Abstract: An apparatus for conveying photographic layer-bearing carriers in the shape of webs or sheets through photochemical baths of developing machines, with passages for the layer-bearing carriers open between one or several pairs of transport rollers, some of which are driven, and providing a passage gap for the layer carriers between conveying rollers being elastically resilient in a direction radial with regard to the roller shaft.

Abstract: A guiding and braking unit for a material web which passes through a processing machine, such as a machine for the manufacture of packing containers. The unit comprises a roller adapted to a guide cylinder for the web. This roller is manufactured from a material with a high coefficient of friction. The roller is adapted so that it can be swivelled via an arm in a direction transverse to that of the material web to thus follow the material web when it is moved sideways, or axially in relation to the guide cylinder. Each sideways movement, however, because of the suspension of the roller, brings about a lifting of the roller which is continuously counteracted by the pressing of the roller against the cylinder. As a result, the roller is returned automatically to a central position and through friction, carries the material web with it to a central position in relation to the guide cylinder.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for building annular tire components such as steel cord tread reinforcements, in which a measuring drum is employed to receive strip material and simultaneously to feed it to a component building former. The strip material laps a portion only of the measuring drum, and a measured length of the strip is severed on the measuring drum and the major portion of the length of strip is transferred to the building former by rotation of the measuring drum through substantially a whole revolution.

Abstract: An expandable feed roller has two separate side-by-side discs fitted on a rotatable drive shaft. Each disc has circumferentially spaced fins extending inward toward the other disc and inclined toward the shaft. The fins of the two discs are interdigitated to form a thread-receiving valley between them. One of the discs is fixed to the shaft but the other is slidable axially along the shaft toward and away from the other disc so as to change the effective circumference of the base of the thread-receiving valley between the discs. A spring urges the two discs apart against an adjustment mechanism operable to change the relative axial positions of the discs while the drive shaft is rotating.

Abstract: A film processor transport roller end plug for providing a liquid seal in a hollow film processor roller. The end plug characterized by having a tightened "O" ring inside the roller to provide a liquid seal and to retain the end plug therein.

Abstract: A mechanism for controlling parallelism between a pinch roller and capstan shaft, wherein a support arm shaft rotatably supports a support arm. A wall is provided on the base board close to the support arm shaft. The support arm shaft is inclined toward the wall. The wall is fitted with pinch roller parallelism-controlling mechanism which is pressed against the inclined support arm shaft to push it in the opposite direction to that of its inclination.

Abstract: A transport roller for a record carrier in a printer, for example, an ink jet printer, is composed of at least two laterally adjoining, hollow, cylindrical roller sections. Each roller section is connected to its hub by means of at least one carrier portion. The roller sections are adjacently arranged on a shaft by way of the hubs by which they are locked against rotation. At a first lateral end of each roller section a groove opens towards this first end, in which groove there is arranged a toroidal ring. The laterally open groove is closed by the second lateral end of the roller section which adjoins this first lateral end.

Abstract: A coiling apparatus for long-size products comprising an assembly for drawing long-size products and an assembly for coiling the long-size products, wherein said assemblies are disposed separately in the direction of movement of the long-size products. The assembly for drawing the long-size products incorporates at least one drive shaft and at least one spring-loaded roll wherebetween the long-size product moves, and also comprises a fork holding the spring-loaded roll, and a guide rack wherein the fork is inserted.

Abstract: A tape driving mechanism has a pin projecting from a base plate of a tape recorder, a capstan shaft rotatably mounted on the base plate and a pinch roller holder rotatably mounted on the pin. The mechanism further comprises a pinch roller rotatably mounted on a first end portion of the pinch roller holder opposite to the pin, a torsion coil spring and an urging member. The torsion coil spring is provided on a portion of the pinch roller holder with both ends of the torsion coil spring in engagement with other portions of the pinch roller holder. The urging member urges an end portion of the torsion coil spring to rotate and urge the pinch roller holder to resiliently press the pinch roller against the capstan shaft.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus including a resilient rotatable separator roller which includes a radial cut permitting radial attachment and detachment from a rotatable shaft. A fixing device is provided for fixing the roller to the shaft.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for feeding a single electrical wire or a plurality of electrical wires including a feed roller means and a pressure roller means. A length of wire placed between the feed roller means and the pressure roller means is driven by the feed roller means while the pressure roller means is biased toward the material keeping the material in driving contact with the feed roller means. The pressure roller means includes means for adjusting its position automatically as the material varies in size. In the case where a plurality of lengths of wire is fed by the feed roll means, each length of wire has its own pressure roller means which independently adjusts itself to the varying size of the material being fed thereby.

Abstract: In a roller for adjusting the width of a travelling web including a core roller, a pair of inclinedly movable tension setting members disposed at the ends of the core roller, and a plurality of elastic bands having a proper amount of surface frictional resistance axially arranged in a cylindrical shape around the core roller between the tension setting members, the elastic bands are connected to the tension setting members through universal joints. The provision of such universal joints prevents the joint portions of the elastic bands from being bent or twisted when the roller is rotated wth the elastic bands axially moved in such direction as to adjust the width of a web, according to the inclined movement of the tension setting members.

Abstract: An improved magnetic tape roller guide assembly rotatably mounted between spaced sidewalls of a magnetic tape cassette. The guide includes a central hub having an integral biasing projection formed on an end surface by partially slicing the material comprising the hub. The projection bears against one sidewall to produce a biasing force locating the guide assembly between the sidewalls, thus preventing guide oscillation.

Abstract: A magnetic tape cassette comprises a housing having an open front side and two adjacent reel hubs containing an amount of tape, a span of said tape extending along the front side; at one or at both corner points near the open front side front covers are pivotable between an open position, and a closed position which covers at least partly over the front opening; the span of the magnetic tape which extends along the open front side can be moved between an active position outside the housing and an inactive position in which the tape is disposed between the major walls of the housing. Each front cover is formed with a thrust portion which during the pivotal movement from the open position to the closed position presses against the span of magnetic tape which extends along the front side and thereby moves it from the active position to the inactive position.

Abstract: The wire guide and retainer assembly of this invention is utilized with a wire dispenser stand assembly to dispense a wire strand member from the reel members mounted on a support assembly. The wire guide and retainer assembly includes (1) a first wire guide assembly; and (2) a second wire guide assembly. The first wire guide assembly includes a first frame support assembly secured to the support assembly; and a first pulley assembly mounted on said first frame support assembly. The first frame support assembly includes a pair of support arms having one end pivotally connected to the support assembly and a support shaft mounted between the support arms. The first pulley assembly is rotatably mounted on the support shaft and axially movable thereon. The second wire guide assembly is substantially identical to the first wire assembly with a second pulley assembly mounted on a support shaft member.

Abstract: The pinch pressure-adjusting device comprises a pair of pinch roller-supporting members which rotatably hold the paired pinch rollers and whose pivotal shaft is set in parallel with the rotary shafts of said paired pinch rollers; a first urging member, one end of which is fixed to one of the paired pinch roller-supporting members; a second urging member, one end of which is fixed to the other of the paired pinch roller-supporting members; and a movable member which is fixed to the other end of the first urging member and to the other end of the second urging member. The movable member is shifted between a first position in which the movable member is more spaced from one of the paired pinch roller-supporting members than from the other thereof and a second position in which the movable member is more spaced from the other of the paired pinch roller-supporting members than from the one thereof.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for guiding an advancing tape in either one of two opposite directions employ a hollow tape guide member, a post through such hollow tape guide member, a sleeve around such post inside the hollow tape guide member, and a tape guide surface at an end of the tape guide member peripherally thereof and at an angle thereto. A fulcrum extends circumferentially around the post at a predetermined location offset in a direction away from the tape guide surface from a central location corresponding to a longitudinal center line of the tape, for supporting the sleeve for omnidirectional tilting motion relative to a plane intersecting the post at the predetermined location. The hollow tape guide member is mounted on the sleeve with spaced bearings located at opposite sides of the mentioned plane, for rotation about the post and tilting motion with the sleeve.

