US3729374A - Production of a fibrous web between an endless belt and an endless permeable belt - Google Patents

Production of a fibrous web between an endless belt and an endless permeable belt Download PDF

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Publication number
US3729374A
US3729374A US00116212A US3729374DA US3729374A US 3729374 A US3729374 A US 3729374A US 00116212 A US00116212 A US 00116212A US 3729374D A US3729374D A US 3729374DA US 3729374 A US3729374 A US 3729374A
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Prior art keywords
belt
suspension
fibres
endless
production
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US00116212A
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English (en)
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H Lissalde
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Papeteries Navarre SA
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Papeteries Navarre SA
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    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D21—PAPER-MAKING; PRODUCTION OF CELLULOSE
    • D21F—PAPER-MAKING MACHINES; METHODS OF PRODUCING PAPER THEREON
    • D21F1/00—Wet end of machines for making continuous webs of paper
    • D21F1/02—Head boxes of Fourdrinier machines
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D21—PAPER-MAKING; PRODUCTION OF CELLULOSE
    • D21F—PAPER-MAKING MACHINES; METHODS OF PRODUCING PAPER THEREON
    • D21F9/00—Complete machines for making continuous webs of paper
    • D21F9/003—Complete machines for making continuous webs of paper of the twin-wire type

Definitions

  • This invention relates to the production of fibrous and/ or like structures of different types, such as paper, Wadding, non-woven fabrics, for domestic, clothing, hygienic, medical, industrial and other purposes.
  • these structures will be referred to by the term carrier, and this description will be applied to the webs or sheets produced in the form of unitary sections of optional size, as well as to sheets produced continuously to constant width and indefinite length and which may be wound on reels.
  • This invention relates to carriers produced from elements of a variety of origins, being natural, synthetic, metallic, artificial or the like, possessing optional features in respect of their nature and dimensions, and which may be employed in the crude state or after subsequent processing.
  • the invention is highly suitable for use in the production of long-fibre carriers which are diflicult or impossible to obtain by some existing production methods, and which are of pronounced interest in industries, such as, for example, the non-woven fabrics industry, as well as in the production of a variety of goods produced from crude fibrous carriers containing little or no bonding substance.
  • the fibres or mixture of fibres are placed in suspension in water, and this suspension is guided to flow in sheet-form to form a fibrous sheet or web. If these processes are to be applied in the case of long fibres, the dilution of the suspension must be increased. This requires an increase in the rate of flow in sheet form, to obtain a sheet or web of definite unit weight, and the flow becomes turbulent so that production is impracticable.
  • the main object of the present invention is to provide for the uncomplicated production of carriers from suspensions of fibres of optional length, even of great length amounting to 30 mms. and more for example, and requiring very low concentrations, which may be equal to or lower than 0.07 g/litre for example, instead of concentrations of 2 to g./litre employed at present in existing processes.
  • the invention equally has as its object to assist in the forming of a carrier comprising randomly directed 3,729,374 Patented Apr. 24, 1973 or slightly directionalised fibres, and thus of more isotropic structure than the existing carriers.
  • a process for the production of a web or carrier of fibrous elements comprises. placing the elements in suspension in a liquid bath, so as to be drawn along in suspension towards a constricted part of the bath having a progressively decreasing width to form an area of progressively increasing concentration in the suspension, and to issue from the area between two conveyor belts to form the carrier.
  • the restricted space preferably extends in depth.
  • the restricted space is preferably bounded by quickly converging surfaces, at least one being of curved shape, to cause sudden transfer of the fibres from a region of great dilution into a region of high concentration and to prevent formation of a directionalised structure by immobilisation of the fibres in the tangled condition.
  • Transverse orientation of some fibres relative to the faces of the conveyor belts may appropriately be established, for example by engendering a guiding flow within the bath, or by stirring the suspension in the high-concentration space, or immediately upstream of this space, to enhance the tangling of the fibres.
  • a device for carrying out the process of the invention comprises a tub or vat to contain a suspension of fibres, a space of progressively decreasing width forming a volume for agglomeration of the fibres being arranged in the tub and having an outlet between two entraining or conveying belts or sheets to form a web or sheet of fibrous materials between them, and means of setting the fibres of the suspension into motion towards the said space, and of feeding them in the agglomerated condition to the forming webs or belts.
