US1056915A - Machine for manufacturing heat-insulating sheets from flax fiber. - Google Patents

Description

. J. E. LAPPEN. MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURING HEAT INSULATING SHEETS FROM FLAX FIBER. APPLIOATION IILED MAR. 11, 1910 Patented 1\l[ar.2'),1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

APPLIUATION FILED MAR.11, 1910.

Patented Mar. 25, 1913.

2 SEBETS-SHBBT 2.

. UNITED, STATES PATENT orrron.

JAMES E. LAPPEN, OF LE ROY, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR TO UNION FIBRE COMPANY, OF

WINONA, MINNESOTA, A CORPORATION OF MINNESOTA.

MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURING HEAT-INSULATING SHEETS FROM FLAX FIBER.

- Le Roy, in the county of Mower, State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Manufacturing Heat-Insulating Sheets from F lax Fiber; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a .part of this specification, and to the figures and letters of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to apparatus for producing sheets of fiber for heat insulating purposes, the objects of the invention being to provide a machine which will efiectually handle and distribute the fiber in such manner as to produce an even distribution and a roper entanglement and adhesion of the bers .with each other in the completed sheet or board and to perform the necessary steps in a continuous successi'om'whereb'y sheets or boards of an indeterminate length may be produced.

The invention consists in certain novel details of construction and combination and arrangements of parts, all as will be hereinafter described and pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings- Figure l 'is a longitudinal section through a-' machine embodying the present improvements, portions being broken away portions of the driving mechanism omitted. Fig. 2- is a vertical section through a portion of the machine to show particularly the submerging roll and tension roll for the conveyer belt on which the fiber is distributed and given preliminary form.

' Fi s. 3 and 4 are detail sections in vertical embodies in its construction a central rela tively long tank A preferably with its bot- Speeification of Letters Patent.

Application filed larch 11, 1910. Serial No. 648,73.

Patented Mar. 25, 1913.

tom walls converging to a" sediment discharge A and havlng a suitable water inlet A and an overflow outlet, the height of which may be controlled by an adjustable gate A, whereby the depth of water in the tank may be regulated. Running on suitable rollers B, located in proximity to opposite ends of the tank, and with their upter level and the discharge end higherthan the entrance end, while the intermediate portions of the belt dips below the water level to a reater or less depth as required by the conditions of the fiber being handled or the thickness of the sheet or board to be formed. The intermediate portion of the top reach of the conveyor is preferabl kept submerged by a submer ing roller suitably journaled in the si e walls of the tank and preferably having on 'one end of its shaft a sprocket wheel C, Fig. 2, whereby it may be driven, the said roller, if desire being driven by a sprocket chain which also serves to impart movement to the conveyer belt. maintained by a tension roller 0, preferably engaging the inner surface of the lower reach of the belt below the roller C and held downwardly to give the desired tension by any ordinary belt tightening means, such, for instance, as an adjustable or weighted lever of well known arns-traction. To limit the submergence of the intermediate portion of the upper reach of the -c'onveyer belt and to properly support the same againstthe pressure exerted b the roller 0 and the tempers to be hereina ter described, a series of rollers c, 0 c 0, 0 0 are preferably The tension of the conveyer belt is journaled in the walls of the tank and exerably each composed of a .series of wooden boxes or blocks d which may be spaced apart-6 or have their operative faces rounded as shown in Fig. 4:, and a bar or blade J" with .its forward face inclined atan angle with to force the fibers forward through the press sure .of the boxes'or blocks d',. at the same time such forward movement is retardedor the fiber moved rearwardl' by the a ction of the lip of the blade E, with the result that thefiber'tis more evenly distributed over the conveyer and rvoidsor thin places filled. The tempers D and roller G arelocated immediately above-thefirst threerollers 0-, a a, respectively, and above the roller 0 there isarranged another tamper D, the lower or operative facejoi which is rounded and, as the conveyer 1's,' at this point,'arranged to emer e from the water in the tank, the tamper 1% outorsremove 1 a part of the water andsmooth down the fiber on .the conveyer. Above-the rolls-05,0, are still other tampers d, (i preferably having-oppositely inclined operatlve faces converging to rounded edges and said tampers operate to, still further smooth. up and-even the fiber sheet or board with respect to its thickness. .All' the tampers ma be conveniently mounted on thelower Yen s of vertical carriers Eywhich, attheir upper-ends, are hung onsuitably driven eccentrics'E and he eccentrics'may be driven nectlonsiwith aprimemover. v i For distributing the fiber to 'thel'conveyer belton- :Whlch: it is formed intoa .sheetjor board there is provided a fiber elevating-and dofiin mechanism preferably substantially asjfo owsi At the entrance end of the maehine' 'a' hopper Fxis mg an inclined bottom-or wall f down-which toothed elevatingx conveyin belt Gjforming' one'yw'all of the opper an :guided'on roll- At' an'int'ermediate point in the length, of

