Horizontal twin wire machine

Claim 2

Apparatus for forming paper which includes a main frame (10), means (11,16) mounted on said frame for supporting a generally horizontal run of a primary endless forming wire 13), and means (15) for delivering a flow of paper making stock to one end of said wire run for drainage therethrough to form a paper sheet thereon while traveling thereon toward the other end of said run, characterized by (a) a supplemental frame assembly (25, 100) mounted above said main frame (10), (b) means including an upstream roll (48, 112) and a downstream roll (45, 111) mounted in spaced relation on said frame assembly for supporting a top endless forming wire run (44, 110) above said primary wire to define a two-wire run, (c) a third roll (60, 125) having an open face mounted for rotation within the loop of said top wire (44, 110) between said upstream and downstream rolls, (d) means (46) for driving said top wire and said third roll, (e) a pair of wire deflectors (22, 24) positioned below and in supporting relation with said primary wire run on opposite sides of the vertical center line of said third roll (60, 125) along said two-wire run, (f) a top wire deflector (66, 150) mounted within said top wire loop and with the edge thereof at a position spaced between the vertical center line of said third roll and the downstream one (24) of said pair of wire deflectors, (g) means (67-69, 160, 165, 166) for adjusting said top wire deflector (66, 150) with respect to said main frame between positions above and below the plane defined by said bottom wire deflectors (22, 24) whereby said top wire deflector will guide a run of said top wire from said upstream roll into converging relation with said primary wire run between said pair of deflectors, (h) a shield (65, 155) mounted in upwardly extending relation from said top wire deflector and in facing and enclosing relation with a predetermined portion of said third roll, (i) the relative dimensions and positioning of said shield and said third roll establishing a partial channel (80, 190) therebetween having the lower end thereof positioned to receive liquid directed upwardly from the inner surface of said top wire by said top wire deflector whereby such liquid is guided by said shield around said portion of the outer surface of said roll faced by said shield and discharged centrifugally from the upper end of said channel, and (j) means (72, 195, 196) defining a receptacle for receiving liquid discharged from the upper end of said channel.

Claim 3

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 further characterized by means (40, 133) for adjusting said third roll (60, 125) with respect to said main frame between positions above and below the plane defined by said bottom wire deflectors (22, 24) whereby one or both of said third roll and said top wire deflector will guide a run of said top wire from said upstream roll into converging relation with said primary wire run between said pair of deflectors.

Claim 4

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 or 2 wherein said third roll (60, 125) and said top wire deflector (66, 150) are mounted in said supplemental frame assembly (25, 100).

Claim 5

Apparatus as defined in any of claims 1-3 further characterized by means (121-124) mounting said upstream wire supporting roll (112) for vertical adjustment on said frame assembly (25, 100) to vary the vertical spacing between said roll (112) and said primary wire.

Claim 6

Apparatus as defined in any of claims 1-4 further characterized by means (33, 35, 40, 103, 104) for mounting said supplemental frame assembly (25, 100) on said main frame (10).

Claim 7

Apparatus as defined in any of claims 1-5 further comprising means mounting said pair of deflectors (22, 24) for adjustment with respect to each other lengthwise of said main frame (10).

Claim 8

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 or 2 further characterized by mounting means for said third roll (125) carried by said supplemental frame assembly (100) and including means (130-133) for adjusting the vertical position of said third roll on said supplemental frame assembly, and means forming a vertically adjustable mounting connection (165, 166) between said top wire deflector (150) and said supplemental frame assembly (100).

Claim 9

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 or 2 further characterized by an auxiliary frame assembly (130) mounted in said supplemental frame assembly (100) for vertical adjustment with respect to said supplemental frame assembly, means (140) mounting said third roll (125) in said auxiliary frame assembly (130) for vertical adjustment therewith with respect to said supplemental frame assembly (100), and means (156, 160) forming a vertically adjustable mounting for said top wire deflector (150) on said auxiliary frame assembly (130).

Claim 10

Apparatus as defined in claim 8 further characterized by means (132) forming a horizontal pivotal connection between said auxiliary frame assembly (130) and said supplemental frame assembly (100), and means (133) for effecting controlled movement of said auxiliary frame assembly about said pivotal connection (132).

Claim 11

Apparatus as defined in any of claims 1-9 further characterized by means (167, 170) for effecting vertical adjustment of the profile of said top wire deflector (150).

Claim 12

Apparatus as defined in any of claims 1-9 further characterized by adjustable means (165, 166, 167, 170) located at spaced positions across the width of said supplemental frame assembly for effecting vertical adjustment of the adjacent portion of said top deflector (150) to vary the profile of said deflector in engagement with said top wire and thereby to change the cross machine profile of the sheet being formed between said wire runs.

Claim 13

Apparatus as defined in claim 11 further character­ized by means (180) for sensing the cross machine profile of the sheet formed between said wire runs, and means including a computer (180-182) actuated by said sensing means for operating a selected one or more of said adjustable means.

Claim 14

Apparatus as defined in any of claims 1-12 wherein said shield comprises a rigid portion (155) in substantially concentric and closely radially spaced relation to said outer surface of said third roll (125) which has an angular dimension equal to a minor fraction of the circumference of said roll, said shield also comprising a flexible portion (200) extending upwardly from said rigid portion in enclosing relation with said roll to a position on the downstream side of the vertical center line of said roll, and means (205) biasing said flexible shield portion toward the outer surface of said roll while providing for movement of said flexible shield portion away from said roll in response to flow of liquid therebetween from said partial annular channel.

