Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
Docket No. 9062 - 1
~ :~ 6~29~
ROLLER TYPE SYSTEM, PROC~SS l~ND
APPARATVS FOF< PIJLP REFINTNG
13ACKGROUN D OF THE INVENTION:
_ . _ ., _ .,
ThiS invention relates to a new and improved pro-
cedure9 system and apparatu~ for reducing and refining
fibrous materials to a sub~tantially ultimate degxee.
It enables a reduction of the fiber elements to a
dimen~ion and form and on a controlled basis not hereto-
fore achieved. It i8 p~rticularly advantageQu~ for u e
in application to the reduction and refining of raw or
pre-conditioned wood-lik~ material~ the use of which i~
required in the fabrication of paper and board products.
It will be ~s~ de3cribed for purpo~e of illu~t~ation, but
not by way of liml~ation, a~ to khe form o~ itq e~odi-
n~nt or it~ application.
The entire pulp ~nd paper indu~try ha~ been af~licted
not only with dimi.ni~hlng sourc,s~ of ~upply of wood pro-
duct~ bu~ also wi~h ever incre~3ing c;:ost in their effor
to obtaln and proce~ fib:rou~ material ~ p~rticularly to
a quality pulp. Even more ~erious i8 the pro~lem of th~
dimini~hing availability and aotronomica~l co~t o the 9ub-
~0 stantial eneryy required to conv~3rt ba~ic raw wood m~ter-
ial~ to a fc)rm desirable for u8e in end products.
The pre~ent invent~ on i3 a boon to the pulp and pa}~er
indu~try in that it maximizes t}le ~o~lble u~e of the
~vail~ble raw fibrou~ materials and also makes po~ible
Docket No. 9062 - 2
11 ~ 6~2g()
a new and improved quality of pulp product. The appar-
atu~ em~odiments thereof quic~ly and effectively reduce
the fibrou~ material~ and with a minimal u~e of enPrgy.
The redu~tion enabled ~y the system and process of the
invention enables, moreover, ~ filamentation of the
fibrous material to which the ~ame is applied to a
form in which a significant expo~ure of their critical
zellulo~e content i3 achieved in ribbon and like form.
To understand ~he existing problem~ in the prior
art, one must under~tand the nature and character of
the con~truction of the raw wood material or wood~like
material which i~ utili~ed in the pulp and paper indu~try.
Take ~oftwood by way of example. In each ca~e this
material in it~ raw form basically embodies, as appxox-
imately 904 of its volume, a l~rg~ bundle of tracheids
which themYelve~ have A fiber-llke character an~ are
looqely termed ~fibars~. }lowever, in and of them~elve~
thes~ tr~cheids are bundles of fiber~ or fil~ment~ Of
ribbon-like character wound and cemented together by
lign~in embodiad in which are int~rcellular membrane~.
Each component bundle i9 a complex structurc in which
the important cellulose constituent, known as the S2 layer,
is int~rnally buried and enca~ed ~ . An Sl layer
which actually comprise~ five to six layers of ribbo~-
like multiple windings~ each wrapped about the S2 layer
at a different ~ngle~ is itself encased in an outer or
Docket No. 9062 - 3
2 ~ a
P layer, which is al~o a wrapping. The S2 layer h~s
internally thereof an inner wrapping called an S3 layer
which bound~ a hollow core of the composite fiber-like
element con~tituted by the Pr Sl, S2 and S3 layer~
It i~ ~uch constituent of the wood or wood~ e materials
generally employed ~hat the pulp and paper indu~try ha~
found virtually impo~sible to properly reduce ~o as to
take full advantage of the optim~lly desired qualitie~
of the S2 layer. The pre~ent invention was based on
the recognition that to overcome the exis~ing problams
in thls re~pect and to truly ~chieve a quality pulp
product one must effectively break down the wood
structure to the extent that not only are the fiber-
like tracheid components qeparated but the P and Sl
layers must also be carefully ~epar~ted from the ~n~a8ed
S2 layer before there can be a proper ~ealing wi~h the
latter layer~ Then and only then can the membraneou~
~ilament material of thi0 cellulo~e S2 layer be extracted
in it~ ribbon, fibril or fil~ment form. With thi~
aahieved, its admirable prop~rties including its
flexibility snd adaptabllity for r~ady bonding can
be made available for ~chieving paper and board
products which have a uniform high quality the degree
of which ha~ not heretofore been pos~ible.
To thi~ point in time no grinder, roller type pro-
duction ~ystam or sirlgl~ or even double rotating di~c
Docket N~.9062 - 4
2 ~ ~
refiner ha~ been found capable of producing the de~ired
de~ree and form ~f reduction above d~cribed, particu-
larly in a manner to con~erve ~nergy in the processing
of pulp material~ to the extent now nece~sary. The
grinder and roller type production syYtems heretofore
provided are in fact reduction means the application
of which re~ult~ in cutting~ abrading and pvwdering the
raw wood product~ to the point the product ~chieved thereby
i9 a haphazard agglomerate masY in which there i~ little
evidence of exposure of the S2 rihbon~ or membraneou~
filaments in any really coherQnt form. Moreover, there
i~ little uniformity to the cont~nt of the ~o reduced
mat~rials. The disc re~iners, particul~rly r~volvlng
di~c refiners which are pre~surized, can produce ~
better pulp ~han the prior art grinder~ or roller~ but
the pulp in this ca~e ~till evidlQnces the fact that this
apparatu~ doe~ ~o~ achieve, expo~e or produc~ S~ ribbon5
or filament~ on an acceptable level~ Nor do they pro-
duce ~ unlformity of the result~nt pulp product which
would be mo~t desirabl~ for us~ by tha pulp and paper
lndustry.
One impvrtant fact stand~ out when examining the
end products o~ the prior art apparatus of the type
de~crihed. No unit, ~y~tem or procedure heret~fore
known ha~ really reduc~d fibrous materials, particu-
larly wood material~; in ~ m~nner or ~o a level that
-
Docket No,9062 - 5
2 9 ~
their most important con~tituent parts thereof have been
salva~ed in such a form that their prime qualities couid
be utilized to an effective degree in end products.
Al~o, no apparatu~ or reduction proce~.~ heretofore
utilized in the pulp and paper industry has been able
to reduce the sub3tantial consumption of energy which
occurs in a pulping procedure, particularly in tho~e
procedures which foll~w thQ fir~t pha~e breakduwn of
the raw material.
In the development of the pre~ent invention note
ha~ been carefully taken of all of the abov~ act~ ~nd
the need for overcoming the problems evidenaed ther~by.
me solu~cion to the problem, whi.ch heretofore has b~en
inobvious, has been fousld to exi.~t in a ~imple and
~conomical apparatus and proceduxe which con3uune~ a
low amount of energy. Pref~rrecl embodiment~ feature
the u~e of a uniquely ~urfaced roller~.
While the invention wa~ origlnally contempl~tad
~lS a mean~ to b~tt~r u~clli~e thE3 product of fir~t phia3e
refi~ing u~ilizing h~r~tofore av~ilable equipment, it
h~s been found that th0 inv~ntion ~ystem, apparatu~
and procedures offer the option of ~chievin~ a total
reduction ~ystem aY applied to r~w fibrous materials
the quality and end re~ult~ o wh.~ch are un~xpectedly
in the direction of what ha~ boen heretofore desired
but incapable of be~ng a~hiev~d by the prior art
reduction apparatu~.
Docket No. 9062 - 6
~ ~ 6~ ~9~
A fact that must be kep~ in mind when considering
the inability of the prior art ~pparatu~ to achieve the
end re~ults and savings desired, particularly in re~pect
to consumption of energy, i8 that their de~ign i8 cuch
that they will cut, abrada, chop and/or roll the material
on which they work in a high speed operation and in random
dixection and sense. Thi~ in any ca3e precludes the
~billty of thP prior art apparatu~ to get uniformity
of the qu~lity of their end product~ or to preserve th~
ribbon-like cellulv~ic filament portlon of the raw
ma~erial which, if preaerved, would be ~o benefi~ial
to the production of p~per and board product~
Particularly evidenced in the prior art i~ the
difficulty and even ~nability of pulping hardwoods.
The ~ructure of hardwos~ds ~vidence libri~orm ~ibers
~1~ a parall~l to kh~ tracheid~ whlch are more ma~sive
Cl~ to their layersd form. H~w~v~r they Ytlll exhibit
a ba ic, f ilamen~ structure a~ to their makeup. The
present invention enabl~ ~tartl~ng improvements in
thi9 direc:tion ~inc:o the hardwood~ pr~enlt no barrier
to the effective utilization of i~8 ~y~tem, apparatu~
and procedure~.
