Improvements in and in connection with Pulp Strainers for Paper Making.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 13th July, 1893-Accepted, 9th Sept., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and in connection with Pulp Strainers for
Paper Making.
We, THOMAS TORRANCE, of Bitton, and JAMES HENRY HOWELL, of
104 Pembroke Road, Clifton, in the City of Bristol, both in the County of
Gloucester, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
Our present invention relates to, and consists of certain improvements upon,
modifications of, and additions to, our previous invention, for a machine or
apparatus, and a system in combination therewith, for straining and otherwise
dealing with all kinds of paper pulp after leaving the beaters and before entering
upon the paper making machine, and for which an application for Letters Patent
was filed on December 15th 1892 No. 23082.
The object of our said improvements are 1st Economy in the cost of manu-
facture of the entire machine, 2nd To obtain a more even distribution and
agitation of the pulp while undergoing the process of straining, 3rd To clarify
the pulp before entering upon the paper making machine, by removing the
scum therefrom, and 4th To further provide a means for preventing the thick or
knotty pulp after passing over the rollers, from mingling with the strained pulp
that has passed between the rollers and ready for deposit upon the paper making
machine.
In order that the said improvements modifications and additions may be fully
understood, we have hereunto appended five sheets of drawings, the first four
figures of which, are, to some extent, identical with that of the first four figures
of the drawings that accompanied our previous application for a Patent above
mentioned, the difference lying in the details constituting our said improvements as
hereinafter explained.
Fig. 1 and 2 Sheet 1 and Figs. 3 and 4 Sheet 2, are front elevation, plan, side
elevation, and vertical section respectively of a complete machine as
constructed by us.
now
Figs. 5 and 6 Sheet 3 are front and side elevation respectively of a portion of a
series of bearings in which an improved method is employed for adjusting the
spaces between these, and the rollers bars or plates borne thereby.
Figs. 7 and 8 are, a perspective view and side elevation respectively of an
improved method of constructing the spacing or adjusting wheels illustrated by
Figs. 7, 8 and 9 of our previous application for Patent before mentioned, the
manner of using the said improved wheels being shewn in Figs. 1 and 2 of the
drawings appended hereunto.
Fig. 9 is a plan view illustrating certain improvements in the construction of the
straining rollers, as compared with those shewn in Fig. 2 of the accompanying
drawings, and also those described and shewn in our previous application
aforesaid.
Figs. 10 and 11 Sheet 4 are part plan, and part sectional elevation respectively,
illustrating certain improvements in the vortex chamber or receiver for the residue
of the unstrained pulp shewn by Figs. 5 and 6 in our application aforesaid.
Figs. 12 and 13 are vertical sections illustrating certain improvements in the
chamber for the reception of the strained pulp, referred to by the letter K in our
said previous application.
Fig. 14 is a front elevation of part of a set of bearings illustrating an improved
method of and means for rotating the rollers, in lieu of the worm shewn in Figs. 1

page_text: and 2 of the accompanying drawings, Fig. 15 being a part sectional elevation, and
Fig. 16 a plan view of same.
Figs. 17 and 18 Sheet 5 are views illustrating an alternative method of con-
structing the rollers, and improvements in connection therewith, while Fig. 19 is a
part section of same, to be hereinafter fully explained.
Figs. 20 and 21 illustrate further modifications in connection with the rollers,
while Fig. 22 is a part section of same, also to be hereinafter fully explained.
As far as practicable the same reference letters are used herein as were
employed in our previous application aforesaid, when referring to the same or like
parts, and when referring to such parts of our present application as are new, the
same reference letters are used in all the views.
We carry our present invention into effect by the employment of a frame A,
carrying rollers B, provided with grooves J and J, and borne by bearings C, C' C
upon shafts D and D', with the said rollers rotated by a worm E, in gear with
worm wheels F, the whole provided with a vat or hopper I, as described and shewn
in our previous application for Patent No. 2308292 aforesaid, and in combination
with these, one of the improvements constituting our present invention is, that in
lieu of the toothed wheels or part wheels H, circular shafts G G₁ for carrying
these, and pinions c" for rotating said wheels or part wheels, we attain the spacing
of the rollers and their bearings by mounting in like positions shafts G and G,
both of which (except at the bearing ends) are rectangular in cross section, and
upon each end of G we mount a spur wheel G", which gear with pinions H" upon
each end of the front shaft H¹, and upon each end of Ga like spur wheel Gin
gear with like pinions upon the back shaft H', both shafts H' being provided with
a wheel or handle H by which these may be rotated. The wheels or part
wheels H are constructed as at Figs. 7 and 8 Sheet 3, and are loosely mounted
upon the rectangular shafts G G', the periphery c of each of said wheels or parts
is perfectly smooth, and graduated in thickness from one portion of its diameter to
the opposite, if the wheel be whole, but if H be only a part wheel, as shewn by
the dotted lines Fig. 8, (similar in shape to Fig. 9 of 2308292) from one end of the
web or periphery c to the other, and the said wheels or part wheels are so mounted
their shafts, that c occurs between lugs C of the bearing CC, the thinnest
portion of c being such as to permit the bearings to close together when desired,
but if Hor its equivalent be rotated, so that a thicker portion of c is brought
between C, the bearings, and consequently the rollers B, would be separated a
distance equal to the thickness of that portion of c so interposed, and as the
bearings were so divided, these would slide along their shafts D D', while the
wheels or part wheels H would be pushed by the lugs C along their rectangular
shafts G and G', against. the tension of springs a, thus providing an equal space
between each bearing and its neighbour, and consequently between each roller B
and its neighbour, such division or spacing regulating the straining capacity, or cut
for the pulp.
