THE PAPER MACHINE BROKE PITS

The main broke pit is located directly under the paper machine reel at the "dry" end of the paper machine. There will usually be other pits down through the machine. There also may be "broke conveyors" under the paper machine to transfer the broke to other areas, Usually the broke is recycled into the paper making process.

THE REEL BROKE PIT

Click the PIT black opening to enter the broke pit

The sheet comes from the paper machine over the top of the reel drum down between the reel drum and the large jumbo roll being wound on the reel spool supported on the level rails. In some machines like newsprint the reel drum and sheet can be 360" wide. The large winding jumbo can weigh in excess of 30 tons.

The reel drum doctor is the width of the reel drum. The sheet is a continuous web. The paper machine produces paper 24 hours a day and doesn't  stop unless there is a process problem of some type.  When the large jumbo being wound is of the desired size, the sheet is intentionally broken with an automatic system (called a sheet break and turn-up device). The winding jumbo is moved laterally away from the reel drum. The severed tail of the broken sheet is transferred to an empty reel spool and starts winding a new jumbo. The expiring tail of the paper machine follows the reel drum. A full width blade called a roll doctor is moved into contact with the reel drum and  scrapes the sheet from the reel drum diverting the broken paper into the broke pit.