Im- PROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR MAKING PAPER
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields,
in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR MAKING PAPER."-A communication from
abroad by Richard Smith, of Sherbrooke, Canada East, and Oliver
Ellsworth, of Boston, United States of America.
Sealed the 16th April 1867, and dated the 23rd October 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 23rd October 1866.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR MAKING PAPER," a communication to me
from abroad by Richard Smith, of Sherbrooke, Canada East, and Oliver
Ellsworth, of Boston, United States of America, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a mode of regulating the drying of machine made
paper whilst it is passing from the pulp reservoir to and around the series of
copper cylinders used for drying the paper, this being accomplished by
admitting more or less steam to the drying cylinder, the admission or exclusion
of the steam being.dependent upon and proportional to the moisture or dryness
of the paper. It is well known that paper contracts as it dries, and increases
in size when it is wet, this change taking place both in its length and breadth,
the change in the length of a part of the web or sheet of paper resulting from
its hygrometric condition constitutes the active power or force that is used. in.

page_text: the present Invention for producing an automatic apparatus which maintains
the exact degree of heat that is requisite for drying the paper. A part of the
machine is so constructed that the accidental breaking of the web or sheet of
paper moves an arm that causes the steam valve to retain its position until the
paper is again adjusted. The steam by which the drying cylinders are heated
is supplied from a steam boiler through a horizontal pipe, which is attached to
one side of the machine. At a convenient point in this pipe a balance valve
is inserted, which governs the quantity of steam that is allowed to enter the
cylinders from a second horizontal pipe, which is connected to the first pipe
by a half turn, and has at a point opposite to the centre of each of the
cylinders short vertical branch pipes that afford a passage through which the
steam enters each cylinder, suitable fittings and stuffing boxes being used to
ensure a steam-tight joint. The endless apron or "felt" passing partially
around the steam cylinders is guided and supported by friction rollers attached
to the framing in suitable positions. The sheet or web of paper traverses in con-
tact with the steam drying cylinders for a part of its length, while at other parts
it is raised from the felt or apron and passes around the friction rollers; it is
at these points where the paper is not in contact with the steam cylinders that
the variable length of the paper caused by its hygrometric condition is mado
to govern the admission or exclusion of steam, and consequently to impart
greater or less heat to the surface of the cylinders. This is effected as follows:-
Between two of the stationary friction rollers there is an elevated moveable
roller, baving its axle supported in a box or bearing which rises and falls in a
slot or recess formed in the top of the supporting standards. Below the box
there is a spiral spring, and on its front side a stud and screw supports a
pendulum lever or arm; this arm has a hook or catch at its lower end which
engages with a stud that projects from the side of a vertical rod, this last rod
being jointed to a second vertical rod which connects with a slotted adjusting
rod, the position of which can be varied and the length of the combined rods
adjusted by means of a set screw. A collar is attached to the steam supply
pipe, and carries a centre pin, from which extends a horizontal slotted arm or
lever, near the middle of which the end of the combined vertical rods is
attached by a set screw, and at its free end another rod connected with the
steam valve is fastened by a set screw, and as it rises and falls gives motion to
and opens or closes the valves within the steam pipe. A part of the vertical
rod plays through a guide box provided with bearing springs. The position
of the vertical rods and the throttle valve are adjusted experimentally so as to
give the mean or average required temperature to the drying cylinders; any
subsequent excess of heat is shown in the contraction of the paper; this

