Eastman-kodak Company

David H Lancy

Thomas W Palone

Joseph A Watkins

Stephen M Reinke

James C Foote, Jr

Frank Castrignano

William C Lebbon

Michael Edgar Long

David M Orlicki

Joseph E Stagnitto

William G Hoyt

Robert F Allen

Lyndon R Huttemann

Thomas A Cipolla

Dean B Campbell

Thomas E Stark

Paul E Bailey

Robert L Huseby

Willliam G Hoyt

Allen R Lentz

Robert C Raduns

A vacuum box (38) is provided with recesses (86, 88, 90, 92) on the inner surfaces (74, 76) of its front and/or back walls (40, 42) along at least two of its interior corners (78, 80, 82, 84); so that, the pressures on opposite sides of the incoming and outgoing spans (64.sub.i, 64.sub.o) of the web (50) are substantially equalized at discrete locations along the lengths of the spans, whereby differential pressure applied to the central curved loop (64) between the spans causes the incoming and outgoing spans to remain substantially out of contact with the side walls (40, 42). The side walls (44, 46) may be provided with chamfers (154, 156) at the interior corners or bores (158; 166-172) and ports (160-164; 174-180) to facilitate equalization of the pressure to facilitate equalizing the pressure on opposite sides of webs having a transverse curl toward a centerline of the box. The box may include web keepers (102) to retain the web during thread-up and a removable, sound insulated closure (130). A method of operating such a vacuum box is taught.

Vacuum box and method of operation for non-contact web transport therein

A web (14) of material such as photographic film is supplied continuously from a stock roll (16) into an infeed vacuum box (24) from which the web passes into an intermittently operated perforator apparatus (30) through which the web is drawn intermittently by a high performance vacuum drum (32) which feeds the web into an outfeed vacuum box (34) from which the web passes continuously to a rewind stock roll (44) or to other intermittently operated processing apparatus. Various patterns of widely spaced perforations and leader/trailer sections may be provided in the stationary web, which moves at high web speeds and accelerations between operations of the perforator apparatus.

Apparatus and method for transporting and perforating enlongated strips

An apparatus and method are disclosed for plastically deforming and closing an very open, non-cylindrical shell (28) having axially extending lips (20c, 20t) spaced sufficiently far apart to permit a wound spool of strip material to pass laterally between such lips, the apparatus including a pair of closure jaws (670,676) having concave cylindrical surfaces for contacting the exterior surface of such a shell between such lips, the concave surfaces having a curvature corresponding to the desired final cylindrical shape for such a shell; a pivotable arm (608-612) for placing the closure jaws in an open configuration about such a shell and a linkage (614-674) operatively connected to the pivotable arm for closing the closure jaws about such a shell to move such lips into close proximity and form such shell into a cylindrical shape between such lips and thereafter for opening the jaws without contacting the closed shell as the jaws open.

Apparatus and method for closing and plastically forming a non-circular

An apparatus and method are disclosed for forming a very open shell (28) having axially extending lips (20c,20t) spaced sufficiently far apart to permit a prewound spool of web material (10) to be inserted radially, laterally into the very open form shell, after which the shell is closed and end caps (24) are installed. Apparatus are disclosed for forming the very open form shell (40), transferring the shell to a mechanism for applying end caps (48), inserting a prewound spool of web material (56) into the very open shell, positioning the spool accurately within the shell (780-856), closing the shell about the spool (58) and staking the end caps in place (60).

Apparatus and method for forming and loading a magazine for prewound

Growing community of inventors

Rochester, NY, United States of America

David H Lancy