IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED FOR DAMPING OR WETTING PAPER PREVIOUS TO PRINTING APPLICABLE ALSO TO THE DAMPING OR WETTING OF OTHER ANALOGOUS MATTERS OR MATERIALS."
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Arnold Stierlin of Manchester in the County of
Lancaster Machinery Agent for an Invention of " IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED FOR DAMPING OR WETTING
PAPER PREVIOUS TO PRINTING APPLICABLE ALSO TO THE DAMPING OR
WETTING OF OTHER ANALOGOUS MATTERS OR MATERIALS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Arnold Stierlin at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th January 1882.
ARNOLD STIERLIN of Manchester in the County of Lancaster Machinery
Agent "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED FOR
DAMPING OR WETTING PAPER PREVIOUS TO PRINTING APPLICABLE ALSO TO THE
DAMPING OR WETTING OF OTHER ANALOGOUS MATTERS OR MATERIALS"
The Invention relates more particularly to improved means and apparatus for
damping or wetting paper previous to its being printed upon as is well understood,
but is equally applicable for use in the damping or wetting of other substances or
materials which may require to be damped or wetted The Invention has for its
object to provide effective means for the ready and thorough permeation of the
substance or material as for example paper with extremely minute or fine particles
of water which are projected uniformly over the surface of the paper or other
substance or material under treatment, in the form of spray. Previous to this
Invention the apparatus in use for this purpose have been deficient on account of
damping or wetting the paper irregularily and have been morcover liable to get
out of order. The apparatus constructed in accordance with this Invention consists
in a novel method for obtaining a more perfect damping or wetting of the paper,
or other substance or material and at a comparatively less cost than in ordinary
apparatus which have usually consisted of a perforated cylinder in which water
was contained or of a perforated nozzle or cup which sprinkled the water onto the
paper under treatment. When carrying the invention into effect for the damping
or wetting of paper a cylinder or drum formed of copper or other metal and having
Curice Gd

page_text: on its periphery any suitable number of perforated metal scoops is mounted hori-
zontally within a water chamber and has imparted to it a rapid rotary motion by
any suitable arrangement of gearing. When the said cylinder or drum is rotated
the said scoops mounted thereon take up from the surface of the liquid in the
water chamber a small quantity of water which is contained in the scoops for a
short interval of time and then by the continued rotation of the cylinder or drum
expelled by centrifugal force from the said scoops through perforations formed
thereon. The water is thus comminuted or divided and is thrown or projected onto
a sieve preferably of silk which sieve has the effect of further separating or
dividing the water into minute particles or spray in which condition it falls by its
own gravity onto the paper to be damped or wetted and which is carried from the
delivery reel under the said water chamber. An adjustable sliding plate is provided
to regulate as desired the amount of spray escapeing from the said guaze or sieve.
The said scoops are or may be formed of sheet copper or other metal and are bent
over so as to leave a space of about one sixteenth of an inch more or less between
them and the surface of the said cylinder or drum and may be furnished with one
or more rows of fine fabric through which the water is expelled. The said cylinder
or drum is mounted to revolve in adjustable bearings and at each rotation thereof
the said scoops take up and deliver onto the said sieve an amount of water equal
and corresponding to the capacity of the scoops. The said water chamber is
provided with a hinged cover. The said silk sievo is mounted on the side of tho
water chamber to the lower end of which a gutter is fixed to receive any water
which may drop from the said sieve and also the overflow water from the chamber.
On the front part of the apparatus a suitable frame is provided in which is mounted
a silk or other sieve of a very fine mesh. A moveable screen or plate or other
metal is provided for regulating the extent of opening in the sieve through which
the finely divided water or spray shall pass. This plate is bent back at its lower
part in such a manner as to form-a-gutter to retain the water thrown against the
plate, and which falls back into the receptacle from each end of the gutter. The
regulation of this plate may be effected by two straps to which it is attached,
and which pass over two small pulleys fixed on a shaft, and it is only necessary to
turn the latter in one direction or the other by means of a wheel fixed at one end
of the shaft in order to raise or lower the plate, the plate being maintained in the
required position by means of a screw provided on one end of the supports carrying
the shaft. The water enters the chamber through an inlet pipe, at the upper part
of which there is a funnel, and the overflow of water in excess passes away con-
tinually through openings provided in the chamber so that a uniform level of
water is constantly maintained in the chamber. A plate may be mounted within
the chamber so as to prevent any part of the water being thrown uselessly against
the cover. Various modifications may be made in the apparatus without departing
from the principle of the Invention which consists in the employment of a rotating
cylinder or drum fitted with scoops to project the water against a sieve which has
the effect of separating or dividing the water into extremely fine particles or spray
in which condition it falls upon the paper or other substance or material required
to be damped or wetted.

