US1488974A - Apparatus for treating articles made from pulp - Google Patents

Description

Aprifi 1 1924. 1,488,974

' O. B. BROWN ET AL.

APPARATUS FOR TREATING ARTICLES. MADE FROM PULP Filed Sent. 26, 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 gjwuwnfoi cbowa z We Apriil 1 1924., 1,488,974

0. B. BROWN ET AL APPARATUS FOR TREATING ARTICLES MADE FRQM PULP- Filed Sent. 26. 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 gnvewfoz April 1 1924. 1,488,974

0. B. BROWN ET AL APPARATUS FOR TREATING ARTICLES MADE FROM PULP Filed Sept. 26. 1921 s Sheets-Sheet 5 44 gram "fox (bound a/05w Ud'ow $519M Patented Apr. 1 1924.

UNITED STATES ,taaen PATENT OFFICE.

'ORTON B. BROWN AND HOWARD PARKER, 0F BERLIN, NEW HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGNORS TO BROWN COMPANY, OF PORTLAND, MAINE, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

AIPARATUS FOR TREATING ARTICLES MADE FROM PULP.

Application filed September 26, 1921. Serial 1T0. 503,336.

T 0 (ZZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ORTON B. BROWN and HOWARD PARKER, citizens of the United States, and residents of Berlin. in the county of Coos, State of New Hampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in an Apparatus for Treating Articles Made from Pulp, of which the following is a specification.

This application is a continuation in part of our application, Serial No. 200,615, filed November 6, 1917, for apparatus for treating articles made from pulp.

This invention relates particularly to apparatus for impregnating walls of pulp pipes, tubes or similar articles, with a material having certain desired characteristics such, for instance, as water-proofing and electrical insulating qualities.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic layout, in plan, of the installation of theapparatus,

Fig. 2 is an end view, partly in transveizlse section, of what is shown in Fig. 1, an

Fig. 3 is a detail view showing more or less conventionally the means for governing the temperature of the impregnating material.

'This invention has been developed in connection with the treating of articles made of pulp, for instance, pulp pipes or tubes or similar articles. Such a pipemay be formed by winding a sheet of pulp on a mandrel.

until a wall of sufiicient thickness has been formed. then removing the pipe from the mandrel and thoroughly drying it. The pipe must then be treated in such manner as the use to which it is to be put may, determine. lf used as a conduit for electrical wiring, its walls must be thoroughly impreg-' nated with a di-electric and it must also be waterproof. If it should be used for water pipe it must be thoroughly waterproofed. This invention has to do solely with the treating of the tubes so that they shall be best adapted for the duty for which they are desired, and for convenience of description it'will be considered that the pipes are to be impregnated with a special grade of pit-ch which is di-electric and waterproof.

Referring now to the drawings, it will beseen that the complete apparatus comprises a plurality or battery of treating, units arranged along each side of a common storage tank a into which the melted pitch is .12 or otherwise.

pumped in any suitable manner. Each of the units comprises a charging tank I) adapted to communicate with the storage tank a and a treating tank 0 communicating, as hereinafter described, with the charging tank. The treating tanks are of such size that a large number of pipes can be treatedat the same time, these pipes being supported in suitable cages cl, the top and bottom walls of which are perforated as shown. These cages, with the tubes therein, are adapted to belowered into and removed from the tanks by a crane or the like. It is of course understood that the covers of the treating tanks are removable. and preferably these covers are somewhat dome shaped so that gases may collect therein.

Positioned in each charging tank is a pump 11 continuously driven by a motor Each pump 11 has an intake 13 opening into the charging tank 6 in which it is located, and the discharge end of the pump is connected with a pipe 14 which discharges into the treating tank near its upper end and is so arranged that the material passing out of the pipe is projected substantially tangentially into the tank so as to have an initial circumferential 01' .pipe 19. It will be seen that with this arrangement, to charge the treating tank, the valves 16 and 18 are turned so that the pump will draw the treating fluid from the storage tank a through the pipe 17 and force it into the treating tank through the' pipe 14. After the treating tank has been charged, the valve 18 is turned to shut 0d the pipe 17 and open the inlet side of the pump directly to the charging tank whereupon the pump provides means for continuously circulating the impregnated material in the treating tank, taking it out of the bottom and returning it to the top. When the treating has been carried to a suificient extent and it is desired to remove the articles, the valves 16 and 18 may be turned to such positions that the treating material can be pumped out of the charging tank back into the storage tank. By so doing'the treating tank can be quickly and completely emptied before the cover is taken oil and thus any loss of the impregnating material, due to vaporization, is eliminated. It has been found that the best results are obtained by removing the impregnating material from the bottom of the treating tank and introducing it with a whirling action at the top.

