INSULATION OF WIRE WITH PAPER PULP 



85 



The essentials of this machine are a vat for holding a thin pulp suspension 

 and a hollow cylinder covered with fine mesh screen immersed in the vat. 

 Suitable dams at the ends prevent the pulp suspension passing into the 

 interior of the cylinder. As this cylinder rotates on its axis the water flows 

 through the screen and deposits pulp on its surface. This pulp mat is then 

 picked up by an endless felt belt which is brought into contact with the 

 surface of the cylinder by means of a soft rubber roll which presses it firmly 

 against the pulp mat on the surface of the cylinder. The pulp mat adheres 



Fig. 3 — Forming end of pulp insulating machine 



to the felt and together they travel over suction rolls and through squeeze 

 rolls where the excess water is removed. The fibers are thus firmly pressed 

 together so that a sheet of wet paper is formed. After drying and calender- 

 ing the paper appears in its usual form. 



The idea of embedding a wire in the sheet as the pulp was deposited on 

 the cylinder formed the basis of the present development. Usually the 

 paper machines produce a continuous sheet eight or nine feet wide so that 

 it became necessary to devise ways and means of producing sheets only 

 about one quarter inch wide to supply the necessary material for insulating 



