US 5,979,305 AGranted

Method and apparatus for controlling deflection of a roll

AssigneeAppleton Papers Inc.

InventorMichael Wadzinski

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Abstract

A method and apparatus for controlling a deflection roll for compressing a web of material includes a shaft and a hollow roll disposed around the shaft. The hollow roll includes a working surface where the hollow roll is engageable with a hard roll along an entire length of the working surface. At least two bearing devices are disposed within the roll and are substantially aligned with the working surface of said roll. Each bearing device has a predetermined positive bearing clearance facilitating displacement of each outer contact surface relative to a respective inner contact surface of each bearing. The deflection roll further includes a mechanism for displacing the working surface of the roll with a fluid where the displacing mechanism is disposed external to the bearing devices. The displacing mechanism moves the working surface to at least one of a first, second, and third positions where the roll provides a force distribution along said working surface which substantially increases surface quality of the web of material.

Claims34

Dependent claims

A method for controlling deflection of a roll comprising the steps of:

providing a shaft having a first side on a working surface side of the roll, and a second side opposite the working surface side of the roll;
providing a hollow roll around the shaft;
providing at least two bearings with inner and outer contact surfaces within the roll and aligned with a working surface of the roll;
overlaying a web of material on the working surface of the roll;
moving the working surface of the roll to at least one of a first, second, and third positions;
engaging portions of each inner contact surface adjacent to said first side of the shaft with respective portions of a respective outer contact surface while disengaging portions of each inner contact surface adjacent to said second side of the shaft from respective portions of a respective outer contact surface when moving the working surface into the first position;
engaging portions of each inner contact surface adjacent to the first side of the shaft with respective portions of a respective outer contact surface while disengaging portions of each inner contact surface adjacent to the second side of the shaft from respective portions of a respective outer contact surface when moving the working surface into the second position;
engaging portions of each inner contact surface adjacent to the second side of the shaft with respective portions of the outer contact surface while disengaging portions of each inner contact surface adjacent to the first side of the shaft from respective portions of a respective outer contact surface when the moving the working surface into the third position;
and
providing a force distribution along the working surface of the roll in the first, second, and third positions which substantially increases surface quality of the web of material.

7 more elements

A deflection roll for compressing a web of material comprising:

a shaft;
a hollow roll disposed around said shaft, said hollow roll including a working surface, said hollow roll being engageable with a hard roll along an entire length of said working surface;
at least two bearing devices having inner and outer contact surfaces, the bearing devices being disposed within said hollow roll and substantially aligned with said working surface of said hollow roll, each bearing device having a predetermined positive bearing clearance facilitating displacement of said outer bearing contact surfaces with respect to said inner bearing contact surfaces;
and
means for displacing said working surface of said hollow roll, said displacing means includes a fluid, said displacing means being disposed external to said bearing devices, said displacing means moves said working surface to at least one of a first, second, and third positions, said hollow roll provides a force distribution along said working surface in said first, second, and third positions which substantially increases surface quality of the web of material.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.