US3065920A - Working surfaces for refining engines - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 27, 1962 C. A. JOHNSON ETAL WORKING SURFACES FOR REFINING' ENGINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 22, 1959 NVENTORS JOHNSON WILLIAM E HILDEBIM LHARLES A.

ATTORNEYS Nov. 27, 1962 c. A. JOHNSON EIAL WORKING SURFACES FOR REFINING ENGINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 22, 1959 IN VEN TORS JOHNSON ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofiicie WORKING SURFACES FOR REFENING ENGINES Charles A. Johnson, Andover, and William F. Hildebrandt, Lawrence, Mass, assiguors to John W. Bolton & Sons, Inc., Lawrence, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Jan. 22, 1959, Ser. No. 788,302 8 Claims- (Cl. 241-294) This invention relates to an improved working surface for rotary pulp treatment engines especially of the rotary disc or rotary cone type.

It is especially designed for use in Jordan or Clafiin type refining engines wherein a truncated conical plug, or rotor, rotates within a truncated conical shell, or stator. It has long been customary to provide removable shell liners for both the plug and shell of such engines and usually the liners have had a single longitudinal split so that they can be slid into place and then wedged or clamped in position. When the treatment members have been longitudinally extending bars or knives, the bodily transportable fillings, or liners, have usually been held together by rivets, wires or bars passing laterally through the knives and separators or by hoops or rings passing over the ends of the same. The assembling of such a bodily transportable, frustro conical, shell liner or plug jacket has required considerable time and effort and involved the use of jigs, forms and the like to achieve a proper fit in the shell, or on the plug, of the engine.

When an abrasive action has been desired, rather than the shearing action of knives, it has also been proposed to provide a unitary split liner formed of longitudinally extending bars, or strips, in which plastic material has been cast or molded therebetween. For example, in US. Patent No. 2,212,082 to Steinbarger of August 20, 1940, a filler for a Jordan engine is disclosed which is of split, truncated conical form, there being longitudinally extending metal bars welded to each other all around the filler, abrasive material filling the spaces between the bars and outwardly projecting blades on the bars. In US. Patent 2,633,778 to Stuck of April 7, 1953, the split frustro conical filler is formed of similar longitudinally extending bars but abrasive blocks are seated in hardened plastic between the bars whereby the block faces, rather than the bar faces, project from the filler.

The object of this invention is to provide a liner, or jacket, for pulp treatment engines, wherein the shell liner or plug jacket is formed of individual segments shaped, when assembled together, to fit and cover the operating face of a rotor or stator of such an engine and wherein each segment contains a multiplicity of upstanding individual blocks of uniform cross section potted in, and anchored only by, a hardened plastic material.

Another object of the invention is to provide a segmental liner for a pulp refiner wherein each segment is a shallow tray in which a multiplicity of spaced, individual, blocks are bonded by epoxy resin, or the like, into a unitary mass, each in upstanding position to form a pocketed working face, Well above the level of the bonding material.

A further object of the invention is to provide a segmental liner or jacket wherein the working face of each segment is formed by the spaced apart faces of a multiplicity of individual, hollow, upstanding blocks of truncated tubular configuration, the blocks being of the same material or of any desired combination of different materials.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a low cost, rugged working surface for a pulp refining engine wherein the working members are formed by potting a group of identical, individual upstanding, tubular blocks 3,665,920 Patented Nov. 27, 1962 in a shallow tray, bonding the group of blocks together at the bases thereof with epoxy resin or other suitable adhesive plastic material and then applying the shallow tray containing the bonded groups of blocks to the rotor 01' stator of the engine.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a sectional pulp refining surface in which a multiplicity of short, individual, abrasive blocks are partially embedded in upstanding position in a hardened plastic layer to form each individual section and at least one metal bar, equal in height to the blocks, is also embedded in the layer of each section for achieving both a shearing and an abrasive action in a common working plane.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the claims, the description of the drawings and from the drawings in which- FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of the step of dividing bars of rigid material and uniform cross section into shorter, individual blocks.

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic view of the step of potting a multiplicity of individual blocks in upstanding position in a shallow tray.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 of the step of bonding the bases of the group of potted blocks into a unitary mass of segmental, or sectional, shape.

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic view of the step of applying the segments of potted, bonded, individual blocks to the working face of a disc type rotor or stator.

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic side sectional elevation of a frustro conical shell of a pulp refining engine showing the segments being assembled into a complete shell liner.

