US2000085A

US2000085A - Pulp molding machine

Info

Publication number: US2000085A
Application number: US705333A
Authority: US
Inventors: Alonzo H Maginnis
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1934-01-05
Filing date: 1934-01-05
Publication date: 1935-05-07
Anticipated expiration: 1952-05-07

Description

May 'A7, 1935. A. H. MAGINNls PULP MoLDING MACHINE Filed Jan. 5, 1954 3 Sheets-Shred?l l It. l

May'7, 1935- y A. H. MAGlNNls y PULP MOLDINCT MACHINE Filed Jan. 5, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 May4 7, 1935.

A. H. MAG|NNIS PULP MOLDING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 5,L 1934 Patented May 7, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 11 Claims.

This invention relates to a machine for molding articles from pulp, and while the machine by a change in the form of the molds can be used for making a variety of articles, I have designed and constructed the same with a special view to suitability for molding relief pictures or placques.

Machines generally similar to the one herein disclosed have been devised in the past but embodied certain features which made them unsuited for higher class work, such as relief pictures or placques, wherein it is obviously important that the machine be capable of producing predetermined configurations and ne details faithfully in conformance to the perforated mold or pattern plate. Earlier machines along this general line were, as a rule, suitable only for flat work or work of extremely simple and crude pattern, such as egg crate fillers and the like.

One of the principal objects of my invention is to provide a machine in which the perforated pattern plates on the forming drum are subjected to vibration while immersed in the pulp solution with a view to getting a more even application of pulp and a closer and firmer interlocking of bers, so that the pulp applied will not have so much water content to be consequently removed, and so that the pulp applied will follow the contour of the pattern more faithfully to show up every detail. In commotion with this forming drum improved as just stated, I have also provided a.

perforated distributor plate in the vat of pulp solution and agitating means below this plate with a view to having the desired uniformity in the pulp material that is applied to the pattern, and thus further improve the grade of product.

Another object consists in the provision of two .Y other drums of the same diameter as the transfer drum, the one an extracting `drum and the other a transfer drum, both tted with plates to match the pattern plates of the forming drum so that in the turning of these drums at the same speed with the forming drum, the plates on the extracting drum register with the proper plates on the forming drum to extract excess moisture and press the product for better detail, and thereafter the plates on the transfer drum register with the proper plates on the forming drum to remove the products. With this combination, I am enabled to use a series of patterns of the same or different designs, whereas, in previous machines there was the limitation to working only with one pattern. The machine embodies suitable guides in connection with the movable, vibratory plates on the forming drum for insuring accurate registration of these plates with the companion plates on the other two drums.

Still another object consists in the yapplication of suction from within the forming and extracting drums during the wringer operation for the 5 expulsion of water from the pulp, whereby to remove as much moisture as possible by the combined action of suction and compression.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure 1 is a vertical, longitudinal section through a machine embodying my invention, the section being taken on the broken line I-I of Fig. 2; y

Fig. 2 is a vertical section in a transverse plane l5 taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail in side elevation of the lower portion of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional detail of the line 4-4 of Fig. 2. 4 20 The same reference numerals are applied to corresponding parts throughout the views.

Referring to Figin-e 1, the numeral 5 designates a vat containing pulp solution delivered through a pipe 6 in sucient amount to maintain the 25 level indicated, there being an overow at 'I for withdrawal of any excess. 8 is the formingdrum,

8 the extracting drum, and I0 the transfer drum. These drums are carried on shafts 8', 9' and I8', respectively. Portions of the frame of the machine are indicated in Fig. 2 at II. Bearings I2 are provided on the frame for the shaft 8y supporting the forming drum 8 so 'that its lower portion is immersed in the pulp solution approximately to the extent appearing in Figure 1. Other bearings, not shown, are provided on the frame for the shaft I0 to support the transfer drum I0 above and forward with respect to the forming drum 8. The bearings I3 for the shaft 9 are preferably movable under action of the springs I4 to support the extracting drum above and slightly to the rear with respect to the forming drum 8, while maintaining a given pressure between the plates on the peripherles 4,; of

