The first invention which we have to notice possesses a considerable degree of novelty and ingenuity ; the authors and patentees of which are Messrs. Dennison and Harris, paper-makers, of Leeds. The paper-mould is, in this ease, continuous, but differently arranged, forming simply the exterior or peri phery of a large drum, which revolves in the pulp vat. The preceding engraving exhibits an elevation of the apparatus, shown partly in section. a is a vessel containing the pulp, considerably diluted, which is preserved at the desired level by any of the usual means, so that the pulpy liquid, when the machine is at work, shall flow over the curved side of the vessel into a revolving cylindrical mould b. In the vessel a, a vane c is made to revolve, to keep up a powerful agitation, and prevent any of the fibres from subsiding. The rotatory mould b is formed on its periphery like a sieve (which will, hereafter, be particularly described), and, as it turns round in the direction of the arrow, the pulp is received upon it ; the chief part of the water instantly drains through the bars of the mould, and the paper, m a loose, spongy, wet state, is formed. The con tinued motion of the mould brings this pulpy matter in eontact with an endless felt d, which, by a superior attraction of cohesion, attaches to itself the pulpy fabric, and carries it forward between that felt and another felt e, where it receives pressure, first from a pair of wet f f, then a greater pressure from the dsy rollers g g ; from thence the paper, in a oomparatively dry state, is taken up by a rotatory vane A, upon whioh it is folded ; when this vane is hilly charged it is removed, and another vane substituted in its place. In this manner a sheet of any required length may be made. The cylindrical mould b revolves in a vessel of water i, which serves to wash of the fibrous matter that may adhere to it, and to receive the water which drains from the diluted pulp as it passes over. The cast-iron frame upon which the mould revolves is jointed, to facilitate that lateral shaking or trembling motion, essential in the making of paper, which is effected by a crank and rod, or by any of the other usual means, motion being communicated from the gearing which drives the rollers, Fn. The roller k is called the oowsbissy roller, as it takes the paper off the mould. This roller is provided with a regulating screw, to tighten the web, or adjust the pressure against the mould. The upper wet rollers f, and the upper dry rollers have also regulating screws, by which they may be elevated or depressed m the long slots wherein their axes revolve, so as to increase or diminish the pressure upon the wet paper. A small roller 1 is employed for assisting in separating the paper as it passes from the felt on to the vane A. As the lowermost web becomes very wet by receiving the water from the paper, a small cylinder as is employed to press out the water from it as it revolves. For thet cleansing of the webs from the fibrous matter, small rotatory brushes are directed to be fixed so as to brash over their surfaces • and the employment of jets of water to wash over the felts is also recommended by the patentees. As the peculiar construction of the rotatory mould forms the prin cipal feature of this invention, and the ground of patent-right, it is proper that we should describe it more particularly. In its outline it presents precisely the figure of a ; its periphery is formed by connecting together a series of metallic rigs; the cylinder is then covered longitudinally with numerous small thin bars of copper, three-eighths of an inch wide, placed edgeways, so as to form a complete grating over the whole surface. The oopper bars have numerous small lateral projections, to keep them at a regular distance apart ; these are directed to be made by passing plain slips of copper between cylindrical steel rollers, with indentations on one of them, adapted for producing an uniform series of little slabs.
It has been usual to distinguish laid paper (or paper made in band moulds) from machine paper, (or that made on the endless wire web in a machine,) by the peculiar water-mark lines. Hitherto the machine paper has been made on vary fine woven wire, which gives it that smooth, woven appearance ; while the laid paper is marked by distinct parallel lines, crossed by a few thicker lines about an inch apart. The usual process of working wire, in making the hand moulds that produce the last-mentioned effect, is tedious and expensive ; but the paper made from them is generally preferable, and, we believe, is worth more in the market.
The object of the invention we shall next describe, is to make a paper resem bling the hand paper, by a machine. For this purpose. Mr. Louis Aubrey, of Two Waters, in Hertfordshire, took out a patent in 1827, for an endless web of wire, that will produce the same kind of water-marks as are exhibited in the laid paper. The warp, consisting of the small wires, is put into the loom in the usual way, until the reed is filled to the width required. A wooden or metal roller, about five inches in diameter, containing in a line firmly fixed as many metallic pegs as there are large water lines required in the paper : these pegs stand out from the roller about a quarter of an inch, and answer to ccrr nding large divisions left 4n the reed. The large warp is then placed on of these pegs, and round the until a sufficient length is obtained : the ends are then passed through the front harness, placed somewhat higher than the small harness, and from thence through the large divisions in the reed, where the ends are made fast to stout iron rode. In this manner both warps are drawn tight, and the weaving is exe cuted by the usual process. The superior thickness of the wires of the large
warp canoes them to project, and to produce the coarse water lines in the paper made with it.
