Improvements in and relating to Vacuum Boxes for Paper Making Machines.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Nov., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 11th Aug., 1891-Accepted, 12th Sept., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Vacuum Boxes for Paper Making
Machines.
I, WILLIAM SMART, of Lower Buxburn, Aberdeenshire, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of my invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to and comprises a new or improved construction, or
arrangement and combination of the parts of rollers and vacuum box fittings for
paper making machines, for the purpose of overcoming the friction of the wire or
porous web that carries along the paper acting or rubbing on the upper edges of
vacuum boxes as heretofore constructed.
The nature and novelty of the invention consist all as follows. According to
these improvements, two, three, or more small rollers, preferably tubular, are
mounted in a horizontal plane across and below the wire web carrying the paper,
at an inch or so apart over the vacuum box, and the water is extracted by the
vacuum in the box down through the spaces between the rollers.
The vacuum box and fittings for maintaining the vacuum and fluid pressure
tightness at all the working parts would according to one improved construction
consist of a semi-circular box, preferably of brass made in two parts of half the
the length of the box, for the convenience of making it in a circular form withi
horizontal face joint at its upper edge and at the ends, and being bored or turned
in at one end parallel for two feet or so, the rest of the part in the centre being
left in its rough cast state. These two parts are then separated and bolted end
to end by their faced central flanges in the form of a semi-circular hollow vacuum
box with strong cast-iron ends and standards to carry the journal ends of the rollers,
which are preferably made of steel and turned and fitted into the bored hollow ends
of the rollers, with collars turned the same size as the rollers. The journals of
these rollers are carried in vertical adjustable bushes or dead eyes working in
planed vertical groove seats in the iron ends of the vacuum boxes, with screw
stems projecting upwards secured by nuts above and below to a steel plate
supported over the row of bushes in strong end studs carried in the ends of
the vacuum box. Then to secure tightness at the end working surfaces of these
rollers to suit any width of paper being made, movable ends are fitted into the
internal bored or turned parts working fluid-tight against these, and traversed by
a right and left handed screw to shift these ends to or from the bush ends of the
vacuum box, and these ends would be two inches or more in breadth to give
steadiness to them, and the circumference might be grooved and have rubber band
or other packing to make it fluid-tight in the box; and the upper part would be
fitted with planed pocketed recesses for containing movable bushes on an horizontal
plate and between vertical walls. These bushes would be formed in three parts,
a truncated V-part under the centre of each roller and two segmental side
bushes meeting these, all formed with india-rubber surfaces fitting the rotating
circumferential surface of the roller, and the sides of their recesses, with spiral
springs fitted in recesses in each part of the bush acting against their retaining
valls or pockets to keep the three working parts of the bush all working tight
gainst the roller and maintain the vacuum in the box between these shifting ends.
Longitudinal fixed adjustable plates are also fitted on the upper end flanges of the
vacuum box, with movable plates above fitted over these with slots and screw
bolts in them, and india-rubber bearing surfaces along their inner edge and under
urface where they work up against the two outside rollers, with springs in their
uter edges bearing up against a vertical flange on the fixed plate below, all so aa
o maintain fluid-tightness between these outer rollers and the upper edge or flange
ID 77

page_text: of the vacuum box. These movable plates work up within about an eighth of an
inch of the working face of the top rollers under the wire cloth; and thin steel
plates are fitted over the movable bushes between the rollers and nearly close up to
their working surface, and within about one sixtieth of an inch of the upper surface
of the rollers just clear of the wire cloth web, so that the water passing through it
makes this joint over these end plates also fluid-tight just under where the rubber
deckle straps pass along with the upper face of the wire cloth, thus maintaining
tightness on the sides and ends of the vacuum box the whole width of the paper
being made under the wire web.
These vacuum rollers working up against the wire web are driven by spur wheels
on one or both ends of each roller spindle through pinions gearing with them and
mounted on studs between them, actuated by one of the shafts through gearing
at the same speed and direction as the wire web and deckle straps.
A further improvement consists in mounting within and near the centre of the
vacuum box cross frames or stays about seven inches apart so as to carry short
supporting solid metal rollers under each hollow vacuum roller, with india-rubber
rings on them, and having their end journals carried in bushed slotted bearings
at the head of parallel stems working in guide pockets carried on these cross
stays, with springs under them to support the upper rollers near the centre, these
supporting rollers being driven by the friction of the upper rollers acting on the
rubber rings, absorbing little driving power while yet supporting the centre of the
upper rollers, when these are long and small in diameter as is approved of to save
the width of vacuum box. The vacuum box would be provided at the ends with
the usual pipe for drawing off the water and producing the vacuum leading to the
pumps, the water being drawn through the wire web into the box between the
said vacuum rollers revolving under the web, and so causing no friction as is
the case in the ordinary vacuum boxes.
Dated the 11th November 1890.
