CA1161290A - Roller type system, process and apparatus for pulp refining - Google Patents

Abstract

Serial No. 350,345 ROLLER TYPE SYSTEM, PROCESS AND
APPARATUS FOR PULP REFINING

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE:
A method of refining fibrous material comprising inter-connected fiber-like constituents the essential components of which include cellulose filament structure and means defining protective sheathing containing said filament structure in-cluding the steps of rolling the material in separately defined relatively elongate portions comprising amounts of said inter-connected constituents, during rolling maintaining the length of each said portion aligned in an orientation generally transverse to the direction of the rolling and separated from the other of said portions, applying non-cutting elements during rolling gradually disconnecting said fiber-like con-stituents and reducing said sheathing components thereof, exposing and loosening said filament structure from contain-ment by said sheathing and converting said filament structure to ribbon or thread-like segments thereof while essentially inhibiting the separation of each said portion into discon-nected parts prior to the completion of the rolling procedure.
Preferred apparatus for refining the fibrous material includes one or more rollers at least in part having in association therewith means for the rolling of small individual portions of the material into elongate form with the means for rolling the portions including means for applying non-cutting pressure and torsional shear during rolling effective to break down the outer layer of the fiber elements and the binders which connect the outer layer to the inner filaments the exposure of which is particularly desired for quality pulp material.

Description

Docket No. 9062 - 1 ~ :~ 6~29~
ROLLER TYPE SYSTEM, PROC~SS l~ND
APPARATVS FOF< PIJLP REFINTNG

13ACKGROUN D OF THE INVENTION:
_ . _ ., _ ., ThiS invention relates to a new and improved pro-cedure9 system and apparatu~ for reducing and refining fibrous materials to a sub~tantially ultimate degxee.
It enables a reduction of the fiber elements to a dimen~ion and form and on a controlled basis not hereto-fore achieved. It i8 p~rticularly advantageQu~ for u e in application to the reduction and refining of raw or pre-conditioned wood-lik~ material~ the use of which i~
required in the fabrication of paper and board products.
It will be ~s~ de3cribed for purpo~e of illu~t~ation, but not by way of liml~ation, a~ to khe form o~ itq e~odi-n~nt or it~ application.
The entire pulp ~nd paper indu~try ha~ been af~licted not only with dimi.ni~hlng sourc,s~ of ~upply of wood pro-duct~ bu~ also wi~h ever incre~3ing c;:ost in their effor to obtaln and proce~ fib:rou~ material ~ p~rticularly to a quality pulp. Even more ~erious i8 the pro~lem of th~
dimini~hing availability and aotronomica~l co~t o the 9ub-~0 stantial eneryy required to conv~3rt ba~ic raw wood m~ter-ial~ to a fc)rm desirable for u8e in end products.
The pre~ent invent~ on i3 a boon to the pulp and pa}~er indu~try in that it maximizes t}le ~o~lble u~e of the ~vail~ble raw fibrou~ materials and also makes po~ible Docket No. 9062 - 2 11 ~ 6~2g() a new and improved quality of pulp product. The appar-atu~ em~odiments thereof quic~ly and effectively reduce the fibrou~ material~ and with a minimal u~e of enPrgy.
The redu~tion enabled ~y the system and process of the invention enables, moreover, ~ filamentation of the fibrous material to which the ~ame is applied to a form in which a significant expo~ure of their critical zellulo~e content i3 achieved in ribbon and like form.
To understand ~he existing problem~ in the prior art, one must under~tand the nature and character of the con~truction of the raw wood material or wood~like material which i~ utili~ed in the pulp and paper indu~try.
Take ~oftwood by way of example. In each ca~e this material in it~ raw form basically embodies, as appxox-imately 904 of its volume, a l~rg~ bundle of tracheids which themYelve~ have A fiber-llke character an~ are looqely termed ~fibars~. }lowever, in and of them~elve~
thes~ tr~cheids are bundles of fiber~ or fil~ment~ Of ribbon-like character wound and cemented together by lign~in embodiad in which are int~rcellular membrane~.
Each component bundle i9 a complex structurc in which the important cellulose constituent, known as the S2 layer, is int~rnally buried and enca~ed ~ . An Sl layer which actually comprise~ five to six layers of ribbo~-like multiple windings~ each wrapped about the S2 layer at a different ~ngle~ is itself encased in an outer or Docket No. 9062 - 3

2 ~ a P layer, which is al~o a wrapping. The S2 layer h~s internally thereof an inner wrapping called an S3 layer which bound~ a hollow core of the composite fiber-like element con~tituted by the Pr Sl, S2 and S3 layer~
It i~ ~uch constituent of the wood or wood~ e materials generally employed ~hat the pulp and paper indu~try ha~
found virtually impo~sible to properly reduce ~o as to take full advantage of the optim~lly desired qualitie~
of the S2 layer. The pre~ent invention was based on the recognition that to overcome the exis~ing problams in thls re~pect and to truly ~chieve a quality pulp product one must effectively break down the wood structure to the extent that not only are the fiber-like tracheid components qeparated but the P and Sl layers must also be carefully ~epar~ted from the ~n~a8ed S2 layer before there can be a proper ~ealing wi~h the latter layer~ Then and only then can the membraneou~
~ilament material of thi0 cellulo~e S2 layer be extracted in it~ ribbon, fibril or fil~ment form. With thi~
aahieved, its admirable prop~rties including its flexibility snd adaptabllity for r~ady bonding can be made available for ~chieving paper and board products which have a uniform high quality the degree of which ha~ not heretofore been pos~ible.
To thi~ point in time no grinder, roller type pro-duction ~ystam or sirlgl~ or even double rotating di~c Docket N~.9062 - 4 2 ~ ~

refiner ha~ been found capable of producing the de~ired de~ree and form ~f reduction above d~cribed, particu-larly in a manner to con~erve ~nergy in the processing of pulp material~ to the extent now nece~sary. The grinder and roller type production syYtems heretofore provided are in fact reduction means the application of which re~ult~ in cutting~ abrading and pvwdering the raw wood product~ to the point the product ~chieved thereby i9 a haphazard agglomerate masY in which there i~ little evidence of exposure of the S2 rihbon~ or membraneou~
filaments in any really coherQnt form. Moreover, there i~ little uniformity to the cont~nt of the ~o reduced mat~rials. The disc re~iners, particul~rly r~volvlng di~c refiners which are pre~surized, can produce ~
better pulp ~han the prior art grinder~ or roller~ but the pulp in this ca~e ~till evidlQnces the fact that this apparatu~ doe~ ~o~ achieve, expo~e or produc~ S~ ribbon5 or filament~ on an acceptable level~ Nor do they pro-duce ~ unlformity of the result~nt pulp product which would be mo~t desirabl~ for us~ by tha pulp and paper lndustry.
One impvrtant fact stand~ out when examining the end products o~ the prior art apparatus of the type de~crihed. No unit, ~y~tem or procedure heret~fore known ha~ really reduc~d fibrous materials, particu-larly wood material~; in ~ m~nner or ~o a level that -Docket No,9062 - 5 2 9 ~

their most important con~tituent parts thereof have been salva~ed in such a form that their prime qualities couid be utilized to an effective degree in end products.
Al~o, no apparatu~ or reduction proce~.~ heretofore utilized in the pulp and paper industry has been able to reduce the sub3tantial consumption of energy which occurs in a pulping procedure, particularly in tho~e procedures which foll~w thQ fir~t pha~e breakduwn of the raw material.
In the development of the pre~ent invention note ha~ been carefully taken of all of the abov~ act~ ~nd the need for overcoming the problems evidenaed ther~by.
me solu~cion to the problem, whi.ch heretofore has b~en inobvious, has been fousld to exi.~t in a ~imple and ~conomical apparatus and proceduxe which con3uune~ a low amount of energy. Pref~rrecl embodiment~ feature the u~e of a uniquely ~urfaced roller~.
While the invention wa~ origlnally contempl~tad ~lS a mean~ to b~tt~r u~clli~e thE3 product of fir~t phia3e refi~ing u~ilizing h~r~tofore av~ilable equipment, it h~s been found that th0 inv~ntion ~ystem, apparatu~
and procedures offer the option of ~chievin~ a total reduction ~ystem aY applied to r~w fibrous materials the quality and end re~ult~ o wh.~ch are un~xpectedly in the direction of what ha~ boen heretofore desired but incapable of be~ng a~hiev~d by the prior art reduction apparatu~.

Docket No. 9062 - 6 ~ ~ 6~ ~9~

A fact that must be kep~ in mind when considering the inability of the prior art ~pparatu~ to achieve the end re~ults and savings desired, particularly in re~pect to consumption of energy, i8 that their de~ign i8 cuch that they will cut, abrada, chop and/or roll the material on which they work in a high speed operation and in random dixection and sense. Thi~ in any ca3e precludes the ~billty of thP prior art apparatu~ to get uniformity of the qu~lity of their end product~ or to preserve th~
ribbon-like cellulv~ic filament portlon of the raw ma~erial which, if preaerved, would be ~o benefi~ial to the production of p~per and board product~
Particularly evidenced in the prior art i~ the difficulty and even ~nability of pulping hardwoods.
The ~ructure of hardwos~ds ~vidence libri~orm ~ibers ~1~ a parall~l to kh~ tracheid~ whlch are more ma~sive Cl~ to their layersd form. H~w~v~r they Ytlll exhibit a ba ic, f ilamen~ structure a~ to their makeup. The present invention enabl~ ~tartl~ng improvements in thi9 direc:tion ~inc:o the hardwood~ pr~enlt no barrier to the effective utilization of i~8 ~y~tem, apparatu~
and procedure~.

Docket No. 9062 _ 7 ~ 3 ~1290 The prior art pertinent to an under~tanding of the paxticular advance achieved by the pre~ent invention is believed to be be~t repre~ented by the followin~ publi-cations:
U~ 5. Patents:
S~ Watrou~ 7393 Jan. 26, 1833 J. Weis 473 3une 16, 1857 . Fickett102,239 ~pr. 26, 1870 Io & A~ G. Tompkins 189,399 ~pr. 10, 1877 5. R~ Thomp~on233~577 OCt4 199 1880 R~ A~ Lister, et al 389,310 Sept. 11, 18B8 B. Carter515,193 Fcb~ ~0, 1894 A. F~ Davis619~012 Feb. 7~ 1899 G. H. Pond653,312 July 10, 1900 J. Beall1,041,950 Oct. 22~ 1912 W, N. Cornell1,150,099 Aug. 17~ 1915 E. B. Fritz1~556,926 Oct. 13~ lg25 T. W~dleigh1,651,425 Dec. 6, 1~27 R. C. Benner et al 1,971~335Aug. 28, 1934 Donald C. Stavely 3,570,775Mar. 16, 1971 Publication~:
Curlated Pulp - A New Apprc~ach to Pulp Proce~sing tPart I) by H. S. Hill, et al, Price Brothers an~
Company Ltd.
The Curlatox~ It8 Appllc~t:lon to High Yield New3print Sulphite tPart II) ~y Fran~ P. Silver, Pric~ Brothers & Company Ltd., Riverb~ndO P- Q.
A ~aboratory Study of ~ N~ M~chanical Pulping ~Proce~ by W. D~ M~y and D. Atack~ Pulp and Papex Instltute of C~nad~ ~Reprint from Technical Section Pulp and Paper Mag~zine o~ Canada, ~u~ust, 1~5).

