US1178193A - Automatic consistency-regulating process and apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

E. J. TRHVIBEY.

AUTOMATIC CONSISTENCY REGULATING PROCESS AND APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT115,19l5.

L178 193. Patented Apr. 4, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET1.

BY 1 414441 m M ATTORNEYS E. J. TRIMBEY. AUTOMATIC CONSISTENCY REGULATING PROCESS AND APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FlLED SEPT. I5, 1915.

l a 178, l 93, Patented Apr. 4, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- IN l/E/V T01? Edward (fa/mas 7/ /6756)! BY wwd BM W M ATTORNEYS is also important,

EDWARD J. TRIMBEY, OF GLENS FALLS NEW YORK.

AUTOMATIC GONSISTENCY-REGULATING PROCESS AND APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 4, 191a.

Application filed September 15, 1915. Serial No. 50,788

To all whom it may concern:

L-Be it known that I, EDWARD J. TRIMBEY, a citizen of the United States, residing in Glens Falls, county of Warren, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in, Automatic Consistency-Regulating Processes and Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the '.nvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to a process-and apparatu's for regulating automatically the per cent. consistency of wet pulp as it is being pumped to the heaters or to mixing tanks, or of wet paper stock, as it is pumped to the head box of the paper machine, or of the Jordan engine, where it is to be further refined. Such pulp or'paper stock commonly consists of about 3 to 5 parts of bone .dry matter in 100 parts of wet pulp or paper stock, and such percentage. of bone dry matter is commonly referredto as the per cent. consistency.

It is important, in the manufacture, of paper, and of other articles from pulp, that the pulp or paper stock should have the properconsistency, and that, when too thick, the proper amount of-water should be added so that the pulp-or paper stock shall be of uniform consistency, and the resulting paper of uniform weight per unit area. It when two different kinds of pulp or paper stock are to be mixed with 'each other, that each of these should be maintained of uniform consistency to prevent variations in the composition of the resulting mixture. The present invention relates to the automatic regulation and maintenance of such uniform consistency.-

The invention will be described more particularly in connection with the regulation ofpulp, inasmuch as the regulation of paper stockis effected in the same manner, but it will be understood that the term pulp, when thus referred to, is used with a more general signification.

The novel apparatus of the present invention comprises a stuff meter or regulating apparatus of the nature described in my Patent No. 1,161,168,,granted November 23, 1915, and inmy application Serial No. 50,789, filed September 15, 1915, together with automatic means for controlling the supply of water'and the dilution of the pulp to its predetermined lower consistency. Such stuff meter or regulating apparatus, as described in said applications, comprises, briefly, a constant level chamber having a discharge orifice maintained under a constant head of the pulp or paper stock, and a variable level chamber arranged to receive the pulp or paper stock discharged from said orifice and provided with an outlet pipe of suitable size and proportion to cause ,a frictional resistance to the flow of the pulp or paper stock therethrough, and thereby maintain a head of the pulp or paper stock within the chamber varying with its consistency and frictional resistance.

I will now proceed to describe my invention more in detail with reference to the constructions illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it being intended and understood that the invention will be illustrated by, but is not limited to, the specific embodiments thereof thus illustrated and described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows, partly in section and partly in elevation, an arrangement of apparatus embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of part of the apparatus of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a side view of the construction of Fig. 2, with therod 17 omitted, and Fig. l

shown). This supply pipe '6 is shown as a bran h leading from the main supply pipe 7 towhich the pulp is fed to the paper machine or to other suitable place of use or of further treatment. The main stuff chest is indicated at 9, and a suitable circulating pump at 8. From the compartment 3 the 1 described in my Patent No. 1,161,168. This chamber is divided by an ad ustable partition 12, held in place by suitable guides, into two compartments, into one of which 13 the pulp is received from the discharge orifice 5. The outlet of this chamber is of a suitable size and proportion to cause a frictional resistance to the passage of the pulp therethrough and thereby maintain a head of pulp within the chamber varying with-the pulp consistency. This outlet, as shown, has a restricted outlet portion 14 for increasing the resistance to the outflow of the pulp, and discharges into the pipe 15 from which the pulp is returned to the stufl chest.

