Abstract: A dispenser for coiled sheet material which can be operated either through lever action or by a rotatable crank without modification of the dispenser. The dispenser includes a pair of cooperating feed rolls, one of which is a drive roll having a drive shaft. A gear is connected to the drive shaft through a one-way clutch mechanism and a gear segment, which is pivotally connected to the frame of the dispenser, is engaged with the gear. Connected integrally with the gear segment is a lever having a removable knob or handle which extends outwardly through the cabinet of the dispenser. By pushing downwardly on the handle the lever and gear segment will be pivoted to thereby rotate the gear and drive the feed rolls to dispense a length of sheet material. After dispensing, the lever is biased upwardly to its original position by a torsion spring.

Abstract: A brake mechanism for a pair of reels of a tape cassette includes a base member slidable in a guideway in a direction extending between the pair of reels. A pair of stopper members or arms are hinged on the base member and extend away therefrom for engaging teeth on flanges of the reels. The base block includes a spring hold pin to which is anchored a spring which urges the stopper members towards the teeth to lock the reels in position.

Abstract: The leader of a fresh reel in a cigarette making or other tobacco processing machine is engaged by the tongs on an endless chain and is advanced to a splicing device so that it can be spliced to the trailing portion of a running web which is being paid out by an expiring reel. The tongs can be opened preparatory to introduction of the leader of the fresh web between its jaws by a severing device which serves to cut the protective strip around the outermost convolution of the fresh web as well as to deflect the thus exposed leader of the web on the fresh reel into the open tongs during pivoting of the severing device from its operative to its inoperative position.

Abstract: A ticket strip feed machine is disclosed having a ticket strip feed mechanism, a power source, and gearing connecting the power source to the feed mechanism. The feed mechanism has a rotatable ticket strip feed wheel connected to the gearing for rotation thereby. The feed wheel is provided with at least one set of toothed elements for engaging the ticket strip to prevent additional feeding movement of the ticket strip when a force is exerted on the ticket strip in the direction of feed. In addition, the feed wheel is provided with a plurality of toothed elements for engaging the ticket strip to feed same upon rotation of the feed wheel. The gearing includes a worm gear connected to the power source and a spur gear meshing with the worm gear and connected to the feed wheel to drive same.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are disclosed for properly positioning the machine reel in a magnetic tape drive containing an automatic tape threading mechanism, wherein the file reel consists of a tape cartridge with tape attached to a leader block. The automatic threading mechanism connects to the leader block and pulls the tape through the tape path to insert the leader block into the hub of the machine reel. However, before the leader block can be inserted into the machine reel hub, the machine reel must be properly aligned to receive the leader block. The present invention provides apparatus and methods for properly aligning the machine reel to receive the tape leader block. The disclosure also provides a means to detect when the last wrap of tape is being removed from the machine reel hub during an unload operation and stop the machine reel at the proper angular location so that the tape leader block can be removed from the hub without damage to the hub or the leader block.

Abstract: A control system for operating two magnetic tape loop bins in series with a continuous tape having an end of tape marker, including guides and drive rollers or capstans for guiding a tape from the first bin to the second bin and from the second bin past a magnetic head station to the first bin. End of tape sensors are positioned between the first and second bins and between the second and first bins to provide signals when tape markers pass the respective sensors. Each bin is provided with a tape drive motor and a motor control, with one motor being driven to provide about a constant tape tension and with the other motor being driven at a controlled speed which varies as a function of an error signal determined from the tape marker sensors.

Abstract: A magnetic tape cassette in which loop formation during slackening of the tape is prevented and the tape is wound on the winding hub without being displaced laterally, thereby preventing jamming of the cassette and deformation of the tape. The cassette includes a pair of hubs on which the magnetic tape is wound, two guide rollers, one at either end of an opening formed in the front of the cassette, and two inner guides, one provided between each of the guide rollers and a respective one of the hubs. Each inner guide includes a cylindrical barrel having a tape sliding surface, and a protrusion extending from the cylindrical barrel. The protrusion, which has a tape sliding surface wider than the tape, is turnable rearwardly of the cassette. A tape guide groove is formed in the tape sliding surface of the cylindrical barrel having a width slightly greater than that of the tape.

