Self-cleaning deckle rail for papermaking machines

Claim 2

In a papermaking machine, a deckle rail assembly including a horizontally elongated rail member disposed on edge along a side edge portion of a fourdrinier screen of the papermaking machine and means for supporting the rail member, wherein the improvement comprises: water distribution means for directing a flow of water downwardly along opposite side surfaces of the rail member and including an elongated hollow weeper tube disposed along an upper edge of said rail and having a plurality of longitudinally spaced, upwardly opening weeper apertures formed along an upper portion thereof, said weeper apertures having a port portion extending into said hollow tube and having directing notches cut into an upper surface of said tube and extending transversely thereof in opposite directions for directing water seeping from said ports downwardly along diametrically opposite sides of said tube; and means for supplying water to said distribution means, whereby said rail member is continuously washed and coated by water, thereby eliminating corrosion loading.

Claim 3

In a forming section of a papermaking machine as defined in claim 1, said water distribution means comprising an adjustable shutoff valve for controlling water supply to said weeper tube whereby water supply to said distribution means may be selectively regulated.

Claim 4

In a forming section of papermaking machine as defined in claim 1, a plurality of longitudinally spaced spray heads spaced outwardly of said weeper tube and its corresponding rail member and directed inwardly for projecting fanlike showers and forming a water barrier.

Claim 5

In a forming section of a papermaking machine as defined in claim 2, said plurality of longitudinally spaced outlet apertures having progressively smaller cross-sectional areas with ones of said apertures disposed nearer an inlet end of said weeper tube having larger cross-sectional areas than those disposed nearer a closed end of said weeper tube.

Claim 6

In a forming section of a papermaking machine as defined in claim 1, means for supporting the rail member and having an upstanding post member secured to a frame of the papermaking machine and an arm member attached to said post and extending toward, and partially overlying, the rail member; an attachment flange underlying a portion of said arm, secured to, and extending at right angles from the rail member; adjustable attachment means interconnecting said arm and said attachment flange and being configured to permit horizontal adjustment of the rail transversely of the adjoining fourdrinier screen and vertical adjustment toward and away from a horizontal run of the screen.

Claim 7

In a forming section of a papermaking machine as defined in claim 1 a rail member underlying eacH said weeper tube and comprising: a rigid, horizontally elongated, strip-form body portion disposed on edge; a flexible strip extending longitudinally along a lower longitudinal edge portion of said body and projecting downwardly therefrom toward the adjoining fourdrinier screen; and clamp means securely attaching said flexible strip to said rigid body portion.

Claim 8

For use in a papermaking machine, a deckle rail comprising water distribution means having a weeper tube disposed superjacent the deckle rail and including aperture means opening at an upper surface thereof and directing notches on an upper surface of said tube and disposed transversely of said tube length to direct water seeped from said aperture means downwardly on opposite sides of said tube and on correspondingly opposite sides of said deckle rail.

Claim 9

A deckle rail assembly according to claim 9, wherein said directing notches each have a generally elliptical shape with a major axis of the ellipse disposed transversely of said tube and extending partially around a circumference thereof, thereby to direct fluid downwardly along diametrically opposite sides of said tube.

Claim 10

A deckle rail assembly according to claim 9, wherein said weeper tube has an inlet end, an opposite closed end and said aperture means comprising a plurality of longitudinally spaced weeper apertures opening at the upper surface of said weeper tube and having one of said directing notches associated with each of said weeper apertures, said weeper apertures having progressively smaller cross-sectional areas with said apertures disposed near said inlet end having larger cross-sectional areas than those disposed near said closed end of said tube.