IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF PAPER-PULP AND IN APPARATUS OR MACHINERY THEREFOR
Year: 1885

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings in the county of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF PAPER-PULP AND IN
APPARATUS OR MACHINERY THEREFOR," and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention relates to a process and apparatus for beating and manipulating
paper pulp, and comprises improvements in the invention described in the
specification of United States Patent dated May 18, 1858 Nº 20,277.
The object of the said invention is to thoroughly beat the pulp in course of
treatment, and to permit the operator to manipulate the same while it is passing
through an inclosed pulp-engine; and to secure any desired attenuation, elongation,
or drawing of the fibres compatible with the quality of the pulp under treatinent.
The nature of my invention will fully appear from the following description.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved apparatus.
Figure 2 is an end view of the large end of the revolving beater.
Figure 3 is a side elevation of the same, showing the variation in the number
of knives from the large to the small end and the pockets or spaces left around the
smaller surface between certain of the knives.
Figure 4 is an end view of the small end of the revolving beater.
Figure 5 is a detached perspective view of the smooth plate surrounding the
interior of the whole where the pulp enters the outer shell.
Figure 6 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view on the line V W figure 7.
Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view on the line X Y figure 6.
Figure 8 is a detached longitudinal view on the line V W of figure 7 to show the
plate, figure 5, when in position.
Figure 9 is a side view drawn to an enlarged scale of the rotating beater,
showing more particularly the arrangement of the knives.

page_text: A is the outer shell of the engine, consisting of a hollow iron conical frustum
armed interiorly with a series of staggered knives B, B, B¹ (see figure 6). I have
shown three sets or series of these knives, but the number of series can be varied-
that is, increased in proportion to the length of the engine. The series lettered B¹,
I carry around the interior face of the shell A to points a short distance from each
side of the hole C, where the pulp enters, and in the space surrounded by these
knives I set a concave metal plate D, pierced to correspond with the hole C, and
extending longitudinally to the small end of the shell A in one direction and to
about a corresponding distance along the inner surface of shell A in the other
direction. This plate D is of a thickness considerably less than the depth of the
knives B¹, whereby, as the knives of the inner cone revolve past the point occupied
by this concave plate, they will pass an open elongated space of greater area than
that of the feed-hole C, which will ensure the spreading of the incoming mass of
pulp over a greater area of revolving knives than if the feed were direct and
simply from the hole C upon the revolving knives. I thus feed upon a greater
surface of revolving knives than if the feed were from the hole C alone.
F is the interior revolving conical frustum armed longitudinally with
knives E, E, E. While in the drawings, figure 3, there appear to be four series
of. knives, I generally use but three series E, EL, E, those of the first series E.
being equidistant from each other at any point of their length. These knives are
of three lengths. Every other knife of section E stops upon reaching section E.
In order, however, that the arrangement of the knives may be fully understood,
I will number them as shewn in figure 9. Knife 1 passes the whole length of the
three sections E E' E". Number 2 stops upon reaching section E¹; number 3 at
section E; number 4 at section E¹, numbers 5, 7, and 9 over all three sections;
number 6 at section E¹;. number 8 at section E'; number 10 at section E¹; 11 at
section E; 12 at section E¹; numbers 13, 15, and 17 over all three sections;
14 and 16 at E¹; and so the disposition of the knives is continued until they are
all in place. They are set into depressions in iron rings on the face of the rotating
beater, and are wedged into place by wooden strips between them, the strips being
of less thickness than the depth of the knives. The manner of securing the knives
in place is well known in the arts as applied to the well-known Jordan pulp-
engines.
:
I provide the open spaces G G G, which facilitate the traverse of the pulp, by
increasing the propelling force of the small end of the cone, and the clustering of
the knives of section E will give them strength from their being in juxtaposition,
whereas if the large open spaces or pockets were guarded or flanked by only single
knives the mass of the pulp in the open spaces would place too great strain upon
the detached knives. The combined action of three knives in a cluster will result
in a more thorough beating of the pulp than would result from that of isolated
knives separated by large spaces.
H; Figure 1, is a pulley mounted upon the shaft of the revolving beater E. This
shaft passes through both ends of the engine and is provided with .stuffing-
boxes HH".
I is the base or bed on which the engine is mounted; J. the exit-pipe for the
pulp after treatment; and K a hand-wheel and screw for shifting the position of
the inner beater F. This screw controls an iron strap, attached to which are two
bolts connected with the movable bearing in which the end of the shaft of the
beater rests, and by turning this wheel or screw this bearing of the shaft is
shifted (drawn out or pushed in), whereby the beater is moved towards one
end or the other of the frustum A, and the space between it and the inner face of
the frustum A-(that is, between the grinding-surfaces) is increased or diminished.
The details of construction of the device are, however, well know to those skilled
in the art of making these engines.
L is a main-water pipe connected with the street main; M a water-pipe leading
from the main water-pipe at M¹ and uniting with it again at M"; and N a fan or
other pump located upon pipe M to drive water through the latter. under greater

