Apparatus for conveying and joining lengths of rubberized fabric

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR CONVEYING AND JOINING LENGTHS OF RUBBERIZED FABRIC COMPRISING AN ENDLESS BELT CONVEYOR TO CONVEY SAID FABRIC AT SUCCESIVE INTERMITTENT INTERVALS FOR SEVERING INTO SUCCESSIVE LENGTHS, MEANS FOR BIAS-CUTTING RUBBERIZED FABRIC MOUNTED ON TH ENDLESS BELT CONVEYOR INTO A LENGTH AT EACH INTERVAL, MEANS CONTROLLED BY THE LEADING EDGE OF THE FABRIC BEYOND SAID CUTTING MEANS TO ARREST THE MOVEMENT OF SAID FABRIC PRIOR TO CUTTING WHILE A SEVERED LENGTH IS MOVED TO POSITION FOR JOINING TO A PREVIOUSLY SEVERED LENGTH, MEANS CONTROLLED BY THE LEADING EDGE OF EACH SUCCESSIVE SEVERED LENGTH OF FABRIC BEYOND SAID POSITION OF CUTTING TO STOP SAID CONVEYOR IN POSITION FOR JOINING TO A PREVIOUSLY SEVERED LENGTH, A CLAMPING MEMBER LOCATED IN THE JOINING POSITION AND DISPOSED SO AS TO CLAMP ONTO A MARGINAL PORTION OF A LENGTH OF FABRIC MOUNTED ON THE ENDLESS BELT CONVEYOR TO JOIN IT TO THE MARGINAL PORTION OF A SECOND LENGTH OF FABRIC DISPOSED BENEATH THE CLAMPING MEMBER, MEANS FOR ALTERNATIVELY RAISING AND LOWERING THE CLAMPING MEMBER TO MOVE IT CLEAR OF AND TO CLAMP IT UPON THE SAID MARGINAL PORTIONS, AND MEANS FOR INTERMITTENTLY WITHDRAWING, SIDEWAYS RELATIVE TO THE DIRECTION OF THE ENDLESS BELT CONVEYOR, JOINED LENGTHS OF FABRIC SO THAT AN UNJOINED MARGINAL PORTION REMAINS IN THE JOINING POSITION.