IMPROVE- MENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF PASTE- BOARD
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in
the County of Middlesex, and of 166, Buchanan Street, in the City
of Glasgow, North Britain, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF PASTE-
BOARD." A communication.
Sealed the 21st April 1857, and dated the 16th February 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Jolinson at
the Office of the Commissioners' of Patents, with his Petition, on tlio
16th February 1857.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Field's, in the County of
Middlesex, and of 166, Buchanan Street, in the City of Glasgow, North
Britain, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of tlie said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF PASTE-
BOARD," a communication from abroad, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in machinery or apparatus
for grinding or reducing the "half stuff" to a suitable fineness for the pulp
to be made into pasteboard, and also to an improved construction and
arrangement of machinery or apparatus for pressing and forming such pulp
into sheets.
According to this Invention, tlie material to be used in the manufacture of
pasteboard is, after having been first reduced to a state of "half stuff,"
subjected to the action of a grinding or reducing apparatus, which consists of

page_text: an inverted hollow truncated cone, the interior of which is formed with
spiral projections, the upper edges of which are sharp, so as to produce the
cutting or grinding action required. Inside this, cone revolves a corre-
spondingly-shaped drum, having similar spirals on its surface, but running in
a contrary direction to those of the casing, and having their sharp edges
downwards.
The "balf stuff" is introduced at the top or wider end of the hollow cone
and passes downwards, and is ground between the inner surface of the casing
and the outer surface of the revolving drum. The fine pulp thus produced
then flows into a receiving tank, and is taken therefrom in layers on the
surface of a revolving wire guaze cylinder, which is partially immersed
therein. This layer of pulp is transferred to an endless felt band, which
conveys it between a pair of rollers, the upper one of which I term the
forming roller, as it is upon its surface that the sheet of pasteboard is
produced. The circumference of the "forming" roller should correspond to
the size of sheet to be manufactured. The layer of pulp is wound round
this roller until it has arrived at the required thickness, whereupon a
spring slide or hinged plate carried inside the roller is released by means
of self-acting levers, and the sheet is immediately severed and loosened
from the roller: The thickness of the board is regulated by a roller, which
presses against the pulp on the surface of the "forming" roller, and
gradually recedes as the thickness increases, until an arm on each end
of its axis, fitted with a regulating screw, causes the spring slide or hinged
plate to be released, and so severs and loosens the sheet. A strip of india-
rubber on a moveable frame extending the entire length of the roller now
descends and removes the edge of the board from the slide or hinged
plate, whereupon it falls down on to a second felt band, which carries
it between one or more pairs of pressing rollers, the sheet being always
contained between two felt bands, which press upon it. The pressed sheet. of
pasteboard is now delivered by the last pair of pressing rollers on to a receiving
table.
In order to facilitate the severing of the pasteboard on the surface of the
*forming' roller, the slide itself, or the surface of the roller on either side of
the slide, is channelled, so that the pulp will be less pressed at that part, and
will consequently hold more water, and be weaker and more easily severed at
that than at the parts where the pulp has been well, pressed and rendered
more homogenous..
part

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, .filed
by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 15th August 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
and of 166, Buchanan Street, in the City of Glasgow, North Britain,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twentieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
John Henry Johnson, Her special license that I, the said John Henry John-
son, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the..said
John Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators, or 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, usc,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF PASTEBOARD," a commu-
nication from a foreigner residing abroad, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said John Henry Johnson, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain 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 John Henry Johnson, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
The said Invention relates to certain improvements in machinery or
apparatus for grinding or reducing what is known to manufacturers as the
"half stuff" to a suitable fineness for the pulp to be made into pasteboard,
and also to an improved construction and arrangement of machinery or
apparatus for pressing and forming such pulp into sheets.
"
According to this Invention, the material. to be used in the manufacture of
pasteboard..is, after having been first. reduced to a state of "half. stuff,"

