Improvements in the Manufacture of Paper and in Machinery therefor.
Year: 1885

page_text: Improvements in the Manufacture of Paper and in Machinery
therefor.
I GEORGE PLANTA BARNES of 256 Crystal Palace Road Dulwich in the County
of Surrey Agent do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER AND IN MACHINERY THEREFOR to be as follows:-
My improvements have special reference to the manufacture of paper in separate
sheets of one or various sizes upon a paper machine of the Fourdrinier or other
suitable type; the automatic transfer of such separate sheets while in a wet state
to felts or other suitable material for the purpose if necessary of being further
pressed or rolled between rollers (in addition to such pressing or couching as the
sheets may have received while upon the endless wire of the machine) and of
being dried either by passing over or about cylinders heated by steam such as are
now in general use when paper is being made in continuous lengths in the web or
by passing through a chamber as hereinafter described in which the drying agent
shall be heated air gas or other vapour transmitted direct from a furnace or by
contact with pipes heated by steam; further (and with reference to what is known
as tub sized or animal sized papers) to the automatic passing of the before mentioned
sheets of paper through a solution of size and the subsequent drying of the same-
all and every separate section of the foregoing operations being performed mecha-
nically and in a continuous process; the object being that paper in separate sheets
and of various sizes and substances and also of various shapes shall be produced
on a suitable machine in quantity and of a quality resembling haud made paper.
I obtain this result in the following manner. At the head of a Fourdrinier type
machine such as is now used for making paper in continuous lengths and imme-
diately over that part of the endless machine wire on which the paper pulp in a
liquid state flows I place a cylinder or drum (the surface of which may be either
plain or grooved or fitted with collars) of the width of the paper machine and
of suitable diameter duly supported in bearings for revolving close to the surface of
the endless machine wire and towards the further and opposite end of the machine
(at a distance of about three fourths of the length of the paper machine more or
less as may be found most desirable) I place another similar cylinder or drum also
duly supported in bearings for revolving as close as may be needed to the surface
of the endless machine wire. Connecting these cylinders and at or near their outer
ends I place endless straps made of rubber or other suitable material (as similar

page_text: as may be found desirable to what are now known as the deckles of a paper
machine) and also as may be required one or more of these said straps inter-
mediately between these outer ones. These two three four or more straps running
on the two before mentioned cylinders lie upon and travel onward with and at the
same rate as the endless wire of the machine. I join these endless straps to one
another by cross pieces of the same or other suitable material thus forming a kind
of pliable and endless frame or frames which may be found most suitable for work
if made or cast entire in rubber so that as few open joints as possible may be at
the junctions.
Should it be preferred two shafts fitted with any required number of grooved
wheels or pulleys movable in position on the shafts and of suitable diameter on
which the endless deckle straps may run may be substituted for the two drums or
cylinders before mentioned. Due provision can be made for keeping in tension
if necessary the endless straps or as I prefer to call them ladder deckles either by
acting directly upon the ladder deckles or by the cylinders or shafts as may be
preferred.
