Patent ID: 6613195
Filing Date: 2003-09-02
Classification: D21G

Abstract:
An apparatus for conditioning an elongate moving web comprisingmeans for producing a moisturized gas having an absolute humidity of about 0.01 or greater and including air containing a mist of water droplets and an array of radial jet reattachment nozzles for applying a flow of the moisturized gas as a mixture of air with a mist of water droplets entrained therein onto a surface of the moving web sufficient to create a combination of both suction and pressure forces on the same surface of the web such that the web is urged toward the nozzles while providing a cushion of air between the nozzles and the web to thereby limit contact between the nozzles and the web and cause water droplets in the gas to contact the web and be absorbed by the surface thereof wherein said nozzles are arranged across the width and along at least a portion of the length of the web, each nozzle having an elongate cylindrical sleeve with a gas inlet and a circular open end adjacent the web opposite the inlet, a flow director at lease partially disposed within the cylindrical sleeve comprising a head spaced outwardly from the open end of the sleeve toward the web and a rod axially aligned within the elongate sleeve so as to provide an annular flow space between the sleeve and the rod, said rod having an interior opening along at least a portion of its length in flow communication with a source of liquid and includes means for emitting liquid from said interior opening out into said annular flow space, the head being connected to one end of the rod, so that moistured gas flows through said annular space out said open end of said sleeve between said open end and said head and then onto the surface of the web.