US644840A - Paper-coating machine. - Google Patents

Description

No. 644,840. Patented Mar. 6, |900. W. P. WOOD.

PAPER CUATIN'G MACHINE.

(Application led Apr. 24, 1899.)

(No Modem 3 'Sheets-$heet I.

me NcRms Patins co, PMOTQLITHQ.. wnsnmc'on. n. cA

No. 644,840. Pateted Mar. s, 1900.

w. P. woon.

PAPER GDATING MACHINE.

(Application med Apr. 24, 1899.) (no Model.) 3 sheets-sheet 2.

No. 644,840, Patented' Mar. s, |9011.

w. P. woon. PAPER COATING MACHINE. (Application filed Apr. 2,4, 1899.)

(N u Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

llarrnn STATES PATENT Genion.

VLLIAM P. VOOD, OF HOLYOKE, MAVSSACHUSETTS.

PAPER-COATING lVlACi-HNE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 644,840, dated March 6, 1900.

Application tiled April 24, 1899. Serial No. 714,257. (No model.)

T all whom #may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM PITT WOOD, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Holyoke, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Paper-Coating Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to paper-coating machines; and one object of the invention lies in the construction of a machine of this class having improved devices for laying on one side of a web of paper a coating of liquid or semiliquid material in any desired quantity and of uniform thickness and distributed with. practically absolute evenness over the entire width of said web, whereby the number .of brushes required for giving said coating a smooth finished surface is greatly reduced and the quality of the product of the machine is greatly improved.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means for insuring an even draft on the web of paper passing through the machine and means for preventing the sheet from curling on the edges thereof before it reaches and while passing under the brushes.

A still further object lies in the provision of means for securing the brushes in their frames and in devices for raising all of the brushes at once from operative position on the Web of paper without disturbing their individual adjustment.

The invention consists in the construction `fully described herein and pointed out clearly in the claims.

In the drawings forming part of this speci- Iication, Figure l isa side elevation of a machine embodying this invention. Fig. la illustrates a manner of bringing the .paper in contact with the color-roll different from that shown in Fig. l. Fig. Qis a top plan view of the machine with certain parts brokenaway. Fig. 3 is a perspective View of one end of a casting forming the support of the apron against which the brushes operate. Fig. 4 is a perspective View of a brush and brush-,frame in separated relations. Figs. 3 and 4 are considerably enlarged. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of. a part of the brush supporting devices.

Hcretofore in machines of this class the coating has been-laid on by a circular brush revolving in contact with the surface of the paper, which runs over a horizontal table, and a number of brushes located over said table, set to bear upon the paper, were given a reciprocatory movement thereon transverse to the line of travel of said paperto evenly distribute said color or other coating over the entire surface of the web. Owing to the fact that the coating applied on `the upper side of the paper remains green for some time, it is impossible to resort to rolls for drawing the paper under the brushes, and various devices have been employed for the purpose with indifferent success.A A positive draft on the paper is essential, and it must be sufficient to keep the paper under tension enough to overcome the resistance of the brushes and to prevent a light-weight paper from wrinkling under the transverse friction to which it is subjected by the movement above referred to of said brushes, and in practice it has been found that sufficient draft on the web to overcome its tendency to wrinkle is liable, when the paper is drawn over a flat or horizontal table, to cause the paper to curl along the edges thereof, thus affording a chance for the liquid coating to get under the edge of the web, disflguring the under side thereof and as it dries causing the paper to adhere more or less to the apron on which it rests. thermore, on machines as heretofore constructed the brushes were secured in supports independent of one another, and if, by reason of wear or the brushes becoming clogged or matted by the liquid coating, it became necessary to remove one of them its adjustment relative to the plane of travel of the paper had to be disturbed, requiring a read justrnent thereof when replaced.

This invention overcomes the above objections by applying the coating by means of rolls capable of adjustment, whereby a thick or thin coating may be applied, and by drawing the web of paper over a curved table, whereby, according to well-known principles, the edges are prevented from curling under any circumstances; by providing a positive draft for the web, applied beyond and independent of the continuously-traveling apron, against which the brushes operate, and in making'that draft adjustable, whereby it may Fur- IOO

be adapted to the requirements of different weights of paper, and, finally, by the provision of a frame supporting all of the brushes and devices for permitting the removal of any brush thereon without disturbing its adj ustment relative to the surface of the web, said brush-carrying frame being adapted to be moved away from and toward the said paper-surface to permit said removal of the brushes.

