By Roller Pair Engaging Web Margin Patents (Class 226/17)
  • Patent number: 10138087
    Abstract: Device and method for controlling axial forces acting upon a moving web comprises first, second and third rotatable rollers. The third roller is between the first and second rollers and is movable in a circular path in the vertical plane between lower and upper positions in response to axial forces acting at any moment upon the web. To enable a simple manual installation of the web, the upper position of the third roller is at a sufficient vertical distance above the first and second rollers to form an open horizontal passage through which the web can pass freely between the first and second rollers and the above-situated third roller. Axial forces are controlled by biasing the third roller with a force which counters the motion of the third roller in the direction of the upper working position and which is less than the ultimate tensile strength of the web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A.
    Inventors: Thomas Pettersson, Ingvar Andersson, Peter Öhman
  • Patent number: 9540199
    Abstract: A deflection correcting device includes a banknote running passage formed by a first passage plate and a second passage plate, and a deflection correcting wheel is arranged inside the banknote running passage and has a deflection correcting direction deviated with respect to a reference wall of the banknote running passage. Multiple deflection correcting wheels are dispersedly arranged in a conveying direction of the banknote running passage and are arranged to gradually close to the reference wall. An adjusting wheel having a guide direction along a guide direction of the reference wall is provided at the position of the reference wall, and the adjusting wheel is arranged between a first deflection correcting wheel and a second deflection correcting wheel in the multiple deflection correcting wheels. A linear speed of rotation of the adjusting wheel is greater than a linear speed of rotation of the respective deflection correcting wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: GRG Banking Equipment Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Peng Wang, Zhe Li
  • Patent number: 9266156
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for lateral guidance of a rolled strip transported on a roller bed, particularly a hot rolled strip in front of a winding device (3), having parallel first and second side guides provided on both sides of the rolled strip, said side guides being movable toward or away from one another by adjusting means that are adjustable independently of one another; the invention is characterized in that a control device (14, 15, 16), to which operating forces and/or positions of the side guides and/or of the rolled strip can be fed as output values in the guidance of the rolled strip, is provided for damping the periodic deviation of the rolled strip, and in that the control device (14, 15, 16) controls the positions of the side guides and/or forces that the side guides exert on the rolled strip based on the measured output values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: SMS GROUP GMBH
    Inventors: Olaf Norman Jepsen, Peter Sudau, Christian Mengel
  • Patent number: 8892234
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for controlling at least one machining device which is coupled to a machine tool by means of an encoder signal, the machine tool having at least one motion control device. In order to improve the accuracy of the encoder connection, at least one additional variable which characterizes the transport is digitally transmitted from the motion control device to the at least one machining device and is used to correct the encoder signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Holger Schnabel, Stephan Schultze
  • Patent number: 8205548
    Abstract: There is provided a method of winding up a transfer film and a device for performing transfer printing on printed sheets of paper, capable of eliminating the need to frequently replace the transfer film, thereby allowing the transfer film to be used over a prolonged time. According to the method of winding up a transfer film, the transfer film fed from a feed roll through a feed path is pressed onto a fed printed sheet to transfer patterns of the transfer film, and then the transfer film is wound up onto a windup roll through a windup path. During the rewind of the transfer film from the windup roll to the feed roll, a lateral position of the transfer film running along the feed path is detected, and the feed roll is moved in its axial direction to follow a lateral positional change of the transfer film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Ryobi Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshio Yamashita, Katsushi Hirokawa, Takahiko Nakamura
  • Patent number: 7618205
    Abstract: A web conveyance mechanism for conveying a band-type web includes: a side guide provided on one end side of the web in its width direction that guides one end of the web in the width direction which abuts on the side guide and that serves as a positional reference in the width direction for the web; an abutting unit that pushes the web to the side guide and adjusts an abutting force with which the web pushes the side guide; a measuring unit that measures the abutting force with which the web abutting on the side guide pushes the side guide; and a controller that adjusts the abutting unit so as to obtain a desired abutting force based on a result of detection by the measuring unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Keijirou Hamaba, Yoshihisa Takanozawa, Yukihide Toda
  • Patent number: 7374072
    Abstract: An assembly for ensuring a correct lateral positioning of an elongated material conveyed along a feeder system and prior to a forming operation. The elongated material is fed from such as an unreeling coil and includes first and second lateral edges. First and second bodies are located along the feeder system and in communication with at least one of the lateral edges associated with the elongated material. Each of the bodies includes a fixed component secured to a rail extending laterally above the feeder system. A laterally displaceable component is biasingly secured to the fixed component and includes a roller in communication with a selected lateral edge of the elongated material. The bodies are laterally displaced, upon misalignment of the elongated material relative to the biasingly engaged roller. A sensor associated with each of the bodies causes an alarm signal to be issued to a processor, indicating the misalignment condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: BAE Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard L. Irwin
