IMPROVEMENTS IN STRAINER OR KNOTTER APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE of PAPER, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO THE REMOVAL of PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION OF SOLID MATTER IN SUSPENSION IN LIQUIDS GENERALLY
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Norton Miller, of Sunderland, in the County of
Durham, Paper Manufacturer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
STRAINER OR KNOTTER APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE of
PAPER, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO THE REMOVAL of
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Norton Miller at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th September 1880.
FREDERICK NORTON MILLER, of Sunderland, in the County of Durham, Paper
Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN STRAINER OR KNOTTER APPARATUS EMPLOYED
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE
TO THE REMOVAL OF SOLID MATTER IN SUSPENSION IN LIQUIDS GENERALLY."
My Invention relates chiefly to an improved apparatus, which being an essential
improvement on the present auxilliary strainer used in connection with the flat or
revolving or other strainer in the manufacture of paper, wood pulp, or other similar
materials, or to supersede the revolving or other strainers, but the Invention is
also applicable to the removal of any form of solid matter in suspension in water
or other liquid, as, for example, by the separation of solid matter from factory
refuse and sewage generally.
In carrying out my Invention as applied, for example, to knotters or strainers
employed in the manufacture of paper, I create a vacuum underneath the strainer
plate or plates, which may be either inclined or flat, by means of the vibratory or
reciprocating action of a diaphragm or disc of less area than that of the plate under
which it works. This diaphragm may be circular, or oval, or of any other
convenient shape or form, and be composed of any suitable material. I prefer a
circular flexible diaphragm or disc formed of brass or other metal alone or combined
with india rubber, leather, cloth, or other suitable substance, the vibratory action
being created by a spindle driven from a crank, or in any other convenient manner,
the superficial area of such disc being placed as near as possible to the under
surface of the strainer or knotter plate, and the said disc having no bottom, but
forming a bottom of itself. If it is desired to enlarge the knotter surface, one,

page_text: two, or more diaphragms may be used. By this means not only can a knotter or
strainer plate surface be employed of a finer guage than now used, but by washing
and maintaining clean the surface of the said plates the knots and foul matter are
at once removed, while at the same time the fine stuff is separated from the knots
and foul matter, and can be returned to the lower portion of the plates by its own
flow or aided by water jets; this part of the apparatus or trough I term &
"separator," and by its use much valuable pulp now wasted is saved.
"
In operating with this apparatus the pulp is introduced at one end through a
sand intercepting box, and passes ou to the inclined strainer surface or plates, the
diaphragmus being at the same time in action; the clean stuff escapes through the
slits or meshes of the strainer surface or plates, and the knots and extraneous
matters are received into a box at the lower end of the strainer, whilst any floating
'stuff" which may have been carried into the box flows back to the strainer
surface or plates to be subjected to the straining operation.
"
In arrangements of apparatus for an analogous purpose which have been
heretofore employed, the pulp drawn through the reticulated surface of the strainer
plate or plates, whether in a flat or circular strainer, is regurgitated to and fro,
backwards and forwards, whereas by the small area of the diaphragm I employ,
and by its position being arranged immediately under the surface of the strainer
plate, the pulp drawn through by the vacuum created by the vibratory action of
the diaphragm is at once discharged, and thus the ordinary deposit of slimes or
other extraneous matter inside-the-knotter box or on the surface of the diaphragm
is minimised and the underside of the plates kept much-cleaner::.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Frederick Norton Miller in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
5th March 1881.
FREDERICK NORTON MILLER, of Sunderland, in the County of Durham, Paper
Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN STRAINER OR KNOTTER APPARATUS EMPLOYED
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE
TO THE REMOVAL OF SOLID MATTER IN SUSPENSION IN LIQUIDS GENERALLY."
My said Invention relates chiefly to an improved apparatus capable of being
used either as an auxiliary strainer in connection with the flat or revolving or
other strainer in the manufacture of paper, wood pulp, or other similar articlos, or
in substitution for revolving or other strainers, but the Invention is also applicable
to the removal of any form of solid matter in suspension in water or other liquid,
as for example, to the separation of solid matter from factory refuse and sewage
generally.
