...that Thomas Edison's patent application on his phonograph was approved by the Patent Office in just seven weeks? In contrast, it took Gordon Gould, the inventor of the laser, 30 years to obtain his patent -- finally awarded in 1988!
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AbstractApparatus for controlling the lateral movement of a travelling web to automatically compensate for web conicity and angular deviation of the web velocity vector. A preferred embodiment of the apparatus comprises a steering roller about which a travelling web is at least in part entrained. An assembly supports the steering roller for rotation about its longitudinal axis, and mounts the steering roller for angular adjustment about a caster axis perpendicular to such longitudinal axis at the mid-point of the steering roller. The assembly is, in turn, supported for rotation about a gimbal axis intersecting, and perpendicular to, the caster axis. Lateral movement of a web supported on the steering roller is sensed relative to the steering roller in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the steering roller. The mechanism for sensing lateral movement of the web moves in a corresponding direction to the sensed lateral movement of the web. The sensing mechanism is interconnected with the supporting and mounting assembly for angularly adjusting the steering roller about the caster axis in response to movement of the lateral movement sensing mechanism, in a direction to counteract sensed lateral movement of the web. | InventorsApplicationNo. 274177 filed on 11/21/1988US Classes:226/23, Responsive to material-contacting element226/18, By shiftable material support226/21Pivotally mounted rollerField of Search226/15, To position material laterally226/16, With control of longitudinal movement226/17, By roller pair engaging web margin226/18, By shiftable material support226/19, Laterally movable support226/20, Responsive to photocell detection226/21, Pivotally mounted roller226/22, Responsive to pneumatic detection226/23Responsive to material-contacting elementExaminersPrimary: Hail, III, Joseph J.Attorney, Agent or FirmUS Patent References3693781, 4174171, Belt tracking systemIssued on: 11/13/1979 Inventor: Hamaker , et al.4572417, Web tracking apparatus Issued on: 02/25/1986 Inventor: Joseph , et al.4641770Angularly adjustable web-supporting steering roller Issued on: 02/10/1987 Inventor: Hediger International ClassB65H 023/025 |