  • Patent number: 7337936
    Abstract: A printing apparatus having a mechanism for transporting continuous paper includes: a frictionally transporting section for frictionally transporting the continuous paper; a paper braking section provided on an upstream side of the frictionally transporting section; a paper-position restricting section constituted by a pair of rollers arranged between the frictionally transporting section and the paper braking section obliquely at a predetermined angle ? with respect to a paper transporting direction; a buffer device provided between the paper-position restricting section and the frictionally transporting section to absorb slack of the paper; and a printing section disposed on a downstream side of the frictionally transporting section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeo Ishida, Masato Matsuduki
  • Patent number: 7089078
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for adjusting the degree of engagement of a tool (6, 7) disposed on the outer radius of at least one associated rotating roll (4, 5) with a web of material (1) running past it. The aim of the invention is to improve the method so that the degree of engagement of the tool can be adjusted without loss of time and without producing any scraps. To this end, for adjusting the degree of engagement of the tool (6, 7) with the web of material (1), first several different degrees of engagement are electronically defined by means of different peripheral speeds of the tool (6, 7) so as to be retrievable. Once an adjuster (13) is activated, the change to another defined degree of engagement takes place during operation precisely when the tool (6, 7) engages with the web so that the new degree of engagement is carried out when the tool (6, 7) engages with the web of material (1) for the next time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: Rexroth Indramat GmbH
    Inventors: Ingo Hahn, Christoph Mueller
  • Patent number: 6843444
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for dynamic tracking of a belt as it is built on two rotatable drums separated by a center-to-center distance, especially during the cording process. In one embodiment, both edges of a belt component are temporarily equipped with corded edge binding which is engaged in a gap formed between upper and lower tracking wheels to provide proper alignment of the belt during the cording process and subsequent building steps. In a first tracking assembly, one pair of tracking wheels operates to constrain and align one edge of the belt and another pair, transversely spaced from the first pair, operates to constrain and align the second edge of the belt in the upper span of the belt immediately prior to the belt being positioned on a first drum. In each wheel pair, the axes are biased toward one another and slightly biased in the direction of travel of the belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventor: Douglas Bruce Wood
  • Patent number: 6799507
    Abstract: A web printer has a buffer for adjusting the traveling position of the web under its slack status, a tension assigning unit for assigning fixed tension to the web delivered from the buffer, a device for detecting the traveling position of the web delivered from the tension assigning unit, a sew correction unit for adjusting the skew of the web according to the output from the detection device, and an image forming unit that forms images on the web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignee: Hitachi Printing Solutions, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Ohba, Akitomo Kuwabara
  • Patent number: 6786163
    Abstract: An automated sewing device for automatically sewing together rectilinear and curved end portions respectively of two base materials. A guide element is provided to separate the two base materials from each other and guide them in a sewing direction, and a guide roller mechanism is provided, which operates to adjustingly bring one guide roller to contact with the base material having the curved end portion and rotate the guide roller to move that base material in a direction orthogonal with the sewing direction, thereby keeping the rectilinear and curved end portions in alignment with each other. Hence, a seam is created along the curved end portion with a constant margin given between the seam and the curved contour of the curved end portion. A pair of guide rollers may be provided to move two curved end portions in a direction orthogonal with the sewing direction for the same alignment purpose.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Assignee: Tachi-S Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kiyoshi Kawasaki
  • Publication number: 20040026474
    Abstract: A friction drive apparatus includes an edge detection system for determining a lateral position of a strip material advancing in a longitudinal direction. The edge detection system includes a first sensor and a second sensor for monitoring the lateral position of the strip material. The friction drive apparatus also includes instructions for automatically aligning the strip material as the strip material is advanced a predetermined aligning distance and instructions for calibrating the second sensor with respect to the first sensor to compensate for any potential discrepancies therebetween. The apparatus and methods of the present invention ensure that the strip material is properly aligned in the friction drive apparatus and limit waste of strip material during those operations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2003
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Applicant: Gerber Scientific Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Daren Yeo, Patrick Raiola, Kenneth O. Wood
  • Publication number: 20020014508
    Abstract: An apparatus for aligning a longitudinal edge of a flexible and continuously longitudinally moving web has a support having a longitudinally nondisplaceable face extending transversely across and immediately adjacent the edge and an alignment element having a plurality of parallel and elongated formations engageable with the web. An actuator displaces the element between an aligning position with the formations extending at an acute angle to the edge, pressing the web against the support face, and urging the moving web transversely outward at the edge and a standby position with the formations out of operative engagement with the web.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2001
    Publication date: February 7, 2002
    Applicant: SCHMALE-HOLDING GmbH & CO.