Docket No. 9062 _ 7
~ 3 ~1290
The prior art pertinent to an under~tanding of the
paxticular advance achieved by the pre~ent invention is
believed to be be~t repre~ented by the followin~ publi-
cations:
U~ 5. Patents:
S~ Watrou~ 7393 Jan. 26, 1833
J. Weis 473 3une 16, 1857
. Fickett102,239 ~pr. 26, 1870
Io & A~ G. Tompkins 189,399 ~pr. 10, 1877
5. R~ Thomp~on233~577 OCt4 199 1880
R~ A~ Lister, et al 389,310 Sept. 11, 18B8
B. Carter515,193 Fcb~ ~0, 1894
A. F~ Davis619~012 Feb. 7~ 1899
G. H. Pond653,312 July 10, 1900
J. Beall1,041,950 Oct. 22~ 1912
W, N. Cornell1,150,099 Aug. 17~ 1915
E. B. Fritz1~556,926 Oct. 13~ lg25
T. W~dleigh1,651,425 Dec. 6, 1~27
R. C. Benner et al 1,971~335Aug. 28, 1934
Donald C. Stavely 3,570,775Mar. 16, 1971
Publication~:
Curlated Pulp - A New Apprc~ach to Pulp Proce~sing
tPart I) by H. S. Hill, et al, Price Brothers an~
Company Ltd.
The Curlatox~ It8 Appllc~t:lon to High Yield
New3print Sulphite tPart II) ~y Fran~ P. Silver,
Pric~ Brothers & Company Ltd., Riverb~ndO P- Q.
A ~aboratory Study of ~ N~ M~chanical Pulping
~Proce~ by W. D~ M~y and D. Atack~ Pulp and
Papex Instltute of C~nad~ ~Reprint from Technical
Section Pulp and Paper Mag~zine o~ Canada,
~u~ust, 1~5).
Serial No. 350,345 - 8
2 9 ~
SUMMA~Y OF THE INVENTION:
The present invention provides a method of refining mate-
rial which has a wood or wood-like composition characterized
by elements having a fiber-like character which have a bond-
ing material -therebetween providing that they are intercon-
nected and thereby bound together in their original form,
said elements each being a unitized structure comprising an
outer protective par-t and an inner part, the inner part of
said elements having a ribbon, fibril or filament form which
is rich in cellulose and contained by the outer par-t. The
method includes the steps of providing said ma-terial in por-
tions thereof, rolling said portions of material and while
rolling applying a gradually increasing pressure thereto and
intermittently changing the locat:ion of the application of
said pressure in a pattern inducing the elements of the wood
or wood-like composition thereof and the parts of each element
to work, ruo and shear against each other in repetitious
fashion, gradually breaking down the bonding between the
elements of each said portion and between the outer parts
of the elements and their inner parts to expose and convert
said inner parts to segments thereof having a generally
ribbon, fibril or filament form. A resultant product is
provided thereby which may be advantageously and economically
applied to the production of high quality paper products.
The invention fur-ther provides a method of refining
ma-terial which has a wood or wood-like composition characterized
` Serial No. 350,345 - 9
9 ~
by elements having a fiber-like character bound together
to form a unitized structure, said elements each being,
in and of itself, a unitized structure comprising bound
together constituents including component parts having
a fiber-like character bounded together by lignin, one
component part being rich in cellulose, having a ribbon,
fibril or filament form and being surrounded and contained
by other componen-t parts which provide a protective wrap-
ping for said component part which is rich in cel.lulose.
The method in this instance includes the steps of rolling
individual strip-like porti.ons of said composition between
surfaces a portion of which is formed by projections from
a base surface which are essentially devoid of any cutting
or abrasive characteristics, maintaining each said strip-
like portion and/or parts thereo:E essentially separated
from other s-trip-like portions and/or parts thereof and
essentially transverse to the direction of the rolling
movement and applying pressure substantially continuously
to each said strip-like portion and/or parts thereof, as
long as they lie between said surfaces, in a pattern to
produce torsional shear effects producing a breaking of
the bonds between said el.ements of each said portion
and/or part thereof, the breakdown of the constituents
and said protective wrapping thereof and a rendering
accessible and readily extractible the said component
parts of said constituents which are rich in cellulose.
Serial No. 350,345 - 10
1 ~ & ~ 2~
In another context the invention provides a method of
refining fibrous materials comprising interconnected fiber-
like constituents embodying as components internal struc-
ture of ribbon, fibril or filament form encased in protec-
tive sheathing. The procedure in this instance includes
the steps of applying pressure to portions of the fibrous
material by introducing said portions in a generally cyl-
indrical form and rolling them between a general].y cylin-
drical roller and an adjacent surface, generally preserving
the content of each of the said portions of fibrous mate-
rial separate from the content of other such portions
during rolling, while applying pressure to said portions
and parts thereof to cause their constituents and the com-
ponent parts of their constituents to work, twist, rub and
shear against each other in repe-titious fashion, and pro-
ceeding in this respect in a continuing rolling procedure
to produce a gradual loosening of the ori.ginal connection
betweensaid fiber-like constituents and a breaking down
of the protective sheathing of an internal structure to
relatively loosen from each other the protective sheath-
ing of said constituents and component parts of said con-
stituents comprising the contents thereof without cutting
or abrading.
The invention further contemplates a method of re-
fining fibrous materials comprising interconnected fiber-
like constituents embodying as components internal structure
Serial No. 350,3~5 - 11
2~
of ribbon, fibril or filament form encased in protective
sheathing the steps of which include applying pressure -to
portions of the fibrous material by rolling said portions
between a generally cylindrical roller and an adjacent
surface, generally preserving the content of each of said
portions and parts thereof while applying pressure to said
portions in a pattern causing their constituents and the
component parts of their constituents to work, twist, rub
and shear against each other in repetitious fashion and
proceeding in this respect in a continuing rolling pro-
cedure to produce a gradual loosening and breakdown of ;the
original connection between adjacent said fiber-like
const:ituents and a breaking down oE said protective
sheathing for their internal structure to relatively
expose the collection oE said constituents and component
parts of said constituents comprising the contents of
each said portion and any parts thereof and subsequently
inducing the separation of the component parts into seg-
! ments thereof without cutting or abrading.
~nother procedure contemplated by the present inven-
tion provides a method of refining fibrous material com-
prising interconnected fiber-like constituents the es-
sential components of which include cellulose filament
structure and means defining protective sheathing con-
taining said filament structure. This method includes
the steps of rolling the material in separately defined
Serial No. 350,345 - 12
2 9 ~
relatively elongate portions comprising amounts of said
interconnected constituents, during rolling maintaining
the length of each said portion and part -thereof substan-
tially aligned in an orientation generally transverse to
the direction of the rolling and separated from other of
said portions and parts thereof, applying non-cutting ele-
ments during rolling gradually disconnecting said fiber-
like const].tuents and reducing said sheathing components
thereof, exposing and loosening said filament structure
from containment by said sheathing and converting said
filament structure to ribbon or thread-like segmen-ts thereof
while essentially inhibiting the separation of each said
portion and parts thereof into disconnected segments thereof
prior to the completion of the rolling procedure.
A further method comprehended within the present in-
vention, in respect to the refining of fibrous materials
comprising interconnected fibe:r-like constituents embody-
ing as components internal filament structure bonded and
encased in protective sheathing includes the steps of
rolling portions of the fibrous material in strip-like
forms and/or sections thereof with their lengths gener-
ally crosswise to the direction of their rolling movement
and during rolling generally preserving their respective
composition and inducing constituents and components of
said constituents of each thereof to twist, work, rub
and shear against each other under the influence of non-
- Serial No. 350,3~5 - 13
~ ~ 6~9~
cutting forces to break the bonds between the consti-tuents
and between the components of the constituents, loosening
and splitting the sheathing and splitting the internal
filament structure within the sheathing into segments
thereof while simultaneously reducing the sheathing and
avoiding uncontrolled breakdown of the contents of each
strip-like form or sec-tion thereof until completion of
~he rolling procedure.
A broad aspect of the invention provides a method of
refining fibrous material comprising interconnected fiber-
like consti.tuents the essential components of which in-
clude membraneous cellulose filaments encased in protective
sheathing. This method includes the~steps of rolli.ng por-
tions of said fibrous ma-terial independently of one another
and during said rolling applying forces reducing said
sheathing without cutting to expose said filaments and
reducing said filaments to form ribbon or thread-like
segments thereof while avoiding uncontrolled breakdown
of the contents of each said portion and providing that
~0 said portions are conditioned :Eor their ready separation
upon completi.on of and discharge from the rolling process.
In a broad context, a method per the present invention
applied to the refining of fibrous materials comprising
interconnected fiber-like consti.tuents, constituents of
which embody as components thereof internal structure in-
cluding elements of ribbon, fibril or filament form in
` Serial No. 350,3~5 - 13-a
2~
protective shea-thing containing said structure includes the
steps of rolling portions of the fibrous material against
a referenced surface and during said rolling, while gen-
erally preserving the fibrous material contents of each
said portion and substanti.ally all parts -thereof in a
separated relation to the fibrous material contents of
other of said portions and their parts, applying to the
contents of each said portion and/or parts thereof a pat-
tern of pressure and release of pressure inducing con-
l~ stituents and components of said cons-tituents thereof to
work, twis-t, rub and shear against adjacent thereof in a
repetitious fashion, gradually loosening and freeing the
constituents thereof one from the other, gradually loosen-
ing elements of the internal structure of the components
of said constituents one from the other, wi-thin the sheath-
ing thereof, producing a breakdown of said sheathing to the
point elements of said internal structure originally con-
tained thereby are relatively exposed, and reducing elements
of said internal structure to flexible segments thereof
having a ribbon, fibril or filament form and inhibiting
total separation of the resultant composition of respective
said portions of said fibrous material and parts thereof
prior to their discharge from the rolling procedure.
