US2677992A - Stock distributor for papermaking machines - Google Patents

Description

y 1954 HORNBOSTEL STOCK DISTRIBUTOR FOR PAPERMAKING MACHINES Filed Feb. 5, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet l 'OOOOOOLufiDUGO 060000000001-00 oololunvlliodlug m ZZ/l/l/l/lr .ZkVEniur' Lloyd fiorgzboatgzi May 11, 1954 L, HORNBOSTEL 21,577,992

STQCK DISTRIBUTOR FOR PAPERMAKING. MACHINES Filed Feb. 5, 1949 s sheets-sheet 2 [,Z ogd Horzzboatgt 49 45 W gm y 1954 L. HORNBOSTEL STOCK DISTRIBUTOR FOR PAPERMAKING MACHINES Filed Feb. 5, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 MW 6 u on IZIZVEIIZQP l ilo yd Hornbastgt HZ. iqs

Patented May 11, 1954 UNITED STAT A? STUCK DISTRIBUTOR FUR PAPERMAKING MACHINES Lloyd Hornbostel, Beloit, Wis, assignor to Beloit Iron Works, Beloit, Wis, a corporation of Wisconsin Application February 5, 1949, Serial No. 74,730

1 7 Claims.

The present invention relates to a stock distributor for a paper making machine and more particularly to a cross-flow paper stock distributor which eliminates eddy currents and insures even fiber deposition across the entire width of the forming surface of a paper making machine.

The stock distributor of this invention is adapted to be mounted within a stock inlet for introducing paper stock onto the forming surface of either a Fourdrinier or cylinder-type paper making machine. Stock flowing into the inlet may be pretreated in accordance with conventional practices in the art and stock issuing from the inlet flows onto the paper making machine forming wire surface.

Preferably, in both the Fourdrinier and cylinder-type machines, the stock distributor of the present invention is mounted in the inlet end of the machine and stock flowing therethrough is divided into oppositely directed moving streams for introduction into a pair of adjacent flow conduits separated by a common wall and by how control means cooperating with this common wall and in gravity-fed stock flow communication with the conduits. As an example of suitable flow control means, a conventional rectifying roll mounted. directly beneath the common wall may be employed. The exterior conduit walls are inclined inwardly towards the common wall in closely spaced relation to the flow control means. The flow control means and the common center wall, in cooperation with the adjacent flow conduit walls, serve to convert the oppositely flowing stock streams, which are preferably discharged simultaneously from each of the flow conduits, into a single, unidirectional The separate are QhllS merged into a sin le stream with the elimination of eddy currents and cross-flow velocities and this merger is e cted directly prior to the introduc t J). the he per stock onto a paper making machine fOii 1g wire as hereinbefore described.

If the entire stock inlet, or only the portion thereof between the slice and the rectifying roll 1 caving the oppositely flpwing stools streams may be pressurized. Further, if desired, the slice outlet may be at a level above the stool: merging rectifier roll so that this roll will always submerged in stock during operation of the inlet.

Thus, in each type of paper making machine, stool: is introduced onto the forming surface under uniform flow conditions and an even fiber deposition occurs the entire width of the paper making machine forming surface. The cross-i ou velocity of the stock has been converted into a uniform lateral exit feed velocity prior to its introduction onto the forming surface to insure advantageous fiber deposition. Further, in the stock distributor of the present inventlon, it is not necessary to employ super-atmospheric ressure to obtain these improved results. Ihus, the relatively inexpensive, easily maintained stock inlet equipped with my improved stock distributor represents a distinct forward step in the art and the advantages reiding in the present invention will be evident to those skilled in the art.

t is, therefore, an important object of the present invention to provide a cross-flow stock distributor for a paper making machine in which eddy currents and cross-flow velocities present in stock flowing into the machine are eliminated by dividing the stock stream into separate oppositely flowing components and merging these components by gravity flow of stock prior to the introduction of the stock onto the paper forming surface.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cross-flow type stool: distributor for a paper making machine in which cross-flow velocities and eddy currents within a pair of opposite stock streams are eliminated by gravity flow through suitable merging means so that the stock; subsequently introduced onto the forming wire of the paper making machine takes place at a uniform, unidirectional velocity to insure an even fiber deposition across the entire face of the machine forming surface.

