An expansion device includes an unexpanded slit sheet roll that is wound on a paper core that is longer than the width of the slit sheet paper roll. The paper core is placed onto a rod member. An adjustable downward pressure is exerted on the paper core and the paper core exerts pressure on the rod member. As the paper is pulled, the downward pressure creates the friction required to enable the unexpanded slit sheet to be unwind and fed while simultaneously expanding.

An assembly, kit, and method for water-proofing a rolled web material dispenser. The assembly includes a mounting plate that is constructed to engage a back surface of a housing of the web material dispenser and includes a gasket that is disposed between a front surface of the mounting plate and the back surface of the housing to form a watertight seal therebetween. A plurality of ribs extend in a rearward direction towards a mounting surface from a back surface of the mounting plate and define a plurality of channels that guide water sprayed above the dispenser away from a cavity enclosed by the housing. The assembly preferably includes a plug that is preferably tethered to the mounting plate and is constructed to cooperate with a keyhole of the dispenser housing and form a watertight seal therewith.

In an example, a retainer may include a transition arm having a lift tab. The retainer may further include a pinch arm pivotably or movably engaged with the transition arm. The pinch arm may be movable between an engaged position and a stowed position, and may have a pinching member disposed on a pinching end of the pinch arm. Further, the transition arm may move the pinch arm form the engaged position to the stowed position upon the lift tab being moved about a retainer pivot point.

A strapping material dispenser may include a housing having a hinged door. A roll of strapping material may be received within the housing and fed into contact with an advancing wheel. A portion of the advancing wheel may extend outside the housing to be contacted by a user. Rotation of the advancing wheel dispenses strapping material from the dispenser. A cutting mechanism may be arranged within the housing to cut the strapping material once the desired length has been dispensed from the dispenser. A motor and digital control circuit may be provided to electronically control the advancing wheel and therefore the dispensing of material from the dispenser.

A method and apparatus are provided for mitigating if not eliminating voids and improving wetting of fibers in prepreg sheet materials.

A foil dispensing device for on demand dispensing of sections of foil of a selectable length includes a housing comprising a lid that is hingedly engaged to a box so that the lid is positioned to selectively close an open top of the box. A motor is engaged to and positioned the box. A spindle is positionable in box to operationally engage the spindle to the motor. A roll of foil is positioned around spindle so that a free end of the roll of extends into a slot positioned in the housing. A motion sensor engaged to the housing and operationally engaged to the motor is actuated by motion of a hand of a user to signal the motor to rotate the spindle to dispense a section of the foil through the slot. A cutter positioned by the slot cuts the foil to separate the section from the roll.

A device for micro-embossing paper includes at least one micro-embossing unit to micro-emboss a wet paper ply. The micro-embossing unit includes a micro-embossing cylinder and a counter cylinder facing the micro-embossing cylinder at an embossing area where the wet paper ply is subjected to micro-embossing, and a heater to dry the wet paper ply. The micro-embossing cylinder includes a side surface partially wrapped by the wet paper ply. The heater heats at least one portion of the side surface partially wrapped by the wet paper ply to dry the wet paper ply.

A device for micro-embossing paper includes at least one micro-embossing unit to micro-emboss a wet paper ply. The micro-embossing unit includes a micro-embossing cylinder and a counter cylinder facing the micro-embossing cylinder at an embossing area where the wet paper ply is subjected to micro-embossing, and a heater to dry the wet paper ply. The micro-embossing cylinder includes a side surface partially wrapped by the wet paper ply. The heater heats at least one portion of the side surface partially wrapped by the wet paper ply to dry the wet paper ply.

A feed and cutting unit for selectively cutting and dispensing individual weight material segments from a common strip of backing material is disclosed. The feed and cutting unit comprises a feed assembly, a sensor and a cutter member. The feed assembly includes a drive roller and a follower roller that frictionally engages first and second surfaces of a strip of weight material to selectively move the strip of weight material to a cutter member. The sensor is connected to a controller and measures an amount of segmented weight material on the backing material as the strip of weight material moves past the sensor. The cutter member is actuated to separate weight material segments from the backing material by cutting at least a portion of the backing material in a gap disposed between adjacent segments. Weight apply devices that receive the segments for application to an imbalanced member, are also disclosed.

A tape drive comprises a roll of a tape that can be extended from a rolled state to an extended state. The tape includes a rigid material that supports the tape and a pliable material disposed at least partially on one side of the tape. A compression roller is disposed on a side of the tape and is biased toward the tape. A drive roller is disposed on the other side of the tape. The drive roller comprises an uneven surface that mechanically engages the pliable material of the tape, without protruding through the tape, as a result of the bias of the compression roller forcing the tape toward the drive roller. A motor turns the drive roller to extend the tape from the roll as the protrusions of the uneven surface of the drive roller mechanically engage the pliable material of the tape as the drive roller turns.