Pin belt mechanism for movement of a continuous strip

Claim 2

Mechanism for movement of a continuous web provided with a longitudinal row of apertures comprising: a pair of spaced-apart rotatable wheels, rotatable about parallel axes, an annular flexible band having opposed side edges, the Band encompassing the wheels and rotatable therewith, a guide member within the confines of the band and intermediate the wheels, the guide member being provided with a guide surface having a main portion and a first ramp portion and a second ramp portion, the main portion being substantially straight and separating the ramp portions, the guide member having a channel, the guide surface of the guide member being within the channel, a plurality of pin members attached to the band in aligned relationship intermediate the side edges thereof, each pin member having a base engageable with the guide surface of the guide member and movable therealong, the pin members being moved with rotative movement of the band as the pin members move in seriatim relationship along the guide surface of the guide member, each pin member moving along the first ramp portion of the surface to the main portion thereof and then along the main portion to the second ramp portion and then along the second ramp portion to the end of the guide surface of the guide member, the pin members being adapted to move a continuous web as a substantially coplanar portion of the web is disposed adjacent the band and is substantially parallel to the main portion of the guide surface of the guide member, the coplanar portion of the web being farther from the ramp portions of the guide surface of the guide member than from the main portion of the guide surface of the guide member, each pin member thus approaching the web at an angle as the pin member moves along the first ramp portion and gradually and freely enters into an aperture of the web, without distortion of the web at the edge of the aperture, the pin member engaging an edge of the aperture after the pin member enters the aperture and is normal to the coplanar portion of the web, the pin member thus being in driving relationship to the web as the pin member engages the web at an edge portion of the aperture, the pin member then moving in a substantially straight line along the main portion of the guide surface of the guide member, the pin member then gradually moving from the aperture in the web as the pin member moves along the second ramp portion of the guide surface of the guide member, the pin member thus smoothly withdrawing from the aperture without distortion of the web at the edge of the aperture.

Claim 3

Mechanism for movement of a continuous web provided with a longitudinal row of apertures comprising: a pair of spaced-apart rotatable wheels, rotatable about parallel axes, an annular flexible band having opposed side edges, the band encompassing the wheels and rotatable therewith, a guide member within the confines of the band and intermediate the wheels, the guide member being provided with a guide surface having a main portion and a first ramp portion and a second ramp portion, the main portion being substantially straight and separating the ramp portions, a plurality of pin members attached to the band in aligned relationship intermediate the side edges thereof, each pin member having a base engageable with the guide surface of the guide member and movable therealong, the pin members being moved with rotative movement of the band as the pin members move in seriatim relationship along the guide surface of the guide member, each pin member moving along the first ramp portion of the surface to the main portion thereof and then along the main portion to the second ramp portion and then along the second ramp portion to the end of the guide surface of the guide member, the band having a plurality of holes therethrough, each pin member extending through a hole in the band, the band having a plurality of spaced-apart lugs on the inner surface thereof and each of the wheels having a plurality of spaced-apart lugs at the periphery thereof, lugs of the wheels and lugs of the band being in meshed relationship, each hole in the band being intermediate two of the lugs thereof, each pin member having a stem portion snugly disposed Within a hole of the belt, with parts of the pin member at opposed sides of the belt, each stem portion having a lesser cross-sectional dimension than the parts of the pin member at the opposed sides of the belt, the pin members being adapted to move a continuous web as a substantially coplanar portion of the web is disposed adjacent the band and is substantially parallel to the main portion of the guide surface of the guide member, the coplanar portion of the web being farther from the ramp portions of the guide surface of the guide member than from the main portion of the guide surface of the guide member, each pin member thus approaching the web at an angle as the pin member moves along the first ramp portion and gradually and freely enters into an aperture of the web, without distortion of the web at the edge of the aperture, the pin member engaging an edge of the aperture after the pin member enters the aperture and is normal to the coplanar portion of the web, the pin member thus being in driving relationship to the web as the pin member engages the web at an edge portion of the aperture, the pin member then moving in a substantially straight line along the main portion of the guide surface of the guide member, the pin member then gradually moving from the aperture in the web as the pin member moves along the second ramp portion of the guide surface of the guide member, the pin member thus smoothly withdrawing from the aperture without distortion of the web at the edge of the aperture.