The lower edges of these ladder deckles resting upon the flat level surface of the
endless machine wire forms thereby frames or shapes about equal in size to the
required sheets of paper into which the liquid pulp flowing from the pulp box at
the head of the machine is made to run. The pulp box may with advantage be
placed across the machine immediately after the first or head cylinder carrying the
ladder deckles thus allowing the liquid pulp to flow from both sides of the box at
a converging angle into the frame or frames formed by the ladder deckles resting
on the endless machine wire thereby enabling the two streams of pulp to meet and
thoroughly intermix and interlock the pulp fibres and in addition will in combi-
nation with the transverse part of the ladder deckles have the effect of restricting
as much as possible any flow in the liquid pulp after it descends upon the wire
thereby adding greatly to the regularity and strength of the paper. To prevent
the liquid pulp flowing off the machine wire at the head of the machine the first
cylinder may be so grooved as that the endless ladder deckles shall fit into the
grooves or the cylinder may be filled out flush with the deckles so that in either
case it may at the point of contact in its circumference with the endless machine
wire present a barrier to the backward flow of the pulp; or should it be preferred
the cylinder may simply carry the endless ladder deckles upon its surface (thus
being distant from the endless machine wire by the thickness of the deckles) and
the backward flow of the pulp be prevented, whether the cylinder or the before
mentioned shaft and pulleys be used, by a strip of felt or other suitable material
placed across the endless machine wire close to but before the point where the
ladder deckles first come into contact with the machine wire; or if necessary an
additional or separate barrier formed by a suspended piece of felt or other suitable
material stretching across the head of the machine may be fitted and placed just
inside the first or head cylinder or shaft with pulleys and this while offering no
resistance to the passing of the endless machine wire or ladder deckles (the lower
edge of the felt being always free to rise or fall) will by suitably resting or falling
prevent the backward flow of the pulp.
If the pulp box is placed at the head of the machine where it now generally is
the endless ladder deckles may still accomplish their object of dividing the liquid
pulp as it comes on to the machine wire so that it will form separate sheets of paper
by being brought in contact with the wire just after the pulp box but the course
already indicated is to be preferred. The liquid pulp after being flowed on to the
moving machine wire and being held in the frames formed on the ladder deckles
lying on the wire as before described travels forward gradually becoming more
consistent as the water drains through the wire or is drawn off by suction boxes
until it assumes sufficient solidity to receive if desirable a water mark or name
pressed upon it by a dandy roll in the usual way. This dandy mark may be given
to the sheets of paper either before or after they pass underneath the second
cylinder carrying the endless ladder deckles; the dandy roll being suitably

page_text: adapted for the same. When the sheets of paper pass underneath the second
cylinder round which the ladder deckles are carried and therefore pass away from
contact with the deckles they are then resting upon the surface of the machine
wire being separate from one another by the space lately occupied by the endless
deckles and are then further carried on until they pass if necessary underneath the
upper couch roll for the purpose of being couched or pressed and around the tail
cylinder or under couch roll which carries the endless machine wire. While the
sheets of paper are yet resting on the machine wire as the latter comes to the end
of its travel an endless felt or other suitable material moving on suitably placed
rollers at the same speed as the machine wire is brought into contact with the
paper so that it is held between the felt and wire until it is carried around with
the latter as it commences its backward course. The paper will now of its own
weight drop from the wire on to the felt but should it have a tendency to stick to
the wire it can be blown free from it on to the felt by air or steam supplied from
a box suitably placed between the endless machine wire in a similar manner, but in
exactly the opposite sense, to the present suction boxes. The sheets of paper being
thus transferred to the endless felt already mentioned are then securely held in
contact with it by means of another endless felt running parallel to and in con-
junction with the first one and are thus moved forward to be suitably pressed by
rolls through which the two felts pass the paper lying between them.
After being thus pressed the paper is transferred to two other endless felts or
other suitable material between and by which the paper is carried over and about
the drying cylinders as in the present paper making machine-the paper having
during this process perfect freedom for shrinkage in all directions. The sheets of
paper thus dried are if engine sized ready for glazing or other desired process; but
if it is intended that they should be animal tub sized immediately after being
dried they are then passed automatically between other endless felts wires or other
suitable material by which they are carried through a solution of size and then
through rollers for the purpose of pressing back the superflous size after which the
sheets of paper are transferred to other endless felts and by them carried over
heated cylinders as before described for the purpose of being re-dried-the same
mechanical arrangement being also applicab!o should it be preferred to have the
paper tub sized while in a wet state and before the drying first referred to is
carried out. At the position where the transfer of the sheets of paper from one
set of endless felts to the other takes place blowing boxes or pipes may be fixed
from which air or steam can be blown through the cloth wires or felts against the
paper and thus secure its certain transfer in the required direction-or the rollers
about which the felts revolve may be adapted as blowers for this purpose.