It is a still further important object of the present invention to provide an inlet box adapted for either a Fourdrinientype or cylindertype paper making machine having an improved stock distributor mounted therein to eliminate eddy currents and cross-flow velocities normally present in the stock flowing to the machine forming wire, the distributor serving to divide stock flow through the box into a pair of oppositely directed streams which are subsequently merged by gravity flow through rectifying means prior to introduction of the stock. onto the forming surface of the machine, whereby an even deposition of stock fibers cross the forming surface is insured.

Yet another object of th present invention is to provide a cross-flow type stock distributor for use with either a Fourdrinier or a cylinder-type paper making machine, the stool; distributor having a pair of adjacent conduits into which steel: is introduced as oppositely flowing stock streams, means for simultaneously discharging stock. from each of said conduits and means for merging stock gravity-fed from each of said conduits into a single unidirectional stream having uniform flow characteristics for subsequent introduction onto the forming wire surface of the machine.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a cross-flow type stock distributor for use with a paper making machine stool: inlet and including means defining a pair of adjacent conduits into which stool: is introduced as oppositely flowing stock streams and means below the conduits receiving stock by gravity fiow therefrom for merging stock simultaneously discharged from each of the conduits, with the last mentioned means being completely submerged even at the lowest possible operable stock level within the stock inlet.

It is still another important object of the present invention to provide an inlet box for use with a paper making machine having an improved cross-flow stock distributor mounted therein and means for subjecting that portion of the inlet box immediately in advance of the forming wire of the paper making machine to superatmospheric pressures while maintaining stock flow thru the stock distributor at either atmospheric or super-atmospheric pressures as demanded by operating conditions of the machine with which the inlet box is employed.

Other and further objects of this invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the specification and the accompanying drawings.

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a stock inlet box for a Fourdrinier-type paper making machine equipped with a stock distributor of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the plane III! of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of a cylinder-type paper making machine equipped with a modified form of a stock distributor of the present invention;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the plane IV-IV of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the plane V--V of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a. vertical cross-sectional view of a stock inlet box for a Fourdrinier-type paper making machine equipped with an additional modified form of the stock distributor of the present invention; and

Figure '7 is a view similar to Figure 6 illustrating still another modified form of the present invention adapted for use with a Fourdrinier-type paper making machine.

.As shown on the drawings:

In Figure 1, reference numeral It refers generally to an inlet box for a Fourdrinier-type paper making machine, the box II! receiving stock from screens Ii for subsequent introduction onto the forming wire I2 lapped about breast roll I3 in a conventional Fourdrinier-type paper making ma chine.

The open-topped inlet box In is defined generally by a bottom wall I4 terminating in a for ward, arcuate, apron-portion I 4a, a pair of side walls I a rear wall I: and a forward wall I 3 overlying breast roll I3. The side walls I5 are cut away at I50 to provide an. out-let above the breast roll I3 and the wire for paper stock contained within box Hi and the forward wall I 8 has a lower terminal edge I Bet spaced above the forming wire !2, the edges I50, and l8a defining an outlet passage communicating with forming surface I2.

A stock reservoir chamber I9 is defined within the inlet box it! by a rear end wall I1, the bottom wall I 4, the side walls I5 and an intermediate wall 29 extending between the side walls I5 and contacting the bottom wall M. The intermediate wall 20 is formed with a vertical rearward portion 20a, a. downwardly and forwardly extending center portion 20b, and a vertical bottom portion 290. The stock reservoir I9 receives stock from the screens II through inlet passages or conduits 2| establishing communication therebetween. A second intermediate wall 22 is positioned between the wall 26 and the forward wall IS, the wall 22 being provided with a generally vertical upper portion 22a and a rearwardly and downwardly extending inlined portion 22b terminating in spaced relation with the lower edge of center portion 2% of wall 20.

