IMPROVEMENTS CONNECTED WITH THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER, AND IN MACHINERY FOR TREATING THE FIBROUS MATERIALS EMPLOYED THEREIN.
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Alfred Sommerville, Paper Maker, Kevock Mill,
Lasswade, in the County of Midlothian, North Britain, and William Malcolm,
Engineer in the Paper Mill of Kevock, Lasswade, in the County of Midlothian,
North Britain, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS CONNECTED WITH THE
MANUFACTURE OF PAPER, AND IN MACHINERY FOR TREATING THE FIBROUS
MATERIALS EMPLOYED THEREIN.'
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Alfred Sommerville
and William Malcolm at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
21st October 1879.
WILLIAM ALFRED SOMMERVILLE, Paper Maker, Kevock Mill, Lasswade, in the
County of Midlothian, North Britain; and WILLIAM MALCOLM, Engineer in the
Paper Mill of Kevock, Lasswade, in the County of Midlothian, North Britain.
'IMPROVEMENTS CONNECTED WITH THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER, AND IN MACHINERY
FOR TREATING THE FIBROUS MATERIALS EMPLOYED THEREIN."
This said Invention has reference to certain improvements in the earlier processes
connected with paper making, namely, in the mode and means of, and arrangement
of machinery employed for the washing and disentegrating of the esparto grass or
other fibrous materials to be used in the manufacture of paper pulp and paper, which
improvements will save much time and manual labour and the loss of valuable fibre,
than by the modes and means and arrangements of machinery heretofore employed
in the washing and preparation of fibrous materials for paper pulp; and the nature
and novelty of the Invention or improvements consist as follows:-That is (stated
generally) in taking the esparto grass or other fibrous material of which the pulp
or paper is to be made in sufficient quantity (regulated as nearly as possible to supply
each new washing and treating machine) direct or regularly as it is discharged
from the first complete alkaline treatment in the usual steam boilers; then spreading
this material by hand on to the receiving end of the endless carrying feeding and
delivery web, carried on or over end and supporting rollers, and which would at
the other end deliver the material regularly into the new or improved washing.
machine, and which consists of a long trough and arrangement or combination of
machinery for regularly and sequentially washing and disintegrating the fibrous

page_text: material while it is being regularly carried forward in the opposite direction to
the flow of washing water supplied at the highest or delivery end where the
fibrous material is finally delivered on to an endless web through a pair of
squeezing rollers ready for removal to the ordinary fibre breaking or cutting and
pulp preparing machine.
This new or improved fibre washing and disintegrating and sequential treatment
and mechanism or machine therefore consists of a series of two, three, or more large
washing drums or cylinders covered with the usual wire, gauze, or cloth for removing
the alkaline and vegetable or other deleterious coloured matters with the water into
the interior of the drums from the fibrous material in the trough outside. Within
each of these drums there is fitted a number of buckets (as from 4 to 8 according
to size of drum) which raise the liquid from the lower part and deliver through the
central eye or hollow spinde at one side, and they are each fitted with three
longitudinal rows of radial, curved, or angular teeth projecting from the outside
of its periphery.
The drums or cylinders being so geared to each other, and the rows of teeth so
set at equal angles to each other, that they pass one another in alternate intervals,
and worked down into the fibrous material floating in the trough below, preferably
made hollow or segmental at this part below each drum, and thus agitate and
separate the material, while the water which has absorbed or taken up the coloured
matters is strained off into the interior of these fibre agitating or separating
cylinders, removing little or no. fibre along with the water, as at this time it is only
torn and separated in long fibres by the rows of teeth in the cylinders carrying it
along through the water in the trough without its passing through the wire gauze
cylinders.
The two or three rows of separating teeth or prongs are preferably curved-or
angled backwards so as to push the fibrous material forward and leave it freely on
the front rising side without lifting or carrying it round over the straining
cylinders. From this set of separating toothed and straining cylinders at the
feeding in end the fibrous mass is carried along and delivered to a series (say of.
from 3 to 6) long tooth revolving rakes, with their very sharp pointed teeth
projecting down in a backwardly curved or angled manner in two, three, or more
rows across small central solid barrels on their cross shafts, or it might be from
cross bars with corresponding radial arms formed on eyes keyed on the shafts.
