Methods and apparatus for transporting either an entire web or discrete components of disposable products such as diaper components down the machine using mechanical forces to grip the nonwoven web and transfer it from one belt or roll to another without or reducing added vacuum. There is a carrier nonwoven web that goes down the length of the machine and other substrates are added on top of this layer, and the machine provides sufficient gripping to allow transport of diaper components through the fabrication process. Securing and releasing forces are supplied so that the components can be retained at some points and released at others.

Provided is a paper feeding roller in which recesses due to deformation are unlikely to be formed even when contact with another roller in one location continues for a comparatively long period of time, particularly as a conveying roller or the like. A paper feeding roller that has a shaft measuring 6 mm in exterior diameter pressure-welded to the outer circumferential surface under a load of 600 g in a high-temperature environment of 60° C. for 24 hours is left at room temperature for eight hours while being pressure-welded, after which the recess amount obtained using the difference (T).sub.0−T.sub.1, between the thickness T.sub.1 (mm) of the position where the shaft was pressure-welded and the thickness T.sub.0 (mm) of a position where the shaft was not pressure-welded, is 0.1 mm or less.

Provided is a paper feeding roller in which recesses due to deformation are unlikely to be formed even when contact with another roller in one location continues for a comparatively long period of time, particularly as a conveying roller or the like. A paper feeding roller that has a shaft measuring 6 mm in exterior diameter pressure-welded to the outer circumferential surface under a load of 600 g in a high-temperature environment of 60° C. for 24 hours is left at room temperature for eight hours while being pressure-welded, after which the recess amount obtained using the difference (T).sub.0−T.sub.1, between the thickness T.sub.1 (mm) of the position where the shaft was pressure-welded and the thickness T.sub.0 (mm) of a position where the shaft was not pressure-welded, is 0.1 mm or less.

An items processing apparatus for placement and singulation of flat items has a placement device and a feed deck and a separation device. A portion of the placement device is arranged below the placement deck of the apparatus. The feed deck has an opening for an separation roller, and a portion of the separation device arranged above the feed deck. This portion and the separation roller form a gate of the separation device for the singulation of a stack of flat items. A control computer controls the placement device and separation device. The placement device is equipped for edge alignment of a stack of flat items with different formats and has at least two transport elements, which enable an automatic displacement of the stack transverse to the transport direction and placement of the stack at an alignment wall, as well as a transport of the stack in the transport direction toward the feed deck of the separation device, as well as a displacement of the stack counter to the transport direction. A movement assembly is provided to move the portion of the separation device in a direction counter to the transport direction. The control computer controls the alignment state of the transport elements of the placement device of the items processing apparatus, and controls the movement of the portion of the separation device. The aforementioned portion enables a displacement of the stack counter to the transport direction.

An items processing apparatus for placement and singulation of flat items has a placement device and a feed deck and a separation device. A portion of the placement device is arranged below the placement deck of the apparatus. The feed deck has an opening for an separation roller, and a portion of the separation device arranged above the feed deck. This portion and the separation roller form a gate of the separation device for the singulation of a stack of flat items. A control computer controls the placement device and separation device. The placement device is equipped for edge alignment of a stack of flat items with different formats and has at least two transport elements, which enable an automatic displacement of the stack transverse to the transport direction and placement of the stack at an alignment wall, as well as a transport of the stack in the transport direction toward the feed deck of the separation device, as well as a displacement of the stack counter to the transport direction. A movement assembly is provided to move the portion of the separation device in a direction counter to the transport direction. The control computer controls the alignment state of the transport elements of the placement device of the items processing apparatus, and controls the movement of the portion of the separation device. The aforementioned portion enables a displacement of the stack counter to the transport direction.

A roller shaft is inserted into a mold including molding members respectively having a first mold surface that defines an outer circumference of a roller portion and second and third mold surfaces that respectively define first and second flat portions of the roller portion, and the mold is then closed. A molding material is injected around the roller shaft to integrally mold the roller portion. The roller portion includes the outer circumference and the first and second flat portions rising from the roller shaft to the outer circumference. The roller shaft includes flange portions at portions corresponding to the first and second flat portions. The flange portions prevent the molding material from leaking outside the first and second flat portions when the roller portion is integrally molded around the roller shaft by injection molding.

A suction or blow thermal roller includes: a cylindrical body extending along a longitudinal direction; the cylindrical body including at least one inner tubular element and at least one outer tubular element that is concentrically arranged around the inner tubular element; the inner tubular element includes an outer diameter d and the outer tubular element includes an inner diameter D, being D>d; two hubs, each arranged at one end of the cylindrical body; at least one heat-exchange chamber realized between the inner tubular element and the outer tubular element. The roller includes a coating layer for the inner tubular element. The coating layer includes at least one rib arranged along a helical path around the longitudinal direction. The at least one rib is made in one piece in the coating layer, realizing at least one helical channel between the coating layer and the outer tubular element.

A presentation device for presenting a ticket from a printer includes first and second reels, a ticket holder and a housing component. In operation, the first reel contacts a first side of the ticket, and the second reel contacts a second side of the ticket opposite to where the first reel contacts the first side of the ticket. As the ticket advances from the presentation device, gravity pushes the ticket down onto the ticket holder, which is a reel. The first reel, the second reel and the ticket holder are secured in the housing component. The housing component is pivotable about a rotating axis and has a supporting notch that supports the second reel. The supporting notch has a first guide edge surface that faces away from the rotating axis, a second guide edge surface, and a trough between the first guide edge surface and the second guide edge surface.

A presentation device for presenting a ticket from a printer includes first and second reels, a ticket holder and a housing component. In operation, the first reel contacts a first side of the ticket, and the second reel contacts a second side of the ticket opposite to where the first reel contacts the first side of the ticket. As the ticket advances from the presentation device, gravity pushes the ticket down onto the ticket holder, which is a reel. The first reel, the second reel and the ticket holder are secured in the housing component. The housing component is pivotable about a rotating axis and has a supporting notch that supports the second reel. The supporting notch has a first guide edge surface that faces away from the rotating axis, a second guide edge surface, and a trough between the first guide edge surface and the second guide edge surface.

A roller features a circumferential trench into which a wire is deposited from a wire dispensing head having a wire dispensing tip. A moving web of material engages the roller as the roller rotates. The wire dispensing tip engages sidewalls of the trench so that the wire dispensing tip remains in the trench as the roller rotates. Wire from the trench is deposited onto the web of moving material and is secured thereto by fasteners or tape or adhesive or the like.