IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER PULP FROM WOOD AND OTHER SIMILAR FIBROUS MATERIALS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Henry Mallary, of 30, Bernard St., in the County
of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR THE
MANUFACTURE OF PAPER PULP FROM WOOD AND OTHER SIMILAR FIBROUS
MATERIALS."
Sealed the 9th May 1879, and dated the 12th November 1878:
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Henry Mallary at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th November 1878.
GEORGE HENRY. MALLARY, of 30, Bernard St., in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER PULP FROM
WOOD AND OTHER SIMILAR FIBROUS MATERIALS."
My Invention relates to the reduction of wood or other similar material for
making paper pulp, and such other like purposes, and consists of a machine to dis-
integrate the wood into a coarse fibre, and a chemical treatment of the said fibre by
which it is freed from its resinous, gummy, and silicious matter.
I construct my machine of an upper feed table and stationary frame for holding
the wood to be reduced, said table being mounted on a suitable stand. This table,
which may be of a circular foru, has any desired number of radially arranged feed
openings for passage of the wood in the form of blocks down through it to the
toothed scraping blades below, said blocks being inserted with the grain running
horizontally or there abouts, and in transverse directions to the radius of the
table.
By first reducing the wood to the form of blocks its manipulations and subsequent
reductions are facilitated. These blocks are not passed directly through the
openings for exposure on their under surface to the toothed scrapers, but are syste-
matically fed downwards and held in position to insure a regular and progressive
reduction of them into fibre, as the tooth scraping blades which are attached to a
rotating disk passing successively against and through them from below; this said

page_text: disk or circular plate has suitable openings, and is arranged paralell to the said
upper feed table or frame at a limited distance below it, and is supported at its
centre by a lower vertical shaft, to which motion is communicated. Mounted on said
rotating disk by suitable arrangements, and projecting through the upper feed table,
is a worm geared into a number of wormed wheels arranged round it, that is, one
for each block feeding opening in said feed table, so arranged that each wormed
wheel receives a partial rotation during each rotation of the disk.
· Each of said wormed wheels which is provided with a shaft supported in suitable
bearings mounted on said feed table, on each shaft is fixed a screw, which works into a
wormed wheel on the end of one or two blocks feeding rollers arranged along one
or both sides up and above the opening in the said feed table, said rollers being
provided with suitably arranged bearings to allow them to yield to any inequalities
in the wood.
To hold each block of wood after it has left or passed below its respective feed
roller and continues to be fed by the introduction of a succeeding block above it, I
arrange below each feed roller a pressure plate acted upon by springs at its back,
and if necessary furnished with spring flaps in front, said plates however in no wise
interfere with the systematic feed of the block down to the scrapers, but restrain
the blocks from any rubbing contact with the rotating disk and hold them from
dropping down with their own weight.
The toothed scraping blades, of which I use by preference three or more, are
arranged radially and fixed in but slightly projecting above the rotating disk, being
so placed that the teeth of each successive blade are out of line with the blade
preceeding it in order that the joint action of the several scraping blades will reduce
the whole of the exposed surface of blocks in the direction of the grain of the
wood. These scraping blades are perpendicular or thereabouts to their plan of
rotation, so that they do not cut, but simply scrape the wood. Plain or straight
edged scrapers may be used separately, alternately, or in combination with the tooth
scrapers.
I provide cach tooth scraping blade with a suitable stripper plate, which is
operated upon by a cam or other suitable mechanism, so as to raise and lower it
after passing each block to free the teeth from any adhesing fibre. I sometimes
construct the machine in such a manner that an up and down motion is given to
the scraping blade after passing each block, and thus free them from the fibre instead
of using a stripping plate. Fixed to the feed table is a blast tube, terminating in
a conical distributor, by which the air forced down said blast tube is scattered so as
to blow off the disk the fibre reduced by the action of the scraping blades.
In another form of my machine I arrange the feeding table horizontally on either
side of a reciprocating bar, to which I attach the scraper or blades. Said feed table
is provided with one or more sets of feed rollers and pressure plates similar to those
I fix upon my circular feed table and driven by suitable gear. I place one of
the horizontal feed tables on either side of the reciprocating bar carrying the
scraper blades, so that the wood supplied by both feed tables may be operated upon
at the same time. I sometimes place the horizontal feed table above the
reciprocating bar and feed the wood downwards.
The fibre obtained from this machine in any of its forms differs essentially
in its character from that produced by known processes, most if not all of which
operate upon the wood more or less directly across the grain.
The fibre produced by my machine, though longer than that produced by other
processes, is yet in a condition to be easily reduced by my subsequent process.
I take the fibre from the machine and treat it in various ways in order to seperate
the silica and gummy or resinous and coloring matters, and to bring it to any degree
of whiteness which may be desired. Among the processes I adopt are the following,
viz.
1. Treatment, first with soap or its component parts, then washing in water, and
finally treatment with bleaching powder or any other of the known bleaching or
oxidizing agents.

