Patent ID: 6830212
Filing Date: 2004-12-14
Classification: B65H

Abstract:
A web tracking and repositioning apparatus comprising:at least one pivoting conveyor roll pivotally and rotatably supported at its center providing axial movement about a bearing assembly disposed at the center point of the roll; a longitudinal fixed shaft extending through said conveyor roll having distal ends fixedly housed within support members located at each end of the shaft; said bearing assembly having a bore for positioning around and accommodating the fixed shaft and connecting to a cylindrical sleeve coaxially mounted about and spaced apart from said fixed shaft and being positioned and balanced at a weighted center about said bearing assembly; said cylindrical sleeve extending outward to points proximate said support members and interconnected to a pair of guide means for repositioning a web of material disposed at each end of said cylindrical sleeve; said guide means comprises a pair of eccentrically mounted cam members on either side of said conveyor roll having an eccentric aperture therein for mounting about said fixed shaft with a pin fixedly mounted at a location spaced apart from the eccentric aperture and interconnected with an elongated slot in corresponding end cap members inserted within the cylindrical sleeve, said cam members being in substantial parallel alignment to each other, in perpendicular alignment to said cylindrical sleeve and Juxtaposed to said end cap members, said elongated slot causing translational motion of said cylindrical sleeve in response to rotational displacement of said pin mounted in said cam member; said guide means being capable of accommodating forward and rearward motion of said cylindrical sleeve in the direction and counter-direction of movement of the web of material passing over said cylindrical sleeve; said cylindrical sleeve being deflectable in forward and rearward directions swiveling in an arcuate motion in a horizontal plane about said bearing assembly in accordance with the translational motion of said guide means from a neutral position; said guide means being moveable in response to frictional contact of said web of material with one of said guide means indicating a sideways misalignment of said web of material which exerts a force on said one guide means moving said one guide means forward in the direction of movement, and moving said other guide means rearward in the counter-direction of movement, of said web of material causing said conveyor roll to pivot about the centrally located bearing assembly with the end of said roll which is pivoted forward steering the misaligned web of material away from the end of the conveyor roll and toward the center repositioning said web of material on the conveyor roll and correcting the misalignment of said web of material.