Within the compartment of the chamber 11 on the opposite side of the partition 12 to that where the pulp is received, is a float 16 having an upwardly extending stem 17 moving in suitable guides 18, this float being arranged to rise and fall with the level of the pulp in the chamber 11. The construction of the chamber 11 is such that the outlet is on the side opposite to that of the 1nlet, so that the whole body of pulp will be kept in circulation, while the float will be protected from spattering and from interference by the entering pulp.

Attached to the upper end of the float rod 17, by means of a set screw or other adjustable pivotal connection 19, is a bell crank 20 having a bearing 29 in the support 28, and attached at its other end to a connecting link 21, pivoted to the double pawl 22. This double either side of the ratchet wheel 23 and to rotatethe same in opposite direction. The

pawl is itself reciprocated by an eccentric 24 which is in 'turn driven by a gear 25 mounted upon the shaft 26 and driven by a pulley 27 from any suitable source of power such as the stuff pump or the paper machine.

The ratchet wheel 23 is mounted between fixed lateral bearings 30 upon the support 28 and is thus restrained from lateral movement. It is threaded upon the operating rod 31 so that rotation of the ratchet wheel moves this rod to a corresponding extent. The rod 31 is connected at its other end to the valve stem 35 of'a suitable valve for regulatingthe water supply, through the pipe 42, to the pulp or paper stock. This water supply pipe is shown as leading to the discharge pipe between the stufi chest and the circulating pump.

Mounted upon the rod 31 are two stops 32 and 33, adjustable thereon, so that they can be moved into position to engage the double pawl 22 and disengage it from the ratchet Wheel.

pawl is arranged to engage with wheel when the rod 31 has moved to a predetermined position in either direction. In practice these stops will be arranged to disengage the pawl when the valve has opened or closed to a predetermined extent.

The construction of Fig. 4 is similar to that of Fig. 1, but differs in the type of the variable level chamber 34, which is of the type described in my application, Serial No. 50,789, filed September 15, 1915. This variable level chamber comprises a pivotally supported chamber having a restricted outlet pipe or spout 35 terminating in a discharge portion 36 which discharges into a return pipe 37, corresponding to the pipe 15 of Fig. 1, for returning the pulp to the stuff chest. The chamber 34 is supported at one end of the arm 38, which is in turn supported by a suitable support 39. and which is connected at its other end to an operating rod 40 carrying weights 41 sufficient to counterbalance the chamber 34 when the pulp therein is of the desired consistency. The rod 40 is further steadied by the spring balance 42, which absorbs slight variations in the weight of the chamber 34 and thus prevents continual movement of the pawls into engagement with the ratchet The operating rod 40 corresponds to the operating rod 17 of Fig. 1.

In the operation of the apparatus described, the pulp or paper stock is circulatedfrom the stuff chest 9 through the pump 8 to the main supply pipe 7, and a suitable portion is drawn 01f through the branch pipe 6 and introduced into the bottom of the compartment 3. The excess pulp overflows the partition 2 and returns to the stuff chest, thereby maintaining a constant head within the compartment 3. From the bottom of this compartment the pulp is discharged under this constant head into the variable level chamber 11. The rate of flow into this chamber is determined by the size of the orifice 5, and is relatively constant owing to the constant head and to the minimum of frictional resistance offered to the passage of the pulp through the thin orifice.

The head within the chamber 11 of Fig. 1, or the corresponding chamber 34 of Fig. 4, is largely controlled and determined by the frictional resistance opposing the flow of the pulp through the outlet therefrom. This frictional resistance will vary with the per cent. consistency of the pulp, the head increasing with the increase in consistency until it is sufficient to overcome the frictional resistance. The level of the pulp will accordingly indicate the consistency of the pulp, and will also indicate the amount of water which must be added to it to dilute it to a predetermined lower consistency.