Serial No. 350,345 - 8 2 9 ~
SUMMA~Y OF THE INVENTION:
The present invention provides a method of refining mate-rial which has a wood or wood-like composition characterized by elements having a fiber-like character which have a bond-ing material -therebetween providing that they are intercon-nected and thereby bound together in their original form, said elements each being a unitized structure comprising an outer protective par-t and an inner part, the inner part of said elements having a ribbon, fibril or filament form which is rich in cellulose and contained by the outer par-t. The method includes the steps of providing said ma-terial in por-tions thereof, rolling said portions of material and while rolling applying a gradually increasing pressure thereto and intermittently changing the locat:ion of the application of said pressure in a pattern inducing the elements of the wood or wood-like composition thereof and the parts of each element to work, ruo and shear against each other in repetitious fashion, gradually breaking down the bonding between the elements of each said portion and between the outer parts of the elements and their inner parts to expose and convert said inner parts to segments thereof having a generally ribbon, fibril or filament form. A resultant product is provided thereby which may be advantageously and economically applied to the production of high quality paper products.
The invention fur-ther provides a method of refining ma-terial which has a wood or wood-like composition characterized ` Serial No. 350,345 - 9 9 ~

by elements having a fiber-like character bound together to form a unitized structure, said elements each being, in and of itself, a unitized structure comprising bound together constituents including component parts having a fiber-like character bounded together by lignin, one component part being rich in cellulose, having a ribbon, fibril or filament form and being surrounded and contained by other componen-t parts which provide a protective wrap-ping for said component part which is rich in cel.lulose.
The method in this instance includes the steps of rolling individual strip-like porti.ons of said composition between surfaces a portion of which is formed by projections from a base surface which are essentially devoid of any cutting or abrasive characteristics, maintaining each said strip-like portion and/or parts thereo:E essentially separated from other s-trip-like portions and/or parts thereof and essentially transverse to the direction of the rolling movement and applying pressure substantially continuously to each said strip-like portion and/or parts thereof, as long as they lie between said surfaces, in a pattern to produce torsional shear effects producing a breaking of the bonds between said el.ements of each said portion and/or part thereof, the breakdown of the constituents and said protective wrapping thereof and a rendering accessible and readily extractible the said component parts of said constituents which are rich in cellulose.

Serial No. 350,345 - 10 1 ~ & ~ 2~
In another context the invention provides a method of refining fibrous materials comprising interconnected fiber-like constituents embodying as components internal struc-ture of ribbon, fibril or filament form encased in protec-tive sheathing. The procedure in this instance includes the steps of applying pressure to portions of the fibrous material by introducing said portions in a generally cyl-indrical form and rolling them between a general].y cylin-drical roller and an adjacent surface, generally preserving the content of each of the said portions of fibrous mate-rial separate from the content of other such portions during rolling, while applying pressure to said portions and parts thereof to cause their constituents and the com-ponent parts of their constituents to work, twist, rub and shear against each other in repe-titious fashion, and pro-ceeding in this respect in a continuing rolling procedure to produce a gradual loosening of the ori.ginal connection betweensaid fiber-like constituents and a breaking down of the protective sheathing of an internal structure to relatively loosen from each other the protective sheath-ing of said constituents and component parts of said con-stituents comprising the contents thereof without cutting or abrading.
The invention further contemplates a method of re-fining fibrous materials comprising interconnected fiber-like constituents embodying as components internal structure Serial No. 350,3~5 - 11 2~

of ribbon, fibril or filament form encased in protective sheathing the steps of which include applying pressure -to portions of the fibrous material by rolling said portions between a generally cylindrical roller and an adjacent surface, generally preserving the content of each of said portions and parts thereof while applying pressure to said portions in a pattern causing their constituents and the component parts of their constituents to work, twist, rub and shear against each other in repetitious fashion and proceeding in this respect in a continuing rolling pro-cedure to produce a gradual loosening and breakdown of ;the original connection between adjacent said fiber-like const:ituents and a breaking down oE said protective sheathing for their internal structure to relatively expose the collection oE said constituents and component parts of said constituents comprising the contents of each said portion and any parts thereof and subsequently inducing the separation of the component parts into seg-! ments thereof without cutting or abrading.
~nother procedure contemplated by the present inven-tion provides a method of refining fibrous material com-prising interconnected fiber-like constituents the es-sential components of which include cellulose filament structure and means defining protective sheathing con-taining said filament structure. This method includes the steps of rolling the material in separately defined Serial No. 350,345 - 12 2 9 ~

relatively elongate portions comprising amounts of said interconnected constituents, during rolling maintaining the length of each said portion and part -thereof substan-tially aligned in an orientation generally transverse to the direction of the rolling and separated from other of said portions and parts thereof, applying non-cutting ele-ments during rolling gradually disconnecting said fiber-like const].tuents and reducing said sheathing components thereof, exposing and loosening said filament structure from containment by said sheathing and converting said filament structure to ribbon or thread-like segmen-ts thereof while essentially inhibiting the separation of each said portion and parts thereof into disconnected segments thereof prior to the completion of the rolling procedure.
A further method comprehended within the present in-vention, in respect to the refining of fibrous materials comprising interconnected fibe:r-like constituents embody-ing as components internal filament structure bonded and encased in protective sheathing includes the steps of rolling portions of the fibrous material in strip-like forms and/or sections thereof with their lengths gener-ally crosswise to the direction of their rolling movement and during rolling generally preserving their respective composition and inducing constituents and components of said constituents of each thereof to twist, work, rub and shear against each other under the influence of non-- Serial No. 350,3~5 - 13 ~ ~ 6~9~

cutting forces to break the bonds between the consti-tuents and between the components of the constituents, loosening and splitting the sheathing and splitting the internal filament structure within the sheathing into segments thereof while simultaneously reducing the sheathing and avoiding uncontrolled breakdown of the contents of each strip-like form or sec-tion thereof until completion of ~he rolling procedure.
A broad aspect of the invention provides a method of refining fibrous material comprising interconnected fiber-like consti.tuents the essential components of which in-clude membraneous cellulose filaments encased in protective sheathing. This method includes the~steps of rolli.ng por-tions of said fibrous ma-terial independently of one another and during said rolling applying forces reducing said sheathing without cutting to expose said filaments and reducing said filaments to form ribbon or thread-like segments thereof while avoiding uncontrolled breakdown of the contents of each said portion and providing that ~0 said portions are conditioned :Eor their ready separation upon completi.on of and discharge from the rolling process.
In a broad context, a method per the present invention applied to the refining of fibrous materials comprising interconnected fiber-like consti.tuents, constituents of which embody as components thereof internal structure in-cluding elements of ribbon, fibril or filament form in ` Serial No. 350,3~5 - 13-a 2~

protective shea-thing containing said structure includes the steps of rolling portions of the fibrous material against a referenced surface and during said rolling, while gen-erally preserving the fibrous material contents of each said portion and substanti.ally all parts -thereof in a separated relation to the fibrous material contents of other of said portions and their parts, applying to the contents of each said portion and/or parts thereof a pat-tern of pressure and release of pressure inducing con-l~ stituents and components of said cons-tituents thereof to work, twis-t, rub and shear against adjacent thereof in a repetitious fashion, gradually loosening and freeing the constituents thereof one from the other, gradually loosen-ing elements of the internal structure of the components of said constituents one from the other, wi-thin the sheath-ing thereof, producing a breakdown of said sheathing to the point elements of said internal structure originally con-tained thereby are relatively exposed, and reducing elements of said internal structure to flexible segments thereof having a ribbon, fibril or filament form and inhibiting total separation of the resultant composition of respective said portions of said fibrous material and parts thereof prior to their discharge from the rolling procedure.
A particularly interesting aspect of the invention comprehends also the refining of fibrous material compris-ing interconnected fiber-like constituents components of ~ Serial No. 350,3~5 - 13-b 2 ~ ~

which include membraneous cellulose filament structure and means defining a protective sheathing containing such fil-ament structure. The method here contemplated includes -the steps of rolling generally separated portions of said mate-rial and parts thereof against a relatively static surface and during said rolling establishing a relatively elongate form of each of said separated por-tion and/or part thereof and maintaining the length thereof in an orientation gen-erally transverse to the directions of the rolling and separated from other of said portions of said material and any parts thereof, during said rolling applying a pat-tern of pressure to each of said portions and parts thereof gradually disconnecting the fiber-like constituents thereof one from the other, reducing the sheathing of the components of said constituents and converting the membraneous cellu~
lose filamen-t structure originally contained thereby into flexible segments thereof while inhibiting the total sep-aration of said reduced sheathing from its original con-tained filament structure until the point of the discharge of the respective said portions of said fibrous material and parts thereof from the rolling procedure to which they are subjected.
In preferred practice of the invention, the same features differential pressuring of the portions of fibrous materials developed in rolling thereof, along and to the extent oE the transversely disposed length of such portions.

Serial No. 350,345 - :L3-c Working of -the portions is accompanied by a gradual increase of the level o-f pressure thereon and an emphasis of pressure at poin-ts along their length at generally uniformly spaced intervals. Depending upon the material and the application, in some instances an originally formed portion wilL be in-duced to separate into a plurality of smaller portions which constitute segments of its length. However in such case its smaller portions will maintain an essentially aligned end to end relation as they are moved through the working path which they follow in the rolling procedure.
The practice of a method per the present invention con-templates the application of water or other suitable liquor to the small portions of :Eibrous material formed and created as they are passed between applied roller elements and their shields.
[t is to be understood that the achievement of the present invention is not only to substantially reduce the use of energy in the refining of fibrous material, par-ticularly that used in the pulp and paper industry, but to provide for the pulp and paper industry a means and method for more naturally separating the constituents o-f the raw and conditioned fibrous material necessary to be pulped whereby to insure that the paper and board makers are provided with a pulp that not only is better as to its fiber and fiber bundle content but is actually provided Serial No. 350,345 - 13~d 2 9 ~
with a pulp wherein there are numerous free ribbon-like membraneous filament portions of the important cellulose components of the basic wood structure being worked.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved method of refining fibrous materials, particularly those which are employed in the pulp and paper industry for making paper and board pro-ducts.
A further object is to provide improved means and methodsfor refining fibrous material which reduces such material to its essentials to a degree not heretofore achieved in any reasonable manner or at any reasonable cost by heretofore known refiner equipment.
Another object of the invention is to provide a means and method of refining fibrous materials, particularly -those used in the pulp and paper industry, which is more eEficient and satisfactory in use, adaptable to a wide variety of applications, even to the reduction and refin-ing of hardwood, and unlikely to malfunction.
An additional object of the invention is -to provide for the refining of raw material in a simple rolling pro-cedure which eliminates the incidence of random abrading and cutting of material as occurs in the use of the prior art practice.
An additional object of the invention is to reduce the amount of fines in production of paper and board pulp.

-~ Serial No. 350,3~5 - 13-e 9 ~
A feature of the invention is the reduction of energy consumption in achieving quality pulp.
Another objec-t is to provide a method and means for refining fibrous material, particularly fibrous material such as woods, possessing the advantageous features, the inherent meritorious characteristics and the means and mode of use herein described.
~ ith the above and other incidental obJects in view as will more fully appear in the specification, the in-vention intended to be protected by Letters Patent consistsof the features of construction, the parts and combinations thereoE, and the mode of operation as hereinafter described or illustrated in the accompanying drawings, or their equivalents.
Referring to the drawings wherein some bu-t not the only forms of embodiment of the present invention are shown, Fig. 1 is a schematic of a tracheid construction;
Fig. 2 is a schematic illustrating an embodi~ent of S~rial No . 3 5 (), 3 4 5 ~
~ 3 ~

the present invention applied ln connection with the second phase treatment of raw material in a pulp refinin~ proces~;
Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of structure used or delivery of mater~al for rolling, shown al~o in Fig. 2;
Fig. 4 is a perspective explo~ed view which schemat-ically illu~trates the preferred rolling surfaces employed in tha practice o~ the invention;
Fig. S is a sche.matic illustrating an embodiment of the pr~sent invention applied directly ~o th~ conversion of raw mat~erial to a quality pulp by a rolling operation, and without the need ~or a first phase refining operation;
Fig. 6 is a generally schematic view of a urther system for creating ~trip-like increments o ibrous material from fragments;
Fig. 7 is a fragmentary secltional view illuskratin~
detail o~ a drum type f~der of the type shown in Fig. 6; and Fig. 8 shows another SystQm for creating strip-like increments of fibrous material from fragments.
Note should be taken o the draw~ng~ and the fact that certain elements are enlarged to better define their cha~-aateristics and that the elements thereof are there~ore not proportional or indica~iv~ as to ~heir relative slze. How-ever, the context of the dr~wings should be quite clear to those versed ln the art.
~ ig. 1 illustrates a bundl~ of tra~heid ~, tha ma jor proportion o any softwood composition, ~ demonstr~te~
the na~uxe and ah~ra~ter o~ the w~.nd~ngs which compri~e - ~.

, Docket No. 9062 - 15 2 ~ 0 the outer sheathing oE the trachQid which constitute the P and Sl layers. To fully comprehend the importance of the invention i~ mu~t be recogniz~d that as lony as the S2 layer is bound in any re~pect wi~h tha P and Sl laye~
that it i~ relatively inîlexible and the product ~o pro-vided is difficul~ to treat to make it useful ~or pap~r and board products. Yet this i generally the product met in the bes~ of hereto~ore conceived refiner equipment and in mo~t thereo it is so randomly cut a~ ~o produce agglomexates of not much better value and inclusive of a grea~ deal of fines which adversely act to cause d~crease in freene~s of the resultant product.
By contrast, the pr~nt invention results in a uniformity of mater~al treatm~nt and a splitting of the P and Sl l~yers without creating à large amount of fines.
Rather than this ~h~ pre~ent invention equipment and process produce~ fr~e ribhon lik~ segments of the membran-eous filaments compri~ed in the tracheids. It i of primary importanc~ that a 6ub~t~ntial pxoportion of the S2 layer will be found in such form in the end product.
Tha invention i~ illustrated in Fig. 2 in a com po~ite in~tallation wherein first pha~e refining of raw softwQod is achieved by a double r~volving di~c Docket No. 9062 - 16 ~ 3 6~290 refiner and the invention roller system then takes over to extract the predominant inner important cellulo~e portion of the first phase product in ribbon-like segment form~
Thi~ embodiment iB to illustrate how existing installations utillzing dlsc refining in a fir~t ph~se operation may be modified to take advantage of the benefit~ made available by the present invention.
Thus, referring to the schematic af Fig. 2, a ~y~tem of this nature a~ here contemplated will comprise, for example, a hopper lO ~y way of which softwood chip~ in their raw form may be directed to a pre-conditioning ve~el 1~. The ves~el 12 i~ ahown to have an inlet 14 for introduction thereto of ~team or other conditlon1ng fluid which i5 maintained therein under conditions of elevated temperature ancl pressure ~o soften the lignin content of the chips a~ they are advanced through the ~essel 12 ~y ~uitably contained mean~. From the ~e~el 12 the conditioned ch~pY are directed, by way of ~ feed~r 16, to the inlet of a di~c refiner 18. Within the ref`iner 18 the chips pa~ through apertures in its infeed disc to the eye of the refiner and ~o, between and radially outward of the op~osed, clo~ely ~paced r~fining surfaces of the refinex disc~ ~ they both rotate and ane thereof rotates counter ta the other.
The chips so reduced are di~charged peripherally of the di9cs and from the refiner by way of its outlet ~0.

Dvcket No. 9062 - 1~

~IS~29~

To this point the installation of Fig. 2 is well know~ as to its constituent~ and a~ to the various apparatus which may compri~e its component parts. By way o~ example, reference in thi3 respect i8 made to the preconditioner, feeder and refiner construction of U. S, Patent No. 3,661,328 which i~ in ~his in~tance utilized in first phase refining of the raw softwood~
The discharge from the refiner lB comprises fibexs and fiber bundle~ which in this case are randomly ~ized with no uniformity a~ to ~he direction in which they have been cut~ Thi~ product is ~n the main~ moxe speciically, fibex-lik0 tracheids and bundles thereof such as ~chematically ~hown in Fig. 1O In no event i~
there appreciable evidence of free ribbon-like ~egment3 of the flexible S2 cellulos~ fil~lments which are enca~ed in the P and Sl layer~ of ~he tracheàds, though in certain cases, depending on the spacifio equipment and practic~
th~ outer ~heathing layer~ of th~ tracheids to the extent exposed may have been roughQd or broken. But irrespective, in utàlizing prior ~rt equipment for first phase refining th~ expo~ure and/or br~akage of the tracheid sheathing i~ ~t be~t incidental and limited.
In the practiae or the present i~vention the quenched product i~suing from the refiner 18 will have a consi3tency of abou~ 20~ plus o~ mlnu~ 5~, This discharge is directed to a ves~el ~2 defini~g a dilution chamber, lnto which Docket No~9062-18 ~ 1 6~29~

is added, by way of an inlet 24, ~ufficient water or suitable conditioning liquor, preferably at a temperature of 190 - 200F., to chan~ its consistency to about 3 to 5%, In this dilute slurry form, the product of the first phase r~fining procedure is discharged to Eorm a blanket of it~ soli~s content on the upper run of an endless belt 26 of multi perforate character.
The belt 26 may be formed of a plastic coated wire mesh through which liquid of the slurry may drain. It will be suitably driven, in obvious man~er, and will be contained in an appropriate chamber ~o as ~o laterally contain the material on the ~elt and to suitably receive and direct therefrom whatever drains~ for di~po3al or for treatment and reuse of its content.
A~ shown, the lower end of belt 26 i8 driven by a roller 28 embodying drive 3procket means, located in a side by side relation with a roller 30 to define the outlet of a hopper-like di~charge device. The roller 30 will be driven at twice the speed of the roller 28 and its outer periphery will beax on the blanket of ~olid~ ma.~ed on the belt 26 as i~ i~ turned ~bout the roller 28 to commence it~ lower run. Some compre~sion of the blanket i~ achieved.
~y xeason of th~ slowar speed of the belt 26 the blanket of fibrous material will tend to move therewith towards it~ lower run and in the turn of the belt 26 about the roller 28 it will l~ave the belt to depo~it o~ the upper - Docket No.9062 - 19 11 ~ 6 ~

run of an endless belt 32~ the general direction of move-ment of which is reverse to that of the upper run of belt 26. ~rhis ~acilitates a ~mooth and proper transfer of the blanket of solids.
~rhe belt 32 is comprised of a series of parallel linked closely spaced bars 33 extending crosswise of ~he belt movement and perpendicular thereto. In cross section the bars 33 have a ~rapezoidal ~hape and the surfaces thereof which are widest ~ispose outermost of the belt. The spaces between the successively dicposed bars 33 are minimal and sufficient only ~o ~asi therethrough a thin blade.
To the end of belt 32 remote from that fir~t receiving the blanket of solids, there is positioned over it~ upper run a group of knife-like blades 34. The knive~ 34 are longitu-dinally spaced, parallel and each arranged tran~ver~e to the line of the belt travel. The knives 34 are arranged to vertically r~ciprocate in a timed relation to the travel of belt 32 to move between ~arq 33 :in obviou~ manner to cut th~
blanket of solid~ thereon into ~ma~l strtp-like portions 36.
The~belt 32 is under the control of ~procket~ 38 and 40 and conventionally drlven to move at a ~peed corre~ponding to the speed of rotation of the element 28. As the b~lt ~2 turns about the roller 40 toward~ its lower run the outer periphery of a counter-rotating roller unit 42, which rotates preferably at twice the speed of roller 40,comes into a bru~hing contact with each of the strips 36 in time Docket No.9062 - 20 ~ ~ 6~2~

spaced relation. In the proce~s the strip~ 36 will de-po~it on the outer peripheral ~urface of roller 42, in a circumferentially spaced following relation.
In the example illustrated, the roller unit 42 is one of a series of ~ix roller unit~ arranged in an im-mediate following vertical sequence~ In vert.ical ~equence, from top to bottom, the roller units are identified as 42, 44, 46, 48, 50 and 52. Each roller unit i~ identically fabricated to have it~ outer peripheral surface formed a~ a cylinder on and about which is wrapped and to which iR fixed a wire-like mesh belt of 20 to 50 mesh size, a mesh of 35 to 45 bei.ng preferable. This produce~ on the otherwise ~mooth outer surface of the cylinder a rectangular grid 64 defined by strands 54 which are laterally and clo~ely ~paced from end to end of the cylinder intersected by and interconnected with strands 56 at right angles ~h~reto which lie in radial plane~ of ~he cylinder which extend end to end thereof and in relatively clo~ely spaced parallel re~ation. The net effect of the impo~ed mesh is to pxoduce very shallow tran~versely arcuate projection~ running about the cylinder which extend in the intended direction of movement of the solids ~trip portions 36 and very shallow similar projections which are closely ~paced and run tran3verse to the direction of intended movement v strip portions 36. Where the strands 54 and 56 inter~ect they form nub-like rounded point~ 58 which project slightly further outward from the ba~e cylinder than the intermediate ~trand portions~ In any ca~e the projection~