Another simple and comparatively inexpensive drying process may be either
added to or used in lieu of the before mentioned heated cylinders of the usual type
in the following manner.
When the sheets of paper are ready for drying they may be passed from between
one set of endless parallel felts to another as before mentioned which felts (instead
of carrying the sheets of paper over and around heated cylinders) will carry the
sheets between them forwards and backwards in a horizontal position or up and
down in a vertical position or other suitable way as may be preferred through a
suitable enclosed chamber heated by hot air or by steain pipes or other convenient
way until they are delivered in the required dry state.
Dated this triander anwal
1007

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Paper and in Machinery
therefor.
I, GEORGE PLANTA BARNES of 256 Crystal Palace Road Dulwich London S.E.
Agent do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF PAPER AND IN MACHINERY THEREFOR and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
My improvements have special reference to the manufacture of paper in separate
sheets of one or various sizes upon a paper machine of the Fourdrinier or other
suitable type; the automatic transfer of such separate sheets of paper while in a
wet state to felts or other suitable material for the purpose if necessary of being
further pressed or rolled between rollers (in addition to such pressing or couching
as the sheets may have received while upon the endless wire of the machine) and
of being dried either by passing over or about cylinders heated by steam, such as
are now in general use when paper is being made in continuous lengths in the
web, or by passing through a chamber as hereinafter described in which the drying
agent shall be heated air, gas, or other vapour transmitted direct from a furnace or
by contact with pipes heated by steam; further (and with reference to what is
known as tub sized or animal sized papers) to the automatic passing of the before
mentioned sheets of paper through a solution of size and the subsequent drying
of the same all and every separate section of the foregoing operations being
performed mechanically and in a continuous process; the object being that paper
in separate sheets and of various commercial sizes and substances and also of various
shapes shall be produced on any suitable machine.
I obtain this result in the following manner. At the head of a Fourdrinier type
machine, such as is now used for making paper in continuous lengths, and
immediately over that part of the endless machine wire on which the paper pulp
in a liquid state flows, I place a cylinder or drum or its equivalent (the surface of
which may be either plain or grooved or fitted with collars) of the width of the
paper machine and of suitable diameter duly supported in bearings for revolving
close to the surface of the endless machine wire, and towards the further and
opposite end of the machine (at a distance of about three fourths of the length of
the paper machine more or less as may be found most desirable) I place another
similar cylinder or drum or its equivalent also duly supported in bearings for
revolving as close as may be needed to the surface of the endless machine wire.
Connecting these cylinders and at or near their outer ends I place endless straps
made of rubber or other suitable material (as similar as may be found desirable to
what are now known as the deckles of a paper machine) and also, as may be
required, one or more of the same kind intermediately between these outer ones.
These outer and intermediate straps or deckles running on the two before mentioned
cylinders or their equivalents lie upon and travel onward with and at the same
rate as the endless wire of the machine. I join these endless straps to one

page_text: another by cross pieces of the same or other suitable material thus forming a kind
of series of parallel ladders which are pliable and endless.
Should it be preferred, two shafts fitted with any required number of grooved
wheels or pulleys movable in position on the shafts and of suitable diameter on
which the endless deckle straps may run, may be substituted for the two drums or
cylinders before mentioned.
Due provision can be made for keeping in tension, if necessary, the endless straps
or, as I prefer to call them, ladder deckles, either by acting directly upon the
ladder deckles or by the cylinders or shafts as may be preferred.
The lower edges of these ladder deckles resting upon the flat level surface of the
endless machine wire forms thereby frames or shapes, about equal in size to the
required sheets of paper, into which the liquid pulp flowing from the pulp box at
the head of the machine is made to run.
