ACTIVE DISK GUIDE

PURPOSE: A guiding system is provided which optically senses and dynamically steers strip components to a desired position. CONSTITUTION: A conveyor system and method for steering and shifting an associated strip component to a desired transverse position includes a sensor(46) for sensing the transverse position of the associated strip component(28), a shaft rotatable about an axis generally perpendicular to the direction of motion of the strip component, and a plurality of guide disks rotatable mounted on side by side sleeve bearings which are keyed to the shaft. Each of the guide disks has an inner circumferential bearing surface and an outer circumferential surface for engagement with the bottom surface of the associated strip component. Each of the guide disks is canted at a fixed angle with respect to the shaft axis. Additionally the shaft is axially movable. The conveyor system includes an apparatus for simultaneously moving the shaft axially and rotating the shaft about the shaft axis to change the angle at which the guide disks engage the strip material and shift the strip material in response to signals from the sensor as to the location of the strip component.