Prestressed press framework for a papermaking machine

In a machine for the manufacture of a fibrous web;

• said machine including a press having framework, a first press member and a cooperating second press member;
• said press members being elongate and extending generally parallel to each other in the width direction of said machine;
• at least one of said press members being movable relative to the other of said press members in a loading/unloading direction to form a press nip with the other of said press members;
• at least one endless belt, one of said press members being located within the loop formed by said endless belt, said belt and said web passing together through said nip during operation of said machine;
• said framework of said press including first and second side frames extending in substantially parallel relationship to each other upon respective operational and drive sides of said machine, each of said side frames having two columns extending in parallel relationship to each other in a direction other than substantially perpendicular to said loading/unloading direction, one of said columns being located upstream of said press nip and the other of said columns being located downstream of said press nip, each of said columns on said operational side of said machine having a removable section intermediate its length for permitting exchange of said endless belt, the improvement comprising:
• a plurality of prestressing means, each of said prestressing means being associated with a respective one of said columns for prestressing each of said columns axially with a compressive force at least substantially equal to the tensile force induced in said column by a maximum permissible press force in said nip, said prestressing means being structured and arranged for keeping said columns under axial compressive prestress during operation of said press, and each of said prestressing means associated with respective ones of said columns on said operational side of said machine including an elongate tension element having two parts, said two parts being disengageable from each other at a location proximate said removable column section, at least one of said two parts being axially displaceable, when disconnected from the other of said parts, to form at said location a gap permitting removal of said removable section of said column and exchange of said endless belt.