STORM APPLICATOR OF THE MOIST END OF THE PROFILEBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThis application relates to the methods and apparatus by which flowable materials, such as particulate materials, are applied to a newly formed tissue of paper at the wet end of a paper former. Starch is one of these materials, and is added to paper fibers to improve strength. The strength of the paper is measured by well-known parameters of internal bonding, tension, folding, and breakage. These resistances are usually higher in the center of the machine and decrease towards the edges of the fabric. This resistance profile is sometimes called an "eyebrow" because it is characterized by an inverted curve as measured in a cross machine profile. It is required that the resistance objectives be increased in order that all the paper meets the minimum resistance requirements for the particular paper grade and for the intended use. The reduction or decrease of edge in the resistance, typically can be in the order of ten percent, measuring from the center towards each of the transverse edges of the tissue. In this way, it is often necessary to employ an excess resistance objective, in the order of five to six percent to compensate for the decrease. Having to use an excess resistance goal results in a higher cost to the industry, and traditionally there is a lack of practical solutions for this problem. Resistance can be increased by adding starch to the supply, but a uniform application of starch does not compensate for the lack of equal surface strength profile. Therefore, there is a need for an apparatus and process whereby the amount of material that adds strength, such as starch, can be varied across the width of the fabric, so that, if desired, it can be flattened. the profile or so that the regions of the particular cross machine can be improved, compared to other regions.
COMPENDIUM OF THE INVENTION In the co-pending principal application identified above, uncooked starch particles or other material, in relatively high dose proportions, are added to a fabric at the wet end of the paper machine. The apparatus achieves a uniform or even transverse machine direction application at a high retention level. The speed of the application can be varied over time, so that changes in the resistance characteristic of the sheet that is occurring, such as that caused by changes in the supply of fibers or the like, can be corrected. The apparatus and process of the copending application provides a system and method by which a suspension of starch or other additives can be applied and, in the case of starch, the process and apparatus can be used in place of a sizing press. The suspension is applied through the die groove on the exposed surface of the newly formed fabric, preferably to low table consistencies, as low as approximately two percent or less of paper fiber solids content. , on the Fourdrinier table or wire. Preferably, retained bubbles that could cause bumps in the coating are removed prior to application of the suspension to the die. The uncooked starch is, in itself, somewhat hygroscopic and absorbs its weight in water, but does not expand appreciably until it is heated to a particular temperature, which is called the cooking temperature. Because the particles are completely wet on all surfaces, they are hydrated and activated in a simple manner with the water remaining in the sheet, through the heat that is applied in the drying section of the paper machine. Excellent resistance characteristics have been achieved, as well as excellent penetration of the starch particles through the thickness of the leaf, with very little loss of starch in white water. Preferably, the suspension is first heated before application to the extrusion die, but only at a temperature below the rapid inflation temperature of the article, i.e., the cooking temperature. The content of the heated water helps the drainage of the water from the suspension of the handle on the wire, after application to the newly formed tissue. The heat in the suspension acts to heat the water content of the fabric on the suction boxes, thereby decreasing the viscosity of the fluid content and increasing the speed of removal of the water through the suction boxes. The co-pending application identified above also discloses that the cleanliness of the die flanges can be improved by cooling the flanges of the die immediately in the die exit orifice, at a temperature such as to cause the steam to condense. water from the air in the flanges of the die. This condensation provides a moistened surface that resists the adhesion of the starch to it and levels the surfaces of the flanges of the die, so that they remain clean and unobstructed. In the die construction, preferably one of the flanges of the die, such as the flange of the die upstream, is moved down from the other flange of the die to form a surface that forms the final curtain. The suspension flows through the slot of the die and beyond the end of the shorter flange of the die, along the flat surface of the longer lip of the die and the parts of a lower abrupt edge of the longer lip of the die and then it falls