Web having alignment indicia and an associated web feeding and working apparatus
AssigneeGerber Scientific Products, Inc.
InventorsCharles M. Hevenor, Thomas A. Gordon
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A web and an associated web feeding and handling apparatus for performing a work operation on the web is disclosed. The apparatus feeds the web in a feed direction longitudinally of itself by means of a friction drive. The operation of the drive is controlled by lateral and longitudinal alignment indicia located on the web which insure that the web is properly aligned with the feed direction as the web is initially fed into and then through the apparatus, and to insure that any bowing of the web during the work operation is corrected or compensated for.
Claims11
A web feeding and handling apparatus comprising:
- a roller mounted for rotation about a longitudinal roller axis extending perpendicular to the feed path, the roller being movable between a first position wherein the roller axis is approximately perpendicular to a web feed direction and a deflected position when a portion of the roller axis is displaced away from the first position;
- a displacement mechanism engageable with the roller for moving the roller between the first and deflected positions;
- a plurality of pinch wheels spaced along the roller for movement between a working position, and a non-working position, the axis of each pinch wheel being parallel with the roller axis during operation of the web feeding and handling apparatus;
- said pinch wheels in the working position cooperating with the roller to define a nip for receiving the web;
- a tool engageable with the web and moveable relative thereto for performing a work operation on the web;
- a controller for generating control signals corresponding to the work operation to be performed on the web;
- and
- drive means for rotationally driving the roller according to signals issued from the controller.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.