US1596976A - Method and apparatus for forming articles by deposition - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 24 1926. 1,596,976

' M. JAEGER METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING ARTICLES BY DEPOSITION Filed Nov. 25, 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Swvmtoz Max Jagger Aug. 24 1926,. ,5

M, JAEGER METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING ARTICLES BY DEPOSITION Filed Nov. 23, 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I Mar Jagger M WM Patented Aug. 24,1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MAX JAEGER, OF LONG ISLAND CITY, YORK, ASSIGNOR TO ANCHOR CAP AND CLOSURE CORPORATION, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK- METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING ARTICLES BY DEPOSITION.

Application filed November 23, 1920. Serial No. 425,967.

The present invention relates broadly to molding and more specially to the formation of objects in molds by means of deposition.

The principal object of the present invention is a method and apparatus for forming molded objects by deposition under fluid pressure from material. supported in and carried by a suitable fluid and wherein the movement of fluids for accomplishing the molding is substantially continuous in one direction.

A further object of the present invention is a method and apparatus for molding articles from material suspended in a suitable fluid by segregating the material from the fluid by the walls of the mold and wherein the movement of the pressure applying fluid is substantially continuous in one direction. a

A stillIfurther object of thepresent invention is a method and apparatus for molding articles from paper pulp or the like suspended in water or some other medium by flowing the pulp i'nto porous or foraminous molds adapted to permit. the escape of the carrying fluid for the pulp fibers, and maintaining the fluid in the mold under pressure, which pressure is continued while the fluid and excess pulp is permitted to escape so that the fluid pressure continuing after the deposition of the pulp may be utilized for compacting and drying deposited pul A still further object of the present in vention is a method and apparatus for molding articles from liquid paper pulp or the like which comprises forcing the liquid pulp into the mold under pressure, by permitting the pulp carrying medium to pass out through the mold wall and applyingba drying gas to the deposited material y maintaining the gaseous pressure which is.

adapted to be admitted to the mold when the excess liquid pulp escapes from the mold.

A still further and more specific object of the present invention is-a methodand apparatus for molding articles from paper pulp or the like which comprises maintainingpaper pulp in a porous mold by means of gaseous pressure until a suitable deposit of paper pulp fiber has 158611 laid 011 the mold the present invention is a method and apparatus for molding articles from paper pulp or the like which comprises arranging a supply of liquid pulp, providing a suitable mold above said liquid pulp supply, raising the liquid pulp into the mold by apply ing gas pressure to the surface of the liquid pulp, and continuing the supply of pulp to the mold until a suitable amount of fiber has been deposited on the mold walls, then opening the supply conduit to the mold at a point above the surface of the liquid pulp supply and. permitting the excess liquid pulp to drain from the mold while gaseous pressure enters into the mold.

Other and further objects of the present invention will in part be obvious and will in partbe pointed out hereinafter by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like parts are represented by like characters throughout the several figures thereof.

Realizing the present invention may be embodied in constructions other than those specifically illustrated and described it is desired that the present disclosure shall be considered as illustrative and not in the limiting sense.

Figure 1 is a'more or less diagrammatical view illustrating one form of apparatus for carrying o-ut..the method embodying the present invention:

Figure 2 is a detail view illustrating the control valve closed with pulp being fed to the mold and with the pulp container illustrated diagrammatically;

Figre 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the control valvefully opened-after the difliculty has been encountered in securing uniform deposition over the side walls and at the same time constructions rapidly rotating molds are not well adaptable for simple eiiicient machines. Another form of mechanism for producing pulp articles has comprised rotating mandrils supplied by pick up rollerswhich are dipped-into the pulp supply and deposit the same upon the said mandrils. This method and arrangement has been particularly adaptable for manufacturing fro-n11 fiber large articles such as buckets or wash tubs but is relatively slow in operation and not well adapted for small articles. Neither is this method and apparatus desirable for rapidly operating automatic machines.

Another and common form of method and mechanism for use in this art'has comprised mold forms adapted to dip into the pulp and be charged by suction which draws the fibers against mold surfaces of the mold These surfaces are usually arranged for pressing, either by pressing two mold surfaces together or by applying a third forming surface to the material gathered. The untility of this type of machine is limited to articles formed of substantially solid pulp such as picnic plates, etc., and is not adapted for the manufacture of hollow ,ware articles.

