FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a paper machine belt and to a paper machine.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] A paper machine for the production of tissue paper is disclosed in
U.S. Patent No. 5,393,384, see particularly Figure 6. The paper machine shown therein has a belt impermeable
to water, which runs in a loop through an extended press nip formed by a shoe press
roll and a counter roll. A press felt is conveyed directly to the press nip, where
it is brought together with the impermeable belt and the paper web. The paper web
is transferred from a forming fabric to the impermeable belt which is to carry the
paper web on its under side up to the press nip and thence to the drying cylinder.
The impermeable belt thus carries the paper web a relatively long distance after the
paper web has been transferred from the forming fabric to the impermeable belt. There
is therefore a risk of the paper web not adhering sufficiently strongly along the
entire distance and thus becoming detached from the impermeable belt. According to
the patent specification the adhesion force between the impermeable belt and the paper
web is greater than that between the press felt and the paper web. The impermeable
belt under discussion here is not compressible and has a smooth, web-carrying surface.
[0003] It is generally known that such a smooth, impermeable belt obtains a film of liquid
on its smooth, web-carrying surface when belt, press felt and paper web pass together
through a press nip and that, after the press nip, the paper web therefore adheres
to the impermeable belt instead of to the press felt which does not have a smooth
surface, when the press felt and the impermeable belt run away from each other. This
situation is also utilized in
U.S. Patent No. 4,483,745. Since, however, both the impermeable belt and the drying cylinder in the paper machine
according to
U.S. Patent No. 5,393,384 have smooth surfaces with which the paper web is intended to come into contact, there
is considerable risk of the paper web continuing to adhere to the smooth surface of
the impermeable belt after it has passed the nip at the drying cylinder instead of
being transferred to the smooth surface of the drying cylinder as desired. Probably
not even the application of large quantities of adhesive on the envelope surface of
the drying cylinder would ensure adhesion of the paper web to the drying cylinder.
U.S. Patent No. 5,393,384 mentions nothing about texturing the paper web before the drying cylinder.
[0004] DE-195 48 747 discloses a paper machine for manufacturing creped tissue paper which is provided
with a press comprising a shoe press roll, a counter roll and a suction roll, the
counter roll forming a first press nip with the suction roll and a second extended
press nip with the shoe press roll. A felt passes through the two press nips together
with the paper web and then carries the paper web with it to a Yankee dryer, to which
the paper web is transferred when the felt and the paper web pass around a transfer
roll forming a non-compressing nip with the Yankee dryer. Suction zones are provided
before and after the first press nip, the suction zone before the press nip being
situated within the suction roll whereas the suction zone after the press nip is in
a side loop in which the felt runs alone and joins the paper web again at the entry
to the second press nip. One drawback with such a paper machine is that the paper
web is exposed to re-wetting by the wet felt before it reaches the Yankee dryer. The
paper machine has no impermeable belt, nor does the patent specification mention anything
about texturing the paper web.
[0005] U.S. Patent No. 5,298,124 discloses a compressible transfer belt for use in a paper or board making machine
in order to eliminate open draws in the paper web and to easily release the paper
web so that it can be transferred to a fabric or belt. The transfer belt carries the
paper web through the press section, which comprises one or more press nips, and on
to the drying section which comprises a plurality of drying cylinders and a belt passing
in a loop around a transfer roll which forms a nip with the transfer belt. Each press
is also provided with a felt passing through its press nip and enclosing the paper
web between it and the transfer belt. The impermeable transfer belt is also so designed
that a liquid film formed in a press nip between the transfer belt and the paper web
breaks up when the pressure on the transfer belt ceases after the press nip so that
its release properties increase and the paper web can thus more easily be transferred
to a fabric or another belt running in a loop. There is no suggestion or intimation
in the patent specification that the transfer belt should be allowed to carry the
paper web to a drying cylinder in a tissue machine. Nor is there any mention of texturing
the paper web.
[0006] U.S. Patent No. 5,298,124 offers an excellent description of the tasks a transfer belt cooperating with a press
felt shall perform in a satisfactory manner, and also of the properties and design
of such transfer belts which then were disclosed in patent specifications
U.S. Patent Nos. 4,483,745,
4,976,821,
4,500,588,
5,002,638,
4,529,643 and
CA-A-1,188,556. According to
U.S. Patent No. 5,298,124, for a transfer belt intended for cooperation with a press felt the critical tasks
are a) to remove the paper web from the press felt without causing instability problems;
b) to cooperate with the press felt in one or more press nips to ensure optimal dewatering
and high quality of the paper web, and c) to transfer the paper web in a closed draw
from a press in the press section to a paper web receiving fabric or belt in the following
press or presses of the press section or to a pick-up fabric in the drying section.
[0007] As mentioned, the transfer belt for the press section of a paper machine disclosed
in
U.S. Patent No. 5,298,124 has a web-contacting surface which is substantially impermeable to water and air
and has a pressure-responsive microscale topography. Under influence of the pressure
in a press nip in the press section, the transfer belt is compressed so that the microscale
roughness of said surface is decreased, whereupon the surface becomes much smoother
and allows the formation of a thin, continuous film of water thereon.
[0008] Paper machines for manufacturing soft paper with high bulk are known through a plurality
of patent specifications. An imprinting fabric or felt is generally used which passes,
together with the paper web formed, through a press nip in which the paper web is
pressed into the imprinting fabric, thus acquiring a texture pattern on one side.
Paper machines having such texturing fabrics and press nips are disclosed in
U.S. Patent Nos. 3,301,746,
3,537,954,
4,309,246,
4,533,437,
5,569,358,
5,591,305 and
WO 91/16493. The drawback with the paper machines disclosed in these publications is that dewatering
in the press nip is relatively low and the dry solids content of the paper web is
therefore low when the paper is transferred to the drying cylinder. The production
rate of the paper machine is thus relatively low.
[0009] U.S. Patent No. 4,849,054 discloses a machine for manufacturing an imprinted fabric web with high bulk without
the use of a press nip. A roll,
e.g., a transfer roll or felt-carrying roll, forms a nip with an imprinting fabric at
a transfer point for the web where the imprinting fabric passes around a suction tube
with a slit opening facing the transfer point. The nip is so wide that the web is
not compressed when it passes through. The suction effect from the suction tube via
the narrow slit opening is sufficient to ensure that the web is not only transferred
to the imprinting belt but is also shaped in compliance with the surface of the imprinting
belt facing the web, this belt having a three-dimensional pattern. Prior to the transfer
point the speed of the fabric web is greater than that of the imprinting fabric. The
roll carrying the web to the non-compressing nip has a smooth surface and it is generally
known that in practice considerable problems are entailed in transferring a fabric
web from a smooth surface to a fabric, which fabric web has been pre-pressed to a
dry solids content of 30-50%.
