IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO DRIVING MECHANISM FOR PAPER MAKING MACHINERY
Year: 1884

page_text: I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co Patent Agents
Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature
of my Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO DRIVING MECHANISM
FOR PAPER MAKING MACHINERY" and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This Invention relates to means for driving the machine, the couch-roll, the
presser-rolls, the drying cylinders and the calenders of a paper mill by which means
ready access is had to the machine by dispensing with a train of shafting, spur and
mitre wheels, and a long series of belts and pulleys all arranged on the floor
alongside of the machine and its adjuncts, and impeding any approach with safety
to the machine, and by means of which a change of speed on any of the parts of
the machine singly or together is rendered much more easy and convenient than
heretofore. Ordinarily the whole train is driven from the main shaft, and pulleys
with belts of various widths and lengths, (some very long) drive the couches, press.
rolls, driers, and calenders in a long line within two or three feet of them and
extending nearly their whole length making approach to the machine difficult and
dangerous, since, in order to reach the machine for oiling or any other purpose, it is
necessary to crank through and between long wide belts when in motion.
In running a paper machine it is absolutely necessary that the harmony between
the different parts should be maintained by exact and quick adjustments. It is
also of great importance to provide in the driving apparatus of a paper machine for
maintaining a constant and unchanging speed of certain portions of the machine
such as the pumps which return the water strained from the paper pulp as it is
being formed into paper on the Fourdrinier wire, the screens through which the
pulp is strained on its passage to the Fourdrinier wire, and the agitators which keep
the pulp in motion in the vats, as well as the steam engine, water wheel or motor
driving the entire paper machine as is well known to all practical paper makers.

page_text: While it is of great importance to maintain on the above mentioned parts of a
paper machine a constant and unchanging speed, it is obvious that the couching
rolls, press-rolls driers and calenders, including all those parts of a paper machine
on which the paper is formed, pressed, dried, or calendered, must, in order to
produce the full amount of paper the machine is capable of making, be run at a
greater or less speed according to the thickness of paper made. The provision
ordinarily made is to use gear wheels of different sizes at a point on the main line
of shafting, between the points of transmission to those parts necessary to run at a
constant speed, and those points at which it is desirable to increase or diminish the
speed. This is done by cutting the main line of shafting at the desired point, and
employing a counter shaft running parallel to the main line and connected at each
end by spur gear-wheels to the two sections of the main line. The employment of
different sizes of spur wheels at these points of connection gives any desired speed
to the couch rolls, press rolls, driers, and calenders, as the speed of that point of
the main line shaft transmitting power to those several points is varied by changing
the spur gear wheels at the points of connection, with that part of the main line
which runs at a constant and unvarying speed. As the changing of the spur gear
wheels necessitates the stopping of the whole paper machine while the change is
being made, considerable time is lost in making these changes.
Efforts have been made to remove the necessity for stopping the paper machine
while these changes are being made by combining two cone pulleys, ten to twelve
feet long, with the spur gears, these cone pulleys running from 150 to 225 revolutions
per minute. The length of these cones, ten by twelve feet, not admitting of a high
speed, on account of the springing of the cones, it is necessary to use a belt about
ten inches wide, in order to transmit sufficient power to drive the machine, and as
a belt of this width will only work to advantage on cones of moderate pitch the
range of the changes of speed as controlled by the pitch and length of the cone is
not sufficient to make all the changes of speed required in producing paper at from
20 feet to 200 feet per minute, and it has been found necessary to use three or
moro sets of spur gear-wheels in connection with the cone pulleys, the range of
change allowed by the cones from the slowest to the fastest, speed being about
60 ft. per minute. Therefore when a change in the thickness of paper requires a
greater change in speed, the machine must be stopped, and a change in the speed
gear wheels made, so that the efforts to obtain the required changes in speed by
the use of cone pulleys and without the use of gear wheels have been only partially
successful. Again the use of two long cone pulleys in combination with the old
back line, or driving shafting of a paper machine necessitates additional room on
the back side of the machine, and it has been found necessary to erect a small
building outside the machine house in which to operate these cones.
It is very desirable to make any necessary change of the speed of the paper,
required in changing from thick to thin, or the reverse, without stopping the
machine and changing the gearing, and it is also very desirable to do this with
apparatus requiring no extra room, all of which I accomplish by combining four
cone pulleys about five or six feet long, or about half the length of the old style
in the manner hereinafter described. These cone pulleys being comparatively
short, admit of a higher rate of speed, which permits the use of a comparatively
narrow belt about four inches wide, giving the required power, and being enabled
to use these narrow belts, permits a much sharper pitch of the cones, and thus the
required range of speed is obtained without the annoyance of stopping the whole
machine to change the gearing. Also by one pair of cone pulleys above the other,
I avoid all necessity for the additional room made necessary by the old method of
driving paper machines and changing speeds.
The paper while passing over the different parts of the machine is always kept
under a strong but steady tension which must necessarily stretch it lengthwise,
especially while it is wet. The first press, in drawing the web from the wire
while it is in a very soft condition will stretch it somewhat. Another small
addition to its length is made by the second press, while it will shrink on the