  • At least one surface of the agglomerating volume may be formed by a portion of forming web or belt. This volume may extend in depth and hydraulic pressure may prevail therein.
  • a deflecting plate positively directs the fibres to the agglomerating volume in a transverse direction to the plane of formation of the sheet or web.
  • a sheet or layer of fluid such as air or water is injected into the agglomerating volume or immediately upstream of the same to cause tangling of the fibres.
  • the suspension may be fed to the bath in a continuous liquid flow with gradual loss of head or speed, so as to preserve the homogeneity of the suspension. A condition of constant flow without sudden speed changes is thus established between the inflow and the agglomerating space.
  • FIG. 1 shows diagrammatically a device for production of the carrier
  • FIGS. 2 and 3 show modified forms of the device of FIG. 1.
  • the device of FIG. 1 comprises a chest or vat 1 to
  • the vat 1 comprises stationary wall elements 4, 5 and 6, a moving wall element 7 forming part of the endless belt 2 and situated in the extension of the stationary element 5, as well as a moving wall element 8 situated in the extension of the stationary element 6 and forming part of the endless belt 3.
  • the vat or tub 1 which is joined in gradual manner to a feed duct S, comprises a reception space A for the suspension, an expansion space B and an outflow space C whose downflow extreme portion D has a progressively decreasing width with its outlet between two parallel sections 9 and 10 of the two endless belts 2 and 3.
  • the space D is bounded by the moving wall elements 7 and 8.
  • the element 7 is in contact with a roller 11 of the endless belt 2 and thus has a curved shape coming close tangentially to the element 8, so that the reduction in width of the space D occurs suddenly and may be dimensioned by appropriate choice of the diameter of the roller 11.
  • the vat or tub may be pressurised or depressurised.
  • An open tank may be employed.
  • the endless belt 3 may, for example, consist of a metal or plastic cloth whose weave is of texture and mesh size appropriate for the carriers which are to be produced; or else of a felt permeable in respect of the liquid of the suspension, or else of a liquid-proof material.
  • the endless belt 2 is made of a material permeable by the liquid phase of the suspension of fibres.
  • the endless belt 3 runs over rollers 12, 13, of Which one imparts drive, and over guiding and tensioning rollers 14. Its lower section between the rollers 12 and 13 may, if appropriate, be acted upon by cleansing rinsing elements 14A and of smoothing bars or the like 14B.
  • the roller 13 may be solid or perforated, and in the latter case may be co-ordinated with an internal suction chest. If appropriate, it may be operated in conjunction with a thrust roller 13A.
  • the upper section of the endless belt 3 extending between the rollers 12 and 13, is stretched in horizontal or other position and, if appropriate, is equipped with a variety of removable accessories abreast of the wall element 8 of the vat or tub 1, which operate separately or simultaneously and may comprise the features to be described.
  • a solid, perforated or grooved displaceable face-plate 15 is in contact with the belt 3 to close off an area of the latter wholly or partly and to cause or prevent draining of the suspension through the side 8 in controllable manner; the displaceable plate 15 is preferably positioned so that it may be adjusted in position during operation of the device.
  • a box 16 is provided open at the top, with one or more compartments covering the whole or part of the draining area controlled by the plate and adapted for controlling this area instead of the latter; one or more of these compartments may receive the liquid drained through their open side aligned under the belt, and discharging the same by gravity or pumping in controlled manner; each compartment is separately adjustable and is organised so that it may be depressurised or fed with liquid in order to accelerate the settling of agglomerated fibres on the belt 3, or on the contrary to delay and transpose the same downstream.
  • a narrow sheet-like jet 17 of fluid such as air or water may be applied as shown at an appropriate point of the space D, to change the orientation of the fibres before or during their agglomeration, or to create, abreast of the openings of the belt 3, areas of reduced density in a carrier in process of formation, for example being hinge areas to reduce the rigidity of the carrier.
  • One or more draft chests 18 may be provided to draw off the interstitial water through the part 10 of the belt 3.
  • One or more steam distributors 19 may be provided, as may be one or more compressed air distributors 26 4 to separate the web or fibrous formed between the belts 3 and 2 from the belt 3.
  • the endless belt 2 consists of a metal or plastic cloth, or of a woven or knitted felt, or of a more or less liquidproof cloth, or of any other material corresponding to the nature of the carrier to be produced.
  • the belt 2 runs over the rollers 11 and 21 and over the guiding and tensioning rollers 22. It is driven by a separate driving system, synchronously with the belt 3, or by the belt 3 by being gripped between the latter and the roller 11 or 21.
  • washing and smoothing devices are disposed along the run of the belt 2.
