Roll cover apparatus

Abstract

A roll cover apparatus is disclosed for covering a roll of a papermaking machine. The apparatus includes a synthetic cover which is applied to the outer peripheral surface of the roll, which is of an electrically conductive material. A plurality of fibers are randomly dispersed within the synthetic cover such that the plurality of fibers are disposed between the outer peripheral surface of the roll and an outer face of the synthetic cover. An electrically conductive material is applied to the external boundary of at least some of the fibers such that during use of the apparatus, when slippage occurs between a web of paper being treated by the apparatus and the outer face of the cover, an electrostatic charge generated by the slippage is discharged by the conductive material from the outer face of the cover to the electrically conductive roll so that scorching of the web by discharge of the charge through the web is eliminated.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.