    Inventor: Johannes Freermann
  • Patent number: 6276586
    Abstract: A friction drive apparatus includes an edge detection system for determining a lateral position of a strip material advancing in a longitudinal direction. The edge detection system includes a first sensor and a second sensor for monitoring the lateral position of the strip material. The friction drive apparatus also includes instructions for automatically aligning the strip material as the strip material is advanced a predetermined aligning distance and instructions for calibrating the second sensor with respect to the first sensor to compensate for any potential discrepancies therebetween. The apparatus and methods of the present invention ensure that the strip material is properly aligned in the friction drive apparatus and limit waste of strip material during those operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2001
    Assignee: Gerber Scientific Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Daren Yeo, Patrick Raiola, Kenneth O. Wood
  • Patent number: 6269995
    Abstract: A friction drive apparatus for feeding strip material in a longitudinal direction includes a first friction wheel and a second friction wheel rotated by a first motor drive and a second motor drive, respectively. The friction drive apparatus also includes a sensor disposed behind the friction wheels with respect to the motion of the strip material to detect a lateral or skewing error and a motion processor that drives the first and the second motor drives independently at different speeds to correct the lateral or skewing error of the strip material. The friction drive apparatus also detects a longitudinal error of the strip material by tracking an actual position of the strip material and comparing it to the commanded position to correct the error. If there is a discrepancy between the actual position and the commanded position of the strip material, the rotational speed of each friction wheel is either decreased or increased to correct any longitudinal creep or slippage, respectively, of the strip material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2001
    Assignee: Gerber Scientific Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Leonard G. Rich, Ronald B. Webster, Mark E. Guckin
  • Patent number: 5899159
    Abstract: A guiding system for use with translucent textile work pieces is disclosed. A free edge (52) of a tubular work piece extends along a continuous processing path and is folded under the work piece to form a hem in the work piece. The work piece is then advanced along the processing path toward a downstream sewing machine (11), whereupon the hem is sewn in the work piece. A lower ply sensing opposed beam sensor (76) upstream of the sewing machine detects a multiple ply leading edge of the folded hem, and is moved by a pneumatic cylinder (88) into a position laterally with respect to the processing path where it will detect the free edge of the folded and sewn hem, and will control a lower work piece guide assembly (34) so as to maintain a proper depth of the hem. This enables the sewing needles (20) of the sewing machine to align the two spaced parallel lines of stitching (68) at the beginning and end of the hem line for minimizing waste in such hem forming operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1999
    Assignee: Atlanta Attachment Company
    Inventors: Preston B. Dasher, John S. Chamlee, Tadeusz Olewicz
  • Patent number: 5882457
    Abstract: Tire building apparatus and method wherein the cut to length tread is transported to a drum on a conveyor having laterally movable driving rollers and inverted guide rollers engaging the inner surfaces of raised shoulders of the tread. Control of the tread length is provided by measuring the length of the tread before and while it is being wrapped on the drum and then varying the stretching and rate of tread application to the drum to provide a precise splice of the ends of the tread. The position of the tread ends are controlled by a pricker bar to insure placement of the leading end on the drum and then placement of the trailing end on the drum over the leading end to provide the desired splice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 16, 1999
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: William Dudley Currie, Daniel Ray Downing, James Michael Hart, Lori Ann Kefalos, Luc Minsart, Jean Alex Reichling
  • Patent number: 5833106
    Abstract: An equalizing roll and web tracking apparatus to be used in manufacturing for providing equal tension across a web during winding operations such as used in polymer film applications, corrugators, paper machines, printing presses, cloth winders, and metal winding operations.The equalizing roll utilizes a common axis shaft mounted horizontally on two bearings or clamped rigid supports allowing for rotation. Mounted in the center of the axis shaft is a bearing assembly having convex and concave portions disposed within a sleeve. The bearing assembly is centrally mounted inside a hollow cylinder or roll machined to be in balance with respect to the centrally disposed bearing assembly. The mating of the concave and convex portions of the bearing permits a selected degree of lateral rotation in a range of from about 1 degree to about 10 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1998
    Assignee: The Servants, Inc.