. sheet or board the roll C, before referred to.

preferably operates topress:

over-a small intermediate roller 7 to theupper' surface of a large foraminous drum by sprocket chains e or other suitable. con-E rovided= for the ;re-' ception of the bulk of. her, said hopperhawf 4 the :fiber will gravitate into contact with crs: .G'- at top and bottom ofthe elevator.-

. thegbelt thoroisprovided: a rotary'retarding doflerIHhaving arms I adapted to run in proximity to the teeth of-the elevators butin areverse direction, ,soas 1 to break} f mg-up and return tojthe hopper. excess fiber-'01? fiber: which might be carried up in bunches or lumps. The fiber 'is-dischargedfromthef 1 upper end of the elevatorthrougha. hood I onto the end of the forming conve erhbefore zjitzitreaches the firsttamper Dan ,{to assist Pthe discharge of the fiberfIfOm the elevator f and to distributethe' same in a light floccu lent conditiom-a second 'dofier H is ,pro-L' flvided-in the hood I, ,hThe-arms h of-this'j 'L eo "'dofi'er move inxthe same; direction as the .teethofthe 'eleyator-butiat a higher speed 1w thereby'take'theifiber;from-the elevator. handdistribute it iIi-such m'a'nnerthat it will settlejdown uponthe forming conveyer 35 a substantially; uniformmat which is 'oom' frnachine. v V I e GFor' efifective adjustment the' tampers are preferably adjustably. supported} or con- 'neeted W1 that they may be made to 'strlke with greater me 'tinually being carried ofi by the forming conveyer, -tamped down and formed into' shape by the tampers androlls before de- SCI'I ed. Togive shape to the edges of the is, preferably provided with end flanges C (Fig. 2) said flanges also serving the important function 0 maintaining the forming conveyer in proper alinement. In proximity to the discharge end of the tank the forming conveyer runs between pressure rolls K, K the upper roll" K being preferably ofrelatively large. diameter and supported in adjustable spring pressed bearings of ordinary construction, said rolls operate tostill further smooth andv compress the vfiber to the desiredjthickness and also to squeeze excess-,water from the'fiber. From the forming conveyer the fiber may pass L where remaining water may drain away through. the peripheral covering of the drum and in the preferred arrangement the action is assisted by 'a Weighted'roller M bearing on thedrum at a point in proximity. to the point where the fiber leaves the same, said Qweighted roller being itself supported in a frame of the machine.

, The foramino-us drum L is located immeframe) or hanger M hinged at m to the diately adjacent the discharge end ofthe tank and in positionto receive the discharge overthegate A, whereby not only is the foraminous peripher of the drum washed,

.rip'h-eryof the, drum and thereby carried up i contact with-the; under {surface of, the sheet or board to which they will adhere and;

" be carried off of the 'same;-;From the toraminous drum Lthe'sheet or board of fiber is led oil over {intermediate 'supports'N and i between pairs'otipressurerolls 0,1)? fl-The I I pressure rolls are adjustable so as to; comress the felt or sheet to the-desired degree efore it is deliveredl to'the finishing. a ron I jindicated at 0 i The arrangemento the: ;rollers is such thatthe feltor. sheet'may delivered to the'finished aproninpractically;

any" condition: 0f- .'dampness-'desired land; the i x The pressure" roll M; before-referred to, 4

gisinounted so :that it 'n axy be *cbnvenien'tly fsw-ung? 'upwandlyto ipermiteof-flj-the fiber, 5. 1 hat,- or 'sheetgbei-ng .led; from the for'aminou's drum to the ssure iigrolls ill starting the eeccentrics so their 'operatlng i 100. but-such particles 0 fiber as may be float. ing-in the-water are deposited-on the .pe-

or less pressure entire body of-fiber'pass- 2. In a fiber board or "felt formin mamg on the forming conveye'r. j chine, the-combinationw-ith a tank 1 apted here is arranged below the foraminous' to contain liquid, of-an-endless slatted con-. 1

1 drum a suitable water collector and disveyer exposed for the reception of fiber'.-at

{charge-P and below-thetank A there is ar- .a point above the liquid,--t ampers, and 8,

ranged af'ch'amber Q, in position to-rec'eive submerging roll operating on the top 'of the the discharge from the sediment'valve-Af, .fiber and conveyerto press the same below.