The bars with their teeth stretch quite across the whole trough work overlapping
each other longitudinally down into the floating fibre in it, preferably having
corresponding hollow curved or segmental parts below each set of revolving prongs,
the shafts of which are so set and geared that their prongs work freely in between
the spaces of those of the other set, all at about the same speed as the tooth
straining cylinders, and somewhat faster than the material is to be carried forward
through the trough in the opposite direction to the flow of washing water, which
flows back through the material as it is fed forwards by one set of the rakes to the
other, which revolve and pass each other as the teeth of the straining cylinders do
in alternate angles or division of each revolution and interval of the time.
This series of five revolving rakes or so carries the material to the end of the
trough, where a single revolving rake raises it on to or brings it in contact with a
delivery roll filled with sharp iron spikes, which further disintegrate the fibre and
throws or spreads it on to an endless web, which carries it to and through a pair of
squeezing rollers, which express the water out of it and deliver the material into
recepticles or otherwise ready for the further treatment in the usual or ordinary
fibre reducing and pulp preparing machinery for the manufacture of paper. Under
each end of the trough of the machine a pulp saver is fitted, all the discharge from
the straining drum washers passes through that at the feeding in end, and the
discharge from the delivery squeezing rollers pass through the other under the
delivery end.
These pulp savers consist each of a long shallow trough the width of the machine,
covered with fine wire cloth, and placed at an angle highest at the ends of the

page_text: machine and inclined towards the floor at the inner ends under the middle part of
the machine. All the discharge and water is led on to the high end of the side
frame, and as it flows towards the lower end the water passes through the wide
seive into a conducting trough below this and is discharged at its lower end, while
any fibre that may be in the discharge remains on the top of the wire cloth. To
collect this fibre and keep the wire cloth clean, a set of narrow brushes is mounted
across on endless belts mounted over two pulleys on a spindle at the upper and
lower end, turned so as to brush and deliver the fibre over the lower end of the
wire seive, which is also thus cleaned; or, otherwise, where there is no room for
traversing the brushes on endless bands as at the seive at the lower feeding in end
of the machine, the brushes may be mounted so as to be reciprocated by crank
levers and connecting rods.
When the brushes are drawn down the incline they rest on and clean the wire
cloth and draw down towards and deliver the fibre at the lower end; and when
they return up the incline they are raised a little of the seive on switches at the
sides and drop on to it again at the upper end of their stroke, thus over reaching
the fibre brought forward by the preceeding stroke continuously. This pulp saver
can also be used apart from the washing machine, and at any other place where
there is a discharge of liquid and fibre to be caught.
"

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Alfred Sommerville and William Malcolm in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 16th April 1880.
WILLIAM ALFRED SOMMERVILLE, Paper Maker, Kevock Mill, Lasswade, in the
County of Midlothian, North Britain, and WILLIAM MALCOLM, Engineer in the
Paper Mill of Kevock, Lasswade, in the County of Midlothian, North Britain.
"IMPROVEMENTS CONNECTED WITH THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER, AND IN MACHINERY
FOR TREATING THE FIBROUS MATERIALS EMPLOYED THEREIN."
Our said Invention has reference to certain improvements in the earlier processes
connected with paper making, namely, in the mode and means of, and arrangements
of machinery employed for the washing and disintegrating of the esparto grass or
other fibrous materials to be used in the manufacture of paper pulp and paper,
which improvements will save much time and manual labour, and prevent the loss
of valuable fibre, which occurs with the modes and means and arrangements of
machinery heretofore in use in the washing and preparation of fibrous materials for
paper pulp.
