Single endless strands as support surfaces in various sections of papermaking machine having integrated convolutions

Claim 2

The structure of claim 2, wherein said means for extracting fluid includes pressure means for applying pressure to said web to extract fluid therefrom.

Claim 3

The structure of claim 3, wherein the pressure means is disposed to apply pressure to the web along a line normal to the direction of movement of the strand.

Claim 4

The structure of claim 3, wherein said angle is in the range of 140* to 179*.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 1, and including means for varying said obtuse angle to thereby change the physical characteristics of the web.

Claim 6

A supporting structure for a fluid impregnated web, comprising a first guide roll assembly including a plurality of generally parallel first guide rolls, a first endless strand wound in a repeating pattern on the first guide roll assembly, said pattern including a plurality of closely spaced machine direction convolutions constituting a first web supporting surface adapted to support a fluid-impregnated web, first drive means for driving said first strand in said pattern to thereby advance said web on said first supporting surface, a second guide roll assembly including a plurality of generally parallel second guide rolls, a second endless strand wound in a second repeating pattern on said second guide roll assembly, said second pattern including a plurality of parallel closely spaced machine direction convolutions constituting a second web supporting surface, said second supporting surface being at an obtuse angle with respect to the first supporting surface, second drive means for driving said second strand in said second pattern, the convolutions of the first web supporting surface being integrated with the convolutions of the second supporting surface at an unsupported lease location in spaced relation to both said first guide rolls and said second guide rolls, said web being transferred from the first supporting surface across said lease to said second supporting surface, and means for varying the relative speed of travel of said first and second supporting surfaces.

Claim 8

The method of claim 8, and including the step of varying the relative speed of travel between said first strand and said second strand to thereby vary the physical characteristics of the paper web.

Claim 9

The method of claim 8, and including the step of driving the second strand at a slower speed than the first strand to thereby provide a build-up of the paper web at the lease and provide a more bulky, absorbent-type of paper web.

Claim 10

The method of claim 8, and including the step of varying the angularity between the first supporting surface and the second supporting surface to thereby change the physical characteristics of the paper web.