Improvements in and relating to Rag or Beating Engines.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Feb., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 27th Nov., 1894-Accepted, 16th Feb., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Rag or Beating Engines.
We, JOHN SHAND Traveller, and DAVID NOBLE BERTRAM, Engineer both of
St. Katherine's Works, Sciennes, in the City and County of Edinburgh, do hereby
declare the nature of our invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to improvements in and relating to engines or
machines for beating or reducing rags or fibrous material to a pulp suitable for
making paper; and essentially comprises an improved construction of pulp
circulating vat and its fittings, and arrangement and combination of the feeding
and operating organs.
This
The vat for containing and circulating the fibrous material or pulp would under
one horizontal arrangement consist of a deep or dish shaped vessel with a horizontal
partition or mid-feather at or near the centre of its depth and dividing it off into
upper and lower compartments or spaces of approximately equal area.
partition web would extend transversely from one side to the other of the vat, and
longitudinally from near one end to near the other leaving spaces at the ends for
the material to pass in circulating round. And this horizontal partition web would
further by my improvements for at least the greater part of its length be formed
portable or removable or hinged, for access in cleaning out the vat, and rest when
in position on projecting ribs or ledges formed on the sides of the vat.
"
The water would be fed to vat through a pipe and pump connections at its one
end, and a drum washer would be mounted over the vat near this end, which would
preferably be formed of a bulged or curved shape; while at or near the other end
of vat a beating roll or cylinder would be mounted at a high level within an enclosing
dome shaped movable cover so as to beat the "stock or pulp over a fixed block or
bed plate secured in a recess of vat at an angled or inclined part projecting up
from end of web partition. The outer vertical shell of vat would at this end
preferably project up vertical or at an angle leaving a space between it and the
aforesaid angled part of vat at end of partition; and a worm or screw would be
mounted on a vertical or angled shaft within this space to feed or propel the "stock"
or pulp material upward and forward, to the revolving beating roll or cylinder.
This worm spindle would be carried in bearings at its lower and upper ends and be
driven by bevel gearing at its upper end preferably actuated from the shaft of
beating cylinder which is in turn driven by a band and pulleys from any adjacent
prime moving shaft of the works.
"
With this improved engine the "stock or pulp is fed up the inclined space at
one end of vat to the disintegrating or beating cylinder, and it thence circulates
forward in the upper chamber or space above the horizontal partition web past the
washer drum to the opposite end of vat, where it passes downwards to the lower
compartment, and the circulating cycle is continued to the opposite end of this
lower chamber to be again fed upwards by the rotating or propelling worm.
In constructing a vertical form of beating engine in accordance with these
improvements the shell of the vat would preferably be cast or formed in two parts,
a lower and an upper, bolted together through a flange joint, and the mid-feather
or dividing web extend vertically from near the top to near the lower end of vat.
The bed plate would be fitted in a recess over the line of mid-feather, and the
beating cylinder would be mounted above the bed plate, and the washer drum to

page_text: the one side of this. The dividing partition would preferably spread out and curve
round on each side at its lower end, and at its upper spread similarly out in two
lines to meet the line of circuit from beating drum, so that the top surface of
dividing partition would assume an inclined shape.
A hinged or movable plate would be fitted at the upper wide mouth part of vat
so that it may ensure thorough circulation of the pulp when the vat is filled, and be
moved back out of the way when the engine is to be charged.
The screw or propelling worm may be mounted at the lower end of vat trans-
versely below the end of partition, or it may be placed near the upper end of vat at
one side of partition, and at either the ingoing or the discharge side of the beating
cylinder; and the discharge valve of engine would be placed at the discharge side
of the propelling worm. A series of water pipes or jets would be fitted to these
vats, operated by one or more cocks, so as to periodically play on the inner hidden
parts of vat and thoroughly wash out the engine.
Dated 26th February 1894.
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.
.
We, JOHN SHAND, Traveller, and DAVID NOBLE BERTRAM Engineer, both of
St. Katherine's Works, Sciennes, in the City and County of Edinburgh, do hereby
declare the nature of our 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 that is to say :-
This invention has reference to improvements in and relating to engines for
beating rags and fibrous material to a pulp suitable for making paper; and
essentially comprises an improved pulp circulating vat and its fittings, and arrange-
ment and combination of the feeding and operating organs.
And in order to enable others skilled in the the art to which our invention relates
to understand how it may be carried into practice, we have hereunto appended one
explanatory sheet of drawings in which
Figures 1 and 2 represent longitudinal and transverse sections respectively of a
horizontal arrangement of beating engine as constructed in accordance with our
improvements; and Figure 3 is a sectional elevation of a corresponding vertical
arrangement of beating engine.
Referring to these drawings:-The vat for containing and circulating the pulpy
fibrous material would under the horizontal arrangement, shown in Figures 1 and 2
consist of a deep dish shaped vessel with a horizontal mid feather B near the centre
of its depth and dividing it off into upper and lower compartments spaces a, a², of
approximately equal area. This partition web B with its fixed extensions B1, B2,
would extend transversely from one side to the other of the vat A and longitudinally
from near one end to near the other leaving spaces a² a³ at the ends for the material
to pass in circulating round. And this horizontal partition web would further by
our improvements for at least the greatest extent of its length have part B formed
portable or movable such as by having sockets B at the centre of its sides working
over stud spindles B secured in the vat frame A, so that when the vat A requires
to be cleaned out the movable mid feather B can be swivelled to any desired angle
or position.
A drum washer C would be mounted over the vat which would be formed of a
bulged shape at the end A2; while near the other end of vat a beating roll D
would be mounted at a. high level so as to beat the pulp over a fixed block D'

