IMPROVEMENTS IN PAPER MAKING MACHINERY
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Hobday, of 18, Atchley Street, Barton
Hill, in the City of Bristol, for the Invention of" IMPROVEMENTS
IN PAPER MAKING MACHINERY."
Sealed the 23rd December 1875, and dated the 24th July 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Hobday at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with bis Petition, on the
24th July 1875
I, JOSEPH HOBDAY, of 18, Atchley Street, Barton Hill, in the City
of Bristol, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
“IMPROVEMENTS IN PAPER MAKING MACHINERY," to be as follows .-
--
This Invention has for its object to construct machinery for auto-
matically making sheets of paper similar to hand made sheets. For this
purpose I employ an endless series of moulds cach jointed at the centre
of then ends to two endless chains carried by rollers at the front and
back of the machine. The several moulds, whilst they are being supplied
with pulp, and whilst they are passing to the spot at which the paper is

page_text: $6
pressed off" from them by the couch roll, are supported by a series of
parallel rollers. After passing the couch roll the moulds are carried
round by the endless chains, and returned back again to the front of the
machine, and again come into position to be filled with pulp, the moulds
as they are thus carried back by the chains are passed through a trough
of water to cleanse them The front end of this trough is supported by
hanging links, which also carry the bearings of the front roll over which
the endless chains pass, and which also support the front ends of the
rods by which the supporting rollers herein-before mentioned aic carried.
A vibratory motion is given to the hanging links by eccentrics or other-
wise to give a shaking motion to the front end of the continuous series
of moulds
-
As the moulds are brought in succession to the front of the machine,
and rise up over the front roller which supports the endless chains, the
moulds are brought face upwards into a horizontal position, and pass
below a small trough which is continuously supplied with paper pulp,
and from which a continuous stream of pulp is supplied to the moulds
as they pass below them. Any of the pulp which may fall through the
spaces between the moulds is received into a shallow vat below, from
which it flows into the vat containing the main supply, and from which
it is again raised by lifters The moulds, after being filled with pulp,
are conveyed onwards along the rollers by incans of the endless chams
before mentioned, and are brought below a revolving couch roll, by
which the paper is "pressed off" tiom the moulds and caused to adhere
to an endless travelling felt, by which it is conveyed away and carried
between pressing rollers to be consolidated, and the sheets as they are
delivered from between the consolidating rollers are taken off the felt
and made up into a pile. The moulds 1 form with fixed deckles around
all the edges, projecting, say, about 3 of an inch above the sieve
surface, the top of the deckles are brought to an edge, the inner face of
the deckles being vertical and the outer face sloped downwards away
from the top edge, so that as the moulds pass below the couching roll
the endless felt may readily be pressed into the mould and take away
the paper from it By thus sloping away the outer sides of the deckles
all superfluous pulp flows away from their top surface, and is not
brought into contact with the felt of the couch roll
$2
In place of the moulds being connected to endless chains and moved
in a continuous course, as above described they may ho corrod by a

page_text: frame, to which a reciprocating to-and-fro motion is given. The forward
movement can be given to the frame by the couch roll bearing upon it,
and the backward movement given to it by a cord and weight when the
couch roll is raised. The raising of the couch roll at the time required
may be effected automatically. This arrangement is applicable when
making large or thick papers cither with one or more moulds.
The stream of pulp by which the moulds are filled is only allowed to
run at the times when there is a mould in position to be filled.
During the backward movement of the moulds they are cleansed by
ints of atom fram a nonfounted mus
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Joseph Hobday in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 24th January 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
ПOBDAY, of 18, Atchley Street, Barton Hill, in the City of Bristol, send
greeting
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Joseph Hobday, Her special
license, that 1, the said Joseph Hobday, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Joseph Hobday,
my executors, adınınistrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PAPER MAKING MACHINERY," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Joseph Hobday, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one

