US1275585A - Means and apparatus for extracting static electricity. - Google Patents

Description

r J. H. MORGAN & C. W. HUNTLEY.

MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTING STATIC ELECTRICITY.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 25. 1915.

1,275,585. Patented Aug. 13-, 1918.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. MORGAN AND CHARLES W. HUNTLEY, OF HOLYOKE, MASSACHUSETTS.

MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTING STATIC ELECTRICITY.

Specification of Letters latent. Patented 13, 1918.

Application filed February 25, 1915. Serial No. 10,463.

'jointly invented new and useful Improvements in Means and Apparatus for Extracting Static Electricity, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and letters ofv reference marked thereon.

It is a well known fact that in the manufacture or finishing and treatment of paper as well as in handling it, such as in ruling,

calendering, printing, etc., the paper hecomes charged with static electricity, causing the surfaces and sheets to adhere and to curl, thus rendering it diflicult to handle the paper conveniently, whether it be in sheets or otherwise.

The object of our invention is to provide a simple and effective means and mechanism by which static electricity may be easily and satisfactorily removed from paper and other material, and we accomplish the object of our invention by the means, method and mechanisms hereinafter referred to.

For the purpose of illustrating our invention we show in the drawings one embodiment thereof as applied to a paper ruling machine.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the delivery end of a ruling machine.

Fig. 2 is a front end elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the condenser.

Fig. 4: is a side view of a condenser plate.

Fig. 5 is an edge view of the same.

Fig. 6 is a side view of a separator member and Figs. 7 and 8 side and edge views respectively of a spring brush.

In detail a indicates a condenser; 71, plates therein; 0 separator; d an electric conductor leading to the condenser; e an electric conductor from the condenser to the ground; f brush stem supporting member; 9 brush stems; h brushes; 6 a sheet of paper; and j delivery box of ruling machine.

Describing now our invention as illustrated in the drawings and as one embodiment of our invention as applied to a paper ruiing machine we arrange an electrical conductor in suitable supports 70 at the delivery end of the ruling machine. The

rod f is preferably of copper and has pivotally mounted thereon the brush stems 9, these being of suitable conducting material and being by preference mounted on the rod 7 by having their ends carried around the rod with suflicient tightness so that they will at all times be in contact, yet sulficiently loose to permit of their being rotated thereon a trifle by the paper as it passes forwardly beneath the brushes k. 1

The brushes h are preferably arranged so that their edges almost contact with each other and so that they will be in contact with the surface of the paper in its passage.

A condenser comprising a series of thin lead plates separated a short distance from each other and immersed in a liquid of low resistance in electricalconnection with the static field and with the ground, serves to absorb all the objectionable static elec tricity 1n the paper or other material from which such electricity 'is being taken, the

same being ultimatelyconducted from the condenser'to the ground and dissipated.

We'prefer the condenser plates be shaped substantially as shown in Fig. 4:, the upwardly projecting portions Z and m being provided with over-hanging lips 11. and 0 for convenience in supporting the plate in the case. The plates are by preference about one-sixteenth of an inch in thickness and we prefer to keep them separated from each other by the employment of a hard rubber separator similar to that illustrated in Fig.

we prefer that they first be carefully cleansed of all grease and foreign matter and for this pur ose we find a bi'chlorate of potash bath efiective. We also clean the surfaces with sand-paper or a 'stifi brush. We prefer also to treat the negative plates with a bath or coating of litharge, this being prepared by .mixing litharge with dilute sulfuric acid.

l with a grounded Wire.

To gtge the best resultsthe fluid in the case should substantially cover the portion of the plates below the upright arms thereof.

The capacity of our condenser may e increased by increasing the number of plates.

We find by practical tests that a con- 1 denser having eight positive and nine negative plates has suliicient capacity to absorb and dissipate the static electricity ordinarily generated in eight ruling machines. When a single condenser is employed with more than one ruling machine, we prefer that the conductors from the rod f be in electrical connection with a common conductor and that the conductor d) from the condenser extend to the central portion of this common rod or conductor andthat the electrical conductors-from the separate machines run to the common conductor and be connected therewith at opposite sides of the-point of connection of the conductor d with the common conductor.

It will readily be seen that our apparatus is adapted for. extracting static electricity from all material, providedthe gathering brushes be brought in contact therewith, or so close thereto as to in fact be within the static electric field, so as to gather the static electric energy from the material enabling it to be transferred or absorbed through suitable conductors to 'the condenser, and from thence to the ground.- In the application ofour invention to printing press it simply becomes necessary to arrangethe brushes so that they will be in electrical contact with the paper as it passes from point to point, it being prefer able in'all instances to have this contact take place asthe paper passes outwardly in sheets to the point where it is desired that it lay fiat without curling or adhesion met In the application of our inventionto calendering machines as the sheets of paper are delivered from the machine with great rapidity and force we find it very esirable that the brushes be spring presse rather than to rely upon gravity as in the case illustrated in the application to a ruling machine. As an example of a simple spring pressed brush we illustrate in the drawings in Figs. 7 and t? a brush su porting stem formed of spring material, t e supporting end being of course firmly supported by clamps or other suitable means in such position that the brushes it Will at all times be held in contact with the moving paper.

While the element or member herein referred to as a condenser may also be termed "vention, applicants: prefer to refer to the static electricity comprisirg suitable-gatherthese terms may be misleading and as this member operates in fact to absorb or draw from the material the static electricity and. is therefore an important element or mem ber essential to the carr ing out of the insame as an absorbing member so that it 76 is immaterial whether such member falls within the technical or scientific definition of the term condenser, battery, accumulator or other'technical term, as applicants have discovered that a member comprising plates immersed in a fluid of low resistance electrically connected as herein pointed out results in a means, method or "apparatus which causes the objectionable presence of static electricity to be removed from material so charged.

It will readily be seen that very many modifications in detail of arrangement may be'employed without departing from the spirit of our invention and we do not limit ourselves to any specific detail herein described or referred to. c

Having therefore described our invention what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters .Patent is 1. An apparatus for removing static electricity comgrising a collector positioned in the static eld, an absorbing member consisting of positive and negative plates immersed in a fluid of low resistance and suitable conductors from the collector to the absorbing element and from the latter 'to the ground.

2, The. method of extracting negative ing means in the static eld, a conductor therefrom to the positive side of an ab.- sorbing member, a suitable conductor from the negative side of the absorbing member to the ground, positive and negative plates 11141 and a fluid of low resistance between the plates. p

3. An apparatus for removing the obyectionable presence of static electricity in material, comprising suitable collectors ar- 5 ranged in the static field, an absorbing member comprising a suitable casehaving positive and negative plates therein; suitable separating plates there between, a fluid of low resistance in contact with the plates and suitable grounding means substantially as shown. 1

4. In an apparatus for removing static electricity an absorbing member comprising a, suitableease, lead plates therein suitably separated, a fluid of low resistance (consisting of dilute sulfuric acid of about 1300 specific gravity) between the plates, in com bination with collecting means positioned in the static field, a suitable conductor between the collector and the absorbing member and element and from the absorbing element to between the latter and the ground. 7 the ground.

5. An apparatus for removing static electricity comprising a collector positioned in 5 the static field, an absorbing member consisting of a series of lead plates immersed Witnesses: I v in a sulfuric acid solution and suitable con- ALLEN WEBSTER, ductors from the collector to the absorbing MAgGUERITE DELAND.

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