The pulp box may with advantage be placed across the machine immediately
after the first or head cylinder carrying the ladder deckles thus allowing the liquid
pulp to flow from both sides of a suitably made pulp box, at a converging angle
into the frames formed by the ladder deckles resting on the continuous machine
wire, thereby enabling the two streams of pulp to meet and thoroughly intermix
and interlock the pulp fibres; and in addition will, in combination with the
transverse part of the ladder deckles, have the effect of restricting as much as
possible any flow in the liquid pulp after it descends upon the wire, thereby adding
greatly to the regularity and strength of the paper. To prevent the liquid pulp
flowing off the machine wire at the head of the machine the first cylinder may be
so grooved as that the endless ladder deckles may fit into the grooves, or the
cylinder may be filled out flush with the deckles so that in either case it may at
the point of contact in its circumference with the endless machine wire present a
barrier to the backward flow of the pulp; or, should it be preferred, the cylinder
may simply carry the endless ladder deckles upon its surface (thus being distant
from the endless machine wire by the thickness of the deckles) and the backward
flow of the pulp be prevented, whether the cylinder or the before mentioned shaft
and pulleys be used, by a piece or pieres of felt or other suitable material placed
across the endless machine wire close to but before the point where the ladder
deckles first come into contact with the endless machine wire; or, if necessary an
additional or separate barrier formed by a suspended piece or pieces of felt, or
other suitable material, stretching across the head of the machine may be fitted
and placed just inside the first or head cylinder or shaft with pulleys and this,
while offering no resistance to the passing of the machine wire or ladder deckles
(the lower edge of the felt being always free to rise or fall), will by suitably resting
or falling prevent the backward flow of the pulp.
If the pulp box is placed at the head of the machine where it now generally is,
the endless ladder deckles may still accomplish their object of dividing the liquid
pulp as it comes on to the machine wire, so that it will form separate sheets of
paper, by being brought in contact with the wire just after the pulp box; but the
course already indicated is to be preferred.
The liquid pulp after being flowed on to the moving machine wire and being
held in the frames formed by the ladder deckles lying on the wire as before
described travels forward, gradually becoming more consistent as the water drains
through the wire or is drawn off by suction boxes, until it assumes sufficient
solidity to receive, if desirable, a water mark or name pressed upon it by a dandy
O roll in the usual way. This dandy mark may be given to the sheets of paper
either before or after they pass underneath the second cylinder, or shaft with
pulleys, or their equivalent, carrying the endless ladder deckles; the dandy roll
being suitably adapted for the same.
When the sheets of paper pass underneath the second cylinder, or shaft with
pulleys, round which the ladder deckles are carried and therefore pass away from
contact with the deckles they are then resting upon the surface of the machine
wire, being separated from one another by the spaces lately occupied by the endless

page_text: longitudinal deckles and cross bars, and are then further carried on until the pass
underneath the upper couch roll and around the tail cylinder or under couch roll
which carries the endless machine wire.
While the sheets of paper are yet resting on the machine wire as the latter
comes to or near the end of its travel an endless felt or other suitable material
moving on suitably placed rollers at the same speed as the machine wire is brought
into contact with the paper so that it is held between the felt and wire until it is
carried around with the latter as it commences its backward course.
The paper will now of its own weight or by the adhesion of the felt attach itself
to the latter, but should it have any tendency to stick to the wire it can be blown
free from it on to the felt by air or steam supplied from a box suitably placed
between the endless machine wire, but in exactly the opposite sense to the present
suction boxes; or, instead thereof, suction boxes placed underneath the felt for the
purpose of drawing the sheets of paper on to it may, in many cases, with advantage
be used. The sheets of paper being thus transferred to the endless felt already
mentioned are then securely held in contact with it by means of another endless
felt running parallel to and in conjunction with the first one and are thus moved
forward to be suitably pressed by rolls through which the two felts pass, the paper
lying between them.
After being thus pressed the paper is transferred to two other endless felts or
other suitable materials between and by which the paper is carried over and about
the drying cylinders as in the present paper making machine-the paper having
during this process perfect freedom for shrinkage in all directions.