[0010] U.S. Patent No. 5,411,636 discloses manufacture of soft paper where the paper web is formed on a forming fabric,
pre-pressed in a double-felted press nip and transferred to a coarse-meshed fabric.
When the paper web is carried by the coarse-meshed fabric it is subjected to a vacuum
in a suction zone so that the paper web is sucked into the openings and depressions
in the fabric and thereby acquires increased thickness and thus increased bulk. The
coarse-meshed fabric then carries the paper web to the drying cylinder. The double-felted
press nip ensures that the dry solids content of the paper web is relatively low,
i.e., 25-30%. Since no dewatering can be performed in the nip at the drying cylinder,
the dry solids content of the paper web upon transfer to the drying cylinder is correspondingly
low. Furthermore, it is extremely difficult to transfer the paper web from the felt
to the coarse-meshed fabric.
[0011] Document
WO 96/00812 describes a web supporting apparatus in the form of a drying belt or press fabric
for making a paper web, comprising a dewatering felt layer having a surface facing
the web, and a web patterning layer of a photosensitive resin defining a web contacting
top surface. The web patterning layer has either a plurality of discrete openings
surrounded by projections or a plurality of discrete projections surrounded by spaces,
said openings and spaces, respectively exposing the felt layer to the web so that
the felt is cabable of receiving and containing water from the wet web.
[0012] Accordingly, an improved paper machine and method of manufacturing textured soft
paper would enable the manufacture of a textured fibrous web with high bulk and high
dry solids content before the drying cylinder to enable a high production rate to
be achieved at a reasonable cost. Further, it would be desirable to reliably transfer
the textured fibrous web to the drying cylinder although the fibrous web is carried
to the drying cylinder by an impermeable texturing belt.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0013] The invention refers to a paper machine belt for advancing a wet fibrous paper web
between a press and a heated drying cylinder of a paper machine, wherein the belt
is a substantially impermeable belt which has a web-contacting surface and is adapted
to pass with the fibrous web through the press and then carry the fibrous web to the
drying cylinder, whereby said web-contacting surface defines a multitude of regularly
distributed depressions and surface portions located between said depressions, so
that the belt is a texturing belt, forming on the fibrous web an equivalent textured
pattern, and that the texturing belt or a layer of the texturing belt intended for
contact with the paper web is reversibly compressible so that the texturing belt is
compressed in a transfer nip at the drying cylinder and resumes its uncompressed state
when leaving said transfer nip.
[0014] The invention also refers to a paper machine for treating a wet fibrous paper web,
comprising:
- the paper machine belt according to any one of claims 1 to 13,
- a press section comprising a first press having a press roll and a counter roll to
form an extended press nip therebetween for pressing the fibrous web and removing
water from the fibrous web, characterized in that when the belt passes with the fibrous
web through the press, said depressions and said surface portions initially form on
the fibrous web an equivalent textured pattern having thicker and thinner portions,
and when the belt carries the fibrous web to the drying cylinder, said surface portions
engage the thinner portions of the fibrous web against the surface of the drying cylinder
and water in the thicker portions of the fibrous web is caused to evaporate.
[0015] According to the invention it has surprisingly been found that impermeability or
substantial impermeability is an extremely favourable property in a texturing belt,
that is included in the paper machine according to the invention if the impermeable
texturing belt is also used to transport a pressed paper web to the transfer nip at
a Yankee dryer in the drying section of the paper machine. The property allows steam
which, as a result of heating the Yankee dryer is formed in the depressions or pits
in the texturing pattern by the water present in the pits or depressions, to be pressurized,
thus pressing the paper fibers also present in the pits or depressions as a result
of the press effect in the press section, so that these in the Yankee dryer nip are
pressed into the pits or depressions at the same time as the parts of the paper fiber
web present between the raised parts of the texturing pattern and the Yankee dryer
become thinner. The desired texturing effect and high bulk of the paper web is thus
achieved.
[0016] The texturing effect and the productivity can be increased if the texturing belt
or a layer of the texturing belt intended for contact with the paper web is also given
the feature of reversible compressibility so that the texturing belt is compressed
in the transfer nip at the Yankee dryer. When the texturing belt then leaves the transfer
nip and resumes its uncompressed state, a vacuum is created, which contributes to
the formation of steam, which in turn facilitates separation of the texturing belt
and paper web after the transfer nip and also quicker drying of the paper web on the
Yankee dryer,
i.e., higher paper production capacity. The vacuum-forming effect increases the quicker
the belt resumes its uncompressed state,
i.e., the more resilient the reversible compressibility is.
[0017] The texturing effect of the texturing belt that is included in the paper machine
according to the invention is, of course, selected taking into consideration the desired
texture pattern in the paper to be manufactured. The texture pattern is regular across
the texturing belt or, if the texture pattern in the paper web is to include a particularly
prominent additional pattern,
e.g., a picture, logotype, etc., it has a regular basic pattern of depressions or pits
and raised portions, onto which pattern the additional pattern is superimposed. "Regular"
does not necessarily imply that the pattern appears regularly in all directions of
the texturing belt. For instance, if the paper is soft paper that is to be creped,
a tighter dominant transverse pattern (across the machine direction) as compared with
a longitudinal pattern of elevations and pits, will give an increased creping effect.
Thus, the pattern can be used for altering the properties of the paper in a desired
direction.
[0018] Taking into consideration the material in the texturing belt or its surface layer
that is intended to come into contact with the paper web, the texturing pattern can
be achieved in some manner, known per se, such as etching, calendering, laser processing
or embossing.
[0019] The density of the texturing pattern can also be used to influence the effect of
the drying of the paper web on the Yankee dryer. Fewer contact points between the
Yankee dryer and the paper web thus results in reduced drying effect from the Yankee
dryer but increased drying effect from the hot air hood around the Yankee dryer on
the fluffier parts of the paper web located between the thinner contact points.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] The invention will be described in more detail in the following with reference to
the attached drawings.
Figure 1 shows a paper machine according to a first embodiment of the invention.
Figure 2 shows a paper machine according to a second embodiment of the invention.
Figure 3 shows a paper machine according to a third embodiment of the invention.
Figure 4 shows a paper machine according to a fourth embodiment of the invention.
Figure 5 shows a paper machine according to a fifth embodiment of the invention.
Figure 6 shows in perspective a part of a substantially impermeable texturing belt
constructed of a back layer in the form of a tight polymer layer and a web-contacting
layer in the form of a polymer-coated fabric.
