Abstract: An apparatus and method having short stroke motion for gripping and releasing an object utilizes a programmable stepper motor for controlling various short stroke, generally arcuate motions of the gripper. Gears associated with each of the at least one gripper jaws supported on a carrier shaft engage a common ring gear that is driven by drive means including the stepper motor which imparts synchronous motion of the grippers for opening and closing about the object.

Abstract: A non-alternating lap splicing apparatus for successively splicing rolls of web material is enclosed in a bifurcated housing with a separate access door for each of two compartments therein. There is a driven spindle in each of the compartments, each for supporting a stock roll of web. There is a separate film inlet path for each of the stock rolls. An oscillator assembly having a cutting knife and an ultrasonic horn means is mounted in the housing. The web outlet path is through the oscillator assembly. When one of the rolls is nearly spent, that roll is automatically stopped and the web is cut by the knife to create a trailing end. The oscillator assembly then pivots to align with the film inlet path for the stock roll within the other compartment. The lead end of the new stock roll is automatically positioned under the trailing end of the spent stock roll and the ultrasonic horn bonds the webs together. The overlapping lap of the splice is always trailing and on the same side of the web.

Abstract: A web (14) of material such as photographic film is supplied continuously from a stock roll (16) into an infeed vacuum box (24) from which the web passes into an intermittently operated perforator apparatus (30) through which the web is drawn intermittently by a high performance vacuum drum (32) which feeds the web into an outfeed vacuum box (34) from which the web passes continuously to a rewind stock roll (44) or to other intermittently operated processing apparatus. Various patterns of widely spaced perforations and leader/trailer sections may be provided in the stationary web, which moves at high web speeds and accelerations between operations of the perforator apparatus.

Abstract: A ported vacuum drum (20, 56-98) is provided on its exterior cylindrical surface (22) with one or more lengths (24) of a master magnetic recording medium supported by bands (102) of elastomeric material in position to contact a layer (14) of slave magnetic recording medium provided on one side and along at least one edge of a web (10); so that, vacuum applied (74-82) between the cylindrical surface and the web at locations (88-94) spaced from the zone of contact (98) between the recording media will hold the slave layer on the web securely in contact with the length of master magnetic recording medium on the drum as the drum rotates, thereby permitting anhysteretic recording from the master to the slave. A method of anhysteretically recording is taught.

Abstract: Apparatus for pneumatically clamping and magnetically biasing magnetic media during anhysteretic transfer comprises a housing (64, 74, 76, 80, 82, 88, 90, 96, 98) which encloses a pair of pneumatic plenums (112) connected to a source of high pressure air (70, 72, 73) and a pair of arrays (106) of biasing magnets (108); so that, air from the plenums flows between the magnets and bands (57) at the edges of the media to provide intimate contact of the media during anhysteretic transfer.

Abstract: A prerecorded magnetic master web (54) and an unrecorded magnetic slave web (14), such as a photographic film having a magnetic coating, are brought into intimate contact for anhysteretic recording by wrapping the moving master web partially around a small diameter gimballed roller (66) positioned in close proximity to a rotating transfer drum (36); wrapping the moving slave web partially around a larger idler roller (34) positioned in close proximity to both the gimballed roller and the transfer drum; wrapping the slave web partially around the transfer drum with the master web wrapped outside the slave web; and evacuating a chamber or volume (68) formed among the webs, rollers and drum, to remove air from between the webs and cause them to converge into intimate contact at a nip upstream of a signal transfer zone in which a magnetic head (70) applies a decaying magnetic field to cause anhysteretic transfer from the master web to the slave web.

Abstract: A duplicating, printing or recording surface is produced by attaching a strip (10) of magnetic or other web material to a support such as a drum (20) or flat support element provided with a layer (22) of low durometer elastomer, the strip of material and the elastomeric material being mutually adherent. With the strip of material wrapped circumferentially around the drum, a sharp knife is used to cut the magnetic material and form a precise butt joint (35,36), diagonal or straight, with a minimal gap. The strip of material forms a secure bond with the low durometer elastomeric layer because of the inherent mutual adherence between the two materials, without the need for an intervening adhesive material. A compliant magnetic drum of this type has a low radial stiffness and a high circumferential stiffness which are well suited for a master recording drum in an anhysteretic duplicating apparatus.