Docket No. 9062 - ~1 are very shallow even at the nubs 58. The lattex, as will be seen f have dual function in the drive of the strips 36 and their refinlng~
Bounding about 160 of the down ~ide of the roller unit 42 in closely spaced relation thereto i8 a shield 60. The shield 60 comprises a plate S2 arcuately formed on a uniform radiu~ as a longitudinal s~ction of a cylindrical wall s~ructure the length of which coinc.ides with that of the roller 42. Embodied in connection with the inner surface of the plate 62 i~ a rectangular grid-like projection 64 similar to that on roller 42, ~he ~trands and configuration of which correspond to that on the outer peripheral wall surface o~ the roller unit 42.
The shiald 60 is applied to the down side of th~ roller unit 42 ~o its lower end is jus~ above the lower limit of the roller unit and more clo~ely acljacent the roller unit than its upper end. Thus, the spac:~ between the outer peripheral surface of the rollex unit 42 and the inner facing surface of its ~hield 60 gradually decreases from its upper entrance end to ~s lower discharge end~ In the example illu~trate~ the d~crea~e is from .120" to .110". This spacing will depend upon the application of the apparatus, as to th~ material applied and the con-ditions of the end product desiredO
Each of the roller unit~ 44, 46, 48, 50 and 52, which with reference to roller unit 42 is in this case ~ubstantially Docket No. 9062 - 22 ~ 3 6 ~ 2~

identically sized and has e~bodied on its outer ~urface an identical grid-like projection, has a shield 60' applied to bound and define ~herewith a ~pace at its down side decreasing from the upper to the lower end thereof~ The shield 60' is cons~ructed identically as described with reference to the shield 60 except tha~ it~ arcuate extent and position i5 such to bound almost 180 of the adjacent roller unit down side. The inner surface of each shield ~0' embodies al~o a grid like projaction 64 corresponding to that on the adjacent roller.
The roller unit~ 42, 44, 46, 4B, 50 and 52 are so arranged and driven that their direction of rotation i~
~uccessively changed. As shown, ~oller unit 42 rotates clockwise, roller unit 44 rotates counter-clockwise, roller unit 46 rotate~ clockwi~e, etc., the arrangement being obvious from Fig~ 2 of the Idrawings. In addition the vertical spacing of the roller unit~ in this vertically aligned s~ack ~hereof i~ so close a~ to barely exce~d the dimension o the separately introduced ~trips 36 and the roll forms theraof which pas~ therebetween. At the same ~ime the lower limit of the shield 60 almost touches the outer surface of the roller 44 just following the peak of its rotatin~ movement while the uppar limit of the shield 60' next follvwing almo~t touche~ the roller 42 immediately abov~ and ollowing the lowermost point of tra~el of its outer ~eripher~l surface. The arrangement Docke t No . 9 0 6 7 - 2 3 2g~3 of each shield 60' and its next following shield 60' in refer-ence to the rela~ed roller units will be the same a~ just de-~cribed. In effect the shield~ 6D and 60' t~yether with the roller units which they bound define a series of segment~ of a gradually restricted work p~th whexein the cro~s sec~ion of each segment is gradua:Lly reduced from its entrance to it~ di~-charge end by an ever closer ~pacing between the opposed work-ing surfaces o the roller and the applied ~hield. Thus, by way of example, in the ca~e illu~trated, for application to ~otwood, the spacing defined between roller uni~ 42 and ~hield 60 in the fir~t segmen~ of the work path reduces from .120 inches t~ .110 inches, the spacing in the next segment between roller unit 44 and it~ ~hield 60' gradually reduce~ from .110 lnches to .100 inche3, the spacing in the segment between roller unit 46 and i~s ~hield 60' reduc~ thi~ spacing rom .100 inche3 to . 090 inches, ~nd so forth until the ~pacing in the laYt ~egm~nt of the flow path bet:ween ~he roller unit 52 and i~ shield 60' reache~ a dimen~ion at the discharge ~nd of .060 inches.
~ ~iven the above construction of the roller stack, as the cut and separated strip portion~ 36 of the solid~ matexial leave the belt 32 and are picked up and smQothly directed in the same direction of mov~ment induced therein by the reversing belt, the content of each ~trip will be of gen~rally uniform size and density and the con~istency thereof will, per the invention, be at a level o~ 15 t3 25~, the axtra liquid added to facilitate it~ transfer from the reiner to the roll~r ~tack being drained durin~ .Lt~ ~ran~fer by reason of the open work of its bel t drive~. The pick up by th~ roller 4~ will be facllita-ted by the grid-like form o the ma~h projection on it~ outer Docket No~ ~062 - 24 ~ ~ 6 ~ 291~

surface and particularly the rounded nubs 58.
The strip portion~ 36 will be spaced and essentially cross-wise to their direction of -travel a~ they are caused to enter the throat defined between the entrance end of ~hield 60 and roller unit 42, adjacent and closely following the ~eak of ~he roller. The shield i9 faired at its entrance end to facilitate each ~trip ~.ntering the pace between roller unit 42 and its ~hieldO As a strip iq caught within this throat, the grid--like surEace on th~ roller unit 42, assisted by the nub like projections thereof, advance~ the strip by a rolling thereof against the facing surface of the ~hield 60. Due to the rectangularity of the grids, the orientation of the strip 1~ mainta:Lned and it an~ every section of its length which might :Eorm a ~eparate cylinder, ~hould ~uch occur, will have a generally uniform uni-directional movement to the discharge end of the ~gment of its work path defined between the shield 60 and roller uni~ 42. In rolling movement thereof ~h~ cylinder or cylinders formed of each ~trip 36 will have their cylin-~0 drically formed configurations maintained and the totalcomposite of the ~trip 36 will maintain a line generally cross-wise to the direction of the work path throughout the working thereof.
The path through which each cylindrical portion of the fibrou~ material formed in the rolling process pas~es, between shield 60 an~ roller 4~, is gradually restricted ~ocket No.9062 - 25 2 9 ~

and for thls rea~on alone each cylinder is su~jected to a uniformly increasing increment of pressure. ~t the same time, by rea~on of the grid form~d projections 54, 56 and 58 there is imposed on each cylinder, along and to the extent of its length, differential pressure appli-cation~, the pressure being greater along those portion~
rolling on the strands 54 and being emphasized at the location of the circularly spaced nubs 5B. ~etween ~trands 54 t~e pres~ure i~ les~ but in rolling it is emphasized at the locations of ~trands 56, intermediate the nubs.
Thus, the body of each cylinder of fibrous material which result~ from the rolling of the portions 36 is dif-ferentially pre~ured along its length as pressure thereon by reason of the clo~ing of the shield on the roller 42 is increased. Moreover, at uniformly and clo~ely spaced intervalY this pre~sure ~pplied is emphasized al~d between the intervals there i~ slight relief.
~ ee~ing in mind the decr~asing cros~ ~ectional area of the flow or working path of each cylinder, a~ the roll-ing continues, unexpected action occur~. The tracheid components and the con~tituents of the tracheids in the strip portion 3S are twisted relative each other as they are subjected to ~mooth~ repeated non-cutting pre~sure surfaces of the element~ of the grid-like projection.
~here i5 by rea~on o~ the pattern of the grid a tearing Docket No. 9062 - 26 of bonds between the constituent~ of the material worked and between the components of the constituents. The net initial effect i5 tha~ outer sheathin~ of ~he tracheids is loosened from the underlying layer~ and in part split.
It is to be recognized ~hat in the rolling procedure each portion 36 and the cylindrical por~ion~ o material which result therefrom is subjected to e~sentially the same amount of work, independent of the feed rate thereof or the speed of the vertically ~tacked roller unit~ provided that the roller units do not exceed a speed of albout 8 feet per second. The work moreover i~ effec~ed at a temperature below a boiling point~ It i~ lmportant to note that by the facing surfaces of each paired ~hield and roller having a ~imilar grid-like projection 64 ~uch as de~cribed it is provided that on each 100" of travel therebetween of a strip portion 36 of fibrou~ material, the strip is ~ubjected to from 3500 ~o about 4500 pre~sure pulses.
A~ each cylinder of fibrous material resulting between roller 42 and shield 60 le~v~ tha di~charge end of this segment of its work path, it will expand somewhat a permitted by the spacing between the bottom of rolle~
unit 42 and the top o~ roll~r unit 44 but will be picked up by the roller 44 moving in the same direction as it was discharged. This expansion will contribute to the di.splacement of the fiber con~ti uent~ one from the other due to the reactant,force~ xe~ulting from .release of pres~ure as the cylinder moves rom the shiald ~0 to the following shield 60'. In any ca~e the pick up of the roller 44 i9 smooth as iB the introduction of the cylinder strip, which it e~ec-ts/ to tha entrance of Docket No.9062 - 27 the segment of the work path defined between tha upper end of the uppermost ~hield 60' and the roller unit 44 t}le down side of which it bounds This shield 60' is faired at its entrance end to facilitate the roller unit 44 driving cylinders of fibro~s material received, facilitated by nubs 58, into thi~ second segment of the work path and against the inner surface of it~
shield 60'. ~s each cylinder, substantially maintained a9 to its comL)o~it~ enterY this second segment of the work path, the direction of its rotation, imposed thereon in it~ working by the roller 42,wi.11 be reversed ~ut it finds itself facing the same differential rolling com-pres3ion and relief as it was ~ub jected to just before leaving the first segment of its work path and, as before described, the general level of pressure i8 gradually increased as continued unidirectional movement thereof and its orientation cross-wi~e to the direction of such movement is maintained. The working of the cylinder content in ~he second ~egment of the work path i~ e~sentially the s~me as in ~he firYt ~egmen~, but to increasin~ degree. The gradual pressure increase as each cylinder i~ repeatedly subjected to general and localized applications of pr2~sure increased and relieved at closely spaced interval~, taken with the ~hallow arcuate configuration o~ the projected grid portion~ which work the material, avoids uncontrolled breakdown of th~ tracheid ~tructura~.