  • the roller 11 is solid, or perforated like the draining cylinders in paper-making machines, and in the latter case is internally equipped for discharge of the draining liquid.
  • the belt 2 is constructed to lift the sheet formed between it and the belt 3 and to transfer the same to a subsequent processing device, for bonding, pressing, drying or the like.
  • a suspension of fibrous products fed at A to the inlet of the tub 1 expands in the space B and travels to the space C under the action of hydrostatic pressure assisted, if appropriate, by negative pressure in the box 16 and/or in the roller 11, or by means of any other device intended to cause liquid to be drawn to the space D.
  • the fibres accumulate between the sides 7 and 8 and, drawn into the space D of progressively decreasing width, suddenly change from the state of a suspension to that of an agglomeration, and are thus immobilised in the position they were occupying in the first of these two conditions, that is to say in random pattern, and without preferential orientation. They are then drawn along by the two belts 2 and 3 and issue from the bath to form, between the two sections 9 and 10 of these two belts, a web or carrier 23 of fibrous homogenous and isotropic structure, formed by fibres pointing in all directions.
  • the tangling of the fibers may be accentuated by the sheet of liquid or fluid 17.
  • an internal partition 24 drawn dashdotted and positioned in the manner of a baflle-plate with respect to the flow of suspension fed into A, causes the suspension to drop downwards in the direction of the arrow G to force some fibres to assume a transverse position relative to the plane of formation of the carrier 23.
  • a grid of wires extending in one or more directions, or an optional web which may be pliable and continuous, such as for example netting, screening or curves of textile or metallic material, or a meshwork fabric, may be appliedon one side or within the depth of the web or carrier in process of formation.
  • This layer 25 may be introduced between the wall elements 6 and 8 or 5 and 7, or through the inside of the tub as shown dash-dotted in FIG. 1, in this latter case playing a part in drawing the fiibres towards the agglomerating space D.
  • controllable devices 15, 16 and 17 assist the evolution of the process by preventing premature settling of fibres on one of the belts and by limiting the region of contact and entrainment of fibres by the belts to the area in ch. th y were actually agglomerated in suspension,
  • FIGS. 2 and 3 are variants of FIG. 1, and comprise analogous or equivalent elements, having the same references.
  • the forming element 3 consists of a metal cloth situated on a drum-shaped frame, instead of an endless belt.
  • the moving sides 7 and 8 are inclined to either side from the vertical, the fibre accumulation space D being situated in the foot of a V-shaped tub, accentuating the sudden transfer of the fibres from a region of great dilution into one of high concentration, and if appropriate, renders it possible to produce a carrier both faces of which are of identical structure.
  • the invention is applicable to the production of sheets of special non-fibrous elements, such as fine particles, rodlets, granules, or of elements which are not naturally fibrous but are produced in the form of fibres.
  • a method for the production of a fibrous web of nonwoven fabric comprising the steps of feeding a dilute suspension of fibers through a pipe duct having walls smoothly diverging towards an extremity thereof and a transverse closure wall at said extremity and defining an expansion chamber with a said duct portion adjacent thereto, thus offering to flow a passageway of progressively increasing cross section smoothly merging with said chamber, a said diverging duct wall having a portion thereof at said expansion chamber formed by an endless permeable belt, said transverse wall having a portion thereof formed by a second endless belt, said second belt and permeable belt forming therebetween an outlet in the shape of a slot for said expansion chamber, said suspension of fibres having a concentration not substantially higher than 0.07 gram/liter, and creating a higher pressure on the chamber side of the permeable belt than on the opposite side of the permeable belt thereby causing fibres from the expansion chamber to settle on the permeable belt as a layer and be carried out of the chamber through said slot outlet.
  • fibres are at least about 30 millimeters in length.
  • a device for the production of a fibrous web of nonwoven fabric by means of a dilute suspension of fibres comprising a pipe duct having walls smoothly diverging towards an extremity thereof, a transverse closure wall at said extremity and defining an expansion chamber with a said duct portion adjacent thereto, thus defining a flow passageway of progressively increasing cross-sectional area smoothly merging with said chamber, a permeable endless belt forming a portion of a said diverging wall at said chamber, an endless belt having a portion trained over a roller and forming therewith a portion of said closure wall, said trained belt portion and permeable belt defining therebetween an outlet in the shape of a slot for said chamber, means for creating a higher pressure on the chamber side of the permeable belt than on the opposite side of the permeable belt at said Wall portion and means for injecting fluid into said chamber through said permeable belt after said higher pressure creating means.