The construction of the machine embodying this invention comprises a suitable rectangular frame 1, on which is supported, in any convenient location, a driving-shaft 2, driven by a suitable belt 3. A counter-shaft 4 is driven by a belt 5 from said main shaft.

On the forward end of the machine a trough 6 issupported on the frame, in which trough a roll 7 is supported for rotation in suitable bearings in two standards 8, supported on the forward end of the frame 1. Said standards are slotted vertically and receive therein the sliding bearings of a roll 9, and which bearings are supported on the extremity of a screw Sn, located in the cap 12 of said standards and whereby said roll 9 may be adjusted toward andfrom the roll 7. A hand-wheel 10 is secured to the top of said screws 8a and its upper surface is graduated by radial lines, whereby by the aid of a'finger 11, supported on the frame in proper position, the degree of bearing of the roll 9 on the roll 7 may be indicated. The rolls 7 and 9 are made of gunmetal or some similar material and are turned up true and smooth. The liquid coating material is placed in said trough G, and the roll 7 applies said color to one side of the web of paper, which runs between it and the roll 9, the latter being set down against the blank side of the paper, binding it with more or less force against said roll 7, and, according to the pressure with which the roll 9 bears on the roll 7,the quantity of the liquid coating which will be applied to the web of paper may be regulated.

On one end ofthe shaft 13 of the roll 7 is a pulley 14, and on one end of the shaft 15 of the roll 9 is a pulley 16, belts 17 and 18 driving, respectively, said rolls 7 and 9, but the roll 7is given a somewhat-greater circumferential speed than the roll 9, whereby the surface of said roll 7 will be given a sliding or wiping movement against the surface of the paper, thus evenly applying the coating of the material in the trough 6, which adheres to the .surface of the roll during its rotation.

7, as stated, and thence up over the curved portion of the machine. This part of the machine is formed by a series of castings 23, 24, and 25, (indicated in plan on Fig 2,) and in an elevation in Fig. 1, and in Fig. 3 one end of one of them is shown in perspective, the opposite ends of said castings being alike. The upper surface of each of these castings is so curved that when located on the top of the frame 1 these will constitute, as seen in Fig. 1, a curved table extending upward from the forward end of the frame and backward toward the opposite end thereof, the surface of the last one, 25, of said castings merging into a plane practically parallel with the top of the frame 1. Along the forward edge of the casting 23 is hung a roll 26,whose periphery lies practicallyin the plane of the upper surface of the said casting, and in the spaces between the castings similar rolls 27 and 28 are located to afford support for an endless rubber or similar apron running on rolls 30 and 31, supported on the frame 1 at each end of said curved portion of the frame. The whole of the above-described portion constitutes atable over which the paper, having' received a suitable coating of material from the roll 7, passes and on which it is operated on by the brushes, as hereinafter described. The roll 30 is given a speed of rotation by a belt 33 from the main shaft 2 which will impart to the apron 29 a speed of travel equal to the circumferential speed of the roll 9. The roll 31 is hung on an adjustable standard on the frame 1, and by means of a screw 34 a proper tension may be put upon said apron. The roll 26 is so supported on the frame 1 that the periphery thereof will lie substantiallyin the plane of the curve of the upper surfaces of the castings 23, 24, and 25 and is located also in proper position to receive the web of paper as it leaves the roll 9. On one end of the shaft of the roll 31 is a sprocket-wheel 35, which by a suitable chain 36 rotates a roll 37, supported in suitable bearings on the frame of the machine in such position that the top thereof shall lie in the same horizontal plane as the top of the roll 31. Near the rear end of the frame is another roll 38, and on these rolls 37 and 38 is carried an endless apron 39 of rubber or similar material, which, like the apron 29, is of nearly the full width of the machine. Both of these aprons have nearly the same speed of movement, that of the apron 39 being slightly the greater. The bearings for the roll 38 are adjustable for taking up any slack in the apron 39.

