Abstract: A dispenser assembly including a remaining length indicator, comprising a sheet material including an inner end, an outer end, an initial edge, a terminal edge, and an indicator line arranged on the sheet material, and a plurality of markings operatively arranged to engage the indicator line to indicate a length of the sheet material remaining.

Abstract: A system and method for non-contact measurement of remaining spooled material. The system comprises at least one optical signal source configured to illuminate spooled material with an optical beam having an optical beam width that illuminates the material remaining in the spool. The optical beam width and spacing are such that spooled material is illuminated by each optical signal source. The system includes drive circuitry configured to drive the at least one optical signal source using pulses. The system further includes at least one optical signal receiver configured to receive light reflected from each of said light pulses. The system still further includes a processor configured to: establish a number and drive strength of the pulses; and cause measurements to be performed of the remaining spooled material.

Abstract: Disclosed are a structure for automatically identifying a predetermined length of a tourniquet, and a method for quickly identifying the predetermined length. The structure for automatically identifying a predetermined length of a tourniquet comprises a box and tourniquets, wherein the box has at least one receiving cavity in which the tourniquets are placed and an opening configured to be passed through by an end of the tourniquets, wherein apertures are formed in the tourniquets at an interval of the predetermined length in a longitudinal direction of the tourniquets, the box is provided with a protrusion configured to cooperate with the apertures during the extraction of the tourniquets, and the apertures are configured to identify the predetermined length of the tourniquets and facilitate tearing off of the tourniquets during the tearing off of the tourniquets.

Abstract: The invention concerns a cutting device (1) for reducing the width of a ready-made roller blind blank (28) comprising a roller tube onto which a fabric has been wound. The cutting device (1) comprises a mandrel (13), which is adapted to be inserted into and hold an end to be cut of the roller tube, and a knife arrangement, which is adapted to circumferentially cut first the fabric wound on the roller tube and then the roller tube on the mandrel (13) such that the width of the ready-made roller blind blank (28) is reduced. The invention also concerns a ready-made roller blind blank (28), which comprises a roller tube, onto which a fabric has been wound and which is adapted to be cut by means of a cutting device (1) according to the invention. For this the roller blind blank (28) comprises a disposable wrapping, which bears a visible measurement scale along at least one end portion of the roller blind blank (28).

Abstract: A drain cleaning machine with an electronic cable monitoring system is disclosed which comprises a frame supporting a rotatable drum which is driven by a motor through an endless belt. The drum contains a flexible drain cleaning cable which is rotatable with the drum and axially displaceable into and out from the drum, and the frame supports a cable feeding device through which the cable extends and by which the cable is displaced into and out of the drum. An electronic cable monitoring system is configured to assess an amount of cable payed out from and retracted into the drum. A process determines an amount and direction of relative movement between a rotatable drum and a cable follower member and generates a signal representative of an amount of cable payed out or retracted into the drum.

Abstract: An apparatus for counting parts in a tape and reel packaging system in which a plurality of parts are packaged on linear tape wound onto a reel. The apparatus includes a measuring device, and a meter body. The meter body includes electronic means for calculating and displaying a quantity of parts in the tape and reel packaging system. The calculation is based on inputs supplied by a user employing the measuring device. In an embodiment, the apparatus is portable and configured to be hand-held.

Abstract: A drain cleaning machine with an electronic cable monitoring system is disclosed which comprises a frame supporting a rotatable drum which is driven by a motor through an endless belt. The drum contains a flexible drain cleaning cable which is rotatable with the drum and axially displaceable into and out from the drum, and the frame supports a cable feeding device through which the cable extends and by which the cable is displaced into and out of the drum. An electronic cable monitoring system is configured to assess an amount of cable payed out from and retracted into the drum. A process determines an amount and direction of relative movement between a rotatable drum and a cable follower member and generates a signal representative of an amount of cable payed out or retracted into the drum.

Abstract: A drain cleaning machine with an electronic cable counter is disclosed which is of the character comprising a frame supporting a rotatable drum which is driven by a motor through an endless belt. The drum contains a flexible drain cleaning snake which is rotatable with the drum and axially displaceable into an out from the drum, and the frame supports a cable feeding device through which the cable extends and by which the cable is displaced into and out of the drum. An electronic cable counter is configured to count an amount of cable payed out from and retracted into the drum and includes first and second sensor portions mounted on the rotatable drum and a cable follower member, respectively to sense relative rotational movement therebetween. A process determines an amount and direction of relative movement therebetween and generates a signal representative of an amount of cable payed or retracted into the drum.

