Headbox and Holders for Floating Slice Chamber Dividers

This invention relates to improvements in headbox structures and holders for floating slice chamber dividers.

Achievement of uniformity in the formation of paper webs, especially in the Fourdrinier papermaking process, has always required much attention because the stock fibers have a natural tendency to flocculate prematurely before delivery to the web forming surface. An important advance in the art in this regard is described in U.S. Patent Re. No. 28,269, which, to any extent necessary is incorporated herein by reference. According to that patent, certain problems inherent in supplying stock to the forming surface in a Fourdrinier papermaking machine are alleviated by equipping the slice chamber of the headbox with multiple divider elements having their upstream ends attached to a perforated plate at the downstream end of a preslice flow chamber to which stock is delivered from a source through a tube bank and then passes through the perforated plate into the slice chamber. The divider elements extend in substantially free floating relation within the slice chamber and divide the slice chamber into stock channels leading from the plate openings toward the slice opening at the downstream end of the slice chamber. As a result, maximum dispersion of fibers in the papermaking stock is assured in travel through the slice chamber with a minimum of turbulence in the discharge jet from the slice. The divider elements are plates of substantial stiffness at their upstream attached ends and progressively thinner and more flexible toward their downstream ends to achieve a generally self-aligning floating relationship.

The desirability of greater flexibility in the slice chamber divider has been recognized as exemplified, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,843,470 which discloses attachment of the upstream ends of the flexible divider sheets to the perforated headbox plate by means of substantially rigid anchoring devices. A problem with such attachment of the divider sheets is that flexure fatigue has been experienced in the sheets at their attachment ends. Due to shut-down and start-up conditions, there is a high stress level and substantial bending of the sheets at the attachment point so that eventually the sheets crack and split and break off.

Another problem that has been encountered in the use of multiple slice chamber dividers is that although air in the stock is reasonably well purged where the headbox slice is oriented in a generally upward direction toward the travelling forming surface, air bubbles present in the headbox are not readily purged and may build up to the detriment of web formation where for any reason it is necessary or desirable to point the headbox slice generally downwardly, or the machine speed is relatively slow. Small air bubbles will not hurt web formation, but large bubbles disrupt web formation when they exit. In addition large air bubbles tend to accumulate slime. Where the tapered slice nozzle extends in a generally upward direction air bubbles are purged from the system while they are small. However, for secondary headboxes and in some situations where machine space is too cramped or limited to accept the usual upwardly directed slice nozzle, a generally downward orientation of the slice nozzle is desirable. One example of an arrangement to overcome the problem of air accumulation where a downward slice nozzle is warranted, is depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 3,853,697. According to that disclosure, the slice chamber is shaped to have a first upwardly inclined portion supplied from the headbox chamber through the perforated partition plate, and then a second arcuate portion forms a transition with a third downwardly sloping tapered portion leading to the slice opening. However such arrangement requires that the dividers attached to the perforated partition plate conform to the general configuration of the slice chamber. Because of the necessity to conform to the curved transition area within the slice chamber, the dividers must throughout at least a major length of the upwardly directed portion of the slice chamber be substantially rigid with a possibly less rigid curve transition portion, and then only those portions of the dividers downstream from the curved transition are flexible. Thereby at least some control of turbulence is lost and there is a greater tendency of the stock to flocculate before it is introduced onto the forming surface. If the flexible trailing dividers extend too near the slice lip, they must curve toward the slice opening and this introduces an undesirable reduction in turbulence control. If the overall length of the slice nozzle is increased, in order to attain sufficient effective length of the flexible portions of the dividers, a space problem is injected and which this overhead type of headbox is intended to alleviate, but with the disadvantage just discussed.

An important object of the present invention is to overcome the foregoing and other problems and to provide a new and improved headbox structure and holders for floating slice chamber dividers.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved floating slice chamber divider holder which will relieve the attached divider from flexure fatigue damage.

