Apparatus for manufacturing spirally wound containers

Claim 1

IN A MACHINE FOR THE PRODUCTION OF SPIRALLY WOUND TUBES FROM STRIP MATERIAL INCLUDING: MEANS FOR WINDING STRIP MATERIAL SPIRALLY ON A MANDREL TO FORM A TUBE HAVING PERIODICALLY RECURRING CIRCUMFERENTIAL REGISTRATION LINES THEREON, AND FOR MOVING THE TUBE AXIALLY ALONG THE MANDREL; CUTTING MEANS POSITIONED ADJACENT THE BEING FORMED TUBE FOR SEVERING LENGTHS FROM THE TUBE AS IT IS PRODUCED; AND MEANS FOR MOVING THE CUTTING MEANS CYLICALLY BACK AND FORTH PARALLEL TO THE AXIS OF THE MANDREL; THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING: OBSERVING MEANS MOUNTED FOR MOVEMENT WITH THE CUTTING MEANS FOR OBSERVING A REGISTRATION LINE DURING A PORTION OF THE CYCLICAL MOVEMENT OF THE CUTTING MEANS IN WHICH THE TUBE AND CUTTING MEANS ARE MOVING IN THE SAME DIRECTION AND AT SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME SPEED; ADJUSTING MEANS INDEPENDENT OF THE MEANS FOR CYCLICALLY MOVING THE CUTTING MEANS BEING ABLE TO CONTINUOUSLY ADJUST THE POSITION OF THE OBSERVING MEANS AND CUTTING MEANS WITH RESPECT TO THE BEING WOUND TUBE DURING THE SAID PORTION OF THE CYCLICAL MOVEMENT OF THE CUTTING MEANS; AND CONTROLL MEANS CONTINUOUSLY RESPONSIVE TO A DEVIATION OF THE REGISTRATION LINE BEING OBSERVED FROM A DESIRED POSITION WITH RESPECT TO THE OBESERVING MEANS, SAID CONTROL MEANS BEING OPERATIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH THE ADJUSTING MEANS SO AS TO CONTINUOUSLY CAUSE TO BE MINIMIZED ANY SUCH SAID DEVIATION THAT MAY BE PRESENT PRIOR TO THE SEVERING OF THE TUBE.