274

MODERN PAPER-MAKING

felts and the disposal of the water, thrown out centrifugally by the rolls, rather
more simple.

The stacked press and, more especially, the dual press are logical develop-
ments of the press part, the most important advantage of which is the saving
in space. This is a specially helpful feature when old machines are to be
modernised (see Fig. 75), but it is doubtful whether a newly planned newsprint
machine would necessarily have a dual press installed in preference to two
separate suction presses.

[Millspaugh, Ltd., Shield

FIG. 118.—DIAGRAM OF MTT.LSPAUGH AUTOMATIC COUCH WHICH ELIMINATES THE DRAW BETWEEN THE
CONVENTIONAL COUCH AND FIRST PRESS

Other developments at the wet end of news machines have been concerned
with handling the sheet in such a way that stretch is eliminated or greatly reduced
at the draws. The stacked press and the dual press are themselves examples
of this. The name of Millspaugh is especially connected with developments
along these lines, and among his many interesting designs there is the automatic
couch (Fig. 118), which picks the sheet off the wire by suction, thus eliminating
altogether the draw from the couch to the press rolls.
Some indication of the importance of eliminating draws in this way may be
obtained from the following figures, which have been carefully measured at
different points on a modern news machine fitted with a suction couch and two
separate suction presses: