Abstract: A conveyance device includes a support having a support face configured to support a conveyed object and a fluid introduction device disposed outside the support. The fluid introduction device is configured to introduce a fluid between the support face of the support and the conveyed object, to form a fluid layer for floating the conveyed object. The conveyance device further includes a conveyor configured to convey the conveyed object being floating from the support via the fluid layer.

Abstract: The present invention provides two counter-rotating rollers having substantially parallel axes of rotation which are provided to grip the web(s) between them and to cause the web(s) to move along as a result of their rotation, each roller having two spaced cylindrical support surfaces each defining a zone for gripping the web(s) with a corresponding, opposing, support surface of the other roller. The rollers are displaceable relative to each other in the direction of the axes of rotation and a displacement of one of the rollers relative to the other in the direction of the axes of rotation modifies a distance between the gripping zones. A rotary press is also provided.

Abstract: A nip roller is provided that includes a shaft, a first nip disk portion, a second nip disk portion and an attachment section for removably securing the first nip disk portion and the second nip disk portion to the shaft.

Abstract: A drive roll for advancing a wire is provided. In certain embodiments, the drive roll includes a body having a wire feed portion, a mounting portion, and a central aperture through the body. In one embodiment, the feed portion includes an outer circumferential surface of the drive roll and a plurality of grooves for receiving and advancing various wires, while the mounting portion includes mounting features that are each uniquely associated with only one of the grooves. Various wire feed systems and welding systems are also provided.

Abstract: A wire feeding apparatus is disclosed. The wire feeding apparatus includes a rotable drive shaft, a servo motor in driving relationship with the drive shaft and one or more feed modules. Each feed module is selectively engaged with the drive shaft through the use of a linear actuator. When the linear actuator is engaged, each feed module is driven by the drive shaft such that wire is either fed or retracted.

Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a conveyance mechanism for conveying a web to a transfer unit, and a tension generating mechanism for applying a tension to the web fed to the conveyance mechanism, wherein the tension generating mechanism includes a tension generating roller for changing the tension to be applied to the web in accordance with the rotational position, a tension guide that is rotated in accordance with the magnitude of tension generated by the roller, a first sensor for sensing the rotational position of the tension guide, a second sensor for sensing the rotational position of the tension generating roller, and a driver for controlling the rotation of the motor in accordance with the outputs of the first and second sensors.

Abstract: There are described drive roller assemblies for pulling print media within, or in conjunction with, a printing apparatus. In one embodiment the assembly includes a rigid drive roller having a hard outer surface in conjunction with a pressure roller having a deformable surface. In another embodiment the assembly has a rigid drive roller in conjunction with a plurality of pressure rollers which are adapted for pressing print media against the drive roller over substantially different portions of the drive roller length.

Abstract: A fish tape has a galvanized wire core wrapped by a twin-ribbon stainless steel sheath. The fish tape is flexible enough to be convenient to handle and store in a coil while still being stiff enough to fish through a conduit. A driver may be used to push or pull the fish tape. The driver has a housing with drive and pressure rollers therein for engaging the fish tape. The drive and pressure rollers each have curved and flat grooves for engaging a fish tape. The drive roller is driven by first and second right angle gears from a drive shaft which is connectable to the chuck of a hand drill. The drive shaft is arranged to be parallel to the fish tape. The driver housing has a slot for receiving the fish tape by moving the tape perpendicular to the length of the tape. A retainer is movable to open and close the housing slot.

Abstract: A device and method for guiding a transversely stable material web. The device contains at least one roller and one counter roller disposed on opposite sides of the material web. The roller and counter roller can be swiveled synchronously with each other, thereby holding the material web between each other with a clamping grip. This device provides a substantially higher guiding force in relation to the running direction of the web than devices with stationary abutments.

Abstract: In a web transporting apparatus that transports a web while floating the web by jetting air from jetting holes formed in a transporting surface to the web, edge rollers that is rotatable and supports edges of the web are provided at both ends of the transporting surface. The web is transported while the edges of the web are supported by the edge rollers, and thus a floating amount of the web can be kept. Also, the supplied air can be prevented from escaping from a space between the transporting surface and the web through the edges of the web, and the web can be stably floated and transported with little air.

Abstract: A device for conveying a carrier tape by holding both sides with pressing rollers and drive rollers that rotate in opposite directions. The drive rollers have large-diameter portions and small-diameter portions so that the large-diameter portions are formed on inner sides of the circumferential surfaces of the drive rollers and the small-diameter portions are formed on outer sides thereof; and the pressing rollers have small-diameter portions and large-diameter portions so that the small-diameter portions are formed on inner sides of the circumferential surfaces of the pressing rollers and the large-diameter portions are formed on outer sides thereof. Both side edges of the carrier tape are pressure-held and conveyed by the pressing rollers and drive rollers with the large-diameter portions of the pressing rollers pressing the side edges onto the small-diameter portions of the drive rollers, thus curving the carrier tape in its width direction and preventing sagging of the carrier tape across the width.

Abstract: A fish tape has a galvanized wire core wrapped by a twin-ribbon stainless steel sheath. The fish tape is flexible enough to be convenient to handle and store in a coil while still being stiff enough to fish through a conduit. A driver may be used to push or pull the fish tape. The driver has a housing with drive and pressure rollers therein for engaging the fish tape. The drive and pressure rollers each have curved and flat grooves for engaging a fish tape. The drive roller is driven by first and second right angle gears from a drive shaft which is connectable to the chuck of a hand drill. The drive shaft is arranged to be parallel to the fish tape. The driver housing has a slot for receiving the fish tape by moving the tape perpendicular to the length of the tape. A retainer is movable to open and close the housing slot.