It is essential that the treatment of the pulp tubes be carried out substantially at a uniform pressure and that a proper supply of the treating material to the treating tank be maintained so that the tubes wwill always be covered. To these ends, the bottom of each of the treating tanks is connected to what may be termed a pressure line 22 into. which the treating fluid is pumped from the storage tank a b a positively acting pressure pump 23; t e pump 23 being connected by a pipe 24 to the pressure line. The pressure line, at apoint adjacent to that at which theimpregnating material is supplied thereto, is provided with a discharge pipe 25 leading back to 25 the storage tank a, and in this discharge pipe 25 is a pressure regulator of any suitable type. This pressure regulator may be in the form of a relief valve 26, or similar apparatus, which can be either manually 0 set to maintain the roper pressure in the pressure line, or whic may be automatically controlled through suitable devices. Each of the treating tanks is connected to the pressure line by a branch pipe 27 provided with a one-way cook 28 so that an one of the treating tanks may be cut off rom the I ressure line when the treating tanks are eing charged or emptied.

With this arrangement it will be seen that there is a continuous flow of impregnating 55 terial but this loss is material through the pressure line and the pressure within this l1ne or pipe is maintained uniform by the regulating device 26. In the event of excess pressure within the pressure line, the regulator 26 will open allowing more of the fluid to flow back into the storage tank, and, if the pressure falls 1n the pressure line below a predetermined degree, the ressure regulator 26 will pre vent any impregnating material going back 1nto the storage tank until the pressure is agaln built up. It will be found that the pulp tubes being treated will absorb considerable amounts of the impregnating maautomatically taken care of by the supply through the pressure line. Also it is found that gases are given ofi inthe treatment of the pulp tubes but these gases [which accumulate in the upper parts of the o tanks do not disturb the pressure within the treating tanks for they merely force the impregnating material back into the pressure For the purpose of maintaining .the im-' B Qg ting material in a fluid, state, the

storage tank andeach of the treating andcharging tanks are heated by steam coils located within them. In the present instance, the heating apparatus within the storage tank comprises an upper and lower header 30, 31, respectively, connected by tubes 32. The upper header is connected by a pipe 33 to the steam supply pipe 34. The heating coils-36, 36 within the treating tanks and chargin tanks, respectively, are connected by branc pipes to a common live steam line 35 which in turn is connected to the supply pipe 34. The exhaust steam pipe of the storage tank leads through a condenser drum 38 to a hot water well 39. The coils36 and 36' of each unit are con- .nected by a pipe 40 to exhaust steam pipes 41. breach of the pipes 40 is a condenser chamber or drum 42.

It is of extreme importance that the temperature in the treating tanks be maintained approximately uniform in order that the impregnating material shall be in the proper state of fluidity to most rap-idly enter the wall of a pipe, but at the same time care must be taken that the heat is not sufiicien y great to burn the fibers from which the pipe is made up, or cause the wall to split and laminate. For this reason each of the treating tanks is provided with separate means for automatically controlling the temperature of the impregnating material-therein, and while this automatic means may be of any suitable kind or type, we have shown it, in the present instance, as being effected by governing the supply of steam to the coils 36, 36', and by controlling the release of the water of condensation from these coils, as follows: Interposed in each of the steam inlet pipes 37 is valve 43' controlled by variations in the temperature of the impregnating material in the charging tank with which the particular valve 43 is associated. Interposed in each of the exhaust pipes 40 is a valve controlled by variations in the temperature of the Water of condensation within the condenser drum or chamber 42 with which the particular valve 44 is associated. In the present instance. the

