Abstract: A labyrinth seal including a stator and a non-contacting rotor, and annular elastomeric seals. The confronting surfaces of the stator and rotor define at least one interface passage, including a radially-outermost annular interface passage between an annular, outermost, radially-extending projection of the stator and an annular rearwardly-extending distal projection of the rotor that overlaps the radially-extending projection of the stator, the radially-outermost annular interface passage tapering outwardly and rearwardly at an acute angle relative to an axial reference line. The annular elastomeric seals are stationary with the stator during dynamic operation of the rotor, and are not contacted by a surface of the rotor during dynamic operation. The interface can also have two radially-disposed exclusion chambers, the outer exclusion chamber being defined in part by a radially-inboard projection of the rotor.

Abstract: A roller assembly for a production machine having an inner wheel base capable of attachment to the driving axle of a production machine and an expandable outer ring which is cooperatively connectable to the inner wheel base is disclosed. The circumference of the expandable outer ring is adjustable. An outer roller cover mounts circumferentially around the adjustable expandable outer ring.

Abstract: A spool assembly for winding of a sheet-like material thereon includes a tubular hub body and a securing member. The tubular hub body is formed with a groove, and has a radial cross-section that has grooved and non-grooved segments. The non-groove segment extends from the grooved segment, and has opposite first and second ends, and a radial thickness that increases gradually from the first end to the second end thereof. The securing member is mounted in the groove in the tubular hub body for securing a securing end of the flexible sheet-like material to the tubular hub body.

Abstract: A printing plate is only guided by and wound around peripheral surfaces of cylinders. The cylinders are disposed along an axis of a rotating shaft at predetermined intervals, and support the entire printing plate with substantially equal balance. The printing plate has a degree of firmness, and thus, the printing plate can hold itself in a substantially cylindrical shape even if it is merely rolled in the air. Therefore, the whole printing plate can be accurately wound and held onto a peripheral locus of a predetermined radius coaxial with the rotating shaft merely by disposing guide members as auxiliary guides for positioning and winding parts of the printing plate.

Abstract: A press roll intended, together with a press shoe, to cooperate with a counter roll to form a press with long nip for paper or board machines, said press roll comprising two end walls, a jacket, the edge portions of which are secured by an elastic clamping ring to peripheral parts of the end walls, a form-stable clamping ring being screwed to the inner side of the end-wall part to clamp the outwardly expandable elastic clamping ring so that the edge portion of the jacket is clamped firmly against a counter-support member. According to the invention each end wall includes guide means to provide a guided engagement relationship between the form-stable clamping ring and the end-wall part.

Abstract: Press device and method for treating a material web. The press device may include a shoe press roll that includes a flexible, tubular press jacket, face plates, face plate bearings associated with the face plates, a carrier axially extending through the press jacket, the face plates coupled with axial ends of the press jacket, and a press shoe device. The press device may also include an opposing element such that the shoe press roll and the opposing element may be adapted to form a nip. The carrier may support the press shoe device and may carry the face plate bearings, and the face plates, during an unloaded state of the shoe press roll, may be arranged inclined in opposite directions to form a press jacket mount that widens in a direction of the nip.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an imaging drum for use in applying ink to the imaging drum as the drum rotates. The present method possesses utility in that previously unsuitable low cost materials for use in creating an imaging drum characterized by rigorous specification and tolerance requirements adequately perform when manufactured in accordance with the present method. The present method finds use in the digital printing and imaging industry where successful repeatable and accurate printing requires precise knowledge of the characteristics of the print engine mechanical motion and printing materials which include printing media (e.g., paper, vinyl, film, wax or other thermally imaged substrates that typically include emulsion coatings thereon) to promote consistent interaction with printing media marking materials such as ink, toner, or various printing ribbon resin-based compounds, etc.

