AN IMPROVED REGULATOR AND FLOAT COMBINED, APPLICABLE TO THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Thomas Hughes, of the firm of Hughes &
Son, Patent Agents, 123, Chancery Lane, London, for the Invention of
"AN IMPROVED REGULATOR AND FLOAT COMBINED, APPLICABLE TO THE
MANUFACTURE OF PAPER."-A communication from Pierre Denuelle, of
Lyons, in the Empire of France.
Sealed the 17th September 1858, and dated the 30th April 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Thomas Hughes
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
30th April 1858.
I, EDWARD THOMAS HUGHES, of the firm of Hughes & Son, Patent Agents,
123, Chancery Lane, London, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "AN IMPROVED REGULATOR AND FLOAT COMBINED, APPLICABLE TO
THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER," as communicated to me by Pierre Denuelle, of
Lyons, in the Empire of France, to be as follows:-
By this apparatus is obtained a continuous delivery independent of the
variation of the surface in the large cistern containing the mass of pulp, and
of the variations in the speed of the machine. The regulator being put in
motion by the paper machine, establishes a constant uniform surface of pulp,
and at the same time pours on the machine the quantity of pulp required
whilst it follows the variations of the speed of the machine, thus causing
the paper produced to be of an uniform texture, and the regulator float
being part of the machine dispenses with taps, valves, &c., and also with the

page_text: employment of an operative to tend the arrival of the pulp, the regulator
float working with the machine, and stopping with it with mechanical
regularity. A pipe communicating with the large cistern or reservoir of pulp,
of any convenient dimensions, conveys the pulp to a small box or cistern,
where the delivery is regulated as it passes to the machine by a conical plug
agitated by the floater, motion being given by the paper machine. The said
conical plug is held by a screw, so as to be fixed at the required part of its
cone to give passage to the quantity of pulp necessary to make the paper of
the required strength. When once this part of the cone gives passage to the
quantity of pulp required, the plug having a proportionate cone varies in the
hole in giving a passage larger or smaller to the pulp falling on the machine,
which having had the same variations of speed receives the pulp in con-
junction with its speed, giving a paper of uniform strength. When another
size is required to be made, it is only necessary to move the screw by hand to
fix the conical plug in the hole where the pulp passes, and the requisite
continuous strength is obtained. If desired, a straight plug may be used
instead of the conical.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edward Thomas Hughes in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 27th October 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
THOMAS HUGHES, of the firm of Hughes & Son, Patent Agents, 123, Chancery
Lane, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-first year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Edward Thomas Hughes, Her special licence that I, the said Edward Thomas
Hughes, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Edward Thomas Hughes, my executors, administrators,, 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 "AN
IMPROVED REGULATOR AND FLOAT COMBINED, APPLICABLE TO THE MANUFACTURE OF
PAPER," a communication from Pierre Denuelle, of Lyons, in the Empire of

page_text: France, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Edward Thomas
Hughes, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 Edward Thomas Hughes, 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 (that is to say):-
In the manufacture of paper I employ a combination of regulator or
governor and float connected with suitable apparatus, so that a continuous
delivery of pulp may be obtained independently of the variation in the speed
of the paper machine, and also of the variations in the level or depth of the
mass of pulp in the large vat or reservoir. The regulator and float being put
in motion by the paper machine, establishes a constant uniform level of the
pulp, and at the same time pours on the machine, according to its speed, the
quantity of pulp required, thus producing paper. of uniform texture and
strength. The aforesaid arrangement forms part of the paper machine, both
working and stopping together with mechanical regularity, and dispensing
with the ordinary apertures and feeders, as well as with the constant super-
vision of the operative.
These improvements will be clearly understood by reference to the accom-
panying Sheet of Drawings with the letters of reference thereon.
By means of a pipe, part of which is shewn at a, pulp is conveyed from the
large vat or reservoir to the small box or cistern b, which forms part of the
improved apparatus, and communicating by means of the conical hole c to
the larger cistern d, in which the pulp is maintained nearly at a constant and
uniform level. From the cistern d pulp is allowed to pass more or less,
according to the speed of the paper machine through the conical hole e in
the cistern f, from whence it passes at g to the paper machine. In the
conical hole c is placed a cone h, connected by a rod i, working in the guides
k to a float l, supported by the pulp, and acting naturally on the cone h, so
as to allow as much pulp to enter the cistern d as passes from it. The cone h
is furnished with a rim m, so as to cover the hole and prevent the passage of
pulp during a stoppage of the machine. In the conical hole e is placed a
cone n, attached to a vessel o, of such specific gravity as to allow perfec
freedom of the parts connected to it.

page_text: The cone n, by means of the regulator or governor p, rests and falls
according to the speed of the machine, and allows more or less pulp to escape
from the cistern d, thus relatively influencing the action of the float l. The
cone n is connected by an adjusting screw and nut to a rod q, having at the
top a wheel or handle r, so as to be able by hand to raise and depress the
cone, thereby regulating the passage of the pulp for the different textures and
strengths of the paper to be manufactured.
The wheel r has a finger s placed near a gauge or scale t, so as to deter-
mine at once the desired position of the cone n, which latter, in order to be
regulated according to the speed of the machine, is attached to the lever u
working at one end on the adjustable fulcrum v, and connected at the other
by the rod w to the arm or projection x, which rises and falls as the balls of
the governor or regulator extend or collapse; thus the different supplies of
pulp required for the different kinds or strengths of paper are determined by
the handle and gauge, and the uniformity of strength and texture of each
kind by the supply of pulp being regular and uniform with the speed of the
paper machine, and perfectly independent of the pressure of pulp in the large
vat or reservoir.
Motion is given to the governor or regulator by means of the bevil wheel
a' on the shaft b¹³, gearing into another bevil wheel c¹ at one end of the shaft
d', at the other end of which is the cone pully e¹, driven by another cone
pully connected to the pully g', both working on the shaft or stud h', and
driven from the paper machine at the same speed.
At each side of the cistern d is placed two agitators or stirrers k¹ driven by
the pully. Above the rod i is placed a spring m¹, against which the top
rod strikes lightly, in order to prevent the cone from locking in the hole or
passage. The cistern d forms the lower part of the main framing, the upper
part n¹ being extended as required, in order to attach the working parts of
the apparatus.
Instead of the cones h and n, cylinders may be employed having internal
cones to allow the passage of the pulp. In the Drawing the apparatus is
shewn at about one-fourth of its real dimensions, but the size, strength, and
varied arrangement may be suited to any requirements.
Having thus fully described the nature of the said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
Pierre Denuelle, of Lyons, in the Empire of France, I desire it to be distinctly
understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details herein set forth,
as such may be varied or modified without departing from the principal
thereof; but I claim the combination of a governor or regulator and float in

page_text: the manufacture of paper with the machinery or apparatus for working the
same, as herein described, and illustrated in the accompanying Sheet of
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
EDWARD THOMAS HUGHES. (L.S.)
Witness,
L. A. GRIMENWALD,
Clerk to Hughes & Son.