page_text: pressure than that from the main pipe for the purpose of driving water into the
engine under force sufficient to overcome the back pressure caused by the revolving
grinder or beater. This pump is driven by a pulley N¹.
00¹ Ou are three short pipes furnished with cocks or valves, and connecting
the pipe M with the interior of the engine at three different points along the top
of the latter. P is a steam-pipe from a boiler, to admit steam to the engine below
the cock of pipe O; and Q, a valve on the same The object of these pipes is to
permit the operator to admit a strong current or jet of water into the engine
between the grinding surfaces at any desired point of the manipulation of the
pulp, and to regulate the quantity so admitted. The object of so admitting water
is to attenuate the pulp being treated by thinning it, to increase the rapidity of its
travel in the closed engine. By so attenuating it, the pulp becomes spread over a
larger amount of surface than it would occupy while in a denser condition. This
I control in transit. The old method necessitated the attenuation of the pulp or
its conversion to a desired density to flow in a current before it entered the engine,
while by the present method I accomplish this while it is in transit through the
engine, regulating the supply of water at any one or more of the pipes 0, 0, 0¹¹;
in such manner that I control the trituration, manipulation, or attenuation of the
fibres best suited for the manufacture of the various grades, qualities, or textures
of paper desired to be produced. In this way I can produce a stronger and more
flexible paper from less of the stronger and most expensive fibres, commonly called
"hard stock," than would be necessary by old methods, thereby lessening the cost
and increasing the product. In old methods, as mentioned above, the pulp flowed
or passed through the engine at one uniform density, as there was no means of
changing the density of the pulp from its entrance to its exit from the engine;
The passage of the pulp depended entirely upon the motion of the grinder.
The operation of the present apparatus is as follows: The pulp is fed to the
engine through opening C in as dense a condition as is compatible with its
reception into the engine. It then spreads over the area of knives opposite to the
space made by the thin, plate D, and the grinding begins. The knives of the
revolving beater keep the pulp in motion, and the increasing diameter of
the engine toward the large end thereof induces a gradual traverse of the pulp
from the entrance-point to the large or discharge end. The judgment of the
operator, which in old methods was required to be exercised in converting the
pulp to the proper density before it entered the engine, is now exercised in
manipulating and attenuating it during its transit through the same. The feed
and discharge of the pulp are continuous. The condition of the pulp coming from
the engine must guide the operator. Should he find it too "slow"-that is, the
pulp and the water having too great an affinity for each other-he applies the
water at an early stage, say from cock of pipe O, near the small end of the engine,
which decreases the density of the pulp and increases the velocity of its movement,
whereby it is subjected a less time to the beating action of the grinding-surfaces.
In consequence the water is caused to shed or separate from the pulp more freely:
If, on the contrary, it is necessary to create the greatest affinity between the fibre,
water, coloring-matter, and other foreign material, the less application of water
through the pipes at the small end the better. The water should then be applied
at a point where the mass is subjected to the greatest amount of grinding-surface-
viz, say through pipe O¹ or pipe O", near the discharge end. All the variations
necessary to produce variously desired results will suggest themselves to one skilled
in the art of beating pulp, according to the nature of the fibres to be treated from
time to time.
When this engine is in operation, I provide means to keep up an even supply or
pressure of water to the pipes 0010". In the apparatus shewn I use a rotary
pump N, from a main water-pipe, as shown. There are other means of keeping
up a steady pressure-for instance, a supply from an elevation; an elevated tank or
reservoir, would ensure the necessary uniform pressure. The rapid revolution of
the beater F creates a pressure outward, and the head of the incoming water