Abstract: A tape drive assembly includes a compact rectangular housing mounting a fixed take-up reel. A removable supply reel is mounted on a pivotable carrier which is adapted to be swung into a closure position on the housing to place the supply reel in operative position adjacent the take-up reel. In such operative position the supply reel is frictionally engaged by an endless drive belt which also frictionally engages the take-up reel so as to drive both reels and cause the tape to be fed therebetween in a path that passes adjacent a read/write head. The drive belt is formed of a viscoelastic material so that it is maintained on its supporting rollers under tension with the supply reel in or out of engagement with it and so that a constant tension is maintained on the drive belt, and hence the tape, at different driving speeds.

Abstract: An apparatus for unrolling and spreading a long roll of cloth on a work table in which a servo motor is coupled with wheels of a spreader and for running the spreader on the work table. A servo motor is coupled with a dispensing roller and for rolling out the cloth roll rotatably supported on and by the spreader. A servo motor is coupled with a delivery roll for delivering the cloth unrolled by the dispensing roller onto the work table. First sensing means senses a running distance of the spreader. Second and third sensing means sense rotation speeds of the dispensing servo motor and the delivery servo motor, respectively. A control circuit generates a first control output signal to drive and control the running servo motor according to a preset input and the output signal from the first sensing means.

Abstract: Apparatus for controlling the jerk or shock loading of the wire rope used to apply tension to move a galvanizing or pickle line's horizontal looper car. The apparatus includes a vertical spindle affixed to the frame of the looper car. A drum having a radially extending arm is provided to be rotatable about the spindle. The arm is provided with an intermediate region to anchor the wire rope and a terminal region to cooperate with a resilient shock absorbing means which may comprise a polyurethane pad. Such shock absorbing means includes a bracket affixed to the looper car frame. A spring-biased bolt connects the arm to the bracket while a resilient pad is provided intermediate the arm and the bracket.

Abstract: The present arrangement includes a first tape leader which can be readily and automatically coupled to a second tape leader. In a preferred embodiment the first tape leader is connected to be wound on a take up reel while the second tape leader is connected to a tape to be pulled from a supply reel. The first tape leader has one end formed into a mushroom like tab with a supporting stem. The second tape leader has a locking aperture at one end thereof which is proportioned so that a wide section thereof can fit over said mushroom like tab while a narrow section thereof will accept the stem but block passage of the mushroom tab therethrough. Accordingly when the tab is passed through the wide section and the leader is moved (pulled) toward the narrow section of the locking aperture, the tab and part of the stem become locked in the narrow section. Hence the leaders are locked, or buckled, to enable the first tape leader to pull the second leader.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a cassette casing for a magnetic tape cassette, in which particularly when not in operation for recording and/or reproducing a signal, the cassette casing is tightly closed to protect a magnetic tape from being adhered with dusts and touching of fingers. The cassette casing is provided at its front portion with an openable and closable lid and at its lower surface with a slidable slider, whereby upon non-use, reel shaft insertion apertures, a front opening and a cut-out portion are closed by the front lid and the slider and this closed state is held by the cooperation of the front lid and the slider. Also, an elastic engaging piece member having at its tip end a protrusion is formed near the cut-out portion of the cassette casing and an engaging aperture which is engaged with this protrusion is formed through the slide, whereby the sliding movement of the slider is restricted by the engagement between the engaging piece member and the engaging aperture.

Abstract: This compact creel is adapted to continuously supply yarns from unusually large diameter yarn supply packages to a textile yarn processing machine having an elongate frame and a plurality of spaced-apart yarn processing stations therealong. The creel is formed with a row of closely spaced yarn support frames supported for limited rotary movement and in parallel spaced relationship from the machine frame to provide a passageway between the creel and the textile machine. Each of the support frames includes three vertically spaced decks with four pairs of yarn supply packages in spaced-apart positions on each deck. The yarn supply packages are supported with the yarn withdrawal ends of adjacent packages in substantially facing relationship to each other so that one of the large diameter yarn supply packages acts as a yarn feeding supply package while the other yarn supply package is tailed thereto and acts as a reserve yarn supply package.