In carrying out my said Invention as applied, for example, to knotters or
strainers employed in the manufacture of paper I create a vacuum underneath the
strainer plate or plates (which may bo either inclined or flat) by means of the
vibratory or reciprocating action of a diaphragm or disc of less area than that of
the plate or set of plates under which it works. This diaphragm may be circular
or oval, or of any other convenient shape, and be composed of any suitable material.
I prefer a circular flexible diaphragm or disc formed of brass or other metal,
combined with india rubber, leather, cloth, or other suitable substanco, tho vibratory
action being created by a spindle driven by a crank, or in any other convenient
manner. The diaphragm is placed as near as possible to the under surface of the
strainer or knotter plate, it being thus coutained within the strainer vat. If it is
desired to enlarge the knotted surface two or more diaphragms may be used. By
means of the said Invention not only can a knotter or strainor plato surface bo
employed with slits or meshes of a finer guage than now used, but by making and
maintaining clean the surface of the said plates the knots and foul matter are at
once removed, while at the same time the fine stuff is separated from the knots
and foul matter and can be returned to the lower portion of the plates by its
own flow, or aided by water jets, so that much valuable pulp now wasted is thus
saved.
In operating with this apparatus the pulp is introduced through a sand inter-
cepting box, and passes onto the inclined strainer surface or plates, the diaphragms
being at the same time in action; the clean stuff escapes through the slits.or
meshes of the strainer surface or plates, and the knots and extraneous matter are
received into a separator or knot box at the lower end of the strainer plates, whilst
any floating stuff which may have been carried into the box flows back to tho
strainer surface or plates to be subjected to the straining operation.
In arrangements of apparatus for an analagous purpose, which have been
heretoforo employed, the pulp drawn through the reticulated surface of the strainer
plate or plates, whether in a flat or circular strainer, is regurgitated to and fro
backwards and forwards, whereas by the small area of the diaphragm I employ,
and by its position being arranged immediately under the surface of the strainer
plate, the pulp drawn through by the vacuum created by the vibratory action of
the diaphragm is at once discharged, and thus the ordinary deposit of slime or
other extraneous matter inside the knotter box or on the surface of the diaphragm
is minimised, and the under side of the plates kept much cleaner.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now proceed
more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to the
several Figures in the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures.

page_text: Figure 1 (Sheet 1) of the accompanying Drawings represents a sectional
elevation of a strainer or knotter apparatus constructed according to one modifi-
cation of my said Invention; Figure 2 is a corresponding plan of the same, and
Figure 3 is an end view partly in section; Figures 4 and 5 are sectional elevations
illustrating respectively two other modifications; Figure 6 (Sheet 2) is a sectional
elevation, and Figure 7 a corresponding plan illustrating a further modification;
Figure 8 represents (in sectional elevation) the strainer or knotter apparatus applied
as an auxiliary strainer in conjunction with a revolving strainer.
2
Referring to Figures 1, 2, and 3, A is a vat carrying the inclined strainer plates B,
immediately beneath which are arranged cylinders C secured to the bottom of the
vat, and having attached to them diaphragms I), which are constructed and arranged
as hereinafter described. At one end of the vat is a trough or sand intersepting
box E, into which the pulp or "stuff" to be strained is introduced, and whence it
flows over a projection F on to the strainer plates B, and at the opposite ends of
the vat is provided another trough G, hereinafter designated a separator" or
"knot box," into which the knots and extraneous matters separated from the
strained pulp are discharged, and from which any fine stuff which may have been
carried into the separator or knot box may flow back on to the strainer plates to
be there operated upon. The strainer plates may be of any usual or suitable
construction, as for example, they may be formed with slits cut to an equal or
variable gauge. The diaphragms 1) consists of rigid discs or pistons a attached to
the cylinders c by a ring or connection b of india rubber or other suitable elastic
or flexible metallic material. The pistons may be either flat on their upper surface,
as shewn in Figure 1, or curved, as shown in Figure 6, hereinafter described, and
the cylinders may be. made either round, as shewn in Figure 2, or oval, square, or
of any other convenient shape. The pistons carry-rods-c-which-pass-through_bosses_
or guides-d-in-the-bottom-of-the-vat-A, and are_each_jointed at their lower end to
one end of a connecting rod G', the opposite end of which is attached to a crank H-
of a crank shaft I, the latter being supported in suitable bearings K, K, and
carrying fast and loose pulleys I. for receiving motion from any suitable prime :
mover.
