Pocket Ventilation and Sheet Support System in a Papermaking Machine Dryer Section

1. An apparatus for ventilating a vacuum pocket formed between two dryer rolls in a papermaking machine dryer section, the apparatus comprising: a first heated dryer roll; a second heated dryer roll spaced downstream from the first dryer roll; a vacuum roll positioned between the first dryer roll and the second dryer roll; a circumferentially grooved roll positioned between the vacuum roll and the second dryer roll; a dryer fabric for transferring and supporting a paper web, the dryer fabric extending over the first dryer roll to the vacuum roll, and from the vacuum roll to the grooved roll, and from the grooved roll to the second dryer roll, wherein the vacuum roll and grooved roll are positioned within the vacuum pocket, the grooved roll spaced from the vacuum roll to define an extended draw of paper web and dryer fabric therebetween; a region of contact extending from a position along the vacuum roll where the paper web and dryer fabric contact the vacuum roll, to a second position where the paper web and dryer fabric leave the vacuum roll, the vacuum roll generating a partial vacuum in a vacuum zone extending beyond the first and second positions, and including the region of contact between the dryer fabric and the vacuum roll; a pivoting foil positioned against the first dryer roll, wherein the paper web and dryer fabric together move from the first dryer roll towards the vacuum roll, the pivoting foil extending between the dryer roll and the vacuum roll, thereby defining a region of reduced air pressure between the pivoting foil and the support fabric; and a make-up air generating means for generating a continuous crossmachine distribution of make-up air into the vacuum pocket.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the make-up air generating means comprises a blow box connected to a source of pressurized air, the blow box extending in the cross-machine direction and positioned between the vacuum roll and the grooved roll within the vacuum pocket, wherein the blow box comprises: a baffle plate foil extending from the vacuum roll to the grooved roll and diverging from the supporting dryer fabric at an extended draw between the vacuum roll and the grooved roll, and defining a first region between the baffle plate and the dryer fabric; a duct having a machine direction slot through which air is discharged into a blow box upper chamber; a nozzle plate defining portions of the blow box upper chamber and having portions defining a nozzle through which air is discharged from the duct; a blow box lower chamber, positioned beneath the blow box upper chamber, wherein air escaping from the duct through the nozzle plate draws air from the blow box lower chamber; portions of the baffle plate which define a slot through which air is drawn from the first region into the blow box lower chamber, to create a local zone of lower pressure in the first region; structure positioned adjacent the grooved roll to define an air outlet for directing pressurized air out of an upper portion of the blow box lower chamber; and a damper positioned adjacent the air outlet for controlling and facilitating the channeling of make-up air in the cross-machine direction.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the blow box damper is manually adjustable.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein adjustment of the blow box damper is remotely controlled.

5. A dryer section in a papermaking machine comprising: a first dryer roll; a second dryer roll spaced from the first dryer roll in a machine direction; a paper web which traverses the first and second dryer rolls; a dryer fabric overlying the paper web as it traverses the first and second dryer rolls; a vacuum roll positioned between the first dryer roll and the second dryer roll; a grooved roll positioned between the vacuum roll and the second dryer roll; a pocket between the first and second dryer rolls, the pocket defined between the vacuum roll, the grooved roll and a portion of the web and the dryer fabric which extends from the first dryer roll to the vacuum roll to the grooved roll to the second dryer roll; and a blow box positioned between the vacuum roll and the grooved roll, the blow box supplying vacuum to at least a portion of the dryer fabric which forms the pocket, and supplying vacuum to the grooved roll, the blow box further supplying make-up air to the pocket, to limit the cross machine direction air flows.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising a baffle mounted on the blow box which extends from the vacuum roll to the dryer fabric positioned on the first dryer roll.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising a plurality of adjustable baffle segments arrayed in a cross machine direction along the blow box and being selectively actuated to control the amount of make-up air supplied to the pocket from the blow box.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the vacuum roll has a gland which controls that portion of the vacuum roll surface through which air is drawn, and wherein the gland draws air from that portion of the vacuum roll wrapped by the web and dryer fabric and in addition draws air from a portion of the vacuum roll preceding and following the wrapped portion of the vacuum roll.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising a felt seal mounted to the baffle and positioned between the baffle and the dryer roll to engage the dryer roll.

10. A dryer section in a papermaking machine comprising: a first dryer roll; a second dryer roll positioned downstream of the first dryer roll; a vacuum roll positioned between the first dryer roll and the second dryer roll; a grooved roll positioned between the vacuum roll and the second dryer roll; a paper web extending from the first dryer roll to the second dryer roll; a dryer fabric engaged with the paper web, and supporting the paper web as it travels from the first dryer roll to the vacuum roll, from the vacuum roll to the grooved roll, and from the grooved roll to the second dryer roll; a pocket defined between the vacuum roll, the grooved roll and a portion of the web and the dryer fabric which extends from the first dryer roll to the vacuum roll to the grooved roll to the second dryer roll; and a duct extending in a cross machine direction and communicating with the pocket, such that air is discharged from the duct into the pocket; structure positioned within the pocket which defines a nozzle communicating with the duct and discharging to the grooved roll to supply make-up air where the dryer fabric and the web separate from the grooved roll and travel onto the second dryer roll; a baffle plate positioned beneath the duct and extending from the vacuum roll to the grooved roll, and having portions defining an opening therein, the opening communicating with a lower region adjacent the dryer fabric as it extends between the vacuum roll and the grooved roll, wherein the discharge of air through the nozzle draws air through the opening, wherein the discharged air is thus made available as make-up air to the pocket.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising a baffle positioned to extend between a position engaging the dryer fabric on the first dryer roll, and a position engaging the vacuum roll, the baffle thereby defining a region between the baffle, the dryer fabric, and the vacuum roll, said region being subjected to reduced air pressures as air is drawn from said region by the vacuum roll.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the baffle is pivotably mounted to permit the passage of wads between the dryer fabric and the baffle.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising at least one baffle positioned with respect to the baffle plate to define a slot discharge air to the grooved roll, the baffle being positionable to control the quantity of air discharged through said slot.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising a plurality of adjustable baffle segments which are independently adjustable to control make-up air discharged in the cross machine direction.