Method for forming a uniform continuous web of paper

Abstract

Abstract A METHOD AND APPARATUS ARE DISCLOSED FOR FORMING A CONTINUOUS WEB OF PAPER UTILIZING THE PRINCIPLES OF ELECTROPHORESIS AND ELECTRO-OSMOSIS. A UNIFORM AQUEOUS DISPERSION OF PAPER-MAKING FIBERS IS FLOWED BETWEEN A PAIR OF HORIZONTAL, SPACED-APART, ELECTRICALLY CHARGED ENDLESS BELTS WHICH SERVE AS ELECTRODES FORMING A DEPOSITION ZONE. THE PAPER-MAKING FIBERS ARE ATTACHED TO ONE ELECTRODE BY ELECTROPHORESIS AND WATER TO THE OTHER ELECTRODE BY ELECTROOSMOSIS. A ELECTROMECHANICAL VIBRATOR VIBRATES THE TROUGH JUST PRIOR TO ENTRY OF THE AQUEOUS DISPERSION BETWEEN THE ELECTRODES TO MAINTAIN THE FIBERS IN SUSPENSION AND UNIFORMLY DISPERSE THEM WITHOUT FLOCCULATION. ELECTRICALLY NONCONDUCTING GUIDE BLOCKS ARE MOUNTED IN CONTACT WITH THE EDGES OF THE ENDLESS BELTS IN THE AREA OF THE ELECTROSTATIC FIELD TO MAINTAIN THE PROPER ELECTRODE SPACING. AFTER THE ELECTRODE AND FIBER MAT ARE REMOVED FROM THE DEPOSITION ZONE, THE FIBER MAT IS SEPARATED FROM THE ELECTRODE SURFACE BY AN ADJACENT ELECTRICALLY CHARGED SURFACE WHICH TRANSFERS THE MAT. RESIDUAL WATER IN THE MAT IS REMOVED SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH THE TRANSFER BY ELECTROOSMOSIS. THE CELLULOSE FIBER MATS, PARTICULARLY USEFUL AS CAPACITOR TISSUE, HAVE BETTER ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES THAN CAN BE OBTAINED ON CONVENTIONAL PAPER-MAKING MACHINES.

Inventors

• 👤 Lester W Stiles

Bibliographic Details