A particularly interesting aspect of the invention
comprehends also the refining of fibrous material compris-
ing interconnected fiber-like constituents components of
~ Serial No. 350,3~5 - 13-b
2 ~ ~
which include membraneous cellulose filament structure and
means defining a protective sheathing containing such fil-
ament structure. The method here contemplated includes -the
steps of rolling generally separated portions of said mate-
rial and parts thereof against a relatively static surface
and during said rolling establishing a relatively elongate
form of each of said separated por-tion and/or part thereof
and maintaining the length thereof in an orientation gen-
erally transverse to the directions of the rolling and
separated from other of said portions of said material
and any parts thereof, during said rolling applying a pat-
tern of pressure to each of said portions and parts thereof
gradually disconnecting the fiber-like constituents thereof
one from the other, reducing the sheathing of the components
of said constituents and converting the membraneous cellu~
lose filamen-t structure originally contained thereby into
flexible segments thereof while inhibiting the total sep-
aration of said reduced sheathing from its original con-
tained filament structure until the point of the discharge
of the respective said portions of said fibrous material
and parts thereof from the rolling procedure to which
they are subjected.
In preferred practice of the invention, the same
features differential pressuring of the portions of fibrous
materials developed in rolling thereof, along and to the
extent oE the transversely disposed length of such portions.
Serial No. 350,345 - :L3-c
Working of -the portions is accompanied by a gradual increase
of the level o-f pressure thereon and an emphasis of pressure
at poin-ts along their length at generally uniformly spaced
intervals. Depending upon the material and the application,
in some instances an originally formed portion wilL be in-
duced to separate into a plurality of smaller portions which
constitute segments of its length. However in such case its
smaller portions will maintain an essentially aligned end to
end relation as they are moved through the working path which
they follow in the rolling procedure.
The practice of a method per the present invention con-
templates the application of water or other suitable liquor
to the small portions of :Eibrous material formed and created
as they are passed between applied roller elements and their
shields.
[t is to be understood that the achievement of the
present invention is not only to substantially reduce the
use of energy in the refining of fibrous material, par-
ticularly that used in the pulp and paper industry, but
to provide for the pulp and paper industry a means and
method for more naturally separating the constituents o-f
the raw and conditioned fibrous material necessary to be
pulped whereby to insure that the paper and board makers
are provided with a pulp that not only is better as to
its fiber and fiber bundle content but is actually provided
Serial No. 350,345 - 13~d
2 9 ~
with a pulp wherein there are numerous free ribbon-like
membraneous filament portions of the important cellulose
components of the basic wood structure being worked.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention
to provide a new and improved method of refining fibrous
materials, particularly those which are employed in the
pulp and paper industry for making paper and board pro-
ducts.
A further object is to provide improved means and
methodsfor refining fibrous material which reduces such
material to its essentials to a degree not heretofore
achieved in any reasonable manner or at any reasonable
cost by heretofore known refiner equipment.
Another object of the invention is to provide a means
and method of refining fibrous materials, particularly
-those used in the pulp and paper industry, which is more
eEficient and satisfactory in use, adaptable to a wide
variety of applications, even to the reduction and refin-
ing of hardwood, and unlikely to malfunction.
An additional object of the invention is -to provide
for the refining of raw material in a simple rolling pro-
cedure which eliminates the incidence of random abrading
and cutting of material as occurs in the use of the prior
art practice.
An additional object of the invention is to reduce
the amount of fines in production of paper and board pulp.
-~ Serial No. 350,3~5 - 13-e
9 ~
A feature of the invention is the reduction of energy
consumption in achieving quality pulp.
Another objec-t is to provide a method and means for
refining fibrous material, particularly fibrous material
such as woods, possessing the advantageous features, the
inherent meritorious characteristics and the means and
mode of use herein described.
~ ith the above and other incidental obJects in view
as will more fully appear in the specification, the in-
vention intended to be protected by Letters Patent consistsof the features of construction, the parts and combinations
thereoE, and the mode of operation as hereinafter described
or illustrated in the accompanying drawings, or their
equivalents.
Referring to the drawings wherein some bu-t not the
only forms of embodiment of the present invention are
shown,
Fig. 1 is a schematic of a tracheid construction;
Fig. 2 is a schematic illustrating an embodi~ent of
S~rial No . 3 5 (), 3 4 5 ~
~ 3 ~
the present invention applied ln connection with the second
phase treatment of raw material in a pulp refinin~ proces~;
Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of structure used or
delivery of mater~al for rolling, shown al~o in Fig. 2;
Fig. 4 is a perspective explo~ed view which schemat-
ically illu~trates the preferred rolling surfaces employed
in tha practice o~ the invention;
Fig. S is a sche.matic illustrating an embodiment of
the pr~sent invention applied directly ~o th~ conversion
of raw mat~erial to a quality pulp by a rolling operation,
and without the need ~or a first phase refining operation;
Fig. 6 is a generally schematic view of a urther system
for creating ~trip-like increments o ibrous material from
fragments;
Fig. 7 is a fragmentary secltional view illuskratin~
detail o~ a drum type f~der of the type shown in Fig. 6; and
Fig. 8 shows another SystQm for creating strip-like
increments of fibrous material from fragments.
Note should be taken o the draw~ng~ and the fact that
certain elements are enlarged to better define their cha~-
aateristics and that the elements thereof are there~ore not
proportional or indica~iv~ as to ~heir relative slze. How-
ever, the context of the dr~wings should be quite clear to
those versed ln the art.
~ ig. 1 illustrates a bundl~ of tra~heid ~, tha ma jor
proportion o any softwood composition, ~ demonstr~te~
the na~uxe and ah~ra~ter o~ the w~.nd~ngs which compri~e
- ~.
, Docket No. 9062 - 15
2 ~ 0
the outer sheathing oE the trachQid which constitute the
P and Sl layers. To fully comprehend the importance of
the invention i~ mu~t be recogniz~d that as lony as the
S2 layer is bound in any re~pect wi~h tha P and Sl laye~
that it i~ relatively inîlexible and the product ~o pro-
vided is difficul~ to treat to make it useful ~or pap~r
and board products. Yet this i generally the product
met in the bes~ of hereto~ore conceived refiner equipment
and in mo~t thereo it is so randomly cut a~ ~o produce
agglomexates of not much better value and inclusive of
a grea~ deal of fines which adversely act to cause
d~crease in freene~s of the resultant product.
By contrast, the pr~nt invention results in a
uniformity of mater~al treatm~nt and a splitting of the
P and Sl l~yers without creating à large amount of fines.
Rather than this ~h~ pre~ent invention equipment and
process produce~ fr~e ribhon lik~ segments of the membran-
eous filaments compri~ed in the tracheids. It i of
primary importanc~ that a 6ub~t~ntial pxoportion of the
S2 layer will be found in such form in the end product.
Tha invention i~ illustrated in Fig. 2 in a com
po~ite in~tallation wherein first pha~e refining of
raw softwQod is achieved by a double r~volving di~c
Docket No. 9062 - 16
~ 3 6~290
refiner and the invention roller system then takes over to
extract the predominant inner important cellulo~e portion
of the first phase product in ribbon-like segment form~
Thi~ embodiment iB to illustrate how existing installations
utillzing dlsc refining in a fir~t ph~se operation may be
modified to take advantage of the benefit~ made available
by the present invention.
Thus, referring to the schematic af Fig. 2, a ~y~tem
of this nature a~ here contemplated will comprise, for
example, a hopper lO ~y way of which softwood chip~ in
their raw form may be directed to a pre-conditioning
ve~el 1~. The ves~el 12 i~ ahown to have an inlet 14
for introduction thereto of ~team or other conditlon1ng
fluid which i5 maintained therein under conditions of
elevated temperature ancl pressure ~o soften the lignin
content of the chips a~ they are advanced through the
~essel 12 ~y ~uitably contained mean~. From the ~e~el
12 the conditioned ch~pY are directed, by way of ~ feed~r
16, to the inlet of a di~c refiner 18. Within the
ref`iner 18 the chips pa~ through apertures in its
infeed disc to the eye of the refiner and ~o, between
and radially outward of the op~osed, clo~ely ~paced
r~fining surfaces of the refinex disc~ ~ they both
rotate and ane thereof rotates counter ta the other.
The chips so reduced are di~charged peripherally of
the di9cs and from the refiner by way of its outlet ~0.
Dvcket No. 9062 - 1~
~IS~29~
To this point the installation of Fig. 2 is well
know~ as to its constituent~ and a~ to the various
apparatus which may compri~e its component parts. By
way o~ example, reference in thi3 respect i8 made to
the preconditioner, feeder and refiner construction of
U. S, Patent No. 3,661,328 which i~ in ~his in~tance
utilized in first phase refining of the raw softwood~
The discharge from the refiner lB comprises fibexs
and fiber bundle~ which in this case are randomly ~ized
with no uniformity a~ to ~he direction in which they
have been cut~ Thi~ product is ~n the main~ moxe
speciically, fibex-lik0 tracheids and bundles thereof
such as ~chematically ~hown in Fig. 1O In no event i~
there appreciable evidence of free ribbon-like ~egment3
of the flexible S2 cellulos~ fil~lments which are enca~ed
in the P and Sl layer~ of ~he tracheàds, though in certain
cases, depending on the spacifio equipment and practic~
th~ outer ~heathing layer~ of th~ tracheids to the
extent exposed may have been roughQd or broken. But
irrespective, in utàlizing prior ~rt equipment for
first phase refining th~ expo~ure and/or br~akage of
the tracheid sheathing i~ ~t be~t incidental and limited.