like a curtain, towards the surface of the fabric, This extension of the flange of the die provides stability to the curtain. By bringing the film past one of the lips of the die, along that flat surface, the swirling currents, which are formed at the end of the flange of the die, are insulated with respect to the shortest flange of the die, and the film is provided with a short space in which to stabilize along the surface of the longer flange of the die. This transition from the two confining surfaces to a surface allows the surface tension to flatten and stabilize the flow in the region of the extension, and further reduces the friction toward the flow, by means of removing a surface. These features provide a highly effective datum construction for applying a suspension of uncooked starch particles to a wet fabric over a fourdrinier wire or the like. In order to provide control of the profile, a closed-type or pressure-type curtain former or die can be constructed with a plurality of separate transverse machine individual inlets leading to a distributor tube of the internal die for the fluid within the the extrusion slot. The plurality of transverse inlets of the machine effectively divides the die into a plurality of corresponding application areas, which are joined in the slot of the die, the zones of which can be supplied with material having a controlled concentration of starch particles. In the present application, the starch is applied by the die, to consistencies of between approximately two to ten percent solids-liquid content in the die and good results were obtained in uncooked particulate starch applications throughout this range . Because the process and apparatus are effective across the wide range of starch concentrations, it is now recognized that the process allows the concentration of starch to be varied across this range within the die, in accordance with a cross-sectional position of the machine and the amount of starch that you want to apply to the fabric. For the purpose of controlling the concentration of starch, or the concentration of additives, in a plurality of transverse entry locations or positions, the apparatus uses a pair of heads. One head contains a relatively high concentration of starch and water, such as ten percent by weight solids content or more, and the other head contains water. A suspension of particulate starch of about 10 percent will have the viscosity of the water. The flow of materials is fed from the heads to each of the die inputs through a pair of control valves, and then through a mixer, such as a static mixer or without movement. The control valves, which control the flow from the starch head and the water head inside the die inlet through the mixer, can be controlled by the downstream machine direction measuring equipment, as shown in FIG. known in the art, to effect the desired changes in starch concentrations that are applied to one or more of the die inputs, to achieve a desired downstream condition, usually a measured resistance condition. Commonly, this resistance measuring device is located at the dry end of the paper machine. The optimal operation of the die requires that the flow velocity of the volume or mass of the slurry discharged through the slot of the die be relatively constant across the width of the die, to ensure that the slurry of the slurry falls on the die. wet tissue from paper or cardboard at a relatively constant speed and a relatively constant viscosity across the width of the machine. This is achieved by varying the concentration of the starch slurry, while maintaining a constant volumetric flow, so that there is no significant flow differentiation across the die width between the control zones of the die. The system of this invention achieves these objectives. It allows the resistance profile to be flattened, and allows the optimization of the resistance of the complete sheet to a specification. This, in turn, allows the use of raw materials to be minimized, or allows a lower degree of supply (pulp) to be used in the formation of the sheet. The substantially constant volumetric flow to each of the die areas is preferably achieved by the use of two heads, as previously mentioned, with cooperating pairs of valves corresponding to each transverse direction of the machine, so that the total flow through each pair of valves it remains relatively constant, and substantially equal to the total flow of the adjacent pair of valves. In this way, one valve, which controls the concentration of starch and the other valve, which controls the addition of water, opens or closes under common control so that the total flow remains relatively constant for a condition Dadaist. Preferably, the valves are designed to provide a linear response to the opening or closing control signals. Then the valve pairs can be controlled in unison with other similar pairs of valves corresponding to other control positions of the cross machine, to increase or decrease the total flow rate through the opening die slot downwards. Preferably, each head is supplied with a liquid in which the air bubbles have been removed and, preferably, the respective supplies are