A further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved relationship of paper machine headbox stock supply means and slice chamber with efficient turbulence control and air purging capability.

Still another object of the invention is to improve the compactness and efficiency of paper machine headboxes.

According to features of the invention there is provided for use in combination in a headbox structure for delivering papermaking stock to a forming surface of a papermaking machine wherein a slice chamber has a receiving end across which extends a perforated separating plate through which stock is delivered into the slice chamber for movement through the slice chamber to a slice opening from which the stock is delivered to a papermaking machine forming surface, a holder bar adapted to anchor a channel dividing sheet element to the plate to extend in substantially free floating relation downstream within the slice chamber toward the slice opening, the holder bar having a flexible body portion provided with base means along one edge of the body portion for anchored attachment to the separating plate and means along the opposite edge of the body portion for holding attachment to the upstream end of the sheet element, the body portion being adapted to flex and relieve the attached end portion of the divider sheet element from flexure fatigue.

According to other features of the invention there is provided in a headbox structure means defining a slice chamber having a stock receiving end and an opposite end terminating in a slice opening for delivering stock to a papermaking machine forming surface, means within the headbox for delivering papermaking stock to the receiving end of the slice chamber, a plate separating the stock supply means and the receiving end of the slice chamber, and having openings therethrough for delivering of stock to the slice chamber, divider sheet elements in substantially free floating relation within the slice chamber and dividing the slice chamber into stock channels leading from said plate openings toward the slice opening, and holder bars having flexible body portions provided with means along one of their edges attached to the upstream ends of the sheet elements and having anchoring base means along opposite edges attached to the plate, the body portions being adapted to flex and relieve the attached end portions of the divider elements from bending fatigue stresses.

According to further features of the invention there is provided in a headbox structure for delivering papermaking stock to a forming surface of a papermaking machine means defining a slice chamber comprising floor and roof walls converging to a slice opening and pondsides closing up the sides, a perforated stock inlet plate extending angularly across the opposite end of said slice chamber for delivery of papermaking stock through the perforations in the plate into the slice chamber, divider sheet elements extending across the slice chamber from side-to-side between the pondsides and dividing the slice chamber into a plurality of stock channels, holders anchoring upstream ends of the sheet elements to the plate but leaving the sheet elements otherwise free to float in the slice chamber, the holders being located in such positions on the plate that respective perforations in the plate are in stock supplying alignment with the channels, and the holders being of angular cross section with one angular portion attached to said plate and another angular portion attached to respective upstream ends of the sheet elements, whereby the sheet elements are adapted to extend substantially straight longitudinally within the slice chamber from the holders to adjacent said slice opening and said sheet elements are relieved from liability of bending fatigue.

According to yet another feature of the invention there is provided in a papermaking machine headbox spaced perforated plates having a bank of stock tubes connected to and between the plates and aligned with openings in the plates, one of the plates being located in the headbox to receive papermaking stock under pressure therethrough into the tubes, the second of the plates being downstream from said one plate and with the stock discharging ends of the tubes aligned with perforations through the second plate, means defining a slice chamber extending from the second plate and having walls converging toward a slice opening and with the sides of the slice opening closed by pondsides, a plurality of divider sheet elements extending longitudinally within the slice chamber from adjacent to the second plate and dividing the slice chamber into a plurality of channels communicating at upstream ends with the discharge ends of the tubes and at downstream ends with the slice opening, and anchoring members attached to the second plate and secured in anchoring relation to the upstream ends of the sheet elements permitting the sheet elements to float within the slice chamber.

Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the following description of certain representative embodiments thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings although variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts embodied in the disclosure and in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary sectional detail view showing a form of the new and improved holder bars according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical schematic fragmentary sectional detail view showing one form of headbox structure embodying features of the invention installed in a two wire papermaking machine.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional detail view showing a headbox structure embodying features of the invention and adapted for supplying paper stock to a Fourdrinier papermaking machine.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional detail view of a portion of the perforated plate at the upstream end of the slice chamber in the device of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of the plate shown in FIG. 4.