- said chamber Q itself having an outlet openthe surface of the liquid. at a point inter-q I ing adapted to be closed by a suitable valve mediate the length of the conveyer and or door Q; .B arranging achamber Q in means for lifting the conveyer and fiber the position in icated, the continued operaabove the liquid as they approach the. dis F' tionof the machine need not be interrupted charge end substantially as described. j in order to'discharge sedimentfrom the tank .3. In adiber boardzformin machine, the

- 1 inasmuch as the sedimentmay be allowed. combination with a ves'el a apted to con- T p '15 torun out of the tank into-the chamber, tain =1i uid, of an endless slatted oonveyer and after the sediment valve Ais'closed the adapt to receive the fiber at a point above v chamber itself-- may be emptied and the-sedi; the liquid and a submerging roll depressing I ment collected therefrom. y 1 the conveyer and fiber below the "surface of Obviously, any suitableiprime mover maytheliquidat apoint-intermediate the length 20 be employed for driving the several'parts of {of the ,conveyer, of reciprocatory tempers '35 the machine, but if the'parts are arranged having irregularoperating faces for dis I as shown I refer to employ three separate tributmg the fiber to fill holesthat mayoc motors, suc as electric motors, one for our inothe' fiber boardaor felt, substantially driving the elevator and one of'thedofiers as described.- p

.25 while a second motor drives the tam rs. y! 4. In..a fiber' board or felt forming ma en whereby they maybe 0 erated fast or siifw, chine, the combination with a vessel adaptregardless of the rate 0 operation of the re- .ed tocontain liquid, of an endless slatted maining portion of the machine. The third conveyor, pressure rolls, a erforatedcylinmotor drives the forming conveyor, subder for transferringthe' ber board from so merging-and pressure" roll C foraminous thei-conveyer, .to the res'su're rolls, and' a as drum and pressure rolls The roll roller acting on the fiber. board d1 felt on K need not be a driven roll and the same isthe perforated cylinder for removing part true offthe pressure rollM running=on the' of the water and preventing the fiber board 'foraminou's drum,'although it is-understood' or felt from-being .pushed'back from the i ise-that these rolls may be driven if desired, pressure .rolls, substantially as described. we Thearrang'ement ofthree separate motors .5. In a fiber board or'fe'lt forming mais simply a convenient arrangement which, chine,.the combination with a vessel adapt:

beradiljmhderflobdwithout;illustra jed tocqntain liquidJ-an endlesslslatte'd con j tion-for permitting the feeding mechanism, veyertherein, a perforated" cylinder adapted 40'1-the conveying belt,= etc, and the tam'pers to receive the fiber board fromthe conveyer,

" o .tobe-drive'n'at differentrelative-speeds so of an overflow-discharge forfthe vessel Y :jas-Eto- "vary-the". characteri-iof the "product; position to direct the water -against and butitisobvious thatdifierent'ial gearingofthroughlthe perforated cylinder whereby o well knowncharactermay be employed for. thefine: particles of fiber carried 'oflbyzthe e 45;t his ;purposee'in;lieu of separat e motors ip; water arede'posited'on'the'cylinder'andcar;

.::"'-.=:'In""0perati0n{water s-'supp11ed"continu-; riedltherebyfinto contact with 2it's'- fiber 3 uslytothe tank-and the matting andflinitial; ib'oardi" a j'com'pres'sion iof. thflfihentakes: placeunder"v "6.- :In a fiberlboardlorbfelt "'foimingim'd water, this-fbeing' i a highly mportant: -fea'-' j'chin'e of the type described, atoothed cyan-:3 ture, especlally 1n'Joperatmg.on'fian iberf jder to distribute the stock, ta mpers acting IN :Hav1ng' thusf descrlbed :5 my.:1;1nvent 1on,'- rdirectlyion the stock carried by the' conveyer what l'clalmes'new .andfdeslre to-secureby to felt andcondensethe same,- .=a slatted con-- Letters-Paton? th 'UIll dLSt tQ QiS ;fyeyer 'for' reoeivinglthe distributed stock,