Another and general form of mechanism is that wherein a supply of pulp is provided and molds are charged from this pulp b-y suction. In most cases the molds are arranged in the vacuum chamber and it is necessary that this chamber be opened in order to open the molds. This method is adaptable for manufacture of small articles as well as large but is relatively slow in operation because it is necessary to open the vacuum chamber each time the mold is open and usually a number of molds are located in a single vacuum so that the chamber cannot be opened without disabling a number of molds. This means that it is necessary that the operator be assured that all the molds within the chamber are correctly filled before the chamber ma be 'opened. In view of the fact that the 0 ambers enclose the molds it is difficult to observe the action taking place in individual molds and furthermore this typeof method isrelatively slow because each time the vacuum chamber has opened a delay occurs before the next operation since it is necessary to exhaust the chamber before the next ope-ration may be begun. There is still a further difiiculty in connection with the use of this t of machine, especially where the method i employed in connection with automatic machines in that it is diflicult to maintain vacuums of the required amount in automatically operated parts. There is still another dlfliculty which has been oncomprising countered in this t pe of device and that is that pressures wiich may be'applied to compacting the material against the mold 1s l1m1ted to atmosphere pressure which under some conditions is not 'sufiiciently great to accomplish the work desired.

The present invention comprisesa method and apparatus which will hereinafter be described in detail and which overcomes the difiiculties of the known art by providing a method wherein the action of the mold may be observed during the molding process, since the mold is stationary and is not covered. Individualmolds may be operated without disturbing the operation of other molds drawing from the same pulp supply and any pressure necessary or desirable may be applied without depending upon atmospheric pressure as the limit.

More specifically the present invention may broadly comprise a suitable foraminous mold operatively connected with a supply'of pulp which preferably is forced into the mold by gas ressure, for example, compressed air, and wherein the mold walls are uncovered so that the operator may observe the flow of water, or ulp carrier, from the mold and thereby in go the deposit of the pulp in the mold. The depositing action may bestopped at willby the opening of the pulp supplying conduit above the surfaceof the pulpsupply so that the pulp will be returned to the supply conduit at thesame time gas pressure over the pulp will.

enter the supply conduit as the pulp leaves the mold and will flow in the same direction as the pulp was flowing so that the fibers on 'the walls of the mold will be compactly laid in position. As the gas or compressed air continues to escape through the fibers they are compacted against the walls of the mold. While the air escapes these fibers are being dried. The drying may be accentuated by using heated gas or air, as a pressure medium. In the present method the pressure maintained is positive compressed gas pressure that operates on the interior of the mold and therefore is not dependable upon exhaustion from around the mold. This method and construction permits the adoption of a stationary mold for use in machines where large numbers of individual molds are supplied from single sources of pulp-supply and wherein the several operating movements may be controlled by continuously driven automatic machinery.

Referring to the drawings and more specially to Figure 1 wherein is illustrated one ably is separable, being held together by suitable-clamp bolts 6 which compress the gasket member 7 The tank may carry .a spider 8 which supports the funnel shaped pipe 9. The upper edges of the funnel shaped pipe are suitably machined or ground to form a valve seat for the valve 10 which is carried upon the mold supply pipe 11. This mold supply pipe extends through a removable bushing 12 into which the mold supply pipe 11 is fitted with quick acting screw threads 14, Suitable packing 15 is provided above the screw threads in order to prevent leakage of air or other gas from the tank. In the embodiment'shown herewith the mold supply tank is provided with an operating handle 16 by means of which the pipe 11 may be turned, thereby causing the quick acting threads 14 to quickly lift the valve 10 from its seat on the funnel shaped pipe 9. Preferably the upper end of the mold supply pipe 11 carries a suitable sectional mold 17 beneath which maybe provided a water shed 18 which directs water escaping from the mold into the drain trough 19. This drain trough may be supported by brackets 20 or in any other convenient or suitable way. An air ipe 21 leads to the supply tank and may e provided with an air valve 22 whereby air pressure may be admitted to and cut off from said supply tank as is desired.