Abstract: A roller entry guide assembly for angle shapes is disclosed. The assembly is used in steel rolling mills and overcomes the problems of distortion due to the friction of fixed guides in high speed mills. The assembly comprises a support frame, two freely rotating bottom rollers rigidly mounted in a horizontal plane in the support frame, each of the bottom rollers having sides contoured to fit an angle configuration with the largest diameter at the center, and a freely rotating top roller positioned above and between the two bottom rollers, and parallel thereto, the top roller being adjustably mounted from the support frame to vary the height above the bottom rollers, the top roller having sides contoured to fit an angle configuration with the smallest diameter at the center adapted to guide and position an angle shape between the top and bottom rollers in conjunction with the bottom rollers.

Abstract: An improvement in a high speed tape feeding apparatus comprising a pair of cylindrical drums rotatable in tangential contact so as to pull a tape out of the roll of tape by frictionally driving the tape therebetween, one of the pair of drums being mounted for free rotation on a first drive shaft and having a circumference slightly longer than the length of one section to be cut from the tape, the tape having identical patterns and check marks printed thereon and to be cut into sections bearing one printed pattern, the other drum being mounted for free rotation on the second drive shaft and having a circumference slightly shorter than the length of one section to be cut from the tape, an electromagnetic clutch between the first drum and the first drive shaft, a unidirectional shaft between the other drum and the second drive shaft, photoelectric sensing apparatus for detecting two successive check marks on the tape, and producing signals, and a mechanism for bringing the electromagnetic clutch into and out of

Abstract: A capstan drive tape recorder having a pressure roller on an arm which is pivotable to hold the tape against the capstan. To move the arm between the operating and a rest position, the arm is connected by a spring to a lever, the arm and lever being pivotable about the same axis. An actuating device moves the lever to bring the pressure roller into engagement with a tape against the capstan. In moving the arm, the lever is first pivoted about one axis, and then about a second axis so that the mechanical advantage of the lever is changed between a ratio which moves the roller a considerable distance, and a ratio which biases the roller against the capstan.

Abstract: A device for guiding a knitted or woven fabric flattened or folded into half-width which prevents creases or wrinkles from occurring in the conveyed fabric. The guiding device comprises a plurality of fabric guiding surfaces wich are rotatable around an axis, which axis is perpendicular to the conveying direction of said fabric; and a plurality of spaces for receiving a part of the fabric, provided between two adjacent fabric guiding surfaces. The fabric guiding surfaces are composed of a plurality of roller-shaped bars. Alternatively, the fabric guiding surfaces are composed of parts of the circumferential surface of a cylindrical roller, each said part extending axially and separated from adjacent parts by grooves, which grooves act as the spaces for receiving a part of the fabric.

Abstract: A tape drive capstan has a porous ceramic matrix in the form of a cylindrical shell using spherical ceramic particles bonded together to form a network of interstitial pores which are substantially uniform in size and interconnected. A urethane elastomer is impregnated into the pores to form a tape driving surface on the outside surface of the cylinder. The outer surface of the capstan is finish-ground to an outside diameter suitable for use in a tape drive apparatus. The particles occupy approximately 70% of the internal volume of the shell and the elastomer occupies the remaining 30%. The shell is attached by an epoxy to an outside surface of a drive shaft suitable for driving the capstan.

Abstract: An apparatus advances and registers web material relative to a cutting mechanism. The cutting mechanism cuts the web material transverse to the direction of material advance. The apparatus comprises a guide for guiding the web material to the cutting mechanism. A rotating cylinder is spaced from the cutting mechanism and adjacent the guide. Projecting elements are carried on the rotating cylinder and spaced circumferentially on the rotating cylinder a distance substantially equal to the distance between cut lines in the web material. The projecting elements have a surface portion which engages at least a portion of the web material adjacent the cut line and forces a portion of the web material out of the plane of the web material. The projecting elements further have a surface portion for engaging the web material and pushing the web material through the guide and to the cutting mechanism.

Abstract: A high speed yarn feeding apparatus for feeding yarn from a yarn supply source to a yarn take-up apparatus is disclosed which is capable of being threaded by conventionally employed suction nozzles. The yarn feeding apparatus employs at least one stepped godet roller having a small diameter portion on which the travelling yarn is initially threaded. A yarn hooking means is provided on the peripheral surface of the stepped side of the large diameter portion of the stepped roller. Means is provided upstream of the stepped roller for shifting the travelling yarn from a position aligned with the small diameter portion to a position aligned with the large diameter portion of the stepped roller. The yarn hooking means can take various conformations and more than one hooking means can be provided on a single stepped godet roller.