Docket No. 9062 - 28 2 g 3 The transition of the contents of each strip 36, in the cylindrical form or forms thereof produced in rolling from one to the other of the succes~ively following roller units and their bo~ding shields which are vertically stacked is identically contrived in each case and in each segment of the work path at the beginning thereof the work on e~ch cylinder of fibrou~ material is under pra~qure the same as that from which the cylinder ha~ just escaped and the pressure i~ gradually increased a~ to its intermittent and successive applicatio~.
In the installation descr~bed, the tot~l of the work path bounded by the ~hield~ 60 and 60 ' i9 approximately lOO". The roller uni~s of ~he s1:ack 42- 52 are thus small.
The ~peed of the roller unit~ ~ 8 ,, moreover, unlform and relatively 910w. There i~ thera Eore a very small amount of ener~y consumed in thi~ refining proce~s. Nevertheles~, the cylinder~ of material being wvrke~ are being rotated at an extrel~ly high speed so the working i~ optimally effec-tive. ~uring tha procadure deecxibed, af ter the pattexned 20 pressure appli~ation~ reach a pr~determined point the P and Sl layer~ of the fiber-llke softwood tracheids in the cylin-ders are suf~iciently plit to expose gluey membrane-like hemi-cellulose materlal about and in connect~on with the wrapped S~ layer which i~ the targe~ of the procedure.
After this occurs, with contact between this gluey material of different tracheids, the tor~ional shear effects of the rolling under the condition~ and with structur~ de~c.ribed causes à ripping free of ribbon-like segments of the ~2 layer of the raspective trachelds involved. Keep in mind that the roll form and the shape of each cylindrical portion or ~eparated segment Docket No. 9062 - 2~

9 ~) thereof, if such should occur, of the material of a strip 36 created and worked in the rolling proce~s is genera~ly main-tained though the cylinder or cylinders thereof are succes-sively compressed. This preser~es the ribbon ~egmen~ form of the S2 layer portions reed from its encasement. At the same time the objectionable outer layers or sheathing of ~he S~ layer,by the rolling compres~ive force~ applie~ is divided into flake~ or tabs which quickly achieve an amorphous con-dition, in which form they coat the ribbon segments and fibrils of the S2 layer as the S2 layer is relea~ed. The sheathing does not in the proces~ of the present invention appear as loose fines to any extent. Thus, the form of the end product i3 not so objectionable as a volume of loose fines which ad-ver~ely affect freene~s when applied to paper and board pro-ducts.
During the procedure de~cribed water at below boiling temperature i~ pxe~erably appliecl to the individual strips 3fi to maintain ~he lubricity of their content since liquid is extracted therefrom in the working thereof. This is applied either at the contiguouR portions of the stacked rollers or through apertures provided for ~his purpose in the shieldsO ~he addition of water i~ carefully controll~d to maintain desired consistency will facilitate the freeing movements of the components o the tracheids in the strips worked as they move one against the other to gradually free themselvPs one from'the other under the condition described.
The product issuing from the stacked rollers 42 - 52 will be a multitude of su~cessively following rolled cylindriaal portions of fibrous material in which their original content has been preserved but in a form wherein their con~tituents Docket No~ 9062 _ 30 ~ 1 6 9 ~90 have been freed from one another as to any binding by lignin or other binder content as may exist. Even more than thi~ the unde~irable outer layer~ P and Sl have been helically split and flaked and then reduced to an amorphous condition as described above and the S2 layer i9 helically separated and in ribbon segment and/or fibril form, held in a relatively protected relation within ~he split ~ubstance in which it wa~ previou~ly buried.
The~e rolls are introduced into a t~nk containing water or other conditioning liquid the temperature of which is kep~ at about 190 - 200F. to produce a con-sistency of 3 to 5% and then subjected to agitation by suitable mean~, whereupon the rolls ~eparate into their re~pective parts into which they were reduced by the rolling operation. The rasultant product will have a significant portion of ribbon-like ~egmente of the c011ulo~ic S2 layer and the other particles of the tracheids will be in a form most advantageous to provicling a pulp produ~t, on suitable adjustmen~ of con~istency in conventional manner, wh~t:p can make the operation of the paper and board maker much eas.ier and give h~m higher quallty products than heretofore available a~t a rea~onable cost. Apart from this the cost of refining equipment and the u~e thereof i4 con-siderably reduced. The saving~ of energy i5 subgtant;ial.
Of course variou~ rneans and method3 may be used to achieve the agitatin~ st~p~ to convert the rolls to discrete ilament portion~ o~ the fibers, an es~ential component of which is the soft flexible segment~ of the S 2 1 aye r of the tracheid~ .

. Docket No. 9062 - 31 11 ~ 6 ~ 29~

The same roller type fiber filament separation sy~tem achieved by ~he roller stack 42, 44, 46, 48,~50 and 52 together with their shields 60 and 60' seen and describ~d with reference ~o Fig. 2 of the drawings may be utllized in a refining installatlon which eliminates any require-ment for a first phase r~fining of the type requiring a disc refiner, grinder or prior type rolling structure.
For example, raw softwood chips, in their natural state and at a conRi~tency of about 15~ may be introduced into a ves~el 70 in which they are boil~d for a period from about one-half to one hour. About 4% sodium bisulphite may be added, for example, to prevent bright-ne~s lo~s . The boiling softerla the liynin content of the chips and place3 them in a fo~ resembling wet aard-board.
From the ves~el 70, th~ chip~; are directed to and between a pair of adjacent facing rollers 72 and 74 the working surface~ of which are provided with tooth-like projections for~ed and arranged to exer~ a bending in-fluence on the chips. This causes the chips to ba cleaued and divi~ed into matahs~ick 8haped ~liver~.
The ~liver~ so formed ~re then deposited on the top of the exterior peripheral surface of a rotating aylinder 35 which ha~ been roughen~d to re~e~ble the surface of a file or rasp. The rollar 35 driv2s the slivers between it~ outer peripheral.3ur~ac~ and a similarly roughened Docket NoO 9062 - 3~

29~

adjacent facing surface of a partially encompa~sing shield 75 the configuration of which i~ that of a longitud~nal section of a cylindrical wall structure ~he arcuate ex-tent o~ which i~ about 160. Drivan between the roller 35 and the ~hield 75 the slivers are induaad to roll and in the proceRs of rolling their outer surface~ are fibrillat~d and roughened to exhibit hairy tentacles.
As schematically ~hown, the shield 75 is backed at its outermo~t surface by a shell which form~ therewith a chamber receiving steam under pressure. This steam i~
passed from the chamber ~o form0d by way of aperture~ in the shield 75 to steam an~ maintain the tempexa~ura of the ~livers as they are rolled at about 190F. Presæurization o~ tha working environment of the material i~ unnecessary to obtain the results ~tated and therefora thi~ proc~dure may be conducted in an atmospherlc environmerlt, as may the entire filamentation pxocadure previou~ly described with reference to the procedure and apparatus first ~et forth~
The roughened ~liver~ are introduced into a ves~el 76 constituting a dilution chamber. Water diraeted into the vessel 76 for dllution purpo~ will be ln ~he range of about 190 to 200F. Within the ve3sel 76 the ~liv~r~
are subjected to high ~p~ed agitation by ~uitable agitator means, which may be of any ~ort, but schematically repre-sented in Fig~ 5 of th~ drawlng~ a~ including a propeller type mixing elemen~ ?70 $he con~istenay of the slurry YO forme~ will be irl ths ranga of 3 to 8~ solids. In the vegsel ~6 it will be ~ound that the agitation of the sliver~ in the liquid cau3e them to be variou~ly entangled due to their hairy tentaales.

Docket No. 9062 - 33 2 s a From the vessel 76 ~he slurry which now contains the sliver~ in disper~ed form will be delivered to one end of a continuous belt 78. Belt 78 i~ e~senti~lly a coarse wire mesh ma~eri~l ~about 16 mesh) and i~ arranged to move about it~ roll~r, ~procket type, drive units 80, 82, 84 and 86 at various angles. The unit 86 i~ the primary drive uni~. Th~ wire of the belt 78 i~
preferably rubber or pla~tic coated and the belt i5 provided with a ~erie~ of longltudinally spacad ridge-like projection~ 88 formed of thin rubber or plastic which run tran~erse to the direction of belt travel.
The projection~ 88 form ~parators which are parallel and spaced about the belt at interval the di~tance of which, ~or example, place~ the ~epa~ator~ about 8 mm, apart. So arranged, the belt bein~ oontain~sd in a chamber or frame receptacle affording guard plate~3 to either ~ide of tha bel~ to inhibit material leaking ~here~rom la~erally~
the projections 88 define pocket~ on the belt into which pulp ~lurry from the chamber 76 i~ depositedO As seen ln the drawings; the upper sun of the belt 78 i3 comprised of succes~ively angled ~egment~ for ease o~ tran~fer and forming the ~eparate poxtio~ of the fibrou~ material recaived.
The beginning portion of the upper run of ths belt 78 lnclines upwardly about 60 to a horizontal as it turns abou~ the roller sp~ocket 80 a~ the lower and of the belt.
This incl.in~tion of the ~r~t s~gment o~ the upper run facilitate~ receipt of the ~iber material in the pocket3 and induces a ~ough leveling o~ tha pocket content~. Th~

Docket No. 9~62 - 34 2 ~ ~

openings in the belt provide for drain therethrough of ex-c~s liquid accompanying the fibrous material, whlch liquid i5 directed from the belt for di~posal or reuse, by con-ventional equipment.
The pockets so filled in the initial segment of the upper run of the belt move up to a flatter but still up-wardly inclined segment of the upper run where in passage the ma~erial in the pockets i~ levelled by dependent edges of a series of parallel, longitudinally spaced knives 90.
This cause~ each pocket to have the charge of fibrous material therein to be e sentially uniform in size and den~ity. From a peak of the upper run as e~tablished by the roller sprocket 84 which there supports the belt 78, the upper run of the belt then continue~ at an e~-qentially horizontal level to and over ths drive roller sprocket a6 ~
about which i t turn~ to commence its lower run. It will be understood that fiber material on the belt which is in ex-ces~ of that required to fill the pockets will ~e displaced from the belt by the leveling knives 90 and recirculated in the ~ystem with the liquid which ha~ been drained through the belt a~ lts pocket~ have baen filled.
A~ the belt 78 turn~ ~oward its lower run, the respectively separate portion~ or charge~ 89 of the material to be worked which lie between the ~ucce~ive ~eparators 88 are individually and ~e~uentially dropped, in a direction which 'is under the in1uence of the direction of the turning of the belt to it~ lower run.
The porti`ons or chargo~ 89 of the fibrou~ materia~

Docket No. 9062 _ 35 ~ 3 6~2~0 will be relatively individual as they are immediately picked up on the down ~i~e of a roller 42 immediately following the peak of the roller rotation. It i~ to be under~tood that within ~he body of each portion 89 the ~liver~ are entangled by rea~on of the hairy and roughened outer surfaces. Moreover, a~ noted previously, these charqes or portions 89 will be delivered from the belt 78 to a stack of rollers commencing with ~he roller 42 and associated equipment such as previously described with reference to the system and procedure exhibited in Fig. 2 of the drawings. Thus, the roller 42 catches each charge in the direction of it~ movement, with no lo~ of energy or motion, cmd carrie~ it into the throat between it and the partially encompassing ~hield 60, the latter being as previou~ly de~cribed.
In thi~ instance and with xeference to the first described stack of roller~ there is complet~ identity, and there i9 u~ilized the grid~like non-cutting pro-jec~-ions including the nubs 58 which lend themselves to the po~itive and gentle drive of the charges into a cylindrical form. The gentlene~s is with reference to the fact that there i9 uniformity of control, no cutting, maintaining the charge~ in their cylindrical form throughout the rolling operation and in their orientation tran~verse to the direction of rolling. This means that each and every charge i~ ~ubjected to e~sentially the Docket No. 9062 - 36 2 9 ~

