U.S. patent number 3,836,428 [Application Number 05/283,648] was granted by the patent office on 1974-09-17 for adjustable slot suction box cover.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Albany International Corp.. Invention is credited to David F. McConaughy.
United States Patent |
3,836,428 |
McConaughy |
September 17, 1974 |
ADJUSTABLE SLOT SUCTION BOX COVER
Abstract
An adjustable slot cover adapted to be mounted on a suction box
or pipe having openings therein in communication with a source of
suction. The cover includes a base which is rigidly mounted to the
suction pipe. The base includes alternate lands and slots with the
slots in communication with the openings in the suction pipe. A
plurality of wear strips are slidably mounted on receiving land
portions of the cover with dovetail or T-shaped interengagements
retaining the wear strips in position. Axial positioning of the
interengaging surfaces along with the lateral width of the strips
determines the portion of each wear strip which covers a portion of
an adjacent slot. The dovetail or T-shaped opening in the wear
strips can be located off center so that strips can be turned end
for end to change the width of slot. The wear strips are
interchangeable so that adjustability of slot widths is thereby
achieved.
Inventors: |
McConaughy; David F. (Delmar,
NY) |
Assignee: |
Albany International Corp.
(Albany, NY)
|
Family
ID: |
23086990 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/283,648 |
Filed: |
August 25, 1972 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
162/274; 162/279;
162/374; 162/366 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F26B
13/30 (20130101); F24F 13/08 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
F26B
13/30 (20060101); F24F 13/08 (20060101); F26B
13/00 (20060101); D21f 001/32 (); D21f
001/48 () |
Field of
Search: |
;162/274,199,278,279,351,352,353,354,363,366,374,211 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Bashore; S. Leon
Assistant Examiner: Fisher; Richard V.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Kane, Dalsimer, Kane, Sullivan and
Kurucz
Claims
I claim:
1. In combination:
a suction pipe, surfaces of said suction pipe defining at least one
longitudinal opening into the suction pipe interior;
an adjustable slot cover for said suction pipe, said cover
including a base, means on said base for mounting the base to said
suction pipe in fixed position, surfaces of the base forming
alternate longitudinal lands and defining at least one longitudinal
slot between said lands, said slot being in alignment with said
suction pipe opening; and,
a plurality of interchangeable wear strips, each of said wear
strips slidably engaging a land of said base; said wear strips each
comprising an upper wear surface of predetermined width and an
undersurface portion including means thereon for removably
interlocking and interengaging with a land, said interlocking means
being located off center with respect to said wear surface so that
the spacing between the wear strips engaging alternate lands can be
altered to vary the exposed width of said slot.
2. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein each of said
wear strip undersurface portions includes a longitudinally
extending trapezoidal recess and each of said lands has a
complementary trapezoidal shape in section.
3. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein each of said
wear strip undersurface portions includes a longitudinally
extending "T"-shaped recess and each of said lands has a
complementary "T"-shape in section.
4. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein there are three
lands on the base, three wear strips interchangeably mounted on the
three lands, and the three lands with the three wear strips mounted
defining two longitudinal slots therebetween.
5. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein there are
deckle fingers removably mounted on the base and positioned at each
end of the slot to form end air seals.
6. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein at least one
L-shaped clamp has surfaces bearing against the base of the cover
and surfaces bearing against the suction box and a passageway
therethrough to receive a bolt, the bolt threadedly interengaged
with an opening in the suction pipe to rigidly hold the clamp to
the cover and the suction pipe and retain the cover in fixed
position with respect to the suction pipe.
7. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein the base is
formed of polyethylene material.
8. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein the base is
formed of a phenolic resin material.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In felt manufacturing procedures a suction pipe or box is often
utilized. The suction pipe is connected to a source of suction and
has a number of openings on its periphery to subject the material
to vacuum as desired in the manufacturing process. Additionally, a
vacuum pipe cover is employed over which the material can be placed
and handled. The cover is designed to permit communication between
the material being worked on and the openings in the suction pipe
to utilize suction in the operational processes.
The conventional type of suction pipe cover is made in one or two
pieces. The cover has a rigid body portion and slots positioned
between separated portions on the body to provide communication to
the openings in the suction pipe. The cover is rigidly mounted to
the suction pipe. In some designs, the slot widths are fixed in
dimension and there is no means for adjustment of the slot width to
adjust the amount of access the suction openings have to the
material on the surface of the cover. In other designs, the machine
must be shut down in order to readjust the slotted lips in order to
get a new slot width. With radical changes constantly being made in
the newer press felt designs, it is difficult, time consuming and
uneconomical to make changes for proper operation. As a result, the
vacuum conditioners are not operated properly for all types of felt
designs presently in use.