And the nature and novelty of the Invention or improvements consists in taking
the esparto grass or other fibrous material of which the pulp or paper is to be
made in sufficient quantity, regulated as nearly as possible to supply each new
washing and treating machine direct or regularly, as it is discharged from the first
complete alkaline treatment in the usual steam boilers, then spreading this
material by hand on to the receiving end of the endless carrying feeding and
delivery web, carried on or over end and supporting rollers, and which at the other
end delivers the material regularly into the new or improved washing machine, and
which consists of a long trough and arrangement or combination of machinery for
regularly and sequentially washing and disintegrating the fibrous material while it
is being regularly carried forward in the opposite direction to the flow of washing
water supplied at the highest or delivery end, where the fibrous material is finally
delivered on to an endless web through a pair of squeezing rollers ready for
removal to the ordinary fibre breaking or cutting, and pulp preparing machine.
And in order that our said Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be
performed or carried into effect or practice, may be properly understood, we have
hereunto appended a Sheet of explanatory Drawings for that purpose, in which the
same reference letters are used to indicate the same or like parts where they are
shown.
Figure 1 on this Sheet of Drawings is a side elevation partly in section; Figure
2 is a plan, and Figure 3 is a transverse section taken as at the line 1, 1, in Figure 1,
of a modification of our improved machine or apparatus for washing esparto and
other like fibrous material to be used for the manufacture of paper pulp. Referring
to these Drawings our new or improved fibre washing and disintegrating machine
or mechanism for the sequential treatment of the fibre and pulp consists of a long
trough A, A', A", made either' of wood or iron, set on an incline, carried between
strong side frames A2, and into which there is introduced from above, and at the
higher end A, a constant flow of water which runs along the whole length of the
trough to the lower end A¹. The fibrous material to be washed and treated is
introduced at the lower end A¹ of the trough by means of a travelling canvas or
endless web B, moving round rollers b, carried by brackets or pillow blocks b¹,
fitted to the framework A² of the machine, on which web B the material is spread
and discharged into the trough A, A¹, A", whence it is carried along against the
stream to be delivered at the higher end A" of the trough and machine by a series
of two, or it might be three, or more large washing drums or cylinders C, C,
covered with the usual wire gauze or cloth round their peripheries for removing the
alkaline and vegetable or other deleterious coloured matters with the water, which

page_text: passes into the interior of the drums C, C³, to be led away for further treatment, as
will hereinafter be described, and is thus separated from the fibrous material in
the trough A, A¹; A", outside. Within each of these drums there is fitted a
number of the usual buckets (as from 4 to 8, according to the size of the drum),
which raise the liquid or alkaline coloured water that has passed through the wire
cloth from the lower part, and deliver it through a central eye or hollow spindle c,
shown particularly in Figure 2, at one side into a lateral spout c", leading into a
receiving longitudinal duct c. The drums C, C', are each fitted with three or
more longitudinal rows of radial, curved, or angular teeth c, projecting from the
outside of their peripheries. The first revolving drum C passes the fibrous material
on to the second drum C¹ by means of its radial teeth c, where the same operation
of removing and separating the water from the fibre takes place, and this again
passes the fibre on to another drum, to be similarly acted on by this, when there
are more than two such drums (C) in succession, and the material is thence
delivered to the first of a series of revolving rakes D, D¹, D², D³, D³, which pass it
from one to another against the current of water on to the last rake D'. The
drums C, C¹, are mounted on transverse axes or spindles C", carried in journal
bearing standards C, over the long trough A, A', A", and are driven by bevel
wheels c, in gear with bevel wheels c³, on a longitudinal counter shaft c, driven by
a pair of bevel wheels c, c, and counter shaft c, from the spur gearing d³, which
actuates the series of revolving rakes D, D¹, D², D³, D¹
These drums or cylinders C, C₁, are so geared to each other, and the rows of
teeth so set at equal angles to each other that they pass one another in alternate
