Overlay sheet tensioner apparatus
AssigneeGerber Technology, Inc.
InventorDana Wade Seniff
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus is provided for handling overlay sheet material on a cutting apparatus including a conveyor for moving work material in a longitudinal direction and a support for positioning a tensioner frame adjacent the conveyor. A tensioner frame, attached to the support, has a nip wheel and a drive for rotating the nip wheel with a tangential speed in excess of the longitudinal conveyor speed attached to the tensioner frame. The nip wheel engages the overlay sheet material applying a tension thereto in the same longitudinal direction as the conveyor.
Claims19
An overlay sheet tensioner apparatus for handling overlay sheet material on a cutting apparatus, comprising:
- a conveyor for moving work material in a longitudinal direction in the cutting apparatus at a longitudinal conveyor speed, wherein the overlay sheet material is on the work material when on the cutting apparatus and cut with the work material;
- a support adjacent the conveyor;
- a tensioner frame attached to the support;
- a nip wheel rotatably attached to the tensioner frame;
- and
- a drive attached to the tensioner frame for rotating the nip wheel with a tangential speed in excess of the longitudinal conveyor speed;
- wherein the nip wheel frictionally engages the overlay sheet material applying a tension thereto in the longitudinal direction that the conveyor moves the work material to minimize bunching of the overlay sheet material as the overlay sheet material moves in the longitudinal direction.
A method for handling overlay sheet material on a cutting apparatus, comprising:
- moving the overlay sheet material in a longitudinal direction on a conveyor of the cutting apparatus;
- engaging the overlay sheet material with a nip wheel rotatably attached to a support adjacent the conveyor;
- and
- applying tension to the overlay sheet material in the same longitudinal direction as the conveyor by rotating the nip wheel with a drive having a tangential speed in excess of the longitudinal conveyor speed to minimize bunching of the overlay sheet material.
An overlay material tensioner comprising:
- a tensioner frame having a nip wheel with a high coefficient of friction surface to only press an overlay material moving longitudinally along a cutting table by a conveyor;
- and
- a motor configured to rotate the nip wheel faster than the conveyor to create tension on the overlay material to prevent bunching of the overlay material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.