On reference to FIG. 1, a representative divider sheet connector or holder bar 10 is depicted which is adapted to be anchored to a perforated headbox plate 11, for delivering papermaking stock to a forming surface of a papermaking machine. The plate 11 extends across the upstream end of a slice chamber to which the papermaking stock is supplied by way of suitable diameter ports 12 through the plate 11 into the slice chamber for delivery to a papermaking machine from a slice opening at the opposite end of the slice chamber. The holder bar 10 is constructed and arranged to anchor a channel dividing sheet element 13 to the plate 11. In length the holder bar 10 extends substantially from side-to-side of the plate 11, and the sheet element 13 is of a width to extend between the opposite pondsides of the slice chamber and of a length to extend in substantially free floating relation within the slice chamber downstream toward the slice opening.

The divider sheet element 13 may be made from any suitable flexible sheet material. In a typical example, a plastic sheet material such as polycarbonate sheet of about 0.040 inch (1mm) thickness may be used. In any event, the material selected for the divider sheet element 13 should be compatible in material, thickness or gauge, and the like, with the type of papermaking stock to be handled, the stock temperatures involved, stock velocities, and any other factors that may have a bearing upon performance requirement for the divider sheet element.

It will be appreciated, of course, that the stock flow channels into which the slice box is divided by the sheet element 13 must be supplied with paper stock through separate ones of the supply ports 12, certain of which are located to supply stock into the slice box channel above the divider and others to supply stock into the channel below the divider. Before start-up, the divider sheet element 13 tends to hang limply downwardly other limp sheets above it may also press down on it. This means that if the sheet 13 were attached directly to the plate 11 or to a rigid anchoring device, the sheet would necessarily bend possibly fairly sharply at the juncture. During operation any disturbances which may cause the sheet to fluctuate up and down may cause bending at the juncture. In the course of shut-down the weight of stock above the sheet would tend to cause virtually creasing bending at the juncture.

Herein, flexure fatigue is substantially relieved by the novel construction and function of the holder bar 10 which has a resiliently flexible body 14 of substantial length and of generally panel form having integrally therewith along one edge base means 15 for anchored attachment to the plate 11. At its opposite edge, the body 14 has means 17 for holding attachment to the upstream end of the sheet element 13. The body 14 may be about the same thickness as the thickness of the sheet element 13 and of adequate width to be, in effect, an extension of the upstream end of the sheet element 13 contiguous to the face of the plate 11 so that bending movements which would otherwise be in the sheet element 13 are effected in the holder body 14 which is resiliently flexible substantially throughout its length and highly resistant to flexure fatigue. To this end, the holder 10 is desirably formed from plastic material characterized by providing high resistance to bending or flexure fatigue in a resiliently flexible section. In a typical construction, the body 14 may be about 3/4 inch (2cm) in width, where the overall width of the bar 10 is about 11/2 inches (4.2cm). It will be understood, of course, that the dimensions given are merely representative and may vary depending upon dimensional and operating requirements in any given headbox installation.