Figure 7 shows from above a part of a substantially impermeable texturing belt constructed
of a back layer in the form of a carrier and a web-contacting layer supported by the
carrier, in the form of a resilient, compressible polymer layer, which polymer layer
is provided with longitudinal grooves.
Figure 8 shows a section through the texturing belt according to Figure 7.
Figure 9 shows from above a part of a substantially impermeable texturing belt of
the same type as that according to Figure 7, but provided with diagonally intersecting
grooves.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0021] The present invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference
to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are
shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should
not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments
are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully
convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer
to like elements throughout.
[0022] Figures 1-3 show schematically parts of paper machines for manufacturing a textured
web
1 of soft paper, such as tissue and other paper products with low density. Each of
the paper machines comprises a wet section
2, a press section
3 and a drying section
4.
[0023] The wet section
2 includes a headbox
7 a forming roll
8, an endless, carrying, inner clothing
9 and an endless, covering outer clothing
10 consisting of a forming fabric. The inner and outer clothings
9,
10 run, each in its own loop, around a plurality of guide rolls
11 and
12, respectively.
[0024] The drying section
4 includes a drying cylinder
5 covered by a hood
30. The drying cylinder is suitably a Yankee dryer. At the outlet side of the drying
section a creping doctor is arranged to crepe the fibrous web
1 off the Yankee dryer. An application device
31 is also provided for applying a suitable adhesive on the envelope surface of the
Yankee dryer
5 immediately before the transfer nip.
[0025] The press section
3 includes a shoe press with a shoe press roll
14 and a counter roll
19, these rolls
14 and
19 forming an extended press nip with each other. The press section also has an endless
press felt
15 which runs in a loop around guide rolls
6, and an endless, substantially impermeable belt
16, which according to the invention is a texturing belt. The substantially impermeable
texturing belt
16 runs in a loop around the counter roll
19, a transfer roll
17 and a plurality of guide rolls
18. The transfer roll
17 forms a transfer nip with the Yankee dryer
5 with low linear load,
i.e., about 30 to 60 kN (kiloNewtons), through which transfer nip the substantially impermeable
texturing belt
16 thus passes.
[0026] In the embodiments shown in Figures 1 and 2 the press section
3 also includes a roll press, constituted by a suction press roll
13 and said counter roll
19 to form a press nip, through which the substantially impermeable texturing belt
16 and the press felt
15 pass together with the fibrous web
1. After this initial press nip, the press felt
15 is conducted away from the fibrous web
1 and the substantially impermeable texturing belt
16 in a side loop around the suction press roll
13 and two guide rolls
32. The press felt
15 rejoins the fibrous web and the substantially impermeable texturing belt
16 immediately before the extended press nip. If desired, suction devices may be arranged
within this side loop of the press felt
15 in order to increase the capacity of the press felt to absorb water at the entrance
to the extended press nip.
[0027] In the embodiments shown in Figures 1 and 3, the inner clothing
9 of the wet section
2 is a felt guided to the press section
3 to be also utilized as press felt
15, and which thus runs in a loop back to the forming roll
8.
[0028] In the embodiment shown in Figure 2, the inner clothing
9 of the wet section
2 is a forming fabric, the press felt running around a pick-up roll
20 arranged close to the loop of fabric
9, so that press felt
15 and fabric
9 run in contact with each other to transfer the fibrous web from the fabric
9 to the press felt
15. The pick-up roll
20 may be provided with a suction shoe (not shown). Alternatively, the pick-up roll
with suction shoe may be replaced by a pick-up suction box.
[0029] Figure 4 shows schematically parts of a paper machine according to another embodiment
of the invention. It is similar to that shown in Figure 1 with the exception that
the press felt
15 is not led in a side loop between the two press nips, but instead accompanies the
counter roll
19, so that the fibrous web
1 is held enclosed between the substantially impermeable texturing belt
16 and the press felt
15. This embodiment can be used when there is little risk of rewetting of the fibrous
web.
[0030] Figure 5 shows schematically parts of a paper machine according to yet another embodiment
of the invention for manufacturing a textured web of soft paper, such as tissue and
other sanitary paper products. The paper machine comprises a wet section
2, a press section
3 and a drying section
4. The wet section
2 includes a headbox
7, a forming roll
8, an endless, carrying inner clothing
9 and an endless, covering, outer clothing
10 constituted by a forming fabric. The inner and outer clothings
9 and
10 run in individual loops around a plurality of guide rolls
11 and
12, respectively. The drying section
4 includes a drying cylinder
5 covered by a hood
30. The drying cylinder is suitably a Yankee dryer. At the outlet side of the drying
section a creping doctor
21 is provided to crepe the fibrous web off the Yankee dryer
5. An application device
31 is also provided for applying a suitable adhesive on the envelope surface of the
Yankee dryer
5 immediately before the transfer nip. The press section
3 includes a shoe press with a shoe press roll
14 and a counter roll
19, these rolls
14 and
19 forming an extended press nip with each other. The press section also has an endless
press felt
15 which runs in a loop around guide rolls
6, and an endless, substantially impermeable belt
16, which according to the invention is a texturing belt. The substantially impermeable
texturing belt
16 runs in a loop around the counter roll
19, a transfer roll
17 and a plurality of guide rolls
18. The transfer roll
17 forms a transfer nip with the Yankee dryer
5 with low linear load, through which transfer nip the substantially impermeable texturing
belt
16 thus passes. In this embodiment the substantially impermeable texturing belt
16 is also used as the inner clothing
9 in the wet section
2, its loop being extended to the forming roll
8. The substantially impermeable texturing belt
16 thus runs in a loop between the wet section
2 and the drying section, around the transfer roll
17, guide rolls
18 and
11 and forming roll
8. The substantially impermeable texturing belt carries the fibrous web on its under
side from the forming roll to the drying cylinder.
[0031] In the embodiments shown in Figures 1 to 5, the counter roll
19 is a smooth roll and is arranged in a loop of the substantially impermeable texturing
belt
16. In an alternative embodiment (not shown) of the press section according to Figures
3 and 5, the positions of the rolls
14 and
19 are reversed,
i.e., the shoe press roll
14 is arranged in the loop of the substantially impermeable texturing belt
16, and the counter roll is in the loop of the press felt
15. In such a configuration the counter roll may be a suction roll, a grooved roll or
a blind-drilled roll.