page_text: causes the moveable roller to descend, shutting off the excess of steam by the
action of the pendulum lever or arm and connecting rods before referred to
of the throttle valve. If the paper becomes damp the length of the part that
is passing between the friction rollers is increased; this allows the moveable
roller between them to be raised by the action of spiral springs under the
bearings at each end of the roller; the connecting rod also rises, opens the
valve, and admits more steam, which increases the heat of the cylinders,
dries the paper, and shortens it, thus restoring it to its normal condition. In
case the paper be accidentally broken the strain upon all of the rollers is
reduced, and the moveable roller would rise and admit too much steam to the
cylinders were not special provision made for retaining the steam valve in the
position it occupies when the paper breaks. This part of the apparatus is
situated upon the top of the main frame, and is constructed as follows:-Tho
paper passes round one of the friction rollers, the journals of which are supported
in a horizontal slot which forms an elongated bearing for the axis of the
roller, which is retained by the tension of the paper at one end of the slot;
the end of the axis or shaft projects beyond the slot and is in contact with a
short upright arm on a horizontal shipper rod. Near the middle of this
shipper rod there is a spiral spring under tension, so long as the short arm
is held back by the strain of the paper. When the paper is broken the
spring reacts and the shipper rod is thrown forward and disconnects the hook at
the lower end of the pendulum arm herein-before referred to from the valve
mechanism, thus leaving the moveable roller before mentioned free to rise
without opening the steam valve. When the paper is replaced that part of
the sheet which acts upon the moveable roller becomes dry and depresses
that roller, causing the catch or hook on the pendulum rod to engage with the
valve connections and restore the connection with the throttle valve. This
mechanism causes the drying cylinders to remain at nearly a uniform tem-
perature during the time occupied in replacing the paper in readiness to form
continuous sheet.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 20th April 1867.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said John Henry Johnson, Her special license that I, the said John Henry
Johnson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said John Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINES FOR MAKING PAPER," a communication to me from abroad by
Richard, Smith, of Sherbrooke, Canada East, and Oliver Ellsworth, of Boston,
United States of America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said John Henry Johnson, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Henry Johnson, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
The said Invention relates to a mode of regulating the drying of machine
made paper while it is passing from the pulp reservoir to and around the
series of copper cylinders used for drying the paper, this being accomplished
by admitting more or less steam to the drying cylinders, the admission or
exclusion of the steam being dependent upon and proportional to the moisture
or dryness of the paper. It is well known that paper contracts as it dries, and
increases in size when it is wet, this change taking place both in its length
and breadth. The change in the length of a part of the web or sheet of
paper resulting from its bygrometric condition constitutes the active power
or force that is used in the present Invention for producing an automatic
apparatus which maintains the exact degree of heat that is requisite for
drying the paper. A part of the machine is so constructed that the accidental
breaking of the web or sheet of paper moves an arm that causes the steam
valve to retain its position until the paper is again adjusted.

page_text: And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood, I shall
now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that
purpose I
shall refer to the several Figures on the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed,
the same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the
Figures.
Figure 1 of the Drawings is a side elevation of a machine for making
paper; Figure 2 is an end view of the same; Figure 3, an elevation of the
roller R and its connections with the steam valve; Figure 4, a front view of
the same. Figures 5 and 6 represent the horizontal draw bar and let-off
motion to operate the vertical bar K.
The main frame of the machine is represented at B, and the steam drying
cylinders at A, A', A". The steam by which the cylinders are heated is
supplied from a steam boiler through the horizontal pipe C which is attached
to one side of the machine. At a point in this pipe, midway between the two
steam cylinders A and A', a balance valve 40 is inserted which governs the
quantity of steam that is allowed to enter the cylinders from the horizontal
pipe C which is connected to the pipe C by the half-turn 2, and has at a
point opposite to the centre of each of the cylinders A, A', A", short vertical
pipes 41, 42, 48, that afford a passage through which the steam enters each
cylinder, suitable fittings and stuffing boxes being used to ensure a steam-
tight joint. The endless apron or "felt" is represented at J, passing partially
around the steam cylinders A; it is guided and supported by the friction
rollers H, H, H", &c. attached to the frame B in suitable positions. The
sheet or web of paper D traverses in the direction of the arrows in contact
with the steam drying cylinders for a part of its length, while at other parts
it is raised from the felt or apron and passes around rollers H, R, H', H*, H.
It is at these points where the paper is not in contact with the steam
cylinders that the variable length of the paper caused by its hygrometric
condition is made to govern the admission or exclusion of steam, and conse-
quently to impart greater or less heat to the surface of the cylinders. This is
effected as follows:-Between the stationary rollers H, H; there is an
elevated movable roller R having its axle P supported in the box 3; this box
or bearing rises and falls in a slot or recess 30 formed in the top of the
stand G; below the box there is a spiral spring L, and on its front side a
stud and scrow S supports the pendulum lever or arm K; this arm has a
hook or catch 5 at its lower end which engages with the stud 6 that projects
from the side of the vertical rod 7, this last being jointed at 8 to another
vertical rod 9 which connects with a slotted adjusting rod 10, the position of
which can be varied and the-length-of-the-combined rods adjusted by means