In the practiae or the present i~vention the quenched
product i~suing from the refiner 18 will have a consi3tency
of abou~ 20~ plus o~ mlnu~ 5~, This discharge is directed
to a ves~el ~2 defini~g a dilution chamber, lnto which
Docket No~9062-18
~ 1 6~29~
is added, by way of an inlet 24, ~ufficient water or
suitable conditioning liquor, preferably at a temperature
of 190 - 200F., to chan~ its consistency to about 3 to
5%, In this dilute slurry form, the product of the first
phase r~fining procedure is discharged to Eorm a blanket
of it~ soli~s content on the upper run of an endless
belt 26 of multi perforate character.
The belt 26 may be formed of a plastic coated wire
mesh through which liquid of the slurry may drain. It will
be suitably driven, in obvious man~er, and will be contained
in an appropriate chamber ~o as ~o laterally contain the
material on the ~elt and to suitably receive and direct
therefrom whatever drains~ for di~po3al or for treatment
and reuse of its content.
A~ shown, the lower end of belt 26 i8 driven by a
roller 28 embodying drive 3procket means, located in a
side by side relation with a roller 30 to define the outlet
of a hopper-like di~charge device. The roller 30 will be
driven at twice the speed of the roller 28 and its outer
periphery will beax on the blanket of ~olid~ ma.~ed on
the belt 26 as i~ i~ turned ~bout the roller 28 to commence
it~ lower run. Some compre~sion of the blanket i~ achieved.
~y xeason of th~ slowar speed of the belt 26 the blanket
of fibrous material will tend to move therewith towards
it~ lower run and in the turn of the belt 26 about the
roller 28 it will l~ave the belt to depo~it o~ the upper
- Docket No.9062 - 19
11 ~ 6 ~
run of an endless belt 32~ the general direction of move-
ment of which is reverse to that of the upper run of belt
26. ~rhis ~acilitates a ~mooth and proper transfer of the
blanket of solids.
~rhe belt 32 is comprised of a series of parallel linked
closely spaced bars 33 extending crosswise of ~he belt
movement and perpendicular thereto. In cross section the
bars 33 have a ~rapezoidal ~hape and the surfaces thereof
which are widest ~ispose outermost of the belt. The
spaces between the successively dicposed bars 33 are minimal
and sufficient only ~o ~asi therethrough a thin blade.
To the end of belt 32 remote from that fir~t receiving
the blanket of solids, there is positioned over it~ upper run
a group of knife-like blades 34. The knive~ 34 are longitu-
dinally spaced, parallel and each arranged tran~ver~e to the
line of the belt travel. The knives 34 are arranged to
vertically r~ciprocate in a timed relation to the travel of
belt 32 to move between ~arq 33 :in obviou~ manner to cut th~
blanket of solid~ thereon into ~ma~l strtp-like portions 36.
The~belt 32 is under the control of ~procket~ 38 and 40 and
conventionally drlven to move at a ~peed corre~ponding to the
speed of rotation of the element 28. As the b~lt ~2 turns
about the roller 40 toward~ its lower run the outer periphery
of a counter-rotating roller unit 42, which rotates
preferably at twice the speed of roller 40,comes into a
bru~hing contact with each of the strips 36 in time
Docket No.9062 - 20
~ ~ 6~2~
spaced relation. In the proce~s the strip~ 36 will de-
po~it on the outer peripheral ~urface of roller 42, in
a circumferentially spaced following relation.
In the example illustrated, the roller unit 42 is
one of a series of ~ix roller unit~ arranged in an im-
mediate following vertical sequence~ In vert.ical
~equence, from top to bottom, the roller units are
identified as 42, 44, 46, 48, 50 and 52. Each roller
unit i~ identically fabricated to have it~ outer peripheral
surface formed a~ a cylinder on and about which is wrapped
and to which iR fixed a wire-like mesh belt of 20 to 50
mesh size, a mesh of 35 to 45 bei.ng preferable. This
produce~ on the otherwise ~mooth outer surface of the
cylinder a rectangular grid 64 defined by strands 54 which
are laterally and clo~ely ~paced from end to end of the
cylinder intersected by and interconnected with strands 56
at right angles ~h~reto which lie in radial plane~ of ~he
cylinder which extend end to end thereof and in relatively
clo~ely spaced parallel re~ation. The net effect of the
impo~ed mesh is to pxoduce very shallow tran~versely arcuate
projection~ running about the cylinder which extend in the
intended direction of movement of the solids ~trip portions
36 and very shallow similar projections which are closely
~paced and run tran3verse to the direction of intended
movement v strip portions 36. Where the strands 54 and 56
inter~ect they form nub-like rounded point~ 58 which project
slightly further outward from the ba~e cylinder than the
intermediate ~trand portions~ In any ca~e the projection~
Docket No. 9062 - ~1
are very shallow even at the nubs 58. The lattex, as
will be seen f have dual function in the drive of the
strips 36 and their refinlng~
Bounding about 160 of the down ~ide of the roller
unit 42 in closely spaced relation thereto i8 a shield
60. The shield 60 comprises a plate S2 arcuately formed
on a uniform radiu~ as a longitudinal s~ction of a
cylindrical wall s~ructure the length of which coinc.ides
with that of the roller 42. Embodied in connection with
the inner surface of the plate 62 i~ a rectangular grid-
like projection 64 similar to that on roller 42, ~he
~trands and configuration of which correspond to that on
the outer peripheral wall surface o~ the roller unit 42.
The shiald 60 is applied to the down side of th~ roller
unit 42 ~o its lower end is jus~ above the lower limit of
the roller unit and more clo~ely acljacent the roller unit
than its upper end. Thus, the spac:~ between the outer
peripheral surface of the rollex unit 42 and the inner
facing surface of its ~hield 60 gradually decreases from
its upper entrance end to ~s lower discharge end~ In
the example illu~trate~ the d~crea~e is from .120" to
.110". This spacing will depend upon the application of
the apparatus, as to th~ material applied and the con-
ditions of the end product desiredO
Each of the roller unit~ 44, 46, 48, 50 and 52, which
with reference to roller unit 42 is in this case ~ubstantially
Docket No. 9062 - 22
~ 3 6 ~ 2~
identically sized and has e~bodied on its outer ~urface an
identical grid-like projection, has a shield 60' applied to
bound and define ~herewith a ~pace at its down side decreasing
from the upper to the lower end thereof~ The shield 60'
is cons~ructed identically as described with reference to
the shield 60 except tha~ it~ arcuate extent and position
i5 such to bound almost 180 of the adjacent roller unit
down side. The inner surface of each shield ~0' embodies
al~o a grid like projaction 64 corresponding to that on
the adjacent roller.
The roller unit~ 42, 44, 46, 4B, 50 and 52 are so
arranged and driven that their direction of rotation i~
~uccessively changed. As shown, ~oller unit 42 rotates
clockwise, roller unit 44 rotates counter-clockwise,
roller unit 46 rotate~ clockwi~e, etc., the arrangement
being obvious from Fig~ 2 of the Idrawings. In addition
the vertical spacing of the roller unit~ in this vertically
aligned s~ack ~hereof i~ so close a~ to barely exce~d
the dimension o the separately introduced ~trips 36 and
the roll forms theraof which pas~ therebetween. At the
same ~ime the lower limit of the shield 60 almost touches
the outer surface of the roller 44 just following the peak
of its rotatin~ movement while the uppar limit of the
shield 60' next follvwing almo~t touche~ the roller 42
immediately abov~ and ollowing the lowermost point of
tra~el of its outer ~eripher~l surface. The arrangement
Docke t No . 9 0 6 7 - 2 3
2g~3
of each shield 60' and its next following shield 60' in refer-
ence to the rela~ed roller units will be the same a~ just de-
~cribed. In effect the shield~ 6D and 60' t~yether with the
roller units which they bound define a series of segment~ of a
gradually restricted work p~th whexein the cro~s sec~ion of
each segment is gradua:Lly reduced from its entrance to it~ di~-
charge end by an ever closer ~pacing between the opposed work-
ing surfaces o the roller and the applied ~hield. Thus, by
way of example, in the ca~e illu~trated, for application to
~otwood, the spacing defined between roller uni~ 42 and ~hield
60 in the fir~t segmen~ of the work path reduces from .120
inches t~ .110 inches, the spacing in the next segment between
roller unit 44 and it~ ~hield 60' gradually reduce~ from .110
lnches to .100 inche3, the spacing in the segment between roller
unit 46 and i~s ~hield 60' reduc~ thi~ spacing rom .100
inche3 to . 090 inches, ~nd so forth until the ~pacing in the
laYt ~egm~nt of the flow path bet:ween ~he roller unit 52 and
i~ shield 60' reache~ a dimen~ion at the discharge ~nd of
.060 inches.