[0032] The substantially impermeable texturing belt used in the embodiments above of the
paper machine according to the invention comprises a back layer
33 and a web-contacting layer
34 having a multitude of uniformly distributed depressions
35 with flat or arched surface portions
36 situated therebetween, see Figures 6 to 9. According to the first embodiment, shown
in Figure 6, the substantially impermeable texturing belt
16 consists of a tight layer
33 forming said back layer and a fabric forming said web-contacting layer
34. The fabric
34 is coated with a polymer enclosing the threads of the fabric without altering the
structure of the fabric, which is formed of depressions and arched or convex surface
portions
36 situated between the depressions. The depressions
35 and surface portions
36 are in turn formed by the threads of the fabric extending in the machine direction
(as indicated by the arrow) and transverse to this. The depressions
35 are sealed by the tight back layer
33 formed by coating polymer on the surface of the fabric not coming in contact with
the web. Said arched surface portions
36 comprise both oblong arc-shaped ridges
36a of the longitudinally running fabric threads, and also knuckles
36b of the transversely running threads, which knuckles produce small bowl-shaped pits
in the fibrous web in the texturing phase. In the embodiment shown in Figure 6, the
substantially impermeable texturing belt has 100 knuckles
36b per cm
2. In general it may have 25 to 150 knuckles/cm
2, preferably 50 to 100 knuckles/cm
2. This structure of depressions, ridges and knuckles produces a corresponding texture
pattern in the fibrous web when it runs through the extended press nip together with
the texturing belt
16 and press felt
15. The polymer coating on the fabric ensures that the fibrous web is reliably adhered
to the substantially impermeable texturing belt as it runs out from the extended press
nip. This ensures that the fibrous web accompanies the substantially impermeable texturing
belt
16 and not the press felt
15. The structure of the web-contacting layer of the impermeable texturing belt,
i.e., the polymer-coated fabric
34, combined with the envelope surface of the drying cylinder
5 being coated with a continuous adhesive layer, also ensures that the fibrous web
is safely transferred to the drying cylinder
5 when it passes through and out of the transfer nip.
[0033] What is generally termed a coarse, single-layered fabric, having 100 knuckles/cm
2 may be used in the first embodiment of the substantially impermeable texturing belt
described above. The back layer, which is substantially impermeable, may consist of
a suitable polymer resin material,
e.g., the polymers described below for the polymer layer in the second embodiment of the
substantially impermeable texturing belt. The polymer for coating the fabric threads
may be selected in the same way.
[0034] According to a second embodiment, the substantially impermeable texturing belt
16 consists of a carrier
33, which forms said back layer
33, and a polymer layer
34 on its web-contacting side having a hardness of 50 to 97 Shore A, the polymer coating
having a degree of roughness in uncompressed state of R
z = 2 to 80 µm, measured in accordance with ISO 4287, Part I, and being compressible
to a lower degree of roughness of R
z = 0 to 20 µm when a linear load of 20 to 200 kN/m is applied in the substantially
impermeable texturing belt, and also has the ability to be recovered to its uncompressed
degree of roughness when the pressure exerted on the substantially impermeable texturing
belt ceases. The R
z-value is more specifically the ten-point height, which is defined in said ISO norm
as the average distance between the five highest peaks and the five deepest valleys
in the reference length measured from a line parallel to the mid-line and not crossing
the surface profile. The substantially impermeable texturing belt preferably has an
air permeability of less than 6 m
3/m
2/minute, measured in accordance with the procedure described in "Standard Test Method
for Air Permeability of Textile Fabrics, ASTM D 737-75, American Society of Testing
and Materials".
[0035] The substantially impermeable texturing belt
16 is thus compressible under the influence of the pressure forces prevailing in the
extended press nip. The substantially impermeable texturing belt
16 therefore assumes an uncompressed state upstream and downstream of the extended press
nip, the surface, the web-carrying surface facing the fibrous web, having a high degree
of roughness in the uncompressed state of the substantially impermeable texturing
belt and a lower degree of roughness in the compressed state of the substantially
impermeable texturing belt, so that the web-carrying surface in the compressed state
of the substantially impermeable texturing belt is sufficiently smooth for a continuous
liquid film to be formed on the web-carrying surface, when the substantially impermeable
texturing belt, together with press felt
15 and fibrous web
1, passes through the extended press nip, and so that the web-carrying surface in the
uncompressed state of the substantially impermeable texturing belt is sufficiently
rough to permit the continuous liquid film to be broken up after the substantially
impermeable texturing belt has expanded in thickness.
[0036] The compressible polymer layer
34 is provided with said multitude of uniformly distributed depressions
35, in order to take up a large share of the web-contacting surface, viz. from 20% up
to 50%. The depressions can be formed in many ways to achieve the desired effect of
texturing a relief pattern in the fibrous web in order to increase its bulk. The depressions
may consist of continuous grooves in the polymer layer
33, see Figure 7, which extend in machine direction. According to another embodiment,
the grooves extend diagonally from one edge to the other, forming an angle of 10°
to 80° to the machine direction. According to another embodiment, see Figure 8, the
depressions consist of diagonally intersecting grooves which extend in one group from
the first edge to the second edge, and in a second group from the second edge to the
first edge, intersecting grooves forming an angle α of 10° to 170°. The grooves in
the various embodiments may be straight, as shown, or wave shaped or the like,
e.g., sinus shaped or zigzag shaped. The distance
a between two grooves
35 running in the same direction may be within the interval 1 to 3 mm. The width
b of the groove is within the interval 0.5 to 1.0 mm and its depth
c within the interval 0.1 to 1.0 mm.
[0037] According to another embodiment (not shown) the depressions comprise hollows of the
same or similar shapes. These hollows may be circular, elliptical or polygon in shape,
e.g., triangular, rectangular or hexagonal, the largest dimension lying within the interval
0.5 to 3.0 mm and the depth within the interval 0.5 to 1.0 mm.
[0038] All or some of the depressions, individually or in groups, may be constituted by
hollows of special symbol shapes,
e.g., numbers, letters, trade or company symbols repeated at regular intervals within
a length unit of the belt.
[0039] The substantially impermeable texturing belt according to said second embodiment
may be built up in accordance with the recipes described in
U.S. Patent No. 5,298,124, discussed in the introduction. The polymer coating
34 comprises a polymer composition such as acrylic polymer resin, polyurethane polymer
resin and polyurethane/polycarbonate resin composition. The polymer coating also contains
particles of a filler, which have a different hardness from the polymer material and
may consist of kaolin, clay, polymer material or metal, preferably stainless steel.
The carrier constituting the back layer
33 includes all types of base elements that can in some way be made endless. The term
also covers base elements provided with seams. The carrier may consist, for instance,
of a single-layered or multi-layered fabric produced from monofilaments such as polyester,
polyamide, and the like. The base element may even consist of a fiber web (non-woven)
held together by adhesive, combined wound yarns, polymer foil/film, warp knitting,
or the like. The carrier may be coated on the rear side with a polymer material of
the same type as that used for the polymer layer
34.
