Apparatus for controlling the movement of a web of material continuously

Abstract

An apparatus for controlling the movement of a web of material, which is being continuously supplied to a machine which operates sequentially on a portion of the web as each portion is at a standstill, characterized by the apparatus including a feeder for feeding the web at a continuous rate of speed and a web take-up device for engaging the web as it exits the feeder to absorb the web being supplied by the feeder for a period of time that the portion of the web is being acted on by the machine and is in a stationary or standstill position. The web take-up device includes a pair of first members mounted in a pair of spaced side frames for rotation on a first axis, a web guide member having a second axis and a structure mounting the web guide member to extend between the pair of first members with the second axis being eccentric to the first axis. The structure for mounting the web guide members includes a control screw for varying the amount of offset of the second axis from the first axis, and a cam or lever arrangement for varying the angular position of the second axis during rotation of the pair of first members on the first axis. The take-up device also includes a device for compensating for the weight of the guide member including a second screw coupled to the first screw to move a counterweight during rotation of the first screw.