Alignment/registration and conveyance apparatus

摘要

An apparatus for registering sheet material while being conveyed along a feed path including: (i) a conveyance deck (16) for conveying sheet material (12) along a support surface, (ii) a registration member (104) defining an abutment surface operative to align an edge of the sheet material (12) as the sheet material is conveyed along the support surface of the conveyance deck (16), and (iii) a drive mechanism (110) disposed adjacent to the registration member (104) and along the conveyance deck (16). The drive mechanism includes a flexible belt (116) disposed about and supported by at least two rolling elements (112), and a means (120) for driving the flexible belt (116) about the rolling elements (112). The flexible belt (116) includes a twisted section (124) defining a plurality of spiral edge segments (124a-124e) operative to (i) frictionally engage a surface of the sheet material (12) to urge the sheet material against the abutment surface (104) and (ii) convey the sheet material (12) along the conveyance deck (16).