control ofthe valves 43 and 44 is effected through the temperature regulator shown more particularly in Fig. 3. Positioned within each charging tank is a mercury or ether bulb connected by a conduit 51 to "a diaphragm 52 which acts through an adjusting cam-52' upon a valve 53 controlling the passage of air under pressure from the pipe 54 to the pipe 55 which leads to a diaphragm withinra casing 46 connected to the valve ,43. 'When the temperature within the treating tank rises, beyondv a predetermined degree, the mercury within the bulb 5O expands, raises the diaphragm 52, which ii -turn lifts valve 53 from its seat, allowing-the air under pressure to flowthrough ltd of the water of condensation in the condenser drum 4L2 falls below a predetermined degree the thermostatic device 58 with which this chamber is provided and which is similar to that indicated at50, will operate the diaphragm 59 and thereby lower the valve 60 and shut off the how of air under pressure to the pipe 61 thereby relieving the air pressure on diaphragm connected to the valve dd. The spring of this valve will now cause this valve to open so as to allow the water of condensation to flow out of the (ill condensing drum l2. lit will be obvious that as the smam passes through the condensing chamber 42 the temperature thereof will be raised above a predetermined de res and the result is that the valve 60 will e raised into open position and the air pressure will act on the diaphra in of the valve at against the sprin thereot to bring the valve lll to its norma osition oorrespondin to the pro determined temperature at which the device is set. lit desired, the temperature of the impregnating material within the storage tank. may be controlled by connecting up with the valve 65 and the condenser 38 an arrangement such as is shown in Fig. 3 and which has just been described.

lln accordance with the provisions oi the patent statutes we have described the principle of operation of our invention, together with the apparatus which we now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof;

but we desire to have it understoodthat the apparatus shown is only illustrative, and

that the invention can be carried out by other means,

We claim as our invention l. lln an apparatus of the character described, a treating tank, an outlet at the bottom thereof, an inlet at the top thereof tangentially arranged to give the incoming ma terial an initial circumferential motion, and means lt'or transferring the impregnating magerial from the bottom tothe top of said tan a a 2. In an apparatus. of the character described, a treating tank, a charging tanlnvan inlet at the top oi? said treating tank tangentially arranged to give the incoming material an initial circumferential motion, and means in the charging tank for transferring the impregnating material from the bottom of said treating tank to said inlet of said treating tank.

3, lln an apparatus of the character do scribed, a treating tank, a charging tank, an inlet at the top of said treating tank tangentially arranged to give the incoming material an initial circumferential motion, means in the charging tank for transferring the impregnating material from the bottom of said treating tank to said inlet of said treating tank, and means for heating said treating tank.

at. In an apparatus of the character described, a treating tank, a charging tank, a pump in the charging tank, connections between the inlet side of said pump and the bottom of said treating tank and between the discharge side of said pump and the top of said treating tank, means for driving said pump, and means for heating both of said tanks.

5. lln an apparatus of the character described, a treating tank, a charging tank, a pump in the charging tank, connections between the inlet side of said pump and the bottom of said treating tank and between the discharge side of said pump and the top of said treatin tank, and a multi-way valve located withln the charging tank at the inlet and discharge sides of said pump.'

6. In an apparatus of the character described, a treating tank, a charging tank, a storage tank, a pump in the charging tank, connections between the inlet side of said pump and the bottom of said treating tank and between the discharge side of said pump and the top of said treating tank, and connections between the storage tank and the inlet side of said pump and between the discharge side of said pump and said storage tank, and valves located within the charging tank at the inlet and discharge sides of said pump.

Z. In an apparatus of the character described, a treating tank, means for constantly agitating the impregnating material in said tank, means for supplying heat to said tank, and means controlled by variations in the temperature of said impregnating material for governing the heat supply to said heating means.

8. ltn an apparatus. of the character de scribed, a treating tank, steam heating means for said tank having an inlet and an outlet, a condensation chamber connected to said outlet, and automatically operated thermostatically controlled valves associated with the inlet of said heating means and said condensation chamber.

9. In an apparatus of the character described, a closed treating tank, means for constantly agitating the impregnating material therein, heating means for said tank having an inlet and an outlet, means governed by variations in the temperature of the impregnating material within the treating tank for controlling the inlet of said heating means, and means controlled by va- Eli lid

lltl

and means at t riations in the heating fluid at the outlet side of said heating means for controlling the outlet thereof.

