US1539542A - Method and apparatus for producing fibrous board - Google Patents

Description

May 26, 1925.

H. CARMICHAEL ma'rnov AND APPARATUS FOR Pnpbqg neflaaous BOARD Filed Nov. 15; 1921 s Shets-Sheet 1 hi'iay 26, 1925.

H. CARMICHAEL METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING FIBROUS BOARD Filed Nov. 15 1921 5 sheets shee LiZIIIIIII \mayuoa am s Qcmmm May 26, 1925-; 1,539,542

H. CARMICHAEL HETHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING FIBROUS BOARD Filed Nov. 15. 1921 v 5 Sheets-Sheet #TMZQ May 26, 1925. v 1,539,542

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May 26, 1925' H. CARMICHAEL METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING FIBROUS BOARD Filed Nov. 15, 1921 I 5 Sheets-Sheet 5- \VYASVYQK Qwm Qmxmm Patented May 26, 1925.

- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY CARMICHAEL, OF MIALZDEN MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF FOURTEEN AND FOUR-TENTHS PER CENT TO IRVING HOLLANDER, OF WINTHROP, MASSACHU- SETTS, FIVE AND FOUR-TENTHS PER CENT TO J. W. NOURBOURN, ONE AND EIGHT-TENTH'S PER CENT TO HARRY W. COBB, BOTH OF BOSTON, MASSACHU- SETTS," AND SIXTY-FOUR PER CENT. TO THE UPSO'N COMPANY, OF LOCKPORT, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING FIBROUS BOARD.

Application tiled November 15, 1921. Serial 1T0. 515,257.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY CARMIGHAEL, a citizen of the United btates, residing in Malden, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Methods and Apparatus for Producing Fibrous Board, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts. o

This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for producing in a continuous manner board, which may be of indeterminate length and of material thickness and referably of fibrous material, in which the bars are interlocked or. felted with one another. v

To this end, the fibrous material admixed with a relatively large volume of water or other fluid to form a fluent pulp or stock is admitted under pressure into a pressure chamber to form therein a homogeneous mass of fibers interlocked in all directions and of substantial thickness; which mass of interlocked fibers is moved continuously through said chamber, and while in motion is subjected on -"opposing surfaces to pressure without disturbing the relation of the interlocked fibers, which pressure is maintained and increased as the fibrous mass progresses through said chamber to consolidate and felt. the fibrous material and form a non-laminated compact board of substantial thickness, of maximum strength and whose fibers are interlocked in all directions.

The passage or chamber is formed in an apparatus provided with a pair of opposing walls which are movable toward the outlet end of said passage or chamber.

opposing walls may be made as platens and superimposed drainage belts, and said platens may be composed of sections capable of sustaining heavy pressure and pivtion of the endless platens. Provision is also made for adjusting the sectional upper and lower platensto avoid slack and obtain the proper drive of the same.

Provision is also made for Washing the drainage belt, as will be described. v

These and other features ot-this invention will be pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification. f

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one form of apparatus with which to produce compact fiber boards in accordance with my im-. proved method.

Fig. 2, a longitudinal sectional view onan enlarged scale of the left hand end of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3, a vertical section on an enlarged scale taken onthe line 3-3, Fig. 1.

' Fig. 4, a longitudinal sectional view on an enlarged scale of the right hand end of th apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5, a vertical section on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 5-5, Fig. 1.

Figs. 6 and 7, details of the construction of platen and drainage belt shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. -8, a modified construction for adjusting the platens.

Figs. 9,10, 11 and 12, modifications of platens to be referred to, and

Fig. 13, a diagrammatic view to illustrate the formation of the compact board from the fluent stock.

Referring to the drawings and particularly Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive, a; represents a passage or chamber into which fibrous material admixed with a relatively large amount of water, or other fluid, and under water and in the compact form of a board In a preferred form of apparatus, the- The side walls I), 0, may and preferably will be made of brass plates, su'itablyi secured to supporting members 7, g.