heated to a temperature above the environment, but less than the cooking temperature for the particles of air. particular starch. A suspension of particulate matter, such as uncooked starch particles, is unstable, because the suspension will settle or separate if it is not agitated or maintained in a fluidized condition. In order to avoid the settlement of the unstable suspension, the heads can be of a flow-through design, and the supply pump can be of a positive displacement type, so as to maintain a constant flow-through of at least the starch suspension with the recirculation of the excess material back to a supply tank, at a speed enough to maintain the suspension. A multi-inlet extrusion die is described by which the transverse with the tissue is divided into a plurality of zones and in which the die is provided with a plurality of inlets leading to a common distribution tube and a die groove. common. The die in accordance with the above, can be fed or supplied with a suspension in which the starch or solids component, in any of those zones, has been adapted, or has been controlled automatically, to maintain a condition of dry end downstream particular. In this way, the die will be divided into a sufficient number of zones, usually a plurality of three or more, each zone representing an approximate transverse machine ratio of the total width of the fabric, which zones may or may not be identical in width. Although the inlets that feed these areas are separated to allow for separate control of the amount of suspended solids, nevertheless, the inlets are opened to a common distribution pipe or other cross machine distribution chamber, and to a non-return groove. common thread that leads from the distribution tube, to minimize the abrupt changes between adjacent areas. It is intended that there be some mixing in the interface region between the adjacent zones, but there is a minimum of mass flow through the zones in view of the fact that the control valves are preferably operated whereby a speed is maintained of uniform total flow by means of maintaining or stabilizing the flow velocity in each zone. The sizes of the inlets and the slot of the die are selected in relation to the amount of flow, so that a friction flow is maintained to avoid a static condition, thereby avoiding settlement by the unstable suspension. Although this flow does not need to be technically a turbulent flow as such, however, a turbulent flow condition is considered a type of flow friction that resists and prevents settlement of the suspension prior to application in the die and tissue groove. The size and shape of the cross machine distribution chamber are important to avoid stagnation conditions, settling, and resulting deposits of starch. Halfway between each entrance there is a node that does not have essentially a transverse machine flow. It is not an option to maintain the friction flow in the nodes, since the die cavity would have to be reduced essentially to zero, and the reduction of the cavity to zero would avoid mixing in the interconnection. These problems are solved using a die cavity of constant cross section with a sloping bottom. Tilt greater than 10 percent does not allow starch to accumulate. Other materials with higher settling speeds would require a steeper slope at the bottom. The invention can be described as a system for applying liquid or liquid materials from two sources, one of which can be a suspension of starch in uncooked water, to a mobile fiber fabric on a forming wire. This starch application system includes a suspension source of uncooked starch in water and a water dilution source. The die has a body that is positioned transversally of the forming wire and above the wire with an internal distribution tube or chamber that substantially extends the length of the body and with an opening die groove generally downward, so that the material can flow from the distribution tube through the groove and form a curtain down on the fabric. The slot of the die has a substantially uniform gap width across its length. The body of the die has a plurality of transversely spaced inlet passages that carry inside the distribution tube, thereby defining a corresponding plurality of application areas of material through the fabric. An element is provided for applying the material from the two sources to the inlet passages at a substantially uniform total velocity, so as to provide a flow velocity from the distribution tube through the slot of the die which is substantially uniform as length of the slot of the die. At least one of the entry passages and preferably all the passages, are provided with elements such as to provide valves by means of which the proportion of material can be varied from the two sources, for the purpose of varying the amount of the starch which is going to be applied to the tissue in the transversal regions corresponding to the related areas. In another aspect of the invention, one or more of the outermost areas may be used as a way to control the flow width of one of the sources, such as the starch suspension, in the slot of the die. To achieve this, water can be added in the most transverse part of