IMPROVED MACHINERY OR APPARATUS AND PROCESSES FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER AND OTHER PULP FROM WOOD AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Felber, of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVED MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS AND PROCESSES FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER AND OTHER PULP
FROM WOOD AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS."
Sealed the 23rd August 1870, and dated the 15th March 1870:
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Felber at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
15th March 1870.
I, JOHN FELBER, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS AND PROCESSES FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER and
OTHER PULP FROM WOOD AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to effect a simple and economical
system of making pulp from wood or other fibrous materials. I will
describe my Invention in connection with the conversion of wood into

page_text: pulp. The wood in the log or other convenient form is first put into a
machine for reducing the same into suitable thin pieces or shavings.
I then place these shavings into a kier provided with a perforated false
bottom, and with an agitator inside, and so constructed and connected
with a vacuum pump or other suitable exhausting apparatus that I can
form a vacuum or partial vacuum therein. In this kier I boil, sour,
reduce, soften, and wash the fibre of these shavings by means of suitable
liquids or solutions, assisted at various stages of the process by the
formation of a vacuum in the kier, and by letting the agitator revolve.
I then remove the shavings for bleaching into a second kier having a
false perforated bottom, and being connected to a vacuum pump or
other exhausting apparatus like the previous kier. In this second kier
I bleach, disintegrate, and wash the fibre or material so far prepared in
the previous kier. For these purposes I again employ vacuum
partial vacuum, and in such a manner as to cause by a suitable arrange-
ment of valves, pipes, and cisterns the bleaching and washing liquids
or solutions repeatedly to enter into and flow out of the kier in such a
way as to pass and repass into and through the fibre of the material
operated upon. By the same arrangement I am further enabled to draw
off for any desired purpose the gas or gases generated within the kier.
The next process is to subject the bleached fibre to the action of a
beating and washing machine for drawing out and reducing the pulp to
whatever degree of fineness may be desired for making paper or other-
wise using the pulp. I also apply similar machinery or apparatus and
treatment for making pulp from other fibrous materials.
or
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Felber in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 15th September 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS. SHALL COME, I, JOHN
FELBER, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, send 3
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-

page_text: third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John Felber, Her special licence
that I, the said John Felber, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said John Felber, 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 "IMPROVED MACHINERY OR APPARATUS
AND PROCESSES FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER AND OTHER PULP PROM WOOD AND
OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said John Felber, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said In-
vention, 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 Felber, do hereby declare
the nature of my 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) :-
:-
The object of this Invention is to effect a simple and economical
system of making pulp from wood or other fibrous materials. I will
describe my Invention in connection with the conversion of wood fibre
into pulp. The wood in the log or other convenient form is first put
into a machine for reducing the same into suitable thin pieces or
shavings. I then place these shavings into a kier provided with a
perforated false bottom, and with an agitator inside, and so constructed
and connected with a vacuum pump or other suitable exhausting, appa-
ratus that I can form a vacuum or partial vacuum therein. In this kier
I boil, sour, reduce, soften, and wash the fibre of these shavings by
means of suitable liquids or solutions assisted at various stages of the
process by the formation of a vacuum in the kier, and by letting the
agitator revolve. The fibres are then bleached in the same kier, or
removed for bleaching into a second kier having a perforated bottom or
division, and being connected to a vacuum pump or other exhausting

page_text: apparatus like in the previous kier. By the same arrangement I am
further enabled to draw off for any desired purpose the gas or gases
generated within the kier or kiers.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily
carried into operation, I will proceed to describe the two accompanying
Sheets of Drawings, reference being had to the figures and letters
marked thereon.
On Sheet 1 Figure 1 represents a side elevation and Figure 2 a plan
view of my improved machinery for reducing the wood into thin pieces
or shavings.
A strap passing round the pulleys A gives motion to the cutters B;
the wood to be cut marked C is held in its position by the roll D and the
weighted presser E. The pulleys F and F on the shaft G impart
through the wheels H and screw J a traversing motion to the
carriage K which carries the cutters B. The motion of the carriage K
is reversed when the cutters have cut off the portion of the wood
marked C¹ by means of the carriage K, which in moving to and fro
comes alternately in contact with the levers L and L' fixed on the
shaft IP, thereby turning it partly round. On the shaft L is fixed the
tumbler lever M; when the lever M is moved by the shaft L³ it presses
against the bracket N fixed on the strap rod N¹, and thereby and by
means of the strap fork O shifts the strap on the pulleys from F to F,
and vice versa alternately, thus causing the carriage K to travel back-
wards and forwards. The carriage K when in motion also comes
alternately in contact with the levers P and Q fixed on the shafts P¹ and
Q respectively, thereby turning the shafts P¹ and Q', and also the
wheels P and Q, which latter turn the shaft R, and with it the
lever R. The motion of the lever R¹ is through the levers S and S¹
communicated to the pulley T, which is fixed on the shaft V, and as the
roll D is also fixed upon the shaft V the roll is also turned partly round
and pushes forward the wood C to present a new feed C¹ to the cutters B.
The wood so cut into thin pieces or shavings or prepared in any other
manner is then ready to be operated upon in the kier or kiers shewn on
Sheet 2, in which Figure 3 represents a side elevation and Figure 4 a
plan view of my improved stationary kier, with an agitator inside for the
manufacture of paper or other pulp from wood or other fibrous materials.
A is the manhole or door for charging the kier with the material to be

page_text: operated upon; B is the shaft carrying the agitator, consisting of arms B¹
and blades B or other equivalents. The shaft B is driven by suitable
gearing or pulleys and chains or pulleys and bands. C, the door for.
emptying the kier; D, valve for draining off the liquid; E, steam pipe
with suitable valves for supplying steam inside the kier; F and G, valves
with suitable connections for admitting the bleaching and other solu-
tions or liquids into the kier; H, valve with its pipes and branches
connected to the vacuum pump or other suitable exhausting apparatus
so as to form a vacuum or partial vacuum in the kier, and to exhaust or
draw off the gas or gases generated inside the kier, and to convey the
same back into the bleaching or other solution to be used over again, or
to be used in making up fresh bleaching or other solutions or for any
other purpose; J, the escape valve, and K, the safety valve.
Instead of using a stationary kier with an agitator, as above described,
a spherical or other shaped revolving kier, with or without an agitator
inside, may be used, as shewn in Figure 5. In this view A and B are
hollow trunnions on which the kier revolves, the motion being commu-'
nicated by suitable gearing, pulleys and chains or bands; C is the
manhole for charging and emptying the kier; D is another manhole
opposite the one marked C, with a valve or tap on its lid to drain off the:
liquids; E is a perforated division inside the kier to answer the following
purposes First, to drain off the liquids from the kier through the valve
at D, and, secondly, when the kier is turned half round so that the
manhole D occupies the position of the manhole C to prevent the
material inside the kier (if of a floating nature) from rising higher than
up to this perforated division E, thus enabling the material to be covered
with the bleaching or other liquids, and leaving between the division E
and the lid of the manhole D the desired space for the gas or gases
generated within the kier, thereby allowing the gas or gases to be drawn
off for the purposes above described. The pipe F is connected, by a
suitable arrangement of pipes, valves, or taps with the air pumps or
other exhausting apparatus, and also with the supply of steam. After
entering the hollow trunnion A it is in communication with the openings
G and L, the former G of which is for the passage of steam, and the latter
Lis for the passage of air, gas, or gases. On opening the tap H the steam
enters the perforated hollow axis J, and thence into the kier. When a
vacuum or partial vacuum is to be formed in the kier, or the gas or gases

page_text: •
generated within the kier are to be drawn off the kier is turned round,
as explained before, so that the manhole D comes where C stands in the
Drawing. The tap H and its corresponding taps on the pipe F or on
the branches of the pipe F are closed, whereas the tap K as well as
the corresponding taps on the pipe F or its branches are opened so that
the air, gas, or gases can now by means of the vacuum pump or other
exhausting apparatus be conveyed to where it is desired. The pipe M
connected with its sources of supply by a suitable arrangement of
brach pipes, taps, and valves passes through the hollow trunnion B
and conveys the boiling, bleaching, and other liquids into the kier. The
various processes can be performed in either of the kiers above described,
or part of the processes may be performed in one kier and the remainder
in the other, or more than two kiers may be employed. The fibre
prepared in the manner described may be used without further pre-
paration, or it may be subjected to the action of a beating and washing
machine for drawing out and reducing the fibre to the degree of fineness
required for making paper or for other purposes. The above machinery
or apparatus and processes may be employed in operating upon other
fibrous substances or materials.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, and described the
manner of performing the same, I claim as my Invention,―
First. The arrangement and combination of the machinery and appa-
ratus, as shewn in the Drawings and described, for the manufacture of
paper
and other pulp from wood and other fibrous materials.
Secondly. The application of vacuum or partial vacuum to revolving
kiers or chambers used in the manufacture of paper and other pulp from
wood and other fibrous materials.
Thirdly. The application of vacuum or partial vacuum to stationary
kiers or chambers provided with one or more agitators inside, and used
in the manufacture of paper and other pulp from wood and other fibrous
materials.
Fourthly. Drawing off the gas or gases generated inside the kiers or
chambers from the various boiling, bleaching, disintegrating, and other
liquids employed, whereby the gas or gasses so drawn off can be used
in making up their respective or other solutions, or for any other desired a
purpose.

page_text: And, fifthly. Drawing off the gas or gases generated in any closed
vessel used for bleaching, boiling, or otherwise treating wood or other
fibrous substances in the manner and for the purposes described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Felber, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of September One thousand
eight hundred and seventy.