The next improvement constituting part of our present invention is the utilization
of any number of auxiliary or jockey rollers B", as shewn in Fig. 1, 2, 3 and 4
hereof, in addition to those of B also shewn, and described and claimed in our
application 23082, these being in like manner rotated by the worm E, worm
wheels F, and pinions N and N¹as therein stated. The object of the extra jockey
rollers B being, that we find in practice the pulp is more evenly distributed over
the rollers B when these are employed.
A further improvement constituting part of our present invention, is the employ-
ment of an alternative spacing device, as shewn by Figs. 5 and 6 Sheet 3 of the
accompanying drawings. In this method each set or series of bearings may rest
and slide upon a slotted shelf d, their front facings being reduced in width so as to
form a web d', which depends and abuts against the under surface of d, and by
means of a screw bolt d¹¹ passing upward through d' and a longitudinal slot in d
and screwing into the bearing, this may thereby be retained in the position desired.
In this arrangement the threaded shafts D" would take the place of D and D' in the

page_text: previous method, and this passing through the webs d', or a suitable chuck therein,
would have mounted thereon at each side of d' a nut d¹¹, and by the rotation of
these the bearings could be divided in any manner or extent desired, and when in
the required position the tightening of the screw bolt d" would there retain
them.
A further improvement constituting part of our present invention, is a modifi-
cation in the construction of the rollers B. In this method the rollers B are not
of the same width from end to end as at Figs. and 2 hereof, but are tapered in
width from end to end as at Fig. 9, provided at either or both ends with
grooves J J, and mounted upon and borne by bearings C C¹, and may be rotated
by the same means and in the same direction as that of Fig. 1. By constructing
the rollers in this form we obtain a non-horizontal surface for the deposit of the
pulp without tilting one end of the machine, and without alteration of the
component parts thereof, and we find in practice that these collectively form
alternating sloping surfaces over which the pulp would flow, some in one direction
and some opposite thereto, which would have the effect of still further agitating
the pulp to prevent coagulation, and either of the spacing devices described in this
or our previous application for Patent before mentioned, may be employed in
connection with these rollers, and although tapered in diameter as stated the
opposing surface of any one of these rollers and its neighbours, would be always
parallel, whatever may be the width of the cut, and if jockey rollers B' and B¹¹.
of the same form be employed with these rollers, they would be mounted in such a
manner that the broadest ends of these would be over the narrowest ends of the
rollers B beneath them, and vice versa.
Another improvement constituting part of our present invention, consists of the
employment of a scum plate, in connection with the vortex chamber described in,
and illustrated by Figs. 5 and 6 of our previous application aforesaid, by reference
to which and Figs. 10 and 11 of the drawings herewith, it will be seen, that in our
present method, we fix to the wall L of said chamber a vertical plate M", which
extends from the top of L, downwards to the level of the bottom of the channel,
and parallel with, and a short distance from the wall or side thereof, so that the
space between M and M" is just sufficient to permit the pulp to pass up between
them before, overflowing M, the object of this being, that the scum, which in
practice we find gathers more or less upon the upper surface of the vortex, if
allowed to flow over M would contaminate the otherwise clear and usable pulp
conducted by M₁ and suitable pumps, again to the vat I, but by the stated
arrangement of M", only so much scum as would cover the surface of the pulp
between M" and M could possibly overflow into M, and when the surface of the
bulk of the pulp had risen above the lower edge of M" practically no scum could or
would enter between M and M". In like manner we find in practice that a slight
surface of scum gathers upon the strained pulp in the receiver therefor, referred
to in our said previous and our present application by the letter K, and our
improvements for preventing the said scum consists of the construction of a scum
trap in said chamber K.