In the construction of Fig. 1, any increase in head of the pulp within the variable level chamber 11 will cause a corresponding rise v apparatus of Fig. 4, any increase in the conv sired. to maintain at the wet pulp can sistency will cause an increase in the head within the chamber 34, with resulting increase in weight, this increase in weight being due mainly to the increase in head, but in part to the increase in consistency of the pn p itself.

In the automatic relation of the apparatus, the parts will be so, positioned and arranged that, so long as the per cent. consistency remains within the desired limits, no.

change in the position of the regulating valve, and the amount of water added, will be necessary. In this position,

neither side of thedouble pawl will engage with the ratchet wheel 23. If the consistency of the pulp mcreases, the stem 17 of- Fig. 1,. or the corresponding stem 4:0.of Fig. 4, will rise and will draw the link 21 and the double pawl 22 to the right, thus causing the lefthand side of the pawl to engage with the.

ratchet Wheel 23 and rotate this Wheel. Since the Wheel is prevented from moving sidewise by the stops 30, it will act as a nut upon the threaded rod 31, moving this rod to the left and opening the valve to a corresponding extent, thus admitting more water to the pulp which is being circulated. This Water is advantageously added to the pulp at some point in the pipe line between the stuff chest and the regulating box or heater, so that its eflfect will befelt at the stufi' meter as quickly as possible.

Should the per cent. consistency of the pulp or paper stock decrease, the stem of the operating rod 17 or 10 will be corre-. spondinglv lowered, with the result that the right hand side of the pawl 22 will engage prevent any further movement of the valve departing from the spirit and-scope of stem.

In using the apparatus of the present invention, and practising the process of the present invention therein, it is advantageous to have the pulp in the supply chests at a somewhat higher consistency than it is dethe head box of the paper machine. or in the mixing tanks, to add a suitable amount of water for thinning to the proper consistency; for, while be easily diluted if of too more particularly and high a consistency, it cannot be readily drawn oil? into the constant level chamber a 1, and which is discharged therefrom under a constant head into the variable level chamber 11 or 34., has already been diluted by the addition of the proper amount of water through the pipe 12, this water being thoroughly mixed with the pulp by the pump 8. The discharge of the pulp through the orifice 5 is relatively constant, due to the constant head under which the discharge takes place. Such slight variations as may occur in practice do not interfere with the satisfactory operation in this respect. The variations in the head of the pulp within the variable level chamber will accordingly correspond to the variations in the pulp consistency, inasmuch as the frictional resistance corresponding to such head, also corresponds to the consistency of the pulp. The operation of the apparatus will accordingly be automatically controlled by the consistency of the pulp, and with only occasional supervision by the operator. The automatic control will moreover be effected by drawing. off only a small part of the pulp from the main supply pipe, the major portion of this pulp being passed directly to the point of further treatment or use. Nevertheless, the desired automatic regulation is obtained in an advantageous manner, by the small portion of the pulp thus drawn ofl, and thus being continually circulated through the constant and variable level chambers above described.

While the invention has been described in connection with the embodiments thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and in connection with the regulation of wet paper pulp, yet it will be understood, that variations and modifications can be made in the construction thus illustrated and described, witholut t e invention, and that wet paper stock can be treated in the same manner as wet pulp, as has been already pointed out.

What I claim is:

1. An automatic regulating apparatus for wet pulp and wet paper stock, compristially as described.

or paper stock discharged from said orifice and provided with an outlet of suitable size and proportion to cause a frictional resistance to the flow of the pulp or paper stock therethrough, and thereby maintain a head of the pulp or paper stock within the chamber varying with its consistency and frictional resistance, and means actuated by variations in the head of pulp or paper stock in such variable level chamber for automatically regulating the addition of water to the pulp or paper stock; substantially as described.

