_MACHINERY USED IN PAPER-MAKING._
Bentley and Jackson's Drum Washer.--Drying Cylinder.--Self-Acting
Dry Felt Regulator.--Paper Cutting Machine.--Single Web
Winding Machine.--Cooling and Damping Rolls.--Reversing or
Plate Glazing Calender.--Plate Planing Machine.--Roll Bar
Planing Machine.--Washing Cylinder for Rag Engine.--Bleach
Pump.--Three-roll Smoothing Presses.--Back-water Pump.--Web
Glazing Calender.--Reeling Machine.--Web Ripping Machine.--
Roeckner's Clarifier.--Marshall's Perfecting Engine.
Apart from the mechanical contrivances which are referred to
in various parts of this work, in which their application is
explained, it will be necessary to direct attention to certain
machines and appliances which are adopted at some of the more
advanced paper-mills in this country and in America; but since
the various makers of paper-makers' machinery are constantly
introducing improvements to meet the requirements of the
manufacturer, we must refer the reader to these firms for fuller
information than can be given in the limited scope of this
treatise. Many of the improvements in paper-making machinery
consist in modifications--sometimes of a very important nature--in
the construction of certain parts of a machine, whereby the
efficiency of the machine as a whole is in some cases considerably
augmented. Without offering any critical remarks upon the merits
of the respective improvements which have been introduced, it
will be sufficient to direct attention to the manufacturer's own
description of the principal features of the special mechanical
contrivance which he produces for the use of the paper-maker. It
may also be said that innumerable patents have been obtained for
various improvements in machinery, or parts of machines, engines,
etc., which can readily be referred to at the Library of the Patent
Office, or any of the public libraries throughout the Kingdom.
[Illustration: Fig. 43.]
=Bentley and Jackson's Drum-Washer.=--This drum-washer, for use in
the rag-engine, is shown in Fig. 43. It has cast-iron ends, strong
copper buckets, shaft, stands, lifting-gear, and driving-wheel,
but instead of the drum being covered with the ordinary strong
brass backing-wire, it is covered with their improved "honey-comb"
_backing-plates_, over which the fine wire is wrapped as usual. The
honey-comb backing consists of tough rolled brass or copper plates,
curved to suit the diameter of the drum, and secured to its ends by
cross-bars. It is practicably indestructible, strengthens the drum,
and by maintaining its cylindrical form, adds considerably to the
durability of the fine covering-wire.
[Illustration: Fig. 44.]
=Drying Cylinders.=--These cylinders, by the same firm, for which
patents were obtained in 1872 and 1887, are made with concave and
convex ends, the latter type being shown in Fig. 44. The cylinder
body is made of hard cast-iron, turned and polished on outside
surface. The ends and trunnions are of tough cast iron, turned
to fit into their places, and there secured by bolts and nuts by
a patented method, whereby no bolts (excepting for the manhole)
are put through the metal, an unbroken surface is preserved, and
the annoyance of leakage through the bolt-holes is avoided. A
manhole and cover is fitted to all cylinders 3 feet in diameter
and upwards, and a water-lifter and pipe to remove the condensed
steam. The trunnions are bored to receive nozzles or junctions
for admitting steam, and the whole, when completed, is carefully
balanced and tested by steam pressure to 35 lbs. per square inch.
The firm state that they have made cylinders from 2 to 10 feet in
diameter by this system.
[Illustration: Fig. 45.]
