Abstract: An apparatus for forming a wound roll of discrete overlapping sheets of web from a supply of continuous web. The web preferably is passed around a nip roller that steers the web onto the surface of a take-up core. A knife assembly including a knife blade extended from a knife holder is driven by a traversing mechanism across the width of the web to cut the wound web on the core into discrete sheets, the extended height of the knife blade being preferably the exact thickness of the web. In transverse cutting by the knife of the web wound on the take-up core, the knife holder travels on the outer surface of the web, thus assuring that the knife blade extends just to the outer surface of the next inner convolution of web, thereby cutting the continuous web into sheets without damaging previously wound web convolutions.

Abstract: A web-chopping and sheet-winding apparatus comprising an unwinder for unwinding a supply roll of continuous flexible web which may be adhesive on at least one side. A knife roller including at least one fixed transverse knife blade extending from the surface is in nipped relationship with an anvil roller, the height of the knife blade being greater than the thickness of the web. The anvil and knife roller spacing is such that the knife blade extends just to the surface of the anvil roller, thereby chopping the continuous web into sheets as the anvil and knife rollers turn synchronously with the web passing therebetween. A tape core roller in nipped relationship receives the chopped sheets sequentially, the leading edge of each sheet being lifted from the anvil roller by any of a plurality of novel means.

Abstract: A system for cleaning particles from a moving web by engagement with contact cleaning rollers, wherein the web may be moved selectively out of contact with the cleaning rollers to prevent damage to the web surface, such as adherance, stripping, or ferrotyping, resulting from stationary contact with the cleaning rollers. The system includes contact cleaning roller assembly disposed adjacent to and transverse of the web path. Preferably, such assembly includes a rotatable turret supporting a plurality of rotatable contact cleaning rollers, preferably three rollers positioned equilaterally. The turret is positioned relative to the basic web path such that, in a non-operative mode, the web is not in contact with the cleaning rollers, the web path bypassing the cleaning rollers. Thus, during periods of maintenance or other downtime, the web first surface is protected from being damaged by stationary contact with the cleaning rollers.

Abstract: A system for conveying sheets of thin substrate having low sheet stiffness while controlling and limiting the angle of wrap of the substrate on the roller, and a sheet cleaning apparatus employing the wrap-limiting system. A substrate conveyance roller is provided with a plurality of circumferential grooves spaced along the roller. Into each groove is disposed a substrate guide in near-tangential relationship with the surface of the roller at the point on the roller where stripping of the substrate from the roller surface is desired. In a preferred embodiment of a wrap-limiting system in accordance with the invention, one or more substrate guides are provided which extend through the grooves both upstream and downstream of the roller along the substrate conveyance path. The points at which the guide enters and leaves the groove define and limit the wrap angle assumable by the substrate on the roller.