10. In an apparatus of the character described, -a treating tank, means for constantly circulating the. impregnating material through said tank bytaking the impregnating material out of the bottom of the tank and introducing it at the to thereof,heating means for said tank, an means for governing the heat supply to said heating means by variations in the temperature of the impregnating material within the treating tank.

11. In an apparatus of the character described, a closed treating tank, means for constantly agitating the impregnatingmaterial therein, means for supplying heat to said tank, and means for maintaining the impregnating material within the tank substantially at a constant pressure.

12. In an apparatus of the character described, a closed treating tank, means for supplying heat to said tank, and means for supplying impregnating material to said tank at'substantially a uniform pressure.

13. In'an apparatus of the character described, a closed treating tank, means for heating the impregnating material therein, a supply line in communication ,with said tank, and means for maintaining/a constant flow of impregnating material within said supply line at a substantially constant pressure.

14. In an apparatus of the character described, a treating tank, means for constantly circulating the impregnating material through said tank by taking the impregnating material out of the bottom of the tank and introducing it at the top thereof, a storage tank, means for heating said .tanks, a supply l1ne leading from and returning to said storage tank and in open communication with said treating tank, means for constantly pumping the impregnating material from the stora e tank into the supply line, e discharge end of the su plyv line for controlling the pressure withm said line.

15. In an apparatus of the character described, a treating tank, means for heating the same, automatically operated means for controlling the supply of heat to said heat- 1ng means, and automatically operated means for maintaining the impregnating material within said tank at a substantially unlform pressure. r v

16. In an apparatus of the character"de scribed, a closed treating tank,-.means for agitating the impregnating material therein, means for heating said tank, means for govermng the heat supply ,to said heating means by variations in the temperature of the impregnating material within said treating tank, and means for supplying the im re'gnating material to said tank substantia ly under constant pressure.

. 17. In an apparatus of the character de- I scribed, a closed treating tank, means for constantly agitating the impregnating material therein, means for heating said tank, means for governing the heat supply to said heating means by variations in t e temperature of the impregnating material w1th1n said treatin tank, asupply line in open communicatlon with the tank, and means from the bottom of the treating tank to the inlet of said treating tank and for transferring, at will, the impregnating material.

from the storage tank into the treating and charging tanks and from the treating and charging tanks back into the stora e tank,

a supply line leadin from and disc arging I into said storage tan and in open communication with said treating tank, and means for maintainingthe material in said supply line at a substantially constant pressure.

19. In an apparatus of the character described, a plurality of treatin tanks, means for heating each of said tan s, and means common to all of said tanks for maintaining the 'impregating material therein substantially at a constant pressure.

20. In an ap aratus of the character described, a plura ity of treating tanks, means for supplying heat to said tanks, and means common to all of said tanks for supplying impregnating material to said tanks at substantially a uniform pressure.

21. In an apparatus of the character described, a plurality of treating tanks, means for heating each of said tanks, a supply line in open communication with all of said tanks, and means for maintaining a con stant flow of impregnating material within said supply line at a substantially constant pressure. y

22. In an apparatus of the character described, a plurality of treating tanks, means for heating each tank, means for governing the heat supply to each tank by varia-- tions in the temperature of the impre ating material wit in the respective tan s, a

supply line in communication with each material through each tank b taking the impregnating material out o the bottom of the tank and introducing it atv the top thereof, means for heating said tanks, a sup 1y line leading from and returning to sai storage tank and in communication with all of said treating tanks, means for constantly pumping the impregnating material from the stora e tank into the sup 1y line, and automatical y controlled means or governing the discharge of impregnating material from the supp y line back into the storage tank.

24:. In an apparatus of the character described,a storage tank; a plurality of units arrangedthereabout, each unit comprising .tion with all of said treatinfig a treating tank, a charging tank, a pump in the charging tank forv continuously circulating the impregnating material in the treating tank and pumping the material from and back into the storage tank, at will; a supply line leading from vand returning to s'al storage tank and in open comunicatanks, means for maintainin a constant ow of impregnating material within said supply line at a substantially constant pressure, and means for shutting oil", at will, each of the treating tanks from said supply line.

ORTON B'. BROWN. HOWARD PARKER.

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