Patent ID: 8286313

Claim:
A sheet or film clipping stretcher including first and second clip arrays composed of clips, respectively, and configured to clip both side edge parts of a sheet or film to stretch the sheet or film, the sheet or film clipping stretcher comprising first and second clip array circulators configured to circulate the first and second clip arrays along prescribed routes, respectively, the first and second clip array circulators each respectively comprising a plurality of clip support members rectangular in shape, and each respectively having a clip supported on one longitudinal end part thereof, and a longitudinal elongate hole formed therein at the other end side, a first shaft member provided in a vicinity of the one end part of a respective clip support member, a slider slidably engaged with the elongate hole of the respective clip support member, a second shaft member provided to the slider of the respective clip support member, link members configured to link neighboring clip support members with each other, a reference rail engaged with a first engaging element provided on the first shaft member of the respective clip support member, and defining a prescribed route, a pitch setting rail provided along with the reference rail, engaged with a second engaging element provided on the second shaft member of the slider engaged with the respective clip support member, and configured to set a pitch between neighboring clip support members in a variable manner depending on a spacing distance relative to the reference rail, and a drive sprocket configured to selectively engage with a driving roller provided on the first shaft member of the respective clip support member to have the respective clip support member travel along the prescribed route, wherein the first and second engaging elements comprise guiding means, respectively, the guiding means constituting the first engaging element cantilevering the first shaft member to be thereby guided along the reference rail, and the guiding means constituting the second engaging element cantilevering the second shaft member to be thereby guided along the pitch setting rail.