Synchronizing the movement of first and second articles and printing markings on one of the articles

Claim 3

The method of synchronizing the speed of movement of a first article and a second article, as recited in claim 1, in which the first article is an elongated longitudinally moving strand and the control member is positioned in frictional engagement with the strand so that it is driven by the strand.

Claim 4

The method of synchronizing the speed of movement of a first article and a second article, as recited in claim 1, in which the generation of the fine analogue control signal includes: generating a digital signal repResentative of the speed of the control member; generating a digital signal representative of the driving speed of the drive means for moving the second article; and comparing the digital signals and producing an analogue signal representative of any difference therebetween.

Claim 7

The method of marking an article, as recited in claim 4, in which the article is an elongated strand which is to be marked at accurately spaced intervals and in which the control member is positioned in frictional engagement with the advancing strand so that it is driven by the strand.

Claim 8

The method of marking an article, as recited in claim 4, in which the generation of the fine analogue control signal includes: generating a digital signal representative of the speed of the control member; generating a digital signal representative of the driving speed of the drive means for moving the second article; and comparing the digital signals and producing an analogue signal representative of any difference therebetween.

Claim 9

Apparatus for synchronizing the speed of movement of a first article and a second article, which comprises: power driven means for causing movement of the first article; variable speed drive means for causing movement of the second article; first signal producing means for producing a coarse analogue control signal representative of any difference between the speed of said power driven means and said variable speed drive means; a control member driven in response to the actual speed of movement of the first article; second signal producing means for producing a fine analogue control signal representative of any difference between the speed of said control member and the speed of said variable speed drive means and of a magnitude such that it will override any coarse analogue control signal produced by said first signal producing means; and means for controlling the speed of said variable speed drive means and thus of the movement of the second article, said controlling means being responsive to any coarse and fine analogue control signals produced by said first and second signal producing means.

Claim 10

Apparatus for synchronizing the speed of movement of a first article and a second article, which comprises: power driven means for causing movement of the first article; variable speed drive means for causing movement of the second article; first signal producing means for producing a coarse analogue control signal representative of any difference between the speed of said power driven means and said variable speed drive means; a control member driven in response to the actual speed of movement of the first article; second signal producing means for producing a fine analogue control signal representative of any difference between the speed of said control member and the speed of said variable speed drive means and of a magnitude such that it will override any coarse analogue control signal produced by said first signal producing means; and means for controlling the speed of said variable speed drive means and thus of the movement of the second article, said controlling means being responsive to any coarse and fine analogue control signals produced by said first and second signal producing means.

Claim 11

Apparatus for synchronizing the speed of movement of a first article and a second article, as recited in claim 7, in which: said first signal producing means includes signal generating devices driven by said power driven means and said variable speed drive means; and said second signal producing means includes digital signal generating devices driven by said control member and said variable speed drive means.

Claim 12

Apparatus for synchronizing the speed of movement of a first article and a second article, as recited in claim 7, in which the second article is a rotatable member and in which: said power driven means moves the first article in a linear path; and said variable speed drive means rotates the second article.

Claim 13

Apparatus for synchronizing the speed of movement of a first article and a second article, as recited in claim 7, in which the first article is an elongated Continuous strand and in which: said power driven means moves the strand longitudinally; and said control member is rotatable and is rotatably driven by the longitudinally moving strand through frictional engagement therewith.

Claim 14

Apparatus for synchronizing the speed of movement of a first article and a second article, as recited in claim 7, in which the first article is an elongated continuous strand, in which the second article is a rotatable member of a preselected circumference having its periphery engaged with the strand, and in which: said power driven means advances the strand longitudinally; said variable speed drive means rotates the second article; and said control member is a rotatable member having a preselected circumference and having its periphery frictionally engaged with the longitudinally advancing strand whereby said control member is rotatably driven by the strand.