~ ~iven the above construction of the roller stack, as the
cut and separated strip portion~ 36 of the solid~ matexial
leave the belt 32 and are picked up and smQothly directed in
the same direction of mov~ment induced therein by the reversing
belt, the content of each ~trip will be of gen~rally uniform
size and density and the con~istency thereof will, per the
invention, be at a level o~ 15 t3 25~, the axtra liquid added
to facilitate it~ transfer from the reiner to the roll~r ~tack
being drained durin~ .Lt~ ~ran~fer by reason of the open work of
its bel t drive~. The pick up by th~ roller 4~ will be facllita-
ted by the grid-like form o the ma~h projection on it~ outer
Docket No~ ~062 - 24
~ ~ 6 ~ 291~
surface and particularly the rounded nubs 58.
The strip portion~ 36 will be spaced and essentially
cross-wise to their direction of -travel a~ they are caused
to enter the throat defined between the entrance end of
~hield 60 and roller unit 42, adjacent and closely following
the ~eak of ~he roller. The shield i9 faired at its entrance
end to facilitate each ~trip ~.ntering the pace between
roller unit 42 and its ~hieldO As a strip iq caught within
this throat, the grid--like surEace on th~ roller unit 42,
assisted by the nub like projections thereof, advance~ the
strip by a rolling thereof against the facing surface of the
~hield 60. Due to the rectangularity of the grids, the
orientation of the strip 1~ mainta:Lned and it an~ every
section of its length which might :Eorm a ~eparate cylinder,
~hould ~uch occur, will have a generally uniform uni-
directional movement to the discharge end of the ~gment
of its work path defined between the shield 60 and roller
uni~ 42. In rolling movement thereof ~h~ cylinder or
cylinders formed of each ~trip 36 will have their cylin-
~0 drically formed configurations maintained and the totalcomposite of the ~trip 36 will maintain a line generally
cross-wise to the direction of the work path throughout
the working thereof.
The path through which each cylindrical portion of
the fibrou~ material formed in the rolling process pas~es,
between shield 60 an~ roller 4~, is gradually restricted
~ocket No.9062 - 25
2 9 ~
and for thls rea~on alone each cylinder is su~jected to
a uniformly increasing increment of pressure. ~t the
same time, by rea~on of the grid form~d projections 54,
56 and 58 there is imposed on each cylinder, along and
to the extent of its length, differential pressure appli-
cation~, the pressure being greater along those portion~
rolling on the strands 54 and being emphasized at the
location of the circularly spaced nubs 5B. ~etween
~trands 54 t~e pres~ure i~ les~ but in rolling it is
emphasized at the locations of ~trands 56, intermediate
the nubs.
Thus, the body of each cylinder of fibrous material
which result~ from the rolling of the portions 36 is dif-
ferentially pre~ured along its length as pressure thereon
by reason of the clo~ing of the shield on the roller 42 is
increased. Moreover, at uniformly and clo~ely spaced
intervalY this pre~sure ~pplied is emphasized al~d between
the intervals there i~ slight relief.
~ ee~ing in mind the decr~asing cros~ ~ectional area
of the flow or working path of each cylinder, a~ the roll-
ing continues, unexpected action occur~. The tracheid
components and the con~tituents of the tracheids in the
strip portion 3S are twisted relative each other as they
are subjected to ~mooth~ repeated non-cutting pre~sure
surfaces of the element~ of the grid-like projection.
~here i5 by rea~on o~ the pattern of the grid a tearing
Docket No. 9062 - 26
of bonds between the constituent~ of the material worked
and between the components of the constituents. The net
initial effect i5 tha~ outer sheathin~ of ~he tracheids
is loosened from the underlying layer~ and in part split.
It is to be recognized ~hat in the rolling procedure
each portion 36 and the cylindrical por~ion~ o material
which result therefrom is subjected to e~sentially the same
amount of work, independent of the feed rate thereof or the
speed of the vertically ~tacked roller unit~ provided that
the roller units do not exceed a speed of albout 8 feet per
second. The work moreover i~ effec~ed at a temperature
below a boiling point~ It i~ lmportant to note that by the
facing surfaces of each paired ~hield and roller having a
~imilar grid-like projection 64 ~uch as de~cribed it is
provided that on each 100" of travel therebetween of a
strip portion 36 of fibrou~ material, the strip is ~ubjected
to from 3500 ~o about 4500 pre~sure pulses.
A~ each cylinder of fibrous material resulting between
roller 42 and shield 60 le~v~ tha di~charge end of this
segment of its work path, it will expand somewhat a
permitted by the spacing between the bottom of rolle~
unit 42 and the top o~ roll~r unit 44 but will be picked
up by the roller 44 moving in the same direction as it
was discharged. This expansion will contribute to the
di.splacement of the fiber con~ti uent~ one from the other
due to the reactant,force~ xe~ulting from .release of
pres~ure as the cylinder moves rom the shiald ~0 to the
following shield 60'. In any ca~e the pick up of the
roller 44 i9 smooth as iB the introduction of the
cylinder strip, which it e~ec-ts/ to tha entrance of
Docket No.9062 - 27
the segment of the work path defined between tha upper
end of the uppermost ~hield 60' and the roller unit 44
t}le down side of which it bounds This shield 60' is
faired at its entrance end to facilitate the roller unit
44 driving cylinders of fibro~s material received,
facilitated by nubs 58, into thi~ second segment of
the work path and against the inner surface of it~
shield 60'. ~s each cylinder, substantially maintained
a9 to its comL)o~it~ enterY this second segment of the
work path, the direction of its rotation, imposed thereon
in it~ working by the roller 42,wi.11 be reversed ~ut it
finds itself facing the same differential rolling com-
pres3ion and relief as it was ~ub jected to just before
leaving the first segment of its work path and, as
before described, the general level of pressure i8
gradually increased as continued unidirectional movement
thereof and its orientation cross-wi~e to the direction
of such movement is maintained. The working of the
cylinder content in ~he second ~egment of the work path
i~ e~sentially the s~me as in ~he firYt ~egmen~, but to
increasin~ degree. The gradual pressure increase as
each cylinder i~ repeatedly subjected to general and
localized applications of pr2~sure increased and
relieved at closely spaced interval~, taken with the
~hallow arcuate configuration o~ the projected grid
portion~ which work the material, avoids uncontrolled
breakdown of th~ tracheid ~tructura~.
Docket No. 9062 - 28
2 g 3
The transition of the contents of each strip 36, in
the cylindrical form or forms thereof produced in rolling
from one to the other of the succes~ively following roller
units and their bo~ding shields which are vertically
stacked is identically contrived in each case and in each
segment of the work path at the beginning thereof the work
on e~ch cylinder of fibrou~ material is under pra~qure the
same as that from which the cylinder ha~ just escaped and
the pressure i~ gradually increased a~ to its intermittent
and successive applicatio~.
In the installation descr~bed, the tot~l of the work
path bounded by the ~hield~ 60 and 60 ' i9 approximately
lOO". The roller uni~s of ~he s1:ack 42- 52 are thus small.
The ~peed of the roller unit~ ~ 8 ,, moreover, unlform and
relatively 910w. There i~ thera Eore a very small amount of
ener~y consumed in thi~ refining proce~s. Nevertheles~,
the cylinder~ of material being wvrke~ are being rotated
at an extrel~ly high speed so the working i~ optimally effec-
tive. ~uring tha procadure deecxibed, af ter the pattexned
20 pressure appli~ation~ reach a pr~determined point the P and
Sl layer~ of the fiber-llke softwood tracheids in the cylin-
ders are suf~iciently plit to expose gluey membrane-like
hemi-cellulose materlal about and in connect~on with the
wrapped S~ layer which i~ the targe~ of the procedure.
After this occurs, with contact between this gluey material
of different tracheids, the tor~ional shear effects of the
rolling under the condition~ and with structur~ de~c.ribed
causes à ripping free of ribbon-like segments of the ~2
layer of the raspective trachelds involved. Keep in mind
that the roll form and the shape of each cylindrical portion
or ~eparated segment
Docket No. 9062 - 2~
9 ~)
thereof, if such should occur, of the material of a strip 36
created and worked in the rolling proce~s is genera~ly main-
tained though the cylinder or cylinders thereof are succes-
sively compressed. This preser~es the ribbon ~egmen~ form
of the S2 layer portions reed from its encasement. At the
same time the objectionable outer layers or sheathing of ~he
S~ layer,by the rolling compres~ive force~ applie~ is divided
into flake~ or tabs which quickly achieve an amorphous con-
dition, in which form they coat the ribbon segments and fibrils
of the S2 layer as the S2 layer is relea~ed. The sheathing
does not in the proces~ of the present invention appear as
loose fines to any extent. Thus, the form of the end product
i3 not so objectionable as a volume of loose fines which ad-
ver~ely affect freene~s when applied to paper and board pro-
ducts.
During the procedure de~cribed water at below boiling
temperature i~ pxe~erably appliecl to the individual strips
3fi to maintain ~he lubricity of their content since liquid
is extracted therefrom in the working thereof. This is
applied either at the contiguouR portions of the stacked
rollers or through apertures provided for ~his purpose in
the shieldsO ~he addition of water i~ carefully controll~d
to maintain desired consistency will facilitate the freeing
movements of the components o the tracheids in the strips
worked as they move one against the other to gradually free
themselvPs one from'the other under the condition described.