page_text: 2. Treatment, first with bleaching powder, either alone or with a small addition
of soap or its component parts, then washing in water, and finally treatment with
soap.
3. Treatment, first with tungstate of soda or other tungsten compounds, such as
tungstate of potash or ammonia, either alone or with a small addition of soap or its
component parts, then washing in water, and finally treatment with bleaching
powder or any other of the known bleaching or oxidizing agents.
'
4. Treatment, first with caustic soda or potash lye, either alone or with a small
addition of soap or its component parts, then washing in water, and finally, treat-
ment with bleaching powder or any other of the known bleaching or oxidizing
agents.
The quantity of these different preparations is regulated by the hardness and
texture of the wood, and I apply them either hot or cold, and either in an open
vessel or in a pressure boiler.
The addition of soap or its component parts in the various processes is based upon
the observation that it readily enters the fibre, when it is decomposed, the oil
softening the fibre and dissolving part of the gummy or resinous matter, and the
alkali combining with the silica and part of the gummy resinous matter, while at
the same time the soap greatly assists the action of the other chemicals.
I am well aware that caustic lye and bleaching powder have been used in the
treatment of wood fibre, but what I claim as a novelty is their application to fibre
prepared by my machine, and also the addition of soap to the lye.
The treatment first with soap washing and then with bleaching powder or other
bleaching or oxidizing agents, also the treatment first with bleaching powder, either
alone or with soap washing, and then with soap, and also the treatment first with
tungstates either alone or with soap washing and then with bleaching powder or
other bleaching or oxidizing agents, I claim as entirely novel and applicable to wood
reduced by my machine or otherwise prepared.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George Henry Mallary in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
12th May 1879.
GEORGE HENRY MALLARY, of 30, Bernard Street, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER PULP FROM
WOOD AND OTHER SIMILAR FIBROUS MATERIALS."
My Invention relates to the reduction of wood or similar materials for making
paper pulp, and comprises a machine for disintegrating the wood to bring it into a .
coarse fibrous condition, and a chemical treatment of the fibres by which the same
are freed from their resinous, gummy, and silicious matter.
]
.
Figure 1 is a plan of my improved machine.
Figure 2 is a vertical section of the same on the line x, x, Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a vertical section on the line y, y, Figure 2, and
Figures 4 and 5 are portions of the said machine detached, and hereinafter
described.
Figures 3, 4, and 5 are drawn to an enlarged scale.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawing.
I construct my machine with an upper feed table or stationary frame A for
holding the wood to be reduced, the said table being mounted on a suitable stand B ;
this table, which is preferably circular, may have any desired number of radially
arranged feed openings C for the passage of the wood, which is supplied in the form
of blocks down through it to the toothed scraping blades D below the said table;
the said blocks are inserted in such a position that the grain of the wood will
extend parallel to the path of the said scraping blades and transversely to the radius
of the table.
By first reducing the wood to the form of blocks its manipulation and subsequent
reduction are greatly facilitated. These blocks are not passed directly through the
openings C for exposure on their under surface to the toothed scrapers D, but are
fed downwards and held in a suitable position to ensure their regular and pro-
gressive reduction into fibre as the teeth D¹ of the scraping blades D pass successively
against and through them; the said blades are carried by the rotating disc or
circular plate E, which has suitable openings E' and is arranged parallel to the said
upper feed table or frame A at a limited distance below it and is supported at its
centre by a vertical shaft G, to which motion is communicated by a pulley. H.
Mounted on the rotating disc E, by posts or uprights b passing through an opening
c in the table A, is a worm I geared into a number of worm wheels J arranged
around the said worm, that is to say, one worm wheel is employed in connection
with each block feeding opening C in the said feed table A, and so arranged that
each worn wheel receives a partial rotation once during each rotation of the carrier
or disc E.
The shaft of each of the said worm wheels J is supported in suitable bearings
mounted on the feed table A. On this shaft are fixed worms or screws d, which
work into worm wheels e on the end of the block-feeding rollers K arranged upon
each side of the box O, and above each opening C in the feed table. In some cases
these rollers may be provided with bearings which allow them to yield to any in-
equalities or irregularities in the wood.
To hold each block of wood after it has left or passed below the feed rollers and
which continues to be fed downwards by the introduction of a succeeding block
above it I arrange below the feed rollers a pressure plate N acted upon by springs n
at its back, and if necessary furnished with spring flaps in front of the same.
said plate, however, in no wise interferes with the feed movement of the block down
The

page_text: to the scrapers D, but restrains the blocks from any rubbing contact with the rotating
disc E, and prevents their dropping down by their own weight.
