Perforated compactor bar

Claim 1

In a web treating apparatus comprising a cylindrical drum; a compactor bar having a sidewall includng a smooth curved surface portion located adjacent a peripheral, sector of the drum and extending generally parallel to the sector; a relatively thick endless belt of an elastomeric material arranged to pass between the peripheral sector of the drum and the curved surface of the compactor bar, with the outer surface of the belt contiguous to the drum and the inner surface of the belt contiguous to the bar; means for driving the belt between the compactor bar and the peripheral drum sector; means for enabling the compactor bar to press the belt against the drum in compressed condition so that a nip space between the outside surface of the belt and the peripheral sector of the drum is established, the outer belt surface stretching and subsequently contracting to its normal length as it passes through and beyond the nip space during operation of the apparatus; means for continuously supplying a liquid lubricant on the inside surface of the belt in advance of the compactor bar; and means for feeding a contractable web to be treated through the nip space between the belt's outer surface and the drum, whereby the web initially adheres to the stretched outside surface of the belt passing through the nip space and, as the outside surface of the belt contracts in passing beyond the nip space, the web is compacted while it is still against the drum; the improvement comprising, said compactor bar having a liquid dam sidewall portion connected to the smooth curved surface portion and being located on the belt approach side of the compactor bar, the liquid dam portion extending along the length of the compactor bar; liquid confining means at each edge of the belt at least adjacent the belt approach side of the compactor bar for preventing liquid flow beyond the belt edges in the vicinity of the liquid dam sidewall portion of the compactor bar; the compactor bar having liquid receiving means associated therewith and being provided with at least one weir opening in that portion of its sidewall constituting the liquid dam, the weir opening being in communication with said liquid receiving means and being spaced a predetermined distance from the inside surface of the belt on the belt approach side of the compactor bar, whereby during operation of the apparatus and supply of liquid lubricant to the inside surface of the belt in advance of the compactor bar, a pool of lubricant may be established and maintained at the liquid dam portion of the compactor bar on the inside surface of the belt, the depth of the pool being determined by the distance of said weir opening from said inside surface of the belt on the belt approach side of the compactor bar, the surface of the pool being maintained at a constant level by the overflow of excess liquid through the weir opening into the liquid receiving means associated with the compactor bar.