same working and therefore the quality of the resultant product developed from each cylindrically formed portion of the fibrous material created is es~entially identical.
From the initial segment of the ~ork path, each charge i~ o~erated on independently and different parts thereof are differentially pressured as they are subjected to gradually increasing pressure in each segment of their work path. At closely spaced intervals in their movPment, the applied pressure is empha~ized as previously described.
Between segment~ of the work pa~h, the charges or portions of the workled material temporarily spring back to a larger diameter cylinder inducing periodic overall pulling apart of the filament type element~ of their constituents.
It should be understood that ~hroughout the drawing~
the ~howin~s and detailing of the structure involved i~
generally schematic and l.imited. ~owever from what has been di~played and de~cribed anyone versed in the axt may select and con~rive the equipmen~ in that modification n~ces~ary for practioe of the pre~ent invention ~or a par~icular apulic~tion. The fundamentals, of cour~e, mu~t be observed. Note that in certain ca~e~ where the ~tack of roller~ illustrated in the preferred ~mbodiment are u~ ed, they may be oriented horizontally in ~paced following and fu~ctional interrelation.
The resul~s of rollin~ of each separate portion or charge of fibrous material being worke~ by the particular -Docket No. 9062 - 37 2 ~ a means and mettlods described i~ a revela~ion of how one may se~arate or unwind complex fibrous structure created by nature. What happen~ is not fully understood, nor may it be fully observed. It appears that the simple and gentle rolling pre~sures differentially applied to the cylindrical portions of fibrou~ material created in the rolling procedure with continuing and uniformly gradually increasing pressure, emphasized and relieved in localized portions of the cylinders at closely spaced intervals, produces reactant forces in the cylindrical form~ of the composite of the material worked including torsional shear which shifts the ~ilaments and other fraction~ of the wood particles causing them to twistO ~hear and rub against one another and to rip apart to induce separation o their re~pective layer~ and finally a separation of the cellulose filaments of the S2 layer~ into coherent ribbon-like segments. It i5 believed that part of the separating influences which are de~cribed within the body of each cylindrically formed portion during working are ~ue to springba~k a~ well a~ torsional effects a~
pre~sure i~ differentially applied and repeatedly varied, particularly a~ localized portion~ of the cylindrically rolled charges of the material. Thi~ last effect a~pears to occur on an overall basis as pressure is relea~ed on a cylinder of ma~erial t originally comprised of the raw ~livers, as the cylinder passes in original composite or Docket No. 9062 - 38 ~ 3 ~ g O

as cylindrical sections thereof from one roller or segment of its work path to the next. Whatever the actual situation, the operation on the material is structured to provide individual treatment of small portion~ of the product being worked which originally are of generally uniform si~e, density and consistency. Each cylinder created is main~
t~ined as to its form as its constituents are loosened and freed therein from one another in the rolling process.
In effect~ as to individual tracheids or fibers of any fonm, they are rolled to induce a gentle split of a ~radual nature in their exterior sheathing and the ~heathing is unwound and dislodged in part ag fragments ratller than multitudes of fines. Even~ually the important cellulo~ portiorl of the tracheid~ i5 expo~ed and filamented and converted to ribbon-like segments, the highly ~lexible and bondable constituents of wood material so long desired by the paper and board manufacturers in the pul~ products they receive. A pulp product of this quality ha~ not heretofore been achieved 20 in any uniform or consisten~ manner. The invention thus brings the degree of available refining to a level which prior art apparatu~ has been incapable of attainment.
The inven~ion may be eff~ctively employed in refining hardwoods a~ well a~ softwood~. Thi~ ha~
been borne out in tests. Using the invention, one avoids the incomplete refinin~ or breakdown o hardwood~
to a flour like substance as ~o often occurs in prior ar~

Docket No. 906~ - 39 11 ~ 6~2g~

efforts to refine hardwood. In the rolling of hardwood as described, the treacherous and ob jectionable vessel elements and parenchyma cells are effectively destroyed. Mechanically refined hardwood Kraft~ highly acceptable for use in of fset papers is now made po~ible. ~hi enables use of much of our woodland which heretofore has not been considered as useful for purposes ~uch as here described.
A still further embodiment of the invention utilizing the roller s~ack 42, 44, 4~, 48, 50 and 52 together with their shields 60 and 60' as previously described with ref-erence to Fig. 2 is exemplified in Figs. 6, 7 and 8 of the drawings. ~s here disclosed schem,atically the material to be refined is delivered for this purpose in a slurry fonn having a consistency range not greater than 10% and prefer-ably in the range of 1 to 6~ and w~th a constant head. The delivery may be by way of a suitable pump, a stuff box or a head box and directed to enter what might be considered the forming zons of a molding drum 100.
Th~ drum 100 i~ compxised of a cylindrical shell 101 mad~ of plastic or stainle~s s~eel, the re3pective ends o~
which each have a cap 102. One ~nd cap 102 receives there-through a stationaxy hollow ~haft 104. Fixed to the shaft 104 interiorly of -the drum 100 ar~ two di~cs (not shown~
which are centxally apertured to accommodate the projection therethrough o~ the ~haft. The discs are longitudinally spaced and at right angle~ to the longitudinal central axis Docket No. ~062 - 40 of the shaft and have their ou~er peripheral edges in sealing bearing relation to the inner surface of the drum as it rotates abou~ ~he shaft. The discs are in respec-tively adjacent, spaced, parallel relation to the end caps 102. Fixed to extend longitudinally of the shaft 104 between said di~cs and connected to the discs at their respective axial extremities are a s~ries of four circumferentially spaced parti~ions 108, 110, 112 and 114 the radial extent of each of which correspond~ to that o the discs to provide that their projected radial extremi-tie~ are also in ~ealing bearing relation to the inner wall surface of the ~hell 101 a~ the drum rotates. The paxtitions 108, 110, 112 and 114 define with the ~haft, the disc~ to which they connect and the shell 101 a ~erles of four chan~ers 130, 132, 134 and 136 ~ about which the drum rotates in use . Viewing Fig . 6, the partitions 10 R
and 110, respectively at about a 7 ol clock and about a 2 o'clock position with re~rence to the shell 101, form therebetween an included angle oiE about 195l. The cham-ber 130 ~o provided constitute~ a zone of atmospheric pressure. Reading clockwise in Fig. 6, the chamber 130 is followed by the chamber 132 which d~fir~e~ a vacuum zone bounded by partition 110 and 112, the included angle of which is about 90. One or more vacuum lines 140 are threaded through and ~rr~gad to open from the ~haft v 104 to the chamber 132. The following chamber 134 defines a zone ~Therein there i~ air under atmospheric pres~ure /

Docket No. 9062 - 41 2 ~ ~

bounded by the partitions 112 and 114, which foxm there-between an included angle of about 15. The fourth chan~er 136, defined between the partitions 114 and lQ8 receives therein air under pressure, applied by way of a suitable line or lines 142 threaded through the shaft 104 and opening therefrom to the interior o the chamber 136. ~rne included angle ~etween the partitions 114 and 10~ is aboùt 60. Considering Fig. 6, the orientation of the partition 112 iB at ~bout 4 o'clock with refer-ence to ~he rotation o the dr~m while the orientation of the partition 114 place~ it at about 5 o'clock.
Suitable means are applied to support the shaft 104 exterior to ~he drum 100. Likewise~ suitable m~an~ are provided for drivin~ of the drum through one end cap 102, and for bearing support thereof through the medium of means exterior to the drum. Such means are not detailed since in and of them~lve~ they form no part of the present invention and they may be variously contri~ed by mechanics versed in the art.
~'~hat portion of he cylindrlcal shell 101 peripheral to the partitions 108, 110, 112 and 114 and intermediate ~he discs which ~hese par~itions bridge has its outer surface formed with a ~erie~ of longitudinally exte~ded, parallel, closely and equid~stantly and circumferentiaily spaced pockets 120, eac:h of which is essentially the length Docke~ No. 9062 - 42 9 ~

of SllCh portion and parallel to the central longitudinal axis of rotation of the drum 100. The pockets 120 are separated in a sense circumferentially of the shell 101 by finger-like projections 122 successive of which defin0 their elongate sides and are so formed as to provide that such sides are outwardly divergent. In a ~nse circum-ferentially of the drum the pockets are narrow and the fingers 122 are blade-like in character. The portion of the shell 101 defining the base of each pocket is provided with a series of slots or aper~ures 124 and the sides and base o~ each pocket are overlaid with a mesh material 128 which is secured thereto.
A sheil 144 is fit to and about the drum 100 to form therewith a receptacle 146 a moving wall of which is pro-vided by the shell portion 101 of the drum, ~ealing means being provided therebetween. The vertical extent and position of the shell 144 is such to enclose an area, as seen in Fig. 6 of the drawings, between about 2 o'clock and about 4 o'clock with respect to the drum and it-~
lonyi~udinal extent encompasse~ the distance batweenthe discs bridged ~y the partitions in connection with the shat 104. The recaptacle 144 haY means defining an inlet thxough which the receptacle is supplied with a slurry embodying fibrous material, the con~istency o~
which, as noted previou~ly, does not exceed 10~. Note should be taken that ~he portion of the drum 100 which at any moment defines a side wall portion oE the receptacle Docket No. 9062 - 43 ~ 3 6 ~ ~9~
146 has the pockets 120 therein iII communication with the chamber 132 to wllich vacuum is applied. Thus, as the drum 100 rotates counterclockwise, the vacuum in the chamber 132 which is communicated with the content~
of the recep~acle 146 by way o the slots or apertures in the passing pockets in the out~r surface of the shell 101 functions to draw to each pas~ing pocket a portion of the contents of the receptacle 146. In the course of moving along one side of the content~ of the receptacle 146 each pocket will hav~ drawn thereto ~ufficient fibrous solids to fill the cavity which it defines. At the same time, the liquid portion of the material drawn to each pocket together with solids will be drawn interiorly o~
the chamber 132 and picked up and evacuated from the lowermost portion thereof by way of a siphon tube 148, which extends outwardly from the chamber 132 through the stationary shaft 104.
~ s each pocket 120 moves up and out of the zone wherein i~ communicates with the chamher 132, the drum is wip~d by a contiyuou~ smooth ~urfaced cylindrical roller 150 to clear any exce~s exterior to the pocket and cau~e it to ~all back into the contents of ~he receptacle 146.
A knife lSl is applied to wipe the roller and to function similarly in respect there~o. At the same time~ the content~ of the pocket are somewhat compacted by the wipiny roller.
A bal~nce ~s malntained on the material in the Docket No. 9062 - 44 2 9 ~

pockets as they move peripherally of the chamber 130.
As each loaded pocket 120 passes the partition 108 -to communicate with the chamber 136, the air under pressure therein will be unifonnly applied through the apertures 124 in the base of the pocket to effect a balanced dis-lodgment of the pocket contents, which by reason of the pocket configuration has a s~rip form. Each strip as it is released from the drum is caused to drop on a moving, continuous mesh belt 152, to the left end of its upper run as seen in Fig. 6. The empty pockets then move upwardly past the chamber 134, which is under atmospheric pressure, to once more approach and com-municate with the contents of receptacle 146 for reloading.
In this case~ ~he belt 152 :i8 an endless belt which on commencing its upper run extend first over an outer roller 154 and then over 3 serie~s of closely spaced rollers 156 the uppermost surac~s portions of which are co-planar and in immediat~ly supporting and under-lying relatlon to the upper run of the belt intermediate its~ends. Fxom the roller~ 156 the upper run of the belt 152 then passes over and to the outermost side of the upper roller 42 of a stack 42, 44, 46, 4a ~ 50 an~
52 such as previously descrlbed. The belt then moves under roller 42 and ~rom thi~ point extend~ up and over an idler roller 157 to and about the outer side of the roller 154 to commence its upper horizontal run.
In the case illus~rated the roller 42 will be driven at - Docket No. 9062 - 45 2 9 ~