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  • Nonwoven Fabrics (AREA)
  • Paper (AREA)
US00116212A 1967-02-28 1971-02-17 Production of a fibrous web between an endless belt and an endless permeable belt Expired - Lifetime US3729374A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR96729A FR1546480A (fr) 1967-02-28 1967-02-28 Perfectionnements à la fabrication de structures fibreuses particulaires

Publications (1)

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US3729374A true US3729374A (en) 1973-04-24

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US (1) US3729374A (no)
BE (1) BE710774A (no)
DE (1) DE1635719B2 (no)
FR (1) FR1546480A (no)
GB (1) GB1220464A (no)
NL (1) NL6802697A (no)

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3883630A (en) * 1971-09-09 1975-05-13 Solvay Process for the recovery of synthetic fibrils
US4053407A (en) * 1975-09-05 1977-10-11 Nordengren Patenter Ab Method for distributing a sludge to be filtered over the upper surface of the filter cloth of a rotating belt filter
US4167441A (en) * 1978-05-03 1979-09-11 Sandy Hill Corporation Papermaking machine
US4488928A (en) * 1983-05-16 1984-12-18 Kimberly-Clark Corporation Method and apparatus for forming soft, bulky absorbent webs and resulting product
DE10012342A1 (de) * 2000-03-14 2001-09-20 Voith Paper Patent Gmbh Doppelsiebformer

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
BE755432A (fr) * 1969-08-29 1971-03-01 Freudenberg Carl Fa Toiles ou tissus metalliques imprimes
DE2526697C2 (de) * 1975-06-14 1985-05-02 Heinz-Gerhard 8011 Vaterstetten Müller Vorrichtung zur Herstellung eines Faservliesbandes
IN157644B (no) * 1981-02-19 1986-05-10 Portals Ltd
CN102691225A (zh) * 2012-05-28 2012-09-26 华南理工大学 一种流浆箱装置

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3883630A (en) * 1971-09-09 1975-05-13 Solvay Process for the recovery of synthetic fibrils
US4053407A (en) * 1975-09-05 1977-10-11 Nordengren Patenter Ab Method for distributing a sludge to be filtered over the upper surface of the filter cloth of a rotating belt filter
US4167441A (en) * 1978-05-03 1979-09-11 Sandy Hill Corporation Papermaking machine
DE2850361A1 (de) * 1978-05-03 1979-11-08 Sandy Hill Corp Papiermaschine
US4488928A (en) * 1983-05-16 1984-12-18 Kimberly-Clark Corporation Method and apparatus for forming soft, bulky absorbent webs and resulting product
DE10012342A1 (de) * 2000-03-14 2001-09-20 Voith Paper Patent Gmbh Doppelsiebformer
US6521091B2 (en) 2000-03-14 2003-02-18 Voith Paper Patent Gmbh Twin wire former

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE1635719B2 (de) 1973-06-14
BE710774A (no) 1968-06-17
DE1635719A1 (de) 1972-04-06
NL6802697A (no) 1968-08-29
GB1220464A (en) 1971-01-27
FR1546480A (fr) 1968-11-22

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