Hydraulic support device in a paper making machine

A hydraulic support device in a paper making machine in combination with and for supporting a first moveable beam and a second stationary beam, wherein the beams extend parallel to each other, the device comprising:

• the first beam having a first contact surface extending over the length of the first beam and facing toward the second beam;
• the second beam having a second contact surface extending over the length of the second beam and facing toward the first beam;
• pressure cushion means between and contacting the first and the second contact surfaces for supporting the first beam on the second beam, the pressure cushion means having pressure fluid therein, the pressure of which is variable but which is uniform over the length of the pressure cushion means along the contact surfaces;
• means for controllably varying the pressure in the pressure cushion means during operation of the support device, wherein the pressure cushion means supports the first beam to be freely movable over the entire length of the first beam relative to the second beam and transversely to the longitudinal direction of the beams under change in pressure in the pressure cushion means, such that as the first beam is moved, the distance between the first and second surfaces varies along the length of the beams, but the pressure in the pressure cushion means supporting the first beam is uniform along the length of the beams;
• and
• in the width direction across the first beam and the pressure cushion means, at least the first contact surface has a width less than a total width of the pressure cushion means, the first contact surface being so shaped and the first beam at its region next to the contact surface and in the width direction being so shaped as to define a free space on each side in the width direction of the first contact surface into which each space extends a part of the pressure cushion means that is beyond the width of the first contact surface.