Apparatus for adjusting alignment of advancing sheet material

Apparatus for advancing sheet material along a given path comprising:

• first and second endless belts;
• a first shaft and first and second pulleys mounted thereto;
• a second shaft and third and fourth pulleys mounted thereto;
• said first belt passing around said first pulley and said third pulley, said second belt passing around said second pulley and said fourth pulley;
• means for supporting said belts in respective parallel runs which together for at least a portion thereof define said given path, an outer surface of each belt lying in a common plane defining a support for said sheet material;
• means for driving said first shaft;
• said first pulley being fixed to said first shaft to rotate therewith and drive said first belt;
• said second pulley being rotatably mounted to said first shaft;
• means coupling said driving means to said second pulley to drive said second pulley in synchronism with said first pulley to drive said second belt in synchronism with said first belt;
• means coupled to said belts for engaging an upstream edge of sheet material disposed on said belts, said engaging means being generally aligned so as to define an engaging line generally perpendicular to said runs, said engaging means engaging said sheet material along said line to advance said sheet material along said path when said belts are driven;
• and
• selectively actuable adjusting means coupled to said second pulley for rotating said second pulley relative to said first shaft and said first pulley independently of rotation of said first shaft and said first pulley to adjust said engaging means coupled to said second belt relative to said engaging means coupled to said first belt to adjust said line relative to said runs, said adjusting means being actuable to rotate said second pulley independently of whether said driving means is driving said first and second pulleys.

Apparatus for advancing sheet material along a given path comprising:

• first and second endless belts;
• a first shaft and first and second pulleys mounted thereto;
• a second shaft and third and fourth pulleys mounted thereto;
• said first belt passing around said first pulley and said third pulley, said second belt passing around said second pulley and said fourth pulley;
• means for supporting said belts in respective parallel runs which together for at least a portion thereof define said given path, an outer surface of each belt lying in a common plane defining a support for said sheet material;
• means for driving said first shaft;
• said first pulley being fixed to said first shaft to rotate therewith and drive said first belt;
• said second pulley being rotatably mounted to said first shaft;
• a first helical gear fixed to said second pulley to rotate said second pulley upon rotation thereof;
• a third shaft;
• means for supporting said third shaft for rotation and for limited axial movement;
• a second helical gear fixed to said third shaft to rotate therewith and meshed with said first helical gear to drive said first helical gear;
• means coupling said driving means to said third shaft to rotate said third shaft in synchronism with said first shaft so as to drive said second pulley in synchronism with said first pulley and said second belt in synchronism with said first belt;
• means coupled to said belts for engaging an upstream edge of sheet material disposed on said belts, said engaging means being generally aligned so as to define an engaging line generally perpendicular to said runs, said engaging means engaging said sheet material along said line to advance said sheet material along said path when said belts are driven;
• and
• selectively actuable adjusting means coupled to said third shaft for axially moving said third shaft and with it said second helical gear.