page_text: driers, and again become elongated on the calenders. If all the pulleys for driving
the different parts have been fixed for a certain speed, weight of paper, and kind
of pulp, so as to adapt themselves to these elongations and contractions, and
suddenly a change of pulp occurs, if it is beaten longer or shorter, if it is thicker,
or if imperfections have entered into its composition, it will be found that the
first press and following parts are pulling the wet either too much or too little for
its changed character and tenacity, and the paper breaks or is injured. The same
experience will be had if the paper be made thinner or thicker; even if the speed
of the whole machine only be changed, every thing else remaining as before, the
paper may be differently formed on the wire. It may leave the coucher with more
or less water, and its tenacity will be increased or diminished. Any inequality of
tension, too, is liable to make a wrinkle in the calendering, and much more so to
break the sheet. Great quantities of paper are destroyed by these causes, which
are constantly occurring, often three or four times during an hour's work, making
it necessary that the relative speeds of the presses, driers, and calenders, should be
frequently but slightly changed.
The common way of accomplishing this is by what is termed "lagging."
A number of strips of canvas, or felting, or thick cloth about as wide as the face
of the pulley called "lagging" are kept at hand. When a change of speed is
desired one of these is smeared with "lagging-wax" so called, and laid on the
surface of the driving-pulley, to increase its diameter and quicken the speed of
the pulley or gear at the other end of the shaft. Through the number and length
of the strips held on the pulley by the wax any slight change can be produced,
and though a very rude and clumsy expedient, this " " lagging is in almost
universal use at the present time as nothing practical has yet been found to
supersede it. Expanding pulleys of various forms and other devices have been
tried, but some have been found too complicated, some get out of order too easily,
some cannot be adjusted without stopping the machine, and others still require
occasional lagging.
"
In the old way of running the machine the train has two or three sets of
gearing, and from four to six heavy belts from twelve to sixteen inches wide and
from eight to twenty four feet long; all very expensive on the start and difficult
to keep in repair, and are strained to their fullest tension, while my belts only few
in number, are short, none being over four inches wide, and all run vertically not
interfering with work and ready access to the machine.
My Invention dispenses entirely with lagging, does away with the long and
dangerous train of shafting, wheels, pulleys and belts on the floor by the side of
the machine and gives free approach to all its parts. By it danger is avoided,
safety increased, regularity of tension secured, speed regulated, power reduced, and
production increased.
In the accompanying Drawing
Figure 1 is a plan view of the improved driving machinery.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of a set of pulleys showing the belt-shipping
apparatus in connection therewith.
Figure 3 is a side view of the device for operating the belt-shipper.
Figure 4 is a side elevation of a complete paper-mill showing this Invention as
applied thereto. In this Figure owing to its great length I have made it in two
divisions, one part above the other, and it will be understood that the one below is
a continuation from the right hand end of the upper part.
Figure 5 is an end view.
A indicates the couch rolls; B and C the first and second press rolls; D the
drying cylinders; E the calenders; F the main driving shaft running in hangers
over head; G one of the pair of cone-pulleys driving the couch; G' one of the
pair of cone-pulleys driving the first press-roll; G³ one of the pair of cone pulleys
driving the second press roll; G³ one of the pair of cone pulleys driving the
drying cylinder; and G' one of the pair of cone pulleys driving the calender rolls.

