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US 6,080,279 AGranted
Air press for dewatering a wet web
AssigneeKimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
InventorsFrank Stephen Hada, Michael Alan Hermans, Brian Wade Isenhart, Lowell Everett Thoms, Charles Robert Tomsovic
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An air press for noncompressively dewatering a wet web to consistency levels not previously thought possible at industrially useful speeds without thermal dewatering. Side seal members are positioned beyond the lateral edges of the wet web and support fabrics. These seals flex into sealing contact with the opposite sealing contact surfaces upon exposure to the presurized fluid of the air press.
Claims8
An air press for dewatering a wet web, comprising:
- an air plenum comprising a plenum cover having a bottom surface;
- means for supplying pressurized fluid to the air plenum;
- a vacuum box comprising a vacuum box cover having a top surface positioned in close proximity to the bottom surface of the plenum cover;
- means for applying vacuum to the vacuum box;
- and
- side seal members positioned at lateral edges of the air press which extend beyond the lateral edges of the wet web and any support fabrics, said side seal members structured and arranged to contact the air plenum and the vacuum box for minimizing escape of the pressurized fluid, the side seal members attached to one of the air plenum and the vacuum box and positioned in close proximity to side seal contact surfaces defined by the other of the air plenum and the vacuum box, the side seal members structured and arranged to flex into sealing contact with the side seal contact surface upon exposure to the pressurized fluid.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.