Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-11-28

The operation of Transforming wood into
paper can, with proprety, be divided into
three processes, the first of which is purely
a mechanical one of making the wood fine.
Some mills do this by means Of cutters act.
ing on the principle Of planer, but the
larger establishments are supplied with grind
ers which operate across the grain of the
stick, reducing 1t to pulp-like mass. This
is much the better process, though the old
way OF chipping has many champions. After
the wood is reduced TO the required fueness,
the chips, or pulp, is put in the digesters
which consist of upright boilers from six to
ten feet in height, according to the depth Of
the first story of the building in which the
operation is carried on. Under these large
boilers, or "digesters," are the furnaces
while above and behind them are situated the
alkali vessels, made of iron, which contain
strong csustic soda. Each of these alkali tanks
is supplied with the proper fixtures for regu-
lating the flow of the liquor, in which the
wood is subsequently boiled or "digested."
When one of these digesters is ready for
its charge, the tup is removed, and the faucet
in the alkali pipe opened, allowing the alkal
to flow in the digester and become thorough
ly mixed with the wood as it is being put In.
When the digester is filled ia this manner,
the faucet is turned to stop the how of alkali,
the top of the digester is replaced and firmly
fastened by stirrups. Fire being applied, the
entire mass is soon boiling vigorously, but
the steam pressure is allowed to reach 100
pounds only. In this manner the wood is
reduced to a pulp as soft AZ the finest jelly,
every observable trace of its original appear.
ance having disappeared. When this process
has been carried to sufficient length, the con-
tents are blown off into strong iron tanks
sufficiently strong to Withstand with safety
the pressure of the digester's steam. Then
the pulp cars which are simply large watts,
receive the mass These are supplied with
perforated bottoms, aud mounted on wheels,
each car having capacity equaling that of
the tank adjoining. The surplus liquor is
strained of into receiving tanks, and the
pulp is treated to clear water, which is allow
ed to flow through it until all traces Of the
soda are removed. Every particle OF the
soda is reclaimed and reused in another
batch. These pulp cars or tanks are now
run out on turntables, from which they are
taken to the tanks to be thoroughly mixed
with clear water, which is done in properly
constructed mixing box. From here it is run
into pulp dressers. and every bit Of undges-
ted wood separated from the rest by filters.
From the dressers it comes in the form of
large Sheets and is Immediately torn up and
thrown into the bleaching engines, where,
through the action of chlorne-in one facto.
ry made from the smoke-it is freed from
every particle of coloring matter and left
creamy white.
At another establishment nearly all these
conveysnces are dispensed with, the mass be-
ing pumped through pipe lines from one
place to another as needed, one factory
transporting in this way from one building to
another, some of which are over three miles
from the rest. At this stage the process is
virtually complete. From the bleaching en-
gine the pulp is run into the drainers-lsrge
reservoirs 10 the basement, where all traces
OF chlorine are washed out Thrown out
with these, the pulp is once more mixed up
with clear water, and after passing through
second set of pulp. .dressers is run through an
81 inch cylinder machine, and over nineteen
driers which convert it into a strong, thin
sheet resembling blotting paper, except the
surface is harder and smoother. From the
drers it is wound on a long reel, and from
the latter it passes between knives that di-
vide it longitudinslly into three strips, each
of which is wound on a cylinder into a roll of
115 pounds weight. This roll is now done
up u heavy wrapping paper and in this man
ner is shipped to the dealer or consumer
Wood Worker.