Twin wire paper forming apparatus

Claim 1

Apparatus for forming a paper web from a dilute, aqueous slurry of fibers comprising, in combination: a looped upper forming wire; a looped lower forming wire; means for supporting the upper and lower forming wires in opposed, substantially horizontal relationship for receiving an aqueous slurry of fibers to be dewatered therebetween; a stationary dewatering device mounted within the looped upper forming wire and including (a) an autoslice mounted in water skimming relationship with the upper forming wire for urging the water into the autoslice for removal therefrom, said autoslice being capable of applying sub-atmospheric pressure to the water; (b) a suction box having a convexly curved pervious working surface with a radius between about 50 inches to about 400 inches and mounted within the looped upper forming wire positioned closely adjacent and downstream of the autoslice with the working surface bearing downwardly against the upper forming wire to cause the upper and lower forming wires to define a smooth upwardly concavely curved path over the working surface throughout at least a portion of their substantially horizontal path of travel, whereby a significant amount of water is removed upwardly from the aqueous slurry of fibers through the upper forming wire over the curved pervious working surface to form the paper web; first and second means positioned within the lower forming wire substantially upstream and downstream, respectively, of the stationary dewatering device for creating negative pressure beneath the lower forming wire.