Abstract Fibrous material is discharged from a digester into a discharger tank which has a perforated plate in one of its walls for discharging the fibrous material into a first exit chamber. From the first exit chamber, the fibrous material passes through a restricted passageway defined by a frustoconical shaped bore and a selectively movable frustoconical shaped plug into a second exit chamber. A rotor, located in the discharger tank adjacent the perforated plate, wipes oversized chips and fibrous bundles from the perforated plate. The holes of the perforated plate are tapered outwardly towards the first exit chamber to prevent clogging thereof. The fibrous material is simultaneously defibered by steam pressure differentials existing between the tank and exit chambers.
Inventors
👤 Douglas G Sutherland
Bibliographic Details
Application Number—
JurisdictionUS
Data Sourcegoogle_patents
Last Synchronized2026-10-24 02:03
CPC Classifications
D; D21; D21B; D21B1/00; D21B1/04; D21B1/12
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
14 words
The apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein said restricted means defines an annular opening.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein means are provided for adjusting an opening defined by said restricted passage means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
58 words
The apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein said restricted passage means defines an annular opening and wherein means are provided for adjusting the opening defined by said restricted passage means, said opening being defined by an outer frustoconical shaped bore and an inner frustoconical shaped plug selectively movable toward and away from a seated position within said bore.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
51 words
The apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein said restricted passage means defines an annular opening, and wherein means are provided for adjusting the opening defined by said restricted passage means and wherein said adjustable opening defines means for adjusting the opening area for maximum surface-friction contact of fibrous material passing therethrough.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus defined in claim 5, wherein an exit line is provided from said second exit chamber means for facilitating the passage of vapor and defibered material from said second exit chamber means.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
128 words
The method of defibering fibrous material leaving a digester, comprising the continuous steps of delivering high-pressure vapor and fibrous material to a discharger tank, selectively sizing the fibrous material for further defibering by traversing a perforated plate exit from the tank with a rotor, propelling the fibrous material under pressure through the perforated plate to create frictional defibering during fiber passage through the plate, suddenly expanding the vapor and carried fibrous material in an intermediate-pressure chamber, propelling the fibrous material under pressure through a restricted opening sized for increasing velocity and particle friction of material conveyed therethrough, from the intermediate-pressure chamber to a low-pressure chamber to impart frictional defibering to fibers passing through the opening, and suddenly expanding the vapor and carried fibrous material in the low-pressure chamber.