FIGS. 69 are perspective views of segments, or sections, of a liner for the shell of frustro conical refining engines, FIG. 10 is a similar view of segment for a plug jacket and FIG. 11 is a similar view of a segmental working face of a refining disc to illustrate the variety of work ing faces possible with the apparatus of the invention.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 the assembly of a segmental working face in accordance with this invention includes what is termed a potting operation herein since it resembles the act of placing a number of upstanding plants in a pot, tray or bed and securing the same by a layer of material up to the level of the container rim. It also resembles the mosaic art except that mosaic elements are completely inlaid into the plastic layer while, in this invention, a substantial portion of the elements project above the layer and are arranged with spaces therebetween to form pockets.

It is recognized that the assembly of a liner or jacket from segments, or sections, of rigid material, each segment having a plurality of projecting work elements, is old in the disc refiner and Clafiin refiner arts, although it has not generally been applied to Jordan refiners. However, such sections have usually been metal castings formed at one time in a mold and it has not been possible to vary the material within a single section as by combining metal bars with lava blocks or to otherwise achieve abrasive as well as shearing action in the same segment.

As shown in FIG. 1 in accordance with this invention, a number of desired shapes and materials may be quickly and simply formed into work elements with a variety of refining actions. The work, treatment, or refining elements of the invention are relatively short individual blocks preferably cut in uniform lengths from elongated rigid, hollow tubular, bars of uniform cross section. For example, an elongated bar 20 of uniform, hollow, cylindrical cross section may be used and may be of any suitable rigid material such as cast iron, copper, bronze,

brass, stainless steel, alloy steel, aluminum, abrasive,

ceramic, wood, plastic, glass, granite or lava stone. Instead of a tubular bar 20, the bar may be of any desired cross section such as the hollow cubical bar 21, the solid 3 rectangular bar 22, the solid cylindrical bar 23 or the bar 24 having an axial bore andlongitudinal grooves. Any suitable device may be used to divide the bars such as 20, 21, 22, 23 and 24 up into individual blocks 25 and 26 such as the circular saw 27.

As shown in the drawings, when the individual blocks of this invention are in upstanding position they include a flat bottom face, because cut perpendicularly, laterally from an elongated bar, and the side faces of the blocks are normal to the flat bottom face, because the bars are of uniform cross section.

A plurality of individual, segmental, backing means 30 are provided, each including a backing plate 31, of rigid material such as metal. The plate 31 may be flat if forming a section of a liner for a rotor or stator of the flat disc type (FIG. 4) and may be of curved or arcuate cross section if forming a section of a liner for the shell, or jacket for the plug of a truncated conical refining engine (FIG. 5). Suitable means 32 for detachably ailixing each backing means 30 to a rotor or stator and/or for detachably ailixing adjacent backing means to each other is provided. The backing means 30 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 is shaped to conform to the fiat, annular face of a disc refiner shown in FIG. 4 and includes the inclined opposite end flanges and 36 and screw, or bolt, holes such as 37 for screws or bolts 38. As shown in FIG. 4 the backing means 30, may be bolted directly to the body of a disc rotor or stator to entirely or substantially cover the operating face thereof with a complete segmental liner, or working surface, 42, As shown in FIG. 5 a plurality of backing means 39 may be assembled around the inner face 33 of a truncated, conical refiner shell 34 by means of retaining rings such as 43 and 44, overlying the flanges 35 and 36 or by means of the bolts 38 threaded directly into the shell body or both. Although not shown, it will be obvious that rings such as 43 and 44 and bolts such as 33 may also be used to affix a plurality of suitably curved backing means similar to means 30 or 39 around the plug of a Jordan or Clafiin to entirely cover the working face thereof.

Preferably backing means 30 is of shallow, tray form and includes an outwardly projecting rim 45 entirely around the planar imperforate tray bottom, or plate, 31 for use in the potting and bonding steps to be described hereinafter.

In constructing a segmental working surface according to the invention (FIG. 2) a multiplicity of individual blocks such as 25 and 26 are assembled in predetermined spatial arrangement on a backing plate 31 of a segmental backing means 30. As shown in FIGS. 6 to 11 the blocks may be closely packed in tangential, or sidewise abutting relation to each other or the blocks may be arranged to form a predetermined pattern of pockets in the working face of the segment. In the embodiment selected for illustration in FIGS. 2 and 3 the blocks are short, hollow cylinders, closely packed from rim to rim of backing means 30 but still having pockets between the blocks as at 46 in addition to the pockets 47 formed by the axial bores of each block. The blocks 25 and 26 are in upstanding position on the planar, imperforate, outer face 48 of the backing plate 31 with their base portions 49 supported on the plate and their terminal portions 50 in a common plane parallel to the plane of the face 48.