page_text: Fig. 4a plan.
The cylinder or drum a formed of sheet copper or other suitable metal is
provided on its surface with perforated metal scoops b and is mounted in bearings c
to revolve horizontally within a chainber j containing water. When the drum a
is rotated rapidly by the driving-pulley d the said scoops b remove from the
surface of the water e a small quantity thereof and contain it in the said scoops
for a short interval of time and by the rapid rotation of the drum a the water is
expelled from the scoops by centrifugal force through the small perforations
formed therein. The water is thus comminuted or divided and projected against
the screen preferably made of silk which has the effect of still further dividing
the water into minute particles or fine spray, in which condition it falls by its own
gravity on to the paper to be damped or wetted and which may travel in a hori-
zontal or inclined direction. An adjustable sliding plate 7 is arranged to be
raised or lowered by means of the quadrant pulley h and lever i so as to regulate at
will the band of spray escaping through the said screen f. The said scoops bare bent
over so as to leave a space between them and the drum surface of about one
sixteenth of an inch more or less and may be furnished with one or more rows
of fine fabric, through which the contained water in the scoops will be expelled.
At each revolution of the drum a the scoops b take up and throw against the
screen fan amount of water equal to and corresponding with the capacity of the
scoops. The said water-chamber j is provided with a hinged cover which can be
thrown back into the position indicated by the dotted lines in Fig I. The screen f
is mounted in front of the cover on the lower part of which is carried by the
water-chamber, a conduit or water trough m formed to receive any water which
may run down the screen and also the overflow from the chamber. The water-
inlet n can be fixed to any convenient part of the water-chamber, and the overflow
passes into the conduit. In order to maintain a uniform level of water within the
chamber at all times the said chamber is hinged at one end and arranged to be

page_text: lifted or tilted over by means of the cams o and p mounted on the shaft g, and
actuated by means of the worm r on the spindle of the hand wheel & gearing into
the wheelt on the cam shaft, by these means the roller can be brought in contact
with the water-surface in a more effective manner, Various minor modifications
may be made in the apparatus without departing from the main fenture of the
Invention, which consists in the employment of a rotating drum, formed or provided
with scoops which take up and throw by their centrifugal force the water against
a screen, which transforms the water into fine spray, in which condition it falls onto
the paper required to be damped or wetted, the amount of spray being regulated
by the means described to any desired extent, the apparatus is equally effective
for damping or wetting grain, or other matters or substances, which it may be
required to damp or wet.
Having now described and indicated the nature of my Invention and means for
carrying the same into practical effect. I would have it to be distinctly understood,
that what I claim as secured to me by the herein before in part recited Letters
Patent is.
First, the apparatus for damping paper previous to printing thereon consisting of
a revolving drum provided on its periphery with narrow perforated troughs for
subdividing the liquid to be thrown upon the paper and arranged in combination
with a screen or sieve of fine silk gauze which further subdivides the water
substantially as set forth and for the purpose specified.
Secondly the apparatus for damping grain or other substances or materials.
Thirdly, the apparatus constructed substantially as illustrated in the accompany-
ing Drawing, and operating as and for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof I, the said Arnold Stierlin have hereunto set my hand and
seal this Twenty-sixth day of July, In the year of our Lord, One thousand
-eight hundred and eighty two.
ARNOLD STIERLIN. (L.S.)
Signed and sealed by the
said Arnold Stierlin in the
presence of
FERDINAND BOSSHARDT
Of the Firm of Messrs. Bosshardt & Grant,
Patent Solicitors
Manchester.