Apparatus for deflecting or inverting moving webs

A diverting roller has a roller body having a longitudinal axis. A plurality of pairs of pulleys are rotatably mounted on the roller body adjacent a circumference of the roller body. An endless belt is looped around each of the pairs of pulleys in such a fashion that each belt has substantial portion oriented in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the roller body. The travel of belts around their respective pulleys permits a non-normal angle of incidence of the web to the longitudinal axis. The non-normal angle of incidence and the travel of the belts permit the axial movement of a web of indefinite length material when the web is in contact with belts of the diverting roller. One or more of the diverting rollers may be employed in a system for inverting a moving web of indefinite length material.