    Inventor: J. C. Harris
  • Patent number: 5687660
    Abstract: A cloth edge control device for a sewing machine includes a pair of rollers, an optical sensor, and controller. The pair of rollers are arranged near a needle location in such a manner that the rollers are rotating about an axis perpendicular to a direction in which a cloth material is fed, so as to be pushed against the cloth material. The optical sensor is adapted for detection of the cloth material at a plurality of points on a line along a direction intersecting with the feed direction before the needle location. The controller detects the position and curvature of the edge of the cloth material according to a light intercept signal from the optical sensor and rotates the rollers independently of each other according to the position and curvature thus detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 18, 1997
    Assignee: Juki Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Honda, Nozomi Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 5685471
    Abstract: A printing device with friction drive for processing continuous paper. For this purpose, it contains a friction drive (8) comprising friction rollers, between which the recording substrate (A) is passed through, and a paper feed device (PZ). In the paper feed device (PZ), the recording substrate (A) is aligned in a web precentering device (3), is thereafter braked in the recording substrate transport direction, so that the recording substrate (A) assumes a predetermined position in the friction drive (8). After that, the recording substrate web is stabilized in a stabilization zone by stabilization rollers (9) and is fed via a festoon device (10) to the drive (8) of the printing unit (DA).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 11, 1997
    Assignee: Oce Printing Systems GmbH
    Inventor: Hans Taubenberger
  • Patent number: 5645207
    Abstract: An improved apparatus for handling a moving material of indeterminate length utilizes a pair of endless elements located on opposite sides of an intended path of travel for the moving material. Each element is configured to engage and hold a corresponding edge of the material at least partially through the apparatus. The apparatus includes a detector assembly adjacent the path of travel for detecting deviation of at least one edge of the moving material from a normal operating path and outputting signals to initiate corrective reaction to the deviation. The reaction is defined in a predetermined relationship to time the edge remains out of its normal operating path. The apparatus also includes an adjustment device in operative communication with at least one frame member and the detector assembly. The adjustment device receives the corrective signals and positionally adjusts the corresponding frame member in response thereto to achieve the normal operating path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 8, 1997
    Assignee: Young Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: William O. Young, Jr., Ebun Surka, George Lark
  • Patent number: 5581908
    Abstract: Arrangements are described which allow a printing stock web to be reliably drawn through a drier. A draw-in member which grasps the tip of a printing stock web has a power transmission, e.g. a roller chain, which runs in a guide. Plates or blowing boxes which are movable vertically to the draw-in plane of the printing stock web and form closures in the guide by lateral projections of their side walls are provided to prevent dirt from penetrating into this guide. Rollers or cylinders are provided for additional correction of a lateral displacement of the printing stock web while the web is drawn in by the draw-in member. A friction-locking engagement, i.e.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 10, 1996
    Assignee: MAN Roland Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventor: Klaus Theilacker
  • Patent number: 5551619
    Abstract: An apparatus which guides tire tread strip material toward a tire-building drum and maintains the strip centered by compensating for minor variations in strip width. A pair of guide rails are adjustably mounted on a support housing and contain strip-engaging rollers which form a guide path for the tread strip therebetween. A panograph linkage is mounted on the housing and connects the guide rails for simultaneous movement of the rails toward and away from each other. A biasing mechanism, such as a spring or weight, biases the rails toward each other and the rollers into guiding engagement with the edges of the tread strip, and enables the guide rails to automatically move inward or outward to compensate for variations in tread width. The guide rails are freely movably mounted on spaced bearing rods for transverse adjustment with respect to the travel of the tread strip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1996
    Assignee: Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc.
    Inventor: Jessie R. Narron
  • Patent number: 5524804
    Abstract: A lock-out device for an apparatus which guides strips of material toward a tire-building drum and which maintains the strip centered by compensating for minor variations in strip width. A pair of guide rails are adjustably mounted on a support housing and contain strip-engaging rollers which form a guide path for the strip moving therebetween. A panograph linkage is mounted on the housing and connects the guide rails for simultaneous movement of the rails toward and away from each other. A biasing mechanism, such as a spring or weight, biases the rails toward each other and the rollers into guiding engagement with the edges of the strip, and enables the guide rails to automatically move inward or outward to compensate for variations in strip width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1996
    Assignee: Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas M. Connor
  • Patent number: 5497720
    Abstract: A device for guiding a cover member to a sewing machine, which basically includes a control arm supported pivotally on the table of sewing machine, a guide roller assembly mounted rotatably to the control arm, and a link assembly supported pivotally on the sewing machine table. The guide roller assembly, which is to retain the cover member therein, may be adjustably displaced in conjuction with the link assembly by a control drive mechanism which is operatively connected to the control arm. With detection of one curved end of the cover member, this guiding device permits even a multilayer-type cover member to be sewn, smoothly and precisely, along its one curved end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1996
    Assignee: Tachi-S Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kiyoshi Kawasaki
  • Patent number: 5461999
    Abstract: Edge guiding apparatus for a sewing machine that controls the position of a fabric ply edge relative to a reference line. A friction wheel feeds a fabric ply toward a sewing station. If the fabric ply edge displaces from the reference line, control circuitry energizes a drive motor that displaces the friction wheel along an axis perpendicular to the reference line. Simultaneously the friction wheel pivots about a support axis that is orthogonal to a plane containing the reference line and displacement axis. Pressure apparatus holds the friction wheel against a fabric ply with a substantially constant force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 31, 1995
    Inventor: Steven Marcangelo
  • Patent number: 5289788
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for controlling the fabric edge position wherein a fabric fed to the needle location of a sewing machine is fed downstream, feeding distances per unit time at two feeding points, which are along a direction almost perpendicular to the fabric feeding direction, are differentiated by detecting the fabric edge position in the vicinity of the needle location, thereby shifting rightward and leftward the fabric edge position in the vicinity of the needle location so as to form a seam at a constant distance from the fabric edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 1, 1994
    Assignee: Yamato Mishin Seizo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ryosuke Fukumoto
  • Patent number: 5276460
    Abstract: A thermal printer of the type applying ink to an endless film belt, selectively melting the ink by a thermal head in response to an image signal, and transferring the melted ink to a recording medium to print an image on the medium. An idler guides the film belt while applying a predetermined tension thereto. A tension adjusting mechanism moves the end of the idler toward which the belt has skewed in the running direction of the belt. The idler and tension adjusting mechanism effectively reduce the local increase in the tension of the film belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 4, 1994
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Kunio Miyajima
  • Patent number: 5271347
    Abstract: A process and associated apparatus for joining automatically the beginning and the end of a hem in a circular textile material is disclosed. The material is fed on to an entry roller which receives the cloth from a flat guide, the said roller being inclined at the moment of the initial introduction of the material followed by the material being fed and guided with the principal roller being horizontal, this being followed by the pre-folding and final folding of the edge of the material by fold guides prior to the stitching of the hem until the already sewn section of the hem reaches the entry of the guide unit, at which moment the said unit is displaced for the realignment of the hem stitching zone, following which the fold guides are separated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1993
    Inventor: Francisco Carreras Fontcuberta
  • Patent number: 5224639
    Abstract: A system for controlling the lateral position of a sheet of composite material as the sheet travels longitudinally through a curing oven. The system includes roller guide assemblies along the edges of the sheet. Lateral positioning of the sheet is controlled by varying the gripping of the sheet by the roller assemblies as it travels longitudinally through the oven. The degree of variable gripping is controlled by a feedback system which includes sensors located adjacent to the roller assemblies at spaced locations along the composite sheet material edge as it travels longitudinally through the curing oven.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1993
    Assignee: The Standard Oil Company
    Inventors: Bruce L. Westbrook, Mahmoud J. Fakhari
  • Patent number: 5087318