a speed of rotation twice that of the speed of rotation of the drum 100. This insures a time spaced deposit on the belt 152 of the strips of fibrous material formed in the ~ockets of tlle drum 100 in what constitutes a molding process undPr the influence of applied vacuum, ef~ected as the pockets pass the chamber 132 of the drwn 100. The deposited strips of fibrous material are designated as 36 since ~hey correspond to the prev1ousl.y referred to ~trip portions 36.
Positioned in overlying relation to t',~e belt 152 and to the side thereof remote from that backed by rollers 156 and opposite to the location of said rollers is a wedge plate 158. The plate 158 is immedi-ately over the belt 152 and its surface adjacent the belt is inclined inwardly thereto from the end most adjacent the roller 154 to the end adjacent the roller 42. Moreover, the surface of the wedge plate 158 facing the belt 152 has fixed thereon in overlying relation thereto and coexten~ive therewith, a mesh material such as that surfacing the roller 4~ as previously described. Note that as mention~d previou~ly, the vertical stack of rollers 42, 44, etc. will each have une side portion faced by the concave side of its respectively associated 3hield 60 or 60' as the case may be. The only diEference between the arrange-ment in this embodiment of the invention, in respect to the vertical ~tack of rollers, is that the upper Docket No. 9062 - 46 ~ ~ 6~2'~

roller 42 may be smooth suraced in this case ~incP its outer surface facing the shield 60 will be overlaid by a portion of the moving belt 152 the me~h of which corres~onds ~o the surfacing of the roller 42 previously described. There will ~e no change in the surface of the other rollers in the stack from that first described.
The arrangement of ~ig. 6 and 7 illustrates an incrementalization an~ molding of portions of fibrous material ex~racted from th~ slurry contents of the receptacle 146 to form the stxip portions 36 which are refined by being passed through the stack of rollers 42, 44 etc. and between these rollers and their bounding shi~lds. In th~ operation o the system of Fig. 6 and 7, as desclibed, the fibrous material is loaded in ~he pocket:s in the outer surface o the drum, suacessively, by applying vacuum, a full 90 of drum rotation being utilized to insure the substantially uniform loading of each pocket. Immediately ater the pocket~ are loaded each thereof has i~ content~ consolidated in the wiping operation o the roller applied exteriorly of that portion of the drum in process of leaving its con~unication with the contents of receptacle 146. Subsequently, through an appxoximately 195 of its rotation, the contents of each pocket is maintained balancs~ under the inf luence oE atmospheric pressure to the inner ana outer sides thereo~

- Docket No. 9062 - ~7 2 ~ ~

Accordingly, as each pocket is rotated to communicate with the chamber 136, it is a relatively coherent mass in strip form which is released in balanced fashion by the air under pressure which is applied thereto by way of the apertures 124 in communication with the chamber 136. Release of the strip formed fibrous material in the pocket is in each case facilitated both by the shape of the pocket sides and by the mesh surfacing of its sides and base.
l~he beginning of the upper run of the belt 152 lies immediately under the successively released strips 36 of fibrous material and there is a definite spacing of the contact be~ween the strips and the belt due to the difference in speed of the belt and the speed of rotation of the drum 100. In dropping the arrangement of the ~trips i~ such to dispo~e them transverse to the belt. As the strips 36 are carried to that portion of the upper run of the belt ~upported by the rollers 156, which are of small di~meter, they come under the influence of the wedge plate 158. In moving to and between the bel~ 152 and the wedge plate inner surface which is comprised of a mesh configuration, the strips 36 are induced to roll and commence to assume a cylindrical form and as they are rolled they are moderately pressured since the gap throuyh which they are movin~ between the plate 158 and the belt 152 is gradually reduced.

Doc~et ~o. 9062 - 48 ~ ~ 6~29~

In being cylindrically rolled the strips are somewhat axially extended and remain transverse to the belt 152.
Upon E~assin~ the wedge plate 158 tllere is a slight expansion of the strips 36 and they retain their essentially cylindrical .form which is firmed as the belt 152 per se moves to and over the roller 42 which is suitably driven to correspondingly drive the belt 152, in the process of which the strips successively move between the mesh of the belt backed by the roller 42 and the grid-like pro~ection on the facing and confining inner surface of the shield 60 against which the strips are rolled. The treatment of the strips 36 in the refining operation achieved by the roller stack will be as first de~cribed and need not be urther described at this point~
FicJ. a is an illustration showing a minor modi~i-cation of the system of Figs~ 6 and 7 to be used where the pulpslurry i5 of high consi~tency. Since in such case there will be less liquid and the solids included in the slurry are inclusive of flu~f-like material, a packing roller 166 i5 utilized to assist the vacuum applied in loadin~ the pocke~s, which will ~e effected as describad with reference to the showing in Fig.6 and 7. One further point to note is that in delivering the slurry at high consistency to the receptacle 146 a screw type feeder or its equivalent is preferably employad. Moreover, where high consistency is employed, Docket ~o. 9062 - 49 2~

it is advisable that the strips be doused with a spray of water or steam immediately prior to entering the wedge area of the plate 158. This is to facilitate tl~e forming of the s~rips as desired. Otherwise the means and method employed in connection wi-th the apparatus of Fig. 8 will be as illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7.
It should be clearly evident from the foregoing that the concep~s of the present invention may be applied to achieve a complete refining system or a highly advantageous second stage of a refining system th~ nature of which is ~uch to eliminate need for much costly equipment as well as to conserve energy.
From the above description it will be apparent that there is thus provîded a device of the character described possessing the particular features of advantage before enumerated as desirable, but which obviously is susceptible of modification in its form~ proportions, detail con-struction and arrangement of parts without departing from the~ principle involved or 3acrificing any of its advantages.
While in order to comply with the statute the invention has been described in language more or less specific a5 to structural features; it i~ to be understood that the inven-tion is not limited to the specific features shown, but that the means and construction herein disclosed comprise but one of several modes of putting ~he invention into effect and the invention is therefore claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the legitimate and valid scope of the appended claims.

Claims (37)

Serial No. 350,345 The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A method of refining fibrous materials comprising in-terconnected fiber-like constituents, constituents of which embody as components thereof internal structure including elements of ribbon, fibril or filament form and protective sheathing containing said structure, including the steps of rolling portions of the fibrous material against a reference surface and during said rolling, while generally preserving the fibrous material contents of each said portion and sub-stantially all parts thereof in a separated relation to the fibrous material contents of other of said portions and their parts, applying to the contents of each said portion and/or parts thereof a pattern of pressure and release of pressure inducing constituents and components of said constituents thereof to work, twist, rub and shear against adjacent thereof in a repetitious fashion, gradually loosening and freeing the constituents thereof one from the other, gradually loosening elements of the internal structure of the components of said constituents, one from the other, within the sheathing thereof, producing a breakdown of said sheathing to the point elements of said internal structure originally contained thereby are re-latively exposed, and reducing elements of said internal structure to flexible segments thereof having a ribbon, fibril or filament form and inhibiting total separation of the resultant composition of respective said portions of said fibrous material and parts thereof prior to their discharge from the rolling procedure.

2. A method of refining fibrous material comprising in-terconnected fiber-like constituents components of which in-clude membraneous cellulose filament structure and means de-fining a protective sheathing containing said filament structure, Serial No. 350,345 including the steps of rolling generally separated portions of said material and parts thereof against a relatively static surface and during said rolling establishing a relatively elongate form of each said separated portion and/or part thereof and maintaining the length thereof in an orientation generally transverse to the direction of the rolling and sepa-rated from other of said portions of said material and any parts thereof, during said rolling applying a pattern of pressure to each of said portions and parts thereof gradually disconnecting the fiber-like constituents thereof one from the other, reducing the sheathing of the components of said constituents and converting the membraneous cellulose fila-ment structure originally contained thereby into flexible segments thereof while inhibiting the total separation of said reduced sheathing from its originally contained fila-ment structure until the point of the discharge of the re-spective said portions of said fibrous materials and parts thereof from the rolling procedure to which they are sub-jected.

3. A method of refining fibrous material as in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the pressure applied to each said por-tion and/or part of said material being rolled is gradually increased and the sheathing is gradually reduced to flake-like particles during said rolling.

4. A method of refining fibrous material as in claim 1 wherein the application of pressure to said portions of fi-brous material and/or parts thereof is through the medium of shallow projections from surfaces between which they are rolled which are applied to successively and intermittently change the form and location of points of pressure on said portions and/or parts of said material and to work the mate-rial without cutting or abrading.

Serial No. 350,345

5. A method of refining fibrous material as in claim 4 characterized in that during said rolling thereof said portions of said fibrous material and/or parts thereof have different areas of their extent subjected to different pressures.

6. A method of refining fibrous material as in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said rolling procedure is effected in stages and in each stage each said portion of said fibrous material and/or part thereof is subjected to torsional pressure which increases during its rolling under pressure and is periodically relieved.

7. A method of refining fibrous material as in claim 6 characterized in that in each successive stage of said rolling the direction of rolling of each said portion of said fibrous material and/or part thereof is opposite from that in the pre-ceding stage.

8, A method of refining fibrous material as in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein during the rolling thereof said portions of said fibrous material and/or parts thereof are induced to elongate, substantially maintained as to their orientation, subjected to a pressure pattern which differs in respect to different portions of the length thereof and have the pressure applied thereto increased gradually in the course of said rolling.

9. A method of refining fibrous material as in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein subsequent to rolling each said portion of said fibrous material and/or part thereof has its contents subjected to agitation to induce the ready separation thereof into the form to which the same has been reduced in the rolling procedure.

10. A method of refining fibrous material as in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said fibrous material is first provided for rolling as small portions thereof having generally the same size, substance and density.

11. A method of refining fibrous material as in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein prior to said rolling said fibrous material is first provided in the form of a mass of segments thereof and said mass is then divided into small portions of said segments each having a substantially uniform density each of which defines one of said portions which is subjected to the rolling procedure and said portions are delivered for rolling thereof in timed spaced relation in an arrangement providing that the rolling of each said portion and substantially all parts thereof is separated from the rolling of other said por-tions and their parts.

12. A method of refining fibrous material as in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein prior to said rolling the fibrous materials are segmented in their raw natural form, subjected to a con-ditioning to soften them, passed between rollers to fragment said segments into small elements thereof the surfaces of which are relatively roughened and have hair-like tentacles and said portions which are then subjected to rolling are made as a composite of a number of said segments which are entangled by reason of their surface conditions.

13. A method of refining fibrous material as in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein prior to said rolling steps the fibrous material is subjected to a conditioning to soften the bond-ing agents which provide an interconnection of its constit-uents, the material is then reduced in a disc refining op-eration, following which its consistency is adjusted to a high consistency level and then divided into small portions, each of which constitutes one of said portions which is then subjected to said rolling procedure.