Abstract: An improved transport for developing film in a photographic film processor, the transport received in a tank having film processing liquids therein. The transport characterized by having a housing with film guide rollers that are mounted on removable bearings so that the individual rollers can be quickly removed from the housing without having to disassemble the housing end plates. Further, the transport is modular in design so that the housing end plates with rollers can be added or subtracted for changing the film process cycle time.

Abstract: A filament-feeding apparatus for a wet freshly dyed yarn has a feed wheel centered on and rotatable about an axis and having a pair of side parts having generally circular peripheries lying in parallel spaced-apart planes perpendicular to this axis, and a plurality of angularly spaced center parts axially bridging the side parts and having outer edges axially aligned with the peripheries. The wheel is open and free of structure in zones radially inward of the peripheries and radially outward of secants extending between the outer edges. A flexible endless belt having a width equal at least to the axial spacing between the peripheries is held by a plurality of pulleys in a circular arc radially against these peripheries so that the belt forms upstream and downstream nips at the ends of the circular arc.

Abstract: Spool changing apparatus for alternately pulling web-shaped packaging material from two supply spools and feeding the material sequentially to a pair of engraving rollers, a pair of conveying rollers, and a cutting device along a conveying track. An auxiliary device is provided to separate the embossing rollers as a new supply of packaging material is fed therethrough. The material is thus initially conveyed without embossing, thereby avoiding coiling of the new length of packaging material at the outlet side of the embossing rollers.

Abstract: In a photographic printer, photographic print paper is transported from the print paper supply to a print mask location. The print paper is guided by an interchangeable guide spool to ensure proper centering at the print mask location. The guide spool, being preset for a particular print paper width, automatically centers the print paper when mounted on a spindle so as to abut against a permanently positioned flange. The guide spool includes an inner sleeve that abuts against the permanently positioned flange, an outer sleeve coaxially rotating around the outer surface of the inner sleeve and having an outer surface that engages the photographic print paper, and guides attached proximate both ends of the outer sleeve for guiding the print paper on the outer surface of the outer sleeve.

Abstract: A drive puck for use as a component in a demand drive system is disclosed herein in which a film roller is resiliently centered on a rotating drive shaft so that the tension of a film strip carried thereon selectively causes engagement of the film roller with the drive puck. The puck is secured to the drive shaft so as to rotate therewith and is provided with an external tread which projects into a lateral cavity of the film roller so as to engage with the underside of the film roller in response to the resilient centering movement of the film roller.

Abstract: A compact welding wire feed device is provided capable of being mounted directly on a welding head carriage. The device comprises a ball bearing having an inside race with tangential entrance and exit guides to the race adjacent to opposite axial ends of the bearing. A hub member has an outside diameter less than the inside diameter of the race so that the hub member can be coaxially received in the race and a welding wire passed through the entrance guide and wrapped around the hub and out the exit guide. By now side-loading or expanding the hub against the inside of the race and driving the hub rotationally, the welding wire is continuously fed out the exit guide. The coaxial relationship of the hub and race provides for a very compact structure thereby permitting mounting of the wire feed directly on a welding head carriage adjacent to a weld head or even permitting the feed wire itself to be used as an electrode in a MIG welding system.

Abstract: A web guide system wherein misalignment of take-up and supply rolls relative to a reference surface may be compensated without tape distortion by a crown pulley and an adjacent concave web guide. The concave web guide is a fixed, flangeless post about which the web is partially wrapped. The web tends to be self-centering in the concave curved portion of the guide. Tape is fed from a roll to the concave guide and then to the crown pulley of minimum radius which is mounted for axial as well as rotational motion. Pulley axial motion promotes equal edge tension and completes web self-alignment. Final axial alignment without edge pressure is accomplished by fixed tape edge-guides in the region of the head.

Abstract: An improved capstan for a tape drive of the type for attachment to the shaft of a drive motor, the capstan being formed of a body having low mass and providing a cylindrical tape engaging surface and means for axially securing the body to a motor shaft. The capstan body has a radial sidewall. A thin disc of a diameter no greater than that of the capstan is secured to the radial sidewall by a layer of compliant adhesive. The layer of adhesive serves to provide resilient energy-absorptive rotation movement between the capstan body and the disc to reduce the effect of capstan resonance.

