Beloit Corporation

Stewart B Olson

Jere W Crouse

An extended nip press apparatus is disclosed for pressing water from a formed web. The apparatus includes a frame and an elongate shoe pivotally supported by the frame. A backing roll cooperates with the shoe for defining therebetween an extended nip for the passage therethrough of the web. The backing roll includes a beam which extends in a cross-machine direction, the beam being rigidly supported by the frame. A roll shell is rotatably supported by the beam, the roll shell cooperating with the shoe for defining the extended nip. A plurality of roll shell deflection compensating devices are disposed in a cross-machine direction between the roll shell and the beam for urging the roll shell towards the elongate shoe and for compensating for deflection of the roll shell relative to the shoe during passage of the web through the extended nip.

Extended nip press apparatus

A spreader bar apparatus is disclosed for separating slit portions of a web. The apparatus includes a first spreader bar which extends in a cross-machine direction relative to the web. The first spreader bar is bowed relative to the slit portions such that the slit portions are separated axially relative to each other when the slit portions are guided around the first spreader bar. A second spreader bar is disposed downstream relative to the first bar and extends in a cross-machine direction relative to the web for guiding the separated slit portions. The second bar is bowed relative to the separated slit portions such that each of the slit portions disposed downstream relative to the second bar is disposed parallel to each other. A first and a second porous layer are connected to the first and second bars respectively such that when the bars are connected to a source of pressurized air, air flows through the bars and the porous layers towards the slit portions for generating respectively a first and second air cushion. The cushions reduce the frictional resistance between the moving slit portions and the bars. Additionally, the air cushions reduce the noise level caused by movement of the slit portions when the slit portions move relative to and are guided by the spreader bars.

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Lexington, KY, United States of America

Stewart B Olson