There is no question that a need is present for a means of quickly
and efficiently adjusting the slot widths on a suction pipe cover
to accommodate all types of felt designs and insure proper
operation of the machinery.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
With the above background in mind, it is among the primary
objectives of the present invention to provide a multi-piece
suction pipe cover which permits rapid and efficient adjustment of
slot widths for particular felt designs. The cover is designed so
that it can easily be adjusted to a variety of different slot
widths depending upon the felt material to be handled. The
adjusting of the slot widths can be carried out quickly and
efficiently and the top wear surface of the cover can be changed
rapidly and efficiently when desirable.
The present design includes the base which is fastened to the
suction pipe or box. The base has been slotted to a maximum size of
a slot or slots for the intended use. Wear strips of varied widths
are fitted to the base in an interengaging manner such as by the
use of dovetailed surfaces or T-shaped surfaces. In this manner the
strips can only be removed by sliding them in respect to the fixed
base. The interengaging portion are varied axially with respect to
the wear strips so that by interchanging and reversing the strips
it is possible to adjust the width of one or more of the slots in
the cover base. End stops or deckle fingers are supplied at each
end of each slot to assure end seals.
The cover may be designed so any number of the lands are adapted to
receive wear strips to adjust adjacent slots. By using various
widths of wear strips, further adjustments in slot width can be
accomplished in addition to the axial positioning of the
interengaging surfaces on the wear strips and the lands of the
cover base. Furthermore, the whole top wear surface may be formed
by wear strips which can be replaced quickly, easily and much
cheaper than with known previous designs.
Therefore, in summary, an adjustable slot cover is provided which
is adapted to be mounted on a suction box or pipe having openings
therein in communication with the source of suction. The cover
includes a base having means thereon for mounting the base to a
suction pipe. Surfaces are on the base forming alternate lands and
at least one slot with the slots in alignment with the openings in
a suction pipe when the base is mounted thereon. A plurality of
wear strips are provided with each strip adapted to be removably
mounted on a land. Finally, interengageable surfaces are on at
least one land adjacent to a slot and each strip with the
interengageable surfaces positioned so that when a predetermined
pattern of strips are removably mounted on the lands and
interengaged therewith the position of the strips will define the
exposed width of the slots thereby permitting adjustment of the
slot sizes by the arrangement of strips on the base.
With the above objectives and summary of the invention in mind,
reference is had to the attached drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the drawings:
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the slot cover of the
invention and a suction pipe for mounting the slot cover
thereto;
FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the slot cover of the invention and a
suction pipe therefor in assembled condition with arrows showing
the direction of felt travel thereover;
FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of the slot cover of the
invention showing the configuration of the slot cover between slot
openings;
FIG. 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of the slot cover of the
invention mounted to a suction pipe;
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional elevation view thereof taken
along the plane of line 5--5 of FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is a fragmentary top plan view of an alternate embodiment of
the slot cover of the invention mounted to a suction pipe;
FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional elevation view thereof taken
along the plane of line 7--7 of FIG. 6 with an arrow showing the
direction of travel of felt across the assembly; and
FIG. 8 is a sectional side elevation view of a further alternate
embodiment of the slot cover of the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIGS. 1-5 show one embodiment of the slot cover 20. A suction pipe
21 is depicted on which the slot cover is adapted to be mounted.
The suction pipe 21 has a hollow central chamber 22 open at one end
23 for connection to a source of suction and sealed at the opposite
end 24 by means of an end cap 25 affixed thereon. Open end 23 can
be affixed in any conventional manner to the source of suction such
by a threaded interengagement with a corresponding threaded outer
surface on end 23.
Two parallel rows of aligned openings 26 are on the peripheral
surface of the pipe 21. Slots 26 provide communication between the
exterior surface of pipe 21 and the interior chamber 22 thereof for
withdrawal of air therefrom by the source of suction through open
end 23. Additionally, a pair of aligned rows of parallel bolt holes
27 are on the outer peripheral surface of pipe 21 for assembly with
the slot cover in the manner described below.
The suction pipe 21 may be constructed in a manner in which end
plates 28 and 29 are welded to cover the opposing ends of the pipe
respectively and nipple 30 extends axially from end plate 28 and
nipple 31 extends axially outwardly from end plate 29. End cap 25
then closes off nipple 30 in any conventional sealing manner such
as by welding. Therefore the entire suction pipe is welded air
tight except for slots 26 over which slot cover 20 is placed and,
of course, the open end air outlet portion 23. A pump, eductor or
some other similar removal source is connected to end 23 and the
only opening remaining to permit entry of air is through slots 26
on the top of the pipe. Bolt holes 27 are naturally sealed when
cover 20 is fastened to pipe 21.
The slot cover includes a base portion 32, a plurality of wear
strips 33 further identified as 34, 35 and 36, and a number of
deckle fingers or end stops 37.
