Abstract: An end effector (10) for an industrial robot has the ability to pick up plural objects, selectively rotate same and adjusts the spacing between the plural objects as the products are being carried by the robot to a desired deposit location. This functionality is achieved by locating a rotary actuator (16) at the end (8) of a robot arm and providing a lazy tong linkage assembly (60) to which plural product graspers (62) are affixed where the lazy tong assembly is carried by a rotatable platform (18) of the rotary actuator. The rotary actuator, the lazy tong assembly and the product graspers are preferably pneumatically actuated.

Abstract: In order to selectively reinforce portions of a material web, a cutting and laminating device efficiently produces the required reinforcing strips and then laminates them to the web. In order to efficiently and accurately produce these reinforcing strips, a cross web shear is utilized which is capable of cutting required reinforcing strips from the fairly large web of reinforcing material in an accurate manner. Once cut, a holding and positioning device is capable of grabbing onto the reinforcing strip and appropriately positioning it next to the primary material web. A separate laminator can then attach this reinforcing strip to the web at a desired location.