page_text: The main shaft F runs overhead instead of on the floor. On the shaft F are
fixed conical pulleys or drums, each of which is connected by a belt with another
corresponding one below, driving each of the presses, the driers, and the calenders.
It will be observed that when the belt is moved up on the increasing face of one
of these cone pulleys; it is correspondingly moved on the decreasing face of the
other pulley and thereby increases its speed and consequently that of the roller or
drier to which it is connected by a mitre wheel gearing into a shaft on which the
roller or drier is fixed at a right angle to that running the cone pulley, and
vice-versa when the belt running over the cone-pulley on the driving shaft
overhead is shifted toward the decreasing face of the pulley, the one on which it
turns below will be diminished in speed.
The belt-shipper H (one for each pair of cone pulleys,) is hung at a convenient
height midway between the two pulleys, and is of a length suitable to reach from
the upper to the lower pulley. The ends are forked as usual in belt-shippers of all
kinds. To enable the shipper-which is of some length to be held firmly in
place and yet to move readily when required, the arms a are formed at their middle
into a sleeve or box b, say fourteen or sixteen inches long, through which passes
a bar c securely bolted to a support, and on this bar the shipper moves steadily.
To the upper side of this sleeve b is bolted a box nut, or female screw through
which passes the male screw e running in fixed gudgeons on the same supports
that hold the bar c, and having on one end a hand-wheelf by which the screw is
readily turned.
The operation of these devices will be readily seen, and how the speed of any of
the rollers can be adjusted instantly to suit circumstances. For instance, if from a
slight change in the stock in thickness, or in being beaten up, it should take more
water, and should in passing over the driers gain a trifle more on the calenders
than it had been running, so as to become a little slack on reaching the calender,
the operator, in an instant, seizes the hand-wheel on the bell-shipper moving the
belt on the pulley G', which runs the calender rolls, gives it two or three turns to
the left, runs the belt upon the said pulley G and correspondingly down on the
opposite pulley on the shaft below, and instantly brings up the speed to the extent
required, and so with any one, or all.
The main shaft L is cut or terminated at K, and on it is secured the pulley K,
through which, by a belt, the power of the motor is communicated to revolve the
said shaft. M indicates the main driving cone pulley connected by a belt to the
cone pulley N. The cone pulleys N and O are on the same shaft. The large end
of the cone pulley O is of the same size as the small end of cone pulley N, and is
connected with the cone pulley P by a belt. The cone pulley P is on a short shaft
extending to, and stopping at, K, on the right, and extending to the spur-gear
wheels R R, and connected by them to the shaft F F F.
V V indicate friction wheels connecting the shaft L to the shaft. W by means of
a screw X for the purpose of driving the washers. Y indicates a pump for
returning the water used in forming the paper, and Z Z screens for straining the
pulp.
The four inch belts connecting the four cones are adjusted by the
shipper 33.
am aware that cone-pulleys have long been in use for changing speed on
various machines, and in various ways, but never in any such combination as
I present, by the operation of which, as described, I secure greater convenience and
certainty in controlling the speed of every member of the machine, more equal
tension of the stock and paper, a very considerable saving of power in running
the machine, a very decided saving of labor in avoiding lagging, and also a great
saving in expense by dispensing with the long heavy belts ordinarily employed,
by which I get a very large increase in the production of paper, much more
room in working about the machine, and allow the machine-attendant easy and
comfortable access to every part of the machine without being exposed to the
constant danger of losing his life among the complication of belts and gearing of
machines as at present used.

page_text: 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
First. A belt-shipper composed of a pivoted arm H mounted upon a fixed bar,
and provided with a suitable fork adapted to engage the belt, in combination with
laterally moving screw mechanism, substantially as, and for the purposes, set
forth.
Second. The combination with a set of cone-pulleys, one of which is fixed upon
the belt-driving shaft, and the other fixed upon a shaft which carries a pinion
adapted to drive directly, or indirectly, the couch-rolls, the press-rolls, the drying
cylinder, or the calender-rolls of a paper-mill, of the belt shifting device adapted to
move the belt connecting the said cone-cylinders in a direction parallel with the
said driving shaft, all arranged substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Third. The combination of the cone-pulleys and a shipper, with the couch-rolls
of a paper machine, substantially as described.
Fourth. The combination of the cone-pulleys and a shipper, with the first and
with the second press-rolls, substantially as described and shown.
Fifth. The combination of the cone-pulleys and a shipper with the drying-
cylinder of a paper-machine, substantially as shown and described.
Sixth. The combination of the cone-pulleys and a shipper, with the calender
rolls of a paper machine, all substantially as shown and described.
Seventh. The combination of four cone-pulleys M, N, O, P, for the purpose of
changing and regulating the speed of parts of a paper machine, substantially as
described.
Eighth. The combination of the cone-pulleys M, N, O, P, with a set of cone
pulleys G, driving directly or indirectly the couching rolls of a paper machine,
substantially as described.
Ninth. The combination of the cone pulleys M, N, O, P, with a set of cone
pulleys driving directly or indirectly the press-rolls of a paper machine,
substantially as described.
Tenth. The combination of the cone-pulleys M, N, O, P with a set of cone
pulleys driving directly or indirectly the driers of a paper machine, substantially as
described.
Eleventh. The combination of the cone pulleys M, N, O, P with a set of cone
pulleys driving directly or indirectly the calenders of a paper machine substantially
as described.
Twelfth. The combination, in a paper machine, of the friction wheels V, V, the
screw X, the shafts L and W, and the washers 2, 2 substantially as described.
Dated this 23rd day of May 1884
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.