To facilitate assembly of the holder bar 10 with the plate 11 the base means 15 comprise an enlargement on and along the body 14 enabling anchoring of the base enlargement in a complementary groove 18 in the face of the headbox plate 11. Assembly of the base enlargement 15 within the groove 18 is adapted to be effected by sliding the base enlargement into the groove from one end of the groove. In a desirable form, the base enlargement 15 is generally pear shape in cross section having opposite substantially straight surfaces 19 which converge generally toward a juncture neck 15a with the body 14. Through this arrangement, firm retention of the base enlargement 15 within the groove 18 is affected by engagement of the convergently tapering sides 19 with complementary convergently tapering sidewalls 20 defining the groove and terminating at the face of the plate 11 at a slot opening 21 which permits the neck area of the base enlargement 15 to project from the slot but affords thorough anchoring engagement of the base enlargement 15 with the groove walls 20. Not only to facilitate assembly of the base enlargement 15 in the groove 18, but to permit some relief movement of the base portion in the groove, the groove is deeper than the width of the base enlargement 15 whereby in the relaxed, non-tensioned condition of the holder bar 10, the base enlargement 15 is adapted to be received into the wider root area of the groove and is adapted to tilt, substantially as shown in dash outline in FIG. 1, whereby to minimize bending strain on the body 14 which may, as also shown in dash outline be tilted and bent downwardly with the weight of the sheet element 13. Such tilting of the base enlargement 15 is facilitated by a recess 22 extending longitudinally along the center of the bottom or root surface of the groove 18 and providing a clearance for a rounded inner edge 23 on the anchoring base enlargement 15. To minimize material in the base enlargement 15 and to provide it with some resilient yieldability, it is provided with a hollow interior 24. The wall thickness of the base enlargement 15, however, is desirably greater than the section thickness of the body 14 so that any tendency for the anchoring mass 15 to pull out of the groove 18 is thoroughly resisted.

Construction of the attachment means 17 of the holder bar 10 is in a manner to permit ready assembly of the sheet element 13 with the holder bar. For this purpose, the portion 17 comprises an integral enlargement extending along the edge of the body 14 and provided with a groove 25 extending throughout the length of the enlargement and opening through a narrow slot 27 aligned with the plane of the body 14. In a preferred construction, the groove 25 is of substantially cylindrical form to receive slidably therein a rod-like anchoring element 28 to which the edge of the sheet element 13 is permanently secured. In a preferred construction the anchoring rod 28 may be made of the same material as the sheet element 13. In the assembly, the anchored end portion of the sheet element 13 extends through the slot 27 between rounded lips 29 which serve to retain the anchor rod 28 and may permit a limited relative rocking adjustment of the anchoring rod in the groove 25. Mass of the retaining enlargement 17 including a tapered neck juncture 30 with the body portion 14 is desirably no greater than the mass of the base enlargement 15 in order to minimize residual extrusion stresses. For excellent retention capability and to resist thoroughly any tendency for the lips 29 to spread under operating tension of the sheet element 13 imposed thereon, the section modulus of the walls of the enlargement 17 including the lips 29 is greater than the section modulus of the body 14. It may be noted that the knuckle provided by the enlargement 17 by virtue of its location downstream relative to the stock supply ports 12 will serve to effect a more rapid evening or smoothing out of the jet streams issuing from the port than if the sheet element 13 were to extend directly from the face of the headbox plate 11. Thereby the knuckle enlargement 17 cooperates with the sheet element 13 in diminishing turbulence in the slice chamber channels while nevertheless maintaining a high degree of fiber dispersion.

Although as shown in FIG. 1 the holder bar 10 is adapted to extend generally normal to the face of the headbox plate 11 in line with the sheet element 13, by virtue of the spaced relation between the anchoring enlargement 15 and the knuckle enlargement 17 provided by the body 14, an angular orientation of slice chamber divider sheets relative to the headbox plate is feasible by shaping the holder bars 10' of angular cross section as depicted in FIG. 2, by way of example in a headbox 31 which is especially adapted to serve as a secondary headbox for a twin wire former. Aside from the fact that the body portions of the holder bars 10' are bent curvately on generally longitudinal median lines, substantially as shown, the holder bars are of the same construction and function substantially the same as described for the holder bar 10 in FIG. 1.

