be applied being cooled, that is to say, as the cooling cylinders.

Accordingly, the present invention may be characterized in that, as it passes over the smooth-surfaced cooling cylinders, the p per is it passes around to the paper as it is uniform, moisture.

pressed againstthe cooling cylinders by the felts to the'inner faces of which moistur has been applied for direct transmission to th paper. The moisture may be applied to these felts by jets of steam inthe form of a fine spray, or otherwise, as desired. The felts may be of wool, cotton; or the like.

The cooling cylinders preferably will be in two tiers arranged horizontally so -that the'paper would come into direct contact with the cylinders first upon one side thereof and then the other side thereof so as to cool and to moisten both faces of the paper. In such an arrangement, the paper may receive moisture first upon one side thereof from one felt, and then upon the other side thereof from another felt.

If it is desired, one felt may supplythe moisture to one side of the paper as it passes over alternate cylinders of a series, and another felt may supply the moisture to the other side of the paper as it passes over the alternate cylinders of another series. .The moisture may be applied either to the surface of the felt which is to come in contact with the paper or to the opposite surface of the felt, all as may be desired.

Thismachine can be applied immediately to the end of the paper-making machine, or ifdesired, it may be an independent machine which would receive the paper from the reels on which 1t is wound up on the paper-making machine.

By keeping the paper in close contact with the smooth surface of the cooled cylinders and under the pressure of the felts, the paper is first uniformly cooled as it is then, and not until then the best possible condition for receiving The paper is thus discharged from this machine in a perfect condition with any desired degree of moisture contained therein. The paper is in the best possible condition to obviate any undesirable changes due to atmospheric conditions.

With the foregoing and various other novel features not specifically enumerated above and other objects of my invention as will become more apparent as the description proceeds, the invention-consists in certain novel features of construction and in the combination and ar-- rangement of parts as will be hereinafter more particularly pointed out in the claim hereunto annexed and more fully described and referred to in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein the figure is a side, view of a device embodying the features of my invention and showing the same in its assembled relation.

Referring now to the drawing more in detail, wherein like numerals refer to like parts and referring more particularly to the preferred form of my invention which has been selected for illustrative purposes, I have shown four cooling cylinders indicated generally by the characteristics 1, 2, 3 and 4. These cooling cylinders are arranged in two horizontal rows with two cylinders in each row. All of the cylinders have smooth rustless surfaces and they may be cooled by cooling water conducted thereto by a piping system indicated by H.

A felt 5 is provided for the lower row cylinders cooling cylinders arranged whereby a paper I and 3 and a felt 6' is provided for the upper row cylinders 2 and 4 and the several cylinders and the felt rolls 1 are mounted in a suitable frame 8 which is disposed immediately at the end of a Fourdrinier machine (e. g., following the last calender 9) so that the paper, whilst hot from the last calender 9 passes directly to these cooling and moistening arrangements. As the paper'leaves such arrangements it is reeled at 10 for its final desp'atch. Steam pipes, indicated by l3 in the drawing, having slots or perforations, are provided at several points, in close proximity to the inner surface of the felts. These pipesl3 direct steam on to the felts for .the purpose of moistening the felts, and the moisture isabsorbed through the felts and into the paper as described. This is particularly effective because I have found that dry paper, which has been cooled, is particularly susceptible to such a moistening operation.

Manifestly the specific details of construction may be considerably varied from those herein shown and described without involving any departure from the principle of the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages inherent therein. While I have described my invention in this specification in great detail and particularly with respect to the'present preferred form thereof, it is not desired to be limited thereto since many changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.,

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the essential characteristics thereof.. Hence, the present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects merely as being illustrative and not as being restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claim rather than by the foregoing description, and all modifications and variations as fall within the meaning and purview and range of equivalency of the appended claim are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What it is desired to claim and secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

The combination in a paper making machine means for treating a relatively hot and dry web as it comes from a calender comprising, upper and lower rows of spaced smooth-surfaced web may pass around the cylinders of the rows alternately so that its opposite surfaces are contacted with said cylinders, said cylinders being cooled by flowing cold water therethrough, endless felts one for each row of cylinders arranged to press a web into contact with the cylinders of their respective rows, said felts being adapted to contain moisture to be applied thereby to a web between said felts and cylinders, means for applying moisture to said felt, all adapted and arranged whereby the web as it passes over said cylinders has its opposite surfaces contacting the cylinders alternately and moisture applied to a surface opposite to that in contact with the cylinders.

SAMUEL MILNE.

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