A rectifier roll 23 is journaled in bearings carried by the side walls I5 and extends transversely across the box IE to lie between the sloping wall sections 202) and 2212. A vertical wall 24 is positioned centrally above the rectifying roll 23 and terminates in spaced relation thereabove.

The walls 20, 22 and 24 define a pair of adjacent flow conduits 25 and. 2E separated by the wall 24 and rectifying roll 23. Flow from the reservoir I9 into these conduits 25 and 25 is established by means of open-topped conduits 2'! and 28 carried by the side walls i5, one of the side walls I5 being apertured as at 23 and 39: to allow flow as indicated by the directional arrows from chamber I 9 to conduit 25 through conduit 2'! and the other side wall I5 being apertured as at 3| and 32 to establish flow from chamber I9 to conduit 26 through conduit 28.

It will readily be seen that how of stock, as indicated by the directional arrows in Figure 1, will be established in opposite directions within the chambers 25 and 23, respectively. The oppositely directed stock streams within these chambers will flow under the influence of gravity downwardly and order to flow from the conduit must pass through the apertured periphery of the rectifier roll 23. The rectifier roll 23 is rotated by suitable conventional means (not shown) and serves to rectify the stock flow so that the united stream issuing therefrom flows in a single direction with the elimination of eddy currents and cross-currents.

This even, unilateral flow from the rectifier roll 23 is directed into a pond chamber 33 defined by the bottom wall the side walls I5. the intermediate wall 29 and the forward wall I {5. The stock in the pond chamber 33 may be maintained at any desired level by correlating the height of stock in the reservoir IS, the rate of fiow of stock through the rectifier roll 23 and the rate of stock flow through silencer roll 34 to deposit fibers upon wire I2 at any desired thickness. A. pair of slices 35 and 36 are mounted within the box between silencer roll 34 and the forward wall IS, with the rear slice 35 contacting the surface of the silencer roll 34 and extending in spaced relation to the portion Ma of the bottom wall I 4 of box it. The forward slice I8 extends into closely spaced relation with the wire I2 wrapped about the press roll I3 to aid in determining the thickness of deposited fibers formed thereon.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figures 3 to 5 of the drawings, reference numeral Mi refers generally to a cylinder type paper making machine including a vat defined by side walls 4| and end walls 42. Arcuate partition walls 43 are mounted within the vat to carry boards 44 defining an open-topped vat circle 45. A cylinder mold 45 is rotatably mounted in the vat circle 4-5 on bearings 45a carried by side walls 4|. Conventional partition walls are arranged in the vat to provide a trap or sump 4'! at the bottom of the vat circle 45, the trap 41 being drained by an outlet box 48 and conduit 49.

The interior of the cylinder mold discharges through an opening in one of the side walls 4! of the vat designated in dotted outline at 50. An additional opening 5i is provided to supplement opening 50, the two openings in conjunction controlling drainage of white water out of the interior of the cylinder mold, the water flowing outwardly through the open end of the mold. The openings 50 and 5! discharge through suitable means communicating with a conduit 52 to remove White water from the paper machine in a manner well understood in the art.

An additional discharge conduit 53 is provided to remove white water overflow from conduit 52. The interior of cylinder mold 35 may be evacuated, as by means of a fan or other suction device, through conduit 54 communigating with the upper portion of cylinder bowl Paper stock is supplied to the vat circle 45 from a flow inlet box indicated generally at 55. The flow inlet box 55 comprises a stock inlet conduit 56 adjacent each side wall 4! of a cylinder machine, a flow distributor 5'! receiving flow from the conduits 56, and a passage 58 for conveying pulp suspension from the distributor 5'! to the vat circle 45.