    Abstract: Apparatus for aligning an elongate web with respect to a predetermined path of travel. The web is supplied from a supply roll formed by the web being wound around an inner web layer and having an outer web layer. The apparatus includes a frame, and an axle assembly on the frame adapted to hold the supply roll for rotation about an axis to afford unwinding of the web from the supply roll, and adapted for axial movement of the supply roll. An alignment device is provided comprising web-guiding rollers mounted on the frame and generally rigid in the direction parallel to the axis of the rotatable-holding means. The web-guiding rollers guide the opposite edges of the outer web layer of the web laterally with respect to the longitudinal direction of the web, with the axle assembly affording translation of the supply roll to accommodate telescoped or non-uniformly wound supply rolls, thereby to maintain alignment of the outer web layer with respect to the predetermined path of travel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 11, 1992
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Conrad V. Anderson
  • Patent number: 5086963
    Abstract: The invention provides an improved web guidance mechanism in which the location of a web is detected and any deviation from a desired path is corrected without causing damage to the web material, for example a filter cloth. The improved mechanism includes two tracker units 10 having a pair of rollers 12, 14 defining a nip for an edge margin of a web. The lower roller 14 is acted on by an inflatable actuator 28 in the form of bellows and operative to raise or lower the roller 14 with respect to the upper roller 12. This is achieved by pivotally mounting a bracket 16, which carries the roller 14, and attaching thereto a bar 24 which rests via a contact plate 26 on the actuator 28. The actuator 28 is controlled by a sensor positioned adjacent to an edge of the web and operative to detect the presence or absence of the edge of the web on its desired path. In a preferred embodiment the sensor controls a pneumatic valve operable to inflate or deflate the actuator 28.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 11, 1992
    Assignee: D & C Limited
    Inventor: Henri G. W. Pierson
  • Patent number: 5020460
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for aligning one or more plies of material moving in a predetermined direction, and preferably through a desired path of travel, prior to stitching in a sewing machine. A friction wheel or other guide element is provided for applying a force to the ply having a component in a direction transverse to the direction of travel and sensors are provided for sensing the transverse position of the ply at the point where the sensor is located relative to the desired transverse position at that point. The sensor outputs are weighted, and where two or more sensors are provided, the sensor outputs are combined in a predetermined manner. The combined and weighted outputs are then utilized to control the transverse force applied by the guide element to the ply. The operating speed of the sewing machine may be utilized either as an additional input to control transverse force or to control the rate at which adjustments are made to the transverse force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1991
    Assignee: Porter Sewing Machines, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward S. Babson, Thomas G. Brophy, Michael R. Porter
  • Patent number: 4990215
    Abstract: Apparatus for aligning an elongate web with respect to a predetermined path of travel. The web is supplied from a supply roll formed by the web being wound around an inner web layer and having an outer web layer. The apparatus includes a frame, and an axle assembly on the frame adapted to hold the supply roll for rotation about an axis to afford unwinding of the web from the supply roll, and adapted for axial movement of the supply roll. An alignment device is provided comprising web-guiding rollers mounted on the frame and generally rigid in the direction parallel to the axis of the rotatable-holding means. The web-guiding rollers guide the opposite edges of the outer web layer of the web laterally with respect to the longitudinal direction of the web, with the axle assembly affording translation of the supply roll to accommodate telescoped or non-uniformly wound supply rolls, thereby to maintain alignment of the outer web layer with respect to the predetermined path of travel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 5, 1991
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Conrad V. Anderson
  • Patent number: 4919318
    Abstract: Side registration is provided for a web during its forward movement by lateral movement of the web causing one side edge of the web to engage a registration edge guide, by moving the web sideways with self-skewed pivotal rollers engaging and driving the web at their nip. Two separate roller drive systems with a slight speed differential are utilized in cooperation acting on the same web. A downstream, fixed nip, non-slip, roller drive system drives the sheet in its primary direction of movement, at a first driving velocity. Simultaneously, the same web is driven at an upstream position by a pivotal nip drive roller system. This upstream (pivotal nip) roller system is mounted on a pivot arm to pivot therewith, and is driven at a second driving velocity which is slightly lower than the first driving velocity of the other, downstream, roller drive system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 1988
    Date of Patent: April 24, 1990
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Lam F. Wong
  • Patent number: 4909425
    Abstract: A device for guiding a web of flexible film that has been folded back upon itself so as to maintain the edges of the web of film precisely positioned for subsequent sealing. The device includes a smooth support plate positioned so as to be received between two folds of the web of film with pressure being applied to hold the folds against the plate by means of rollers. The rollers are mounted to maintain the folds against the support plate and to assume different orientations relative to the direction of movement of the web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 20, 1990
    Assignee: Baxter International Inc.
    Inventors: Etienne Susini, Pierre Soubrier
  • Patent number: 4835547
    Abstract: A thermal printer with a mechanism for preventing recording sheet from meandering. In order to perform the mechanism, the thermal printer is provided with a thermal line head, a platen roller and a holding shaft which is perpendicular to the surface of a recording sheet and rotatable about the axis thereof, the holding shaft being engaged with the thermal line head in such a manner that the thermal line head is horizontally swingable about the axis of the holding shaft with the positional relation between the recording sheet and the thermal line head unchanged, and subjected to frictional force to return the thermal line head to its standard position, so that printing operation is correctly carried out all times and the recording sheet is returned to its standard position, that is, the meandering of the recording sheet is prevented. This mechanism also can be performed by providing the thermal printer with a brake shoe engaged with the holding shaft as described above.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 30, 1989
    Assignee: Kanzaki Paper Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Okushi, Shigeharu Myogatani, Kazuhito Murata, Yoshitsugu Hamaguchi, Koichi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 4829746
    Abstract: An apparatus for placing a folded web of film under tension comprising at least one pair of rollers, a first side of the folded web of film being fed between the pair of rollers, the pair of rollers being mounted out of parallel to the first side of the folded web of film and pulling the first side of the folded web of film in a first direction, and a member for preventing a second side of the folded web of film from moving in the first direction. Preferably, the member biases the second side of the folded web of film in a second direction opposite the first direction. A method for placing a folded web of film under tension is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 16, 1989
    Assignee: Baxter Travenol Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Josef Schmidt, Dallas L. Woods
  • Patent number: 4809968
    Abstract: Side registering a sheet during forward movement of the sheet with lateral movement of the sheet causing one side edge of the sheet to engage a registration edge guide, by moving the sheet with skewed rollers providing a sheet engaging and driving nip, wherein the registration edge guide is substantially in one plane but has a small localized arcuate deformation out of that plane adjacent the nip, causing localized arcuate deformation of the sheet, the nip also being spaced from the plane by a corresponding amount, the localized arcuate deformation of the edge guide and the spacing of the nip providing localized bending of a portion of the sheet at the nip for improved side registering. The registration edge guide is preferably substantially linear V-shaped slot engaging one edge of the sheet therein and directing it toward a smooth bottom comprising only a small portion of the slot and lying substantially in the plane except at the localized arcuate deformation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 7, 1989
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Michael A. Malachowski
  • Patent number: 4805892
    Abstract: A loop is formed between upstream and downstream pairs of rollers by driving the downstream pair slower than the upstream pair and/or by a direction changing guide. The downstream pair of rollers is axially movable to bring an in-track edge of a sheet to a predetermined sensed position to cross-track register the sheet. The loop permits cross-track movement of the sheet despite engagement of the sheet with the upstream pair of rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1989
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Lee M. Calhoun
  • Patent number: 4790428
    Abstract: A conveyor belt guide apparatus is provided in which a guide roller is attached on either side of a conveyor belt and contacts the same. The guide roller is designed to rotate by the force of the conveyor belt when the conveyor belt moves off center. Spiral rings are positioned on the guide rollers in such a manner that the rings have a vertical pitch in the direction in which the conveyor belt causes the guide roller to rotate. When the conveyor belt attempts to climb up the guide roller, it engages the spiral rings and is forced back down. In this manner, the conveyor belt is prevented from climbing above the guide rollers and is adjusted back to its normal position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1987
    Date of Patent: December 13, 1988
    Inventor: Dean L. Ramsey
  • Patent number: 4727709
    Abstract: A steering, joining and guiding mechanism is disclosed for joining together opposing rib and groove fastener elements on a traveling continuous bag film. The steering, joining and guiding mechanism includes a pair of opposing press rolls. The longitudinal axis of each of the press rolls is offset from the direction of travel of the bag film. The press rolls are offset from about 2.degree. to about 30.degree. from a line perpendicular to the direction of travel of the bag film, and are preferably offset at about 5.degree. from the direction of travel of the bag film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1986
    Date of Patent: March 1, 1988
    Assignee: The Dow Chemical Company
    Inventors: Larry M. Zieke, R. Douglas Behr
  • Patent number: 4629177
    Abstract: A device for transporting a flexible strip (11) along a guide (15) by means of conical pressure rollers (35 and 45), whose apices face each other. The pressure rollers (35 and 45) are loaded by a spring (65, 135) common to both rollers, as a result of which an accurately defined directional force is obtained towards the guide (15).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 1985