The base portion in the desired configuration can be constructed in
a convenient manner such as machinery from one piece of phenolic
laminate or it may be machined or molded from polyethylene
material. No portion of base 32 forms a wear surface for the felt
handling during operation. The entire wear surface is provided by
the wear strips 33 and the deckle fingers or end stops 37.
Base 32 has a central curved undersurface 38 which conforms to the
outer surface of the suction pipe 21. The central arcuate portion
38 terminates in a pair of opposed longitudinal end base portions
39 with each end base portion containing a plurality of holes 40
along its length. Each hole 40 is drilled oversize so a threaded
screw 41 passes through to the threaded opening 27 in the pipe.
Screws 41 threadedly engaged with openings 27 in the suction pipe
to rigidly mount base 32 to the outer surface of pipe 21 and to
prevent air from passing through openings 27 in pipe 21.
The upper surface of base 32 is formed of alternate lands and
slots. As shown, there are three lands 42 which define a pair of
parallel slots 43 therebetween. At the base of each slot 43 there
are a plurality of aligned openings 44 which communicate with
openings 26 in the outer surface of suction pipe 21 to provide
communication between the slots 43 and the source of suction.
Defining slots 43 are three lands 45 which are upward projections
of base 32. The lands 45 have trapezoidal shaped projections 46
extending upwardly therefrom. Projections 46 from dovetail
projections for engagement with similar dovetail recesses 47 in the
undersurface of each wear strip 33. Therefore, when a wear strip 33
is slid axially onto projection 46 the projection 46 will mate with
the similarly shaped trapezoidal recess 47 to fix the wear strip in
position. The beveled dovetailed surfaces 46 on projection 45 and
on the surfaces of wear strip 33 forming recess 47 interengage to
hold the wear strip in position.
As shown in FIGS. 1-5, projections 46 are of the same shape and
size so that any of the three wear strips 33 which have identical
shape and size recesses 47 may be positioned on any of the lands
45. In this manner, the wear strips can be interchanged to
facilitate adjustment of the slot widths.
Adjustment is accommodated in two manners. First, the wear strip
may have a wider lateral dimension as, for example, wear strips 34
and 36 are wider than the third wear strip 35. Therefore, when a
wider wear strip is connected to a particular projection in a
dovetailed arrangement a portion of the strip will extend into the
slot 43 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. Similarly, in FIGS. 4 and 5, it
can be noted that strips 35 and 36 do not have the same projection
into slot 43 so that the slot 43 between wear strips 35 and 36 is
wider. By interchanging strips 34, 35 and 36, the slots 43 can be
adjusted as desired.
In addition to the difference in lateral dimension of the three
wear strips 33, and additional adjustment feature is provided by
the positioning of dovetail recess 47. In wear strip 35, the recess
is substantially centered on the undersurface of the wear strip
whereas in respect to wear strips 34 and 36 the recess is axially
off-center thereby providing a greater portion of the wear strip on
one side of the interengagement recess than on the other.
Therefore, when these wear strips are interchanged or reversed in
direction with respect to lands 45, the slots 43 will be adjusted
in width accordingly. It can be readily seen how the versatility in
positioning of recesses 47 and in the actual lateral widths of the
wear strips 33 can be utilized in adjusting the width of slots 43
which are exposed to the exterior of the cover. There are a variety
of different arrangements of positioning for the recesses 47 and
for the widths of the wear strips 33 to provide an infinite variety
of slot size adjustments for slots 43.
Once the wear strips 33 have been positioned as desired on base 32
end stops or deckle fingers 37 are slid into position at the ends
of slots 43 to form end seals. Each deckle finger 37 has an
upwardly standing body portion 48 and a flange base portion 49. The
flanged base portion is engaged by retaining surfaces on the lands
45 and the wear strips 33 so as to be held in position and to close
of the ends of each slot 43.
Deckle fingers 37 are slidable axially within slots 43 so that they
can be moved to correspond to the width of a web of felt material
passing across the top of the assembly. In this regard, particular
reference is made to FIGS. 5 and 2 of the drawings with arrows
depicting the direction of travel of the felt material 50. By
adjusting fingers 37 to a position in engagement with the edge of
the felt material 50 on both sides of the material as it passes
over a slot, a sealing arrangement is effected. The deckle fingers
37 form a seal so that all of the air passing through slots 44 in
the cover and through openings 26 in the pipe must pass through the
felt material. Naturally, when a different width of felt material
is employed, fingers 37 may be slidably adjusted accordingly to
form a similar seal. Since the felts in general use are relatively
tight in structure, air does not readily pass through and therefore
tends to restrict the air flow and build up a vacuum inside the
pipe assembly. In the above manner, the deckle fingers regulate the
effective open length of the slots and prevent air leakage from a
slot opening which may be outside the edge of the felt.