Abstract: A system (10) and method for measuring and recording distances, such as between structures or reference points on vehicles. The system includes one or more measurement devices (12), each having a cable-extension transducer (14) for generating an electronic signal corresponding to the distance, a microprocessor(16) for determining the distance based upon the electronic signal, and a transceiver (22) operable to wirelessly transmit the distance to a data collection device (26) connected to a computing device (28). The cable-extension transducer (14) is wound about a spool (38) and directed around a wheel (40) such that the wheel (40) turns as the cable (36) is extended or retracted over the distance, thereby allowing for winding the cable (36) in multiple layers about the spool (38). The computing device (28) compares the measured distance to an ideal distance, and reports any difference therebetween.

Abstract: A material measuring device has a base and a support, in which the base is provided with a mounting system adapted to hold the support in one or more fixed positions over material to be measured, in which the base has a first end, and in which the fixed positions are spaced apart from the first end.

Abstract: A measuring-cable position sensor is provided in a pressure tight, in particular explosion protected manner, wherein all functional elements besides the cable drum and the measuring cable are located in a pressure tight housing, which is stable enough, so that also in case of an explosion in the interior of the pressure-tight housing section no ignition spark can get through the gaps of the housing to the outside.

Abstract: A rolled product of contiguous separable sheets having at least one indicium to permit visual location of the end of the roll. The rolled product comprises at least a first and second contiguous separable sheet of product wound around an axis, forming a cylindrical roll, each sheet having an outer edge positioned parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical roll. At least the first and second contiguous separable sheet of product has at least one indicium that bears a predetermined relationship when the first sheet is the outer most sheet of the rolled product. The predetermined relationship is such that a discontinuity of the indicium is likely to be formed between the outer edges of sheets marked with the indicium and the portion of the indicium which lies directly beneath the outer edge of the sheets. The rolled product can include sheets of contiguous separable product having multiple indicium.

Abstract: Self measuring roll goods includes a pliable substrate, a front surface, and a rear surface. The rear surface includes fiducial markings to facilitate the quick and easy measurement of the roll goods. The fiducial markings include an array of symbols, and at least a portion of the peripheral edges of the symbols are spaced apart from the peripheral edges of adjacent symbols. The pitch of the array defines a gross measurement scale. In a particular embodiment, the peripheral edges of the symbols intersect tangentially. In another particular embodiment, the symbols are completely spaced apart. Examples of the symbols include closed curves, polygons, and linear symbols. Optionally, marks on the perimeters of the symbols and/or the vertices of the symbols provide a fine measurement scale.

Abstract: A measuring apparatus includes at least one sensor which is provided on a measuring frame, which can be positioned opposite moving clothing or a device. The devices being, for example, a roll, of a machine for producing and/or treating a material web, in particular a paper or board web. The measuring frame is pressed against the clothing or device by at least one pivoting lever and is connected to the pivoting lever by a cardan joint.

Abstract: A device for measuring the length of a linear movement using a rotary potentiometer improves measuring accuracy, measurement deterioration for a long-period usage and miniaturization. The device in includes a regular winding mechanism, forming a single layer of wire, constructed of a screw feeding mechanism stored in a housing to axially move the drum when rotating, and the d m converts a linear displacement into a rotational displacement with the wire. Moreover, the wire on the drum is located so as to have a constant radius from the center of rotation. The screw feeding mechanism is constructed in such a manner that the drum is axially moved by the distance corresponding to one pitch of the regularly wound wire in every revolution of the drum, so that winding and unwinding of the wire can be performed at the same position of the housing all the time, thereby avoiding disarrangement of wound the drum causing a deterioration in an accuracy.

Abstract: A measuring cable travel sensor includes a housing accommodating a measuring cable drum and a rotary spring urging the cable drum in the direction of winding of a measuring cable thereon. At least one braking magnet is arranged either on the cable drum or on the housing to provide for magnetic control of the rotary movement of the cable drum at least in the cable winding-on direction. The cable drum may also carry holding magnets for holding the winding cable into close contact with the peripheral surface of the cable drum. The housing may also have a band extending at least in part around the cable drum for correctly positioning the cable thereon as it is being wound on.