The toothed scraping blades D are arranged radially and are capable of being
raised so that their teeth D¹ will be slightly above the rotating disc E, and are so
placed or arranged that the teeth of each blade are out of line with those of the
blade preceding it in order that the joint action of the several scraping blades shall
reduce the whole of the exposed surface of the blocks in the direction of the grain
of the wood. These scraping blades are perpendicular or nearly so to their plane
of rotation, so that they do not cut but simply scrape the wood. Plain or straight
edged scrapers may be used in combination with the toothed scrapers D for removing
any irregular surface left upon the block by the said toothed scrapers.
Each of the said scrapers D is carried by a bar and is arranged to be raised by
means of a lever or bar ", which is pivoted at its upper extremity to the disc E,
as shewn in Figure 3. The lower extremity of this lever is arranged to rest and
travel upon the cam R fixed to the frame of the machine as shewn. The curved
upper surface of this cam so controls the movements of this lever as to cause the
said scrapers to be raised and lowered to act effectually upon the blocks of wood at
the desired moment, and when the cam permits the said scrapers to be drawn below
the surface of the rotating disc E by the action of the springs * upon the bar 1,
the edge of the slot or a plate or other device attached to the said disc will act as a
stripper and clear the scrapers of any fibre remaining upon the same. Or instead
of arranging the said lever to travel upon the surface of the cam R I may form a
stud or projection on the said lever arranged to enter a stationary cam groove,
thereby effecting both the raising and lowering of the said scraper, and permitting
the springs to be dispensed with. Instead of employing a toothed scraper which
is moved vertically, as above described, I in some cases use a fixed toothed scraper
and employ in combination with the same a suitable plain scraper which is capable
of being raised and lowered in the same manner as the aforesaid toothed scraper.
Fixed to the feed plate A is a blast tube T having arranged below it a conical
distributor U by which the air forced down the said blast tube is so scattered as to
blow off from the disc E the fibre reduced by the action of the scraping blades D.
In some cases I arrange in connection with the said blast tube a suction fan,
which draws the fibre up through the said wind or blast tube and discharges it into
any desired place or receptacle.
The fibre obtained from my improved machine differs essentially in its character
from that produced by machines heretofore constructed and which operate upon the
wood more or less directly across or transversely to the grain; and this fibre though
longer than that produced by other processes is yet in a condition to be easily reduced
by my subsequent process.
I take the fibre from the machine and treat the same to separate the silica and
gummy or resinous and coloring matters, and to bring it to any degree of whiteness
which my be desired. Among the processes I adopt are the following, namely:-
(1.) The wood is first treated with soap or its component parts, then washed in
water, and finally treated with bleaching powder or any other of the known bleaching.
or oxidizing agents.
(2.) The wood is first treated with bleaching powder, either alone or with the
addition of a small quantity of soap or its component parts, and then washed in
water and finally treated with soap.
(3.) The wood is first treated with tungstate of soda or other tungsten compounds,
such as tungstate of potash or ammonia, either alone or with a small quantity of
soap or its component parts, then washed in water, and finally treated with
bleaching powder or any other of the known bleaching or oxidizing agents.
(4.) The wood is first treated with caustic soda or potash lye, either alone or with
a small quantity of soap or its component parts, then washed in water, and finally
treated with bleaching powder or any other of the known bleaching or oxidizing
agents.
The quantity of these different preparations is regulated by the hardness and

page_text: texture of the wood, and I apply them either hot or cold, and either in an open vessel
or under pressure.
The addition of soap or its component parts in these various processes is based
upon the discovery that it readily enters the fibre when it is decomposed, the oil
softening the fibre and dissolving part of the gummy or resinous matter, and the
alkali combining with the silica and part of the gummy or resinous matter, while
at the same time the soap greatly assists the action of the other chemicals.
Having thus fully described my said Invention, and shewn how the same may
be conveniently and advantageously carried into practice, I. wish it understood that
I am aware that caustic lye and bleaching powder (chloride of lime) have been used
in the preparation of pulp from wood fibres in a process or method in which the
fibres after being treated by the caustic lye are subsequently treated by the bleaching
powder; I therefore do not claim the use of these materials except in the manner.
herein specified, and I wish it understood that I claim,-
First. In combination with the stationary frame or table A and the series of
rotating scraping blades the mechanism for feeding the blocks of wood to the latter,
constructed and arranged as shown and operating as above set forth.
Second. In combination with the said table and the series of rotating scraping
blades the central air distributor and pipe and the blowing or the suction
fan or other suitable blowing or exhausting apparatus, as and for the purposes
specified.
Third. The means or devices for adjusting the scraping blades or scrapers upon
the rotating disc or carrier, as shown in the Drawing and as above described for the
purposes specified.
Fourth. The machine for reducing wood to a fibrous condition provided with
the improvements above set forth in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd claiming clauses in com-
bination with the other parts shown in the accompanying Drawing, and constructed
and operating as above set forth.
Fifth The process or method of treatment of the fibre as described under either of
the heads 1, 2, 3, 4 of the Specification, or any similar process or processes in which
soap or its component parts are used in combination with the other ingredients or
chemicals, as and for the purposes specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Henry Mallary, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy nine.