Claim 4

Mechanism for movement of a continuous web provided with a longitudinal row of apertures comprising: a pair of spaced-apart rotatable wheels, rotatable about parallel axes, an annular flexible band having opposed side edges, the band encompassing the wheels and rotatable therewith, a guide member within the confines of the band and intermediate the wheels, the guide member being provided with a guide surface having a main portion and a first ramp portion and a second ramp portion, the main portion being substantially straight and separating the ramp portions, a plurality of pin members attached to the band in aligned relationship intermediate the side edges thereof, each pin member having a base engageable with the guide surface of the guide member and movable therealong, the pin members being moved with rotative movement of the band as the pin members move in seriatim relationship along the guide surface of the guide member, each pin member moving along the first ramp portion of the surface to the main portion thereof and then along the main portion to the second ramp portion and then along the second ramp portion to the end of the guide surface of the guide member, the band having a plurality of holes therethrough, each pin member extending through a hole in the band, the band having a plurality of spaced-apart lugs on the inner surface thereof and each of the wheels having a plurality of spaced-apart lugs at the periphery thereof, lugs of the wheels and lugs of the band being in meshed relationship, each hole in the band being intermediate two of the lugs thereof, each pin member having a stem portion snugly disposed Within a hole of the belt, with parts of the pin member at opposed sides of the belt, each stem portion having a lesser cross-sectional dimension than the parts of the pin member at the opposed sides of the belt, the pin members being adapted to move a continuous web as a substantially coplanar portion of the web is disposed adjacent the band and is substantially parallel to the main portion of the guide surface of the guide member, the coplanar portion of the web being farther from the ramp portions of the guide surface of the guide member than from the main portion of the guide surface of the guide member, each pin member thus approaching the web at an angle as the pin member moves along the first ramp portion and gradually and freely enters into an aperture of the web, without distortion of the web at the edge of the aperture, the pin member engaging an edge of the aperture after the pin member enters the aperture and is normal to the coplanar portion of the web, the pin member thus being in driving relationship to the web as the pin member engages the web at an edge portion of the aperture, the pin member then moving in a substantially straight line along the main portion of the guide surface of the guide member, the pin member then gradually moving from the aperture in the web as the pin member moves along the second ramp portion of the guide surface of the guide member, the pin member thus smoothly withdrawing from the aperture without distortion of the web at the edge of the aperture.