Abstract: A cassette tape player (11) has an integral combined tape guide and stripper (32) which is mounted adjacent to a capstan shaft (26) and has an end portion (52) that extends beyond a free upstanding end (38) of the capstan shaft and effectively forms a guide plane for insuring that when a cassette housing (12) containing a tape (15) is inserted into the tape player, the tape will be positioned between the capstan shaft and a pressure roller (29) which is selectively, linearly movable toward and away from the capstan shaft. The tape guide and stripper is fixed to the tape player frame (19) and includes stripper portion (54, 55) which partially surround the section (39) of the capstan shaft that will contact an inserted tape, but still permit selective engagement with the movable pressure roller such that the tape will be pressed between the capstan and pressure roller while the stripper portions prevent the tape from being wrapped around the capstan shaft.

Abstract: A magnetic recording-reproducing apparatus is provided with a pinch roller made partly or wholly of an electrically conductive rubber, a pinch roller shaft made of an electrically conductive metal and a pinch roller bearing made of an electrically conductive metal. Electrostatic charge, if accumulated on a magnetic tape, will escape from the magnetic coating of the tape to the housing of the apparatus through the pinch roller, pinch roller shaft and pinch roller bearing--all electrically conductive.

Abstract: A tape transport has two pinch rollers, either of which presses the tape against the capstan with which that pinch roller coacts in order to advance the tape in the desired direction. When power is off, neither pinch roller should press against its capstan. A retraction mechanism includes a spring acting in a direction to withdraw or retract whichever pinch roller would otherwise bear against its capstan when the power is off. However, when the power is on, the mechanism permits the pinch rollers to function in their usual manner.

Abstract: A tape cassette comprises an impedance roller which is set on the opposite side of a magnetic tape to a magnetic head closely upstream thereof as viewed from the direction in which the magnetic tape runs. The impedance roller presses the magnetic tape toward the magnetic head, thereby preventing the magnetic tape from being shaken.

Abstract: A cassette tape recorder drive mechanism including a capstan and an associated pinch roller, a first tape guide means causing the tape to be partially wound on the capstan and a second tape guide means adjacent the first guide means mounted on the axis of the pinch roller for selective engagement with the capstan to vertically restrict movement of the tape in contact with the capstan regardless of the direction of tape movement.

Abstract: A small sized cassette tape recorder has a capstan shaft cooperating with a pinch roller to feed a tape in a tape cassette charged in the recorder. The upper end portion of the capstan shaft is supported by a bearing which is mounted on the cover, when the cover is closed. Thus, the capstan shaft is supported at both its ends and not cantilevered.

Abstract: A device for feeding a web like a microfilm by use of rubber rollers has a stepping motor for driving the rubber roller. The stepping motor is controlled by a pulse generator. A temperature detector is provided for measuring the temperature of the rubber roller or any part of the device having a temperature substantially equal to the rubber roller. The output of the temperature detector is sent to the pulse generator for controlling the stepping motor according to the measured temperature. When the temperature is raised, the stepping motor is controlled to reduce the speed of rotation and the increase in feeding speed due to expansion of the rubber roller is compensated, thereby feeding the web at a constant speed irrespective of the temperature fluctuation.

Abstract: A strip 20 has a drive margin 36 and a latent image of a pattern in a light sensitive coating 73 of a pattern portion 22 thereon. To avoid disturbing the pattern, the strip 20 is gripped by the drive margin 36 using a set 43 of pinch-drive rollers which drive the strip without disturbing the latent image. The strip 20 is driven through pattern development, cleaning and etching solution spray chambers 64, 66 and 108, respectively. One or more adjustable shields 78 are used to vary the time interval during which the strip 20 is sprayed by these solutions. By adjusting one or more shields 78 to suit changes in solution condition the time intervals for proper developing, cleaning and etching are coordinated for a speed at which the strip 20 is driven.

Abstract: A capstan for use on a tape transport, including a hub, a tubular outer rim supported co-axially about the hub, and a body portion of foam plastic between the hub and rim.