Abstract: This invention relates to an apparatus (1) for the transversal drawing of a film (2) in motion, comprising a pair of rollers (3, 4) rotating on parallel axes, fitted with toothed surface profiles (5, 6) capable of compentrating without touching each other and defining a wavy passage (7) for the film, where the rounded tips of the toothed profiles (5, 6) of the two rollers (3 and 4) define the points of application of the drawing action on the film (2).

Abstract: An electric motor driven roll feed system for intermittently advancing stock into the work station of a punch press. The roll feed system is designed so that its main rotating elements have greatly reduced rotational inertia. A low inertia overall roll arrangement is characterized by two relatively small diameter cooperating feed rolls that are respectively radially supported by a plurality of light back up rollers that peripherally engage these small feed rolls at locations spaced along the operative lengths of such feed rolls. The spaced rollers thus allow the applied operational stock gripping, feeding and braking forces to be distributed over several support locations along the operative axial length of each feed roll.

Abstract: An apparatus for transporting web material, such as a folded paper web in a web-fed rotary printing press, is disclosed which includes a first nip roller having a first set of driven and non-driven wheels which are arranged side by side along a rotational axis of the first nip roller, and a second nip roller having a second set of driven and non-driven wheels arranged side by side along the rotational axis of the second nip roller. The wheels of the first and second nip rollers are arranged such that the driven wheels of the first roller are facing the non-driven wheels of the second roller, thereby forming a nip for receiving and conveying the material web.

Abstract: A sheetlike article conveying roller assembly comprises at least one rotary shaft, a plurality of rollers mounted on the rotary shafts at an optional positions, and a plurality of rings held on the rollers. The rollers on one of a pair of shafts are axially arranged in staggered position with those on the other shaft. The rings of the rollers on one of the pair of the rotary shaft and those on the rollers on the other rotary shaft overlap axially. A sheetlike article is conveyed by the rollers through a travelling path defined between the rotary shafts.

Abstract: A yarn feeder for a circular knitting machine having stripers receiving the yarns from the machine creel, each yarn following a set route through a plurality of fixed eyelets and moving eyelets located on a pivotable arm. The pivoting of the arm causes the length of yarn comprised between the eyelets to move between two rollers the rotation of which pulls the yarn along from the creel and delivers it to the needle which previously, while the arm was being caused to pivot, received the loop of yarn contained between two moving eyelets and a fixed eyelet.

Abstract: The present invention relates to document positioning and feeding apparatus for high speed printers, such as normally associated with data processing systems. The document feeding apparatus is particularly adapted to provide high quality, high speed printing of stock consisting of multiple pages or non-uniform thicknesses. It is useful for the printing of savings-books, checks and statement of account forms. The apparatus utilizes a unique coupling means to maintain equal and opposite rotation of the feeding elements and to substantially reduce relative rotary motion between the feeding elements during the feeding of stock into the printer. Novel support means allow the feeding elements to accommodate stock having a different thickness for one part of the stock compared to another part.

Abstract: An advancing mechanism for a recording web, such as paper, for an ink jet printer. The apparatus, including a platen having coaxially mounted discs on a shaft with the center disc of much higher coefficient of friction than the remaining discs, a tensioning roller, a pinch roller, and a recording web holding means, is self-aligning and self-threading, having low power requirements. Means for indicating the exhaustion of the recording web is also provided.

Abstract: A strand withdrawal assembly for use in clamping strands being withdrawn from a casting mould of a continuous casting plant is disclosed. At least two strands are withdrawn and are clamped between a lower, driven roll and a pair of upper rolls. The upper rolls are rotatably mounted on an eccentric shaft which is itself rotatably supported at either end and is capable of being raised or lowered by suitable hydraulic cylinders. The eccentric shaft accommodates minor variations in thickness of the clamped strands and allows for the application of equal pressure to the strands even though they are of unequal and varying thicknesses.

Abstract: A machine for cutting and sealing bags from a web of thermoplastic sheet material includes low inertia drive rolls to feed the thermoplastic sheet in closely controlled, incremental lengths. The drive rolls are driven by a fluid motor which is controlled by a stepping motor. The sheet is fed to a cutting and sealing head which has means for gripping the fed segment of the web to hold it in position to be cut and sealed. Sealing is effected by resistance wires on the head which are applied to the thermoplastic sheet. The amount of electrical energy applied to the resistance heating wires is controlled and measured carefully to avoid overheating or underheating of the wire.

Abstract: A mechanism for biasing a plurality of pinch rolls into engagement with a drive roll is provided wherein the biasing force is effected by a weight or weights. The pinch rolls are mounted on a common rotatable shaft, which rotates on supports which independently pivot about a common shaft, whereby the pinch rolls are free to align with a drive roll to provide full line contact therebetween and the biasing force is evenly distributed on the pinch rolls. The weights are pivotally mounted on the supports.

Abstract: Drive means for moving a flat, thin sheet, belt or tape in a straight path without need for guide devices separate from the drive means to limit horizontal wandering of the driven element.