Abstract: An apparatus for transferring material wound on a feed spool to a take-up spool such as in a ribbon cassette for a typewriter or word processor. The apparatus includes a base, a centerpost, a feed spool positioned to rotate about the centerpost, a take-up spool, and a generally circular coil spring attached at one end to the centerpost. The outer surface of the spring exerts a frictional drag force on the feed spool which resists rotation of the spool during a transfer procedure. The spring also deforms during the transfer procedure and exerts a force on the spool in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation thereby providing a minimum tension on the material to avoid problems common to conventional cassettes such as jamming.

Abstract: This spool for ribbons, tapes, string, and the like comprises a plastic first cylinder, which ribbons or tapes are coiled around. A projecting flange along one edge of the cylinder helps to hold the ribbons or tapes coiled around it. Fitted inside the first cylinder is an adjustable second cylinder made of the same material. This adjustable second cylinder provides a second flange and includes a series of openings, each having a series of steps, any one of which can engage a projection rib on the inner surface of the first cylinder. The width between the two flanges is thereby determined, and the two cylinders may then be secured in the selected position.

Abstract: A pair of friction sheets loosely disposed between the opposite end faces of wind-up cores and the inner surfaces of a cassette casing in a magnetic tape cassette are loosely engaged with posts of rotatable guide rollers and guide pins in the cassette so that the opposite side edges of the magnetic tape may be guided by the friction sheets substantially throughout its path and the tape may be fed in a stable manner. Engaging portions of the friction sheets may have protruded portions protruded toward the inner surfaces of the casing to guide the tape with sufficient friction. When the magnetic tape cassette is put into a cassette tape recorder, the tape travels stably with respect to the magnetic head of the recorder.

Abstract: A dispenser for pressure-sensitive adhesive labels on a web of release material in which a label-bearing web is withdrawn from a supply coil past a peel edge at which the direction of travel of the web reverses so that the labels separate from the web and advance towards the surface to be labelled, wherein the spent web is taken up by a take-up spool, and a friction roller rotatably mounted in the dispenser for contact with the surface to be labelled rotates as the dispenser is moved over the surface, the friction roller being operatively connected to the take-up spool so that both rotate at substantially the same surface speed and the labels are dispensed at substantially the same speed as the dispenser is moved but in the opposite direction.

Abstract: An improved spool for packaging and handling ribbon material or cable. The spool has a cylindrical hub with a central spindle opening extending therethrough, two opposite flange portions, and one or more central flange portions. Each of the flange portions is disk shaped and radially extends outwardly from the hub.

Abstract: A continuous forms feed tractor in the form of an elongated housing mounts for rotation thereon, an endless belt from which protrude longitudinal spaced aligned pins, projectable within similarly spaced holes along an edge of a continuous forms record medium for positively feeding the continuous forms medium about a rotary platen and between the platen and a print head for implementing printing on the continuous form. The housing is provided with a long cut forms chute running the length of the same, below the endless belt and parallel therewith for feeding letter size or legal size paper sheets onto and about the platen. A short cut forms chute extends obliquely through the elongated housing, at the end facing the platen, inclined downwardly towards the platen and the long cut forms chute for feeding short cut forms, such as a punch card onto and about the platen for printing thereon.

Abstract: A tape cassette is provided with interlocking wall sections to protect it against mechanical and/or thermal deformation. Advantageous interlocking connecting means are stepped teeth, peg-and-hole connections and connections in the form of prism-shaped projections and matching recesses.Such interlocking connecting systems can be used with particular advantage in film, audio, video and data cassettes and all kinds of storage containers which are required to exhibit great flexural strength.