Tail rail

Abstract

An apparatus for threading a material web along a running path, comprising a linear motor having an electromagnetic rail extending at least partially along the running path and a transporter adapted to travel along the electromagnetic rail. The transporter includes at least one magnet. A clamp is connected to the transporter; the clamp is both movable and clampable with respect to the material web.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An apparatus for threading a material web along a running path, comprising: 
 a guide extending at least partially along the running path;    a transporter adapted to travel along said guide;    a motor connected to at least one of said transporter and said guide; and    a clamp connected to said transporter, said clamp both movable and releasably attachable with respect to the material web.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said motor is a linear motor which includes both said guide as an electromagnetic rail and said transporter with at least one magnet.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein said material web is a fiber web in a papermaking machine.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein said linear motor is one of a linear induction motor, a linear synchronous motor, a romag motor, a claw-pole motor, a homopolar inductor motor, a heteropolor inductor motor and a traklec motor.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein said electromagnetic rail includes a plurality of electromagnets.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein said electromagnetic rail includes a plurality of permanent magnets.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein said electromagnetic rail forms an endless loop.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein said electromagnetic rail includes a parking area for said transporter.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , further including a launching mechanism in said parking area.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein said electromagnetic rail includes a bypass portion for said transporter.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , further including a plurality of supports extending along said electromagnetic rail.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein said electromagnetic rail includes at least one rail beam connected to said plurality of supports.  
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein said transporter includes a transporter frame adapted to move along said rail beam.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein said transporter includes a plurality of wheels connected to said transporter frame, said wheels configured to roll along said rail beam.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein said transporter frame and said rail beam include a plurality of levitation magnet pairs.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein said transporter includes at least one electromagnet.  
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein said magnet is an electromagnet.  
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein said clamp includes both a fixed flexible clamping element and a pivotable flexible clamping element.  
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein said clamp includes a roll connected to said pivotable flexible clamping element, said transporter includes a transporter frame, said transporter includes a resilient member connected to said pivotable flexible clamping element and said transporter frame.  
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , further including at least one stationary wedge configured to mesh with said roll.  
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further including a cable connected to both said motor and said transporter.  
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further including an adhesive strip connected to said transporter.  
     
     
         23 . A machine for producing a material web, comprising: 
 at least one moving surface for both carrying and defining a running path of the material web;    a linear motor including: 
 an electromagnetic rail extending at least partially along the running path;  
 a transporter adapted to travel along said electromagnetic rail, said transporter including at least one magnet; and  
   a clamp connected to said transporter, said clamp both movable and releasably attachable with respect to the material web.    
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein said at least one moving surface is at least one of a belt, felt, wire, fabric, cylinder and roll.  
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein said machine is a papermaking machine and said material web is a fiber web.  
     
     
         26 . The machine of  claim 23 , wherein said linear motor is one of a linear induction motor, a linear synchronous motor, a romag motor, a claw-pole motor, a homopolar inductor motor, a heteropolor inductor motor and a traklec motor.  
     
     
         27 . The machine of  claim 23 , wherein said electromagnetic rail includes a plurality of electromagnets.  
     
     
         28 . The machine of  claim 23 , wherein said electromagnetic rail includes a plurality of permanent magnets.  
     
     
         29 . The machine of  claim 23 , wherein said electromagnetic rail forms an endless loop.  
     
     
         30 . The machine of  claim 23 , wherein said electromagnetic rail includes a parking area for said transporter.  
     
     
         31 . The machine of  claim 30 , further including a launching mechanism in said parking area.  
     
     
         32 . The machine of  claim 23 , wherein said electromagnetic rail includes a bypass portion for said transporter.  
     
     
         33 . The machine of  claim 23 , further including a plurality of supports extending along said electromagnetic rail.  
     
     
         34 . The machine of  claim 33 , wherein said electromagnetic rail includes at least one rail beam connected to said plurality of supports.  
     
     
         35 . The machine of  claim 34 , wherein said transporter includes a transporter frarne adapted to move along said rail beam.  
     
     
         36 . The machine of  claim 35 , wherein said transporter includes a plurality of wheels connected to said transporter frame, said wheels configured to roll along said rail beam.  
     
     
         37 . The machine of  claim 35 , wherein said transporter frame and said rail beam include a plurality of levitation magnet pairs.  
     
     
         38 . The machine of  claim 23 , wherein said transporter includes at least one electromagnet.  
     
     
         39 . The machine of  claim 23 , wherein said magnet is an electromagnet.  
     
     
         40 . The machine of  claim 23 , wherein said clamp includes both a fixed flexible clamping element and a pivotable flexible clamping element.  
     
     
         41 . The machine of  claim 40 , wherein said clamp includes a roll connected to said pivotable flexible clamping element, said transporter includes a transporter frame, said transporter includes a resilient member connected to said pivotable flexible clamping element and said transporter frame.  
     
     
         42 . The machine of  claim 41 , further including at least one stationary wedge configured to mesh with said roll.  
     
     
         43 . The machine of  claim 23 , further including an adhesive strip connected to said transporter.  
     
     
         44 . A method for threading a material web, comprising the steps of: 
 gripping a portion of the material web with a clamp;    motivating said clamp and said portion of the material web at least partially along said running path using a linear motor, said linear motor including an electromagnetic rail and at least one magnet; and    transferring said portion of the material web to a delivery area.    
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein said portion of the material web is one of a tail, an edge strip and the material web.  
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein said material web is a fiber web in a papermaking machine.  
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein both said gripping step and said transferring step include meshing a roll of said transporter with a stationary wedge.  
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 44 , further including the step of launching said transporter prior to said gripping step.  
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein said motivating step includes sequential energization of said electromagnetic rail.  
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein said gripping step includes an adhesive strip gripping the material web.