The top and bottom walls d, e, may and preferably will bemade its endlessplatens v [tween it and the pulleys 41, 47. The lower composed of sections 'or members .10 pro vided With overlapping fingers 12 through which extend pivot ins 1 3, see Figs.' 2 and 6. Each platen mem 'er or section is'pro"- vided on its inner surface with gear teeth 14, arranged near the opposite sides of said platen member orv section, and the gear teethon adjacent platen members are arranged in alignment to form gear chains, with which cooperate gears'for driving .them and" the endless platens to which they are attached. The teeth 14, on the lower lap of the upper endless platen d are en aged with-and driven by'gears 16, 17, see vigs. 2 and 4,.a'ndthe teeth 14 on theupper lap of the lower endless platen e are engaged with and .driven by gears18, 19.- The gears 16', arev .fast' on a shaft journalec}; n support- 20 ing members 21, 22., and the gears 17 are fast; on a shaft 23 journaled in boxes 24 which-are sildably-secured to the supporting members 21, 22 so as to be moved towardand away from the shaft 20 to ta ke'up slack in the lower lap of the upper endless platen, and thereby maintain the upper walldof the chamber a taut and substantially straight or flat. The supporting members 21, 22 are provided with slots 25, see dotted lines Fig. 4, which permit .this'adjustment I of the shaft 23 and the gears 17 thereon.

3 -Theshafts 2O, 23,'-- are provided with sprocket wheels 26, 27 which are connected by a link chain28, seeFiggl.

The gears 18 are fast on a shaft 29 1on1-v naled in. the supporting members f, g, and

' .naled the earsf19'are fast on a shaft 30 jourin boxes 31 which are slidably 'secured to the supporting members f, g, which wheels 32, 33 chain 34.-]

have slots 32'-to' permitadjustment of the shaft 30 and the gears 19 ther'eon with relation to the-"shaft 29 and gears .18. The shafts 29, 30' are provided withspifocket which are connected by a link The shaft 2o is'driven from; the shaft 29 by gears 35, 36, see Fig. 3, and the shaft 29, which constitutes the mai'n shaft, is rep resented as provided with 'a. fast pulley 37;

1 41, see

. less platen 'd is supported directly and with a loose 'pulle 38. The upper 'endless 'ilaten d is passe about pulleys-40,

'ig. 1, mounted on shafts 4 2 4.3 journaled 1n stationar side frames.44,$J-15' near the opposite en s of the same, and

platen e is passed about nale e foratens with theleast? possible power. To t is end, the 'uppe'rend ulpon roller bearings ,50'carried' b link c ains 51 which are passed about t e: pulleys .40, 41 between them and the endless. -p1'aten, and

the lower endless platen 'e'fis likewise sup;

pivotedat one end and other ends toward and 64, attached to is connected at'one end with sproc et wheel.71, se opposite end with the shaft 63 by sprocket the' water y p sit:

ported by roller bearings .50 interposed belapof the upper endless platen and the upper la of the lower endless platen are maintaine straight'orflat by rigid bearing mem.-

are firmly attached to the supporting memd V berg 72 if9g' 1 The supporting members 20, 21, are-shown" as' channel irons andare arranged to have apivotal 'movement, being practically ing members f, the present instance,

from the supportthe supporting adjustable at their 7 members 21 22- for the shafts 20, 23 are I hung by bots 56 from .the'

Figs. 2 and 3, and sufiicient .play is allowed upper .portions'f '44, 45 of the stationary side frames, sec

between the bolts 56 and the supporting members 21', 22 to permit the latter to pivot on said bolts. The supportin members f,

q forthe shafts 29, 30 norma 1y rest upon oweri portions. 57 of the stationary 'side frames, as re connected by members 21, 22. 1

The opposite or rear end of the'upper supporting members, 21, 22 restupon cams 60,

are faston .61, see Figs- Land 5, which shafts 62, 63 supported in the lower supporting-members f, 'g andin bearin hubs The cams 60, 61 aresuitably shaped-to elemembers 21,22 from the by very thede h' of the outlet or rear end of the cham the stationary side rames. y

resented Fig. 3, and are It's 58 with the supporting have cooperating'Iwit-h their top surfaces, a

second set of cams 66, 67 which are fast; n on a shaft- 68-and serve as'abut-ment'mem- 1 I bers to limit the upward movement, of the upper" u p ng embers.- Th h ft 3' I p the sha'ft 62 by :s rocket wheel 69,- link chain 70. and

wheel 72, link chain '73 and sprocket wheel turning it, so as to turn the four cams lower platens have coo them drainage belts .76, 77 through 'which is expressed from the fibrous material or stock onv the, fassage' of the latterqthrough the board arming chamber at. The. raina'ge belts 76, 77 may beofan'y. suitable construction, butit, may be'preferred'to empl Btruction illustrated in Figs.