Because of the excellent turbulence control afforded by use of the angular cross section holder bars 10', there is no need for a preslice flow chamber between a stock tube bank 32 and a slice chamber 33. The stock tubes of the stock tube bank 32 are connected at their upstream ends to a perforated headbox plate 34 to receive stock from a stock inlet 35. At their downstream ends the tubes of the bank 32 discharge through a headbox plate 37 into slice chamber channels 38 defined between top and bottom generally convergently related slice box walls 39 and 40 and a plurality of flexible divider sheet elements 41 anchored to the headbox plate 37 by means of the holder bars 10'. As will be observed, the described arrangement permits the axis of the slice chamber 33 to be disposed at an acute angle to the axis of the stock tube bank housing portion of the headbox structure and wherein the plate 37 extends angularly across the upstream end of the slice box. Each of the divider sheet elements 41 is of a width to extend entirely across the slice chamber 33 with the opposite edges of the sheet elements close to the opposite side walls or pondsides of the slice chamber nozzle structure. By reason of their angular disposition relative to the stock supply plate 37, the upstream ends of the sheet elements 41 may be fairly closely spaced so that the channels 38 may be quite thin for maximum efficiency in fine dispersion of the stock flowing therethrough to a slice opening 42 at the discharge end of the slice chamber. To compensate for the angular dispostion of the plate 37 to which they are anchored, the sheet elements 41 are desirably of a differential length sufficient to attain substantially coextensive termination adjacent to the slice opening 42.

Instead of the overhead arrangement for secondary headbox as in FIG. 2, a compact primary headbox 43 (FIG. 3) of advantageous compact arrangement and equipped with the angular cross section holder bars 10' is adapted to deliver stock to a Fourdrinier papermaking machine wire 44. In this arrangement, the generally upright lower supply portion of the headbox 43 having a bank of stock tubes 45 is directed generally upwardly and supported by machine frame 47. At their upstream, lower ends the stock tubes 45 receive stock supply through a perforated supporting plate 48 from a stock inlet 49. At their downstream, upper ends the stock tubes 45 are connected to a perforated supporting plate 50 having ports 51 which deliver stock to the upstream end of a slice chamber 52 which has its axis extending at an acute angle from the plane of the plate 50 and relative to the axis of the tube bank. Top and bottom walls 53 and 54, respectively, defining the slice chamber 52 converge toward a slice opening 55 having an adjustable lip 57 for effecting fine adjustments in the width of the slice opening, while the top wall 53 is adjustable by means of an adjustment jack 58 about a rear end pivot 59 to effect major slice opening adjustments. Within the slice chamber 52 divider sheet elements 60 anchored at their upstream ends to the holder bars 10' divide the slice chamber 52 into stock turbulence controlling channels 61. As will be observed the sheet elements 60 are of graduated length to compensate for the angular disposition of the plate 50 to which they are anchored and so that the downstream ends of the sheet elements will be substantially coextensive adjacent to the slice opening 55.

As best demonstrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, the acute angular relationship of the perforated headbox supply plate 50 and the divider sheets 60 as enabled by the anchorage of the sheets by means of the angular cross section holder bars 10' advantageously effects a substantially smaller spacing between the divider sheets and between the top and bottom walls defining the slice chamber and the divider sheets nearest thereto then would be the case if the divider sheets were to extend normal to the plane of the plate 50. For example, where the on-center spacing between the anchoring grooves 18 is on the order of about 2 inches in practice, the acute angularity in the planes of the perforated plate 50 and the divider sheets 60 may be such as to provide an upstream end thickness of the channels 61 between the divider sheets of about 1/2 inch, that is in a ratio of about 1 to 4. Thereby the speed of the paper stock in the channels travels at greater velocity than in a thicker channel arrangement, and attains improved turbulence control and fine fiber dispersion to the slice opening 55 where the stock is delivered with uniform dispersion to the forming wire 44. At the entrances into the slice chamber channel 61 from the ports 51, the angularly bent holder bars 10' provide efficient stock flow diverting surfaces cooperating with the upstream ends of the anchored divider sheets 60. Because of the excellent turbulence control over the stock supplied by the stock tubes 45, there is no need for a preslice chamber between the stock tube bank and the slice chamber, thereby saving substantial room in the headbox structure, in addition to the more compact arrangement permitted by the angular construction of the headbox as shown.

It will be understood that variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts of this invention.