page_text: of their hands and scals, should particularly describe and ascertam the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to
be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Joseph Hobday, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement thereof, that is to say
-
paper
is
This Invention has for its object to construct machinery for auto-
For this
matically making sheets of paper similar to hand made sheets
purpose I employ an endless series of moulds, each Jointed at the centre
of their ends to two endless chains carried by rollers at the front and
back of the machine The several moulds whilst they are being supplied
with pulp, and whilst they are passing to the spot at which the
"pressed off" from them by the couch roll, are supported by a series of
parallel rollers These rollers, as also the front roller over which the
endless chains pass, are carried by a frame which at its front end is
supported by links, to which a vibratory motion is given by eccentrics
or otherwise, and thereby a vibratory motion is given to the moulds
resting on the frame.
1
As the moulds are brought in succession to the front of the machine
and rise up over the front roller, the moulds are brought faco upwards
into a horizontal position, and pass below a small trough, which is
continuously supplied with paper pulp, and from which a continuous
stream of pulp is supplied to the moulds as they pass below it. Any of
the pulp which may fall through the spaces between the moulds is
received into a pan or save-all below, from which it flows through a
shoot into the lifter box to be again raised by lifters to the knotter
The moulds after being supplied with pulp are convoyed onwards along
the rollers by means of the endless chains before mentioned, and are
brought below a revolving couch roll, by which the paper is "pressed
off" from the moulds, provision being made as heen-after descubed
for maintaining a uniform pressure from end to end of the moulds The
sheets of paper as they are pressed off adhere to an endless travelling felt,
by which they are conveyed away and carried between pressing rollers
to be consolidated.
As the sheets are delivered from between the con-

page_text: copper, or other material are placed between the chains and the ends of
the moulds The screws which fasten the chams to the moulds pass
through these blocks. The blocks are bevilled off on cach side at the
top to allow pulp to flow off from them. The chains being by these
means held at a distance from the moulds, are kept clear of pulp.
Theso
The axes of the roller C' at the back end of the machine turn in
bearings carried by the main frame, and a slow continuous revolving
motion is given to this roller The bearings of the front roller C are
carried by links D, one at each side of the machine. These links at
their lower end are free to oscillate on fixed pins D', and at their upper
end are connected together by a rod. On the opposite side of the
machine to that shown in Figure 1 they are also connected at their
upper end by a connecting rod to a crank or eccentric, to which a con-
tinuous evolving motion is imparted, and a short vibratory to-and-fro
motion crosswise of the machine is thus given to the links. To each of
the links is attached a horizontal bar E The opposite ends of these bars
turn upon pins F carried on the inner face of the back end of the main
frame. The bars E have fixed below each of them other bars.G.
bars support rollers G¹, which pass across from one side of the machine
to the other, and serve as a support for the moulds, as shown in the
partial plan view Figure 2, and the mould so resting upon the rollers of
the shaking frame shake to and fio with them. Upon the top of the
bars E, near their front end, is fixed a trough H, which is continuously
supplied with pulp, and from which the pulp flows on to the moulds.
A perspective view and cross section of this trough are shewn at
Figures 3 and 4 The pulp, after being passed through a knotter in the
ordinary manner, is supplied by a shoot I (see Figure 3) to a compart-
ment l' at the end of the trough H, and flows along a channel K to a
hollow box which passes from end to end of the trough H, and escapes
through holes K' at the top of the box. The pulp so escaping flows
down the steps II², and at the bottom of the trough escapes on to the
moulds through a slit II³, being as it escapes caused to flow in the same
direction as that in which the moulds are travelling by means of a
plate H* fixed below the slit H³, as shewn at Figure 4 Any surplus
pulp supplied to the compartment H' escapes by an overflow into the
save-all R. The trough I being carried by the bars E oscillates to and
fio with the moulds The roller C' at the back end of the machine being
continuously revolved as above described gives motion to the endless

page_text: chains B, and these carry the moulds A along with them. The moulds
as they rise up over the front rollor O como into a horizontal position
and rest upon the rollers G¹ of the shaking frame, and are drawn along
over these rollers by the endless chains. As the moulds pass below the
trough H they are supplied with pulp, and as they continue to travel
forward they continue to shake with the frame until they come below
the couch roll L. Sufficient water will then have run off from tho
mould to allow the sheet of pulp to be lifted from it by the ondless
blanket or felt M, which passes over the couch roll as shewn. The
couch roll is of greater length than the moulds, and is covered with
vulcanized india-rubber or felt, or other clastic material, to give it a soft
clastic surface, and prevent the blanket M being cut by the deckles.
The bearings in which the axes of the couch roll turn are carried by
weighted levers N, as shown, and the rollers upon which the moulds rest
as they come below the couch roll are made of sufficient strength to
support the mould without allowing it to spring or bend. As each
mould comes below the couch roll it is supported immediately below
this roll by one of the above-mentioned strong rollers marked G².
The moulds also are made with cross bars at intervals on their under
side, as shown in the under side view of one of the moulds at Figure 5,
these cross bars are level with the bottom of the mould, and rest upon
the roll G. The mould being thereby supported at intervals along the
whole of its length the couch roll is caused to press uniformly upon it
both at its centre and ends.
In order also to still further ensure a uniformity of pressure of the
couch roll upon the whole length of the mould the lower rolls G³ may
be covered with vulcanized india-rubber or other elastic material The
moulds after having the sheet of pulp taken off from them pass down
over the roller C', and as they travel back to the front of the machine
pass through a trough of water O, by which they are thoroughly
cleansed. Guide boards are placed along the trough on either side of
the moulds to prevent them swaying to and fro to an inconvenient
extent. As the endless felt M is pressed on to the sheet of pulp upon
the surface of a mould the sheet adheres to the felt, and is lifted by it
from the mould and carried between one or more pairs of pressing
rollers P, P, which may be of metal, wood, or other material The
upper
roller P has an endless felt P' passing around it, kept taut by

