Patent GB-1150786-A (GB)
Title: Apparatus for Producing Fibrous Pulp Articles
IPC: B27N5/00
Filed: 1967-08-15
Abstract: 1,150,786. Moulding articles of fibrous pulp. KEYES FIBRE CO. 15 Aug., 1967 [6 April, 1967], No. 37502/67. Heading B5A. A plurality of article forming moulds on a rotary supporting structure 30, Fig. 4, are carried intermittently, in turn, through a bath 104 of fibrous pulp slurry, at which stations 102, 104, Figs. 5-10, fibrous pulp is deposited on the moulds by suction applied thereto; at station 110 superfluous pulp, or flash, is removed, and on reaching station 120 the pulp is pressed within the moulds; the moulded article is removed from the mould at station 124, and the moulds are cleaned at station 126. Each mould assembly includes a wire screening 26 within a wall 24, and the structure 30, which carries six rows of moulds, has channels 64 extending below each row connected to suction or compressed air and in communication with the moulds. At the station 102, when the moulds are completely immersed, suction is applied to deposit fibres on the screening and to draw the liquid through it; a further suction is applied at station 108 and this is continued during the operations at stations 110 and 120. At the flash removing station nozzles direct water streams on to the peripheral portions of the article and at station 120 the article is compressed by a reciprocatory head 122. A blast of air fed through the moulds at station 124 assists in the discharge of the moulded articles and their reception, each to a transfer mechanism 20, Figs. 13-16, not shown, whereby they are transferred to a conveyer system feeding them to a dryer. Finally at station 126 the moulds are cleaned by spray heads 128, the water therefrom being drained away at 133. The tank may be partitioned to divide it into separate compartments, one for each group of moulds so that the apparatus can simultaneously produce articles of varying compositions. Each partition may comprise an annular plate secured to the structure 30 between adjacent mould groups, which connects with a fixed plate 138, Fig. 4, upstanding from the tank base. Each pressing head 122 is resiliently mounted via springs 174 relative a cross-bar 152 which vertically reciprocates on the main framework of the apparatus. The transfer mechanism 20 includes two arms 254, one at each side of the apparatus, which pivot about pins 256 and support a cross-bar therebetween on which a number of heads 258, Figs. 13-16, not shown, one for each mould, are carried. The cross-bar is extendable relative the arms to bring the heads into and away from the moulds; for this purpose the bar is carried by rods 260, Fig. 17, slidable in bushings anchored to the arms. The heads 258 may be perforated and connected in operation to a suction or compressed air source. Reciprocation of the cross-bar is effected by a cam operated linkage, and the arms 254 are also swung about their pivots by a cam operated linkage to move them from a position normal to the moulds to a position above an endless pick-up conveyer 252. Each head is pivotable on a stub shaft carried by the cross-bar whereby the head can pivot under the control of a cam operated linkage from a position in line with the arms 254 to a position aligned with an article receiving surface 290. The latter is pivoted to the apparatus, and is movable by a rack and pinion drive from a position aligned with the take-off head 258 to a position directly above the conveyer 252. Thus the article may be fed in an inverted position from the surface 290, to which a suction or compressed air may be applied, to the conveyer 252. The latter is vertically reciprocated hydraulically to raise it to an article receiving position and to lower it to an article conveying position. Its drive includes a sprocket and chain and clutch which effects a conveyer drive only when it is in the lowered article conveying position. If the receiving surface 290 is not used the moulded article is removed from the head 258 by an air blast fed therethrough and directed on to the conveyer 252. The conveyer system, Fig. 19, includes vertically spaced conveyers 340, 342 which deliver articles from conveyer 252 to two-speed conveyers 304, 305. An elevator 343 reciprocates the lower conveyer 342 from a receiving position in line with the conveying position of conveyer 252 to a delivery position aligned with conveyer 305, whereas upper conveyer 340 is reciprocated from an article receiving position to a delivery position aligned with conveyer 304. Conveyers 340, 342 are controlled by an automatically operated clutch whereby they are driven when aligned with the conveying position of conveyer 252; the arrangement is such that when one conveyer is being fed with articles the other is discharging them. The two-speed conveyers 304, 305 have a two-speed drive controlled by automatically operated clutches and the articles thereon are supplied respectively to dryer extension conveyers 306, 307. The conveyer drives are such that one of the conveyers 304, 305, i.e. that one aligned with conveyer 340 or 342 runs at the speed of conveyer 340 or 342 whilst the other is running at the lower speed of the conveyers 306, 307. A dump conveyer 480 for conveying articles away from the dryer when the apparatus is initially started and articles are below standard runs transversely of the apparatus and, in operation, one of the conveyers 340, 342 remains in position to bridge the gap between the dump conveyer and the conveyer 252.