Between the rolls 37 and 38 lies a suctionbox 40, so placed that the under side of the upper portion of the apron 39 will move transversely across the upper surface thereof in contact therewith during the operation of the machine. This upper surface is provided with slits 41, which extend over an area of said box narrower transversely than the narrowest apron which would be run on the machinep` IOO and a suction-pipe 42 enters one end of said box.` On the side of said suction-box 40 opposite the end entered by said suction-pipe is an opening 44, controlled by a sliding gate 43, whereby the degree of exhaustion existing in the suction-box may be controlled. Said suction-pipe is connected with any suit able exhauster. (Not shown.) A certain area of said apron 39, extending around it lengthwise and having a width narrower than the narrowest web of paper to be run on the machine, is perforated, as shown in Fig. 2, the web of paper being broken away for that purpose. As the apron 39 has a speed of travel slightly exceeding that of the apron 29 and as the exhaustion of air from the suction-box 40 causes the web of paper to adhere to the surface of the said apron 39, any tension that may be desired can be applied to the web between said apron 39 and the roll 9. Any degree of exhaustion may be obtained in the suction-box 40 by means of the gate 43, above referred to.` The greater speed of the apron 39 relative to the apron 29 is necessary to allow for variations in length of said web of paper between the said apron 29 and the rollv 9 due to the absorption 4of ymoisture contained in the liquid coating applied to one.

surface of said web. The tendency of the paper to `wrinkle and of the edges thereof to curl is also greater when one surface of the paper only is moistened than if both sides .were subjected to moisture a-t the same time;

but the inconvenience caused by this characteristic is entirely obviated by drawing the paper over the curved surfaces-formed bythe tops of the castings 23, 24, and 25.

As the paper leaves the roll9 the coating of material upon its surface, while it is perfectly even is not perfectly smoothbut when held up to the light shows lines running lengthwise thereof, and to lay this coating smoothly over the surface the brushes 46 are provided, which have a reciprocating traverse movement over the paper. These brushes are preferably three in number, one located over each of the castings 23, 24, and 25 and against the tops of which they bear, the apron 29 being interposed between the tops of said castings and the web of paper. These brushes are each secured removably in clampingframes, (one of which is illustrated in Fig. 4,) which frames are adjustably supported between vertical rods 47, whose lower extremi ties are fixed in vertically-movable bases 48, located under the top rails of the sides of the frame l. These rods 47 extend through the upper side rails of the frame l and through bosses 49, cast on the lower edges of the sides of the castings 23, 24, and 25, bolted to the top of the frame, vwhich act as guides and support-s for said rods. A boss 50 is cast on the under side of each of said bases 48, in which a post k5l is secured extending downwardly and has a collar 52 secured toit, to which is pivotally connected one end of an arm 53, whose opposite end is secured on the rock-shaft 54, hung in suitable bearings on the frame 1. said rock-shaft is secured a lever 55, whereby said shaft may be oscillated to raise or lower the base 48, carrying the vertical brushsupporting rods 47, and a suitable support,

(See Fig. 5.) On one end of` as 55, is provided for the lever 55, whereby them parallel with the surface of the apron `29 and transverse to the line of movement of the-latter, and in which holes are located two rods 58, which have a free sliding movement through said cross-heads. On said rods are the heads 59 and 60, between which a brush 46 is clamped by its ends. One of said heads 59 is movable on said rods 58, and the other,

60, is ixed thereto by set-screws, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. To each of'said heads 59 and 60 toggle-rods 6l are secured by one end, the opposite ends thereof being pivotally attached one above .the other to a toggle-lever 62, the distance between the points of attachment of said rods to said leverbeing whatever may be required to effect the necessary 'clamping movement of the head 59 relative to the head 60 when the toggle-lever is moved from avertical to a horizontal position. Contiguous ends of the two rods 58, which support one of said brushes, are entered and secured in a head 63, and connecting rods 64, by suitable straps, engage eccentrics on a shaft 66, supported in bearings parallel with the side of the machine and receiving proper rotary movements through bevel-gear connections 67 with a vertical shaft 68, which in turn isl geared tothe main driving-shaft 2, as shown in Figs. l and 2. These eccentrics may be set in such positions on the shaft 66 as may be considered most desirable either to move them all simultaneously across the paper in one direction or one in one direction and the other two in the opposite direction, or they may be set on thirds, so that the movements of one brush will be followed by similar movements of the other two at regular intervals.

