Single tiered multi-cylinder paper dryer apparatus

Claim 2

A process for drying a paper web, said process comprising the steps of: arranging first and second pluralities of consecutive cylindrical dryers in a single tier in tandem; entraining a first run of the web on said first plurality of cylindrical dryers such that one face of said web is exposed to said first plurality of cylindrical dryers; entraining a second run of the web on said second plurality of cylindrical dryers such that the opposite face of said web is exposed to said second plurality of cylindrical dryers; rotating sad first plurality of cylindrical dryers in one direction and said second plurality of cylindrical dryers in the opposite direction; overlaying said first run of said web with a a second endless belt which moves in concert therewith; overlaying said second run of said web with a second endless belt which moves in concert therewith; moving a run of said first endless belt and a run of said second endless belt adjacent to each other at an interface between said first and second pluralities of cylindrical dryers, the interface comprising a first section where said endless belts define parallel planes and a second section where one of said belts defines a second plane substantially tangent to the other belt, the second plane being aligned to intersect the parallel planes; and sandwiching said web between said run of said first endless belt and said run of said second endless belt at said interface to transfer said web from said first plurality to said second plurality of cylindrical dryers, whereby said web is fully supported between said first and second endless belts throughout the interface between the first and second pluralities of cylindrical dryers.

Claim 3

A process as set forth in claim 1 wherein said run of said first and second endless belts are positioned at the interface by: entraining said first endless belt at said interface partially around a first vacuum transfer roller journaled for rotation about an axis approximately parallel to the axes of said first plurality of consecutive dryers and disposing a portion of said first endless belt in a vertical plane at said interface by entraining said first endless belt about an idler roller journaled for rotation about an axis which is also parallel to the axes of said first plurality of consecutive dryers, said vacuum transfer roller sandwiching said first endless belt and said web between itself and a cylindrical dryer of said first plurality; and entraining said second endless belt at said interface around a second vacuum transfer roller journaled for rotation about an axis approximately parallel to the axes of said second plurality of consecutive dryers and disposing a portion of said second endless belt in a plane at an angle to said vertical plane by entraining said second endless belt about an idler roller journaled for rotation abut an axis which is also parallel to the axes of said second plurality of consecutive dryers, said second vacuum transfer roller sandwiching said second endless belt and said web between itself and a cylindrical dryer of said second plurality.

Claim 4

A process for drying a paper web, said process comprising the steps of: entraining a first run of said web on a first plurality of consecutive cylindrical dryers arranged in tandem to expose one face of said web thereto; entraining a second run of said web on a second plurality of consecutive cylindrical dryers arranged in tandem to expose the opposite face of said web thereto; rotating said second plurality of cylindrical dryers in one direction and said second plurality of cylindrical dryers in the opposite direction; transferring said web from said first plurality of cylindrical dryers to said second plurality of cylindrical dryers, and reversing said web during said transfer; overlaying said first run of said web entrained on said first plurality of cylindrical dryers with a first endless belt to move in concert therewith; and overlaying said second run of said web entrained on said second plurality of cylindrical dryers with a second endless belt to move in concert therewith; and wherein the transferring step comprises the steps of: moving a run of said first endless belt adjacent a run of said second endless belt at a interface between said first and second pluralities of cylindrical dryers, the interface comprising a first section where said endless belts define parallel planes and a second section where one of said belts defines a second plane substantially tangent to the other belt, the second plane being aligned to intersect the parallel planes; and sandwiching said web between said run of said first endless belt and said run of said second endless belt at said interface to transfer said web from said fist plurality to said second plurality of cylindrical dryers, whereby said web is fully supported between said first and second endless belts throughout the interface between the first and second pluralities of cylindrical dryers.

Claim 5

A process for drying a paper web, said process comprising the steps of: entraining a first run of said web on a first plurality of consecutive cylindrical dryers arranged in tandem to expose one face of said web thereto; entraining a second run of said web on a second plurality of consecutive cylindrical dryers arranged in tandem to expose the opposite face of said web thereto; rotating said second plurality of cylindrical dryers in one direction and said second plurality of cylindrical dryers in the opposite direction; transferring said web from said first plurality of cylindrical dryers to said second plurality of cylindrical dryers, and reversing said web during said transfer; overlaying said first run of said web entrained on said first plurality of cylindrical dryers with a first endless belt to move in concert therewith; and overlaying said second run of said web entrained on said second plurality of cylindrical dryers with a second endless belt to move in concert therewith; and wherein the transferring step comprises the steps of: moving a run of said first endless belt adjacent a run of said second endless belt at a interface between said first and second pluralities of cylindrical dryers, the interface comprising a first section where said endless belts define parallel planes and a second section where one of said belts defines a second plane substantially tangent to the other belt, the second plane being aligned to intersect the parallel planes; and sandwiching said web between said run of said first endless belt and said run of said second endless belt at said interface to transfer said web from said fist plurality to said second plurality of cylindrical dryers, whereby said web is fully supported between said first and second endless belts throughout the interface between the first and second pluralities of cylindrical dryers.