the external zones of the die and applied exclusively through the most external entries, to the slot of the die under a condition of controlled pressure. It is assumed that the slot of the die has a width that exceeds that of the width of the cutout of the tissue to be formed. The water film that goes through the slot of the die, at the ends, forms a beard of water and preserves the amount of starch that should be applied to the die. By varying the amount of water independently, the transition region, which defines the interface between the water and the starch suspension, can be varied as desired, over a range, and will save starch by reducing the amount of starch that is lost from the table. This interface between the starch suspension and the water flows can be varied by varying the flow velocity of the water, so that the increase in the velocity of the flow causes the line of the shape to move towards the center of the die , and the decrease in flow velocity allows the line of the shape to widen in the slot of the die. The operator can then control this flow with a valve or the like, in accordance with the positions that are established for conventional downstream tissue trimmers, usually water jet cutters. The invention can also be described as a method for applying a suspension of varying consistency of starch in uncooked water to a moving tissue of paper fibers on a forming wire at the wet end of a paper machine. On the one hand, a source of uncooked starch in water is provided. Preferably, it has been subjected to desaereation. On the other hand, a source of dilution water is provided, also preferably in a de-aerated form. These sources are applied to elements of the supply valve to form an outlet that represents a proportion of materials from these sources. This outlet is applied to a closed curtain type covering die having a downward opening die slot extending above and transversely through the fabric, to form a downward curtain on the exposed upper surface of the fabric. The proportion of materials is controlled by means of providing valve elements in accordance with a resistance characteristic measured in line of the fabric, as measured at the dry end of the machine, while maintaining the flow velocity of the outlet from the groove at a relatively constant value within the curtain. The effective width of the starch application can be varied through the slot in the die and can be controlled by water applications only in the zones at the extreme tips of the die, thereby forming adjustable water forms. In a preferred form of the method, a plurality of transversely spaced inlets lead to a common die slot, and supply valves are provided to control the application from the two sources identified above these inlets. The measurement is made of the strength profile of the fabric at the dry end of the machine, and the valves are operated in order to control the amount of uncooked starch that is applied by the die in each of the zones, while maintaining a Relatively constant flow velocity from the slot inside the descending curtain. If the end regions of the die are used as water forms, the width of the starch extrusions can be controlled exactly through the slot, by controlling the speed of water flow within these zones. It is, in accordance with the foregoing, an object of the invention, to provide the method and apparatus for applying uncooked starch or other particles or materials directly to the tissue at the wet end of a paper machine and simultaneously profiling the flow of these materials on the fabric, through a die, in the direction of the cross machine.
It is also an object of the invention to control both the direction of the machine and the concentration of the cross machine of a slurry of starch particles, such as by means of using a measuring device on the strength, to examine the sheet in the Dry end of the paper machine and, using a suitable controller, make the necessary upstream corrections. Another object of the invention is the provision of the apparatus and the method by which the profile of resistance of the transverse machine can be controlled, by means of controlling the relative concentrations of solids of the flow on a newly formed tissue by means of a die of type of extrusion, by varying the concentrations of a suspension of particles in water in each of the plurality of die entries. A more particular object of the invention is the provision of a method and system, as described above, in which a suspension of starch in uncooked water is mixed with dilution water in accordance with discrete transverse locations or of the cross machine on a fabric forming machine, to control a characteristic of the fabric or the profile of that characteristic of the fabric, such as the resistance. A more particular object of the invention is the provision of the apparatus by which the profile characteristics of a dry paper product can be controlled at the wet end of the paper forming process by applying a starch suspension thereto, and by controlling the concentration or consistency of the suspension in the direction of the cross machine as it is applied to the fabric. Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation of the forming wire portion of the fourdrinier machine, showing a closed curtain coater die in approximate relation to the exposed surface of a forming wire, and further illustrating the ratio of a dry end analyzer and control for die valves; Figure 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating the main components of the invention with a flow diagram showing the application of a liquid to the heads feeding the supply to the die; Figure 3 is an end view of a die shape that can be used with this invention; Figure 4 a partially broken away side view of the die of Figure 3;Figure 5 is an end view of a modified form of a die that can be used to practice this invention; and Figure 6 is a partially broken away bottom view of the die of Figure 3 or Figure 5 showing 1 feed groove and flanges of the die, and illustrating the cooling passages extending longitudinally of the flanges of the die. .
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODALITIES With reference to Figure 1, the table portion of a fourdrinier machine to which the invention can be applied is diagrammatically illustrated, in which a head frame 10 conventionally applies a diluted slurry of pulp or papermaking handle to the exposed upper surface 12 of an endless fourdrinier wire 14 in a breast roller 15. The pulp suspension is squeezed through the wire 14, aided by one or more of a plurality of thin sheets of deflection 16 carried inside the boxes 17, and one or more suction boxes 18, all of which are placed under the table and which have open upper portions that runs through the wire 14. In a typical case, the grout or Handle suspension is applied by the head frame 10 on the surface of the wire 14, which moves in the direction of the arrow 18 with an initial consistency of less than 1 percent, solids to liquid. Immediately after being applied to the fourdrinier wire, the fibers of the paper handler suspension form, or begin to form, a fabric on the exposed upper surface of the wire 14 as the white water drains from the fibers and through the wire through the thin sheets, as the suction boxes increased. The fourdrinier table is known as the "wet end" of a paper machine, and while the pulp suspension from the head frame 10 can strike the wire on the breast roller 15 to a consistency of less than about 1. percent, at the time when the fabric reaches the bed roll 20, the consistency of the table can be as high as 25 percent. It is therefore understood that a larger portion of the original water content of the handle suspension is removed in the fourdrinier machine, along the length of the wire 14. Figure 1 also illustrates in diagrammatic manner a body or applicator 25 of the curtain type covering die which, it is understood, extends the width of the wire 14, or even some way beyond, and traverses toward the directions of wire movement. The die applicator 25 forms a downward curtain 30 of a liquid suspension of material which is added to, or applied to the exposed upper surface of the fibers that were formed in the wire 14. An air curtain 32 is shown as placed adjacent to the body 25 of the curtain coater die and preferably immediately upstream of the curtain 30, to assist in the deflection of air movement, which can be transported by the rapidly moving wire 14, whose movement of air would tend to breaking the curtain 30. In the practice of this invention, a die 25 is used which has a plurality of separate transverse or transverse machine inlets that carry inside an internal chamber or common distributor tube, as described more particularly with respect to to Figures 2-5. The die inputs are provided with a suspension of uncooked starch particles in water under pressure for flow within the die and inside a downwardly opening die slot for application as a curtain 30 on the top of the wire. already a weave of formation on the surface of the wire. Preferably, the die 25 is located along the length of the wire, so as to collide with the tissue in a region in which the consistency of the table (i.e., the consistency of the fibrous mat over the wire) is so low as about 2 percent or less, or up to about 10 percent or more. Unexpected and non-obvious results have been found where the material is applied to low table consistencies, such as about 2 percent. In order to accurately control the consistency and velocity of the flow of the suspension applied to the die 30, it is preferred to use a pair of heads, each connected to each of the sources of material. In the preferred embodiment, one head 33 is connected to water under pressure and the other head 34 is connected to send a relatively concentrated suspension of starch in uncooked water, under pressure, as shown in greater detail in Figure 2. The flows from the heads 32 and 34 are through the flow control valves 36 and 38, respectively to a die inlet, whose valves can be controlled automatically by a dry end resistance scanner 40. The suitable scanning apparatus, by means of which the paper, at the dry end of the paper machine, can be accurately measured by the strength characteristics and by means of which the profiles of the strength characteristic can be measured. The