Web stretching apparatus

Apparatus for biaxially stretching a thin continuous web of material continuously, the apparatus comprising:

• (a) a pair of continuous primary rails each having an inner longitudinal surface, an outer longitudinal surface with bevelled upper and lower portions, and upper and lower edges;
• the rails defining a pair of opposed tracks which are mirror images of one another, the tracks having upstream converging portions, upstream parallel portions, diverging portions and downstream parallel portions;
• (b) secondary guide means formed of discontinuous guide members laterally positioned with respect to and coextensive with the primary rails over at least the upstream converging portions and the diverging portions of the tracks defined by the primary rails;
• (c) lead-in and lead-out sprockets having peripheral teeth thereon;
• (d) a continuous, articulated chain formed of a plurality of links and entrained around the sprockets, the links having leading and trailing ends which are pivoted on parallel axles that extend both below and above the links;
• (e) first and second rollers mounted on the axles below the links for engaging the primary rails and the discontinuous guide members in alternative fashion, with the first rollers being disposed above the second rollers and engaging the inner longitudinal surfaces of the rails continuously and the second rollers being disposed below the first rollers and engaging the discontinuous guide members;
• (f) third rollers mounted on the axles having the second rollers thereon, the third rollers being positioned above the links and being in planar alignment with the teeth of the lead-out and lead-in drive sprockets for engagement by the drive sprockets to advance the chain;
• (g) a plurality of carriages mounted on the primary rails, each carriage being generally C-shaped in configuration with upper and lower legs joined by a bight;
• the upper and lower legs overlying and extending beyond the upper and lower edges of the rails, respectively, and the bight extending over the outer longitudinal surfces of the rails;
• the carriages including a pedestal for mounting gripping means for gripping the web of material;
• the gripping means gripping the web of material at positions in vertical alignment with the rails upon which the carriages are mounted;
• (h) means for mounting the carriages on the axles which have the first rollers thereon, and
• (i) roller means on each of the carriages for engaging the rail at the bevelled upper portion of the outer longitudinal surface adjacent to the upper edge of the rail;
• the bevelled lower portion of the outer longitudinal surface adjacent the lower edge, and at the inner surface of the rail wherein each carriage is stably mounted on one of the rails with spacing between each carriage and adjacent carriages determined by the angle between the links.