Stop brake for supply mandrel

In combination with a supply roll mandrel supported for rotation about its central axle on a conveyorized transport table of the type having a means for drawing a length of sheet material from the supply roll to cover material laid onto the table to be worked on, a brake cooperating with the mandrel having an outer surface for stopping rotation thereof, said brake comprising:

• a means for supporting the mandrel for rotation about said central axis of rotation;
• said support means including first and second generally upstanding members spaced from one another a distance less than the length of said mandrel;
• a generally U-shaped member having a transversely extending bar extending generally substantially across the spacing between said first and second generally upstanding members for the purpose of engaging said sheet material as it feeds from the supply roll, said generally U-shaped member further being defined by two brake arms each connected to said transversely extending bar at opposite ends thereof;
• each of said brake arms including a means for pivoting the brake arm about a common pivot axis oriented parallel to said central axis of rotation of said mandrel between a first given orientation and a second orientation;
• each of said brake arms further including an upper end portion and a lower end portion, the lower end portions each being associated with said transversely extending bar and the upper end portions thereof each including a holding means for engaging with and holding said mandrel outer surface to prevent it from rotating;
• said holding means being engaged with the outer surface of the mandrel when each of said brake arms is in said first given orientation and being maintained out of engagement with the outer surface of the mandrel when in said second given orientation corresponding respectively to when said means for drawing sheet material off said supply roll is not activated and when it is activated;
• biasing means interposed between each of said first and second generally upstanding support members and each brake arm of said generally U-shaped member to normally urge said generally U-shaped member toward said mandrel and maintain it in said given first orientation when said means for drawing sheet material off said supply roll is not activated, each of said brake arms includes a journalling part which receives a pivot pin therein, said pivot pin pivotally connecting each of the first and second upstanding members to its associated brake arm;
• said journalling part associated with each brake arm being located between the upper end portion and the lower end portion of each brake arm;
• disposed at the upper end portion of each of said two brake arms is a generally L-shaped part defining a pocket therein;
• and
• wherein said holding means further includes a strap formed from flexible material capable of conforming about a portion of the outer surface of said mandrel when each of said brake arms are in said first given orientation.

In combination with a supply roll mandrel supported for rotation about its central axis on a conveyorized transport table of the type having a means for drawing a length of sheet material from the supply roll to cover material laid onto the table to be worked on, a brake cooperating with the mandrel having an outer surface for stopping rotation thereof, said brake comprising:

• a means for supporting the mandrel for rotation about said central axis of rotation;
• said support means including first and second generally upstanding members spaced from one another a distance less than the length of said mandrel;
• a generally U-shaped member having a transversely extending bar extending generally substantially across the spacing between said first and second generally upstanding members for the purpose of engaging said sheet material as it feeds from the supply roll;
• and generally U-shaped member further being defined by two brake arms each connected to said transversely extending bar at opposite ends thereof;
• each of said brake arms including a means for pivoting the brake arm about a common pivot axis oriented parallel to said central axis of rotation of said mandrel between a first given orientation and a second orientation;
• each of said brake arms further including an upper end portion and a lower end portion, the lower end portions each being associated with said transversely extending bar and the upper end portions thereof each including a holding means for engaging with and holding said mandrel outer surface to prevent it from rotating;
• said holding means being engaged with the outer surface of the mandrel when each of said brake arms is in said first given orientation and being maintained out of engagement with the outer surface of the mandrel when in said second given orientation corresponding respectively to when said means for drawing sheet material off said supply roll is not activated and when it is activated;
• and
• biasing means interposed between each of said first and second generally upstanding support members and each brake arm of said generally U-shaped member to normally urge said generally U-shaped member toward said mandrel and maintain it in said given first orientation when said means for drawing sheet material off said supply roll is not activated;
• said holding means associated with each of said brake arms is configured such that it cooperates with said means supporting said mandrel for rotation about said central axis such that said mandrel is restrained against moving away from said means supporting said mandrel when each of said brake arms is in said first given orientation;
• said holding means is configured as a pocket conformable to the surface of said mandrel when engaged with the mandrel to hold the mandrel in braking engagement with the brake arms against rotation.