Improvements in Pulp-catchers or Savers.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 30th July, 1892-Accepted, 24th Sept., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Pulp-catchers or Savers.
1, ALWIN GEORG EUGEN FÜLLNER of Warmbrunn, in Silesia Kingdom of
Prussia, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
This invention has reference to improvements in pulp catchers or savers (herein-
after termed pulp catchers) for use in paper manufactories the object being to
provide a pulp catcher which shall be compact and efficient and which provides for
regulating the density of the out-flowing pulp. The pulp catcher comprises a
settling or depositing vessel or tank of inverted truncated conical shape into which
the water containing the pulp fibres flows from a circumferential channel in a
uniform manner so as to flow down the inclined inner surface of the tank to the
lowest point thereof where the force of the uniformly flowing water is balanced and
the pulp fibres deposited whilst the water rises in the centre portion of the tank and
discharges uniformly over the circumferential upper edge of the same.
From the lowest point of the tank, the deposited pulp, which is supplied
uniformly from all parts thereof, is conducted through a curved pipe into a
suitable vessel. The head of water which presses the pulp through the pipe, and
at the same time, consequently the density of the discharging pulp may be easily
regulated by raising or lowering the discharge opening of the curved pipe.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a pulp catcher according to this invention.
Fig. 2 is a plan of the same, the upper sieve being removed.
The pulp catcher comprises an inverted truncated cone shaped tank or receptacle
(hereinafter termed a tank) a of sheet iron supported by means of brackets & fixed
upon standards c.
The tank a may however be supported by suitable brickwork.
The upper edge of the tank a is surmounted by an annular extension d having
about half way up an external circumferential channel e communicating by means
of openings in the wall of the extension d with the interior of the tank a.
i
Within the extension d and above the openings is fixed a ring g of inverted
truncated conical form and which extends to a suitable depth below the openings f.
The external wall of the channel e projects over the upper edge of the
extension d and is connected somewhat below that upper edge to the cylinder d by
suitable shaped stays upon which is fixed a tight cover & of sheet iron or wood,
another circumferential channel being thus formed, which receives the cleaned
The lower
water and conducts the same to the waste channel or gutter m.
channel e is entirely separated from the upper channel by the cover k.
A pipen the month of which is situated at the bottom of the tank a extends to
about the middle of the receptacle formed by the parts a and d where it passes
through the side of the tank a and is coupled by a socket o to an elbow-pipe p
such a manner that the latter may be turned about its horizontal axis r-r.
discharge extremity of the elbow-pipe is closed by a cock or valve s.
The apparatus operates as follows:-
in
The
Water still containing a considerable quantity of pulp fibres is supplied from a
5 receptacle (not shown) that is arranged above the level of the edge of the
extension d through the pipe t to the channel e whence it uniformly flows into the
tank a.
By the inclined walls of the ring g the water is immediately conducted
downwardly so that it flows along the inclined surface of the tank a to the lowest
point of the same which may have preferably a rounded form.

page_text: The ring g prevents the inflowing water mixing with the waste or cleaned water,
which latter rises in the centre portion.
It has been observed that the pulp fibres are conducted longitudinally in the
direction of the current, so that the descent of all the fibres is facilitated to the
lowest point of the tank a where the force of the uniformly flowing and concentra-
ting water is balanced and where it is comparatively at rest. The fibres still
maintain a part of their motion due to the current of water and to their own weight
and tend to set themselves lengthwise upon the walls of the tank and to move thus
to the bottom thereof. In this manner all the pulp fibres are deposited on the
bottom of the tank a, whereas the cleaned water rises in the middle part thereof.
In order to catch any pulp fibres still remaining in the rising water, a sieve u may
be arranged in the upper part of the tank on the under side of which the fibres
will accumulate and form flakes which will fall by their own weight or are caused
to drop by a sudden reduction in the velocity of the overflow water.
Instead of a single sieve u several sieves may be employed or a filter composed
of felt mounted upon frames, or perforated sheet iron with interposed filtering
material, such, for example, as wood-wool, sand or sponge, may be used if the
perfect cleaning of the outflowing water is desired. Such a filter is arranged in a
frame, so that it may be easily removed and changed.
The flow of the water takes place in a perfectly calm manner which is accounted
for by the fact that the entrance of the water is situated below the upper water
level, and that the flowing off takes place uniformnly over a large circumferential
area.
The cleaned water which rises through the sieves or filter, flows over the upper
edge d' of the extension d into the channel whence it passes away through the
discharge gutter m.
The discharging of the deposited pulp is effected automatically by means of
the pipe n into which the pulp is pressed by the head of water above the pipe n.
As soon as the valve s is opened the deposited pulp which is nearest the mouth
of the pipe n flows off.
P
As mentioned above the pipe p being coupled to the pipe n it can be raised or
lowered as desired whereby the density of the outflowing pulp may be regulated.
When the pipe is turned in such a position that its discharge opening is in its
lowest position (indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1) the maximum pressure will be
obtained and the discharge will be greater than would be the case if the pipe p be
more or less raised so that more water will pass through the pipe with the fibres
and the pulp will not be so concentrated.
On the other hand if the discharge opening be raised the pressure will be thus
diminished, and a thicker or more concentrated pulp will be forced through the
pipe.
The discharge of the deposited pulp may be continuous or intermittent in the
latter case the intervals may be determined after a short observation. The supply
of water however may be in both cases continuous. The discharged pulp may be
led to a reservoir or tank (not shown in the drawings) and may thence be conducted
to a drainer and treated as ordinary wood pulp.
For the purpose of enabling the pulp catcher to be cleaned, the bottom of the
tank a is provided with an opening for running off the water, said opening being
closed when the apparatus is in use by a valve w attached to a rod a.
When the valve is opened, the water flows off through the pipe v fitted to the
opening.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1. In a pulp catcher the combination of an inverted truncated conical vessel a
provided with an annular channel from which the water still containing pulp is
caused to flow through suitable openings upon the inclined surface of the vessel

page_text: while the cleaned water rises in the centre and discharges above the level of the
inlet, and a discharge pipe for the deposited pulp, the outlet end of which pipe can
be raised or lowered substantially as described for the purpose specified.
2. In a pulp catcher the combination of a truncated conical vessel having above
its upper edge a circumferential channel for the supply of pulp-water an internal
ring of inverted truncated conical form, and an upper annular channel for the
outflowing cleaned water, substantially as described for the purpose specified.
3. For a pulp catcher, the combination of an inverted truncated conical vessel
having an annular supply channel above its upper edge and surmounted by an
upper channel for the discharging water, and a filter or sieve between the said
channels, substantially as described and for the purpose specified.
4. The improved pulp catcher constructed substantially as hereinbefore described
with reference to and shewn in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 30th day of July 1892.
W. LLOYD WISE,
Per F. J. Brougham,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.