An automatic regulating apparatus for wet pulp and wet paper stock, comprising a constant level chamber having a discharge orifice maintained under a constant headof the pulp or paper stock,

a variable level chamber arranged to receive the pulp or paper stock discharged from said orifice and provided with an outlet of suitable size and proportion to cause a frictional resistance to the flow of the pulp or paper stock therethrough, and thereby maintain a head of the pulp or paper stock within the chamber varying with its consistency and frictional resistance, an operating rod arranged to be operated by variations in the head in said chamber, a water supply for diluting the pulp or paper stock to a lower consistency provided with a regulating valve, a ratchet wheel arranged to operate upon said valve, a double reciprocating pawl for operating said ratchet wheel in opposite directions to open or close said valve, means for eflecting reciprocation of said pawl, and means connecting said operating rod and pawl for moving the pawl into and out of engagement with said ratchet wheel, whereby the water supply is controlled by the consistency of the pulp or paper stock, and the head thereof in said variable level chamber; substantially as described.

3. An automatic regulating apparatus for wet pulp and wet paper stock, comprising a water supply pipe for diluting the pulp to a lower consistency having a regulating valve therein, a reciprocating rod for operatlng sald valve,

a ratchet wheel threaded upon said rod and arranged between fixed abutments whereby rotation of the ratchet wheel efi'ects movement of the rod, a double reciprocating pawl arranged to operate upon opposite sides of said ratchet wheel torotate the same in opposite directions, means for effecting reciprocation of said pawl, and means actuated by variations in the pulp consistency for moving said pawl into and out of engagement with both sides of said ratchet wheel, whereby the water supply is regulated by the pulp consistency; substan- 4. An automatic regulating apparatus for wet pulp and wet paper stock, comprising a Water supply pipe for diluting the pulp to a lower consistency having a regulating valve therein, a reciprocating rod foropen' ating said valve, a ratchet wheel threaded upon said rod and arranged between fixed abutments whereby rotation of the ratchet wheel efl'ects movement of the rod, a double reciprocating pawl arranged to operate upon oppositesides of said ratchet wheel to rotate the same in opposite directions, means for effecting reciprocationvof said pawl, means actuated by variations in the pulp consistency for moving said pawl into and out of engagement with both sides of said-ratchet wheel, and stops on said rod arranged to disengage said pawl and ratchet wheel at predetermined positions, whereby the water supply is regulated by the pulp consistency; substantially as described.

5. An automatic regulating apparatus for wet pulp and wet paper stock, comprising a stufi chest, a constant level chamber havmg a discharge orifice and an overflow for malntainlng a constant head of the pulp or paper stock therein, means for continuously circulating the pulp or paper stock from the stufi chest to said chamber, and from the overflow thereof back to the stuff chest, a variable level chamber arranged to receive pulp or paper stock discharged from said orifice and provided with an outlet of suitable size and proportion to cause a frictional resistance to the flow of the pulp or paper stock'therethrough, and thereby maintain a head of the pulp or paper stock within the chamber varying with its consistency and frictional resistance, and means for returning the pulp or paper stock from said outlet to the stufl chest; substantially as described.

6. An automatic regulating apparatus for wet pulp and wet paper stock, comprising a stufl chest, a constant level chamber having a discharge orifice and an overflow for maintaining a constant head of the pulp or paper stock therein, means for continuously circulating the pulp or paper stock from the stuff chest to said chamber, and from the overflow thereof back to the stuff chest, a variable level chamber arranged to receive the pulp or paper stock discharged from said orifice and provided withian outlet of suitable size and proportion to cause a frictional resistance to the flow of the pulp or paper stock therethrough, and thereby maintain a head of the pulp or paper stock within the chamber varying with its consistency and frictional resistance, a water supply for diluting the pulp or paper stock to a lower consistency, means actuated by variations in the head of the pulp or paper stock in said variable level chamber for automatically regulating such water supply, and means for returning the pulp or paper stock from said outlet to the stuff chest; substantially as de scribed.

ency of pulp or paper stock, which comprises a head of pulp in said chamber varying with maintaining a body of the pulp in a state of the pulp consistency, and automatically con 10 constant circulation and under a constant trolling the addition of water, to the pulp, head, drawing ofi a portion of the pulp in a in accordance with the variations in the continuous manner and passing the same head of the pulp in said chamber; substanthrough a variable level chamber offering a tially as described. frictional resistance to the passage of the In testimony whereof I affix my signature. 15

pulp therethrough and thereby maintaining EDWARD J. TRIMBEY.

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