3m Innovative Properties Company

Don W Hendrickson

William Blake Kolb

Gary Lee Huelsman

A web coating machine for coating a web of material having first and second faces and a web travel path, the web coating machine including a tension zone in a portion of the web travel path, a fixed port structure over which the web travels, and a web positioning device including at least one gas flow port in the port structure capable of generating a vacuum that brings the first face of the web of material into contact with a portion of the port structure immediately surrounding one of more of the gas flow ports and reduces, retards or arrests longitudinal travel of the web of material through the web coating machine.

Web coating machine

A web positioning device includes one or more ports positioned in or adjacent at least one platen of a gap drying system, wherein upon generation of a vacuum force through each port, movement of a web of material conveyed through the gap drying system is arrested by drawing a first face of the web of material into contact with a portion of the web positioning device immediately surrounding each port. A method for controlling movement of a portion of a web of material using the web positioning device is also presented.

Growing community of inventors

Hugo, MN, United States of America

Don W Hendrickson