intervals, and work down into the fibrous material floating in the trough A, A¹,
below, preferably made hollow or segmental at this part below each drum, as
indicated by the dotted curved lines A, and thus agitate and separate the
material while the water which has absorbed or taken up the coloured matters is
strained off into the interior of these fibre agitating or separating cylinders C, C¹,
removing little or no fibre along with the water, as at this time it is only torn or
separated in long fibres by the rows of teeth in the cylinders C, C¹, carrying it
along through the water in the trough without its passing through the wire gauze
of these cylinders C, C'. The two or three rows of separating teeth or prongs c, are
preferably curved or angled backwards, so as to push the fibrous material
forward, and leave it freely on the front rising side, without lifting or carrying
it round the straining cylinders C, C¹. From this set of separating toothed and
straining cylinders C, C₁, at the feeding in end A¹ of the trough A, the fibrous mass
is carried along by means of the teeth c, and pressed down under the water,
carried round under the druins, and up again behind, to be delivered to the series of
long toothed revolving rakes D, D1, D2, D3, D4, in succession, by which the fibrous
material is similarly acted on, and (which though five are shown may be more or
less in number) with their long sharp pointed teeth d projecting down in a back-
wardly curved or angled manner in two, three, or more rows across their small
central solid barrels or drums D, D1, D2, D3, D4, on their cross shafts d', carried in
standard bearings d", on the framing A2 of the trough A, A', A", or it might be
from cross bars with corresponding radial arms formed on eyes keyed on the shafts.
The barrels D, D', D2, D3, D4, or bars with their teeth d stretch quite across the
whole trough, and work overlapping each other in alternate intervals longitudinally
down into the floating fibre in it, preferably having corresponding hollow curved
or segmental parts A³ below each set of revolving prongs d, the shafts d' of which
are driven by means of alternate working and transmitting spur wheels d², d³, in
continuous line, so that they all revolve in the same direction, as indicated by the
arrows, and their prongs are set so as to work freely in between the radial spaces,
and it might be also the longitudinal spaces of those of the set on each side, all at
about the same speed as the toothed straining cylinders C, C¹, and somewhat faster
than the material is desired to be carried forward through the trough A, A1, A", in
the opposite direction to the flow of the washing water, which is purer as the
material passes onward, and which flows back through the material as it is led

page_text: forwards by one set of the rakes D to the other, which revolve and pass each other
as the teeth of the straining cylinders C, C¹, do in alternate angles or divisions of
each revolution and interval of the time. The last D of this series of five revolving
rakes D, D1, D2, D3, D4, or so, carries the material up to the highest delivery end
A of the trough A, to be caught by a single oscillating or reciprocating rake E
carried in bearing brackets E2 over the end of the trough A, A", which last rake E
has only one row of teeth or prongs e fixed upon its arm or cross head E, which is
fitted to its oscillating or rocking spindle E' by an eye Ell so as to be adjustable
laterally thereon. This rake E has its oscillating or traversing motion given to it
by means of a lever e¹ on one end of its central spindle E¹, actuated by a crank e²
and connecting rod ell from a crank shaft e², mounted in bearing standards e³ on
the trough framing A, A3, A4, and driven by a spur pinion d³ from one of the sets
of spur wheels d², d³, operating the revolving rakes D, D. The rake E, e, which is
caused to make one stroke for each row of teeth in the revolving rake D* lifts or
removes the fibre from the teeth d of the rake D' as they pass, and any fibre that
may be left by the teeth of the reciprocating rake E and carried round by the
revolving rake D' may be removed or brushed off its teeth or prongs d by a
stationary brush E³ fitted above so as to fall into the trough A. The oscillating
rake E then raises the fibrous material on to or brings it in contact with a
delivery roll F which is carried in bearing brackets F on the framing A², beyond
the delivery end A¹ of the trough A, and is fitted with sharp iron spikes f which
further disintegrate the fibre and throw or spread it on to an endless web or
canvas G passing over and round guide rollers g, carried in bearing brackets g¹ on
the framing A2, and which web G itself also passes and carries the material with it
through a pair of squeezing rollers H, H', fitted with sliding bush bearings h in