drums

8 and 9 for the purpose of wringing out moisture from the pulp deposited on the pattern plates on the forming drum 8. The pattern plates or molds on the forming drum, 8 are indicated by the numeral I5. These are perforated, as indicated at I6 in Fig. 4, and profiled on their exposed face, as at I1, according to the shape or pattern of the product to be molded. The plates I8 and I9 perforated similarly to plates I5, are profiled to` match the plates I5, the plates I8 55 being mounted on drum 9 and the plates I9 on drum I0 in the proper order and positions to register accurately with the plates I5 in the turning of the three drums. The drums are all of the same diameter and driven at the same speed, preferably one half or more turn per minute, and will be equippedy with platesall of one pattern or a number of patterns. It is thought to suffice so far as al showing of the drive for the drums is concerned to show a power operated worm 2U (Fig. 2) transmitting drive to a worm wheel 2l fixed on shaft 8', and

bevel gears

22 and 23 fixed on

shafts

8 and 9 meshed with

bevel pinions

24 and 25. A similar power take-off will, of course, be provided for the shaft Ill. The sleeve 26 is splined for a sliding driving connection with the two shafts attached to the

pinions

24 and 25 so that the shaft 9 is free to oat suiciently to have the pressure of the springs I4 active in the engagement of the plates I8 with the plates I5. The drums are all recessed in the periphery thereof under the plates to provide chambers, as indicated at 21, to subject the plates I8 to suction and plates I5 and I9 to suction or compression. Manifolds 28, 29 and 30 having suction and pressure chambers therein are disposed alongside the

drums

8, 9 and I0, respectively, and are coaxial and stationary with respect thereto. The suction chambers in these manifolds have suction pipes connected therewith, as shown at 3l; the pressure chambers have air pressure pipes connected therewith as at 32. There are flat side faces on the drums to ride on at side faces on the manifolds so as to provide for communication of chambers 21 in the drums With the suction and pressure chambers in the manifolds, and circular bands such as those indicated at 28 and 29 in Fig. 2, are xed either on the periphery of the drums. or on the periphery of the mani-A folds, as preferred, overlapping the joints therebetween to more effectively seal said joints. In Figure 1, the letters S and P are used to indicate the angularity of movement of the forming drum through which the chambers 21 are subject to suction or pressure. I9 suction is considered ample for the purpose of securing application of the pulp to the pattern plates but I prefer to have greater suction, say I5, in the extraction operation where the plates I5 cooperate with the plates I8. The operation of the machine is, in a general way, readily apparent from a study of Figure 1: The pulp is sucked onto the pattern plates I5 as the vibrating plates pass through the pulp solution; suction is continued thereafter to draw out excess moisture, and, of course, insure keeping the covering of pulp on the pattern plates; then as the plates I5 come into register with plates I8 of the extracting drum 9, the pulp covering constituting the partially completed molded product is subjected not only to mechanical compression similar to a wringer action but there is increased suction applied both from above and below through plates I8 and I5 to withdraw the major portion of whatever moisture is expelled, the product being at the same time pressed to a cleaner cut configuration to more faithfully follow the profile of the pattern plate I5; then the molded product is soon thereafter subjected to air pressure from below through plates I5 and suction from above'through plates I9 as these plates come into register, resulting in the transfer of the product onto the plate I9 ofthe transfer drum ID, and soon thereafter the product, which by this time is in a condition so that itA will not get out of shape readily, is subjected to compressed air through the plate I9 in order to discharge the product onto a suitable conveyor belt 33 which conducts the product to a receiving station so that the final drying out can be attended to. It is, of course, quite an advantage t0 have the machine equipped with drums of the same size so that one is not limited to the making of a single pattern but may, if desired, produce a variety at one time.

The character of the product is greatly improved in accordance with my invention by having the plates I5 vibrated as they are passed through the pulp solution for coating with pulp, and to have the pulp solution at the same time maintained in a certain degree of agitation. These things, taken together, insure not only a more uniform application of pulp to the pattern and hence a more accurately fashioned product, but also a product in which the pulp fibers are more closely knitted together and interlocked or interwoven, so that the resulting product is sturdier and will retain its shape indefinitely. Referring to Figs. 2 4, the plates I5 are slidable transversely on the periphery of the forming drum 8 between T-shaped guide rails 34.