The method herein set forth of applying the coating mixture by means of rolls operated as described offers many advantages over the circular brush heretofore used. By

ICO

IIO

means of the rolls the quantity of the coating material applied to the paper is absolutely controlled, and different lots can be treated so as to produce like results.

The method of running the rolls herein described not only lays the coating on the paper evenly, but it assures a closer union of that coating with the paper. Furthermore,

it is very much more economical of the coating material, for whatever amount may be taken up by the roll 7 only as much will be applied to the paper as is permitted by the adjustment of the roll 9 against the roll 7,

` the surplus running back into the trough.

This machine is particularly adapted for applying to paper the basic coating required in paper for photographic work, owing to the evenness with which it can be laid on, the economy in material, and owing to the peculiar constituents of that particular coating, which makes it very difficult to apply properly with brushes. A further economy lies in the fact that the rolls of this machine perform their work so perfectly that only about half the number of smoothing-brushes are required, as when a circular brush is used for applying the coating. These brushes must be of iine quality-usually badger hair brushesand are very expensive and Wear out rapidly when in continuous operation.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In a paper-coating machine, a roll for applying a coat of liquid material on one side of a web of paper, a feed-roll adjustable toward and from said first-named roll, said liquidapplying roll having a circumferential speed different from said feed-roll, a curved bed over which the webl of paper passes, smoothingbrush-es having transverse movements across the paper and located over said curved bed, a suction-box, an endless apron running over the surface of said box, perforations in said apron covering an area of less width than that of the paper, an eXhauster connected with said box, and means for imparting movement to said feed-roll and movement of said perforated apron away from said feed-roll, substantially as described.

2. A paper-coating machine comprising a suitable frame, a pair of rolls su p ported thereon whereby a web of paper is drawn into the machine, and a coating of liquid material applied to one side thereof, a curved bed on said machine, an endless apron running over said curved bed; a suction-box located beyond said curved bed, a second endless apron running over said suction-box and in contact with its upper surface; perforations in said apron covering an area of less width than that of the paper, whereby the latter is adapted to adhere to said apron, a series of brushes supported over the said curved bed, means for imparting a reciprocating traverse movement to said brushes, and for rotating said feed and coating rolls and said aprons, substantially as described.

3. In a paper-coatin g machine, a roll for applyinga coating of material in liquid form to a piece of paper, and a feed-roll for said paper, said coating-roll having a bearing against said feed-roll and a greater circumferential speed than the latter, a curved bed over which the paper is drawn from said feed-roll, whereby said paper is made to lie flat against said bed after having said liquid applied thereto, and brushes having transverse movements across said paper for smoothing the surface of said coating, substantially as described.

4. In a paper-coating machine, a roll for applying a coating of material in liquid form to a piece of paper, and a feed-roll for said paper, said coating-roll havin ga bearing against and a greater circumferential speed than said feedroll, a curved bed over which the paper is drawn from said feed-roll, whereby said paper is made to lie flat against said bed, after hav- 8o ing lsaid liquid applied thereto, an endless apron traveling away from said feed-roll, means for applying suction to the under side of said apron within the' limits ot' the paper, and perforations through said apron whereby said paper is caused, by said suction, to adhere to said apron, substantially as described.

5. In a paper-coating machine, a'roll for applying a coating of material in'liquid form to a piece of paper, and a feed-roll for said paper, said coating-roll having a greater circumferential speed than said feed-roll, a curved bed overwhich the paper is drawn from said feed-roll, whereby said paper is made to lie flat against said bed after having said liquid applied thereto,`an endless apron traveling away from said feed-roll, means for applying suction to the under side of said apron,within the limits of the paper, and perforations through said apron whereby said paper iscaused,by said suction,to adhere to said apron, and a series of brushes movable as one away .from and toward said curved'bed, and individually adjustable relative thereto, substantially as described.

6. In a paper-coating machine, means for supporting the smoothing-brushes for movement, as a unit, toward and away from the paper, comprising movable bases having uprights thereon for supporting suitable rods, on which said brushes individually have a sliding movement transversely of the paper, suitable clamps on said rods for holding said brushes, and means for individually transversely moving said brushes, and for verti- 115 cally moving said brush-supporting bases, substantially as described.

VILLIAM I). WOOD.

IOO

IIO

lVitnesses:

H. A. CHAPIN, K. I. OLEMoNs.

Images