Measuring of tension and moments in a thin flexible tape

Claim 1

A device for measuring stresses in a thin flexible tape material, comprising: at least one pair of guide elements, spaced from each other and having guide surfaces on adjacent sides, which guide surfaces extend substantially parallel to each other and between which surfaces a guide channel is formed for the tape material, supply ducts terminating in said guide surfaces, for supplying to both sides of a tape in the guide channel a pressurized gaseous medium by which the tape can be guided longitudinally in the guide channel along a path substantially parallel to and spaced from said guide surfaces, at least one respective measuring duct having a respective measuring duct termination in each guide surface arranged at least substantially directly opposite a measuring duct termination in the other guide surface, forming therewith a pair of measuring-duct terminations, and at least one pressure transducer communicating with the measuring ducts, characterized in that the guide surfaces have correspondingly curved shapes arranged such that the tape material is guided in the guided channel along a curved path, and the device further comprises measuring means, connected to the pressure transducer for measuring the pressure difference on both sides of the tape material such that the device measures local tensile stresses in the tape material.

Claim 2

A device for measuring stresses in a thin flexible tape material, comprising: at least one pair of guide elements, spaced from each other and having guide surfaces on adjacent sides, which guide surfaces extend substantially parallel to each other and between which surfaces a guide channel is formed for the tape material, supply ducts terminating in said guide surfaces, for supplying to both sides of a tape in the guide channel a pressurized gaseous medium by which the tape can be guided longitudinally in the guide channel along a path substantially parallel to and spaced from said guide surfaces, at least one respective measuring duct having a respective measuring duct termination in each guide surface arranged at least substantially directly opposite a measuring duct termination in the other guide surface, forming therewith a pair of measuring-duct terminations, and at least one pressure transducer communicating with the measuring ducts, characterized in that the guide surfaces have correspondingly curved shapes arranged such that the tape material is guided in the guided channel along a curved path, and the device further comprises measuring means, connected to the pressure transducer for measuring the pressure difference on both sides of the tape material such that the device measures local tensile stresses in the tape material.

Claim 8

A device as claimed in any one of claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6, characterized in that the device comprises two pairs of guide elements, rigidly connected to each other and forming guide channels which adjoin each other and are arranged to guide the tape material along an undulating path.

Claim 11

A method of adjusting a tape transport apparatus having guides past which the tape material is passed in the longitudinal tape direction, comprising providing a measuring device having at least one pair of curved guide elements spaced from the extending substantially parallel to each other to define a guide channel therebetween having a curved guide path, and means for supplying pressurized gaseous medium to both sides of a tape material in said guide channel, arranging said device on said apparatus such that tape material being transported past said tape guides is fed between said guide surfaces along said curved path, measuring the difference in pressure between the two sides of the tape at at least one location along said curved path, determining, responsive to said measuring step, at least one parameter describing the transport of the tape, and adjusting the position of an element of said apparatus responsive to the value of said parameter.

Claim 12

A method of adjusting a tape transport apparatus having guides past which the tape material is passed in the longitudinal tape direction, comprising providing a measuring device having at least one pair of curved guide elements spaced from the extending substantially parallel to each other to define a guide channel therebetween having a curved guide path, and means for supplying pressurized gaseous medium to both sides of a tape material in said guide channel, arranging said device on said apparatus such that tape material being transported past said tape guides is fed between said guide surfaces along said curved path, measuring the difference in pressure between the two sides of the tape at at least one location along said curved path, determining, responsive to said measuring step, at least one parameter describing the transport of the tape, and adjusting the position of an element of said apparatus responsive to the value of said parameter.