Arcuate end rails

35 and 36 of angular cross-section are suitably secured to the ends of the plates to vibrate or reciprocate with them. A series of push rods 3l actuated by tappets 38 are given impulses toward movement of the plates I5 to the right (Fig. 2) against the action of spring pressed plungers 39 at the other end of the plates. The tappets are operated by push rods 49 which have followers 4I riding on the periphery of an eccentric 42 suitably driven either from the same power source as the worm or a separate source` as desired. There are suiiicient tappets 38 and push rods 3l, as shown in Fig. 3, and of course, sufficient cooperating plungers 39 to take care of the vibration of the plates I5 throughout the travel of the plates through the pulp solution in the vat 5. A perforated distributor plate 43 is disposed in spaced relation to the periphery of the forming drum 8 in the vat 5 and preferably formed concentric with the drum 8 so as to have the same spaced relation to the periphery thereof at all points in the vat. Below this plate are one or more propellers 44 suitably driven from a shaft 45 in the manner indicated to keep the pulp solution agitated so that there will be no tendency for heavier particles to settle but be impelled with the rest of the solution upwardly through the holes in the plate 43 toward the pattern plates I5. The plate 43 causes the rising column of solution to spread out and thus distributes the pulp solution more or less uniformly throughout that portion 0f the area of the periphery of the drum immersed in the solution, so that the pattern plates will be evenly coated. The mobility of the plates I5 to enable vibration thereof requires the provision of guide means for bringing the plates I5 into register with the plates I8 and I9 0n the other drums, in the event they happen to be shifted out of alignment when they leave the vibrating means 37-39. I prefer to utilize the band 28 as a guide at one end of the plates I5; if the plates I5 have their pieces 35 in abutment with the band 28' they are properly registered with the plates I8 and I9, assuming, of course, that the

drums

8, 9 and IU are mounted and maintained in proper alignment and indexed relationship. An arcuate guide 46 has engagement with the pieces 36 at the other end of the plates I5 and is spring pressed toward engagement with the flat side of the drum 8, whereby to insure accurate alignment of the plates on the 'drum 8 and thus insure their accurate registration with the plates I8 and I9 on the other two drums. One end of the guide 46 is bent outwardly away from the side of the drum 8, as shown at 41, so as to afford an opportunity for any plate I5 which may be projecting slightly to ride back into alignment, after which the same will, of course, be kept in alignment by the guide as the drum turns relative thereto. The flat face of the guide may, if desired, be provided with suitable anti-friction rollers to reduce the drag upon the turning of the drum 8 relative thereto.

It is believed the foregoing description conveys a good understanding of the objects and advantages of my invention. The appended claims have been drawn with a view to covering all legitimate modifications and adaptations.

I claim:

1. In a machine of the class described, a forming drum having a molding plate with a ypredetermined profile, means for depositing pulp in Wet plastic condition thereon, means for subjecting the molding plate to vibration relative to the drum while the pulp is being deposited thereon, an extracting drum having a wringer surface proled to match the profiled surface of the molding plate to subject the coating of pulp to compression between said surfaces to eliminate moisture therefrom and conform the pulp to the profile of the molding plate, means for moving the molding plate on the forming drum into alignment with the surface on the extracting drum prior to registration therewith, and means for transferring the molded product from the molding plate.

2. In a machine of the class described, a forming drum having a perforated molding plate with a predetermined prole thereon, suction means for depositing pulp in a wet plastic condition on the molding plate while immersed in pulp solution, means for vibrating the molding plate re1- ative to the drum while the pulp is being deposited on the plate, an extracting drum disposed with its periphery in alignment with'that of the forming drum and having a profiled surface to match the profiled surface of the molding plate and arranged to apply pressure to the pulp deposit so as to eliminate moisture therefrom and conform the pulp to the profile of the plate, means for moving the plate relative to the drum into alignment with said surface prior to registration therewith, and means for transferring the molded product from the molding plate.

3. In a pulp molding machine of the type comprising a rotary drum turning with a portion thereof immersed in pulp solution for the depositing of pulp on a molding surface on the drum by suction, a molding plate on the periphery of said drum having a molding surface and mounted for sliding movement transversely on the periphery of the drum, and means for subjecting the plate to vibratory motionl during its immersion in the pulp solution.

