Patent ID: 6341522
Filing Date: 2002-01-29
Classification: D21F,D21G,D21H,G01G,G01N

Abstract:
An apparatus for use in the wet end of a sheetmaking machine including a moving conveyor for the moving and the drainage of a wetstock material that comprises an aqueous fibrous mixture, said apparatus comprising:a rotatable roller having an outer surface of grounded metal in close proximity to a lower surface said wetstock material on said conveyor wherein the rotatable roller supports the wetstock material; at least one sensor comprising an electrode configuration that is imbedded within said outer surface for detecting changes in conductivity of said wetstock material, said sensor having a variable resistive impedance such that changes in said conductivity causes changes in resistive impedance of said sensor wherein said electrode comprises a metal layer that is imbedded in said outer surface and a dielectric layer that is imbedded in said outer surface and a single segmented electrode imbedded into said dielectric layer so as to be insulated from said outer surface; wherein when said roller rotates, said at least one sensor comes essentially in contact with said lower surface of said wetstock material causing said sensor to detect said changes in said conductivity that is proportional to changes in the weight of the wetstock material over said sensor.