Referring to Figs. 12 and 13 Sheet 4 of the accompanying drawings, we extend
the outlet K¹ inwardly and upwardly within K, and preferably, terminating in a
trumpet or funnel shaped mouth K, and surmounting this we fix a bonnet a¹,
so that as the pulp rises in K, only so much of the scum as would be upon the
surface of that portion of pulp between a¹ and K¹ could possibly overflow the top
of K and pass away through K' to the paper making machine, and when the
bulk of pulp in K had risen above the lower surface of a', which it must do
before it overflows K, the scum that would afterwards pass through K' would
be practically nil. The chamber K may be provided with an overflow pipe
leading to a suitable chamber or recepticle for receiving such pulp as may
overflow, should the incoming from B exceed that capable of passing over Ki
and through K¹.
In Figs. 14, 15 and 16 we illustrate a method of rotating the rollers, constituting

page_text: a further improvement forming part of our present invention. In this method we
dispense with the worm E, and worm wheels FF, and fix upon the spindle of each
roller B a grooved pulley b¹, the bearing end of each alternate roller being
extended in length so that the pulleys of the rollers 1. 3. 5 may overlap those of
2.4.6 and so on for the whole of the series, as shewn. A roller or broad spindle or
hollow drum R', carried by brackets R", fixed to the frame A, is arranged to carry
endless straps, wires or cords R¹, which pass over and engage with the pulleys bi,
and by rotating R₁ by any convenient means (which may be that previously
employed for rotating the worm E,) and in either direction, such rotation would
impart motion to the pulleys and the rollers upon which they are mounted, and
it is obvious, that notwithstanding R¹ may always rotate in one direction, that the
direction of rotation of the rollers will depend upon, and may be varied by, the
crossing of the cords wires or ropes R¹¹ before passing over the pulleys b¹, which
may be that balf the number of rollers may rotate to the left and the remainder to
the right as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 14. A duplicate pulley 6" would be
mounted upon such rollers B, as would be surmounted by a jockey roller B₁ or B"
the spindle N in connection with which carries a similar pulley connected by a short
strap or cord to the pulley 11, as shewn.
We have found in practice that under certain conditions of consistency or
temperature, the pulp that passes down through the spaces between the rollers B,
afforded by the grooves J, instead of falling entirely into the conduits K" and from
these through K into the vortex chamber L as fully described in our previous
application No. 2308292, a portion of said thick pulp has a tendency to creep
along the under surface of the rollers B, and fall into the chamber K, thus
contaminating the refined pulp therein, to overcome which, we extend the distance
between the grooves J and J", and the intervening space we reduce in diameter as
at J, shewn in the views Figs. 14 to 21 of the accompanying drawings. The down-
ward passage between the rollers formed by J, we cause to be occupied by inverted
U shaped pieces S, and which may be made from metal, vulcanite, celluloid, leather
or other substance, the legs of which may be of such shape and size, and such a
distance apart as to fill and occupy the two downward passages J, formed by three.
rollers B, or one leg of each U shaped piece S may be reduced in diameter
one half, as at S', so that two such legs will be needed to occupy one space J, thus
using two of the so formed pieces S, to occupy three spaces J, or both legs of S may
be so reduced, so that in all cases two legs will be required for one space J, and in
either or both these methods the ends of the legs may be flattened as at S", or
pointed as at S.
Or as an alternative method we may suspend laterally above the rollers B, a
hollow tube T, provided with a longitudinal slot T', with which engage the
heads T of depending legs T, capable of sliding therein, these being made of
similar material to that of S, and occupy in like manner the spaces J, and capable.
of moving laterally as the rollers are spaced. Both these devices will he clearly
understood by reference to Figs. 17 to 21 of the accompanying drawings.
By either of these methods the thick pulp is prevented from passing downward
through J, or if any should so pass, it would trinkle down the legs of S or T!", and
be collected in another vessel, which may or may not communicate with the
chamber L, but the bulk of such pulp would overflow S, or flow between the
legs T, and fall through the space 3 as indicated by the arrows in Figs. 18,
and shewn more graphically by the views Figs. 19 and 22, and from Jinto.
troughs K, and by the conduits K into the vortex chamber L, as fully described.
in our previous application aforesaid, and we wish it understood that we may
construct the tapered rollers B, shewn by Fig. 9 of the appended drawings,
provided with a recess J, so as to be adaptable for use with either S or T
for the same purpose.
and
It may sometimes be beneficial that the pulp when upon the rollers undergoing.
filtration, should be reduced in consistency, for the duplex purpose of preventing
coagulation, or that the thick pulp should not interfere with the getting away

page_text: between the rollers of such pulp as would pass therethrough, and to attain this we
arrange a sprinkler for depositing a fine stream of water thereon, which consists of
a pair of brackets V mounted upon the frame A (Fig. 17 of the accompanying
drawings) each of which carries an adjustable plate V₁, forming bearings for the
ends of a horizontal rod V", parallel with the rollers B, and to which is connected
by a pair of crescented rods, or a plate W, a pair of, preferably, metallic heads W1,
which carry a hollow tube W", in which is formed, longitudinally, either a very
fine slitted aperture, or a series of very small holes, and by the means of an elastic
tube, or its equivalent, governed by a tap or cock, water is conveyed from a
reservoir into the tube W, and through the said slit or holes on to the jockey or
other rollers as shewn by Fig. 17, and by this means the pulp may be always kept
at the required density.