In accordance with the invention (FIG. 3) a layer of hardened plastic material 53 is formed on the backing plate 31, preferably up to the level of the rim 45, in which the base portion 49 of each block such as 25 and 26 is firmly embedded. The terminal portions 50 of each block project beyond the outer face 54 of the layer 53 and beyond the rim 45. The layer 53 may be a casting resin, molten lead, molten sulphur or other low temperature melting point medium suitable for serving as a matrix which, upon hardening, secures all of the blocks assembled in the tray into a unitary integral mass. Preferably the layer 53 is an epoxy resin compound including a filler and hardener, which may be any one of the following commercially available products. Araldite made by Ciba Co. Inc., Kimberton, Pennsylvania or Polytool 6130 or Polytool 6140 both made by Reichhold Chemicals Inc, of White Plains, New York. The resin is converted into a binder, without pressures or vacuums, and by a casting operation from a suitable source such as the casting pot 55. Typically, the epoxy resin layer 53 is cured at room temperature of 70 F. to 80 F. in a period of from two to seven days or in a period of thirty minutes at temperatures of 240 F. to 300 F. depending on the hardener used in the resin. The maximum environment temperature to which the working surfaces of this invention will be subjected in use is about 190 to 200 F. and the thermoset resin layer 53 is not affected adversely by such temperatures. It will be obvious that a thin layer of the casting medium can be applied to the plate 31, the blocks then placed on the thin layer and the tray then filled up to rim 45 to submerge the base portions of the blocks in the plastic. However, merely pouring the casting medium into the tray 56, formed by backing means 30, until the tray is full and then curing the plastic achieves a satisfactory bond between the adjacent blocks, the outer face 48 of plate 31 and the inner face 57 of the rim 45. The rim 45 may also be under cut or tilted inwardly if desired, to more firmly seat the mass in the tray.

The finished and cured segments may be shipped assembled on rings such as 43 and 44- or may be shipped in overlying position to be assembled on the working face of a rotor or stator where used. In the case of a Jordan or Claflin, the tapered segments themselves form wedges which enable the segmental liner to be tightened in the shell. It should be noted, also that a mass comprising only the blocks 25 and 26 and the hardened plastic layer 53 could be cast in removable molds and applied directly to the body of a stator or rotor although rigid backing means such as 30 is preferred.

In FIGS. 6 to 11 various modifications are shown, all within the scope of the invention and each adapted to provide a particular treatment effect. In FIG. 6 the segment 60 is designed for use in a Clafiin refiner shell and is formed of a multiplicity of individual, closely packed blocks 61 of abrasive material such as lava stone. A single inclined flange 62 is provided to be wedged under the existing annular lip at the small end of a Clafiin and the large ends of the segments are held in place by the removable head at the large end of the Clafiin.

In FIG. 7 a segment 65 similar to segment 60, is provided for a Clafiin shell. It differs from segment 60 only in that a groove or channel 66 extends longitudinally thereof in a zigzag course to correspond to the grooved type of abrasive liner known in the trade.

In FIG. 8 a shell liner segment 70 for a Clafiin refiner, is also similar to segment 60 but includes at least one bar 71 preferably of metal for securing a shearing action. Preferably a plurality of bars such as 71, 72 and 73 are provided, each having its outer face 74 in the plane of the outer faces 75 of the blocks 76. The bars 71 and 72 are zigzaged for the full length of the segment while the remaining bars such as 73 terminate intermediate of the ends of the segment. The bars such as 71 may be of cast iron, copper, bronze, brass, stainless steel, alloy steel, aluminum, abrasive, ceramic, wood plastic, glass, granite or lava stone depending on the desired treatment action.

In FIG. 9 a segment is provided, similar to segment 70 except that the bars 81, similar to bars 71, are straight.

In FIG. 10 a segment is provided for the plug of a Clafiin refiner, the blocks 86 being similar to blocks 25 and 26. The inclined flange 87 is wedged under the existing annular lip of the small end of the Clafiin plug while the flange 88 is either bolted to the large end of the plug or clamped thereto in any well known manner.

In FIG. 11 a segment 90 for the Working face of a disc refiner is provided similar in pattern to segment 85, except that the blocks 91 are in a single line tangential engagement and separated by clusters 92 and 93 of straight bars 94, each having mating grooves such as 95 and 96 of semi-circular, or other desirable, cross section.