Flow distributor 51 is essentially identical with the distributor hereinbefore described in that a pair of adjacent flow conduits 59 and 69 are defined by spaced upstanding walls 6! and 62 having lower inclined wall portions a and EM, respectively. The lower terminal edges of wall portions 62a and cm are closely spaced from one another with wall 8! being provided with a lower extreme portion 6!?) extending vertically downwardly beyond portion Bla.

A rectifier roll having closed circular end faces 63a (Figure 5) is mounted on a shaft 64.- to extend between the closely spaced parallel edges of inclined wall portions em and 62a, as hereinbefore described in connection with rectifier 23 of the device illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. Shaft 6 2- is journaled in conventional bearings carried by opposing end walls $5. A

vertically extending wall til is positioned cenu trally above rectifying roll 63 and terminates in spaced relation thereabove to serve as a common wall for chambers 59 and 68.

Stock flow from one of the conduits 55 is introduced into chamber 60 through an open topped conduit chamber 6'! in full communica tion with one end of chamber 6t. A bathe E53 extends inwardly irom conduit 6'. into conduit 59 for reasons hereinafter more fully described. A second open topped conduit 69 provides communication from the other inlet conduit 56 into chamber as and a second baffle it, similar to bafiie 63, is also provided as best shown in Figure 3. The bafiles 655 and i l extend downwardly into contact with plates H which are secured to wall sections tie and 82a to close the gap therebetween beyond the terminal ends 63a of rectifying roll 63, thus preventing flow of stock from conduits 59 and 5b to bypass roll 63.

In the operation of the stock distributor illustrated in Figures 3 to 5, stock flowing through inlet 56 is introduced simultaneously into each of the conduits 59 and as. The stock now is oppositely directed in these conduits with the re-circulation of stock being possible through re-circulation passages 12 defined between center wall 56 and bafiles t8 and 69. Stock flow thus takes place so that circulation within the entire distributor in a counterclockwise direction is possible. This re-circulation of stock serves to keep the stock level within the two conduits 59 and 6!] at a uniform level and prevents the formation of non-circulating pockets at the end of the conduits in which dirt and other residue carried by the stock may accumulate.

Stock flows from the conduits 59 and (ill by gravity through rectifier roll G3 and into a communicating passage 58. Stock flow from the two conduits is thus merged into a single stream with the elimination of cross-iiow and eddy currents present in the oppositely flowing streams. The single unidirectional stream then passes through conduit 58 into vat circle 45 for introduction onto the forming surface of the cylinder mold it.

In the modification of the present invention illustrated in Figure 6 of the drawings, reference numeral 86 refers generally to an inlet box for a Fourdrlnier-type paper making machine, the box 89 receiving stock from screens at for subsequent introduction onto the paper machine forming wire 82 lapped about breast roll 83.

That portion of the inlet box Bil immediately ahead of screens 8! and receiving stock therefrom is provided with an open topped stock distributor similar in design and operation to that of Figure 1 of the drawings. However, it will be noted that the rear portion of the inlet box 86 is provided with a lower wall 84 at a level below the bottom wall 8% of the outlet end of the inlet box 89. The recessed portion of inlet box 86 is provided with a transversely extending wall 86 having vertical upper and lower sections and a sloping central section as hereinbefore defined in connection with the wall 20 of Figure 2. A second intermediate wall 8! corresponding to wall 22 of Figure 2 is provided in the inlet box 88 in spaced relation to the wall 85. A rectifier roll 88 is mounted between walls 86 and 87 as hereinbefore described in connection with the rectifier roll 23 of Figure 2 and a vertical wall 39 is spaced slightly above the rectifier roll 88 as also hereinbefore described. The walls 3t, '8'! and E99 cooperate to define flow conduits 9i! and 9! similar to the conduits 25 and 26 hereinbefore described into which oppositely directed stock streams may be introduced from the screens 8!.