[0040] It is surprising that a transfer belt as described in
U.S. Patent No. 5,298,124, which is intended for pressing in a press section and usable for transferring a
paper web from the press section to a drying fabric, can be used with great advantage
for texturing and transferring a soft paper web from a shoe press nip directly to
a Yankee dryer or some other drying cylinder. As is well known, the conditions at
a Yankee dryer are completely different from those in a conventional press nip. With
a Yankee dryer, no pressing of the soft paper occurs for direct dewatering. Rather
it is a question of supporting the soft paper web to the envelope surface of the Yankee
dryer, so that the fibers of the soft paper web adhere efficiently to the surface
of the Yankee dryer, thereby achieving good heat transfer to the paper web. This is
exactly the effect which is achieved with the transfer belt included in one embodiment
of the paper machine according to the present invention, but cannot be achieved with
a press felt as described in
DE-195 48 747 due to the paper being exposed to rewetting after the last press nip in the press
section, which prevents satisfactory adhesion. Neither can it be achieved, or only
to a minor extent, with a transfer belt as described in
U.S. Patent No. 5,393,384 for the reason stated above. The compressibility of the transfer belt used in the
paper machine according to the invention results in lower specific pressure at the
adhesion point, which in turn offers increased rate of operation,
i.e., higher production rate. This property also results in increased vaporization of
water from the soft paper web,
i.e., quicker drying of the soft paper web on the Yankee dryer, which also contributes
to higher production rates.
[0041] The paper machine according to the invention, the press nips of which being single-felted,
produces a textured fibrous web with a high dry solids content before the drying section,
viz. up to 55%, which should be compared with the dry solids contents of up to 45%
achieved with paper machines in practical use today. This improvement can be utilized
either to run the paper machine at a higher production rate or to reduce the energy
consumption in the drying section. It is also then possible to reduce the diameter
of the drying cylinder.
[0042] With the embodiments shown and described, a guide roll may be arranged, if desired,
in the loop of the substantially impermeable texturing belt
16 immediately before the transfer roll
17.
[0043] With the embodiments shown and described, a transfer member is used constituted by
the transfer roll 17. According to an alternative embodiment (not shown), the transfer
roll is replaced by the substantially impermeable texturing belt itself, which is
allowed to run around a predetermined part of the drying cylinder,
e.g., within a sector angle of 30° to 60°, to form an extended transfer nip with the
drying cylinder.
[0044] Although the embodiments of the paper machine described above all have press sections
comprising a shoe press, the invention is also applicable when the press section lacks
a shoe press and instead has at least one press with two press rolls, of which the
press roll around which the press felt runs is a suction roll, a grooved roll or a
blind-drilled roll.
1. A paper machine belt for advancing a wet fibrous paper web (1) between a press (14,
19) and a heated drying cylinder (5) of a paper machine, wherein the belt (16) has
a web-contacting surface and is adapted to pass with the fibrous web (1) through the
press (14, 19) and then carry the fibrous web (1) to the drying cylinder (5), said
web-contacting surface defining a multitude of regularly distributed depressions (35)
and surface portions (36) located between said depressions (35), so that the belt
(16) is a texturing belt, forming on the fibrous web (1) an equivalent textured pattern,
said texturing belt (16) or a layer (34) of the texturing belt (16) intended for contact
with the paper web (1) being reversibly compressible so that the texturing belt (16)
is compressed in a transfer nip at the drying cylinder (5) and resumes its uncompressed
state when leaving said transfer nip, characterized in that said belt (16) is substantially impermeable, wherein the air permeability of the
belt (16) is less than 6m3 /m2 x min, measured in accordance with the procedure described in "Standard Test Method
for Air Permeability of Textile Fabrics, ASTM D737-75, American Society of Testing
and Materials"
2. The belt according to claim 1, wherein a vacuum is created in the depressions (35)
when the texturing belt (16) leaves the transfer nip and resumes it uncompressed state.
3. The belt according to claim 2, wherein said vacuum contributes to the formation of
steam in the depressions in the texturing pattern, which steam in turn facilitates
separation of the texturing belt (6) and paper web (1) after the transfer nip and
also quicker drying of the paper web on the drying cylinder (5).
4. The belt according to any one of claims 2 and 3, wherein the vacuum-forming effect
is controlled by the resiliency of the texturing belt (16) in that the vacuum-forming
effect increases the more resilient the reverse compressibility is.
5. The belt according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the belt has a texture pattern
that is regular.
6. The belt according to claim 5, wherein the texture pattern includes a particularly
prominent additional pattern.
7. The belt according to claim 6, wherein the particularly prominent additional pattern
is selected from the group consisting of pictures, logotypes numbers, trade symbols,
and company symbols.
8. The belt according to any one of claims 1 to 7, comprising a back layer (33) and a
layer (34) having said web-contacting surface comprising resilient compressible polymer
layer having a hardness in the range from 50 to 97 Shore A, and defining said web-contacting
surface.
9. The belt according to claim 8, wherein said web-contacting surface has a pressure
responsive, recoverable degree of roughness in an unloaded state of Rz = 2 to 80 µm, measured in accordance with ISO 4287, Part I, and a lower degree of
roughness of Rz = 0 to 20 µm when said polymer layer is compressed by a linear load of 20 to 200
kN/m as measured in a nonextended press nip.
10. The belt according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein said depressions (35) take
up from 20% to 50% of said web-contacting surface.
11. The belt according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein said depressions are hollows
of the same or similar geometric shapes including circular, elliptical or polygon
shape, the largest dimension of each lying within the interval from 0.5 to 3 mm and
depth within the interval 0.5 to 1 mm.
12. The belt according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein at least some of said depressions
are hollows of non-geometric symbols shapes including numbers, letters, trade or company
symbols with depths within the interval 0.5 to 1 mm.
13. A paper machine for treating a wet fibrous paper web (1), comprising: the paper machine
belt (16) according to any one of claims 1 to 12; a press section (3) comprising a
first press having a press roll (14) and a counter roll (19) to form an extended press
nip therebetween for pressing the fibrous web (1) and removing water from the fibrous
web (1); a heated drying cylinder (5) located downstream of said first press for receiving
the pressed fibrous web (1) about a portion of the surface of said drying cylinder
(5) and thereby further drying the fibrous web (1) by evaporating at least part of
the water remaining in the fibrous web (1), wherein said belt (16) is arranged to
carry the fibrous web (1) from said first press to said drying cylinder (5) such that
said belt (16) engages the fibrous web (1) against the surface of said drying cylinder
(5), characterized in that when the belt (16) passes with the fibrous web (1) through the press (14, 10), said
depressions (35) and said surface portions (36) initially form on the fibrous web
(1) an equivalent textured pattern having thicker and thinner portions, and when the
belt (16) carries the fibrous web to the drying cylinder (5), said surface portions
(36) engage the thinner portions of the fibrous web (1) against the surface of the
drying cylinder (5) and water in the thicker portions of the fibrous web (1) is caused
to evaporate.