Abstract: The present invention provides an indicator and indicator cartridge that shows the amount of material on a roll. The roll preferably has at least one toothed sprocket, the indicator, and includes a rotatable rod which is rotated through engagement with the rotating roll. At one end of the rod, a pinion gear is fixed to engage the toothed sprocket. An indicator member is slidingly configured to engage the rod such that the rotation is at least partially converted to linear motion of the indicator member. The rod and the indicator member are preferably threaded. A reference point is included for showing the linear displacement of the indicator member relative to the rod.

Abstract: A pull element travel sensor include a winding drum and a pull element which can be wound on to and unwound from the winding drum. The winding drum is biassed in the pull element winding-on direction. The length of the pull element which is pulled off the winding drum can be detected by a detecting unit. The pull element is wound on the winding drum in a spiral configuration in a plurality of layers in mutually superposed relationship in a single radial plane of the winding drum. A lifting apparatus for lifting a load has at least two lifting units and at least one travel sensor, each lifting unit having a winding drum with a pull element and a motor for driving the winding drum in the winding-on direction. At least one of the lifting units has a detecting unit for detecting the drawn-off length of the pull element from the winding drum, with all pull elements of the lifting units engaging the same load.

Abstract: A spool shaft 2 supported between reel side-plates 3 and 4 and a spool 1 secured to the spool shaft 2 in a double bearing reel for fishing are integrally formed of the same material.

Abstract: A device for measuring the length of a linear movement using a rotary potentiometer is improved in it's measuring accuracy, measurement deterioration for a long-period usage and miniaturization.

Abstract: A rolled web in combination with a dispenser having gauge indicia, the rolled web having roll volume indicia to aid a consumer in determining the relative amount of the product remaining on the roll. The web having indicia in a diagonal pattern along its length such that the lateral position of the indicia on the web relative to the gauge indicia on the dispenser indicates the relative portion of web remaining on the roll. Also disclosed is a method of indicating the relative portion of web remaining on a rolled web product where the method includes the steps of applying indicia to the web in a diagonal pattern along the length of the web, winding the web into a roll, and inserting the roll into a dispenser having gauge indicia wherein the position of the indicia on the web relative to the gauge indicia indicates the relative portion of web remaining on the roll.

Abstract: The present invention provides a digital cable extension transducer, which is an integral structure of a spool, a spiral spring, a cable guide assembly and a magnet-detecting element for directly sending out a digital signal of a displacement of the monitored object. A circuit board is mounted on a bottom plate of the housing for further data transmission. With the pulleys in the cable guide assembly, the cable extends and winds orderly around the spool. A baffle is provided for shielding both the spool and three pulleys of the cable guide assembly, thereby, to prevent the extended cable derailing from the pulleys when the extended cable releases at high acceleration or loosens by accident.

Abstract: A videocassette time measurement device (10) comprising a structure (12) for housing a videocassette (14), so that the videocassette (14) can be freely inserted thereinto and taken out therefrom. A facility (16) is on the housing structure (12), for indicating the amount of time available and used on the tape (18) within the videocassette (14).

Abstract: In a sheet pay-out device for paying out a sheet from a sheet roll, the sheet roll is subjected to a rotational resistance which increases with the diminishing outer diameter of the sheet roll as the sheet is paid out therefrom so that the tension acting upon the sheet may be kept at a substantially constant level over the entire length of the sheet, and a favorable feeding action for the sheet is ensured. The information on the current outer diameter of the sheet roll is preferably printed on the sheet as an optical code. This device is suitable for use as a stencil master plate sheet feeding unit of a stencil printer equipped with the function of making stencil master plates, for feeding a stencil master plate sheet from a sheet roll.

Abstract: A cushioning conversion machine (10) comprises a frame (36), conversion assemblies (50, 52, 54, 56) which convert a stock material into a cushioning product, and a length measuring device (12) which determines the length of the cushioning product as it is being produced. The conversion assemblies include a rotating assembly (54) and the angular movement of this assembly directly corresponds to the length of the cushioning product. The length measuring device (12) is positioned to monitor the angular movement of the rotating conversion assembly (54) and thus the length of the cushioning product. In the preferred embodiment, the rotating conversion assembly (54) is a gear assembly.