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Vacuum Boxes for Paper Making
Machines,
I, WILLIAM SMART, of Lower Buxburn, Aberdeenshire, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of my invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement in writing, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, that is
to say :-
This invention has reference to and comprises a new or improved construction, or
arrangement and combination of the parts of rollers and vacuum box fittings for
paper making machines, for the purpose of overcoming the friction of the wire or
porous web that carries along the paper acting or rubbing on the upper edges of
vacuum boxes as heretofore constructed.
And in order that my said invention and the manner of performing or carrying
the same into effect or practice may be properly understood, I have hereunto
appended an explanatory sheet of drawings, in which the same reference letters are
used to indicate corresponding parts in all the figures where shown.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation partly broken away at z in the centre, and
Figure 2 a corresponding back end view of a vacuum box for paper machines as
constructed in accordance with my improvements.
Figure 3 is a plan view corresponding to Figure 1 and Figure 4, is a transverse
vertical section as taken on the lines 1-1 in Figures 1 and 3.
Figure 5 is a plan view of the lower box part only, and Figure 6 is a transverse
vertical section as taken near the lines 2-2 in Figures 1 and 5.

page_text: smail parallel or cylindrical rollers A, A, A, three being shown in the arrangem
-According to my improvements, two, three, or n
illustrated in the drawings, are mounted in a horizontal plane across and below
ordinary straining wire web w carrying the paper, at an inch or so apart ove
5 vacuum box B, and the water is extracted through the wire by the vacuum in
close box down through the space A", A", between the rollers A. The vacu
box B and its fittings for maintaining the vacuum and fluid pressure tightness at
the working parts, according to one improved construction consists of a sen
circular box B B preferably of brass made preferably in two parts of half t
10 length of the box, for the convenience of making it in a circular form wi
horizontal face flanged joint B at its upper edge and vertical flanges B2 B" at th
ends, and bolted together at the horizontal flanges B', B' for being bored or turne
in at the extreme ends B2 parallel for two feet or so, and have their en
flanges B2 B turned or faced, the rest of the part in the centre being left in it
15 rough cast state. These two parts B, B, are then separated and bolted end to end
by their faced central flanges 13" B" to form the semi-circular hollow vacuum
box B as scen more particularly in the section Figure 1 and end elevation Figure 2
with strong cast-iron end standard frames B³ with broad flanges below at B to
carry the journal end spindles A' of the rollers A, which are preferably made of
20 steel and turned and fitted into the bored hollow ends of the rollers A, with collars
turned the same size as the rollers. The journal spindles A' of these rollers A are
carried in vertical adjustable bushes or dead eyes C working in planed vertical
groove seats in the iron ends B³ of the vacuum boxes B, with screw stems C¹
projecting upwards, secured by nuts C2 above or it might be also below as dotted
5 in at C in Figure 2 to a strong steel plate C3 secured over the row of journal
bushes in strong end screw studs C+ carried in the ends B³ of the vacuum box B.
Then to secure tightness at the end working surfaces of these rollers A, A, A, to
suit any width of paper being made, movable end box frames D are bolted together
and turned and fitted into the internal bored or turned ends at B2 working fluid-
tight against these, and traversed by one long right and left handed screw D' (or
it might be two right handed screws one at each end) working through screw
bushes D" in these to shift these ends D equally to or from the fixed bush ends B³
of the vacuum box B under the deckle straps by a box key shipped on to the
square ends outside formed on the screw spindle D', and these shifting ends D
would be two inches or more in breadth or have flanges below on their circum-
ference D to give steadiness to them, and this lower circumference D'" might be
grooved and have rubber band or other packing to make it fluid-tight in the bored
nd parts B2 of the box B; and the upper part would be fitted with planed
ocketed recesses d with vertical sides or divisions d' and a lower plate for
ontaining movable bushes d² d³ shown detached in side and end clevation in
igure 7 resting on the horizontal plate d" and between the vertical walls d'.