Stock from the screens 8! is introduced directly into stock reservoir 852a similar to reservoir is and stock now to conduits 9e and s: is established thru open topped conduits similar to conduits 27 and 23 of Figure 1 and communicating with reservoir 89a thru apertures 39b, 33c and BM in the side wails of inlet box 89.

It will be noted that stool: flow from the conduits S9 and 9! will pass through rectifier roll 88 to be merged into a single, unidirectional stream in the manner hereinbefore described. This unidirectional stream next flows into a pond chamber 92 in the forward end of box 3%] from which stock is introduced directly onto the form" ing wire 82. Stock from the rectifier roll 88 passes through an additional rectifier roll 93 during its passage into pond chamber 92 and through still another rectifier roll 9% positioned in the outlet 95 of the box S6.

The pond chamber 92 is provided with a top closure wall 96, a front closure wall 97 extending into closely spaced relation to rectifier roll 94 to serve as a slice, therefore, and a flexible sealing member 98 joining walls 96 and 9'! with a gas-tight fitting while permitting relative movement of wall 3? relative to roll to and to topwall 95. Top closure wall 96 carries a conduit 89 connected to a suitable source of air under pressure (not shown) for subjecting the closed pond chamber 92 to super-atmospheric pressure.

Chamber 82 is provided with a stock level control comprising a pipe Ill-*3 providing a vent to atmospheric pressure. The operation of the automatic level control will be obvious to those skilled in the art inasmuch as when the stock level within the chambers 92 drops below the opening of pipe Hill, chamber 92 is vented to atmosphere and by this lessening of pressure stock level in the chamber will be raised by flow from the stool: distributor hereinbefore described. When the stock level covers the end or" pipe I00, pressure within the box increases and the flow of stock into chamber 92 of the stock distributor is resisted by this increased pressure.

The relative stock levels within chamber 92 and the stock distributor conduits S3 and 9! are represented by dotted lines lei and respectively. It will be appreciated that the hydrostatic head generated by the stock level difference between the stock in the conduits 9S and El and in the chamber t2 must be equivalent to or greater than the air pressure Within chamher 512 or no stock flow from conduits t!) and SI will occur into chamber 52.

It will be readily seen by those skilled in the art that the present inwention thus provlr means for subjecting stock to super-atmospheric pressure only in that portion of the inlet immediately in advance of the forming wire surface onto which stock is introduced from the inlet box. Further, it will be noted that rectifier roll 83 is below pond chamber outlet orifice 55, thus insuring the submergence of rectifier roll 88 within the stock passing through the inlet box at all times during which any stock flow through the box occurs. ihus the inlet box illustrated in Figure 6 is particularly adapted for use with paper making machines operating at very low forming surface speeds very low stock levels. Further, the automatic :BVG]. control of this modification of the present invention insures the introduction of a constant amount or" stock onto the forming wire 82 at all times.

In the modification of the invention illustrated in Figure 7 of the drawings, reference numeral Hi2 refers generally to a modified form of stock inlet box employing a stock distributor similar to those hereinbeiore described. Stock is introduced to the inlet box its through a branched pipe fitting including pipe ill connected to a suitable source of paper stock, and a pair of branch lines lit, only one of which is shown, for introducing oppositely directed stock streams into stock flow conduits H3 ll l. Adjacent stock flow conduits HS and Eli are defined by side wall 5 it of inlet box llfi, intermediate Wall Ilt extending transversely of inlet box H8 in spaced relation to wall lIEi, rectifier roll Ill mounted between walls H5 and IE6 and vertically extending wall 5 l3 mounted between walls H5 and H5 and extending into closely spaced relation to rectifier roll Hi.

