Importance

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Abstract

A yieldable gripper unit for a conveyor of the type in which the gripper units form two endless tracks which converge to engage and support a sheet of material clamped between them. The gripper units of the endless tracks move on rails mounted on tubular supports. One of the endless conveyor tracks is equipped with non-yielding gripper units and the other is equipped with yieldable gripper units. Each yieldable gripper unit includes a generally rectangular base plate having one side facing the sheet of material which is to be clamped and the other side facing its tubular supports. A yieldable arm is cantileverly attached to the base plate and is inclined at an acute angle relative to its base plate on the sheet material side thereof to permit the arm to yield towards the base plate when the sheet of material is clamped. A plurality of rubber buttons are mounted on the yieldable arm and are positioned to engage the sheet of material which is to be clamped by the gripper unit. The base plate has a track engaging device attached to the tubular support side thereof. The yieldable steel arm is inclined in a direction opposite to the direction of the movement of the gripper units around the endless track. In another embodiment, the yieldable arm is U-shaped having two legs, both of which can be moved toward its base plate to provide greater flexibility when clamping the sheet of material.

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First Claim