A sheet affixing apparatus includes a drawing unit for drawing a sheet from a sheet roll and a sheet cutter for cutting the sheet drawn from the sheet roll by the drawing unit. The sheet cutter includes a sheet support for supporting from below the sheet drawn from the sheet roll by the drawing unit, a cutting knife for cutting the sheet supported by the sheet support, along the sheet support, and a sheet presser for pressing the sheet against the sheet support forwardly of the cutting knife in a direction along which the cutting knife moves in cutting the sheet, when the sheet is cut.

A web loader includes a web holder configured to hold a web, a traction member configured to hold the web holder and travel along a loading path of the web, a drive rotation body configured to drive the traction member to travel, and a limiter configured to limit a drive force applied to the drive rotation body.

A self-threading lamination head has a material supply drum, a backing layer collection drum, and a material threading system. The material supply drum supports a material roll of layup material backed by a backing layer. The material threading system includes at least one threading belt located on one side of the lamination head. The threading belt is supported by belt rollers driven by a belt drive motor. A belt-mounted layer engagement device is coupled to the threading belt for engaging a backing layer leading edge portion. The backing layer collection drum collects the backing layer as the lamination head applies the layup material onto a substrate. The belt drive motor drives the threading belt over the belt rollers and causes the belt-mounted layer engagement device to thread the backing layer through the lamination head, and position the backing layer leading edge portion proximate the backing layer collection drum.

A self-threading lamination head has a material supply drum, a backing layer collection drum, and a material threading system. The material supply drum supports a material roll of layup material backed by a backing layer. The material threading system includes at least one threading belt located on one side of the lamination head. The threading belt is supported by belt rollers driven by a belt drive motor. A belt-mounted layer engagement device is coupled to the threading belt for engaging a backing layer leading edge portion. The backing layer collection drum collects the backing layer as the lamination head applies the layup material onto a substrate. The belt drive motor drives the threading belt over the belt rollers and causes the belt-mounted layer engagement device to thread the backing layer through the lamination head, and position the backing layer leading edge portion proximate the backing layer collection drum.

A roll type raw material supply device includes a raw material mounting unit for introducing a roll type raw material to which a tape for fixing to the end portion of a raw material is attached; a tape removal unit for clamping a non-bonding portion of the tape and separating the tape from the raw material; and a raw material conveying unit for attaching and moving the raw material. The roll type raw material supply device is capable of automatically and effectively removing the tape attached to a roll type raw material and causing the end portion of the raw material to be moved to a desired location without damage such as warping.

A device and a method for feeding a sheet material are provided. A conveying machine is disposed above a holding machine. A sensor detects a lateral position of a rubber sheet fed from the holding machine. At a position between a grip position below the conveying machine and a release position at an upstream side in a conveying direction above the conveying machine, a leading edge of the rubber sheet is gripped by a gripping machine. The gripping machine is revolved and moved to the release position using, as a revolution center, a position in a vertical direction midway between the grip position and the release position. The leading edge being released is pressed against a placement surface of the conveying machine by a pressing portion. The rubber sheet is placed on the placement surface and conveyed to a downstream side in the conveying direction by the conveying machine.

A device and a method for feeding a sheet material are provided. A conveying machine is disposed above a holding machine. A sensor detects a lateral position of a rubber sheet fed from the holding machine. At a position between a grip position below the conveying machine and a release position at an upstream side in a conveying direction above the conveying machine, a leading edge of the rubber sheet is gripped by a gripping machine. The gripping machine is revolved and moved to the release position using, as a revolution center, a position in a vertical direction midway between the grip position and the release position. The leading edge being released is pressed against a placement surface of the conveying machine by a pressing portion. The rubber sheet is placed on the placement surface and conveyed to a downstream side in the conveying direction by the conveying machine.

A web loader includes a web holder configured to hold a web, a traction member configured to hold the web holder and travel along a loading path of the web, a drive rotation body configured to drive the traction member to travel, and a limiter configured to limit a drive force applied to the drive rotation body.

A stub plucking device includes a transfer mechanism, a grasping mechanism, and a sensing mechanism. The grasping mechanism is driven by the transfer mechanism to move toward or away from a reel. The grasping mechanism includes a connector mounting a movable clasp, a fixed clasp, and a grasping driving member. The grasping driving member drives the movable clasp to move toward the fixed clasp to grasp an end stub of the reel. The sensing mechanism senses whether a contact force between the fixed clasp and the reel has reached a predetermined force. When the sensing mechanism senses that the contact force between the fixed clasp and the reel has reached the predetermined force, the transfer mechanism drives the grasping mechanism to move a predetermined distance away from the reel.

A web printing system has a loading tool to aid in the loading of new wide format web media. The loading tool is pivotable between a first position for loading a leading edge portion of the web onto the loading tool and a second position wherein an end portion of the loading tool extends above a print surface when in use. The end portion of the loading tool includes a beam element protruding from the loading tool in its pivoting direction towards the print surface, wherein in the second position the beam element is positioned with respect to the turn element, such that an S-shaped curve is formed in a web held on the loading tool. The curvature in the web significantly enhances the friction exerted by the beam element on the web, thereby stably holding the web in place.