Claim 5

Mechanism for movement of a continuous web provided with a longitudinal row of apertures comprising: a pair of spaced-apart rotatable wheels, rotatable about parallel axes, an annular flexible band having opposed side edges, the band encompassing the wheels and rotatable therewith, a guide member within the confines of the band and intermediate the wheels, the guide member being provided with a guide surface having a main portion and a first ramp portion and a second ramp portion, the main portion being substantially straight and separating the ramp portions, a plurality of pin members attached to the band in aligned relationship intermediate the side edges thereof, each pin member having a base engageable with the guide surface of the guide member and movable therealong, the pin members being moved with rotative movement of the band as the pin members move in seriatim relationship along the guide surface of the guide member, each pin member moving along the first ramp portion of the surface to the main portion thereof and then along the main portion to the second ramp portion and then along the second ramp portion to the end of the guide surface of the guide member, the pin members being adapted to move a continuous web as a substantially coplanar portion of the web is disposed adjacent the band and is substantially parallel to the main portion of the guide surface of the guide member, the coplanar portion of the web being farther from the ramp portions of the guide surface of the guide member than from the main portion of the guide surface of the guide member, each pin member thus approaching the web at an angle as the pin member moves along the first ramp portion and gradually and freely enters into an aperture of the web, without distortion of the web at the edge of the aperture, the pin member engaging an edge of the aperture after the pin member enters the aperture and is normal to the coplanar portion of the web, the pin member thus being in driving relationship to the web as the pin member engages the web at an edge portion of the aperture, the pin member then moving in a substantially straight line along the main portion of the guide surface of the guide member, the pin member then gradually moving from the aperture in the web as the pin member moves along the second ramp portion of the guide surface of the guide member, the pin member thus smoothly withdrawing from the aperture without distortion of the web at the edge of the aperture, a pAir of substantially parallel spaced-apart shafts, one of the shafts being rotatable and the other shaft being non-rotatable, one of the wheels being rotatably attached to the non-rotatable shaft for rotation with respect thereto, the other wheel being attached to the rotatable shaft for rotation therewith, each wheel being slidably axially movable upon its respective shaft, support means carried by the shafts adjacent the wheels and movable along the shafts, the guide member being carried by the support means, clamping means attached to the support means and engageable with the non-rotatable shaft for securing the position of the support means with respect to the shafts.

Claim 6

Mechanism for movement of a continuous web provided with a longitudinal row of apertures comprising: a pair of spaced-apart rotatable wheels, rotatable about parallel axes, an annular flexible band having opposed side edges, the band encompassing the wheels and rotatable therewith, a guide member within the confines of the band and intermediate the wheels, the guide member being provided with a guide surface having a main portion and a first ramp portion and a second ramp portion, the main portion being substantially straight and separating the ramp portions, a plurality of pin members attached to the band in aligned relationship intermediate the side edges thereof, each pin member having a base engageable with the guide surface of the guide member and movable therealong, the pin members being moved with rotative movement of the band as the pin members move in seriatim relationship along the guide surface of the guide member, each pin member moving along the first ramp portion of the surface to the main portion thereof and then along the main portion to the second ramp portion and then along the second ramp portion to the end of the guide surface of the guide member, the pin members being adapted to move a continuous web as a substantially coplanar portion of the web is disposed adjacent the band and is substantially parallel to the main portion of the guide surface of the guide member, the coplanar portion of the web being farther from the ramp portions of the guide surface of the guide member than from the main portion of the guide surface of the guide member, each pin member thus approaching the web at an angle as the pin member moves along the first ramp portion and gradually and freely enters into an aperture of the web, without distortion of the web at the edge of the aperture, the pin member engaging an edge of the aperture after the pin member enters the aperture and is normal to the coplanar portion of the web, the pin member thus being in driving relationship to the web as the pin member engages the web at an edge portion of the aperture, the pin member then moving in a substantially straight line along the main portion of the guide surface of the guide member, the pin member then gradually moving from the aperture in the web as the pin member moves along the second ramp portion of the guide surface of the guide member, the pin member thus smoothly withdrawing from the aperture without distortion of the web at the edge of the aperture, a pAir of substantially parallel spaced-apart shafts, one of the shafts being rotatable and the other shaft being non-rotatable, one of the wheels being rotatably attached to the non-rotatable shaft for rotation with respect thereto, the other wheel being attached to the rotatable shaft for rotation therewith, each wheel being slidably axially movable upon its respective shaft, support means carried by the shafts adjacent the wheels and movable along the shafts, the guide member being carried by the support means, clamping means attached to the support means and engageable with the non-rotatable shaft for securing the position of the support means with respect to the shafts.