side frames or standards H carried on the outer end framing A1111 of the machine,
and the upper roller H' is pressed down by means of weights h', or other equivalent,
which regulate the pressure bearing on the upper journal bushes h, so that these
rolls H, H, express the water out of the fibrous material passing through them and
deliver it into receptacles for removal; or, otherwise, on to travelling bands or
elevators for the further treatment in the usual beating engines or fibre reducing
and pulp preparing machinery for the manufacture of paper, this delivery band G
being actuated by the revolving and gripping action of the rollers H, H³. These
compressing and water expressing rollers H, H¹, are geared together by a pair of
spur pinions H1, the under one being actuated by a shaft H2 in line with the
shaft of the under roller H carried in a wall bearing block and bracket at the outer
end H³, and actuated by a pulley H* and cross belt H5 from a pulley H6 in the first
motion or actuating shaft J of the machine. This shaft J is carried in plummer
block bearings J, J", the former in a wall block at J¹ and the latter on the supple-
mentary frame A4, A5, which carries the pillar bearing blocks d¹ of the outer ends
of all the shafts d' of the intermediate transmitting spur wheels d³ actuating the
rakes D, d, all substantially as before described. This frame A4, which is secured
and carried by brackets A5 from the one side of the main frame A³ of the machine,
also carries the bearing blocks of the bevel wheel shafts c, c, which actuate the
perforated or side drum washers C, C¹, and a pulley 62 on the shaft c" of the drum C,
actuates the feeding in web B through a cross belt at 63 passed over a pulley 6¹¹ on
one of the rollers b. The first motion shaft J may be actuated direct by a motive
power engine or by a belt passed over a turned fly wheel J2, and this shaft gives
motion to the whole machine through the spur wheels J3, J4, the latter of which is
carried on one of the shafts d' of the intermediate transmitting wheels d³.
Under the drum washers and revolving rakes D, D', D³, D³, D, there is a
segmental zinc plate lining A1, A3, fitted near to the circle described by the points
of the teeth to keep the fibre up to the work. The segmental plates A¹¹¹, A³,
under the drum washers are perforated with small holes to allow any sand that
may be in the material to sink down through them and deposit in the space
between the said plates A111, A3, and the bottom of the trough A. Under these
perforated plates, and between them and the bottom of the trough, there is intro-

page_text: duced a water pipe, and the water admitted through this pipe is so regulated as to
give a gentle flow up through the perforations to prevent the fibre from sinking
down through them, but not so strong as to prevent sand or any heavy matter
from settling down through the perforations to the bottom, where such heavy
matter is deposited and can be periodically removed.
Under each end of the trough A of the machine an improved pulp or fibre saver
is fitted, into which all the discharge from the straining drum washers A, A¹, A",
pass through that at the feeding end A¹, and the discharge from the delivery
squeezing rollers H, H, pass through the other under the delivery end A". These
pulp savers consist each of a long shallow trough I, I¹, the width of the machine,
covered with fine wire cloth and placed at an angle, highest at the ends of the
machine, and inclined towards the floor at the inner ends I under the middle part
of the machine. All the discharge and water is led on to the high end of the sieve
frame I, I, by a transverse spout I", receiving the water from the expressing rollers
H, H, and delivery band G, and as it flows towards the lower end I' the water
passes through the wide wire sieve into a conducting trough I11 below this, and is
discharged at its lower end, while any fibre that may be in the discharge remains
on the top of the wire cloth. To collect this and keep the wire cloth clean a set of
narrow brushes i is mounted across an endless belt i mounted over two rollers or
pulleys j, j, on spindles j¹ j¹, carried in bearing brackets j" at the upper and lower
end I, I', of this pulp saver, turned so as to brush and deliver the fibre over the
lower end of the wire sieve into a trough or duct K under this end I¹, the action of
the bushes also keeping the sieve cleaned. The endless chain or web of brushes
I, I, is actuated by a pulley j2 on the end of the shaft of one of its rollers; through
an open belt j³, passing down from a pulley 4 on the spindle d' of one of the inter-
mediate spur wheels d³, this shaft d also having a pulley f2 on it which actuates
the spiked roller F by means of a cross belt f¹¹ passed over a pulley f' on the shaft
of the spiked delivery roller F, f.