14. The paper machine according to claim 13, further comprising a second press arranged
upstream of said first press, said second press having two press members comprising
a suction press roll (13) and a counter roll (19) to form a press nip, wherein said
belt (16) is arranged to pass with the fibrous web (1) through said second press and
said first press, and a press felt (15) arranged to run through said second press
and first press against the fibrous web (1) for receiving water pressed from the fibrous
web (1), and wherein said press felt (15) is arranged to be conducted away from the
fibrous web (1) and the belt (16) in a side loop around said suction press roll (13)
and guide rolls (32, 6).
15. The paper machine according to claim 14, wherein said press felt (15) is arranged
to rejoin the fibrous web (1) and said belt (16) before the extended press nip.
16. The paper machine according to any one of claims 14 and 15, wherein suction devices
are arranged within said side loop of the press felt (15) in order to increase the
capacity of the press felt (15) to absorb water at the entrance to said extended press
nip.
17. The paper machine according to any one of claims 13 to 16, further comprising a wet
section (2) having an inner forming fabric (9), said press felt (15) running around
a pick-up roll (20) arranged close to the loop of said fabric (9) and provided with
a suction shoe.
18. The paper machine according to any one of claims 13 to 16, further comprising a wet
section (2) having an inner forming fabric (9), said press felt (15), running around
a pick-up suction box arranged close to the loop of said fabric (9).
19. The paper machine according to any one of claims 13 to 18, further comprising a transfer
roll (17) arranged to engage said belt (16) and a fibrous web (1) against the surface
of said drying cylinder (5).
1. Papiermaschinenriemen zum Vorwärtsbewegen einer feuchten Faserpapierbahn (1) zwischen
einer Presse (14, 19) und einem erwärmten Trocknungszylinder (5) einer Papiermaschine,
wobei der Riemen (16) eine Bahnkontaktfläche hat und daran angepasst ist, mit der
Faserbahn (1) durch die Presse (14, 19) zu treten und dann die Faserbahn (1) zu dem
Trocknungszylinder (5) zu tragen, wobei die Bahnkontaktfläche eine Vielzahl an regelmäßig
verteilten Vertiefungen (35) und Oberflächenabschnitten (36) definiert, die zwischen
den Vertiefungen (35) angeordnet sind, so dass der Riemen (16) ein Texturriemen ist,
der auf der Faserbahn (1) ein äquivalentes Texturmuster ausbildet, wobei der Texturriemen
(16) oder eine Lage (34) des Texturriemens (16), die für einen Kontakt mit der Papierbahn
(1) gedacht ist, reversibel komprimierbar ist, so dass der Texturriemen (16) in einem
Übertragungsspalt an dem Trocknungszylinder (5) zusammengedrückt wird und seinen nicht
zusammengedrückten Zustand wieder einnimmt, wenn er den Übertragungsspalt verlässt,
dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Riemen (16) im Wesentlichen undurchlässig ist, wobei die Luftdurchlässigkeit
des Riemens (16) geringer als 6 m3/m2 x Minute ist gemessen gemäß der Prozedur, die in "Standard Test Method for Air Permeability
of Textile Fabrics, ASTM D 737-75, American Society of Testing and Materials" beschrieben
ist.
2. Riemen gemäß Anspruch 1, wobei ein Unterdruck in den Vertiefungen (35) erzeugt wird,
wenn der Texturriemen (16) den Übertragungsspalt verlässt und seinen nicht zusammengedrückten
Zustand wieder einnimmt.
3. Riemen gemäß Anspruch 2, wobei der Unterdruck zu dem Ausbilden von Dampf in den Vertiefungen
in dem Texturmuster beiträgt, wobei der Dampf wiederum das Trennen des Texturriemens
(6) und der Papierbahn (1) nach dem Übertragungsspalt erleichtert und außerdem ein
schnelleres Trocknen der Papierbahn an dem Trocknungszylinder (5) erleichtert.
4. Riemen gemäß einem der Ansprüche 2 oder 3, wobei der Unterdruckausbildungseffekt durch
die Elastizität des Texturriemens (16) dahingehend gesteuert wird, dass der Unterdruckausbildungseffekt
zunimmt, je elastischer die Umkehrzusammendrückbarkeit ist.
5. Riemen gemäß einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 4, wobei der Riemen ein Texturmuster hat, das
regelmäßig ist.
6. Riemen gemäß Anspruch 5, wobei das Texturmuster ein besonders vorragendes zusätzliches
Muster aufweist.
7. Riemen gemäß Anspruch 6, wobei das besonders vorragende zusätzliche Muster aus der
Gruppe gewählt wird, die aus Bildern, Firmenlogos, Zahlen, Warenkennzeichen und Firmenkennzeichen
besteht.
8. Riemen gemäß einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 7, der eine Rückenlage (33) und eine Lage (34)
aufweist mit der Bahnkontaktfläche, die eine elastische zusammendrückbare Polymerlage
aufweist mit einer Härte in einem Bereich von 50 bis 97 Shore A und die die Bahnkontaktfläche
definiert.
9. Riemen gemäß Anspruch 8, wobei die Bahnkontaktfläche einen auf Druck ansprechenden
erzielbaren Rauhigkeitsgrad in einem unbelasteten Zustand von Rz = 2 bis 80 µm hat gemessen gemäß ISO 4287, Abschnitt I, und einen niedrigeren Rauhigkeitsgrad
von Rz = 0 bis 20 µm hat, wenn die Polymerlage durch eine lineare Last von 20 bis 200 kN/m
gemessen in einem Nichtlangpressspalt zusammengedrückt wird.
10. Riemen gemäß einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 9, wobei die Vertiefungen (35) von 20% bis
50% der Bahnkontaktfläche einnehmen.
11. Riemen gemäß einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 10, wobei die Vertiefungen Hohlräume mit gleichen
oder ähnlichen geometrischen Formen sind, die eine kreisartige, elliptische oder polygonartige
Form umfassen, wobei das größte Maß von jedem innerhalb des Intervalls von 0,5 bis
3 mm und eine Tiefe innerhalb des Intervalls von 0,5 bis 1 mm liegt.