Claim 7

Mechanism for movement of a continuous strip which is provided with a longitudinal row of apertures comprising: an annular flexible band arranged to rotate about a pair of substantially parallel axes, the band including a belt having a pair of side edges and a plurality of pins arranged in aligned spaced-apart relationship around the belt and disposed between the side edges thereof, guide means within the confines of the band and engageable thereby, the guide means having an elongate main surface portion which is substantially straight and a sloped surface portion leading to the elongate main surface portion, successive portions of the band moving along the sloped surface portion to the main surface portion as the pins gradually enter the apertures in a strip which is substantially parallel to the main surface portion, successive portions of the band then moving along the elongate main surface portion as the pins within the apertures engage the strip at the edges of the apertures and move the strip, the belt having holes therein in which the pins are removably disposed, each pin having opposed end portions and an intermediate portion, the intermediate portion being snugly disposed within a hole in the belt, the intermediate portion of each pin being smaller than the opposed end portions of the pin.

Claim 8

Mechanism for movement of a continuous strip which is provided with a longitudinal row of apertures comprising: an annular flexible band arranged to rotate about a pair of substantially parallel axes, the band including a belt having a pair of side edges and a plurality of pins arranged in aligned spaced-apart relationship around the belt and disposed between the side edges thereof, guide means within the confines of the band and engageable thereby, the guide means having an elongate main surface portion which is substantially straight and a sloped surface portion leading to the elongate main surface portion, successive portions of the band moving along the sloped surface portion to the main surface portion as the pins gradually enter the apertures in a strip which is substantially parallel to the main surface portion, successive portions of the band then moving along the elongate main surface portion as the pins within the apertures engage the strip at the edges of the apertures and move the strip, the belt having holes therein in which the pins are removably disposed, each pin having opposed end portions and an intermediate portion, the intermediate portion being snugly disposed within a hole in the belt, the intermediate portion of each pin being smaller than the opposed end portions of the pin.

Claim 9

Mechanism for movement of a continuous strip which is provided with a longitudinal row of apertures comprising: an annular flexible band arranged to rotate about a pair of substantially parallel axes, the band including a belt having a pair of side edges and a plurality of pins arranged in aligned spaced-apart relationship around the belt and disposed between the side edges thereof, guide means within the confines of the band and engageable thereby, the guide means having an elongate main surface portion which is substantially straight and a sloped surface portion leading to the elongate main surface portion, successive portions of the band moving along the sloped surface portion to the main surface portion as the pins gradually enter the apertures in a strip which is substantially parallel to the main surface portion, successive portions of the band then moving along the elongate main surface portion as the pins within the apertures engage the strip at the edges of the apertures and move the strip, the guide means being provided with a channel in which the elongate main surface portion is located, the mechanism including a support member which covers the channel, the support member having a substantially coplanar surface, the strip having a portion in engagement with the coplanar surface of the support member, at least one of the pins being disposed within an aperture of the strip.

Claim 10

Mechanism for movement of a continuous strip which is provided with a longitudinal row of apertures comprising: an annular flexible band arranged to rotate about a pair of substantially parallel axes, the band including a belt having a pair of side edges and a plurality of pins arranged in aligned spaced-apart relationship around the belt and disposed between the side edges thereof, guide means within the confines of the band and engageable thereby, the guide means having an elongate main surface portion which is substantially straight and a sloped surface portion leading to the elongate main surface portion, successive portions of the band moving along the sloped surface portion to the main surface portion as the pins gradually enter the apertures in a strip which is substantially parallel to the main surface portion, successive portions of the band then moving along the elongate main surface portion as the pins within the apertures engage the strip at the edges of the apertures and move the strip, the guide means being provided with a channel in which the elongate main surface portion is located, the mechanism including a support member which covers the channel, the support member having a substantially coplanar surface, the strip having a portion in engagement with the coplanar surface of the support member, at least one of the pins being disposed within an aperture of the strip.