We wish it understood that where practicable, we may employ any of the
improvements constituting our present invention, in connection with rods or
plates O and R described in our previous invention before mentioned, and shewn by
Figs. 10 to 21 of the drawings therewith.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is.
1st. In combination with the machine or apparatus, constituting the subject
matter of our previous application for the grant of Letters Patent No. 23082 of
A.D. 1892, and the several alternative methods of construction and operation of
same therein set forth, the employment of the improvements, modifications and
additions herein described, and shewn by the drawings hereunto appended.
2nd. In combination with the machine or apparatus constituting the subject
matter of our previous application for a Patent No. 23082 of A.D. 1892, the
employment of auxiliary or supplementary jockey rollers B" substantially as, and
for the purposes herein described and shewu.
3rd. In combination with the frame A, vat or hopper I, shafts D D',
bearings C, C, C, carrying rollers B. B₁ B, rotated by a worm E, and worm
wheels F F¹, receiver K and chamber L, the employment of shafts G and G¹,
rectangular in cross section, carrying wheels or part wheels H, each provided with
a graduated web or periphery c, occurring alternately with, and between lugs C11
on C C. The wheels or handles H, fixed upon front and back shafts H₁ borne
by A, each carrying a pair of pinions H" in gear with spur wheels G and G,
mounted upon the ends of G and G', for imparting motion thereto and the wheels or
part wheels H, for spacing the rollers B. B₁ B", substantially as, and for the purposes
herein described and shewn by Figs. 1. 2. 3 and 4 of the appended drawings.
4th. In combination with the apparatus set forth in the preceding claims, but in
substitution of the bearings and their shafts therein provided, the employment of
slotted shelves d, carrying bearings C C¹, each provided with a web d', connected
to d by bolts or screws d", and borne upon threaded shafts D and D', passing
through the webs d¹ or a suitable chuck therein, and carrying nuts d¹¹ connected
and operating for spacing the rollers B. B₁ B", and fixing them when so spaced,
substantially as herein described and shewn by Figs. 5 and 6 of the accompanying
drawings.
5th. In combination with the apparatus set forth in the preceding claims, but in
substitution of the parallel rollers therein provided, the employment of tapered
rollers B, provided at either or both ends with annular grooves J J", with or
without recesses J, substantially as, and for the purposes herein stated, and shewn
by Fig. 9 of the appended drawings.
6th. In combination with the apparatus set forth in the preceding claims, the
employment of a scum plate M", fixed vertically in the vortex chamber I, parallel
with the wall of the trough M, substantially as, and for the purposes herein
described, and shewn by Figs. 10 and 11 of the accompanying drawings.
7th. In combination with the apparatus set forth in the preceding claims, the

page_text: employment of a scum trap in the chamber K, provided by extending inwardly and
upwardly the outlet tube K', formed with a trumpet or funnel shaped mouth K¹¹¹,
surmounted by an inverted bonnet a', substantially as and for the purposes herein
stated, and shewn by Figs. 12 and 13 of the drawings herewith.
8th. In combination with the apparatus set forth in the preceding claims, and in
substitution of the worm E and wheels F F', the employment of an alternative
method of rotating the rollers B. B¹ B", by fixing upon the spindle ends thereof
pulleys b¹¹, operated by cords, wires, straps or ropes R, engaging with a
rotating drum or shaft R', carried by brackets R₁ fixed to the frame A,
substantially as described and shewn by Figs. 14, 15 and 16 of the appended
drawings.
9th. In combination, the alternative method of constructing the parallel or
tapered rollers B, by forming at either or both ends thereof annular spaces J,
and the employment therewith of inverted U shaped pieces S occupying the
downward passage between the rollers provided by the grooves J, or the depending
pieces provided with heads T", sliding within the slot T¹ of a tube T,
substantially as, and for the purposes herein set forth, and shewn by Figs. 17 to 22
of the accompanying drawings.
10th. In combination, the employment of a sprinkler for reducing the consistency
of the pulp during filtration, consisting of brackets V, mounted upon the frame A,
carrying adjustable plates V', forming bearings for a rod V, connected by rods or
aplate W to a pair of preferably, metallic heads W₁, carrying a slitted or
perforated hollow tube W", in connection with a water supply, substantially as
herein described and shewn by Figs. 17 and 18 of the drawings hereunto
annexed.
Dh. 19th
CT 1000
GEO. THOS. HYDE,
4, Moorfields, Fore Street, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicants.