US 5,244,138 A · Roller for supporting a web having axially slidable staves

Abstract

A roller over which advances a web of material such as paper, photographic film or the like includes a plurality of staves organized in first and second arrays with the staves of the first array alternating with the staves of the second array to provide surfaces for supporting the web. The staves are each individually mounted on the roller by separate spring legs which center the staves. Flanges are located at the ends of the roller to position the web laterally. When the web obliquely approaches the axis of the roller so as to helically advance thereover, the staves sequentially and independently shift axially due to engagement with the helically advancing web. After the web leaves the roller, the stave that the web was most recently supported by returns under the bias of the spring legs to its central, unbiased position. In this way, damage to the edges of the web, due to engagement with the flanges, is minimized.

Claims9

Dependent claims

A roller which rotates about an axis as a web of material advances thereover, the roller comprising:

a plurality of axially extending staves having opposite ends and providing a plurality of independent support surfaces for sequentially supporting the web, and
resilient constraining means connected to the staves for constraining the staves to motion in only opposite axial directions with respect to the axis of the roller against the bias of the resilient constraining means,
said plurality of staves including first staves and second staves arranged around the roller in alternate arrays in which adjacent each first stave there is a second stave,
said first and second staves being identical with the first and second staves being staggered axially with respect to one another,
wherein the staves each have shoulders adjacent to each end and a land portion disposed between the shoulders wherein the width of the shoulders is substantially less than that of the land portions and wherein the surfaces defined by the shoulders are at a radius with respect to the axis of the roller which is greater than the surfaces defined by the land portions.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Roller for supporting a web having axially slidable staves

Life of this patent

Roller for supporting a web having axially slidable staves

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims9