Contactless web turning guide

A web turning guide whereby a web that runs lengthwise along a defined path is contactlessly supported and guided through an arcuate turn in a portion of said path, said guide having a surface which is convexly curved in the direction that the web runs, and having means for maintaining a film of pressure air between said surface and a web, there being an area of said surface which is normally overlain by a web and which has parallel boundaries that extend in said direction and are spaced apart by a distance equal to the width of the web, said web turning guide being characterized by:

• a pair of elongated pressure air edge-jet outlets adjacent to each of said boundaries, each of said edge-jet outlets extending substantially parallel to said boundaries and substantially entirely along said area in the direction that the web runs, each pair of edge-jet outlets comprising
• (1) an outer edge-jet outlet spaced a small distance outwardly of its adjacent one of said boundaries, to be outside said area, and
• (2) an inner edge-jet outlet within said area and spaced a small distance from its adjacent one of said boundaries to be overlain by a marginal portion of a web,
• means positioning both edge-jet outlets of each pair to direct pressure air along said surface in the direction towards the other pair of edge-jet outlets;
• and
• means for directing pressurized air to each of said edge just outlets.