Press section of a papermaking machine

A press section of a papermaking machine for dewatering a paper web, comprising:

• means for providing two separate successively arranged press locations defining a first press location and a second press location through which travels a paper web in a predetermined direction of travel;
• each of said first and second press locations comprising an upper extended press surface and a lower extended press surface forming therebetween an extended press nip at each said first and second press locations;
• at least one felt provided for the first press location and guided in conjunction with the paper web through the first press location;
• at least one further felt provided for the second press location and guided in conjunction with the paper web through the second press location;
• the second press location containing a substantially cylindrical counter roll and an extended nip press roll cooperating with said substantially cylindrical counter roll;
• said extended nip press roll forming the extended nip of the second press location and being essentially accommodated to the contour of said counter roll;
• means cooperating with at least one of said at least one felt provided for the first press location for separating said at least one of said at least one felt provided for the first press location from the paper web located beneath said at least one of said at least one felt provided for the first press location at a location downstream of the first press location, as viewed in the predetermined direction of travel of the paper web;
• a web removal device operated under vacuum conditions arranged downstream of the first press location and directly adjacent the second press location to practically preclude dropping of the paper web;
• the paper web being guided from the first press location to the web removal device;
• said at least one further felt provided for the second press location defining an upper felt guided in conjunction with the paper web through the second press location;
• and
• the paper web being contacted by said upper felt of the second press location and being transported by said upper felt of the second press location from said web removal device to the second press location, while being practically precluded from dropping, due to the weight of the paper web, from said upper felt of the second press location, by said arrangement of said web removal device with respect to the second press location, wherein said web removal device is located in contact with said substantially cylindrical counter roll via said upper felt.