4. In a pulp molding machine of the type comprising a rotary drum turning with a portion thereof immersed in pulp solution for the depositing of pulp on a molding surface on the drum by suction, a molding plate on the periphery of said drum having a molding surface and mounted for sliding movement transversely on the periphery of the drum, and means for reciprocating said plate during one portion of a rotation of the drum which includes passage of the plate through the pulp solution.

5. In a pulp molding machine of the type comprising a rotary drum turning with a portion thereof immersed in pulp solution for the depositing of pulp on a molding surface on the drum by suction, a molding plate on the periphery of said drum having a molding surface and mounted for lsliding movement transversely on the periphery of the drum, means for reciprocating the plate yrelative to the drum throughout one portion of a revolution of the drum so that the plate is vibr-ting while passing through the' pulp solution, and means for holding the plate in a predetermined position of registration on the periphery of the drum throughout the balance of the revolution.

6. In a pulp molding machine, the combination of a receptacle for pulp solution, a molding drum turning so that a portion thereof is immersed in the pulp solution, the drum having suction means for the application of pulp to the periphery thereof, a peripheral molding plate on said drum having va molding surface on which the pulp is deposited by suction, means for vibrating the plate relative to the drum during the depositing of pulp, and pulp agitating and distributing means for simultaneously impelling the pulp toward the plate and uniformly distributing the pulp throughout the area thereof.

'1. In a pulp molding machine, the combination of a receptacle for pulp solution, a molding drum turning so that a portion thereof is immersed in the pulp solution, the drum having suction means for the application of pulgl to the periphery thereof, a peripheral molding plate on said drum having a molding surface on which the pulp is deposited by suction, and means for reciprocating the plate transversely relative to the drum during the depositing of pulp, a perforated distributor plate disposed in the pulp solution in spaced relation to the molding plate, and agitator means in the pulp solution for impelling pulp through the distributor plate toward the molding plate so as to uniformly deposit pulp thereon.

8. A pulp molding machine, comprising a receptacle for pulp solution, a forming drum turning so that the lower portion is immersed in the pulp solution, an extracting drum anda transfer f drum disposed over the forming drum and turning at the same peripheral speed, mold plates slidably mounted on the periphery of the forming drum for transverse movement with respect thereto, said plates being perforated and having a molding surface of a predetermined form, companion plates fixed on theperiphery of the other drums also perforated and having surfaces to match the molding surfaces of said plates, suction means for the forming drum to deposit pulp solution on the molding plates and thereafter extract moisture from the pulp deposit, suction means for the extracting drum to withdraw moisture during the compression of the pulp deposit between the plates on the extracting drum and the molding plates on the forming drum, suction means for the transfer drum to transfer the molded product from the molding plates to the companion plates on the transfer drum, means for reciprocating the molding plates during the immersion thereof in the pulp solution, and means for moving said'plates into alignment with their companion plates for holding the same in such alignment throughout their travel past the companion plates on the extracting and transfer drums..

n: i 9. A machine as set forth in claim 8 including agitating means in ithe pulp receptacle for impelling pulp toward the forming drum, and a perforated distributing plate disposed between the (drum and the agitating means.

\ 10. A machine as set forth in claim 8 wherein thev means for reciprocating the molding plates comprises a plurality of push rods disposed in parallel relationship and arranged in an arc adjacent the lower portion of the forming drum to communicate movement in one direction to the molding plates throughout the travel of `said plates'ln the pulp solution, spring means ncrmally .tending to move the plates in the other direction, and means for communicating .impulses to the pushrods.

11. In a machine of the class described, a. forming drum having a perforated molding plate with a predetermined profile thereon on which pulp in a wet plastic condition is arranged to be applied by suction through the plate while the plate is immersed in pulp solution, an extracting drum having a perforated wringer plate proled to match the prole of the molding plate, means for resiliently .urging the drums toward each other so that pulp applied to the molding plate is compressed between said plate and the wringer plate, and means for simultaneously exerting suction through both of said perforated plates for withdrawal of the moisture expelled in the compression of the pulp.

ALONZO H. MAGINNIS.