By another modification of this pulp saving sieve arrangement to be used where
there is not room for traversing the brushes on endless bands, as at the sieve at the
lower feeding in end A¹ of the machine, which is shown in section for the better
illustration of the working details, the bushes i are mounted on a light reciprocating
lath or frame ¿¹¹, so as to be reciprocated by a crank lever and connecting rod
on each side, connected at their free ends to long pendant levers 12 on a rocking
shaft carried in journal bearings on the frame A2 across beneath the middle of the
trough A, and oscillated by a short lever it on one side, and connecting rod i³ from
a revolving crank on the overhanging end of the shaft d' of one of the revolving
rakes D², so as to give the frame i" and brushes i a long reciprocating action to and
fro over the perforated sieve I, I'. When the bushes are drawn down the incline
they rest on and clean the wire cloth I, I', and drawn down towards and deliver the
fibre at the lower end into the long transverse receptacle or trough K, and when
they return up the incline they are raised a little off the sieve I, I¹, by means of
the studs or bearers k on each side at their outer and inner back ends gliding up on
two or more inclined switches k¹, k, at each side oscillating on their back ends "
where the brushes i¹ drop on to the sieve again at the upper end of their stroke,
thus over-reaching and bringing forward the fibre during the next stroke con-
tinuously, and in returning pass under and raise the points k¹ of the switches as the
raising studs pass them, so as to pass forward over them at the next stroke, all as
described. The water delivered from the revolving drum washers C, C', and duct
or trough c¹ is led down into the back end 11 of the pulp saving sieve arrange-
ment, and flows in a thin stream over the bridge I2 regularly over the whole surface
of the perforated sieve I, I', so as to be drained from and leave the fibre on the
surface of the sieve to be brushed and delivered into the box K, all as described.
Either of these arrangements of pulp savers with transverse or reciprocating
brushes may also, when desired, be used apart from this washing and preparing
machine, and at other parts of the paper pulp making or preparing process where

page_text: there is a discharge of liquid and fibre to be caught, and pulp savers may be
required.
Having thus particularly described the nature of our said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, we wish it to be understood that we
do not confine ourselves to the precise details herein described and delineated, but
what we consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention
secured to us by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The general construction or arrangement of machine, or combination of
the parts thereof with a series of revolving sieve drum washers and rakes for the
washing and disintegrating or separating of esparto grass or other fibrous material
during the preparation of the same for paper pulp, in a continuous manner and
carried in a reverse direction to the flow of the cleaning water, all substantially as
and for the purposes and advantages herein described in reference to and shown in
the accompanying Drawings, or any mere modification thereof.
Second. The arrangement of revolving sieve drum washers with sets of teeth on
their peripheries, and of revolving rakes working down into a trough with segmental
bottoms under these, either perforated or not, as desired, for the pressing down in
front and raising again of the esparto grass or other fibrous material during the
process of washing and separating the same for the manufacture of paper fibre or
pulp, all substantially as and for the purposes and advantages herein described in
reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings, or any mere modification
thereof.
Third. The arrangement and construction of the trough with circular or segmental
linings or bottoms, either perforated or not, as desired, beneath the revolving drum
sieve washers and rakes for the washing and separating or preparing of esparto
grass or other fibrous material for the manufacture of paper fibre or pulp, all sub-
stantially as and for the purposes and advantages herein described, in reference to
and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Fourth. The construction and arrangement of the parts of fibre sieves or savers
with traversing or reciprocating brushes for the saving of all fibrous material which
may pass off with the discharge or waste water from the revolving drum, sieves, or
other parts of pulp washing and preparing machines in the manufacture of paper
fibre or pulp, all substantially as herein described in reference to and shown in the
accompanying Drawings, or any mere modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Malcolm, have, on behalf of the said
William Alfred Sommerville and myself, hereunto set my hand and seal, this
Twelfth day of April, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and eighty.
WILLIAM MALCOLM. (L.S.)