12. Riemen gemäß einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 10, wobei zumindest einige der Vertiefungen
Hohlräume aus Formen nicht geometrische Symbole sind inklusive Zahlen, Buchstaben,
Warenkennzeichen oder Firmenkennzeichen mit Tiefen innerhalb des Intervalls von 0,5
bis 1 mm.
13. Papiermaschine zum Behandeln einer feuchten Faserpapierbahn (1) mit: dem Papiermaschinenriemen
(16) gemäß einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 12; einer Pressenpartie (3) mit einer ersten
Presse mit einer Presswalze (14) und einer Gegenwalze (19) zum Ausbilden eines Langpressenspalts
zwischen ihnen zum Pressen der Faserbahn (1) und zum Entfernen von Wasser aus der
Faserbahn (1); einem erwärmten Trocknungszylinder (5), der stromabwärtig der ersten
Presse angeordnet ist zum Empfangen der gepressten Faserbahn (1) um einem Abschnitt
der Fläche des Trocknungszylinders (5) herum und einem dadurch erfolgenden weiteren
Trocknen der Faserbahn (1) durch ein Verdampfen von zumindest einem Teil des Wassers,
der in der Faserbahn (1) verbleibt, wobei der Riemen (16) so angeordnet ist, dass
er die Faserbahn (1) von der ersten Presse zu dem Trocknungszylinder (5) derart trägt,
dass der Riemen (16) mit der Faserbahn (1) an der Oberfläche des Trocknungszylinders
(5) in Eingriff gelangt, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass, wenn der Riemen (16) mit der Faserbahn (1) durch die Presse (14, 10) tritt, die
Vertiefungen (35) und die Oberflächenabschnitte (36) anfänglich auf der Faserbahn
(1) ein äquivalentes Texturmuster ausbilden mit dickeren und dünneren Abschnitten,
und wenn der Riemen (16) die Faserbahn zu dem Trocknungszylinder (5) trägt, die Oberflächenabschnitte
(36) die dünneren Abschnitte der Faserbahn (1) an der Oberfläche des Trocknungszylinders
(5) in Eingriff bringen und Wasser in den dickeren Abschnitten der Faserbahn (1) dazu
gebracht wird, dass es verdampft.
14. Papiermaschine gemäß Anspruch 13, die des Weiteren eine zweite Presse aufweist, die
stromaufwärtig der ersten Presse angeordnet ist, wobei die zweite Presse zwei Presselemente
hat, die eine Saugpresswalze (13) und eine Gegenwalze (19) aufweisen zum Ausbilden
eines Pressspaltes, wobei der Riemen (16) so eingerichtet ist, dass er mit der Faserbahn
(1) durch die zweite Presse und die erste Presse tritt, und ein Pressenfilz (15) so
angeordnet ist, dass er durch die zweite Presse und die erste Presse an der Faserbahn
(1) läuft zum Aufnehmen von Wasser, das von der Faserbahn (1) gepresst wird, und wobei
der Pressenfilz (15) so angeordnet ist, dass er von der Faserbahn (1) und dem Riemen
(16) weg in einer Seitenschleife um die Saugpresswalze (13) und Führungswalzen (32,
6) geleitet wird.
15. Papiermaschine gemäß Anspruch 14, wobei der Pressenfilz (15) so angeordnet ist, dass
er vor dem Langpressenspalt mit der Faserbahn (1) und dem Riemen (16) wieder zusammentrifft.
16. Papiermaschine gemäß einem der Ansprüche 14 oder 15, wobei Saugvorrichtungen innerhalb
der Seitenschleife des Pressenfilzes (15) angeordnet sind, um die Fähigkeit des Pressenfilzes
(15) zum Absorbieren von Wasser an dem Eingang zu dem Langpressenspalt zu erhöhen.
17. Papiermaschine gemäß einem der Ansprüche 13 bis 16, die des Weiteren eine Nasspartie
(2) mit einem inneren Bahnbildungsgewebe (9) aufweist, wobei der Pressenfilz (15)
um eine Aufnahmewalze (20) läuft, die nahe zu der Schleife des Gewebes (9) angeordnet
ist und mit einem Saugschuh versehen ist.
18. Papiermaschine gemäß einem der Ansprüche 13 bis 16, die des Weiteren eine Nasspartie
(2) mit einem inneren Bahnbildungsgewebe (9) aufweist, wobei der Pressenfilz (15)
um einen Aufnahmesaugkasten herum läuft, der nahe zu der Schleife des Gewebes (9)
angeordnet ist.
19. Papiermaschine gemäß einem der Ansprüche 13 bis 18, die des Weiteren eine Übertragungswalze
(17) aufweist, die so eingerichtet ist, dass sie den Riemen (16) und eine Faserbahn
(1) gegen die Oberfläche des Trocknungszylinders (5) in Eingriff bringt.
1. Courroie de machine à papier destinée à faire avancer une bande de papier fibreuse
humide (1) entre une presse (14, 19) et un cylindre sécheur chauffé (5) d'une machine
à papier, dans laquelle la courroie (16) présente une surface en contact avec la bande,
et est adaptée pour passer avec la bande fibreuse (1) à travers la presse (14, 19)
et ensuite pour amener la bande fibreuse (1) jusqu'au cylindre sécheur (5), ladite
surface en contact avec la bande définissant une multitude de dépressions réparties
de manière régulière (35) et des parties de surface (36) situées entre lesdites dépressions
(35), de telle sorte que la courroie (16) soit une courroie à texturer, en formant
sur la bande fibreuse (1) un motif texturé équivalent, ladite courroie à texturer
(16) ou une couche (34) de la courroie à texturer (16) destinée à être en contact
avec la bande fibreuse (1), pouvant être comprimée de manière réversible de telle
sorte que la courroie à texturer (16) soit comprimée dans une ligne de contact de
transfert au niveau du cylindre sécheur (5) et reprenne son état non comprimé quand
elle quitte ladite ligne de contact de transfert, caractérisée en ce que ladite courroie (16) est sensiblement imperméable, dans lequel la perméabilité à
l'air de la courroie (16) est inférieure à 6 m3 / m2 × minute, mesurée selon la procédure décrite dans le document « Standard Test Method
for Air Permeability of Textile Fabrics, ASTM D 737 - 75, American Society of Testing
and Materials ».
2. Courroie selon la revendication 1, dans laquelle un vide est créé dans les dépressions
(35) lorsque la courroie à texturer (16) quitte la ligne de contact de transfert et
reprend son état non comprimé.
3. Courroie selon la revendication 2, dans laquelle ledit vide contribue à la formation
de vapeur dans les dépressions dans le motif de texturation, laquelle vapeur facilite
à son tour la séparation de la courroie à texturer (6) de la bande de papier (1) après
la ligne de contact de transfert, et également un séchage plus rapide de la bande
de papier sur le cylindre sécheur (5).
