(under subclass 538) Subject matter comprising means to support the supply and take-up coils in a spaced relation with a portion of the elongated material extending between the coils.
(1) Note. This and the indented subclass provide for winding plus unwinding in combination with a general utility guide path where the material may be exposed with or without contact to a utilization area. However, extreme care should be used to avoid reliance on this area to provide for original placement of any of the following: (a) claimed modification of the elongated material (e.g., dyeing, sewing, deforming, laminating, etc.), (b) acting on the material (e.g., cleaning, stretching, marking, printing, etc.), or (c) combining the guide path with apparatus or a method step provided for elsewhere (e.g., light control, photos:graphic reproduction, display optics, measuring, or testing).