direction of the cross machine is known in the art. Reference may be made to one or more of the following United States of America Patents, which illustrate the systems and processes for the continuous determination and in which, through a feedback loop, the resistance parameters in the paper machine are controlled to vary the strength of the paper tissue that was formed and to explore the resistance characteristics in the direction of the cross machine. These patents include U.S. Patent No. 5,104,488, issued April 14, 1992, U.S. 4,991,432, issued February 12, 1991, and U.S. 4,970,895, issued November 20, 1990. In patents previously mentioned and in U.S. Patent No. 4,936,141, issued June 26, 1990, a suitable measuring device is shown for the purpose of making in-line resistance measurements. Figure 2 illustrates in a diagrammatic manner the die 25 and the feed heads 33 and 34. The die 25 has multiple entries transversely spaced from the direction of travel of the fabric, that is, in the direction of the cross machine. The head 33 contains filtered and heated water under a regulated pressure, as heated by the heater 42 with a pressure controlled by a pressure regulator 44. Preferably, a de-aerator is used to remove any entrained air with the water supply, so that the water inside the head 35 is essentially free of air bubbles which could cause cracks or protrusions in the application of the material by the die 25. For this purpose, a de-aerator 46, and a water filter 48 can be used. The degermer may be of the type described in U.S. Patent No. 5,149,341, Taylor et al., issued September 22, 1992. The head 34 is supplied with a relatively rich suspension of a starch in uncooked water. , under pressure. The tank 50 forms a source of this suspension, which can be maintained in a fluidized condition by the agitator 52. Suitable assembly lines and level control elements for the tank 50 can be included, but are not shown. A variable speed constant displacement pump 55 sends the suspension at a constant speed and pressure, and a pulsation chamber 56 can be placed on the line to reduce the pulses. Preferably, one or more filters 58 are in line to remove larger agglomerations of starch and lumps that would interfere with the degassing of the suspension. The de-aerated suspension is applied through an optional flow meter 63 to a heater 65. The heater 65 may be electric but is preferably a hot water heater covered. It is preferred that the suspension in the head 34, as well as the water in the head 33, be maintained at a high temperature but in all cases, lower than the cooking temperature of the starch. Preferably, the starch suspension is degassed after heating to remove the entrained air in the foam form and the bubbles and any gases are released by heating. In general, it is desirable that no bubble be allowed to remain in the suspension, which is to be applied to the die 25, which has a diameter that exceeds the width of the die extrusion slot. A particularly effective deaeration apparatus 60 is one which is shown in US Pat. No. 5,149,341 to Taylor et al., Which was previously described. A rich fraction in air is returned on line 61 to tank 50. A filter, such as a vibration filter 68, forms a final filter to prevent any particles that might clog the die slot from entering. A vibration filter is preferred, such as model SS-0736-VIB from Ronningen-Petter, 9151 Saver Road, Portage, Michigan 59081. The head 34 is preferably of a through flow design with an inlet at end 70 and a smaller inlet at the end 72 by which a through flow condition can be maintained to prevent settlement of the suspension. The flow velocity and pressure inside the head can be maintained by a controllable valve 75, which returns the flow through material to the tank 50. The suspension of the handle from the head 34 and the dilution water of the head 33, are applied to the individual die inputs through the controllable valves 38 and 36 that were previously mentioned , as mentioned in connection with Figure 1. Individual linear control valves are preferred, which can be controlled by air or an electrical signal, one of the valves 36, 38 being a normally open valve which is controlled to the position closed, while the other valve is a normally closed valve, which is controlled to the open position. The scanner 40 controls the valves in the starch and water heads by means of either the programmable logic controller or a distributed control system. Although two individual one-way valves are shown and are preferred, it is within the scope of the invention to use a three-way spool valve having two inlets and a common outlet, which is proportional in operation so that the movement of the The reel decreases the flow from one inlet, while at the same time increasing the flow from the other inlet. The outputs of the valves 36, 38 are applied to a static on-line mixer 80 and then applied to a discrete of the plurality of die inputs. The in-line static mixer can be of the type supplied by Kenics Corp. North Andover, Massachusetts. The pressures of the head can be relatively low, such as about ten psi. The content of solids, however, in the head 34 is relatively