The sheets of paper thus dried are, if engine sized, ready for glazing or other
desired process; but if it is intended that they should be tub sized immediately
after being dried, they are then passed automatically between other endless felts,
wires, or other suitable materials between and by which they are carried through a
solution of size and then through rollers, for the purpose of pressing back the
superfluus size, after which the sheets of paper are transferred to other endless
felts or suitable materials and by them carried over heated cylinders as before
described for the purpose of being re-dried-the same mechanical arrangement
being also applicable should it be preferred to have the paper tub sized while in a
wet state and before the drying first referred to is carried out.
At the position where the transfer of the sheets of paper from one set of en lless
felts to the other takes place, blowing boxes, or pipes, may be fixed from which air
or steam can be blown through the cloth, wires, or felts against the paper and thus
secure its certain transfer in the required direction-or the rollers about which the
felts revolve may be adapted as blowers for this purpose-or suction boxes may
with advantage be used in securing the said transfer.
Another simple and comparatively inexpensive drying process inly be either
added to or used in lieu of the before mentioned heated cylinders of the usual type
in the following manner. When the sheets of paper are ready for drying they may
be passed from between one set of endless parallel felts to another as before
mentioned which felts (instead of carrying the sheets of paper over and around
heated cylinders) will carry the sheets between them forwards and backwards in a
horizontal position, or up and down in a vertical position, or other suitable way, as
may be preferred, through a suitable enclosed chamber heated by hot air or steam
pipes or other convenient way until they are delivered in the required dry state.
In order to more clearly illustrate ny invention I give the accompanying
drawings. Being primarily designed with this object many parts common to paper
making machines are not shown. The same letters being used wherever practicable
for the same parts in the different drawings.
Fig. 1. Is a plan of part of a paper making machine.
Fig. 2. Is a side elevation of the same and further showing the means for per-
forming the automatic and continuous process of taking the separate sheets of paper
off the wire of the machine, the pressing, drying, sizing, re-drying and delivery of
the same.

page_text: Fig. 3. Illustrates the additional or alternative process of drying the separate
sheets of paper by means of passing them through a heated chamber, instead of
around the ordinary heated cylinders, as shown in Fig. 2.
A represents the framework of the machine.
B the pulp box stretching across the machine, into the inner part of which the
pulp runs, when in its liquid state, through the pipes b: this inner box being over-
flowed the pulp runs down both sides, as indicated by the arrows; the streams
from opposite directions meeting and intermingling with one another as they come
upon the wire thereby thoroughly interlocking their fibres and to a great extent
neutralizing the weakening effect which the long flow has upon paper made in the
ordinary way.
C the shafts (or their equivalents) bearing the movable grooved pulleys c¹ on
which the longitudinal endless deckles D D run, carrying with them at the same
time the transverse bars d d.
E represents the endless wire of the machine on the surface of which rests the
bottom part of the endless deckles D D together with the transverse bars dd,
thereby forming frames e e (of about the size of the required sheets of paper) into
which the liquid pulp from the box B flows. The suspended felt a by resting on
the wire prevents the backward flow of the pulp.
By means of the simultaneous forward movement of the endless wire and ladder
deckles in conjunction a succession of these compartments or frames is brought
under the pulp box and consequently receives pulp in turn. As the pulp in the
frames is moved farther away from the pulp box, by the travel of the wire, it gets
more consistent by the draining away of the water and the action of the suction
boxes F until passing underneath the couch roll f (before which it is freed from
contact with the endless deckles by their backward travel) and around the tail
cylinder G it is brought into contact with the first endless felt H.
This felt H may, if preferred, be first brought into contact with the sheets of
paper by being carried underneath the couch roll f.
The wet sheets of paper being thus brought between the wire E and the felt H
will transfer themselves by weight or adhesion to the latter; but in case of there
being any tendency to cling to the wire instead of to the felt, suction boxes h may
be placed underneath the felt so as to draw the sheets on to it, or blowing boxes
placed above the wire may bring about the same result.