Claim 15

Apparatus as defined in any of claims 1-12 further characterized by means defining an air chamber (220) supported inside said top wire loop at a position downstream from said top wire deflector (150), said air chamber having a perforate wall (202) facing said top wire, means (225) for guiding said wire runs into wrapping engagement with said perforate wall, and said air chamber being adapted to receive pressure air for discharge through said perforate wall to blow liquid through said primary wire from the sheet between said wires.

Claim 16

Apparatus as defined in any of claims 1-14 wherein said third roll is hollow, and further comprising pan means (85) within said hollow roll for receiving liquid falling from the upper surface portion of said roll within said roll, and means (86) for conveying liquid from said pan means to a location outside said roll.

Claim 17

Apparatus for forming paper, including a main frame (10), means (11, 16, 20) mounted thereon for supporting a generally horizontal run of a primary endless forming wire, and means (15) for delivering a flow of paper making stock to one end of said wire run for drainage therethrough to form a paper sheet thereon while traveling thereon toward the other end of said run, characterized by (a) a supplemental frame assembly (25, 100) mounted on said main frame and supporting a top endless forming wire (44) above said primary wire to define a two-wire run, (b) a roll (60, 125) mounted for rotation in said frame assembly within the loop of said top wire and with the axis thereof normal to the direction of travel of said primary wire, (c) said roll (60, 125) being substantially hollow and having a foraminous surface, (d) means (46) for driving said top wire and said hollow roll, (e) a pair of wire deflectors (22, 24) positioned below and in supporting relation with said primary wire run (13) along said two-wire run and on opposite sides of the vertical center line of said roll, (f) a top wire deflector (66, 150) mounted in said frame assembly (25, 110) at a position spaced between the vertical center line of said roll and the downstream one (24) of said pair of wire deflectors, (g) selective adjusting means (40, 67-69, 133, 160, 165, 166) connected to said roll (60, 125) and said top wire deflector (66, 150) for locating either said roll or said top wire deflector in position to guide a run of said top wire into converging relation with said primary wire run between said pair of deflectors (22, 24), (h) a generally cylindrically curved shield (65, 155, 191) mounted in said frame assembly in upwardly extending relation from said top wire deflector and enclosing relation with said roll to a position on the downstream side of the vertical center line of said roll, (i) the relative dimensions and positioning of said shield and said roll establishing a partial annular channel (80, 190) therebetween having the lower end thereof positioned to receive liquid directed upwardly from the inner surface of said top wire by said top wire deflector whereby such liquid is guided by said shield around the outer surface of said roll and discharged centrifugally from said channel in the upstream direction, and (j) means carried by said auxiliary frame and defining a receptacle (72, 195) on the upstream side of said roll for receiving liquid discharged from the upper end of said partial annular channel.

Claim 18

Apparatus for forming paper, including a main frame (10), means (11, 16, 20) mounted thereon for supporting a generally horizontal run of a primary endless forming wire, and means (15) for delivering a flow of paper making stock to one end of said wire run for drainage therethrough to form a paper sheet thereon while traveling thereon toward the other end of said run, characterized by (a) a supplemental frame assembly (25, 100) mounted on said main frame and supporting a top endless forming wire (44) above said primary wire to define a two-wire run, (b) a roll (60, 125) mounted for rotation in said frame assembly within the loop of said top wire and with the axis thereof normal to the direction of travel of said primary wire, (c) said roll (60, 125) being substantially hollow and having a foraminous surface, (d) means (46) for driving said top wire and said hollow roll, (e) a pair of wire deflectors (22, 24) positioned below and in supporting relation with said primary wire run (13) along said two-wire run and on opposite sides of the vertical center line of said roll, (f) a top wire deflector (66, 150) mounted in said frame assembly (25, 110) at a position spaced between the vertical center line of said roll and the downstream one (24) of said pair of wire deflectors, (g) selective adjusting means (40, 67-69, 133, 160, 165, 166) connected to said roll (60, 125) and said top wire deflector (66, 150) for locating either said roll or said top wire deflector in position to guide a run of said top wire into converging relation with said primary wire run between said pair of deflectors (22, 24), (h) a generally cylindrically curved shield (65, 155, 191) mounted in said frame assembly in upwardly extending relation from said top wire deflector and enclosing relation with said roll to a position on the downstream side of the vertical center line of said roll, (i) the relative dimensions and positioning of said shield and said roll establishing a partial annular channel (80, 190) therebetween having the lower end thereof positioned to receive liquid directed upwardly from the inner surface of said top wire by said top wire deflector whereby such liquid is guided by said shield around the outer surface of said roll and discharged centrifugally from said channel in the upstream direction, and (j) means carried by said auxiliary frame and defining a receptacle (72, 195) on the upstream side of said roll for receiving liquid discharged from the upper end of said partial annular channel.

Claim 19

Apparatus as defined in claim 16 wherein said selective adjusting means comprises means (40, 133) for adjusting said roll (60, 125) vertically with respect to said main frame to establish the vertical position of said roll with respect to said primary wire run, and means (67-69, 160, 165, 166) for adjusting said top wire deflector vertically on said frame assembly to establish the vertical position of said top deflector with respect to said top wire run.

Claim 20

Apparatus as defined in claim 16 further characterized by suction box means (20) supporting said primary wire at a position spaced downstream from said pair of deflectors, and means (45, 111) on said supplemental frame assembly for guiding said top wire run upwardly from said suction box means.

Claim 21

Apparatus as defined in claim 16 further characterized by pan means (85) within said hollow roll defining a receptacle for receiving liquid falling from the upper surface portion of said roll within said roll, and means (86) for conveying liquid from said pan means to a location outside of said roll.