Assumingthe parts to be in the position illustrated in Figure 1 with the tank supplied with liquid pulp suflicient to immerse the lower portion of the funnel shaped pipe 9 and assuming that the air valve 22 is open to admit suitable air pressure above the pulp in the tank. The parts are shown in Figure 1 in position which they would occupy immediately after the valve 10 has been closed. Prior to the closing of the valve 10 the pulp in the container stands at the same height that the pulp in the funnel shaped pipe 9 stands, in view of the fact that air pressure is equal on the pul in the pipe 9, and on the surface of t e liquid pulp 2. Immediately after the valve 10 is seated on the valve seatpressure on the pulp in thetank forces the pulp u wardly in the funnel pipe 9 because the mo (1 17 is porous or foraminous and consequently does not support internal air pressure, and consequently forms an outlet through which the pulp seeks to escape. The pulp continues to arise andforms a seal around the lower end of the supply pi e. This tra s air under the valve 10, as illustrated in i re 2. The pressure in the supply tank 'contmues to force the pulp upwardly throu h the supply pipe 11 until the mold 17 is filled and continued pressure carries the (pulp fibers against the sidewalls of the mol In view of the fact that the material'of the mold is of such character as to catch and hold the fibers and at the same time is sufficiently orous or foraminous to permit the escape o the pulp carrying water, it will be obvious that the water will flow through the'mold Wall while the fibers will be compacted against the interior of the mold. This action causes the fibers to build up againstthe mold wall and the greater the deposit the greater the impedance to the flow of water from that portion of the mold, and the less the fiow of liquid pulp toward the built up portion of the mold wall. In operation this factor establishes a very even deposit around the mold wall for the following reasons. The pulp begins to deposit against the lowermost portions of the mold where water escapes rst due-to gravity action. This portion of the article builds up and forms a wall having greater resistance to the escape of the water than the freer portions of the mold wall higher up. The result is that the carrying water tends to escape through the path of least resistance until that particular path is built up in resistance, at which time the zone escaping water moves to another point in the mold having less resistance. This action continues until the entire surface of the mold wall is covered with deposited fibers of substantially thesame thickness. The resistance to the escaping water becomes substantially uniform over the entire mold surface at which time water will ooze out through the entire surface of the mold. This action will be observed by the operator in view of the fact that the mold is uncovered, and when the operator is satisfied that sufiicient pulp has been deposited in the mold to form proper walls for the desired article, the handle 16 is operated to open the valve 10. As soon as this happens compressed air from the tank rushes in under the valve seat to equalize .the pressure in the funnel with that in the tank. This action, together with the fact that during operation air is trapped under the valve seat, keeps the valve seat free from fiber. As soon as the valve leaves the seat the air either carries the pul in .the supply pipe 11 into the mold an forces the carrying water out through the mold, or the excess pulp in the mold 17 falls by gravity into the funnel pipe 9. The action of the pulp in the supply pipe'll when the valve 10 is opened is largely dependent upon the diameter of the supply pipe and the consistency of the pulp. If the diameter of the pi e 11 is smal or the pulp thickit will'be driven into the mold .if the pipe 11 is large or the pulp thin it' will drain back into the supply. As the pulp drops from the supply pipe 11, compressed air from the tank 7 rushes into the supply pi e and into the mold. The. movement of t is air it will be noted is in the directionthat the pulp has been traveling to fill the mold so that there excess pulp drops away. The

is a continuous direction of travel of pressure which tends to prevent any loosening of the fibers from the mold wall when the nip quickly drains from the supply pipe-and the air continues' to rush into the mold and escapes through mold walls in the direction of the water which escaped from the mold. This action produces pressure on the interior of the deposited pulp which is far greater than the pressure on the exterior of the mold andv consequently compacts pulp fibers tightly against the mold wall. Where desired hot gas or heated air may be utilized in the apparatus and thereby more quickly dry the fibers compacted against the mold wall. When the operator is satisfied that the pulp in the mold is sufficiently dry to sustain the molded shape the sectional mold 17 may be opened and the article removed. While removing the article from the mold the operator may find it desirable to cut ofi the supply of compressed air by means of the airvalve 22 which may be reopened immediately after the article is removed. 1

From the foregoing it will be clear that applicant has produced a simple mechanism capable. of rapid operation to produce molded articles and wherein the pressure by which the molding is accomplished is not limited to atmospheric pressure.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is: 4 p

.1. The method of molding articles from liquid pulp which comprises providing a suitable supply of pulp, applying com pressed air to the surface of said pulp, leading the pulp upwardly through a suitable conduit to a suitable foraminous mold, opening said conduit above the surface of the supply of pulp when a desired deposit has been obtained on the. walls of the mold and permitting compressed air from over the pulp supply to be forced into the mold and compact the deposited material against the side wall ofthe mold.