In the operation of the apparatus a pulp or stuff to be strained is introduced into
the trough E, and flowing over the projection F runs down the strainer plates B,
the shaft I being at the same time in action a reciprocating to and fro motion is
imparted to the diaphragms D, whereby the fine pulp is drawn through the slits
in the plates B into the lower part of the vat; it thence passes round the
cylinders and flows over a lip M into a trough N, from which it is conveyed to the
wire or wires. The knots and thick pulp pass down the strainer plates B, and fall
into the separator or knot box G, and any fine stuff which may be carried into the
said box flows back on to the strainer plates, to be there operated upon under the
reciprocating action of the diaphragms D.
In order to maintain the surfaces of the plates B clean and the slits free from
obstruction I provide sparge pipes O, having perforations or slits from which water,
pulp, or back water in the form of jets, streams, or a shower is projected on or
distributed over the top of the plates.
The cranks H may be arranged in such relative positions upon the shaft I that
one diaphragm shall be ascending while the other is descending; or, in lieu of
employing two diaphragms, one diaphragm with its crank and connections may be
dispensed with when a less amount of strainer surface is required.
Figure 4 illustrates another modification in which two diaphragms are employed,
as in the modification represented in Figures 1, 2, and 3, but in lieu of the strainer
plates B being inclined from one end to the other of the vat, they are made in two
sets converging towards the centre, where the separator or knot box is situated.
The pulp or stuff is introduced into troughs E at opposite ends of the vat, and
the strained pulp may be delivered either at the end of the vat, as shewn, or at the
sides if required.
The strainer plates B may be arranged in two sets, as lastly hereinbefore described,

page_text: but with their inclination in the opposite direction. This modification is illustrated
in Figure 5, the trough E into which the pulp or stuff to be strained is delivered
being situate in the centre, whilst separator or knot boxes G are provided one at
each end of the vat.
The strained pulp may be delivered from either side of the vat as required.
In Figure 5 the two piston rods c are represented as coupled together by a cross
head H, driven from a single crank H, the mode of transmitting motion to the
diaphragms being capable of variation according to circumstances.
According to a further modification, which is illustrated in Figures 6 and 7 (on
Sheet 2), the strainer is made of a circular form. In this case the strainer plates B
are segmental. The pulp or stuff to be strained is applied to a dish E in, the centre,
whence it overflows all round on to the strainer plates. The knots and thick pulp
collect in a circular trough P, by which they are conveyed to the separor or knot
box G, any fine stuff which may have been carried into the said box flowing back
on to the strainer plates, as herein before described.
Figure 8 illustrates the application of the apparatus as an auxiliary strainer in
conjunction with a revolving strainer Q, into which the fine stuff delivered at N
from the said auxiliary strainer is conducted to be further operated upon in the
usual manner; or the said auxiliary strainer may be placed on the floor below the
level of the revolving or other strainer in the usual manner.
Apparatus constructed substantially in the manner herein before described with
reference to the several modifications may also be employed for effecting the
removal of any form of solid matter in suspension in water or other liquid, as, for
example, for the separation of solid matter from factory refuse and sewage
generally.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect,
I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original, and
therefore claim as the Invention is,―
The combination with a strainer plate or plates of a reciprocating diaphragm or
diaphragms situate immediately beneath the same within the strainer vat, and of a
knot or separator box or boxes so arranged in relation to the strainer plate or plates
that any fine pulp or matter which may have been carried into the knot or separator
box or boxes with the knots or thick pulp or matter may be returned direct to the
strainer plate or plates to be there operated upon, all substantially as hereinbefore
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Norton Miller, have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal, the Fourth day of March, One thousand
eight hundred and eighty one.
F. NORTON MILLER. (L.S.)