Air press seal in paper-making machine

A press assembly in a paper-making machine, comprising:

• a support roll having an outside cylindrical surface;
• a belt and a felt for supporting the paper web on respective opposite sides thereof, said felt carried by said support roll;
• and
• a frame including at least one arm positioned adjacent to said belt, each said arm carrying a respective said seal, each said seal including a seal body having a curved outer surface substantially conforming to said outside cylindrical surface of said support roll, said curved outer surface and said support roll defining an extended nip therebetween, each said seal including an inner surface adjacent said corresponding arm, a leading edge surface extending between said inner surface and said curved outer surface, and a trailing edge surface extending between said inner surface and said curved outer surface, and further including a pair of clamping blocks attached to each said arm, each said pair of clamping blocks respectively engaging said leading edge surface and said trailing edge surface of a corresponding said seal, said frame and said support roll defining an air chamber therebetween.

A paper-making machine, comprising:

• a belt and a felt for supporting the paper web on respective opposite sides thereof;
• and
• a press assembly, including:
• a support roll having an outside cylindrical surface carrying said felt;
• and
• a frame including at least two arms positioned adjacent to said belt and at least two end panels extending between said at least two said arms, each said arm carrying a respective seal, each said seal including an inner surface adjacent said corresponding arm, each said seal including a seal body having a curved outer surface substantially conforming to said outside cylindrical surface of said support roll, a leading edge surface extending between said inner surface and said curved outer surface, a trailing edge surface extending between said inner surface and said curved outer surface, each of said leading edge surface and said trailing edge surface positioned at an acute angle relative to said curved outer surface, said curved outer surface defining a concave, substantially circular segment, said curved outer surface and said support roll defining an extended nip therebetween said frame and said support roll defining an air chamber therebetween.

A paper-making machine comprising;

• a belt and a felt for supporting the paper web on respective opposite sides thereof;
• and
• a press assembly, including:
• a support roll having an outside cylindrical surface carrying said felt;
• and
• a frame including at least two arms positioned adjacent to said belt and at least two end panels extending between said at least two said arms, each said arm carrying a respective seal, each said seal including an inner surface adjacent said corresponding arm, each said seal including a seal body having a curved outer surface substantially conforming to said outside cylindrical surface of said support roll, a leading edge surface extending, between said inner surface and said curved outer surface, a trailing edge surface extending between said inner surface and said curved outer surface, said curved outer surface defining a concave, substantially circular segment, said curved outer surface and said support roll defining an extended nip therebetween, said frame and said support roll defining an air chamber therebetween;
• and
• a pair of clamping blocks attached to each said arm each said pair of clamping blocks respectively engaging said leading edge surface and said trailing edge surface of a corresponding said seal.

A method of operating a press assembly in a paper-making machine, comprising the steps of:

• carrying a paper web between a belt and a felt;
• providing a press assembly, including:
• a support roll having an outside cylindrical surface;
• and
• a frame including at least one arm positioned adjacent to said belt, each said arm carrying a respective said seal, each said seal including a seal body having a curved outer surface substantially conforming to said outside cylindrical surface of said support roll, said frame and said support roll defining an air chamber therebetween;
• removably attaching each said seal to said corresponding arm,
• carrying said felt with said support roll;
• and
• positioning each said seal adjacent said belt, whereby said air chamber is sealed in an extended press nip between said curved outer surface and said support roll.