# US 5,707,024 A · Method and an apparatus for the parallel displacement of a material web > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,707,024 A - Document ID: US5707024A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/584,552 - Filed: 1996-01-11 - Granted: 1998-01-13 - Earliest claimed: 1995-01-11 - Assignees: Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A. - Inventors: Henrik Mellquist; Rolf Thulin; Hans Nantin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5707024A ## CPC - B65H 20/02: by friction roller - B65H 20/24: by looping or like devices - B65H 2511/112: of a loop, e.g. a free loop or a loop of dancer rollers - B65H 2513/10: Speed - B65H 2801/69: Form fill-and-seal machines - B65H: HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES ## Abstract A method and an apparatus for the parallel displacement of a material web (1) are disclosed, in that the material web (1) is, between two driven bending rollers (6,8), caused to form a freely depending bight or loop (11) whose lower end is read-off by a sensing device (12). The sensing device (12) controls the speed of the first bending roller (6), while the second bending roller (8) is driven at constant speed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of parallel displacement of a material web, by advancing the material web past a splicing apparatus, over a first, driven bending roller, and over a second, driven bending roller, which is offset in parallel in relation to the first bending roller, comprising causing the material web to form a freely depending bight or loop in the path of material advancement downstream of said splicing apparatus whose lower position is read-off by a sensing device which controls the driving of one of the first and second bending rollers. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of parallel displacement of a material web as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensing device comprises a photocell. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensing device controls the driving of the first bending roller so that the bending roller is driven at a lower speed when the material loop covers the sensing device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first bending roller is driven at a higher speed when the sensing device is not covered by the material loop. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the speed of the second bending roller is constant and is slower than the high speed of the first bending roller. ### Claim 6 An apparatus for parallel displacement of a material web, comprising a storage reel, a first driven bending roller, a second driven bending roller offset in parallel in relation to the first bending roller and to the storage reel such that the material web is disposed between the first and second drive rollers to create a freely depending bight or loop, a sensing device which is disposed to control the speed of one of the bending rollers, and a splicing apparatus positioned between said storage reel and said first driven bending roller to splice said material web from said storage reel. ### Claim 7 An apparatus for parallel displacement of a material web, comprising: a first roller; a second roller offset in parallel relative to said first roller to create a freely depending bight when a material web is disposed between said first and second rollers; a sensing device positioned to sense a position of said bight, said sensing device generating a signal usable to control the speed of one of said first and second rollers; and a splicing apparatus positioned upstream of said first roller, said splicing apparatus capable of splicing a material web moving toward said first roller from a first storage reel upstream of said splicing apparatus to a material web from a second storage reel upstream of said splicing apparatus and offset parallel to said first storage reel. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) An apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a magazine reel downstream of said second roller and movable between a first, full, unused position and a second, empty, used position, wherein when a material web is moving past said magazine reel and said magazine reel moves from said first position to said second position, an amount of material web is fed downstream of said magazine reel to allow said splicing apparatus to splice said material web. ### Claim 9 A method of controlling the parallel displacement of a material web in an apparatus that advances the material web from a first storage reel, past a splicing apparatus, over a first roller, and over second roller which is offset relative to the first roller, comprising the steps of: forming a bight in the material web between the two rollers and in the path of material advancement downstream of said splicing apparatus; determining whether said bight extends to at least a lower position; and controlling the driving of one of said first and second rollers based upon the result of said determining step. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) A method according to claim 9, further comprising the steps: feeding a length of material web downstream of a magazine reel by moving said magazine reel from a first, full, unused position to a second, empty, used position; and splicing said material web from said first storage reel to a material web from a second storage reel, said length of material web sufficient to allow said splicing without stopping any apparatus downstream of said magazine reel.