It will be understood that in the paper industry many different types of cellulosic fibres must be refined to many different degrees in order to meet the specifications for countless grades and types of sheets. A refiner equipped with only one set of tackle, with the tackle made of only one material or made by an inflexible construction serves only a limited purpose in the manufacturing operation. By the method and apparatus of this invention it is possible to vary the materials within each segment and vary the types of segments within each working surface to satisfy practically any set of operating conditions and to quickly change tackle to meet a new set of conditions.

We claim:

1. In a pulp refiner, a composite wearing structure formed of a plurality of individual, segmental, backing means collectively covering one of the operating faces of said refiner, each said backing means comprising a shallow tray of rigid material having a tray bottom with an outer face, an inner face shaped to conform to the configuration of, and overlie, a segment of said operating face and an outwardly projecting rim extending entirely around the periphery of said outer face; a layer of hardened plastic material overlying, and bonded to, said outer face; a multiplicity of individual blocks of rigid material and uniform cross section closely packed in longitudinal and lateral spaced arrangement in said tray, each said block having a fiat bottom face supported on the outer face of said tray, a side face, normal to said bottom face, a base portion embedded and bonded in said hardened plastic material and a working face portion projecting outwardly beyond said layer to form a working face on said wearing structure and means for detachably afiixing each said backing means on said operating face.

2. A combination as specified in claim 1 wherein all of said individual blocks are identical in shape and size, the working faces of said blocks are parallel to the flat bottom faces thereof and each said block is tubular and of greater axial length than thickness.

3. A combination as specified in claim 1 wherein all of said individual blocks are hollow cylinders upstanding on one end and closely packed in tangential sidewise engagement with each other to form a working face with a cylindrical pocket in each block and pockets of uniform cross sectional area between said blocks.

4. A combination as specified in claim 1 plus at least one upstanding shearing bar of metal projecting outwardly from said backing plate intermediate thereof, the base portion of said bar being embedded in said layer and bonded to said plate by said layer and the outer working face of said bar being flush with the outer working faces of said blocks for forming a part of the working face of said wearing structure.

5. A working face segment for paper refiners, said segment comprising a shallow tray of rigid material having a tray bottom shaped to conform to the shape of a section of the operating face of said refiner and having an upstanding rim extending entirely around the periphery of said bottom; a multiplicity of individual, elongated, tubular blocks closely packed within said tray rim, each said block having a flat bottom face supported on said tray bottom, a side face normal to said bottom face and a base portion adjacent said bottom face, the remainder of said block constituting a working face; and a hard plastic layer binding the base portion of each said block to the adjacent blocks and to said tray.

6. In a pulp refiner, a composite wearing structure forming an annulus on one side of a disc and comprising a plurality of individual, segmental backing means, each including a backing plate of rigid material having a planar, imperforate outer face; a layer of hardened plastic material overlying and bonded to the outer face of said backing plate of each said backing means; a multiplicity of individual blocks of rigid material and uniform cross sect-ion closely packed in spaced upstanding arrangement on the outer face of said backing plate, each said block having a fiat bottom face supported on said outer face, a base portion embedded and bonded by said hardened plastic material in said layer and a terminal portion projecting beyond the outer face of said layer to form a working face on said wearing structure.

7. A combination as specified in claim 6 wherein each said backing means includes an outwardly projecting rim around said backing plate, said rim terminating in the plane of the outer face of said hardened layer and the said blocks proximate said rim are of hollow cylindrical configuration.

8. A combination as specified in claim 6 plus at least one upstanding shearing bar of metal projecting outwardly from said backing plate intermediate thereof, the base portion of said bar being embedded in said layer and bonded to said plate by said layer and the outer working face of said bar being in the plane of the outer working faces of said blocks for forming a part of the working face of said wearing structure.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 22,588 Stanford Jan. 11, 1859 887,575 Barry May 12, 1908 1,583,771 Bidwell May 11, 1926 1,997,500 Swarovski Apr. 9, 1935 2,066,138 McKay-Clements Dec. 29, 1936 2,390,351 Bolton Dec. 4, 1945 2,601,814 Larson July 1, 1952 2,633,778 Stuck Apr. 7, 1953 2,895,365 Myers et a1. July 21, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 7,801 Great Britain of 1911 OTHER REFERENCES Modern Pulp and Paper Making by Witham Sr., pages 348-349. 352-353. Sc. Library Designation TS 1105 55, 1942.

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