Variable frequency fourdrinier gravity foil box

A foil beam assembly, comprising:

• first and second foil beam sets, each foil beam set comprising a leading foil beam, a trailing foil beam, and at least one intermediate foil beam interposed therebetween;
• and
• an actuating mechanism operable to laterally move the trailing foil beam and the intermediate foil beams provide a pitch distance X between each foil beam, and to move the leading foil beam of the second foil beam set relative to the trailing foil beam of the first foil beam set, a distance that is integer multiple of the pitch distance X.

A foil beam assembly, comprising:

• at least first and second foil beam sets, each foil beam set comprising at least two foil beams mounted on a support, and an actuating mechanism connecting the at least two foil beams and the foil beam sets;
• the actuating mechanism operable to alter pitch distance the foil beams whereby the foil beams are maintained at a substantially equal distance relative to each other, and the foil beam sets are spaced apart at an integer multiple of the distance between foil beams.

A foil beam assembly, comprising:

• at least first and second foil beam sets, each foil beam set comprising at least a first and second foil beam mounted on a support, and an actuating mechanism connecting the foil beams and the foil beams sets;
• the actuating mechanism operable to laterally move and space apart the foil beams by a standard interval, and to laterally move at least one of the foil beam sets to space apart the foil beam sets by an integer multiple of the standard interval.

A foil beam assembly, comprising:

• first and second foil beam sets, each foil beam set comprising at least two foil beams supported on a rail system;
• and
• a mechanism operable to move at least one foil beam of the first foil beam set to alter a pitch distance between two foil beams of the first foil beam set by a distance X, and to move a foil beam of the second foil beam set relative to the first foil beam set to alter an interest distance between the first and second foil beam sets by an integer multiple of distance X.

In an apparatus comprising a two or more foil beam sets, each foil beam set comprising a plurality of foil beams mounted on a support,

• a mechanism to alter the pitch distance between individual foil beams of the foil beam set whereby the individual foil beams are maintained at a distance X relative to each other, and to alter the distance between adjacent foil beam sets to maintain the distance as an integer multiple of the distance X of the foil beams.

In a foil beam assembly comprising a two or more foil beam sets with each set comprising a plurality of foil beams mounted on a support,

• a mechanism for adjusting the frequency of the foil beam assembly, the mechanism connected to the foil beams and operating to alter pitch distance between individual foil beams of the set whereby the individual foil beams are maintained substantially equally spaced relative to each other, and the mechanism connected to the foil beam sets and operating to alter the distance between the sets to an interest distance as an integer multiple of the foil spacing.

A method of varying the frequency of a foil beam set, comprising the steps of:

• providing at least a first and second foil beam set, each set comprising two or more foil beams mounted on a support structure, and an actuating mechanism interconnecting the foil beams and the foil beam sets, the actuating mechanism structured to laterally move the foil beams relative to each other and to laterally move the foil beam sets relative to each other;
• and
• actuating the actuating mechanism to laterally move the foil beams to alter the distance therebetween and maintain the foil beams at a distance X relative to each other, and to laterally move the foil beam sets relative to each other to a distance as an integer multiple of the distance X.