Claim 11

Mechanism for movement of a continuous web provided with a longitudinal row of apertures comprising: a pair of spaced-apart rotatable wheels, rotatable about parallel axes, an annular flexible band having opposed side edges, the band encompassing the wheels and rotatable therewith, a guide member within the confines of the band and intermediate the wheels, the guide member being provided with a guide surface having a main portion and a first ramp portion and a second ramp portion, the main portion being substantially straight and separating thE ramp portions, a plurality of pin members attached to the band in aligned relationship intermediate the side edges thereof, each pin member having a base engageable with the guide surface of the guide member and movable therealong, the pin members being moved with rotative movement of the band as the pin members move in seriatim relationship along the guide surface of the guide member, each pin member moving along the first ramp portion of the surface to the main portion thereof and then along the main portion to the second ramp portion and then along the second ramp portion to the end of the guide surface of the guide member, the pin members being adapted to move a continuous web as a substantially coplanar portion of the web is disposed adjacent the band and is substantially parallel to the main portion of the guide surface of the guide member, the coplanar portion of the web being farther from the ramp portions of the guide surface of the guide member than from the main portion of the guide surface of the guide member, each pin member thus approaching the web at an angle as the pin member moves along the first ramp portion and gradually and freely enters into an aperture of the web, without distortion of the web at the edge of the aperture, the pin member engaging an edge of the aperture after the pin member enters the aperture and is normal to the coplanar portion of the web, the pin member thus being in driving relationship to the web as the pin member engages the web at an edge portion of the aperture, the pin member then moving in a substantially straight line along the main portion of the guide surface of the guide member, the pin member then gradually moving from the aperture in the web as the pin member moves along the second ramp portion of the guide surface of the guide member, the pin member thus smoothly withdrawing from the aperture without distortion of the web at the edge of the aperture, web support means, the web support means having a planar part which is substantially parallel to and adjacent the main surface portion of the guide means, each pin member having a base portion movable between the web support means and the main portion of the guide surface of the guide member, the planar part of the web support means having a slot therein, a portion of each pin member being movable within the slot, the slot being open at one end thereof.

Claim 12

Mechanism for movement of a continuous web provided with a longitudinal row of apertures comprising: a pair of spaced-apart rotatable wheels, rotatable about parallel axes, an annular flexible band having opposed side edges, the band encompassing the wheels and rotatable therewith, a guide member within the confines of the band and intermediate the wheels, the guide member being provided with a guide surface having a main portion and a first ramp portion and a second ramp portion, the main portion being substantially straight and separating thE ramp portions, a plurality of pin members attached to the band in aligned relationship intermediate the side edges thereof, each pin member having a base engageable with the guide surface of the guide member and movable therealong, the pin members being moved with rotative movement of the band as the pin members move in seriatim relationship along the guide surface of the guide member, each pin member moving along the first ramp portion of the surface to the main portion thereof and then along the main portion to the second ramp portion and then along the second ramp portion to the end of the guide surface of the guide member, the pin members being adapted to move a continuous web as a substantially coplanar portion of the web is disposed adjacent the band and is substantially parallel to the main portion of the guide surface of the guide member, the coplanar portion of the web being farther from the ramp portions of the guide surface of the guide member than from the main portion of the guide surface of the guide member, each pin member thus approaching the web at an angle as the pin member moves along the first ramp portion and gradually and freely enters into an aperture of the web, without distortion of the web at the edge of the aperture, the pin member engaging an edge of the aperture after the pin member enters the aperture and is normal to the coplanar portion of the web, the pin member thus being in driving relationship to the web as the pin member engages the web at an edge portion of the aperture, the pin member then moving in a substantially straight line along the main portion of the guide surface of the guide member, the pin member then gradually moving from the aperture in the web as the pin member moves along the second ramp portion of the guide surface of the guide member, the pin member thus smoothly withdrawing from the aperture without distortion of the web at the edge of the aperture, web support means, the web support means having a planar part which is substantially parallel to and adjacent the main surface portion of the guide means, each pin member having a base portion movable between the web support means and the main portion of the guide surface of the guide member, the planar part of the web support means having a slot therein, a portion of each pin member being movable within the slot, the slot being open at one end thereof.