14. A method of refining fibrous material as in claim 1 wherein the consistency of said portions and parts thereof is generally maintained by applying fluid thereto during the roll-ing process.

15. A method of refining fibrous material as in claim 1 wherein prior to said rolling said material is established in a slurry form having a consistency in the neighborhood of 30%.

16. A method of refining fibrous material as in claim l or claim 2 including applying to said portions and parts thereof, during said rolling, a non-cutting grid-like pro-jection from a base surface and maintaining through the medium of the application of said grid-like projection a uniformity of the direction of movement of said portions and parts thereof through their work path while producing a pressure pattern through said grid-like projection which is emphasized in lines transverse to the direction of rolling and in lines which ex-tend in the direction of rolling of said portions and any parts thereof.

17. A method of refining fibrous material as in claim 1 or claim 2 characterized by applying said pressure pattern to simultaneously subject said portions and parts thereof to different pressures at different locations along the ex-tent thereof which is transverse to the direction of their rolling.

18. A method of refining fibrous material as in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said portions are formed into generally cylindrical configurations on their introduction to said roll-ing procedure and during said rolling the pressure applied to each said portion and part thereof at any one time differs along its length.

Serial No. 350,345

19. A method of refining fibrous material as in claim 1 or claim 2 characterized by torsional shear being applied to reduce the protective sheathing of the constituents of said portions and parts thereof and to covert the interior fila-ment structure into ribbon-like segments thereof.

20. A method of refining fibrous material of wood or wood-like character as in claim 2 including maintaining the constituents and components of the constituents of each said portion and part thereof generally as a composite of elongate form under varying degrees of compression throughout said rolling and applying said pattern of pressure so as to con-stantly apply pressure at locations along the length of each said portion and part thereof and differentially along the length thereof in a manner to shear said protective sheathing of the constituents and the component parts thereof to expose gluey inner layers of said components which are naturally embodied therein which have a strand form and inducing these exposed gluey inner layers of adjacent fiber-like constituents to work against each other in the rolling operation to pull the cellulose filament structure free of containment by the fiber-like constituents and the sheathing of their components and convert them into ribbon-like segments thereof in the process.

21. A method of refining material which has a wood or wood-like composition characterized by elements having a fiber-like character which have a bonding material there-between providing that they are interconnected and thereby bound together in their original form, said elements each being a unitized structure comprising an outer protective part and an inner part, the inner part of said elements Serial No. 350,345 having a ribbon, fibril or filament form which is rich in cell-ulose and being contained by said outer part, including the steps of providing said material in portions thereof, rolling said portions of said material and while rolling applying a gradually increasing pressure thereto and intermittently chang-ing the location of the application of said pressure in a pat-tern inducing the elements of the wood or wood-like composition thereof and the parts of each said element to work, rub and shear against each other in repetitious fashion gradually breaking down the bonding between the elements of each said portion and between the outer parts of the elements and their inner parts to expose and convert said inner parts to segments thereof having a generally ribbon, fibril or filament form, providing thereby a resultant product which may be advantageously and economically applied to the production of high quality paper products.

22. A method of refining material which has a wood or wood-like composition characterized by elements having a fiber-like character bound together to form a unitized structure, said elements each being, in and of itself, a unitized struc-ture comprising bound together constituents including component parts having a fiber-like character bonded together by lignin, one component part being rich in cellulose, having a ribbon, fibril or filament form and being surrounded and contained by other component parts which provide a protective wrapping for said component part which is rich in cellulose, including the steps of rolling individual strip-like portions of said composition between surfaces a portion of which is formed by projections from a base surface which are essentially devoid of any cutting or abrasive characteristics, maintaining each said strip-like portion and/or parts thereof essentially Serial No. 350,345 separated from other strip-like portions and/or parts thereof and essentially transverse to the direction of the rolling movement and applying pressure substantially continuously to each said strip-like portion and/or parts thereof, as long as they lie between said surfaces, in a pattern to produce torsional shear effects producing a breaking of the bonds between said elements of each said portion and/or part thereof, the breakdown of the constituents and said pro-tective wrapping thereof and a rendering accessible and readily extractable the said component parts of said con-stituents which are rich in cellulose.

23. A method of refining fibrous material as set forth in claim 21 or 22 characterized in that the content of each said portion, including its parts, will remain essentially the same throughout the rolling procedure and in that by the completion of the rolling procedure the constituents and component parts of the constituents of said portions and parts thereof are essentially released from connection with one another and adapted, on appli-cation of minimal force, to physically displace from one another.

24. A method of refining fibrous materials comprising in-terconnected fiber-like constituents embodying as components internal structure of ribbon, fibril or filament form encased in protective sheathing including the steps of applying pres-sure to portions of the fibrous material by introducing said portions in a generally cylindrical form and rolling them between a generally cylindrical roller and an adjacent sur-face, generally preserving the content of each of the said portions of fibrous material separate from the content of other such portions during rolling, while applying pressure to said portions and parts thereof to cause their constituents and the component parts of their constituents to work, twist, rub and shear against each other in repetitious fashion, and Serial No. 350,345 proceeding in this respect in a continuing rolling procedure to produce a gradual loosening of the original connection between said fiber-like constituents and a breaking down of the protective sheathing of their internal structure to re-latively loosen from each other the protective sheathing of said constituents and component parts of said constituents comprising the contents thereof without cutting or abrading.

25. A method of refining fibrous materials comprising interconnected fiber-like constituents embodying as components internal structure of ribbons fibril or filament form encased in protective sheathing including the steps of applying pres-sure to portions of the fibrous material by rolling said por-tions between a generally cylindrical roller and an adjacent surface, generally preserving the content of each of the said portions and parts thereof while applying pressure to said por-tions in a pattern causing their constituents and the component parts of their constituents to work, twist, rub and shear against each other in repetitious fashion and proceeding in this respect in a continuing rolling procedure to pro-duce a gradual loosening and breakdown of the original con-nection between adjacent said fiber-like constituents and a breaking down of said protective sheathing for their internal structure to relatively expose the collection of said con-stituents and component parts of said constituents compris-ing the contents of each portion and any parts thereof and subsequently inducing the separation of the component parts into segments thereof without cutting or abrading.

26. A method of refining fibrous materials as in claim 25 characterized by the rolling of said portions of material between a series of cylindrical rollers and adjacent surfaces and between each said cylinder and adjacent surface similarly Serial No. 350,345 causing the constituents and component parts of the constituents of said portions and parts thereof to work, twist, rub and shear against each other in repetitious fashion during the rolling thereof under an application of pressure intermittently differing as to the locations of its application.

27. A method of refining fibrous material comprising in-terconnected fiber-like constituents the essential components of which include cellulose filament structure and means de-fining protective sheathing containing said filament structure including the steps of rolling said material in separately de-fined relatively elongate portions comprising amounts of said interconnected constituents, during rolling maintaining the length of each said portion and part thereof substantially aligned in an orientation generally transverse to the direction of the rolling and separated from other said portions and parts thereof, applying non-cutting elements during rolling gradually disconnecting said fiber-like constituents and reducing said sheathing components thereof, exposing and loosening said fil-ament structure from containment by said sheathing and convert-ing said filament structure to ribbon or thread-like segments thereof while essentially inhibiting the separation of each said portion and parts thereof into disconnected segments thereof prior to the completion of the rolling procedure.

28. A method of refining fibrous material as in claim 1, prior to rolling rotating a drum having pockets in its per-iphery, exposing each of its pockets in the course of its ro-tation to a body of slurry embodying particles of fibrous materials and while each pocket is so exposed applying vacuum to draw slurry thereto and to load the pocket with a portion of the fibrous solids embodied in the slurry establishing a substantially equal portion of the solids in each said pocket Serial No. 350,345 in the process and releasing the contents of each said pocket as a separate composite mass in the course of a continuing ro-tation of said drum to provide said portions of material which are then subjected to said rolling procedure.

29. A method of refining fibrous materials as in claim 28 wherein each said portion of fibrous material contained in a pocket of said drum is induced to release from said pocket by the application thereto of air under pressure.

30. A method of refining fibrous materials as in claim 28 wherein each said pocket has its contents subjected to a packing influence in the loading thereof with fibrous mate-rial during rotation of said drum.

31. A method of refining fibrous materials as in claim 28 wherein each said portion of fibrous material in said pockets is released from its pocket at a substantially pre-determined point in the rotation of said drum and is immedi-ately thereafter rolled between facing surfaces at least one of which is apertured to form it into a generally cylindrical form to provide one said portion of fibrous material which is then subjected to said rolling.

32. A method of refining fibrous materials as in claim 1 ,wherein prior to said rolling steps, fibrous material is delivered adjacent the outer peripheral surface of a rotating drum which has therein a series of spaced pock-ets which as the drum rotates are successively exposed to vacuum causing portions of said material to be drawn into said pockets of said drum which are exposed to vacuum to thereby initially form said portions of fibrous material which are subsequently subjected to said rolling.

Serial No. 350,345

33. A method of refining fibrous materials as in claim 32 wherein said fibrous material is compacted as it is drawn to the pockets of said drum to form within each said pocket a strip thereof defining one said portion of said fibrous material which is subsequently subjected to said rolling.

34. A method of refining fibrous materials as in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein prior to said rolling steps said fibrous material is directed to a position of exposure to pockets in a rotating drum and said fibrous material is induced to enter each said pocket in said rotating drum in the course of ro-tation thereof and is packed into and dewatered in said pock-ets during said rotation and subsequently discharged from said pockets to provide on discharge from each said pocket one said portion of fibrous material which is then subjected to said rolling.

35. A method of refining fibrous materials comprising interconnected fiber-like constituents embodying as components internal filament structure bonded and encased in protective sheathing, including the steps of rolling portions of the fi-brous material in strip-like forms and/or sections thereof with their lengths generally crosswise to the direction of their rolling movement and during rolling generally preserving their respective composition and inducing the constituents and components of said constituents of each thereof to twist, work, rub and shear against each other under the influence of non-cutting forces to break the bonds between the constituents and between the components of the constituents, loosening and splitting the sheathing and splitting the internal filament structure within the sheathing into segments thereof while simultaneously reducing the sheathing, while avoiding uncon-trolled breakdown of the contents of each said strip-like form or section thereof until completion of the rolling procedure.

36. A method of refining fibrous material comprising inter-connected fiber-like constituents the essential components of which include membraneous cellulose filaments encased in protective sheathing, including the steps of rolling portions: of said fibrous material independently of one another and during said rolling applying forces reducing said sheathing without cutting to expose said filaments and reducing said filaments to form ribbon or thread-like segments thereof while avoiding uncontrolled breakdown of the contents of each said portion and providing that said portions are conditioned for their ready separation upon completion of and discharge from the rolling processes.

37. A method of refining fibrous material as in claim 35 or 36 wherein subsequent to rolling each said portion is subjected to agitation to induce the separation thereof into the various parts which result from the rolling procedure.