Abstract: A folder and inserter machine comprises a tray for receiving documents to be folded and a folding mechanism having a folding abutment whose position is adjustable under the control of a processor. A pointer member is moved along the document to be folded present in the tray to pick up the distance between the bottom of the document and an address block on the document. The processor connected to the pointer member is organized to compute data representative of fold dimensions for the document on the basis of the distance provided thereto by the pointer member so as to adjust the position of the abutment automatically.

Abstract: The present invention, in broadest terms is a rolled sheet material having a guide strip, comprising: (a) a rolled sheet material having a lateral width, lateral sides, lateral edges and a longitudinal axis; and (b) a guide strip disposed along one lateral side of the rolled sheet material, the guide strip being releasable from the rolled sheet material and having a lateral width less than the lateral width of the rolled sheet material.

Abstract: A cushioning conversion machine (10) comprises a frame (36), conversion assemblies (50, 52, 54, 56) which convert a stock material into a cushioning product, and a length measuring device (12) which determines the length of the cushioning product as it is being produced. The conversion assemblies include a rotating assembly (54) and the angular movement of this assembly directly corresponds to the length of the cushioning product. The length measuring device (12) is positioned to monitor the angular movement of the rotating conversion assembly (54) and thus the length of the cushioning product. In the preferred embodiment, the rotating conversion assembly (54) is a gear assembly.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring the length of fiber optic cable being deployed om a winch to an underwater environment. The cable deployment measuring apparatus of the present invention comprises a constant current generator for generating a direct current, a resistor array having a plurality of series connected resistors and a plurality of trip wires with one of the trip wires being connected across each of the resistors. The trip wires which function as short circuits are also attached to the cable at predetermined locations along the length of the cable. When the fiber optic cable is being deployed, each trip wire will break when the location at which the trip wire is positioned is unwound from the winch for deployment in the underwater environment. This, in turn, will cause flow through the resistor array with a resulting voltage drop across the array.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for determining the diameter of sheet material wound on a reel, and for setting the tension on sheet material as it is wound on the reel. According to one embodiment, the diameter of a take-up reel including sheet material wound thereon is determined from the angle of rotation or instantaneous angular speed of the take-up reel, and movement of the sheet material as obtained from rotation of a circular element such as a drive roller in a pinch roller drive system which rotates in proportional to sheet material movement. In another embodiment, the diameter of a reel in a reel-to-reel transport system is determined from the angles of rotation or instantaneous angular speeds of the supply and take-up reels, the total amount of sheet material in the system, and the packing factor of the sheet material rewound on the take-up reel.

Abstract: Apparatus for measuring the length of textile material wound onto a lap beam and in particular, onto a dyeing beam, having (a) a pressure roll bearing upon the beam lap and mechanically connected with a displacement detecting transducer that emits measurement impulses, (b) a beam-driven shaft encoder that emits a predetermined number of calculation impulses for each revolution of the beam, and (c) a computer that calculates the partial lengths of the laps (lt) from the measurement impulses and the calculation impulses. The displacement detecting transducer is movably or slidingly interengaged with an elongated linear member in the form of a toothed rack hinged so that a projection of one end always intersects the longitudinal axis of the lap beam.

Abstract: A mobile sewer cleaning apparatus having a rotating drum and a flexible hose wound thereon. Preferably mounted on the sewer cleaning apparatus is a device for measuring the length of hose paid out from the drum. The measuring device may be used, among other things, for measuring the speed of the hose as it is wound or unwound from the drum, and for controlling a safety device intended to stop the flow of water through the hose as the hose is being wound.

Abstract: The carpet measuring strap and sling assembly of this invention provides a simple and inexpensive method of cutting a predetermined length of carpet from a carpet roll. The assembly preferably includes at least two flexible inelastic straps which are preferably releasably joined at their respective ends to form flat loop slings which are received in space relation around the carpet roll when the carpet roll is rotatably supported in a horizontal orientation spaced above floor level. The carpet is then unrolled vertically into the strap slings and cut to length. In the preferred embodiment, at least one of the straps is marked incrementally on its outer surface with a scale for measuring length, whereby the length of the carpet unrolled is measured by the strap as the carpet is unrolled.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for determining the amount of taping time used and/or remaining on standard VHS and Beta format video tape cassettes. Multiple scales are organized onto a single multi sided card having a corresponding number of corners. In the preferred embodiment there are five scales, one scale each for the three standard VHS taping speeds, and two for the standard BETA taping speeds. The scales start and end inwardly of the corners that are adjacent the scales.