page_text: of the set screw 12. A collar 13 is attached to the steam supply pipe C, and
carries a centre pin 14, from which extends a horizontal slotted arm 15';
near the middle of this arm the end 10 of the vertical rod is attached by the
set screw 16, and at its free end the rod 18 is fastened by the set screw 17,
and as it rises and falls gives motion to the valves within the pipe C. That
part of the vertical rod marked 7 plays thro' a guide box provided with
bearing springs 20, 21. The position of the vertical rods and the throttle
'valve are adjusted experimentally, so as to give the mean or average required
'temperature to the drying cylinders, any subsequent excess of heat is shown
in the contraction of the paper; this causes the roller R to descend, shutting
off the excess of steam by the action of the connecting rod K, 7, 9, 10, and
the arms 15, 18, of the throttle valve. If the paper becomes damp the length
of the part that is passing from the roller H to the roller H³ is increased;
this allows the roller R to be raised by the action of the spiral springs L that
are under the bearings P at each end of the roller, the connecting rod K also
rises, opens the valve, and admits more steam, which increases the heat of the
cylinders, dries the paper, and shortens it, thus restoring it to its normal
condition. In case the paper
is accidentally broken the strain upon all of the
rollers is reduced, and the roller R would rise and admit too much steam to the
cylinders were not special provision made for retaining the steam valve in the
position it occupies when the paper breaks. This part of the apparatus is
situated upon the top of the frame B, and is constructed as follows:-The
paper after leaving the roller H passes around the roller H, and thence to
the steam cylinder A¹. In the stand 22 that supports the roller H' there is a
horizontal slot 23, which forms an elongated bearing for the axis of the
roller, which is retained by the tension of the paper on the right side of the
slot, as represented in Figure I. The end of the axis or shaft projects
beyond the edge of the stand 22 and is in contact with the short upright arm
25 of the horizontal shipper rod Y. Near the middle of this rod there is a
spiral spring 26 under tension so long as the short arm 25 is held back by
the strain of the paper. When the paper is broken the spring 26 reacts
against the fixed stud 27, the rod Y is thrown forward and disconnects
the hook 5 at the lower end of the pendulum arin K from the pin or stud 6,
leaving it in the position represented by the red lines in Figure 4; this
leaves the roller R free to rise without opening the steam valve. When the
paper is replaced, that part of the sheet between the rollers H2 and H³
becomes dry and depresses the roller R, causing the catch or hook on the
rod K to engage with the pin 6 and restore the connection with the throttle
valve; this mechanism causes the drying cylinders to remain at nearly a

page_text: uniform temperature during the time occupied in replacing the paper in
readiness to form a continuous sheet.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and
original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is,--
1st, the system or mode of regulating the temperature of the drying
cylinders of paper machines by means of the expansion and contraction of the
web or sheet of paper that is in process of manufacture.
2nd, the mode of detaching the continuous sheet of paper from the "felt"
or endless apron by means of friction rollers or their equivalents for the
purpose of making the contraction and expansion of the paper, caused by its
hygrometric condition to operate on a steam valve or other mechanism that
will admit or exclude heat from the drying cylinders:
3rd, the employment of a roller turned by the sheet of paper, and so
supported that its vibratory or reciprocating motion caused by the increase or
diminution of the length of the paper shall by means of suitable connecting
rods or their equivalents open or close a valve for the admission or exclusion
of steam or heated air.
4th, the application and use of a roller so held or supported by the paper
that is not in contact with the "felt" or endless apron that it will recede or
change its position when the sheet of paper is broken, and thus communicate
motion to a shipper that disconnects the rods or arms leading to the steam
valve, thus causing it to retain its position and prevent the drying cylinders
from being overheated during the time that the paper remains broken.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this my
· Specification hereunto set my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of
April, One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. L.S.)