Apparatus for producing uncreped extensible paper

Claim 1

IN A PAPER WEB SHRINKING APPARATUS IN THE OPERATION OF WHICH A PAPER WEB IS CARRIED ON A LONGITUDINALLY TRAVELLING BLANKET ALONG A STATIONARY SURFACE AND IS CONFINED AGAINST SAID SURFACE BY SAID BLANKET UNDER A PERPENDICULARLY APPLIED PRESSURE WHICH PROGRESSIVELY DECREASES IN MAGNITUDE IN THE DIRECTION OF BLANKET TRAVEL, THE IMPROVED MEANS OF REDUCING FRICTION BETWEEN SAID TRAVELING PAPER WEB AND SURFACE USING PRESSURIZED STEAM, SAID MEANS COMPRISING SAID SURFACE HAVING AN OPENING THEREIN ONLY IN THE AREA THEREOF WHERE THE PAPER WEB INITIALLY CONTACTS SAID SURFACE, AND MEANS CONNECTED BETWEEN A SOURCE OF STEAM AND SAID OPENING FOR FLOWING STEAM THROUGH SAID OPENING BETWEEN THE PAPER WEB AND SURFACE, SAID STEAM ENTERING BETWEEN THE PAPER WEB AND SURFACE AND FLOWING IN THE DIRECTION OF BLANKET TRAVEL AND DUE TO HEAT LOSS TO SAID PAPER WEB HAVING A PRESSURE WHICH PROGRESSIVELY DECREASES IN MAGNITUDE SUBSTANTIALLY AS THE PERPENDICULARLY APPLIED PAPER WEB CONFINING PRESSURE DECREASES IN MAGNITUDE IN THE DIRECTION OF BLANKET TRAVEL.