Web advance mechanism

Claim 2

Mechanism for advancing a web comprising, in combination: a shaft having a friction surface; means for rotating said shaft about its axis; spring means wound in cylindrical fashion through which said shaft passes, said spring means having a tail portion extending substantially normal to the axis of said shaft; and means for applying torque to said tail portion for urging said friction surface of said rotating shaft into contact with said web far advancing the same.

Claim 3

Mechanism for advancing a web comprising, in combination: a rotatable shaft having a friction surface; means for rotating said shaft in one axial direction and also capable of normally rotating said shaft in the opposite direction; spring means wound in cylindrical fashion through which said shaft passes and which is in contact therewith ovEr at least a major portion of a circumferential region of said shaft, said spring being wound such that as said shaft is rotated in said one direction, said spring means tends to unwind thereby increasing in effective diameter allowing said shaft to rotate freely and when said shaft is attempted to be rotated in said opposite direction said spring means tends to decrease in effective diameter creating sufficient friction with said shaft to prevent said rotation, said spring means including a tail portion extending from the wound portion of said spring in a direction substantially normal to the axis of said shaft; and means for applying torque to said tail portion for urging said friction surface of said shaft into contact with said web whereby when said shaft is rotated in said one direction by said rotational means, said web is advanced.

Claim 4

Mechanism for advancing a web comprising, in combination: a rotatable shaft having a friction surface; means for rotating said shaft in one axial direction and also capable of normally rotating said shaft in the opposite direction; spring means wound in cylindrical fashion through which said shaft passes and which is in contact therewith ovEr at least a major portion of a circumferential region of said shaft, said spring being wound such that as said shaft is rotated in said one direction, said spring means tends to unwind thereby increasing in effective diameter allowing said shaft to rotate freely and when said shaft is attempted to be rotated in said opposite direction said spring means tends to decrease in effective diameter creating sufficient friction with said shaft to prevent said rotation, said spring means including a tail portion extending from the wound portion of said spring in a direction substantially normal to the axis of said shaft; and means for applying torque to said tail portion for urging said friction surface of said shaft into contact with said web whereby when said shaft is rotated in said one direction by said rotational means, said web is advanced.

Claim 5

The combination as set forth in claim 2, wherein said rotational means comprises motion creating means and an additional spring means, also through which said shaft passes, substantially similar to said first named spring means, the tail portion of said additional spring means being coupled to said motion creating means, said motion creating means creating motion in a first direction causing said additional spring means to rotate around said shaft in such a direction to decrease in effective diameter causing said shaft to rotate in said one direction, said motion creating means being thereafter caused to create motion in a second direction which would normally cause said shaft to move in said opposite direction.

Claim 6

The combination as set forth in claim 3, wherein said motion creating means is a solenoid which creates motion is said first direction, and wherein said tail portion of said additional spring means creates bias on said solenoid to cause movement in said second direction.

Claim 7

The combination as set forth in claim 2, wherein said spring means includes bearing means for permitting rotational movement of said shaft while preventing lateral movement of the same.

Claim 8

The combination as set forth in claim 2, wherein the central portion of said shaft contains said friction surface and wherein said spring means comprise two torsion springs, one on either side of said friction surface portion.