The sheets of paper lying on and moving with the felt H are then brought into
contact with another endless felt J between and by which felts they are carried
through the press rolls K K after which they are again (assisted by suction or blow
off boxes L) transferred to the endless felts m and n between and by which they
are carried around the drying cylinders M M, (a few of these only being shown), or
through the hot air chamber X as shown in Fig. 3, until they reach the position N
at which point they are delivered in the required dry condition, unless they are
required to pass through a further process.
If the paper is to be what is understood by engine sized the process is completed
at this point; but, if it is intended that it should be animal or tub sized paper, the
sheets are then by mechanical means, or their equivalents, similar to those already
described transferred to other endless felts or wires O and P between and by which
they are carried into the tub R containing the size and then through press rolls
and again transferred in the usual mechanical way to other felts S and T for the
purpose of being carried by and between them around further drying cylinders, or
through heated chambers, to be ultimately delivered at the point u in the required
dry state.
To prevent the paper while it is resting on the felt H and travelling underneath
the wire E getting wet by the water previously pressed out of it by the couch roll ƒ
a catcher or pan W is introduced between the endless wire, and this, extending
from the tail cylinder G and having a downward inclination will run off the water
clear of the paper and felts H and J.

page_text: I have omitted (for the purpose of simplicity) showing in these drawings any
driving gear for either the cylinders, deckles, or other parts of the machine also the
means of holding the deckles in tension &c-ordinary and well known mechanical
means being sufficient for these purposes, and also in Fig. 1 the upper portion of
the endless deckles.
I am aware that methods have been published for making paper in divided webs
upon the continuous wire of the ordinary Fourdrinier Machine, by means of (a)
supplementary moving deckles, the effect of which would be to make the paper in
continuous but comparatively narrow separate webs; or (b) by means of transverse
connecting bars between the usual side deckles, the effect of which if properly.
carried out would be to make a succession of divided pieces all of the full width
between the two side deckles. My process is essentially different from the above
mentioned methods, as it has for its object the forming, upon the continuous wire
of the Fourdrinier machine, of separate sheets of paper of any desired dimensions,
commercial or otherwise (even as small as ordinary "note" size, or smaller) that
may be included within the limits of an ordinary paper machine wire governed by
the combination of intermediate longitudinal deckles and transverse bars with the
usual side deckles as before described. Supplementary longitudinal deckles, and
transverse connecting bars, regarded independently, are not new; but in combi-
nation as and for the purposes herein set forth, intermediate deckles and transverse
bars are new.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
(1) The method as and for the purposes herein set forth for making successive and
separate sheets of paper upon the wire of an ordinary paper-making machine of the
Fourdrinier type by means of a combination to be applied to the usual elements of
the said machine of intermediate longitudinal deckles and transverse bars capable
of forming upon the said wire parallel an successive compartments of one or more
sizes within the limits of the dimensions of the wire.
(2.) In a paper-making machine in combination with the wire and the usual sido
deckles additional intermediate longitudinal deckles and transverse bars whereby
sheets of paper of one or more sizes, commercial or otherwise, may be formed upon
the wire, all substantially as described.
(3.) In combination with a paper-making machine the pulp box as and for the
purpose set forth.
(4.) The means for the automatic transfer of the separate web sheets of paper
(formed in the manner herein described) from the wire of the machine to endless
felts or their equivalents, and for the carrying of such sheets of paper by and
between said felts through press rolls for the purpose of being pressed, and for their
subsequent transfer to and between other felts or other suitable materials to be
carried by and between them through a drying chamber or over or about heated
cylinders and for their delivery all as herein before described.
(5.) For the means of further passing the separate sheets of paper between felts
or their equivalents through a bath of size and subsequently drying and delivering
them as herein before described.
11.