    Date of Patent: December 16, 1986
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventors: Gerardus J. H. Roddeman, Paul Hoogerkamp
  • Patent number: 4567492
    Abstract: A paper transport device for a recorder such as an ink jet printer has a support for clean paper, guidance rollers, and a drive device. The transport devices moves the paper from the paper support past a printing head. In order to exert a symmetrical pull on the paper and simultaneously to make substantially the entire width of the paper available for writing thereon, the paper transport device has at least two rollers mounted on an axle rotated by the drive device, the rollers being disposed a distance from one another at right angles relative to the forward feed direction of the paper. The drive rollers are mounted on the axle so as to run freely on the axle in the direction of rotation of the axle, but lock when attempted to be rotated in the opposite direction so that skewed paper is easily and automatically aligned to move in a straight path. Each drive roller has an idler roller associated therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1982
    Date of Patent: January 28, 1986
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Bengt Skafvenstedt, Sture Ahlgren
  • Patent number: 4433460
    Abstract: Apparatus for spreading and guiding a web of textile fabric or the like being longitudinally fed, comprising a pair of web spreading and guiding devices disposed at opposite sides of the web, each device comprising a pair of rotary members rotatably supported in generally axially spaced apart and opposed relation to each other, with the axis of rotation of one of the rotary members being tilted relative to the axis of rotation of the other of the rotary members. The tilted rotary member is provided on the periphery thereof with a circular array of pushing members projecting toward the corresponding periphery of the other rotary member. As the two rotary members are rotated about their respective axes by friction with the running web held therebetween, the pushing members successively come to engage a selvage of the running web at a nipping point and disengage from the selvage at a releasing point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1981
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1984
    Inventor: Mitsuru Kuroda
  • Patent number: 4381587
    Abstract: An apparatus comprising a fixed roller and a movable roller movable toward and away from the fixed roller to correct the deviation of a travelling fabric by nipping a selvage thereof with the two rollers. The movable roller is biased by a spring toward the fixed roller for nipping the fabric but is normally held away from the fixed roller by a forward stroke of a cylinder against the action of the spring. The spring is provided with a member for adjusting the spring force, and the stroke of the cylinder is also adjustable. The axis of the movable roller is slightly shiftable automatically relative to the fixed roller to assure proper nipping engagement with the fabric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1980
    Date of Patent: May 3, 1983
    Inventor: Hideyuki Cho
  • Patent number: 4369905
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for guiding a corrugated fibreboard web in which the edges of a running web are detected and followed by a pair of sensors and a pair of web guides are controlled to move according to the width of the web to positions at an equal distance from a certain reference line, e.g. the machine center.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 1980
    Date of Patent: January 25, 1983
    Assignee: Rengo Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masateru Tokuno
  • Patent number: 4303189
    Abstract: A system for aligning a moving run of fabric which has longitudinal and transverse threads along a path determined by a selected one of the longitudinal threads. The system includes optics for projecting an image of the longitudinal threads while suppressing the image of transverse threads, means for determining the direction of any deviation and the amount of deviation from the selected thread position, and guidance means for returning the run to a position in which the selected thread is in its desired position. An improved guidance means which effects transverse movement of the fabric run without introducing wrinkles or bias into the run is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1979
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1981
    Assignee: Tex-Fab, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas W. Wiley, William R. Joyce
  • Patent number: 4201132
    Abstract: A broad textile web, on its way to a processing station such as a rotary-screen printer, passes around a set of closely juxtaposed but independently rotatable feed rollers that are individually driven via respective differential gear trains each having a first input connected to a common drive shaft and a second input connected to an ancillary stepping motor. Each feed roller engages a strip zone of the web which is scanned by an associated sensor upstream of the roller, the latter detecting the leading and trailing edges of recurrent transverse web sections--e.g. of pile fabric--mechanically, electrically or optically distinguishable from intervening sections. Unequal longitudinal tensions in the several strip zones actuate the sensor-controlled stepping motors for different time periods so as to cancel any relative deformation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1978
    Date of Patent: May 6, 1980
    Assignee: Maschinenfabrik Peter Zimmer Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Peter Zimmer, Hans Kudlich