Abstract: An electrostatic probe for positioning an insect specimen is disclosed herein. The electrostatic probe may include an ion generator, a handling end, and a controller. The controller may be configured to: activate the ion generator to produce a electrostatic field at the handling end, wherein the electrostatic field is to attract a specimen to the handling end or hold the insect specimen at the handling end, and discharge the electrostatic field to cause the insect specimen to be released from the handling end.

Abstract: A tape printing apparatus or the like is provided, in which both smoothness and high positioning accuracy can be realized when a tape cartridge is attached and detached. The tape printing apparatus includes a cartridge mounting portion on which a tape cartridge having a core shaft portion disposed on an inner peripheral side of a wound print tape is detachably mounted, a positioning protrusion portion which protrudes from the cartridge mounting portion and engages with an inner peripheral portion of the core shaft portion of the mounted tape cartridge, and a plurality of conductive contactors which are provided in the positioning protrusion portion, in which the plurality of conductive contactors are equally disposed in a peripheral direction in the positioning protrusion portion, and bias an inner peripheral surface of the engaged core shaft portion toward the outside in a radial direction.

Abstract: Provided is a steel strip stabilizing apparatus which allows shape correction and vibration suppression in a steel strip, particularly, plated steel strip, in a non-contact manner. The steel strip stabilizing apparatus includes an apparatus support body disposed on at least one side of a traveling steel strip and a steel strip stabilizing unit comprising a magnetic field generating pole disposed on the apparatus support body to face the steel strip and a pole expansion part configured to provide steel strip attraction force to a steel strip-side end of the magnetic field generating pole so as to allow shape correction or vibration suppression in the steel strip.

Abstract: A sensor assembly for a printer arranged to displace printed material along a path, including a sensor housing and a platen assembly. The sensor housing includes top surfaces and resilient elements fixed to the top surfaces, and houses light emitting elements. The platen assembly includes transparent material and a platen housing with a plurality of steps, and is arranged to engage the sensor housing and displace in a first direction along the sensor housing toward an end of the sensor housing such that the transparent material is aligned with the light emitting elements in a direction orthogonal to the axis. As the platen assembly displaces in the first direction, the plurality of resilient elements is arranged to engage the plurality of steps to urge the piece of transparent material into contact with the sensor housing with progressively greater force such that the transparent material is sealed against the sensor housing.

Abstract: The device (100) is destined to receive flanked continuous strips (1, 2) from an arrival line (L), and feed them towards a transversal cutting station (SR). The device (100) comprises: a basin (3), associated to a terminal part of the arrival line (L), destined to enable formation, in each of the strips (1, 2) of a free loop (A1, A2) in a downwards direction; deviator organs (4), at a 45° angle, provided downstream of the basin (3), destined to guide the strips (1, 2) such as to orientate them perpendicularly to the arrival direction, horizontally centred and correctly staggered in height such as to enter the transversal cutting station (SR).

Abstract: A conveyance system 50A of a film-forming apparatus 20A includes a blowing roller 6 having a function of supplying a cooling gas toward a substrate 21. The blowing roller has the first shell 11 and the internal block 12. The first shell 11 has a plurality of first through holes 13 as a gas supply channel, and is rotatable in synchronization with the substrate 21. The internal block 12 is disposed inside the first shell 11. A manifold 14 is defined by the internal block 12 inside the first shell 11. The manifold 14 is formed so as to introduce the gas toward the plurality of first through holes 13 within the range of a holding angle. A clearance 15 facing the plurality of first through holes 13 outside the range of the holding angle is further formed inside the first shell 11. In the radial direction, the manifold 14 has a relatively large dimension, and the clearance 15 has a relatively small dimension.

Abstract: A web diverting apparatus capable of diverting a web to one of two or more downstream web paths and a method for managing a web is provided.

Abstract: A recording device and a recording medium supply mechanism for a recording device can reverse the transportation mechanism and rewind and take up the recording medium when a recording medium that is wound in a roll is conveyed by the transportation mechanism for use. A roll paper holder supplies roll paper to a printer assembly. The roll paper holder supports the roll paper on a support shaft, and has a roll paper take-up knob affixed to an end of the support shaft for manually taking up the roll paper. The roll paper take-up knob is disposed on the opposite side of the recording device as the side on which is disposed a paper feed knob that manually reverses the transportation mechanism that conveys the roll paper in the printer assembly, or a display and operating unit for automatically reversing the transportation mechanism.

Abstract: A sheet-supply device internally defining a supply route through which to supply a sheet. The sheet-supply device includes a supply member to supply the sheet from a rolled long sheet, a guide member to guide the sheet to the supply member, provided upstream in a direction in which the sheet is moved to the supply member and, movable between a guide position at which the sheet is guided to the supply member and an escape position at which the guide member is away from the supply route of the sheet.

Abstract: A pinch valve includes a valve body having a slot which is configured to allow a web of substrate material to pass therethrough. The valve body has a sealing surface which includes a first curved portion with a first radius of curvature. A dynamic seal element is configured to engage the valve body and includes a second curved portion having a second radius of curvature which is larger than the first radius of curvature. An actuator is operable to selectively bias the dynamic seal element into and out of engagement with the valve body so that when it is biased into engagement with the valve body the web of substrate material is engaged between the sealing surfaces of the dynamic seal element and the valve body. Also disclosed is a processing system which includes the pinch valve.

Abstract: A system, in certain embodiments, includes a manifold including an air tube disposed about a water tube. The system also includes multiple nozzles coupled to the manifold, where each nozzle is coupled to the air tube and the water tube.

Abstract: Panel quilting machines having an in-line splicing tool capable of splicing a new supply of fabric into a web of material being provided to a panel quilting machine while allowing for continuous operation of the panel quilting machine. The systems and methods described herein include, in certain embodiments, an in-line accumulator for creating a temporary in-line supply of material for use by the panel quilting machine while an exhausted supply of material is replaced with a new supply of material.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and equipment for the handling of web materials (200), such as essentially continuous webs of plastic films, textiles, non-wovens, or paper, or the like, or of parts or pieces of such webs. In particular execution, it relates to modifying the movement of such web materials (200), so as to allow other process steps to be performed on or with these web materials more easily. Particular aspects relate to the creation of a cross-directional fold in the web material and the combining of web materials (200) with other materials.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device, for the lateral separation of paper webs, comprising: (I) a paper introduction region with at least one driven web supply roller, (II) a buffer region, in which the web is prepared for the discontinuous forward motion, (III) a cutting device, with a cutting means and (IV) a paper lead-off region with discontinuous web forward motion, comprising at least one tube group (120; 150) with two tubes (121, 122; 151, 152), which may be moved relative to at least one third tube (123; 153) of the group (120; 150) perpendicular to the web. The tube group (120; 150) is arranged between the paper introduction region with the tubes (140, 142) and the discontinuously driven paper web (130) in order to form a turning web loop of varying length. The length as determined by the separation between the tubes of the tube group is regulated by a controller, in connection with the driven web supply roller and the discontinuous web forward motion.

Abstract: A feed rod vibration prevention support of a material feeder includes a guide device for guiding a feed rod moving to feed a material to a working machine, and a vibration attenuation mechanism for preventing the feed rod from being vibrated. The guide device further includes a guide and a bush supported by the guide having a feed rod placed thereon. The vibration attenuation mechanism includes a first elastic material located between the bush and the guide. The bush is provided with a flanged portion.

Abstract: A capstan shaft cleaning device has a cleaning member removing dirt attached to a capstan shaft and a moving mechanism moving the cleaning member between a position at which the cleaning member contacts the capstan shaft and a position at which the cleaning member is separated from the capstan shaft, the cleaning member having at least two points of contact contacting a periphery of the capstan shaft.

Abstract: A processing apparatus for performing work operations on a sheet material includes a frame, and an advancing mechanism for feeding the sheet material through the apparatus. Additionally, an elongated tool head support is provided on the frame carries a tool head which moves along the support's length during a work operation. A retaining device such as, a magnetic or spring actuated clamp is also attached to the frame for retaining the sheet material as it is fed out of the processing apparatus. The use of the retaining device combined with the advancement of the sheet material causes the formation of a vertical loop in the material. The vertical loop causes the speed at which the advancing material approaches the floor or other horizontal surface to be reduced, thereby causing a concomitant reduction in the impact force of the sheet material with the floor. In addition, the vertical loop formed by the retained sheet provides a cushioning effect, further reducing the generated impact force.

Abstract: During the feeding of offset continuous collated business form webs to the slow rollers of a burster, it is important to insure that the top web properly passes through the slow roll section. By providing a number of puller wheels having aluminum cores and sawtooth rubber coverings atop conveyor belts passing over crowned pulleys which are oversped relative to the web speed, proper feed to the burster is provided. Form deflecting fingers extending from the puller wheels to the burster also help. In order to prevent the conveyor belts from running off the crowned pulleys an aligner is provided which has a number of vertical dowel pins with plastic sleeves covering and rotatable with respect to the dowel pins, disposed on each side of a conveyor belt associated with a crowned pulley and puller wheel. The aligner is provided immediately upstream of a rubber covered drive roll for the conveyor belts.

Abstract: During the feeding of offset continuous collated business form webs to the slow rollers of a burster, it is important to insure that the top web properly passes through the slow roll section. By providing a number of puller wheels having aluminum cores and sawtooth rubber coverings atop conveyor belts passing over crowned pulleys which are oversped relative to the web speed, proper feed to the burster is provided. Form deflecting fingers extending from the puller wheels to the burster also help. In order to prevent the conveyor belts from running off the crowned pulleys an aligner is provided which has a number of vertical dowel pins with plastic sleeves covering and rotatable with respect to the dowel pins, disposed on each side of a conveyor belt associated with a crowned pulley and puller wheel. The aligner is provided immediately upstream of a rubber covered drive roll for the conveyor belts.

Abstract: An automatic document conveying device is applied to an image processor that has a transparent plate. The automatic document conveying device can convey a continuous document that has folding lines extending in the direction of width at stated intervals in the conveying direction and feed holes formed in both side edges thereof at stated intervals in the conveying direction. The automatic document conveying device includes a continuous document placing device on which will be placed the continuous document in a condition where it is folded along the folding lines, a conveying devices for conveying the continuous document passing on the transparent plate of the image processor, and a continuous document receiving device for receiving the continuous document conveyed passing on the transparent plate.

Abstract: An advancing system is provided for selectively advancing generally flat material, such as tape, in a first direction (towards a moistening device) or in a second direction (away from a moistening device). The advancing system includes a conveyer that has a moving surface that advances the tape, which is in contact with the surface, to the conveyer's exit. The system also includes a motor with a shaft. The motor rotates the shaft in opposite directions. A mechanism couples the motor shaft to the moving surface so as to drive the surface in a common direction regardless of the direction in which the motor shaft rotates, causing the conveyor to advance the tape in that common direction to the conveyer's exit. The advancing system further includes a diverter at the conveyer's exit. The diverter selectively directs the tape in the first or second direction. The diverter includes two exit rollers which receive the tape between them.

Abstract: A portable hand-held apparatus for sharpening fish hooks and stripping lines from a fish spool. The apparatus includes a housing having an inlet port, an exit port and an aperture through which a sharpening mechanism extends. A motor mechanism is mounted within the housing operatively connected to a roller mechanism and the sharpening mechanism. The roller mechanism is aligned with the inlet and exit ports and is arranged to engage the free end of a line, guided through the housing inlet port. The roller mechanism transports the line through the housing and out the exit port, stripping the line off the spool. A sharpening mechanism rotatably projects through the housing aperture to engage a fish hook barb or other object.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a multi-roll tension bridle for hot and cold rolled steel strip, in which at least the first roll of the bridle is provided with an internally mounted normally non-rotating electromagnet for causing the strip to be attracted against the entry portion of the roll in order to create a pretensioning in the portion of the strip immediately adjacent the entry side of the bridle, thereby causing the bridle drive motor to load up preventing slippage of strip on the roll.

Abstract: A pneumatic brake device for use in electrostatic copier devices to impart a drag to paper moving through the device. The brake device includes a housing having a perforated suction surface functioning as a brake surface. In order to reduce suction loss when only a portion of the brake surface is covered by the paper sheet, various means are disclosed for limiting or preventing airflow through portions of the brake surface not covered by the paper.

Abstract: A film tensioning device for maintaining tension in the film in a film transport system such as a motion picture projector. A tension roller mounted between pressure rollers with the film running over the tension roller, with a spring urging the pressure rollers against the film to prevent slippage of the film on the tension roller. A curved spring carried within the tension roller and engageable with a stop providing sliding friction with the tension roller. The spring is readily removable for substitution of a different spring to provide a different magnitude of tension in the device.