Improvement in thickness-wise transverse perforation line registration in web of printed multiple-ply business forms

Claim 2

A process for providing multiple ply business forms with improved registration of thickness-wise transverse perforation lines for defining two respective opposite edges 116, 118 of individual forms, this process comprising: providing a two-wide web 110 of longitudinally adjoining potentially separate business forms 112 on opposite sides of respective transverse perforation lines 126 which extends between two opposite longitudinal edges 116, 118 of said web; variably printing at least one field 64 of information on one face of said web, on each potentially separate business form 112, on at least one side of a medial imaginary line 124 which divides said web 110 into a left portion 146 and a right portion 154; progressively severing said web 110 along said medial imaginary line 124 in order to separate said left and right portions; shifting said left 146 and right 154 portions laterally into facewise superposition without rotation to create a composite web of multiple plies; and attaching said plies to one another marginally of both of said opposite longitudinal edges.

Claim 3

The process according to claim 1, wherein: the two-wide web 110 as provided in said step of providing, is provided with at least one respective row of sprocket holes 120, 122 running longitudinally thereof marginally of each said longitudinal edge 116, 118 thereof; and in conducting said step of shifting, guide means 184 are engaged in said rows of sprocket holes 120, 122 for accurately achieving said facewise superposition.

Claim 4

The process according to claim 1 or 2 wherein: the two-wide web 110 as provided in said step of providing, is provided with a pattern of deactivated, activatable adhesive 144 on one face of one said portion of said web; and said step of attaching comprises activating said adhesive 144.

Claim 5

The process according to claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein: in conducting said step of variably printing, at least one field of information is applied on said one face of said web on each side of said medial imaginary line 124, so that in conducting said shifting step, one of said fields becomes positioned on an outside face of said composite web, on each said potentially separate business form 112, and another of said fields becomes positioned on an inside face of said composite web, on each said potential­ly separate business form.

Claim 6

The process according to any one of the preceding claims wherein: on each said potentially separate business form 112 said one of said fields contains an intended recipient name and a corresponding postal address.

Claim 7

The process according to any one of the preceding claims further comprising: separating said composite web along said transverse perforation lines, into a respective plurality of individual business forms.

Claim 8

The process according to claim 4 wherein: at least one field of information is applied on a respective other face 114 of said web on at least one side of said medial imaginary line; and said shifting step is so conducted as to ensure that one of said fields becomes positioned on an outside face of each said potentially separate business form and another of said fields becomes positioned on an inside face of each said potentially separate business form.

Claim 9

The process according to any one of the preceding claims wherein: said step of variably printing is so conducted as to apply said at least one field on said one face and said at least one field on said other face both on a same side of said medial imaginary line.

Claim 10

The process according to any one of the preceding claims wherein: when said step of variably printing is conducted, said web is free of heat-activatable adhesive on said same side of said medial imaginary line; and said step of variably printing is conducted by non-impact printing.

Claim 11

The process according to claim 9 wherein: said step of progressively severing said web along said medial amaginary line 124 is conducted upstream on said composite web from where said variably printing step is conducted thereon.

Claim 12

The process according to any one of the preceding claims further comprising: separating said composite web along transverse perforation lines, into a respective plurality of individual business forms.

Claim 13

The process according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: including said step of providing a two wide web, said two-­wide web is provided with a longitudinal line of perforations superimposed on said imaginary longitudinal line.

Claim 14

The process according to claim 12 wherein: said two-wide web is provided with at least one respective row of sprocket holes running longitudinally thereof marginally of each said longitudinal edge thereof; and said two-wide web is also provided with at least two additional longitudinal rows of sprocket holes, including at least one respective row thereof marginally of and on opposite sides of said imaginary longitudinally line; and guide means are engaged in at least two opposite marginally provided said rows of sprocket holes on each side of said imaginary line for accurately achieving said facewise superposition.

Claim 15

A web of business form stock, for making a series of individual multiple ply business forms with improved registration of thickness-wise transverse perforation lines for defining two repsective opposite edges of individual forms, said web comprising: a two-wide web 110 of sheet material of indeterminate length having two opposite longitudinal edges 116, 118 and an imaginary medial line 124 dividing said web into a left portion 146 and a right portion 154 having a first face 114 and a second face 166; a series of longitudinally spaced transverse perforation lines 126 in said web 110 of sheet material, these transverse perforation lines 126 extending between said two opposite longitudinal edges 116, 118 and dividing said web into a series of potentially separate business forms; said web 110 on said first face 114 having a surface portion on each said potentially separate business form, located to one side of said imaginary longitudinal line 124 adapted to be variably printed with at least one field of individualized information; longitudinally extending guide means 120, 122 provided on said web on both sides of said imaginary longitudinal line 124, these guide means 120, 122 being adapted to permit said left and right portions to be accurately guided in lateral movement, into superposition without rotation, after said web has been severed along said imaginary longitudinal line 124 in order to provide a composite web of multiple plies; and means 144 for attaching said plies to one another marginally of both said opposite longitudinal edges.

Claim 16

A web of business form stock, for making a series of individual multiple ply business forms with improved registration of thickness-wise transverse perforation lines for defining two repsective opposite edges of individual forms, said web comprising: a two-wide web 110 of sheet material of indeterminate length having two opposite longitudinal edges 116, 118 and an imaginary medial line 124 dividing said web into a left portion 146 and a right portion 154 having a first face 114 and a second face 166; a series of longitudinally spaced transverse perforation lines 126 in said web 110 of sheet material, these transverse perforation lines 126 extending between said two opposite longitudinal edges 116, 118 and dividing said web into a series of potentially separate business forms; said web 110 on said first face 114 having a surface portion on each said potentially separate business form, located to one side of said imaginary longitudinal line 124 adapted to be variably printed with at least one field of individualized information; longitudinally extending guide means 120, 122 provided on said web on both sides of said imaginary longitudinal line 124, these guide means 120, 122 being adapted to permit said left and right portions to be accurately guided in lateral movement, into superposition without rotation, after said web has been severed along said imaginary longitudinal line 124 in order to provide a composite web of multiple plies; and means 144 for attaching said plies to one another marginally of both said opposite longitudinal edges.

Claim 17

The web according to claim 14 wherein: said guide means comprises at least one respective row of sprocket holes 120, 122 running longitudinally of said web marginally of each said longitudinal edge thereof.

Claim 18

The web according to claim 14 or 15 wherein: said attaching means 144 comprises a pattern of deactivated, activatable adhesive applied to a face of said web.

Claim 19

The web according to any of the preceding claims 14 to 16, wherein: said web 110 in said first face 146 is also provided with a surface portion on each said potentially separate business form, located to the opposite side of said imaginary longitudinal line 124 from said one side 112, which is adapted to be variably printed with at least another field of individualized information.

Claim 20

The web according to any one of claims 14 to 17 wherein each said one field is adapted to be variably printed with a respective intended recipient and corresponding postal address so as to appear on the outside of each respective individual business form, and each said other field is adapted to be variably printed with information relating to an account of such intended recipient so as to appear on the inside of each respective individual business form.