About the same period of time, Messrs. J. and C. Phipps, of London, took out a patent for a diftbrent mode of producing the laid paper impressions in a machine. which is of easy application to a Fourdriniers' machine, as it consists simply in the addition to the latter of a revolving cylinder, which impresses the peculiar water linen required upon the wove paper as the latter is received upon the felt. For this purpose, the cylinder is formed of wooden discs at the ends, and concen tric rings, and turns on a central iron axle. Over the periphery of the cylinder, the same kind of wire-work as the laid paper moulds are made of, is wound round, and carefully joined at the seam. This cylinder is mounted over the felt, so as to rest its weight upon it, by turning loosely in vertical slots, made in brass bearings on the side fumes of the machine ; the wire-work, therefore, passing upon the newly-made wet paper on the felt, produces the required water lines.
Mr. George Dickenson, of Buckland mill, near Dover, who has shown equal skill and perseverance in improving the mechanism of the paper manufacture, for which he has had many patents, obtained one in 1828, which, combining oeveral previous improvements, we shall here describe. In the machines we have already noticed, it will be observed that a lateral or horizontal motion is given to the endless web of wire for felting the fibres, and separating the water from the pulp. The leading objects of this invention are to give a rapid vibra tion to the wire web in a vertical direction, and by rarefying the air underneath the wire web, cause the atmosphere to press upon the superior surface of the paper, by which a farther portion of the water is driven through the paper into the rarefied apartment underneath, and thus the paper is more speedily and effectually dried. From this account, somewhat of the nature of the machine may be understood. We will now describe the arrangements more particularly, with reference to the accompanying engravings. The engraving on the next page exhibits side elevations of two distinct machines, which are brought into action together; they are marked Fig. 1, Fag. 2, and Fag. 3, which fol lows it, exhibits a longitudinal section of the exhausting cylinder only. In Fig. 1, a a is a wooden frame supporting the whole ; b b b an iron frame secured to a similar one on the opposite side by a rod at to and a bar at the end, and vibrating on a pivot c; d a cylinder, revolving on a fixed axis e; f 1 and f 2 band wheels, which give motion to the cylinder d by a toothed wheel on the axis of f 1, shown by dots, which takes into another toothed wheel on the cylinder d; g a cylinder revolving in pivots, supported by the frame bb; h a roller set in motion by the pinion (shown) driven by the toothed wheel on d, and which takes into another wheel on the end of the roller la ; k another roller turning in grooves by being placed in contact with the revolving roller la ; 111 an endless web of wire passmg over the cylinders d and g, also betwixt the rollers la and k, and over the tightening rollers m and n, the latter of which is movable by a screw, in order to regulate the tension ; o o a series of rollers supporting the wire web, and revolving upon spindles in notches cut in the side ra4 attached to the frame bb; pa stout piece of brass called the deckle, placed on each side of the machine, over the wire web, and supported by the cross bars gg, which can be raised or lowered by screws in side pieces attached to the frame bb ; r r the deckle straps, revolving over pulleys attached to each end of the deckle, also over similar pulleys on the axis off 1, and under a pulley s, dipping into a vessel of water; the straps confine the pulp at the sides of the web, and regu late the width of the paper, which is according to the distance the deckles are asunder; t t tightening rollers, to tighten the deckle straps ; o a large band wheel, driven by the prime mover, and driving the smaller band wheel w; the latter carries a crank (not seen) set three-eighths of an inch out of the centre of the axis of the wheel, but which eccentricity can be altered at pleasure ; a a connecting rod attached to the crank and to the frame b, causing the latter to rise and fall three-quarters of an inch at each revolution of the wheel w; g an iron stand, and supporting the spring a, upon which the frame 6 strikes at each descent of the connecting rod x, and thus assists the crank. 1 a pulp-box, attached to the frame b, and extending the whole width of the wire web; to the front board is attached a piece of leather, which descends on to the wire web, and distributes the pulp equally over the web; 2.a thin piece of board, set edgeways upon the wire-web between the deckles, and keeping back the bubbles of air and water in the pulp ; 3 a fixed pulp-box, which feeds the box I, and regulates the quantity therein; 4 a pipe leading from the cylinder d to the air pump. Fig. 2, a, a metal roller revolving on bearings, which can be raised or lowered by the screw b; c another roller, revolving in a fixed bearing; this roller is set in motion by the toothed wheel d on its axis, which is driven by the wheel e, the latter receiving its motion from the prime mover. ff an end less web of felt, passing round the small rollers g g g, and between the rollers a and c; h the reel, turned by a pulley k on its axis; the latter is driven by a band passing over it, and a pulley on the axis of e.