Patent DE-10035021-A1 (DE)
Title: System for the alignment of moving fabric edges has a fabric support and an alignment unit plate which is pressed against the fabric to shift it across the direction of travel by a setting unit triggered by edge sensors
IPC: B65H23/032
Filed: 2000-07-19
Abstract: The assembly to align a fabric (1) accurately at the edges, while being carried in a forward direction (10), has at least one fabric support (3). An alignment unit (4) is at the opposite side of the support to the fabric, which rotates around an axis at right angle to the supported fabric. It has a position where the fabric moves through and a setting where the moving fabric is shifted across the line of travel.  The assembly to align the edges of a moving fabric has an alignment unit at the fabric support which can move to and from the support, or is set only orthogonal to the fabric or the support where the fabric either runs through without effect or the alignment unit presses the fabric against the support. The support is a rotating roller or shaft, a non-rotating roller or a support edge, or it is a plate. Each alignment unit is a plate, parallel to the moving fabric and at the support zone. The surface of the plate is contoured (9) towards the fabric or the support so that, when pressed against the fabric/support, it gives the fabric a shift movement across the direction of travel. The contouring of the plate surface is a band of parallel strips or linear projections, at an angle to the direction of fabric travel. An alignment unit is close to each edge of the moving fabric, moved into position by a setting unit, which is triggered by fabric edge sensors (6). The alignment unit can also be fitted with a drive system on the side towards the moving fabric, using a belt or chain drive to shift the fabric across its direction of travel. The belts or chains are parallel to each other, to be operated together by a common drive, and they are pitched at an acute angle to the direction of fabric travel. Where the moving fabric is in two layers, over each other, the flat and smooth support is between the fabrics. An alignment unit for each of the fabric layers is at the opposite side of each fabric to the common support between them to allow them to travel through without effect or to be shifted across their direction of travel to bring their edges into the required alignment. The support for the two fabrics is a single or double and parallel plate structure, and can be moved into the working position between the two fabrics or a rest position where it is outside and near the fabric edges. The surfaces of the fabric support and the alignment unit can carry bars, with grooves between them, with an offset between the support and alignment unit so that the bars of the alignment unit fit into the grooves at the support. The bars/grooves are parallel to each other, and are pitched at an acute angle to the direction of fabric travel so that their line from the entry side is directed towards the center of the fabric. The bars have an adjustable penetration depth into their facing grooves. The support and the alignment unit can rotate around a vertical axis, to alter the angle of their surface contours to the direction of fabric travel, and be locked in their adjusted setting. The contour bars are formed by upright plates, with the spaces between them acting as the grooves. Their length is set so that a rolled fabric edge at the entry is fully stripped out to lie on the same plane as the fabric. The stripped fabric edge is fed to the end of the bars/grooves and held at or near the end to be carried away.