The product issuing from the stacked rollers 42 - 52 will
be a multitude of su~cessively following rolled cylindriaal
portions of fibrous material in which their original content
has been preserved but in a form wherein their con~tituents
Docket No~ 9062 _ 30
~ 1 6 9 ~90
have been freed from one another as to any binding by lignin
or other binder content as may exist. Even more than
thi~ the unde~irable outer layer~ P and Sl have been
helically split and flaked and then reduced to an amorphous
condition as described above and the S2 layer i9 helically
separated and in ribbon segment and/or fibril form, held
in a relatively protected relation within ~he split ~ubstance
in which it wa~ previou~ly buried.
The~e rolls are introduced into a t~nk containing
water or other conditioning liquid the temperature of
which is kep~ at about 190 - 200F. to produce a con-
sistency of 3 to 5% and then subjected to agitation by
suitable mean~, whereupon the rolls ~eparate into their
re~pective parts into which they were reduced by the rolling
operation. The rasultant product will have a significant
portion of ribbon-like ~egmente of the c011ulo~ic S2
layer and the other particles of the tracheids will be in
a form most advantageous to provicling a pulp produ~t, on
suitable adjustmen~ of con~istency in conventional manner,
wh~t:p can make the operation of the paper and board maker
much eas.ier and give h~m higher quallty products than
heretofore available a~t a rea~onable cost. Apart from this
the cost of refining equipment and the u~e thereof i4 con-
siderably reduced. The saving~ of energy i5 subgtant;ial.
Of course variou~ rneans and method3 may be used to
achieve the agitatin~ st~p~ to convert the rolls to
discrete ilament portion~ o~ the fibers, an es~ential
component of which is the soft flexible segment~ of
the S 2 1 aye r of the tracheid~ .
. Docket No. 9062 - 31
11 ~ 6 ~ 29~
The same roller type fiber filament separation sy~tem
achieved by ~he roller stack 42, 44, 46, 48,~50 and 52
together with their shields 60 and 60' seen and describ~d
with reference ~o Fig. 2 of the drawings may be utllized
in a refining installatlon which eliminates any require-
ment for a first phase r~fining of the type requiring a
disc refiner, grinder or prior type rolling structure.
For example, raw softwood chips, in their natural state
and at a conRi~tency of about 15~ may be introduced
into a ves~el 70 in which they are boil~d for a period
from about one-half to one hour. About 4% sodium
bisulphite may be added, for example, to prevent bright-
ne~s lo~s . The boiling softerla the liynin content of
the chips and place3 them in a fo~ resembling wet aard-
board.
From the ves~el 70, th~ chip~; are directed to and
between a pair of adjacent facing rollers 72 and 74 the
working surface~ of which are provided with tooth-like
projections for~ed and arranged to exer~ a bending in-
fluence on the chips. This causes the chips to ba
cleaued and divi~ed into matahs~ick 8haped ~liver~.
The ~liver~ so formed ~re then deposited on the top
of the exterior peripheral surface of a rotating aylinder
35 which ha~ been roughen~d to re~e~ble the surface of a
file or rasp. The rollar 35 driv2s the slivers between
it~ outer peripheral.3ur~ac~ and a similarly roughened
Docket NoO 9062 - 3~
29~
adjacent facing surface of a partially encompa~sing shield
75 the configuration of which i~ that of a longitud~nal
section of a cylindrical wall structure ~he arcuate ex-
tent o~ which i~ about 160. Drivan between the roller 35
and the ~hield 75 the slivers are induaad to roll and in
the proceRs of rolling their outer surface~ are fibrillat~d
and roughened to exhibit hairy tentacles.
As schematically ~hown, the shield 75 is backed at
its outermo~t surface by a shell which form~ therewith a
chamber receiving steam under pressure. This steam i~
passed from the chamber ~o form0d by way of aperture~ in
the shield 75 to steam an~ maintain the tempexa~ura of the
~livers as they are rolled at about 190F. Presæurization
o~ tha working environment of the material i~ unnecessary
to obtain the results ~tated and therefora thi~ proc~dure
may be conducted in an atmospherlc environmerlt, as may the
entire filamentation pxocadure previou~ly described with
reference to the procedure and apparatus first ~et forth~
The roughened ~liver~ are introduced into a ves~el
76 constituting a dilution chamber. Water diraeted into
the vessel 76 for dllution purpo~ will be ln ~he range
of about 190 to 200F. Within the ve3sel 76 the ~liv~r~
are subjected to high ~p~ed agitation by ~uitable agitator
means, which may be of any ~ort, but schematically repre-
sented in Fig~ 5 of th~ drawlng~ a~ including a propeller
type mixing elemen~ ?70 $he con~istenay of the slurry
YO forme~ will be irl ths ranga of 3 to 8~ solids. In the
vegsel ~6 it will be ~ound that the agitation of the
sliver~ in the liquid cau3e them to be variou~ly entangled
due to their hairy tentaales.
Docket No. 9062 - 33
2 s a
From the vessel 76 ~he slurry which now contains the
sliver~ in disper~ed form will be delivered to one end of
a continuous belt 78. Belt 78 i~ e~senti~lly a coarse
wire mesh ma~eri~l ~about 16 mesh) and i~ arranged to
move about it~ roll~r, ~procket type, drive units 80,
82, 84 and 86 at various angles. The unit 86 i~ the
primary drive uni~. Th~ wire of the belt 78 i~
preferably rubber or pla~tic coated and the belt i5
provided with a ~erie~ of longltudinally spacad ridge-
like projection~ 88 formed of thin rubber or plastic
which run tran~erse to the direction of belt travel.
The projection~ 88 form ~parators which are parallel and
spaced about the belt at interval the di~tance of which,
~or example, place~ the ~epa~ator~ about 8 mm, apart. So
arranged, the belt bein~ oontain~sd in a chamber or frame
receptacle affording guard plate~3 to either ~ide of tha
bel~ to inhibit material leaking ~here~rom la~erally~
the projections 88 define pocket~ on the belt into which
pulp ~lurry from the chamber 76 i~ depositedO As seen
ln the drawings; the upper sun of the belt 78 i3 comprised
of succes~ively angled ~egment~ for ease o~ tran~fer and
forming the ~eparate poxtio~ of the fibrou~ material
recaived.
The beginning portion of the upper run of ths belt 78
lnclines upwardly about 60 to a horizontal as it turns
abou~ the roller sp~ocket 80 a~ the lower and of the belt.
This incl.in~tion of the ~r~t s~gment o~ the upper run
facilitate~ receipt of the ~iber material in the pocket3
and induces a ~ough leveling o~ tha pocket content~. Th~
Docket No. 9~62 - 34
2 ~ ~
openings in the belt provide for drain therethrough of ex-
c~s liquid accompanying the fibrous material, whlch liquid
i5 directed from the belt for di~posal or reuse, by con-
ventional equipment.
The pockets so filled in the initial segment of the
upper run of the belt move up to a flatter but still up-
wardly inclined segment of the upper run where in passage
the ma~erial in the pockets i~ levelled by dependent edges
of a series of parallel, longitudinally spaced knives 90.
This cause~ each pocket to have the charge of fibrous
material therein to be e sentially uniform in size and
den~ity. From a peak of the upper run as e~tablished by
the roller sprocket 84 which there supports the belt 78,
the upper run of the belt then continue~ at an e~-qentially
horizontal level to and over ths drive roller sprocket a6 ~
about which i t turn~ to commence its lower run. It will be
understood that fiber material on the belt which is in ex-
ces~ of that required to fill the pockets will ~e displaced
from the belt by the leveling knives 90 and recirculated in
the ~ystem with the liquid which ha~ been drained through
the belt a~ lts pocket~ have baen filled.
A~ the belt 78 turn~ ~oward its lower run, the
respectively separate portion~ or charge~ 89 of the
material to be worked which lie between the ~ucce~ive
~eparators 88 are individually and ~e~uentially dropped,
in a direction which 'is under the in1uence of the
direction of the turning of the belt to it~ lower run.
The porti`ons or chargo~ 89 of the fibrou~ materia~
Docket No. 9062 _ 35
~ 3 6~2~0
will be relatively individual as they are immediately
picked up on the down ~i~e of a roller 42 immediately
following the peak of the roller rotation. It i~ to
be under~tood that within ~he body of each portion 89
the ~liver~ are entangled by rea~on of the hairy and
roughened outer surfaces. Moreover, a~ noted previously,
these charqes or portions 89 will be delivered from the
belt 78 to a stack of rollers commencing with ~he
roller 42 and associated equipment such as previously
described with reference to the system and procedure
exhibited in Fig. 2 of the drawings. Thus, the roller
42 catches each charge in the direction of it~ movement,
with no lo~ of energy or motion, cmd carrie~ it into
the throat between it and the partially encompassing
~hield 60, the latter being as previou~ly de~cribed.
In thi~ instance and with xeference to the first
described stack of roller~ there is complet~ identity,
and there i9 u~ilized the grid~like non-cutting pro-
jec~-ions including the nubs 58 which lend themselves
to the po~itive and gentle drive of the charges into a
cylindrical form. The gentlene~s is with reference
to the fact that there i9 uniformity of control, no cutting,
maintaining the charge~ in their cylindrical form
throughout the rolling operation and in their orientation
tran~verse to the direction of rolling. This means that
each and every charge i~ ~ubjected to e~sentially the
Docket No. 9062 - 36
2 9 ~
same working and therefore the quality of the resultant
product developed from each cylindrically formed portion
of the fibrous material created is es~entially identical.