Abstract: An improved web tension control system including a shaft and a hollow cylindrical roller mounted on the shaft for rotation about the shaft and for universal pivoting movement relative to the shaft that tends to compensate for variations in the tension of a moving web or substrate passing over the hollow cylindrical roller. The hollow cylindrical roller is mounted on the shaft by a spherical bearing assembly that permits universal pivoting movement of the hollow cylindrical roller relative to the shaft and a roller bearing assembly positioned between the outer surface of the spherical bearing assembly and the inner cylindrical surface of the hollow cylindrical roller to permit free relative rotation of the roller about the shaft. In an alternate embodiment, slots may be formed in the abutting spherical surfaces of the spherical bearing assembly, and an insertable wafer can be placed in such slots to selectively limit the pivoting movement of the hollow cylindrical roller.

Abstract: The Extended Nip press apparatus of this invention has an endless loop nip blanket which is clamped at each end head by a circular array of twelve clamp segments which are positioned radially by the hydraulic actuation of an axially positionable circumferential clamp ring. The blanket is separately sealed by an air tube seal which extends between the clamp ring and the interior of the blanket. Because the clamping arrangement is independent of the seal, inadvertent loss of air pressure will not cause the blanket to become unclamped.

Abstract: In an extended nip press employing an endless loop nip blanket the invention is a gear-actuated blanket edge clamp. The ends of the blanket are sealed to rotatably mounted heads and forced against sealing surfaces on the heads by shoes which are mounted radially about the heads. The shoes are pivotally mounted to main pivot links. These in turn are pivotally mounted to the head. A jack link joins each of the main links to an expanding gear ring. The gear ring is rotatably mounted to the head about the axis of the head's rotation. The gear ring has two opposed gear teeth segments. Two opposed pinion gears which are mounted on shafts ride on the geared sections. The shafts are turned from the exterior of the head, and cause the expanding gear ring to rotate. The rotation of the gear ring causes the jack links to press against the main links, causing the main links in turn to swing radially outwardly. The outward displacement of the main links causes the shoes to move outwardly against the clamping surface.

Abstract: A web tension control system includes a stationary rod and a roller attached to the rod by a flexible coupling. A bearing is attached to the inner surface of the roller. The flexible coupling is attached, at one end, to the rod, and, at a second end to the inner portion of the bearing. The inner portion of the bearing is attached to the flexible coupling. One embodiment enables the roller to pivot about a central location where the bearing is attached to the inner surface of the roller. Another embodiment provides full pivotal freedom for the roller to angularly rotate about a central location through a limited range of angular displacement.

Abstract: A clamping and tensioning system for securing a sheet of photoconductor film to an outer circumferential surface of a carrier drum includes a clamp rod mounted to the carrier drum by first and second mounting blocks. The first and second mounting blocks include elongated slots that allow the clamp rod to rotate about its longitudinal axis and further permit linear radial movement of the clamp rod with respect to the carrier drum. The clamp rod includes mounting pins and spring tabs that engage leading and trailing edges of the photoconductor film. The leading and trailing edges of the photoconductor film are releasibly clamped to the clamp rod by a clamp bar. Leaf spring elements associated with the first and second mounting blocks bias the clamp rod radially inward to a first position wherein the photoconductor film extends loosely about the outer surface of the carrier drum.

Abstract: There is disclosed an elongate piece of card clothing (10) which is rectangular as seen in plan, and which is capable of being wrapped around a carrier roll (11) having a slot (12) in its outer periphery with the free ends (18) of the card clothing (10) being received by said slot. The card clothing (10) comprises an elongate strip of resilient material (14) having opposed ends (15) which abut one another in the region of the slot (12), wire carding teeth (16) carried by the strip of resilient material (14), and an elongate carrier web (17, 17a) secured to the elongate strip of resilient material (14) and having opposed ends (18) which each project longitudinally beyond a respective end (15) of the strip (14) so as to form a gripping portion which is taken inwardly through the slot (12) to be engaged by gripping means (19) which apply tension to the web (17, 17a) in order to secure the piece of card clothing in position on the outer periphery of the roll (11).