Improvements in Beating Engines for Paper-pulp and the like.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Oct., 1894-Accepted, 24th Nov., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Beating Engines for Paper-pulp and the like.
I, JAMES DEMAINE PICKLES, of Buckland, in the Town of Manchester, in
he County of Hartford, and State of Connecticut, United States of America,
Paper Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
nanner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement:—
The object of my invention is to provide a beating engine for work on paper
pulp or like material which shall have a greater efficiency under a given
expenditure of power than prior engines of the like class, and which will further
have for a given size of vat a greater efficiency in the treatment of the pulp.
To this end my invention consists mainly in the combination in a beater engine
of an inclined bed with a beater roll and in the combination of such bed with a
series of beater rolls; and it further consists in the details of the several parts
making up the apparatus as a whole and in the combination of such parts as more
particularly hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.
Referring to the accompanying drawings:
Figure 1 is a top or plan view of a beater engine embodying my invention.
Figure 2 is a detail view in side elevation of the engine with parts cut away to
show construction.
In the accompanying drawings the letter a denotes a vat of suitable size and
shape for holding the paper stock while it is being beaten and mixed by the action
of the cutters. A diaphragm extends transversely of the vat between its sides
forming a bed b, substantially fat along its upper surface the front end 6' and the
rear end of the bed terminating short of the ends of the vat and thus leaving
openings which allow the vertical flow of the more or less fluid mass of paper stock
which is operated upon within the engine.
The rear end of the bed is higher than the front end, and transversely of the
bed and in its upper surface are secured bed plates c, c' and c³, of a number equal
to the number of rolls d, d' and d, with which the vat is supplied.
These rolls are mounted transversely of the vat in suitable bearings and are
provided with pulleys on their shafts by means of which they may be rotated from
a suitable source of power.
It is evident that the fluid mass of pulp within the vat will stand at a level if
undisturbed and that when the bed is inclined the rolls arranged along its length
will be submerged to a greater or less extent, the first one of the series being the
lowermost.
The surface of the rolls are provided with the usual cutter blades and as all of
the rolls turn in the same direction they serve to circulate the stock along the
upper surface of the bed and to move it over the higher rear end of the bed, the
head, or difference in level of the fluid mass of paper stock at opposite ends of
the bed tending to promote a circulation of the stuff towards the front end of the
vat, and this difference in level of the rolls aids the circulating motion which is
imparted to the material by the rotation of the cutter bearing rolls.
The ends of the roll shafts are each journalled in a yoke e that is adjustably
supported in a standard f fixed at the side of the vat. The yoke is supported by a
rod g the upper end of which is threaded and provided with a gear wheel g' which
has a threaded hub fitting the thread on the rod, the rotation of the
wheel g¹
serving to move the rod lengthwise for the purpose of raising or lowering the yoke
and with it the roll suspended from it.
gear

page_text: The beater rolls in ordinary use in vats of this kind weigh about six thousand
pounds and the result of the beating and cutting operation of these rolls upon the
stock depends upon the distance at which the periphery of the roll, or the edges
of the cutters borne in that surface, are moved with reference to the surfaces of
the bed plates. A very close contact of the cutter with the surface of the bed
plate produces a cutting action that reduces the fibre of the paper stock to any
desired degree as to length and size. It is desirable, particularly in wood pulp
used as a stock, that the rolls should be so adjusted with reference to the cutters
that while the full benefit of the weight of the roll is obtained to back up the
cutting action the distance between the edges of the knives or cutters and the
surface of the bed plate should be such as to produce a "brushing" action rather
than a cutting, the result of such action being a sub-division of the fibre rather
than a shortening of it by any cutting action.
In order to provide for the setting of the rolls twice in succession with accuracy
at the same distance apart with respect to the surface of the bed plates so that the
work of the machine may not be largely a matter of judgment on the part of the
operator with no certainty in results a counterpoise device is used.
By counterpoising the roll I am enabled to provide for a more accurate
adjustment of the degree of separation of the cutters. The counterpoise device
consists of a lever h supported on a pivot i with a brace ; extending through a
socket or guide-way, preferably in the standard and interposed between the lever
and the yoke. The outer end of the lever is provided with means for supporting
a weight k.
A shaft extends across the vat supported in suitable bearings on the frame and
bears worms which are in mesh with the worm gears g' which are borne on the
upper threaded ends of the rods g as described. By means of a hand wheel on
this shaft the beater rolls can be adjusted vertically for the purpose of setting the
cutters at any desired distance from the surface of the bed plates. By noting
the position of the arm and weight k relatively to the side of the vat a or to the
floor or stage m corresponding to any desired setting of the rolls relatively to
the bed-plates, this setting may be reproduced at any time with accuracy when
required.
The vats are provided with suitable covers overlying the rolls so as to prevent
the paper stock from being thrown out in the operation of the machine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
claim is :
In a pulp beating engine, in combination with a vat, a transverse bed sub-
stantially flat along its upper surface and inclined upward from front to rear,
a series of cutter beds arranged at different levels along the transverse bed, &
plural number of beater rolls carrying knives or cutters co-operating with the
knives on the respective cutter beds, and means for driving the beater rolls, all
substantially as described.
Dated this 22nd day of September A.D. 1894.