=Self-acting Dry Felt Regulator.=--This contrivance, which is
manufactured by Messrs. Bentley and Jackson, is represented in
front and side elevation in Fig. 45. A is the framing of the
paper-machine, B the felt-rollers, C the dry felt; D is a slide
carrying one end of the felt guide-roller B; C is a shaft across
the machine, with a pulley F, two-keyed on one end, and a bevel
pinion two-keyed on the other end. The pulley F and pinion H are
keyed together, and run loose upon the shaft G; I is a bevel-wheel,
gearing into the pinions H and 2. The wheel I is connected by
a spindle and a pair of bevel-wheels to a screw E, which works
through a threaded bush. When the machine is at work, if the felt
C should run on one side, it will pass between the pulley F and
the guide-roller B, causing the pulley to revolve, and turning the
screw E in the threaded bush, thereby moving the slide fixing D and
the guide-roller B, which causes the felt to run back. Should the
felt run to the other side, it will run in contact with the pulley
F 2, and thus reverse the motion of the guide-roller B.
[Illustration: Fig. 46.]
=Paper-cutting Machine.=--This machine (Fig. 46), which is
manufactured by the same firm, is constructed to cut from one to
eight webs simultaneously, in sheets of any required length, from
8 to 60 inches. It is built on the "Verny" principle, and its
operation is as follows:--The webs of paper from the reel-rolls
are carried by an endless felt, and the paper is drawn off the
rolls by travelling cast-iron gripper beams, which firmly grasp
the felt and the webs of paper to be cut, the travel of the beams
being equal to the length of the sheet of paper to be cut. When the
required length of the sheet is drawn from the rolls, a cast-iron
clamp, placed close to the dead cross-cut knife, descends and
firmly holds the paper until the movable cross-cut knife has cut
off the sheets, which fall on a second endless felt, and are placed
by the catchers in the usual manner. As soon as the sheets are cut,
the clamp is released, and the travelling-grippers are again ready
to seize the paper and repeat the operation.
[Illustration: Fig. 47.]
=Single Web Winding Machine.=--This machine (Fig. 47) is constructed
for preparing webs of paper for continuous printing-presses. The
roll of paper to be prepared is carried by brass bearings having
vertical and horizontal screw adjustments attached to standards
mounted on a slide, and movable by a screw transversely on the
machine to accommodate the deckle edges. The paper web is taken
through a pair of iron draw-rolls, carried by brass bearings,
fitted in cast-iron stands; there are two pairs of ripping-knives
with bosses, springs, and collars, mounted on turned wrought-iron
shafts running in brass bearings carried by cast-iron stands; a
wrought-iron leading-roll and carrying brackets fitted with brass
bushes; a copper measuring roll counter, geared to indicate up to
10,000 yards, with disengaging apparatus to cease measuring when the
paper breaks; a friction-drum 2 feet in diameter, made of wood,
mounted on cast-iron rings, and a wrought-iron shaft, all carefully
turned and balanced; two cast-iron swivelling arms, with brass
sliding bearings to carry the mandrel on which the prepared web is
to be wound, with screws, struts, wheels and shaft to regulate the
angular pressure of the roll of paper against the wood drum,
according to its weight and the quantity of paper.
[Illustration: Fig. 48.]
[Illustration: Fig. 49.]
=Cooling and Damping Rolls.=--The illustration (Fig. 48) represents
an apparatus, constructed by Messrs. Bentley and Jackson, for
cooling and damping paper after leaving the drying cylinders
and before passing through the calenders. It consists of two
brass rolls bored and fitted with cast-iron ends, brass nozzles,
and regulating taps, through which the rolls are supplied with
a constant flow of water. The rolls are carried by cast-iron
standards, fitted with brass steps and cast-iron caps. Jets of
steam are blown on each of the rolls from a perforated copper pipe
running parallel with, and at a little distance from, the body of
the roll. The steam is condensed on the cold surfaces of the brass
rolls, and absorbed by the web of paper, which passes around and in
contact with their surfaces, and is consequently damped on _both_
sides. The perforated steam-pipes are enclosed by copper hoods,
to prevent the steam from spreading, and the supply of steam is
regulated by ordinary brass valves or cocks. The rolls are geared
together by a pair of spur-wheels, and driven by a pulley of
suitable diameter.
[Illustration: Fig. 50.]
