The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 10, 1981
Filed:
Feb. 21, 1980
James E Voytko, Doraville, GA (US);
Western Electric Company, Inc., New York, NY (US);
Abstract
A capstan having surfaces which are faced with elements that are capable of interlocking with each other is used to advance a strip of interconnected, miniature articles which have a configuration susceptible to deformation, or a strip having a surface finish which is easily narred. In one embodiment, the capstan includes a first belt having a plurality of flexible, resilient hooking elements attached to a surface thereof. A second belt has a plurality of looping elements made of flexible, resilient material attached to a surface thereof and which are capable of interlocking with the hooking elements of the first belt when the belts are pressed together and of becoming disengaged from the hooking elements when the belts are peeled apart. The belts are sufficiently flexible so that when they are pressed together they are capable of gripping an elongated material therebetween. The first and second belts are moved along paths with portions of the paths juxtaposed to cause successive portions of the belts to be moved into engagement to grip a strip of material therebetween, to be moved fastened together along the juxtaposed portions of the paths, and then to be peeled apart. The successive portions of the belts which are pressed together and then moved together before being pulled apart are sufficient to advance the strip in the direction of motion of the fastened portions of the belts.