2. An apparatus for molding articles from pulp or the like 'comprisin a closed vessel, a conduit extending into said vessel and being adapted to have a portion extending be low the surface of pulp in the vessel and another portion above said surface, said conduit being provided with a valve seat in the portion adapted to be above the surface of pulp in the vessel a valve adapted to cooperate with said seat, a conduit controlled by said valve, a mold connected with said conduit, means to operate said valve, and means to supply compressed air to said closed ves- 3. An apparatus for molding articles from paper pulp or the like comprising a closed vessel adapted to contain a suitable supply of pulp, a pipe within said vessel and adapted to extend into the pulp within the vessel a valve arranged to open and close said pipe, a conduit leading from said pipe, a mold operatively connected with said conduit,

means to supply compressed air to said vessel, and means to open and close said valve to admit compressed air to the mold.

4. An apparatus for molding articles from pulp comprising a container for a supply of pulp, a conduit in said containerbeing provided on the upper end with a valve seat, a valve adapted to cooperate with said Valve seat and to trap air beneath said valve when pulp is raised in said conduit, a pipe leading from said valve, a mold operatively connected with said pipe, and means to supply said container with fluid pressure.

5. An apparatus for molding articles from pulp comprising a closed container, a funnel shaped member in said container being adapted to extend beneath the supply of pulp, a valve adapted to seat on the upper end of said funnel shaped member, a pipe leading through saidvvalve and into said funnel shaped container in such manner as to provide a trap when said valve is seated,

a suitable mold connected with said pipe,

and means to lead a supply of compressed air'into said container.

6. In an-apparatus for molding articles from liquid pulp or the like, the combination of a container for liquid pulp, a vertically extending pipe within said container,

a funnel shaped upper end on said pipe with the end thereof comprising a valve seat, a mold supply pipe extending into said funnel shaped portion of said conduit, a valve mounted upon said pipe and being adapted to seat on said funnel shaped member and to provide an air trap when said valve is closed, and means for opening and closing said valve.

ice

7. The method of maintaining a valve.

seat clear of material controlled by said valve, which method comprises providing a'zone of low pressure on one side of said valve and a zone of high pressure on the other side of said valve seat, moving material controlled by said valve through the valve and without crossing the valve seat, whereby when said valve is opened pressure tends to equalize across said valve seat and to prevent said material from contacting with the said valve seat.

8. In the pulp molding art, the method of maintaining valve seats free from pulp which method comprises passing the pulp through the valve and out of contact. with the valve seat, maintaining a zone of low gas pressure adjacent one side of the valve seat, and maintaining a zone of high pressure adjacent the other side of the valve seat whereby when said valve is opened the equalization of pressure takes place across the valve seat and tends to carry the fibers away from said valve seat.

9. In a pulp machine of the like for molding articles from paper pulp or the like, a valve for controlling the flow of the pulp, said valve comprising a valve seat formed on a cup shaped member, a valve adapted to contact with said seat, a conduit controlled by said valve, said parts being constructed to form a gas trap adjacent the seat for said valve in such manner that the pulp when passing through said conduit is maintained out of contact with said valve seat 10. As an article of manufacture, a valve comprising a cup shaped member provided on one end' witha valve seat, a cooperating member being adapted to engage said valve seat and close said cup-shaped member, a conduit extending through said cooperating member and into said cup shaped member in such manner as to form a gas trap when liquids are forced through said cup shaped member and said conduit in valve seat, a conduit extending from said cooperating member in such manner as to form a trap with the valve seat withinthe trap so that the material flowing through said member is maintained out of contact with the valve seat.

12. In a system for conveying liquid pulp or the like a valve for controlling the flow of the material conveyed, said valve having a seat, and said seat being protected from the material conveyed by a zone of trapped fluid.

MAX JAEGER.

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