Attention is directed to FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings which
particularly show the configuration of the base of slots 43 in
cover 20 which are positioned between slots 44 through which air
passes to the pipe. These intermediate lands or islands 51 are
tapered to an apex, as shown, and cover the metal ribs 52 between
slots 26 on pipe 21. The tapered shape of islands 51 assist in
keeping felt material from building up on the flat metal ribs 52
and consequently causing streaks in the material.
An alternate embodiment is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 of the drawings.
Suction pipe 21 has slot cover 20' mounted thereon. The mounting is
accomplished by means of angle brackets 53 one on each side of
cover 20'. Each angle bracket 53 is connected to vacuum pipe 21 by
means of threaded bolts 54 which are in threaded interengagement
with receptive threaded holes 27 in pipe 21. The undersurface of
the head of bolt 54 engages with the bracket surface holding the
bracket to the suction box 21. A plurality of bolts 54 are spaced
along the length of cover 20' to assure that the base 55 of the
cover is held in tight engagement with suction pipe 21. As shown,
angle bracket 53 bears against base 55 and against suction pipe 21
to hold the base in fixed position.
Base 55 has three lands 56, 57 and 58 extending upwardly therefrom.
The lands are spaced to provide a pair of slots 59 and 60
therebetween. The central land 57 forms an upper central wear
surface and is of one piece construction with the remainder of base
55. In contrast the outer two lands 56 and 58 terminate in a pair
of upward T-shaped projections 61 and 62 respectively which extend
the length of cover 20'. Slidably mounted on the T-shaped
projections 61 and 62 are a pair of wear strips 63 and 64
respectively. The undersurface of each of the wear strips 63 and 64
contains a T-shaped recess which corresponds in size to T-shaped
projections 61 and 62. Interengaging surfaces as shown on
projections 61 and 62 and on wear strips 63 and 64 hold the wear
strips in position and permitting only sliding movement for removal
of the strips from the remainder of cover 20'. The interengagement
is achieved between the outer surface of flanges 65 of projection
61 and the surrounding surfaces 66 of strip 63 and the outer
surfaces of flanges 67 of projection 62 and the surrounding
surfaces 68 of strip 64 respectively. Once again as in the
previously discussed embodiment, the outer configuration
particularly the lateral width of each wear strip 63 and 64
determines the amount of the wear strip which extends into the slot
opening thereby determining the size of the slot opening to the top
surface of cover 20'. An additional feature which contributes to
adjustment of slot size is the positioning of the recesses in the
undersurface of wear strips 63 and 64 particularly in regard to
whether or not it is aligned with the central axis. By shifting the
location of the recess, the mating of the T-shaped recess with the
T-shaped projections determines the position of the wear strip and
in turn the amount of the wear strip which extends over slots 59
and 60 to cover a portion thereof. In this manner, by providing a
number of different sized wear strips and a number of different
wear strips with off-set recesses in their undersurfaces, a great
variety of slot width variations can be accomplished.
It should be kept in mind that although a one-piece base and
projection embodiment is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the T-shaped
projection could be in the form of a metal T-bar bolted to the
remainder of the base 55. Additionally, the embodiment of FIGS. 6
and 7 shows a central land portion without a removable wear strip
for adjustment and the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 5 shows all three
land structures with removable and adjustable wear strips.
Furthermore, it can be readily envisioned how the projections can
be located on the wear strips and the recesses in the land surfaces
for interengagement in a similar manner as described above. A great
number of different combinations of one-piece land structures along
with replacement wear strip structures can be combined as
desired.
Additionally, although there are three land portions on base 55 and
two intermediate slots in both of the embodiments shown, it can
readily be envisioned how it is possible to construct the cover
with any number of land portions with appropriate slots located in
between each adjacent pair of land portions of a cover, for
example, one slot between two land portions.
It can also be readily envisioned that cover 20 can be designed to
fit a variety of different configurations for the suction base
member. This would naturally include suction boxes as well as
suction pipes. For example, FIG. 8 depicts a further alternate
embodiment for a cover wherein cover 69 has a trapezoidal shaped
undersurface 70 to accommodate a corresponding trapezoidal shaped
suction box member. In all other respects, the cover would operate
as in the previously discussed embodiments. The configuration of
the undersurface of cover 69 is designed merely to accommodate its
connection to the appropriate suction source member.
In summary, the removable wear strips provide a means for immediate
adjustment of slot width at all times to control the vacuum on a
wide range of felt designs. Additionally, individual replacement of
wear strips is possible rather than the necessity of replacing an
entire cover when it is desirable or necessary.
Thus the above discussed objectives of the invention, among others,
are effectively attained.
* * * * *