Abstract: A processing apparatus such as may be used for photographic film in which the films passed through several different processing sections in succession with the tension of the film web maintained constant at all times. Pairs of rollers are arranged at short intervals in succession through the various processing sections. The speed of conveyance of the web is increased in succession by driving the rollers at different speed or providing rollers of increasing diameter in the direction of the process outlet. One roller of each pair of rollers is provided with a stepped section having a height approximating the thickness of the web being conveyed. With this construction, a meandering correcting force is exerted on the web which overcomes the frictional force between the web and rollers thereby correcting any meandering of the web and maintaining the tension applied to the web at a value less than the strength of the web.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and apparatus for providing torsional fluid dampening in the kHz region with an inertial mass located in a rotary fluid container, and with a viscous fluid friction boundary layer located between that mass and a circumferential wall of the container. A supply of viscous liquid having a volume equal to the combined volumes of the boundary layer and inertial mass is provided. Both the inertial mass and the boundary layer are formed with that supply of viscous liquid in the fluid container which may then be rotated.

Abstract: An apparatus for unwinding underground cables includes a framework chassis which is open ended and open bottomed and rests on the ground such as a trench bottom. Mounted on the chassis are horizontal support rollers which support the horizontal cable as it is propelled through the chassis by a peripherally grooved driven pulley applied against the upper side of the cable. The pulley is driven about a horizontal axis by an electric motor via a gearbox. The chassis carries vertical guide rollers on either side of the cable to constrain it to a given path. The guide rollers on one side are movable to permit release of the cable from that path when a support arm carrying the pulley, gearbox and motor is pivoted upwardly, by manual action on a pivotable handle, to lift the pulley off the cable.

Abstract: A magnetic tape cassette in which a cassette housing has half cases with aligned, confronting projections on innder surfaces thereof on which a cylindrical guide roll with an axial bore therethrough is supported, has an annular, axially projecting rib on either the guide rolls or the projections so as to prevent any burrs which may be on the guide roll around the axial bore therethrough from coming into contact with the projections, thereby preventing noise which might otherwise be caused by the burrs.

Abstract: A film carrying roller comprises an outer annular groove for receiving a film, and an annular recess formed at the central portion of the bottom of the groove. An annular elastic tire has an upper convex surface and fits in the recess. Two annular inclined surfaces form remaining portions of the groove bottom, each of the inclined surfaces ascending from a respective upper annular edge of the recess to a respective outer annular end of the groove bottom. Such ends are positioned higher than the peak of the convex surface of the tire.

Abstract: A rotary drive device for effecting, for example, displacement of a printing roller towards or away from a pressure roller in a printing press, is formed by a direct current or alternating current high speed motor coupled mechanically to a permanent magnet low speed motor. Fast movement is effected with the permanent magnet motor being pulled by the high speed motor, while slow movement with rapid braking is effected, at high torque, with the permanent magnet motor excited and pulling the other motor, to bring the printing roller gently into contact with the pressure roller.

Abstract: An apparatus for retrieving and storing an elongated flexible element such as an electrical cord, garden hose, air hose, vacuum hose, rope, or the like. The elongated flexible element has a first end for attachment to a service and a second end for attachment to an article to be coupled through the elongated member to the service. The apparatus includes first and second wheels, a framework for supporting the wheels in a use orientation, with peripheral surfaces of the wheels in closely spaced-apart relation. The supporting framework supports the wheels for rotation about their respective axes, the axes extending generally parallel to one another. The space between the wheel peripheries is sufficiently small when the wheels are in the use orientation that the wheel peripheries bear frictionally upon the surfaces of the flexible element to move the flexible element therebetween as the wheels are turned. One of the wheels is turned to retrieve the flexible element.

Abstract: A transport apparatus for tape-like recording media in which a central capstan having a resilient peripheral portion simultaneously drives two tape reels. According to the invention, this peripheral portion has regions of different resilience produced, for example, by an elastically deformable annular insert which may be helical in shape. The tape transport apparatus of the invention can be advantageously used with all kinds of tape-like recording media, especially magnetic tapes for the recording/playback of high frequency signals, especially color video signals.

Abstract: Each corrugating roll on a single facer machine is separately driven at substantially the same speed without the corrugating rolls being geared directly together and without transmitting driving torque through mating flutes on the rolls whereby the rolls may corrugate a web passing therebetween with minimal tension of the web.