From the initial segment of the ~ork path, each
charge i~ o~erated on independently and different parts
thereof are differentially pressured as they are subjected
to gradually increasing pressure in each segment of their
work path. At closely spaced intervals in their movPment,
the applied pressure is empha~ized as previously described.
Between segment~ of the work pa~h, the charges or portions
of the workled material temporarily spring back to a larger
diameter cylinder inducing periodic overall pulling apart
of the filament type element~ of their constituents.
It should be understood that ~hroughout the drawing~
the ~howin~s and detailing of the structure involved i~
generally schematic and l.imited. ~owever from what has
been di~played and de~cribed anyone versed in the axt may
select and con~rive the equipmen~ in that modification
n~ces~ary for practioe of the pre~ent invention ~or a
par~icular apulic~tion. The fundamentals, of cour~e,
mu~t be observed. Note that in certain ca~e~ where the
~tack of roller~ illustrated in the preferred ~mbodiment
are u~ ed, they may be oriented horizontally in ~paced
following and fu~ctional interrelation.
The resul~s of rollin~ of each separate portion or
charge of fibrous material being worke~ by the particular
-
Docket No. 9062 - 37
2 ~ a
means and mettlods described i~ a revela~ion of how one
may se~arate or unwind complex fibrous structure created
by nature. What happen~ is not fully understood, nor
may it be fully observed. It appears that the simple and
gentle rolling pre~sures differentially applied to the
cylindrical portions of fibrou~ material created in the
rolling procedure with continuing and uniformly gradually
increasing pressure, emphasized and relieved in localized
portions of the cylinders at closely spaced intervals,
produces reactant forces in the cylindrical form~ of the
composite of the material worked including torsional
shear which shifts the ~ilaments and other fraction~ of
the wood particles causing them to twistO ~hear and rub
against one another and to rip apart to induce separation
o their re~pective layer~ and finally a separation of
the cellulose filaments of the S2 layer~ into coherent
ribbon-like segments. It i5 believed that part of the
separating influences which are de~cribed within the
body of each cylindrically formed portion during working
are ~ue to springba~k a~ well a~ torsional effects a~
pre~sure i~ differentially applied and repeatedly varied,
particularly a~ localized portion~ of the cylindrically
rolled charges of the material. Thi~ last effect a~pears
to occur on an overall basis as pressure is relea~ed on
a cylinder of ma~erial t originally comprised of the raw
~livers, as the cylinder passes in original composite or
Docket No. 9062 - 38
~ 3 ~ g O
as cylindrical sections thereof from one roller or segment
of its work path to the next. Whatever the actual situation,
the operation on the material is structured to provide
individual treatment of small portion~ of the product being
worked which originally are of generally uniform si~e,
density and consistency. Each cylinder created is main~
t~ined as to its form as its constituents are loosened
and freed therein from one another in the rolling process.
In effect~ as to individual tracheids or fibers
of any fonm, they are rolled to induce a gentle split
of a ~radual nature in their exterior sheathing and the
~heathing is unwound and dislodged in part ag fragments
ratller than multitudes of fines. Even~ually the
important cellulo~ portiorl of the tracheid~ i5
expo~ed and filamented and converted to ribbon-like
segments, the highly ~lexible and bondable constituents
of wood material so long desired by the paper and board
manufacturers in the pul~ products they receive. A pulp
product of this quality ha~ not heretofore been achieved
20 in any uniform or consisten~ manner. The invention thus
brings the degree of available refining to a level which
prior art apparatu~ has been incapable of attainment.
The inven~ion may be eff~ctively employed in
refining hardwoods a~ well a~ softwood~. Thi~ ha~
been borne out in tests. Using the invention, one
avoids the incomplete refinin~ or breakdown o hardwood~
to a flour like substance as ~o often occurs in prior ar~
Docket No. 906~ - 39
11 ~ 6~2g~
efforts to refine hardwood. In the rolling of hardwood as
described, the treacherous and ob jectionable vessel elements
and parenchyma cells are effectively destroyed. Mechanically
refined hardwood Kraft~ highly acceptable for use in of fset
papers is now made po~ible. ~hi enables use of much of
our woodland which heretofore has not been considered as
useful for purposes ~uch as here described.
A still further embodiment of the invention utilizing
the roller s~ack 42, 44, 4~, 48, 50 and 52 together with
their shields 60 and 60' as previously described with ref-
erence to Fig. 2 is exemplified in Figs. 6, 7 and 8 of the
drawings. ~s here disclosed schem,atically the material to
be refined is delivered for this purpose in a slurry fonn
having a consistency range not greater than 10% and prefer-
ably in the range of 1 to 6~ and w~th a constant head. The
delivery may be by way of a suitable pump, a stuff box or
a head box and directed to enter what might be considered
the forming zons of a molding drum 100.
Th~ drum 100 i~ compxised of a cylindrical shell 101
mad~ of plastic or stainle~s s~eel, the re3pective ends o~
which each have a cap 102. One ~nd cap 102 receives there-
through a stationaxy hollow ~haft 104. Fixed to the shaft
104 interiorly of -the drum 100 ar~ two di~cs (not shown~
which are centxally apertured to accommodate the projection
therethrough o~ the ~haft. The discs are longitudinally
spaced and at right angle~ to the longitudinal central axis
Docket No. ~062 - 40
0
of the shaft and have their ou~er peripheral edges in
sealing bearing relation to the inner surface of the drum
as it rotates abou~ ~he shaft. The discs are in respec-
tively adjacent, spaced, parallel relation to the end
caps 102. Fixed to extend longitudinally of the shaft
104 between said di~cs and connected to the discs at
their respective axial extremities are a s~ries of four
circumferentially spaced parti~ions 108, 110, 112 and 114
the radial extent of each of which correspond~ to that o
the discs to provide that their projected radial extremi-
tie~ are also in ~ealing bearing relation to the inner
wall surface of the ~hell 101 a~ the drum rotates. The
paxtitions 108, 110, 112 and 114 define with the ~haft,
the disc~ to which they connect and the shell 101 a ~erles
of four chan~ers 130, 132, 134 and 136 ~ about which the
drum rotates in use . Viewing Fig . 6, the partitions 10 R
and 110, respectively at about a 7 ol clock and about a
2 o'clock position with re~rence to the shell 101, form
therebetween an included angle oiE about 195l. The cham-
ber 130 ~o provided constitute~ a zone of atmospheric
pressure. Reading clockwise in Fig. 6, the chamber 130
is followed by the chamber 132 which d~fir~e~ a vacuum
zone bounded by partition 110 and 112, the included
angle of which is about 90. One or more vacuum lines 140
are threaded through and ~rr~gad to open from the ~haft
v 104 to the chamber 132. The following chamber 134 defines
a zone ~Therein there i~ air under atmospheric pres~ure /
Docket No. 9062 - 41
2 ~ ~
bounded by the partitions 112 and 114, which foxm there-
between an included angle of about 15. The fourth
chan~er 136, defined between the partitions 114 and lQ8
receives therein air under pressure, applied by way of
a suitable line or lines 142 threaded through the shaft
104 and opening therefrom to the interior o the chamber
136. ~rne included angle ~etween the partitions 114 and
10~ is aboùt 60. Considering Fig. 6, the orientation
of the partition 112 iB at ~bout 4 o'clock with refer-
ence to ~he rotation o the dr~m while the orientation
of the partition 114 place~ it at about 5 o'clock.
Suitable means are applied to support the shaft 104
exterior to ~he drum 100. Likewise~ suitable m~an~ are
provided for drivin~ of the drum through one end cap 102,
and for bearing support thereof through the medium of
means exterior to the drum. Such means are not detailed
since in and of them~lve~ they form no part of the
present invention and they may be variously contri~ed by
mechanics versed in the art.
~'~hat portion of he cylindrlcal shell 101 peripheral
to the partitions 108, 110, 112 and 114 and intermediate
~he discs which ~hese par~itions bridge has its outer
surface formed with a ~erie~ of longitudinally exte~ded,
parallel, closely and equid~stantly and circumferentiaily
spaced pockets 120, eac:h of which is essentially the length
Docke~ No. 9062 - 42
9 ~
of SllCh portion and parallel to the central longitudinal
axis of rotation of the drum 100. The pockets 120 are
separated in a sense circumferentially of the shell 101
by finger-like projections 122 successive of which defin0
their elongate sides and are so formed as to provide that
such sides are outwardly divergent. In a ~nse circum-
ferentially of the drum the pockets are narrow and the
fingers 122 are blade-like in character. The portion of
the shell 101 defining the base of each pocket is provided
with a series of slots or aper~ures 124 and the sides and
base o~ each pocket are overlaid with a mesh material 128
which is secured thereto.