Abstract: Non-contact air film conveyors are suited for conveying elongated strips (46) of web material such as photographic film and include a track plate (12) having gas flow apertures (20,24; 72,74) extending through its thickness at angles to the surface of the track plate (.alpha.,.alpha.') and to the direction of movement of the strips (.beta.,.beta.', .gamma.). By directing air flow through some apertures (72,74) counter to the direction of movement, speed and acceleration control is achieved independent of the support given to the strips by air flow through other apertures (20,24). Baffles (28-36) and curved side walls (70,96) direct air back onto the film to flatten it during movement.

Abstract: A web spooling mechanism has a chuck that is coupled to a spool for rotating the spool to wind a length of web material onto the spool. Torque is transmitted from a drive shaft to the chuck through a spring coupled to the shaft and the chuck. A transducer measures the angular relationship between the shaft and the chuck throughout a range of relative angular positions therebetween. The transducer provides a signal indicative of that angular relationship, and the signal is transmitted to a controller that regulates the torque applied by the drive shaft. The position of the chuck relative to the drive shaft during web winding operation is a function of tension transients in the web. Since the system adjusts the torque of the drive shaft as a function of the angular relationship of the chuck and drive shaft, the system is effective to reduce tension transients in the web being wound onto the spool.

Abstract: In a conventional vacuum box a loop of a web material is received in an elongate chamber of the box, and a vacuum at the lower portion of the chamber draws air through the chamber to hold the loop of web material under tension as it moves through the chamber. When the web has one or more notches along a side edge thereof, the web may vibrate excessively and experience a drop in web tension as the notch passes through the bottom of the loop in the box. In order to avoid this problem an endless ring of flexible material is positioned in the vacuum box and within the loop of web material. The ring has a plurality of spaced openings around the circumference of the ring, and they are offset from the side edges of the ring so that the portion of the ring adjacent the openings will cover the notches in the web as the web passes through the bottom of the loop in the vacuum box, thus avoiding the excessive vibration in the web and loss in web tension mentioned above.

Abstract: A transducer measures the angular relationship between a drive and a driven member throughout a range of relative angular positions therebetween. The transducer provides a signal indicative of that angular relationship, and the signal can be transmitted to a controller that regulates the torque applied by the drive shaft. The transducer can be used in a web spooling apparatus where the position of the driven member relative to the drive shaft during web winding operation is a function of tension transients in the web. The transducer enables the system to adjust the torque of the drive shaft as a function of the angular relationship of the driven member and drive shaft so that the system can reduce tension transients in the web being wound onto the spool.

Abstract: An air-bearing center-guiding apparatus 10 and a method are disclosed for supporting and laterally center-guiding thin flexible webs of paper or plastic under 15 mils in thickness. The apparatus comprises a web support and guide member 22 having an inner surface and an outer web-facing surface. Parallel rows of elongated spaced-apart guide apertures 34 extend longitudinally along edge regions of the web. Each guide aperture 34 is formed from a cylindrical opening in the web support and guide member 22 and extends substantially perpendicular to the web. Within each aperture a flat-sided dowel 60 is mounted to define a flow passage shaped in cross-section like a segment of a circle 62. Each circular-segment guide aperture 34 has a straight side 54 and a curved side 52 for directing a jet of air against the web edge 56. A plurality of the circular-segment guide apertures 34 develop a guiding force for holding lateral movement of the web to plus or minus 0.001 inch (0.0254 mm).

Abstract: An air-bearing center-guiding apparatus is disclosed for supporting and laterally center-guiding thin, flexible webs of paper or plastic under 15 mils in thickness. The apparatus comprises a web support and guide member 10 having an inner surface 58 and an outer web-facing surface 60. The web support and guide member 10 comprises a base member 14 for supporting an inner ring 22, an end cap 38, and a center ring 28 interposed therebetween. Parallel, circumferentially extending rows of circumferentially elongated and spaced-apart guide apertures 62 are provided in the web support and guide member 10 along edge regions of the web. The guide apertures 62 are formed between end surfaces 46 of the center ring 28 and interengaging end surfaces of the inner ring 22 and end cap rings 38.