1, .6 and 7,

Fig. 5, "and at its? I 74,: and isprovided with afhandle for; v

61,- 66, 67. simultaneously.' The upper and- 9! rating with s oy the conv whmi thefdiainage belt is shown S-Q mof fabric.

. andv fills the same, and is carried forward The endless drainage belts 76, 77 are arranged to contact with the lower lap of the upper endless platen d and with the upper lap of the lower endless platen e and to preferably be separated from the upper lap of the upper platen and from the lower lap of the lower platen so as to afford opportunity for Washing any fiber stock which may adhere to the drainage belt. As represented in Fig. 1, the upper drainage belt 76 is passed about a pulley' 82 and the lower drainage belt 77 about pulley 83 located at the rear end of the apparatus, and the said belts have cooperating with them spray nozzles or devices 84-, which are supplied with water from a pipe 85 connected in practice with the water main.

The endless platens are arranged on the framework of the apparatus so as to provide the chamber a with a greater area at its inlet end and in the present instance the platens are arranged so as to form a board forming chamber which tapers from its inlet toward its outlet end, with the platens forming a pair of opposing walls of said chamber. which convergeand are movable toward the outlet end of said chamber.

The inlet end of the board forming chamber a is operatively connected with a supply of fiber stock admixed with a relativel large amount of water, or other fluid, whic supply is represented herein by a pipe 86 provided with a nozzle 87 which is extended into the chamber a at .its inlet end. The nozzle 87 is constructed and arranged to make a relatively water-tight fit with the walls of the chamber a,'and the platens are provided with packing strips 88, see Figs. 6 and'7, which make a watertight joint with the side walls b, 0 of the chamber a. In operation with the apparatus-herein shownand described, the fiber stock admixed with a relatively large ambunt of water or'other fluid and therefore in a fluent condition is admitted into the chamber a under pressure toward the relatively narrow outlet end of said-chamber by the movable opposing walls.

d, e thereof. On the passage of the fibrous stock through the chamber a, the greater portion of the waterpasses out of the chain her a through the drainage belts, and the. loose fibers are thereby brought together, and form a homogeneous mass of fibers interlocked in all directions of substantial thickness and admixed with fluid, which mass is advanced substantially as fast as formed and is subjected on opposing surfaces to pressure without disturbing the relation of the interlocked fibers, which pressure is maintained and increased as the fibrous mass approaches the outlet end of the chamber, thereby consolidating and compactin the fibrous mass into a board after t e manner represented in Fig. 13, which is carried out from the chamber and is carried away therefrom. in any suitable manner. It will be observed, that the board 1 0O formed as-above described may be continuous or indeterminate in length, and may be cut up into individual boards of any desired or required length. It will further beobserved that the fibrous material in a loose condition is admitted into the chamber in the presence of a relatively large amount of water, or other fluid, is fed forward in said chamber and gradually or progressively consolidated and compacted into a relativel solid mass to form a board of predetermined thickness, and of substantial strength owing to theinterlockin fibers, which can be subsequently dried, and otherwise treated, and further which can be made rapidly-in a continuous manner and at a minimum expense. It will further be observed that with the apparatus herein shown, the homegeneous mass of fibers interlocked in all directions, before being sub-' jected to the maximum pressure on its opposing surfaces, is supported bv the side walls of the chamber laterally of the points or area where the maximum pressure'is ap plied, and-is also supported at its rear'by' the fluid pressure within the chamber, and

is therefore prevented from being moved laterallyand rearwardl while it is being of its moved forward to the p ac'e where it is subjected to the maximum pressure. It will further be observed that the-fibers of the portion of the board which is subjected to the maximum pressure, are interlocked with the fibers of the homogeneous mass of greater thickness and which is. subjected to lesser pressure, and that the transition from the homogeneous mass of interlocked fibers containing'more or less water into a com-' pact homogeneous mass of interlocked fibers containing substantially little water, is

gradual and continuous while the fibrous'i mass is in motion, and is accomplished by the iiiovable platens without rupturing or otherwise disturbing the interlocked relation between the fibers subjectell to the maximum pressure and those subjected to a lesser pressure.