It will be noted that stools fiow conduits H3 and [I4 are entirely contained within inlet box IIB which is provided with an upper closure wall H8 and a forward closure wall l2l connected to wall I I9 by flexible member I2I similar to number 98 hereinbefore described in connection with Figure 6. Access to the flow distributor conduits I I3 and lid is provided by manhole cover I22 in closure wall I I9, the wall I I9 also carrying a conduit I23 adapted for supplying air or other gas under atmospheric pressure to the interior of closed inlet box IIO.

Thus, it may be seen that in this modification of the invention both the stock distributor and that portion of the inlet box immediately adjacent the forming wire may be subjected to superatmospheric pressure by gases introduced through the conduit I23. Stock flow through conduit III and conduit H2 is pumped under pressure into the inlet box to overcome the pressure therein. This pressure may, if desired, be generated by the location of screens, similar to the screens 8I of Figure 6, at a position sufficiently above the level of inlet box llfi to provide a hydrostatic head sufiicient to overcome super-atmospheric pressure within the inlet box H8.

The operation of the modification illustrated in Figure '7 is substantially the same as that of the modification illustrated in Figure 6 with the merged stock stream being rectified by rectifier roll M1, by second rectifier roll I24 and by an additional rectifier roll E25 located in the outlet orifice I26 of inlet box III It will, of course, be appreciated by those skilled in the art that by the use of the various modified forms of t e invention illustrated in the figures of the drawings that it is possible to employ the stock distributor of the present invention in a box inlet through which stock is flowed at all times at atmospheric pressure, as illustrated in Figs. 1-5 inclusive; that the stock may be subjected to pressure within the inlet box immediately before it is introduced onto the forming wire of the pape making machine, as in Figure 6; and that the stock may be subjected to super-atmospheric pressures at all times when it is within the stock inlet box, as in Figure 7.

The adaptability of the present invention to the various operating conditions which may prove expedient for any given paper making machine of either the Fourdrinier or cylinder-type will be readily appreciated and this adaptability constitutes one of the advantages residing in the present invention.

It will also be seen that in each of the embodiments of the present invention, shown in Figures 1-7 inclusive, the stock is gravity-fed from the oppositely directed streams through the rectifier roll. This employment of gravitational flow to the stream mer ing means also constitutes one of the advantages of the present invention and the improved results obtained thereby, namely in eliminating the necessity of pumping stock to the merging means, will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.

It will, of course, be understood that various details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention and it is, therefore, not the purpose to limit the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A stock distributor adapted for mounting between stock inlet and outlet passages of a stock inlet head box for introducing stock onto the forming wire of a paper making machine, said distributor comprising a pair of conduits having a common partitioning wall therebetween and. a

common restricted bottom outlet communicating with said stock outlet passage, a first stock duct interconnecting said inlet passage and one end of one of said conduits for flowing stock thereinto in one direction and a second stock duct interconnecting said inlet passage and the opposite end of the other of said conduits for fiowing stock thereinto in the opposite direction, and a rectifier roll mounted in said common restriction outlet beneath said common wall to receive gravity fiow of stock from said conduits for merging said oppositely flowing streams into a single stream for introduction into said pond chamber and subsequent deposition upon said forming wire under atmospheric conditions.

2. In a stock inlet for a paper making machine, a stock distributor comprising a pair of elongated conduits, a common wall mounted between said conduits while allowing communication therebetween, a first stock inlet communicating with one end of one of said conduits, and a second stock inlet communicating with the opposite end of the other of said conduits, said conduits having a common restricted outlet directly underlying said common wall, rectifier roll means mounted within said common outlet in close running relation to said common wall for merging stock fiow from each of said conduits into a single unidirectional stream and means for introducing said unidirectional stream onto the forming wire surface of said paper making machines, said common wall between said conduits allowing re-circulation of stock therebetween to prevent the formation of stagnant pools of stock therein.

3. In a stock inlet for a cylinder-type paper making machine, a stock distributor comprising a pair of conduits adapted to receive oppositely flowing streams or" stock, said conduits having a common partition wall and a common restricted outlet communicating with each of said conduits, a first stock inlet communicating with one end of one of said conduits and a second stock inlet communicating with the opposite end of the other of said conduits a rectifier roll mounted directly beneath said common partitioning wall within said common outlet and in gravity-fed stock fiow communication with said conduits for rectifying said oppositely directed stream into a single unidirectional stream, and means for introducing said single stream of said rectifier roll onto the cylinder mold of said cylinder machine.

4. In a stock inlet for a paper making machine, a stock distributor comprising a conduit adapted for stock flow therethrough and having upstanding side walls and converging lower walls, said lower walls defining a central restricted dis charge outlet at the conduit bottom, and an upstanding central wall directly above and. terminating short of said outlet to divide said conduit into a pair of interior adjacent stock passages each communicating with said outlet, first stock fiow means communicating with said conduit through one of the side walls and on one side of the central wall and second stock flow means communicating with said conduit through the opposite side Wall and on the opposite side of the central wall for creating oppositely directed stock fiow streams in said conduit and a rectifier roll interposed between said central wall and said outlet to extend into said outlet and into closely spaced relation with said wall, said roll also extending in closely spaced relation to said lower walls to substantially fill said restricted orifice, said roll thus receiving gravity stock discharge to said stock passages and merging said discharge into a single stream issuing therefrom.

5. In a stock inlet for a paper making machine having means for subjecting stock fiow through the inlet to superatmospheric pressure, a stock distributor comprising a conduit for receiving stock fiow and having upstanding side walls, converging lower walls defining a central restricted discharge outlet conduit bottom, and an upstanding central wall directly above and terminating short of said outlet to divide said conduit into a pair of interior adjacent stock flow passages each communicating with said outlet, first stock flow means communicating with said conduit through one of the side walls and on one side of the central wall and second stock fiow means communicating with said conduit through the opposite side wall and on the opposite side of the central wall for creating oppositely directed stock flow streams in said conduit and a rectifier roll disposed in said conduit between said central wall and said outlet to prevent discharge from either of said passages except through said roll, said roll thus receiving gravity stock discharge from the stock passages and merging said discharge into a single stream issuing therefrom.

6. In combination, front, back and a pair of side walls defining a stock distributor box, a partition wall extending between the side walls to define a pair of adjacent conduits, a first stock flow duct feeding stock into one conduit through one of the side walls, a second stock flow duct feeding stock into the other conduit through the other side wall, said front, back and partition walls defining adjacent restricted bottom outlets for said conduits, and a rectifier roll rotatably mounted in said restricted bottom outlet and cooperating with said walls in close running relation therewith to effectively prevent stock discharge from either of said conduits except through said rectifier roll.

'7. In combination, front, back and a pair of side walls defining a stock distributor box, a partition wall extending between the side walls to divide the box into a pair of adjacent conduits, first flow means on one side wall communicating with one conduit and second flow means on the opposite side wall communicating with the other conduit for directing oppositely flowing stock streams into said conduits, said front and back walls being slanted inwardly toward said partition wall near their bottoms to define adjacent elongated restricted conduit bottom outlets, a rectifier roll rotatably journalled in said outlets below and in close running relation to the bottoms of said front, back and partition walls.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 38,698 Rutledge May 26, 1863 1,775,905 Lang Sept. 16, 1930 1,972,389 McPherson et a1. Sept. 4, 1934 2,186,761 Malkin Jan. 9, 1940 2,347,717 Staege May 2, 1944 2,347,850 Staege May 2, 1944 2,381,286 Hornbostel et a1. 1 Aug. 7, 19 5 2,390,977 Williams Dec. 11, 1945 2,509,822 Hornbostel May 30, 1950 2,548,108 Hornbostel Apr. 10, 1951 2,550,552 Goodwillie Apr. 24, 1951 2,566,450 Hornbostel Sept. 4, 1951 2,589,639 Staege Mar. 18, 1952

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