page_text: .
subjected to the action of a grinding or reducing apparatus, which consists of
an inverted hollow truncated cone, having a number of spiral ribs or pro-
jections formed inside it, the edges of which projections are made sharp, so as
to produce the cutting or grinding action required. Inside this cone revolves
a correspondingly-shaped drum, having similar spirals on its surface, but 5
running in an opposite direction to those of the casing, and having their sharp
edges downward..
The "half stuff" is introduced at. the top or wider end of the hollow cone,
and on passing downwards is cut or reduced between the inner surface of the
casing and the outer surface of the revolving drum. The fine pulp thus 1
produced then flows into a receiving tank, and is taken therefrom in thin
layers. by and on the surface of a revolving wire gauze cylinder, which is
partially immersed therein. This layer of pulp is transferred to an endless
band of felt, which is in contact with the wire gauze cylinder, and conveys
the layer of pulp to and between a pair of rollers, the upper one of which 1
I term the "forming" roller, as it is upon its surface that the sheet of
pasteboard is produced.
The circumferance of the "forming "roller should correspond to the length
of sheet to be manufactured.
The layer. of pulp is wound round this roller until it has acquired the g
desired thickness,. whereupon a spring slide or hinged plate carried 'inside the
roller is released.by means of self-acting levers, and the sheet is immediately
cut across and loosened.
The thickness of the pasteboard is regulated at pleasure by a roller, which
presses against the pulp on the surface of the "forming" roller, and gradually s
recede as the thickness increases, until an arm on each end of its axis fitte
with a regulating screw causes the spring slide or hinged plate to be released,
and so cuts and loosens the sheet. A strip of india-rubber on a moveable
frame 'extending, the entire length of the roller now descends and removes tho
edge of the severed board from the slide or hinged plate, whereupon it leaves s
the forming rollers and falls down on..to a second felt band, which carries it.
between one or more pairs of pressing. rollers, the sheet being always, con-
tained between two felt bands, when pressed upon. The pressed sheet of paste-
board is now delivered. by the last pair of pressing rollers on to a running
.table.
In order to facilitate the separation of the pasteboard from the surface of "
the "forming" roller, the slide itself, or the surface of the roller on either. side
of the slide, is channelled, so that, the pulp. will be less pressed at that part,
and. will.consequently hold more water, and be weaker and more easily severed

page_text: at that part than at the parts where the pulp has been well pressed and
rendered more homogeneous.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood I shall now,
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose I shall
refer to the several Figures on the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, the
same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts throughout all the
corresponding Figures.
+
Figure 1 on the accompanying Drawing represents a longitudinal section
of the pasteboard making machine complete; Figure 2 is a detail section of
the outer casing of the conical pulp reduced, shewing the arrangement and
construction of the inner cutting ribs; and Figures 3 and 4. represent
respectively a front and side elevation of the "forming" roller.
The material to be used in the manufacture of pasteboard is, after being
first reduced to a state called "half stuff" by any of the well-known means,
brought into the reducer A, which consists of a hollow frustrum of a cone,
forming from 1 to 2 a funnel or expanded mouth, for the reception of the
half stuff," the sides being smooth, and as shewn, so as to facilitate the
descent of the "half stuff" towards that portion of the grinding surface from
2 to 3. This grinding surface has a less taper than the mouth, and is formed
with ribs running spirally downward, and forming cutting edges on. their
upper sides. These ribs extend also from 3 to the lowest extremity 4, and
lie nearer together as they approach the bottom, so as to form such inter-
mediate spaces as will allow the pulp when ground to the required fineness
only to pass through when the inner cone or grinder B (Figure 1)
revolving. This cone B has also ribs on its surface running in the opposite
direction to those on the outer case A, with their cutting edges downward;
and forming nearly an angle of forty-five degrees with the cutting edges of
the ribs in the casing A, these ribs lying likewise nearer together as they
approach towards the bottom of the cone. C is a pulley attached to the axis
of the cone to communicate motion to the same. The shaft of the .cone B
turns in suitable bearings a, a¹, attached to the outer case A, and rests with
its lower end upon the set screw d; whereby the cone B can be lowered or
raised to regulate the fineness of the pulp. To facilitate the passage of the
pulp, as well as the grinding process, a constant stream of water is made to
run in at the top of the casing A.
The ground pulp, flows into a vat.D, provided with an agitator E, and con-
taining a revolving cylinder F covered with wire gauze, by which a portion
of pulp is taken up, and from which it is taken off by the endless felt cloth G,
passing over the roller H, and is then carried forward by this felt cloth over