page_text: the roller P² as shewn, so that the sheets of pulp as they pass between
the rollers P have a felt above and below them, and the rollers squeeze
away a considerable portion of the moisture remaining in the sheets.
The water so squeezed away falls into the trough Q, and is carried off by
a pipe to the trough O.
The sheets after passing between the rollers P are carried onwards by
the felt M, and may if desired be carried by the felt over an ordinary
suction box to have still further moisture drawn off from them. After-
wards they are lifted off from the felt by an attendant, who stands upon
the platform Z, and the sheets are by the attendant made into a pack,
which is afterwards carried off to a drying chamber. The sheets being
hung separately over horizontal bars in this chamber are allowed to dry
slowly.
The manner in which I affix deckles all around the moulds is shewn
at Figures 6, 7, and 8. Figure 6 is a perspective view of a mould con-
structed according to one arrangement, and Figure 7 a transverse section
of the same. The sieve surface of the mould is formed as usual of
parallel wires S resting upon the top of and being sown by wire down
to wooden cross bars S¹, which pass across the frame of the mould, as
shewn at Figure 5. The top of the outer frame of the mould is bevilled
away as shewn, and upon the bevilled off top of the frame are fixed by
screws or otherwise the deckle plates S The deckle plates for the ends
of the moulds are made at the top with a projecting lip S³ to come
above the ends of the wires S2, and hold them down against the top
edge of the outer wooden frame, the deckles for the sides of the moulds
do not require to be formed with this projecting lip The upper edge
of the deckles projects, say, one-eighth, or three thirty-seconds of an
inch above the wire sieve surface of the mould, and on their inner edge
the deckles are slightly thrown back or inclined away from the wire
surface of the moulds, as shewn, to allow the pulp to leave the mould
freely as it is being taken off by the felt M.
Figure 8 shews a cross section of another mould, in which the top
edge of the outer frame is bevilled away inwards, and deckle plates S
are fixed vertically to the outer sides of the frame.

page_text: kept steady in their progress backwards and forwards by means of
flanges G or guide pulleys on the rollers G³, as shewn in the partial plan
view of the machine Figure 10 The bars T at their extreme ends are
connected to each other by means of the rod T³, which keeps them
steady as they move. A spring is attached to the main frame, which
spring as the bars T return to the front of the machine presses against
the bars and gradually arrests their motion. To lift the couch roll at
the time required the lever carrying the couch roll is by a rod U jointed
to a lever U¹ When the roll requires to be lifted a pin Von a
revolving wheel V is caused to act against and turn the lever U³, and so
lift the lever which carries the bearings of the couch roll
The raising
of the lever U¹ at the time required is controlled by driving the wheel
V by means of a band and speed pulleys or otherwise, so as to cause it
to revolve_at_the speed required for the particular size of mould or
moulds which is or are being used. The moulds being set free are
carried back as above stated to the front of the machine, and as they
move back they pass below a pipe W, from which jets of water are
directed on to the moulds to cleanse them When the pin V¹ has been
carried round past the end of the lever U¹ the couch roll again descends
on to the bars T, and the moulds are again caused to travel forwards
The crank by which motion is given to the shake frame is shewn by
dotted lines at X
In order that pulp shall not flow on to the moulds as they are by the
chains or cords T and weights T brought back to the front of the
machine, a valve Z is pressed down on to the top of the holes K'
through which the pulp enters the supply trough II. This valve plate
15 carried by bell-crank lovers Y, which by other rods and cranks are
coupled to the levers which carry the couch roll, so that when these
levers are raised the valve desends and shuts off the supply of pulp.
The flow of pulp when shut off flows by an overflow in compartment II'
into the save-all below. The moulds used with this machine are similar
to those used in the machine shown at Figure 1, so that it is unnecessary
to describe them Other means than those above described may
again
be employed for moving the moulds backwards and forwards upon the
shaking fiame
Having thus described the nature of my Invention and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I claim as my
improvements in paper making machinery,-

page_text: frame by the action of the couch roll and counterbalance weights sub-
stantially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Hobday, have hereunto
set my hand and scal, this Twenty day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
SIX.
JOSEPH HOBDAY. (L.S.)