4. Courroie selon l'une quelconque des revendications 2 et 3, dans laquelle l'effet de
formation sous vide est commandé par l'élasticité de la courroie à texturer (16) du
fait que plus l'effet de formation sous vide augmente, plus la compressibilité inverse
est élastique.
5. Courroie selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 4, dans laquelle la courroie
présente un motif de texture qui est régulier.
6. Courroie selon la revendication 5, dans laquelle le motif de texture comprend un motif
supplémentaire particulièrement saillant.
7. Courroie selon la revendication 6, dans laquelle le motif supplémentaire particulièrement
saillant est sélectionné dans le groupe constitué par des images, des logotypes, des
symboles commerciaux, et des symboles de société.
8. Courroie selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 7, comprenant une couche arrière
(33) et une couche (34) qui présente ladite surface en contact avec la bande qui comprend
une couche polymère élastique qui peut être comprimée, qui présente une dureté qui
se situe dans une plage comprise entre 50 Shore A et 97 Shore A, et qui définit ladite
surface en contact avec la bande.
9. Courroie selon la revendication 8, dans laquelle ladite surface en contact avec la
bande présente un degré de rugosité récupérable en réponse à une pression, dans un
état non chargé, Rz, compris entre 2 µm et 80 µm, mesuré selon la norme ISO 4287, Part I, et un degré
de rugosité plus faible, compris entre 0 µm et 20 µm, lorsque ladite couche polymère
est comprimée par une charge linéaire comprise entre 20 kN / m et 200 kN / m quand
on la mesure dans une ligne de contact de presse non étendue.
10. Courroie selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 9, dans laquelle lesdites dépressions
(35) occupent entre 20 % et 50 % de ladite surface en contact avec la bande.
11. Courroie selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 10, dans laquelle lesdites
dépressions sont des creux qui présentent des formes géométriques identiques ou similaires,
y compris une forme circulaire, elliptique ou polygonale, la plus grande dimension
de chacune d'elles se situant dans une plage comprise entre 0,5 mm et 3 mm, et la
profondeur se situant dans une plage comprise entre 0,5 mm et 1 mm.
12. Courroie selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 10, dans laquelle certaines
au moins desdites dépressions sont des creux qui présentent des formes de symboles
non géométriques, y compris des chiffres, des lettres, des symboles de commerce ou
de société, avec des profondeurs qui se situent dans la plage comprise entre 0,5 mm
et 1 mm.
13. Machine à papier destinée à traiter une bande de papier fibreuse humide (1), comprenant
: la courroie de machine à papier (16) selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1
à 12 ; une section presse (3) qui comprend une première presse qui présente un rouleau
presseur (14) et un contre-rouleau (19) de façon à former entre eux une ligne de contact
de presse détendue de manière à presser la bande fibreuse (1), et à éliminer l'eau
de la bande fibreuse (1) ; un cylindre sécheur chauffé (5) situé en aval de ladite
première presse, destiné à recevoir la bande fibreuse pressée (1) autour d'une partie
de la surface dudit cylindre sécheur (5), et à sécher en outre de ce fait la bande
fibreuse (1) en faisant évaporer une partie au moins de l'eau qui reste dans la bande
fibreuse (1), dans laquelle ladite courroie (16) est agencée de façon à faire passer
la bande fibreuse (1) à partir de ladite première presse jusqu'audit cylindre sécheur
(5) de telle sorte que ladite courroie (16) mette en prise la bande fibreuse (1) contre
la surface dudit cylindre sécheur (5), caractérisée en ce que, lorsque la courroie (16) passe avec la bande fibreuse (1) à travers la presse (14,
10), lesdites dépressions (35) et lesdites parties de surface (36) forment au début
sur la bande fibreuse (1) un motif texturé équivalent qui présente des parties plus
épaisses et plus minces, et lorsque la courroie (16) fait passer la bande fibreuse
jusqu'au cylindre sécheur (5), lesdites parties de surface (36) mettent en prise les
parties plus minces de la bande fibreuse (1) contre la surface du cylindre sécheur
(5) et l'eau présente dans les parties plus épaisses de la bande fibreuse (1) est
contrainte de s'évaporer.
14. Machine à papier selon la revendication 13, comprenant en outre une seconde presse
disposée en amont de ladite première presse, ladite seconde presse présentant deux
éléments de presse qui comprennent un rouleau presseur à aspiration (13) et un contre-rouleau
(19) de façon à former une ligne de contact de presse, dans laquelle ladite courroie
(16) est agencée de façon à passer avec la bande fibreuse (1) à travers ladite second
presse et ladite première presse, et un feutre de presse (15) agencé de façon à circuler
à travers ladite seconde presse et ladite première presse contre la bande fibreuse
(1), destiné à recevoir l'eau pressée en provenance de la bande fibreuse (1), et dans
laquelle ledit feutre de presse (15) est agencé de façon à être conduit en s'éloignant
de la bande fibreuse (1) et de la courroie (16) en une boucle latérale autour dudit
rouleau presseur à aspiration (13) et des rouleaux de guidage (32, 6).
15. Machine à papier selon la revendication 14, dans laquelle ledit feutre de presse (15)
est agencé de façon à rejoindre la bande fibreuse (1) et ladite courroie (16) avant
la ligne de contact de presse étendue.
16. Machine à papier selon l'une quelconque des revendications 14 et 15, dans laquelle
des dispositifs à aspiration sont agencés à l'intérieur de ladite boucle latérale
du feutre de presse (15) de façon à accroître la capacité du feutre de presse (15)
à absorber l'eau au niveau de l'entrée de ladite ligne de contact étendue.
17. Machine à papier selon l'une quelconque des revendications 13 à 16, comprenant en
outre une section humide (2) qui présente une toile de formation intérieure (9), ledit
feutre de presse (15) circulant autour d'un rouleau preneur (20) disposé à proximité
de la boucle de ladite toile (9) et doté d'une semelle d'aspiration.
18. Machine à papier selon l'une quelconque des revendications 13 à 16, comprenant en
outre une section humide (2) qui présente une toile de formation intérieure (9), ledit
feutre de presse (15) circulant autour d'une caisse aspirante preneuse agencée à proximité
de la boucle de ladite toile (9).
19. Machine à papier selon l'une quelconque des revendications 13 à 18, comprenant en
outre un rouleau de transfert (17) agencé de façon à mettre en prise ladite courroie
(16) et une bande fibreuse (1) contre la surface dudit cylindre sécheur (5).