Patent ID: 7243827

Claim:
A device for drawing a web of material into a processing machine comprising: a flexible draw-in mechanism including a tape having a finite length, said tape having a tape first end and a tape second end, said draw-in mechanism being adapted to be driven for movement of said tape second end along a draw-in path; a reel body, said tape first end being connected to said reel body, said tape having said finite length being windable completely on said reel body; an effective reel body radius, said effective reel body radius being changeable as a function of an amount of said tape finite length wound on said reel body; and a controllable electric motor usable to drive said reel body independently of the processing machine to cause said finite length tape to travel along said draw-in path, said electric motor being controllable to maintain a constant preset moment applied to said tape by said changeable effective reel body radius of said reel body driven by said electric motor to apply a constant draw-in force to said draw-in mechanism.