';:1. In; fibergboard or fel t -fo1"m' 1ngfjma-; .andmans forkeepmgan intermediate-Pore H chine, the co 'bination with a'tank'adapted," iion. oi the conveyensubmerged to wet-the Y fl to c'ontain -lirfuid, of anienfdless slatted con i stock." 1 a I o a veyer mounted on sup orts to'traveljrom af1' 'L -liria fiber boardor*'-feltiformiiig*ma I oint above the liqu1 to a point be1owrthe chine,--t11 combination with: a'tank, an end v 7 iquidi and thencefto a point abovefthe-liq-r LIe sfcQnveyer therein and ,guiding'sup orts 60' hid, means'abov the water and conveyer'ior ,for f's'npporting both-'thereceiving andgdis distributing fiber-on the cohveyer in proxF} chargeends of the' conveyer above-the wa'-" fimity to-one end'ofvthetank'andmeanslior fter level'in the tank, of meansLfordis'trib- Q f' removin'g-the sheet-'offiber in-proximityto' iuting fiber on the receiving end of the con-' :I 'f'm' the, '0pp0Site end ofjthe tank, substantially veyer "above the water level, tempers act-q 65 as 'fdescribed; 1 y j ing directly on the stock carried bythe "on 1'30 gence from the liquid veyer to felt and condense the same, and means near the receiving end of the conveyer for depressing and submerging the conveyer and fiber beingcarried on the conveyer toward the dischar e end.

8. Ina fiber board or feIt forming machine, the combination with a tank, an end, less conveyer therein, guiding su ports for supporting the discharge end 0 the conveyer above the water level in the tank, and meansfor distributing fiberon the conveyer in proximity to the end thereof oppositethe discharge end,'of a tamper and roller cotiperating directly with the fiber on the conveyer for depressing and s'ubmerging. the fiber at a point intermediate the ends of the conveyer and t-ampers cooperating directly with the. fiber on the conveyeis for distributing, evening and pressing the fiber both during and after its emerwhile being carried by the conveyer.

' 9. In a fiber board or felt'forming machine, the combination with a tank, an endless conveyer therein, rotary supports for opposite ends of said conveyer having their upper surfaces above'the water level, an

' intermediate roller located above the upper reach of the conveyer for cooperating with the fiber on the conveyer to submerge the same at apoint intermediate the ends of the conveyer, and a plurality of reciprocatory tampers cooperatin with the fiber on the conveyer to even, istribute, and press the same during the forward movement of the conveyer.

10. In a fiber board or felt forming machine, the combination with a tank, anendless conveyer therein, supports for opposite ends of the conveyer, a roller above the upper reach of the conveyer intermediate the ends of the same andhavin its lower surface below the water level in the tank, reciprocatory tampers located above the upper reach of the conveyer, and supports for the upper reach of the conveyer located below the tampers, substantially as described.

11. In a fiber board or felt vforming machine, the combination with a tank, an endless conveyer therein, fiber to one end of said conveyer, a foraminous drum for receiving the fiber from the the fiber from described.

means for distributing opposite end of the conve r, and an overflow opening for the tank discharging on the foraminous drum below the point where the conveyer is supported thereby, whereby fiber from both the tank discharge and from the deposited on the foraminous drum, and a water supply for the tank, substantially as 12. In a machine of the kind described, the combination with a water containing tank, of an endless conveyer apron operative to carry the stock from a point below to apoint above the water, and a multiplicity of tampers working above said conveyer and operative successively on the stock to rogressively reduce the thickness of the fibrous sheet, the fiber engaging edges of said tampers being inclined to the surface of the stock.

13. I the combination with a water containing tank and an endless open apron operative to carry the stock from a point below to a point above the water, rollers overlying the belt at conveyer will be n a machine of the kind described,

a point below and at a pointabove the water level, respectively, and tampers operative on the stock carried by the apron between the rollers.

14. In a machine of the kind described, the combination with a water containing tank, of an endless apron operative to carry" the stock from a (point below to a point above the water, an

a multiplicity of tampers working above said apron andoperative.

successively on the fibrous stock to progresslilvely reduce the thickness of the fibrous s eet.

15. In a machine of the kind described, the combination with a water containing tank, of an endless apron operative to carry the fibrous stock from a point below toa point above the water, of a tamper operative above said belt and having its'stock engaging lower edge beveled backward in respect to the direction of the travel of the stock on said belt, whereby surplus stock will be crowded backward. a

, JAMES E. LAPPENQ Witnesses:

W. D. ABBOTT, AANNABELLE 'Ross.

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