Importance

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Abstract

A new low-profile tentering system for a tenter machine is realized according to the present invention by a tenter frame including low-profile rail assemblies for carrying an endless carrier. A series of attachment blocks of the endless carrier have tentering connectors to provide for transporting a sheet material under widthwise tension in a longitudinal path through the tenter machine. Each rail assembly has guideways for supporting and carrying an endless carrier within the guideways. The tentering system of this invention uniquely uses a plurality spherical bearing balls for transporting the endless carrier within slots of the guideways. The endless carrier includes an endless belt or endless chain connecting a series of attachment blocks for holding the bearing balls in a position so that they can freely rotate within the guideways. Tentering connectors are carried by the attachment blocks of the endless carrier for supporting spaced apart edges of the sheet material. The endless carrier is driven by spaced drive wheels in a closed-loop path to carry the sheet material along the longitudinal path through the tenter machine. A transition guideway section, formed with a plurality of adjacent bending contour plates, provides for angular transitions when connecting together entry, stretch, intermediate and delivery guideways of rail assemblies. A vertically operated closed-loop endless carrier driven by vertical drive wheels, is also within the scope of this invention.

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First Claim