hese bushes are formed in three parts, a truncated V-part d³ under the centre of
ch roller between the two segmental side bushes d² d meeting these, all formed
th a thin layer of leather or india-rubber at e fitting the rotating circumferential
face of the roller, and at the sides of their recesses and secured by lead rivets or
er equivalent to the bushes, with spiral springs fitted at d in recesses in each
td of the bush acting against the retaining walls d and plate of the
ket recesses d to keep the three working parts d³ of the bush all
king tight against each roller A. and maintain the vacuum in the box B
veen these shifting ends. Longitudinal fixed plates E are also screwed
jointed fluid tight on the upper edge flanges B' of the vacuum box B,
on each side fitting nearly close up to the side rollers A, A, over the side
ets d and bushes 2 of the movable ends D, and each fitted with a movable
tor" plate E above screwed over these by slotted or elliptical holes and
bolts at E" in them, and india-rubber bearing surfaces e along their inner
and under surface where they work up against the two outside rollers and inner

page_text: edge of the plate E, with blade or other springs E² secured by screws at their
back edge E³ to the plates E, or it might be bearing up against a vertical flange on
the outer edges of the plates E, all so as to maintain fluid-tightness between these
outer rollers A. and the upper flanges B' of the vacuum box B. On each outside of
the shifting ends D a recessed bracket or pocket D2 is formed or fitted, under the
side plates E or ends of the doctor plates E' and has fitted into it a dovetailed
stud D³ mounted over a spiral spring in the pocket D2 and with india-rubber or
leather D₁ fitted over it to maintain fluid-tightness at the movable joint of the
roller A and plates E, E¹, and ends D, with which they shift. The movable
plates E' work up within about an eighth of an inch of the working face of the top
side rollers A. A under the wire cloth; and thin steel or brass plates c are fitted
and screwed at c¹¹ over the movable bushes d² ² and their divisions d¹ between the
side rollers A, A, and the centre roller and close up to their working surface, with
leather cat their ends where they act on the rollers A, and within about one
sixtieth of an inch of the upper surface of the rollers just clear of the wire cloth
web, indicated by the line w-w in Figures 4 and 6, so that the water passing
through it makes this joint over these end plates cc also fluid-tight just under
where the rubber deckle straps pass along with the upper face of the wire cloth,
over the shifting ends D, D, thus maintaining tightness on the sides and ends of
the vacuum box under the wire web w, over the whole width of the paper being
made.
These vacuum rollers A, A, A, working up against the under surface of the wire
web w are driven by spur wheels A² on the one end of each roller spindle A¹ as
shown in Figures 1 and 2 through intermediate pinions A" gearing into them and
mounted on fixed studs between them shown dotted in in Figure 2 and all actuated
by a band pulley A³ on the shafts A' of one of the side rollers A. or it might be
through other gearing, so that the circumference of the rollers may traverse at the
same speed and direction as the wire web w and deckle straps above, as indicated
by arrows in Figures 2 and 4.
As seen particularly in Figures 5 and 6, a further improvement consists in
mounting within and near the centre of the vacuum box B cross frames or stays F
about seven inches or so apart and each pair at nearly equal distances apart and
from the ends B³ B³ of the box B bolted at F" by flanges F¹ to the inside of the
upper part of the vacuum box B, so as to carry short supporting rollers on solid
metal spindles, preferably two under each vacuum roller A with india-rubber
rings on them, secured by screw nuts f" as shown in section on the right of
Figure 5, and having their end journals carried in bosses or eyes F2 at the head of
parallel stem brackets F³ working in guide slides carried on these cross stays F
and secured by bolts at F or they might be fitted with springs under them to
support the upper rollers near the centre and prevent the rollers A bending down-
wards or laterally. These supporting rollers f, f, are driven by the friction of
their upper rollers A acting on the rubber rings and absorb little driving power
while yet supporting the centre of the upper rollers A, when these are long and
small in diameter as is preferred to save the width of vacuum box B. The journal
bosses F2 of their carrying brackets F³ are preferably formed with holes or recesses
to contain grease to lubricate the journals of their spindles from the difficulty of
getting access to oil them frequently. The vacuum box B is provided at the ends
with the usual branch pipe B, for drawing off the water and producing the vacuum,
leading to the pumps, the water being drawn through the wire web w into the box B
at the spaces A as indicated by the darts, between the said vacuum rollers A
revolving under the web w and so causing less friction than with the edges of the
ordinary vacuum boxes. As shown in Figures 2 and 5 the vacuum boxes A are
portably carried by four handles H passed through end snugs H¹ and screwed at
their inner ends into screw snugs H2, to enable the boxes B to be moved on their
Hanges B on the top of the side frames of the paper machine, with their rollers A
close up under the wire cloth w.

page_text: tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
larly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven
xing Machines.
claim is :-
First. The construction, or arrangement and combination of the parts of rollers
and vacuum box fittings for paper-making machines, substantially as and for the
purposes herein described, in reference to and shown in the accompanying
drawings.
Second. The constructing of vacuum boxes for paper making machines with
rollers working vacuum tight against the wire web, and carried in adjustable
journal bushes, and with movable fluid-tight end frames, substantially as and for
the purposes herein described, in reference to and shown in the accompanying
drawings.
Third. The constructing of vacuum boxes for paper making machines with
horizontal plates and shifting segmental spring bushes in the movable end frames,
substantially as and for the purposes herein described, in reference to and shown in
the accompanying drawings.
Fourth. The constructing of vacuum boxes for paper-making machines, with
ongitudinal fixed and upper movable plates and fittings, substantially as and for
he purposes herein described, in reference to and shown in the accompanying
rawings.
Fifth. The constructing of vacuum boxes for paper making machines with cross
ames or stays and retaining fittings carrying supporting rollers under the vacuum
llers, substantially as and for the purposes herein described in reference to and
own in the accompanying drawings.
Dated the 10th August 1891.
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow. A cont