Production of fibrous sheet material

Claim 1

Apparatus for forming a sheet of paper or paperboard comprising: means for dry-laying a web including essentially cellulosic fibers by depositing dry fibers in an air stream onto a movable band and means for moistening the fibrous web to permit consolidation thereof, and consolidating means for consolidating the moistened, dry-laid fibers of the web to increase its strength, said consolidating means comprising, a consolidating surface, and means for heating said surface, a backing means for holding a newly formed web in contact with an area of the heated surface, the backing means exerting at least a limited pressure urging the web against the surface, and at least two pressure means spaced apart along said surface for pressing against said backing means and hence acting therethrough to press the said web against the heated surface at the nip formed between the pressure means and the said surface with a pressure which is substantially uniform over the width of the web, which is between 150 to 500 p.l.i., and which is greater than the pressure exerted by the backing means along said surface between the nips, said backing means being operable to maintain the web against the surface between said nips of the pressure means with at least some pressure and to maintain a level of transfer of heat from the heated surface to the web above that level which would occur in the absence of a backing means, such that pressure and heat transfer are maintained along said surface at least at and between the pressure means, wherein said pressure and hence also said heat transfer are greater at the pressure means than in the space between them.