page_text: the guide rollers g" and g¹, and onward between a pair of rollers K and L.
The roller K is the "forming" roller upon which the paper web is wound,
adhering to the same by the adhesive property of the muslin or linen with
which the roller K is covered. The circumference of this "forming" roller K
must be made equal to the required length of one board. The roller K is
pressed against the lower roller L by a heavy weight W, by which the
moist surfaces of the paper web are made to adhere to each, other as the
same is wound upon the "forming" roller K until the required thickness
of the pasteboard is obtained. The endless barid or felt cloth G after
leaving the roller L returns again over suitable rollers in the ustial manner.
A roller M is pressed by a light spring c against the forming roller K,
having on its axis an arm N provided with the screw O, which is consequently
carried backward with this roller M as the same is forced away from the
forming roller K by the gradually increasing thickness of the board formed
around the roller K. In the "forming" roller K is fitted a moveable slide P,
which extends the whole length of the roller, such slide working in a suitable
box or groove, and being acted upon by small springs (f). On the outside
of the roller K is an arm Q, which is attached to this slide P, and into
which arm the lever R is fitted, bearing against a nose on the arm Q, and
being acted upon by a small spring to keep it in its place, and thereby
prevent the slido P from being pressed outward by the action of its springs f.
The other end of this lever R forms an inclined plane, having its highest
point at the extreme end of its length and towards the line of motion
of the screw O. From this point the inclination of the plane diminishes
on all sides regularly, so that all other points from this end of the lever R
lay in a lower plane. The position of the screw 0 of the arm N, 'when
the roller M is in direct contact with the "forming" roller K, is in the
lowest point of the plane of the lever R during the time of their meeting, and
it follows, that when the roller M is forced away from the roller K by the
increasing thickness of the pasteboard, the screw O, which is moved with this
roller M, will come into contact at each revolution of the roller K with the end
of the lever R, but without communicating sufficient motion to this lever R
'to force the other end of the same away and clear of the nose on the arm Q
until the roller M and with it the arm N and screw O has been sufficiently
far pressed away to bring the screw O opposite that point of the end of the
Jever R where the motion thereby produced is sufficient to force the lever R
clear of the nose on the arm Q, thereby releasing the arm Qas well as the
'slide 1', when the action of the springs will force the slide P outwards.
By changing the position of the screw O, the distance to which the roller M

page_text: shall be, forced away from the roller K before the lever R is acted upon can
be regulated, and consequently the thickness of the pasteboard is and can bo
regulated and determined. h and k are levers connected with the arm Q. and
consequently with the slide P; g is a projection fast on the frame of the
machine. The above-described levers, arms, and springs are attached on both
sides of the machine alike. The roller M.which is pressed by the spring C
against the roller K upon which the paper web is wound, as before described,
will be gradually forced away from the roller K as the board increases in
thickness, taking with it the arm N and screw O.
obtained the required thickness, which is regulated by the position of the
screw O, as before described, this screw O acts upon the lever R so as to force
the same away and clear of the nose on the arm Q, setting thereby the slide P
at liberty, which will then be forced outward by the springs f, by which action
the pasteboard which has been formed on the roller K will be severed across. :
When the board has
To facilitate this cutting of the pasteboard, a recess 5, forming a groove
running the whole length of the roller K, is made on the top edge of the
slide P, or immediately before the same in the body of the roller K, by which,
consequently, the pulpy substance is at that part under little or no pressure
from the roller M, and contains more water than the other portions which
have been pressed. The cohesion of the pulp is therefore weaker at this
point, and by the springing out of the slide P the board is easily torn asunder,
whereas it adheres to the edge of the slide P, so that the board is thereby
loosened from the roller K from the slide P to the line of contact of the
roller M.
Instead of severing the board after the same has obtained the required
thickness by means of a moveable slide P in the manner described, a hinge
let into the roller K the whole lengtli flush with the circumference of such
roller may be substituted, and worked by levers in such a manner as to make
the hinge fly open when the required thickness of the board is obtained. S is
a moveable frame, running the whole length of the roller K and turning in
bearings in the side frames of the machine; it is provided with an arm n
connected with the lever m, which latter is acted upon by a projecting pin w
fast on the side of the roller K, by the action of which latter pin w against
one end of the lever m a downward motion is communicated to the moveable
frame S at each revolution of the roller K. A small spring or weight brings
this frame S back again, into its original position. To this frame S a piece of
india-rubber x, or its equivalent, is attached, extending the whole-length of the
"forming" roller K, and projecting towards that roller so far that it slightly
overlaps the slide P,when the same is pressed out...