A sheil 144 is fit to and about the drum 100 to form
therewith a receptacle 146 a moving wall of which is pro-
vided by the shell portion 101 of the drum, ~ealing means
being provided therebetween. The vertical extent and
position of the shell 144 is such to enclose an area,
as seen in Fig. 6 of the drawings, between about 2 o'clock
and about 4 o'clock with respect to the drum and it-
~
lonyi~udinal extent encompasse~ the distance batweenthe discs bridged ~y the partitions in connection with
the shat 104. The recaptacle 144 haY means defining
an inlet thxough which the receptacle is supplied with
a slurry embodying fibrous material, the con~istency o~
which, as noted previou~ly, does not exceed 10~. Note
should be taken that ~he portion of the drum 100 which
at any moment defines a side wall portion oE the receptacle
Docket No. 9062 - 43
~ 3 6 ~ ~9~
146 has the pockets 120 therein iII communication with
the chamber 132 to wllich vacuum is applied. Thus, as
the drum 100 rotates counterclockwise, the vacuum in
the chamber 132 which is communicated with the content~
of the recep~acle 146 by way o the slots or apertures
in the passing pockets in the out~r surface of the shell
101 functions to draw to each pas~ing pocket a portion
of the contents of the receptacle 146. In the course of
moving along one side of the content~ of the receptacle
146 each pocket will hav~ drawn thereto ~ufficient fibrous
solids to fill the cavity which it defines. At the same
time, the liquid portion of the material drawn to each
pocket together with solids will be drawn interiorly o~
the chamber 132 and picked up and evacuated from the
lowermost portion thereof by way of a siphon tube 148,
which extends outwardly from the chamber 132 through the
stationary shaft 104.
~ s each pocket 120 moves up and out of the zone
wherein i~ communicates with the chamher 132, the drum is
wip~d by a contiyuou~ smooth ~urfaced cylindrical roller
150 to clear any exce~s exterior to the pocket and cau~e
it to ~all back into the contents of ~he receptacle 146.
A knife lSl is applied to wipe the roller and to function
similarly in respect there~o. At the same time~ the
content~ of the pocket are somewhat compacted by the
wipiny roller.
A bal~nce ~s malntained on the material in the
Docket No. 9062 - 44
2 9 ~
pockets as they move peripherally of the chamber 130.
As each loaded pocket 120 passes the partition 108 -to
communicate with the chamber 136, the air under pressure
therein will be unifonnly applied through the apertures
124 in the base of the pocket to effect a balanced dis-
lodgment of the pocket contents, which by reason of the
pocket configuration has a s~rip form. Each strip as
it is released from the drum is caused to drop on a
moving, continuous mesh belt 152, to the left end of
its upper run as seen in Fig. 6. The empty pockets
then move upwardly past the chamber 134, which is under
atmospheric pressure, to once more approach and com-
municate with the contents of receptacle 146 for reloading.
In this case~ ~he belt 152 :i8 an endless belt which
on commencing its upper run extend first over an outer
roller 154 and then over 3 serie~s of closely spaced
rollers 156 the uppermost surac~s portions of which
are co-planar and in immediat~ly supporting and under-
lying relatlon to the upper run of the belt intermediate
its~ends. Fxom the roller~ 156 the upper run of the
belt 152 then passes over and to the outermost side of
the upper roller 42 of a stack 42, 44, 46, 4a ~ 50 an~
52 such as previously descrlbed. The belt then moves
under roller 42 and ~rom thi~ point extend~ up and
over an idler roller 157 to and about the outer side
of the roller 154 to commence its upper horizontal run.
In the case illus~rated the roller 42 will be driven at
- Docket No. 9062 - 45
2 9 ~
a speed of rotation twice that of the speed of rotation
of the drum 100. This insures a time spaced deposit on
the belt 152 of the strips of fibrous material formed
in the ~ockets of tlle drum 100 in what constitutes a
molding process undPr the influence of applied vacuum,
ef~ected as the pockets pass the chamber 132 of the
drwn 100. The deposited strips of fibrous material
are designated as 36 since ~hey correspond to the
prev1ousl.y referred to ~trip portions 36.
Positioned in overlying relation to t',~e belt 152
and to the side thereof remote from that backed by
rollers 156 and opposite to the location of said
rollers is a wedge plate 158. The plate 158 is immedi-
ately over the belt 152 and its surface adjacent the
belt is inclined inwardly thereto from the end most
adjacent the roller 154 to the end adjacent the roller
42. Moreover, the surface of the wedge plate 158
facing the belt 152 has fixed thereon in overlying
relation thereto and coexten~ive therewith, a mesh
material such as that surfacing the roller 4~ as
previously described. Note that as mention~d previou~ly,
the vertical stack of rollers 42, 44, etc. will each
have une side portion faced by the concave side of
its respectively associated 3hield 60 or 60' as the
case may be. The only diEference between the arrange-
ment in this embodiment of the invention, in respect
to the vertical ~tack of rollers, is that the upper
Docket No. 9062 - 46
~ ~ 6~2'~
roller 42 may be smooth suraced in this case ~incP its
outer surface facing the shield 60 will be overlaid by
a portion of the moving belt 152 the me~h of which
corres~onds ~o the surfacing of the roller 42 previously
described. There will ~e no change in the surface of
the other rollers in the stack from that first described.
The arrangement of ~ig. 6 and 7 illustrates an
incrementalization an~ molding of portions of fibrous
material ex~racted from th~ slurry contents of the
receptacle 146 to form the stxip portions 36 which
are refined by being passed through the stack of
rollers 42, 44 etc. and between these rollers and
their bounding shi~lds. In th~ operation o the
system of Fig. 6 and 7, as desclibed, the fibrous
material is loaded in ~he pocket:s in the outer
surface o the drum, suacessively, by applying
vacuum, a full 90 of drum rotation being utilized
to insure the substantially uniform loading of each
pocket. Immediately ater the pocket~ are loaded
each thereof has i~ content~ consolidated in the
wiping operation o the roller applied exteriorly
of that portion of the drum in process of leaving
its con~unication with the contents of receptacle
146. Subsequently, through an appxoximately 195
of its rotation, the contents of each pocket is
maintained balancs~ under the inf luence oE atmospheric
pressure to the inner ana outer sides thereo~
- Docket No. 9062 - ~7
2 ~ ~
Accordingly, as each pocket is rotated to communicate
with the chamber 136, it is a relatively coherent
mass in strip form which is released in balanced
fashion by the air under pressure which is applied
thereto by way of the apertures 124 in communication
with the chamber 136. Release of the strip formed
fibrous material in the pocket is in each case
facilitated both by the shape of the pocket sides
and by the mesh surfacing of its sides and base.
l~he beginning of the upper run of the belt 152
lies immediately under the successively released
strips 36 of fibrous material and there is a definite
spacing of the contact be~ween the strips and the
belt due to the difference in speed of the belt and
the speed of rotation of the drum 100. In dropping
the arrangement of the ~trips i~ such to dispo~e
them transverse to the belt. As the strips 36 are
carried to that portion of the upper run of the belt
~upported by the rollers 156, which are of small
di~meter, they come under the influence of the wedge
plate 158. In moving to and between the bel~ 152
and the wedge plate inner surface which is comprised
of a mesh configuration, the strips 36 are induced to
roll and commence to assume a cylindrical form and
as they are rolled they are moderately pressured
since the gap throuyh which they are movin~ between
the plate 158 and the belt 152 is gradually reduced.
Doc~et ~o. 9062 - 48
~ ~ 6~29~
In being cylindrically rolled the strips are somewhat
axially extended and remain transverse to the belt 152.
Upon E~assin~ the wedge plate 158 tllere is a slight
expansion of the strips 36 and they retain their
essentially cylindrical .form which is firmed as the
belt 152 per se moves to and over the roller 42 which
is suitably driven to correspondingly drive the belt
152, in the process of which the strips successively
move between the mesh of the belt backed by the roller
42 and the grid-like pro~ection on the facing and
confining inner surface of the shield 60 against which
the strips are rolled. The treatment of the strips 36
in the refining operation achieved by the roller stack
will be as first de~cribed and need not be urther
described at this point~
FicJ. a is an illustration showing a minor modi~i-
cation of the system of Figs~ 6 and 7 to be used where
the pulpslurry i5 of high consi~tency. Since in such
case there will be less liquid and the solids included
in the slurry are inclusive of flu~f-like material,
a packing roller 166 i5 utilized to assist the vacuum
applied in loadin~ the pocke~s, which will ~e effected
as describad with reference to the showing in Fig.6
and 7. One further point to note is that in delivering
the slurry at high consistency to the receptacle 146 a
screw type feeder or its equivalent is preferably
employad. Moreover, where high consistency is employed,
Docket ~o. 9062 - 49
2~
it is advisable that the strips be doused with a spray
of water or steam immediately prior to entering the
wedge area of the plate 158. This is to facilitate
tl~e forming of the s~rips as desired. Otherwise the
means and method employed in connection wi-th the
apparatus of Fig. 8 will be as illustrated in Figs. 6
and 7.
It should be clearly evident from the foregoing
that the concep~s of the present invention may be
applied to achieve a complete refining system or a
highly advantageous second stage of a refining system
th~ nature of which is ~uch to eliminate need for much
costly equipment as well as to conserve energy.
From the above description it will be apparent that
there is thus provîded a device of the character described
possessing the particular features of advantage before
enumerated as desirable, but which obviously is susceptible
of modification in its form~ proportions, detail con-
struction and arrangement of parts without departing from
the~ principle involved or 3acrificing any of its advantages.
While in order to comply with the statute the invention
has been described in language more or less specific a5 to
structural features; it i~ to be understood that the inven-
tion is not limited to the specific features shown, but that
the means and construction herein disclosed comprise but one
of several modes of putting ~he invention into effect and
the invention is therefore claimed in any of its forms
or modifications within the legitimate and valid scope
of the appended claims.
