Cross-machine direction actuators for machine clothing

• US 7,811,417 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2006
• Issued: 10/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell ASCA Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell ASCA Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: MacHattie, Ross K., Beselt, Ron E.
• Primary Examiner(s): FORTUNA, JOSE A
• Application Number:
  US11/603,786
• Publication Number:
  US 20070151690A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,420 Days
• Field of Search: 162252-253, 162/263, 162/265, 162/272, 162/275, 162278-279, 162198-199, 700127-129
• US Class Current: 162/263
• CPC Class Codes: D21F 3/04 Arrangements thereof
• CPC Class Codes: D21F 7/003 Indicating or regulating the moisture content of the layer

Abstract

A method for affecting moisture content of a sheet of paper includes providing a moisture measuring device disposed in a papermaking machine to measure the moisture content of a sheet of paper and create a moisture profile of the sheet of paper, determining the moisture profile of the sheet of paper, and providing a water-spraying device to spray water on a press felt that contacts the sheet of paper during manufacturing. The method further includes selecting one or more zones on the press felt on which to spray water based on the moisture profile of the sheet of paper, and acting on the press felt by spraying water in the one or more selected zones on the press felt to affect the moisture content of the sheet of paper that contacts the press felt after the water has been sprayed.

Claims

1. A system for affecting moisture content of a sheet of paper during manufacturing by acting on a press felt that contacts a wet sheet of paper during manufacturing, the system comprising:

a first continuously circulating press felt, which has opposed major surfaces including a first inner surface and a first outer surface, such that a wet sheet of paper is in contact with a first portion of the first outer surface of the first continuously circulating press felt;

a moisture measuring device to determine the moisture content of a first section of a sheet of paper exiting a press section and to create a moisture profile along a cross direction of the first section of the sheet of paper which is located downstream from the first portion of the first outer surface of the first continuously circulating press felt that is in contact with the moving wet sheet of paper;

a first water-spraying device to selectively spray water on first selected zones on the first continuously circulating press felt, wherein the first selected zones are located along across direction in a part of the first continuously circulating press felt that is not in contact with the wet sheet of paper; and

a controller that receives data from the moisture measuring device and controls the first water-spraying device such that one or more selected zones on the first continuously circulating press felt is sprayed with water the amount of water sprayed being based on the moisture profile along the cross direction of the first section of the sheet of paper so that, as the wet sheet of paper comes into contact with the first portion of the first outer surface of the first continuously circulating press felt, water is absorbed from the wet sheet of paper along the cross direction in amounts that depend on the moisture content of the one or more selected zones on the first continuously circulating press felt so that a sheet of paper exhibiting cross direction moisture uniformity is formed.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a vacuum device for removing water from the first continuously circulating press felt by suction.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the controller controls the vacuum device such that water is removed from one or more other zones on the first continuously circulating press felt based on the moisture profile along the cross direction of the first section of the sheet of paper.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the moisture profile is a moisture profile along both a cross direction and machine direction.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the moisture measuring device comprises a scanner.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising a second continuously circulating press felt, which has opposed major surfaces including a second inner surface and a second outer surface, such that the wet sheet of paper is also in contact with a second portion of the second outer surface of the second continuously circulating press felt.

7. The system of claim 6 further comprising:

a second water-spraying device to selectively spray water on second selected zones on the second continuously circulating press felt, wherein the second selected zones are located along a cross direction in a part of the second continuously circulating press felt that is not in contact with the wet sheet of paper and wherein the controller controls the second water-spraying device such that one or more selected zones on the second continuously circulating press felt is sprayed with water based on the moisture profile along the cross direction of the first section of the sheet of paper.

8. The system of claim 7 further comprising a second vacuum device for removing water from the second continuously circulating press felt by suction.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the controller controls the second vacuum device such that water is removed from one or more other zones on the second continuously circulating press felt based on the moisture profile of the first section of the sheet of paper.