high, such as in the range of about 8 percent to 15 percent, although suspensions substantially above 10 percent are difficult to handle. The controllable valves 36, 38 may be respectively of the 807 / 766-316 inch and a half ATO type, and the 807 / 759-316 inch and a half ATC (air controlled) type of Badger Meter Incorporated, 6116 East 15th Street , Tulsa, Oklahoma 74112. The two heads are maintained at substantially equal and constant pressures. Each pair of valves 36, 38 is configured to give uniform total flow to the die with varying proportions of water slurry and starch and these flows within the inlets are substantially equal to one another. The valves are controlled by the explorer 40 as a pair, working back to back, to provide a constant flow to the particular die inlet. Since each input receives substantially the same percentage of flow, there is very little disturbance that is formed in the die between the inputs during the control procedures. Each pair of the valves is controlled so as to provide the correct application rate of uncooked starch to the tissue, in the particular die area defining the input, which corresponds approximately to the spacing between the inlets.
In a typical installation of the paper machine, the spacing between the die inputs would normally be uniform. This separation would typically be between approximately five inches to 25 inches. A preferred form of the die 25 is illustrated in Figures 3 and 4. The die 25 could be formed in a conventional manner in two parts, such as the part 30a and the corresponding part 30b, which jointly define an internal distributor tube or passageway. 90. In the illustration of Figure 3, the distributor tube 90 has a teardrop shape and leads to the downwardly opening die slot 92, which is shown in greater detail in Figure 6. One of the two parts of the die, such as the part 30a, is provided with a plurality of transversely entering feed ports 95, which open within the distributor tube 90. It is preferred that the distributor tube 90 be of substantially constant cross-sectional area. across the width of the paper machine and has a side-hole shape that does not allow the suspended starch or any other particles to settle and block the die groove 92 or block the distributor tube 90. Tell me Therefore, the actual distribution of the distributor pipe 90 can be kept moderately small compared to a plastic extrusion die, for example. The distributor tube 90 and the slot 92 have a width that generally corresponds to the width of the fabric that is being formed or slightly greater than the width of the fabric. In the latter case, collection basins can be placed on the lateral edges of the fabric to capture the material that is extruded downward as a downward curtain beyond the width of the fabric, for recirculation to the tank 50, as described in the application mother. As previously described, the lateral ends of the distributor tube 90 can extend beyond the tissue and be fed by water to form a water beard. A plurality of input ports, ie, at least three or more, and the number of transversely spaced inlet ports 95 that is employed, are used depending on the degree of control that is desired on the application of the material, in the lateral positions, on a formed tissue that carries a wire. In general, the entries should be separated by equal separation increments and should be separated from the closing end plates 96 of the die 25 by a distance that is approximately half the distance between the adjacent entries. At 130 in Figure 5 it is illustrated a preferred alternative form of the die, which includes body parts 130a and 130b and inlets 195 corresponding to the inlet 95. However, in this case, the inner distributor tube or cavity 190 is completely formed in one of the parts of the die, such as the part 130b leading to the die slot 192. The cavity 190 is shown as having a triangular shape, when closed by the corresponding wall of the die body 130a. A tilt wall 197 in the body 130b, which is inclined at an angle to the slot of the die 192, defines the die cavity 190. The inlets 195 open inside the cavity 190. The flow through the inlet 195 collides against the corresponding wall of the die body 130a, thereby creating a change in the flow direction that creates turbulence in the flow and helps to prevent the suspension from settling. In addition, the embodiment shown in Figure 5 has the advantage of lower costs, because circular openings are provided, i.e., inlets 195 and smoother flat walls in one of the body parts of the die, simplifying by the manufacturing and machining steps are the same, as compared to a die in which the die cavity is formed in the same way in each of the two body parts, as in the embodiment of Figure 3. As shown in FIG. previously noted, it is important that the distributor tube or passage 90, Figure 3 or 190, Figure 5, have surfaces that are inclined more than 10 ° to avoid the accumulation or settlement of the starch of particulate matter. Materials that have a settling speed faster than starch will require a steeper slope to avoid settling. The tear drop configuration of the passage 90 in the embodiment of Figures 3 and 4, and the inclination wall 197 in the embodiment of Figure 5, form angles greater than 10 ° to the horizontal and thus effectively prevent accumulation or the settlement of the starch particles in their respective surfaces. Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view of the lower portion of the die showing the flanges of the die and the slot of the die, and applies already to any of the embodiments of Figures 3 or 5. The reference numerals used to designate the die parts are those that were selected for Figure 3, although the concepts shown in Figure 6 can be applied to die 130 of Figure 5. Figure 6 shows a preferable die flange configuration , in which the slot of the die 92 ends at the pair of flanges of the opposed die 102 and 104. Each flange of the die is provided with a downwardly dependent cutting portion, which provides the flat ends 105 and 106, each forming the lower terms of the respective die flange. It will also be seen that the lower end 105 of the die flange 102 preferably extends below the end 106 of the flange of the die 104, so that the material flowing through the slot 92 will then flow along a portion of the die. exposed surface 102 associated with extension 109 of the flange of the die. The portion of the surface 108 that is exposed below the lower end 106 of the flange of the die 104, provides a flow control surface on which the curtain flows downward and accelerates toward the fourdrinier wire, and a region on the which is exposed a surface of the curtain descendant to the surface tension. By displacing the lower end of the flanges of the die relative to one another, a short region is formed in which the curtain is constrained only by one surface, thereby substantially reducing the friction, as compared to the condition where the flow is between the side walls. The die may also include an element to keep the flanges of the die clean and free of accumulated materials. For this purpose, a pair of ducts 110 and 112 can be made forming cooling flow passages, of a suitable heat conductive material and provide for the cooling of the flanges of the die, in accordance with the cooled or cooled liquid flowing through the cooling passages. The conduits are associated with, and attached to, the flat plates 114 and 115 along the outer surfaces of the flanges of the die. The configuration allows the flanges of the die to cool to a temperature below the dew point temperature, to cause condensation to form on the outer surfaces of the die flanges and plates 114 and 115, so that they are surfaces are previously wetted and are resistant to the accumulation of coating materials. Preferably, an air gap 116 is provided between the cooling ducts 110 and 112, to ensure that cooling is confined as much as practical to the plates 114 and 115 and to the outer surfaces of the flanges, and that cooling is inadequate the surfaces forming the extrusion groove 92. The flow rates, as described in detail in the parent application, may be employed with the apparatus of this invention. In the parent application, the die groove is described as having a dimension of approximately 0.1 inches with flow rates ranging from 0.1 to 0.25 gallons per minute per linear inch of die length or die groove. Additionally, the separation of the die from the table or the surface of the wire, can be that which was described in the mother application, as small as approximately one and a half inches to approximately 14 inches, with separations in the range of four inches to eight inches being preferred. . In the example given in the mother application, the exit velocity of the suspension from the slot was approximately 1.7 meters per second at a height of five inches and the landing speed of the curtain on the weave was approximately 2.3 meters per second. It should be understood that these valves, once selected and defined, do not change substantially throughout the control range of the apparatus and system, since the flow rate is intended to remain relatively constant within each of the inputs of the individual die 95 and therefore through the die and over the tissue. Valve pairs 38 and 36 are controlled by downstream scanning and detector elements 40, as previously defined, typically by means of a Programmable Logic Controller or a Distributed Control System. The known control systems are described in the patents that were previously identified. For the purpose of this invention, it can be assumed that the strength will generally vary linearly or substantially so with the amount of starch that was added or removed from a model amount, the standard of which can be selected at levels up to 100 pounds per foot. square or more. The adjusted quantities are applied proportionally by combinations of the valves 36, 38 to the stationary mixer 80, for deep mixing, and then to the input of the particular die 95. Although the forms of the apparatus and method described herein constitute the preferred embodiments of this invention, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to these precise forms of the apparatus and method, and that changes can be made therein without departing of the scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.