=Reversing or Plate-glazing Calender.=--This machine, which is
shown in Figs. 49 and 50, is also made by the firm referred to, and
consists of two hammered iron rolls, each about twelve inches in
diameter, of any suitable length, carefully turned and carried by
strong cast-iron standards, fitted with bell-metal steps. The top
roll is provided with setting-down blocks and brasses, compound
levers and weights to regulate the pressure required. The two rolls
are geared together by strong shrouded wheels, and driven by a
strong cast-iron spur-wheel and pinion, a driving-shaft, fast and
loose pulleys, carried by cast-iron stands and pedestals fitted
with brass steps. The machine is fitted with two metal feed-tables,
and a self-acting apparatus for returning the sheets to the rolls,
and a handle-lever, slide-bar, and strap-forks for starting and
reversing.
[Illustration: Fig. 51.]
=Plate-planing Machine.=--This machine, which is manufactured by
Messrs. Bryan Donkin and Co., of Bermondsey, is shown in Fig. 51.
By its aid the plates of rag-engines can be sharpened without being
taken to pieces. The slide of the machine is made exactly like the
roll-bar planing machine (see below), and is so arranged that it
can easily be taken off and used for sharpening roll-bars.
[Illustration: Fig. 52.]
[Illustration: Fig. 53.]
=Roll-Ear Planing Machine.=--In the accompanying engraving (Fig.
52) is shown an apparatus fitted to a rag-engine for sharpening
rag-engine roll-bars, and it will be seen that by means of it the
operation can be performed without removing the roll from its
usual position. The edges of the bars are first planed by a tool
supplied by the manufacturers to render the whole cylindrical
before sharpening them; the bevelled sides are then planed by
suitable tools, two of which accompany the apparatus. This method
of sharpening renders the bars uniform in shape, the roll is kept
in better working order, and it can be dressed in considerably less
time, and at less expense, than can be done by chipping by hand.
=Washing-Cylinder for Rag-Engine.=--The illustration at Fig. 53
represents the machine as manufactured by Messrs. Bryan Donkin and
Co. It is so made that the water is delivered on the driving side
of the rag-engine, thus avoiding any trough across the engine, and
admitting of the midfeather being thin, as is usual in cast-iron
engines. It is all self-contained, and the driving apparatus is
wholly on the outside of the engine. The raising and lowering are
effected by a worm and worm-wheel, so that the cylinder will stop
at any point required.
[Illustration: Fig. 54.]
=Bleach Pump.=--In the accompanying engraving (Fig. 54) is shown
a pump, manufactured by Bryan Donkin and Co., which is arranged
expressly for the purpose of pumping up bleach-liquor. Each pump
is all self-contained, and merely requires a drum and strap to
drive it. The live and dead riggers upon the pump allow it to be
started and stopped at pleasure. "In all paper-mills," say the
manufacturers, "the bleach-liquor should be used over and over
again, not only to save bleach, which amounts to a considerable sum
in the course of a year, but also to keep the paper clean."
[Illustration: Fig. 55.]
[Illustration: Fig. 56.]
=Three-Roll Smoothing-Presses.=--The engraving (Fig. 55) shows a
damp smoothing-press, with rolls for smoothing the paper between
the two sections of drying cylinders of a paper-machine. The makers
are Messrs. Bryan Donkin and Co. A three-roll smoothing press, for
smoothing the paper at the end of a paper-machine, also by the same
makers, is shown in Fig. 56.
[Illustration: Fig. 57.]
=Back-water Pump.=--The engraving (Fig. 57) shows a pair of back or
size-water pumps, manufactured by Bertrams, Limited. The barrels
are of cast-iron, lined with copper. The suction and discharge
valves are each contained in a chamber with covers, so that every
valve could be easily got at by simply releasing the cover. The
valve-seats are of brass, with brass guards and rubber clacks.
The plungers are of brass, with cup-leathers. All is fitted up
on a cast-iron sole-plate, with tall standards, disc-cranks, and
driving-pulley between frames.
[Illustration: Fig. 58.]
=Web-glazing Calender.=--Fig. 58 represents Bertrams' web-glazing
calender, with steam-engine attached. The illustration shows the
machine in front elevation. The steam-engine is specially designed
for this class of work, having two cylinders 10 inches in diameter
by 16 inches stroke, fitted on a double-hooded sole-plate, with
double-throw crank-shaft, fly-wheel, two eccentrics, wrought-iron
piston-rods, connecting-rods and valve-rods, steam and exhaust
branch pipes with one inlet valve, lubricators, and the cylinders
cased with teak legging and brass hoops.
[Illustration: Fig. 59.]
=Reeling Machine.=--One form of reeling machine manufactured by
Bertrams, Limited, is shown in Fig. 59, and is used for slitting
and re-reeling webs of paper, especially where large webs are
requisite for web-calendering, web-printing, and suchlike. The reel
of paper from the paper-machine is placed on a sliding-carriage
arrangement, the brackets of which are planed and fitted to a
planed sole, with wedge or dove-tail corners, and controlled by
screws, hand-wheel, etc., so that the reel can quickly and easily
be moved forward or backward to suit any unequal reeling that may
have taken place on the paper or the machine. A hot cast-iron is
provided for mending breaks in the web, and a measuring-roll and
counter is also applied. The machine has an important application
of drawing-in or regulating rolls of cast iron, with arrangement
of expanding pulley for regulating the tension on the paper.
Slitting-knives, regulating, dancing, or leading-rolls, of cast
iron, etc., are applied for separating the edges and guiding the
webs after they are slit. The reeling is performed by a 3-feet
diameter drum, cross-shafts, and arms, to which regulating heads
are fitted, so that several webs can be run up at one operation.
[Illustration: Fig. 60.]
=Web-Ripping Machine.=--This machine, which is manufactured
by Messrs. Bentley and Jackson, is shown in Fig. 60, and is
constructed to divide webs of paper into two or more widths.
It consists of two brass bearings on cast-iron standards, with
screw adjustments, a break-pulley and friction-regulator, all
mounted on cast-iron slides, movable transversely by means of a
screw, geared-wheels, shaft and hand-wheel; a wood guide-roll,
about 7 inches diameter, with wrought-iron centres, carried by
brass bearings with screw adjustment; three skeleton drums, each
2 feet in diameter, on wrought-iron shafts, carried by brass
bearings, and driven by spur-wheels and pinions; two wrought-iron
leading-rolls, with brass bearings and cast-iron stands; a pair
of strong wrought-iron ripper shafts with circular steel knives,
bosses, springs, and collars; cast-iron stands and brass bearings,
spur-wheels and driving-pulley; two (or more) changeable wood
drums 1 foot 6 inches in diameter, each with wrought-iron shaft
and catch-box, carried by brackets fitted with brass steps for
easily changing, driven by wrought-iron shafts with pedestals and
friction-pulleys, 2 feet in diameter, with regulating screws and
lock-nuts, all carried by strong cast-iron framing and standards,
and driven by a wrought-iron driving-shaft, with fast and loose
driving-pulleys, strap-fork and levers for starting and stopping.
[Illustration: Fig. 61.]