page_text: -
through pipes 0 0 0" must be sufficient to overcome this pressure to ensure its
entrance..
If it becomes necessary to increase the temperature of the contents of the engine,
the cock of pipe O is closed and the valve is opened, when steam is admitted
through the pipe P,
R is a box, called a "sand-catcher," to catch sand, grit or other deleterious
matters which might injure the knifea. It opens through the lower part of outer
shell A, into the interior.
The pipe M enters the main pipe L after passing pipe O", and returns thereto
any surplus water not used, thus keeping up a constant circulation of water and
maintaining an even pressure.
The feed of pulp to the engine is sustained in the usual way by a pump. or other
well-known device.
In addition to the advantages above named, I might mention that this invention
increases the product, results in less flouring, and creates greater affinity between
the fibres than other methods. It increases the fulling properties of the same,
and results in producing greater affinity of the fibres for all foreign or mineral
substances which may be manipulated with the pulp, and it lessens the amount of
coloring-matter necessary to produce the desired result.
I have shown the knives in section E in clusters of three knives, each with
spaces or pockets G between the clusters. This arrangement, so far as regards the
number of knives in a cluster, can be varied and the principle of the construction
be still maintained. Thus two or four or five knives could be used in a cluster
and approximately the same results be obtained. The passages, pockets, or spaces
GG in either case will ensure the rapid passage of the pulp toward the larger end
of the engine.
I am well aware that pulp has been heretofore attenuated by the addition of
water before it enters the closed grinder or as it runs in, and I do not claim this
process. This part of my invention refers particularly to watering it after it has
actually entered the grinder and while it is being ground.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is
First. In a closed pulp beating engine, the combination of the outer conical
frustum A and the inner conical frustum F, the opposing frictional surfaces of
which are armed with grinding serrations or knives; and two water pipes 0, 0¹¹,
provided with suitable cocks, whereby water can be projected into the interior at
one or two different points in the operation of grinding, substantially as described.
Second. In a closed pulp beating engine, three water pipes 0, 0¹, 0¹¹, provided
with suitable cocks and projecting through the outer shell A, whereby water can
be projected into the interior at one, two, or three different points during the
operation of grinding, substantially as described.
Third. In a closed pulp beating engine, a water pipe O provided with a suitable
cock and projecting through the outer shell A, whereby water can be projected
into the interior at a point beyond that where the operation of grinding begins,
substantially as described.
Fourth. In a closed pulp beating engine, the water pipe O projecting through
the outer shell A and provided with a suitable cock, and the steam pipe P connected
with an opening through the outer shell A, whereby either steam or water can be
projected into the interior between the grinding-surfaces at will, substantially as
described.
Fifth. In a closed pulp beating engine, the water pipe O projecting through the
outer shell A, and at one end provided with a suitable cock and connected at the
other with a water-supply pipe or conduit, whereby water can be projected into
the interior, substantially as, and for the purposes, described.

page_text: Sixth. In a closed pulp beating engine, the water pipe O projecting through
the shell A and at one end provided with a suitable cock, and connected at the
other end with a water-supply pipe or conduit; and a pump N, to project water
under pressure into the interior of the pulp engine, substantially as described.
Seventh. In a closed pulp beating engine, the water pipe O provided with a
suitable cock and projecting through the shell A at one end, and at the other
attached to a water supply pipe M, which latter is connected at both ends with
and draws from and empties into a main water supply conduit or holder L,
substantially as, and for the purpose, described.
Eighth. In a closed pulp-beating engine, the combination of the outer conical
frustum A and the inner conical frustum F the opposing frictional surfaces of
which are armed with grinding serrations or knives, the section E" of the smaller
end of the frustum having its knives arranged in close clusters of two or more,
with open spaces or pockets G between the clusters wider than the spaces
between the knives forming said clusters, substantially as, and for the purpose,
described.
Ninth. In a closed pulp-beating engine, the combination of the outer conical
frustum A, and the inner conical frustum F, the opposing frictional surfaces of
which are armed with grinding serrations or knives, the section B' at the smaller
end of said outer frustum being provided with a space containing the concave
plate D, free from knives, immediately surrounding the opening C, to a larger
feeding surface upon the revolving interior frustum, substantially as described.
Tenth. In a closed beating-engine, where pulp is ground between two grinding-
surfaces, the process of continuously grinding the same and introducing water to
the mass actually being treated at various stages of the operation of grinding to
attenuate the mass being treated, substantially as, and for the purpose, specified.
D
1
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100K
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.