Transport assembly with driven split nip rollers

Abstract

A transport assembly with a driven split rollers and split nip gap includes a support and a first drive roller that is rotatably mounted to the support about a first drive roller axis. The first drive roller is driven by gears, belts or the like for rotating the first drive roller about its axis. A number of nip rollers are adjustably mounted to the support and positioned in spaced apart relation and adjacent to the first drive roller with the first drive roller being in frictional communication with each nip roller with the nip rollers being driven by the first drive roller. A second drive roller is rotatably mounted to the support and is positioned a distance from the each of the first nip rollers to define a split nip gap for receiving and transporting a web therethrough. The nip gap distance between each of the nip rollers is individually adjustable while being directly driven by the first drive roller.

1 . A transport assembly, comprising: 
 a support;    a drive roller rotatably mounted to the support about a drive roller axis; the drive roller having a drive roller outer surface and a width;    means connected to the drive roller for rotating the drive roller about the drive roller axis;    a nip roller adjustably mounted to the support about a nip roller axis; the nip roller having a nip roller outer surface and a width; the nip roller being positioned adjacent to the drive roller with the drive roller outer surface being in frictional communication with the nip roller outer surface;    whereby rotation of the drive roller drives the nip roller about the nip roller axis.    
   
   
       2 . The transport assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the drive roller axis is substantially parallel to the nip roller axis.  
   
   
       3 . The transport assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the nip roller is connected to the support by an adjustable pivot mount.  
   
   
       4 . The transport assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the width of the nip roller is less than the width of the drive roller.  
   
   
       5 . A transport assembly, comprising: 
 a support;    a drive roller rotatably mounted to the support about a drive roller axis; the drive roller having a drive roller outer surface and a width;    means connected to the drive roller for rotating the drive roller about the drive roller axis;    a plurality of nip rollers each being adjustably mounted to the support and each having respective nip roller axes; each of the plurality of nip rollers having a respective nip roller outer surface and a width; the plurality of nip rollers each being positioned adjacent to the drive roller with the drive roller outer surface being in frictional communication with each nip roller outer surface of the plurality of nip rollers;    whereby rotation of the drive roller drives the plurality of nip rollers about their respective nip roller axes.    
   
   
       6 . The transport assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the drive roller axis is substantially parallel to each of the nip roller axes.  
   
   
       7 . The transport assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the nip roller axes are not co-axial with each other.  
   
   
       8 . The transport assembly of  claim 7 , wherein each of the plurality of nip rollers are connected to the support by an adjustable pivot mount.  
   
   
       9 . The transport assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of nip rollers are positioned in spaced apart relation to one another across the width of the width of the drive roller.  
   
   
       10 . An assembly for transporting a web having a width, comprising: 
 a support;    a first drive roller rotatably mounted to the support about a first drive roller axis; the first drive roller having a first drive roller outer surface and a width;    means connected to the first drive roller for rotating the first drive roller about the first drive roller axis;    a plurality of nip rollers each being adjustably mounted to the support and each having respective nip roller axes; each of the plurality of nip rollers having a respective nip roller outer surface and a width; the plurality of nip rollers each being positioned in spaced apart relation and adjacent to the first drive roller with the first drive roller outer surface being in frictional communication with each nip roller outer surface of the plurality of nip rollers; the plurality of nip rollers being driven by the first drive roller drives about their respective nip roller axes;    a second drive roller rotatably mounted to the support about a second drive roller axis; the second drive roller having a second drive roller outer surface and a width; the second drive roller outer surface being positioned a distance from the each of the first nip roller outer surfaces defining a split nip gap therebetween; the web being receivable through the split nip gap;    whereby the split nip gap distance between each of the plurality of nip rollers are individual adjustable and directly driven by the first drive roller.    
   
   
       11 . The assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the first drive roller axis is substantially parallel to each of the nip roller axes.  
   
   
       12 . The assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the nip roller axes are not co-axial with each other.  
   
   
       13 . The assembly of  claim 12 , wherein each of the plurality of nip rollers are connected to the support by an adjustable pivot mount.