page_text: secured in a recess B³ of vat at an inclined part B' projecting up from the end of
web partition B. The outer vertical shell part A' of vat would at this end project
up at an angle forming a cylindrical space a above the angled part B' of mid feather
partition; and a screw worm E would be mounted on an angled shaft E' within this
space as to feed or propel the pulp material upward and forward, to the revolving
beating roll D. This worm spindle E' would be carried in bearings E' at its lower
and upper ends and be driven by bevel gearing E3 at its upper end preferably
actuated from the shaft of beating cylinder D which is in turn driven by a band
and pulleys from any adjacent prime moving shaft of the works.
the inclined spaces a³ a*
With this improved engine the "stock" pulp is fed up and it thence circulates
at one end of vat to the disintegrating beating cylinder
forward in the upper chamber space a above the horizontal partition web B past
the washer drum C to the opposite end of vat, where it passes downwards to the
lower compartment a' and the circulating cycle is continued to the opposite end
space a of this lower chamber to be again fed upwards by the rotating propelling
worm E.
The pipe 6 with its branches is intended as an overflow pipe, so that should
the screw worm throw up more pulp than could pass between the roll D and the bed
plate D', especially as might occur when filling or at the commencement of the
operation, said overflow pulp would pass down the pipe and return through the
branch to the vat A. A cock 6 is fitted on the pipe 6s so as to shut this passage
after the operation has been properly commenced. Water would be admitted by
the pipe 6 to the branch when emptying the finished pulp, and when filling the
vat with dry material.
In constructing a vertical form of beating engine in accordance with these
improvements the shell of the vat would preferably be formed in two parts a
lower A and an upper part A' bolted together through a flange joint at A³ and the
mid-feather dividing web B with its fixed extensions B B spread vertically from
near the top to near the lower end of vat. The bed plate D' would be fitted in a
recess B over the line of movable part B of mid feather, and the beating cylinder D
would be mounted above the bed plate, and the washer drum C to the one side of
this. The dividing partition would consist of the swivelling part B with the upper
fixed part spreading out in the lines B' B' to meet the line of circuit from beating
drum, or the part B instead of being movable may be fixed as a continuation of the
parts B' B'.
A flap plate G hinged at G' would be fitted at the upper wide mouth
part of vat A, so that it may be moved within the circulating space when the vat
is filled and so ensure thorough circulation of the pulp, and moved on its hinge G¹
back out of the way when the vat is to be charged.
A perforated water pipe F would be fitted round the top of screw chamber a of
vat A so that pressure water may be periodically turned on through the pipe F¹
to play on the inner hidden parts of vat and thoroughly wash out the engine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
First. In beating engines, the combination with a vat shell of a mid feather
partition dividing it off into pulp circulating spaces, substantially as set forth.
Second. In beating engines, the combination with a vat shell of a mid-feather
partition dividing it off into pulp circulating spaces, said mid-feather being pivotted
or hinged or made removable, substantially as set forth.
Third. In beating engines, the combination comprising a deep vat shell, a
mid-feather partition, and a recess near end of said partition to carry the fixed
block of beating roll, substantially as set forth.
&
Fourth. In beating engines, the combination comprising a deep vat shell,
mid-feather partition, with recess for fixed block of beating roll, and a feeding
screw worm interposed in the lower pulp circulating space between vat shell and
fixed end face of mid-feather, substantially as set forth.

page_text: Fifth. In beating engines, the combination comprising a deep vat shell, a
mid-feather partition, and a movable flap plate at upper part of pulp circulating
space, substantially as set forth.
Sixth. In beating engines, the combination comprising a deep vat shell, a
mid feather partition, and water jet cleaning out pipes substantially as set forth.
Dated the 26th November 1894.
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.