GB423600A - Improvements in or connected with means for feeding textile fabrics to or through machines - Google Patents

Abstract

423,600. Feeding webs. WHITELEY, E. G., Beech Works, Commercial Street, Morley, Yorkshire. Aug. 5, 1933, No. 22074. [Class 100 (i)] In feeding textile fabrics to or through machines, the fabric passes over a roller in the form of a cage-like structure, the surface of which is of a flexible nature and which is provided with means for varying its contour during running to enable the tension to be changed at different points in the width of the cloth. The roller comprises a plurality of metal, wood, or other flexible laths 1 somewhat spaced apart around a central spindle 2, and each lath is connected by four links 3 to four sliding collars 4. The collars 4 are connected to push or pull rods 5 and the links 3 are inclined as indicated, each centre collar 4 being attached to the same set or pair of push or pull rods 5 as that of an oppositely inclined end set of links. Each set of rods 5 is actuated by a separate sliding boss 6 carried by the spindle 2, each boss being rotatable but non-slidable in a nut 7, both nuts being mounted to engage oppositely inclined threads on a spindle 9 operable by a crank 11, the arrangement being such the bosses 6 are moved axially toward or away from one another according to the direction of rotation of the spindle 9. The movement so given to the rods 5 forces the end links 3 outwards and draws the centre links down, or vice versa, to produce a concave or a convex roller or any intermediate contour, as desired. The laths 1 are flexibly connected to fixed supporting collars 12 which afford fulcrums about which the laths can bend. The spindle 2 of the roller is preferably mounted in a pivoted bearing 13 at one end, the other end being carried by a bearing 14 adjustable by a crank 18, so that the axis of the roller can be tilted.