=Roeckner's Clarifier.=--In this apparatus, of which an
illustration is given in Fig. 61, Mr. Roeckner has taken advantage
of the fact that if a column of liquid is ascending very slowly and
quietly within a vessel, it will not be able to carry up with it
the solid particles which it contains, which will gradually fall
back and sink to the bottom under the action of gravity, without
ever reaching the top of the vessel, provided this be of sufficient
height. The illustration shows the arrangement of the apparatus on
a small scale; the liquor to be clarified is run into a well or
reservoir _b_; into this dip a wrought-iron cylinder _c_, which is
open at the lower end, but hermetically closed at the top by means
of the casing _d_. From this casing air can be withdrawn through a
pipe, _h_, by means of an air-pump _i_. As soon as this is done the
liquid will begin to ascend the cylinder _c_, and if the height of
this is below that to which the water will rise at the atmospheric
pressure (say 25 feet), the liquid will ascend until it fills
the cylinder and the casing. Into the pocket at the side of the
casing there dips a pipe _g_, which passes out through the opposite
side of the casing, descends below the level of the water in the
tank, and ends in a discharge-cock. When this cock is opened, the
cylinder _c_ and the pipe _g_ form between them a syphon, of which,
however, the descending leg is of very small diameter compared with
the ascending leg. In consequence, the liquid will rise in the
cylinder _c_ very slowly. The sediment it contains will sink back
and collect in the bottom of the tank _b_, and clear water will
flow out at the outlet. A sludge-cock at the bottom of the tank
allows the solid matter to be drawn off at intervals and conveyed
to any convenient place for drying, etc.[30] For drawing clear
water from a river, the clarifier would simply be placed in the
river, dipping 2 or 3 inches into it below the lowest water-level.
The clear water will then be drawn through the clarifier, while
the heavier matters will fall down and be carried away by the
river current. It is stated that this has proved a great advantage
to a paper-mill which used a river, and had, prior to its use,
been much troubled through the dirt being pumped with the water.
The clarifier to receive the waste from paper-machinery, or from
washings in the engines, can be placed in any convenient corner,
and by its action the water can be re-used, and the otherwise lost
fibres collected, without its action ever being stopped.
[Illustration: Fig. 62.]
=Marshall's Perfecting Engine.=--This engine, a longitudinal
section of which is shown in Fig. 62, has been introduced into
this country by Messrs. Bentley and Jackson, and is described
in _Industries_[31] as follows:--"The machine, which is the
invention of Mr. F. Marshall, of Turner's Falls, Mass., U.S.A.,
is used in one of the processes of paper manufacture, and has for
its purpose the more effectual drawing of the pulp fibre, the
clearance of knots from the pulp previous to its delivery on to the
paper-making machine, and the saving of time in the treatment of
the material. As will be seen in the illustration (Fig. 62), the
machine consists essentially of a cast-iron conical casing, bored,
and fitted with about two hundred elbowed steel knives, G, placed
in sections. At the large end of this conical casing is placed a
movable disc, also fitted with about two hundred and ten steel
knives, F, and capable of adjustment by means of a screw, worm,
worm-wheel, and hand-wheel, E. The revolving cone and disc are of
cast iron, fitted with straight steel knives firmly keyed upon a
hammered iron shaft, and carefully balanced to prevent vibration.
The knives of the revolving cone and disc are brought into contact
with the stationary knives by means of the hand-wheel, E, and
the disc-knives can be independently adjusted by means of the
hand-wheel C, which actuates a screw on the conical casing by means
of the worm and worm-wheel shown. The machine is driven by means
of a pulley A, and the whole machine is mounted on a cast-iron
base-plate. The pulp material enters the engine in the direction
indicated by the arrow, B, at the small end of the cone, and is by
the rotary and centrifugal action of the revolving cone, propelled
to its large end, and during its passage is reduced to a fine pulp
by the action of the knives. It then passes through the knives,
F, of the stationary and rotating discs, by which the fibres are
further crushed or split up, all knots or strings rubbed out, and
the pulp effectually cleared previous to its exit through the
passage D." We are informed that the machine is capable of treating
from 900 lbs. to 1,200 lbs. of pulp per hour. The power required to
drive it is estimated at from 40 i.h.p. to 50 i.h.p. when making
300 revolutions per minute. This, however, is dependent on the
amount of friction caused between the surfaces of the fixed and
revolving knives. The flow space occupied is 12ft. 6in. in length,
and 4ft. in width. The perfecting machine, in its complete form, is
shown in Fig. 63.
[Illustration: Fig. 63.]