page_text: When the slide 'P has cut the board and partly loosened the same from the
roller K, as 'above described; the pin w'on tlie end of the roller K acts upon
the lever m, and communicates thereby a downward motion to the frame S, by
which motion the india-rubber a strips the board off from the end of the
slide P, whereupon the board falls upon the roller p, from which it is carried
away upon the endless felt band T.
By the springing out of the slide P, the levers hi and k, which are connected
with the arm Q of the slide P, liave also been moved, by which motion one
end of the lever k has been thrown outward. By the further revolution of
the roller the projection g comes in contact with this end of the lever k,
pushing the same back, and which latter, by its action upon the arm Q, forces
the slide P back again into the roller K, when the lever R by the action of its
spring is again forced against the nose of the arm Q, holding thereby the
slide P fast in the roller K. By the further revolution of the roller K the
remaining board is loosened from its surface by its own weight, and is taken
off successively by the roller p and endless felt band T, until the end of the
board has left the point of contact between the roller M and the roller K.:
When the entire board has passed from between the rollers K and M
the roller M is no longer separated from the former by any intermediate
thickness of material, but is again forced into its old position, together with
its arm N and screw O, by the action of the spring (c), and then the
above-described series of operations will be repeated. The so formed board,
which still retains a great quantity of water, is now carried upon the endless
band Tover and between the pressing rollers V, V, V, V, V, Vi
in the direction indicated by the arrows. x, y, and a, y', are rollers, round
which, and round the rollers V₁ and V respectively, are stretched the
endless felt bands and u. By this arrangement the felting is double
from the point at which the rollers a, V, and the rollers x¹, V" come in
contact, up to the point when the shorter felt bands u or u¹ run over their
respective rollers y and y', so that the board while passing over the roller V
between the rollers V and V, and until the same has passed between the
rollers V and Vu, is between two felt bands, when the pressure of said rollers
will press out the greater.amount of water contained in the board; the board
passes then over the roller V, where it comes again between two felt
bands, and passes between the same through and between the rollers V, V
and between the rollers V and Vun, where the same is again subjected to a
great pressure, pressing out thereby as much of the remaining water as possible
and leaving the board nearly dry, when the same passes over the roller W
and falls upon the table ready to be carried to the drying room,
=
>

page_text: The manner of arranging the position of the pressing rollers is immaterial;
the same may be arranged side by side or one above the other, according to
circumstances, as long as the felting passing over, the said rollers is so arranged
that the board while under pressure shall always be between two thicknesses
of felting. The rollers y, y', are capable of being adjusted so as to keep the
felting and always properly stretched. The felt band T passes under-
neath the rollers V and V back again, passing over a moveable roller 9:
by which the same can be stretched and regulated in case the said band T
should become loose during the time of running. r, 1, 71, 71, are hollow
scrapers or doctors, in the form of channels, in contact.with the entire length
of the rollers V, V, V, & V, so that the water running down such, rollers
flows into their respective channels, and is carried off at the sides of the
machine. The pressure rollers are so arranged that they can be set more or
less apart, thereby increasing or diminishing the pressure upon the board, as
the case may require. The rollers L, V', and V are connected together and
turned by machinery.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict
myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion to
describe or refer to, as many variations may be made therefrom without
deviating from the principles or main features of the said Invention; nor
do I claim any of the mechanical elements of which the said apparatus and
parts of apparatus are respectively composed, as being separately or apart from
the use or application of such elements to form the combination constituting
such apparatus and parts of apparatus respectively, as being any part of my
said Invention; but what I consider to be novel and original, and therefore
claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent, is,-
First, the general construction, arrangement, and combination of machinery
or apparatus for the manufacture of pasteboard, as herein-before described.
Second, the combination of the conical casing A, having spiral ribs with
their cutting edges upwards, and the internal cone or frustrum of a cone B,
having ribs in an opposite direction with their cutting edges downwards, and
acting together, in the manner and for the purpose herein-before described.
Third, the peculiar construction, arrangement, and combination of self-
acting mechanism for regulating the thickness of the pasteboard, as herein-
before described, and illustrated by my Drawings.
Fourth, the peculiar construction, arrangement, and combination of self-

page_text: acting mechanism, for severing or cutting, and loosening and removing the
pasteboard from the forming roller after the same has arrived at the required
thickness, as herein-before described, and illustrated by my Drawings.
Fifth, the peculiar construction and arrangement of the moveable frame S
and its combination with india-rubber, or its equivalent, for the purpose of
stripping off the severed pasteboard from the slide P, as herein-before
described.
Sixth, the peculiar combination of the pressing rollers in connection with
the rollers x, y, and x, y, and endless felt bands T and u, u¹, whereby the
pasteboard on passing between the pressing rollers is contained between two
thicknesses of felting to allow the water in the pasteboard to be pressed out
of the same without injuring the board during the pressing process, as herein-
before described..
In witness whereof,. I, the said John Henry Johnson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Fifteenth day of August, One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-seven..
J. HENRY JOHNSON: (L.S.).