Patent ID: 6863776

Claim:
A press section for dewatering a fibrous material web comprising: a plurality of rolls arranged to form at least three nips; at least one endlessly circulating dewatering belt associated with each nip, each said at least one endlessly circulating dewatering belt being structured and arranged to guide the fibrous material web through its respective nip and to receive water squeezed out of the fibrous material web in said respective nip; said plurality of rolls comprising at least one press roll having a smooth surface arranged to contact a surface of the fibrous material web; and an endlessly circulating, smooth transfer belt structured and arranged to contact a surface of the fibrous material web opposite the surface contacting said smooth surface of said at least one press roll and to support the fibrous material web through at least one of said at least three nips, wherein said at least one press roll having a smooth surface is arranged to form its respective nip after said at least one nip in which said smooth transfer belt supports the fibrous material web, and wherein the at least one dewatering belt associated with said at least one nip in which said smooth transfer belt supports the fibrous material web is arranged to transfer the fibrous material web directly to the at least one dewatering belt guided through said respective nip formed by said at least one press roll having a smooth surface.