In and 7.the 8a. wan. b, a of the board forming chamber a: are shown as separate from the endless platens, but if desired the side walls 6, 0, may be attached to or formpart ofone ofthe endless platens as represented in Figs. it may be preferre tomake the endless platens in sections as represented in Fig. '6, but it is not desired to limit; the invention in this respectas they maybe made in'the 11 and 12.' So also, I

- fornrof endless wires, cords, or the like 90, and the drainage belt may be' made of the perforated metal 80.alone, as represented in Figs. 9 and 10.

It maybe preferred to adjust the upper supporting members 21, 22 by cams, as represented in Figs, 4 and 5, but it isnot dev sired'to limit the invention in this respect as they may be adjusted by fluid pressure after the manner shown in Fig. 8, wherein an hydraulic ram 91 is shown as engaged with the top surface of one supporting member as 22, and the hydraulic ram 92 with the lower surface thereof. v

In the present instance one construction v ofapparatus is shown for making a board of an indeterminate or continuous length, by

' feeding fibrous stock. through a. chamber having a pair of opposing walls which are movable toward the outlet end of the chamber, but it is not desired to limit the invention to the particular construction. of apparatusherein shown.

'Claimsa 1. A method of making fiber board of considerable thickness comprising mixing paper fiber with'an excess of water so that the individual fibers interlock with one another in all directions, forcing the water and fiber under great pressure into a forming chamber and conveying it through said chamber with progressively increasing mechanical pressure while permitting the water to escape until the desired thickness of board is attained, theme'chanical pres sure being-laterally applied and the matcrial being compressed thereby while confined against escape or displacement by the formed board at one end and the force feed pressure of the. water and fiber at the other.

.2. In an apparatus'of the character described, in'combination, a pair of endless platens composed of sections pivotally connected together and arranged to form substantially flat or straight converging unyieldmg opposing walls of a chamber,-means 00- operating with said platens to form side.

wallsbfsaidchamber, means for supplying said chamber with fibrous stock in a fluent condition, and means for moving said end-' less platens to feed the fibrous stock toward the outlet endof said chamber and progressively separate the fluid therefrom Y and compact and felt said fibrous stock.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, a. board-forming chamber havinga pair of opposing and converging foraminous walls and a pair of walls cooperating with, .said converging walls ,to form a chamber having-walls at its top, bottom and sides, said converging walls being movable from the inlet toward the outlet end ofsaid chamber, means co-pperating Y with said eonverging'walls tomaintain them substantially flat or straight, (and-a1. nozzle co-operating with thewalls of said chamber at its inlet end to render said chamber relativel fluid-tight at its inlet end and for supp ying material mixed with'fluid under pressure into said chamber.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, a board-forming chamber open at its outlet end and sub,- stantially fluid-tight at its sides and inlet end and provided with a pair of endless platens arranged to form substantially flat' or straight opposingand continuously converging foramino'us walls of said chamber, and having side walls co-operating with said converging walls, means for moving said endless platens from the inlet end toward the outlet end of said chamber, and means for supplying said chamber at its inlet end with fibrous material admixed with fluid.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, a board-forming chamber provided with continuously converging opposing foraminous walls movable toward the outlet end of said chamber to subject a homogeneous mass of interlocked fibers admixed with fluid to a continuously said foraminous converging walls substantially flat or straight.

'6. In an apparatus of the character described, inbombination, a board-forming chamber provided with continuous, substantially straight or flat converging opposing foraminous walls movable toward the outlet end of said chamber means for supplying a homogeneous mass of fibers interlocked in all directicnsto said chamber to be engaged with and moved by said converging walls and to be subjected thereby to an increasing pressure, means for solidly supporting saidconverging walls to-maintain them substantially straight or flat against movement away from each otherby the interlocked fibrous mass and thereby prevent disturbance of the interlocked'condition of its fibers, means for sup rting the mass of fibers at the sides of said ressed by said converging walls, and means or moving said: convergin walls toward the outlet end of said cham r.

' 7. The method of making fibrous board,

chamber while being com-- ing an initial pressure to opposing sur aces (if successive portion s of said mass while the latter is in motion in said chamber; pr0-' over the entire area of said length withdifgressively increasing the pressure 11 on the ferent ressures applied to different portions successive-portions oi the mass initia 1y comof fsai len th whi e thelatter is in motion 10 pressed while the initial pressure is being within the hoard-forming chamber.'

5 applied to a following uncompressed por- In testimony whereof, I have signed my tion of said mass, and subjecting a. substanname to this s cific'ation. tial length of the fibrous mass to pressure NRY CARMICHAEL

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