Claim 15

Apparatus for marking an article, which comprises: power driven means for advancing the article; a rotatable article marking mechanism; variable speed drive means for rotating said article marking mechanism; first signal producing means for producing a coarse analogue control signal representative of any difference between the speed of said article advancing means and the rotational speed of said variable speed drive means; a control member driven in response to the actual speed of advancement of the article; second signal producing means for producing a fine analogue control signal representative of any difference between the speed of said control member and the rotational speed of said variable speed drive means, and of a magnitude such that it will override any coarse analogue control signal produced by said first signal producing means; and means for controlling the rotational speed of said variable speed drive means and thus of said article marking mechanism, said controlling means being responsive to any coarse and fine analogue control signals produced by said first and second signal producing means.

Claim 16

Apparatus for marking an article, which comprises: power driven means for advancing the article; a rotatable article marking mechanism; variable speed drive means for rotating said article marking mechanism; first signal producing means for producing a coarse analogue control signal representative of any difference between the speed of said article advancing means and the rotational speed of said variable speed drive means; a control member driven in response to the actual speed of advancement of the article; second signal producing means for producing a fine analogue control signal representative of any difference between the speed of said control member and the rotational speed of said variable speed drive means, and of a magnitude such that it will override any coarse analogue control signal produced by said first signal producing means; and means for controlling the rotational speed of said variable speed drive means and thus of said article marking mechanism, said controlling means being responsive to any coarse and fine analogue control signals produced by said first and second signal producing means.

Claim 17

Apparatus for marking an article, as recited in claim 12, in which: said first signal producing means includes signal generating devices driven by said article advancing means and said variable speed drive means; and said second signal producing means includes digital signal generating devices driven by said control member and said variable speed drive means.

Claim 18

Apparatus for marking an article, as recited in claim 12, in which the article is an elongated continuous strand which is to be marked at accurately spaced intervals, and in which: said article advancing means advances the elongated strand longitudinally; and said control member is rotatable and is rotatably driven by the longitudinally advancing strand through frictional engagement therewith.

Claim 19

Apparatus for marking an article, as recited in claim 12, in which the article is an elongated continuous strand which is to be marked at accurately spaced intervals, and in which: said article advancing means advances the strand longitudinally; said rotatable article marking mechanism includes a printing head carried by a printing wheel having a preselected circumference and having its periphery engaged with the longitudinally advancing strand; and said control member is a rotatable wheel having a preselected circumference and having its periphery frictionally engaged with the longitudinally advancing strand whereby it is rotatably driven by the strand.

Claim 20

Apparatus for marking an article, as recited in claim 12, which further comprises: brake means for causing quick deceleration of said rotatable article marking mechanism.

Claim 21

In apparatus for measuring the length of an elongated strand and printing markings on the strand at accurately spaced intervals, in which the strand is advanced longitudinally by first power driven means and subsequently by a power driven takeup mechanism, and in which a rotaTable printing wheel mechanism is engageable with the advancing strand to print the markings thereon, the improvement which comprises: variable speed drive means for rotating the printing wheel mechanism; first and second signal generating devices driven by the first strand advancing means and said variable speed drive means, respectively, to produce separate signals representative of the speed of the first strand advancing means and the rotational speed of said variable speed drive means; first circuit means for comparing the signals from said first and second signal generating devices and for producing a coarse analogue control signal representative of any difference between the signals; a master control wheel of a preselected circumference and having its periphery frictionally engaged with the advancing strand whereby it is rotatably driven by the advancing strand; first and second digital signal generating devices driven by said master control wheel and said variable speed drive means for the printing wheel mechanism, respectively, to produce separate digital signals representative of the rotational speeds of said master control wheel and said variable speed drive means for the printing wheel mechanism; second circuit means for comparing the digital signals and for converting any difference between the digital signals to a fine analogue control signal which is representative of the difference and which is of a magnitude such that it will override any coarse analogue control signal produced by said first signal comparing means; and means for controlling the rotational speed of said variable speed drive means and thus of the printing wheel mechanism, said controlling means being responsive to any coarse and fine analogue control signals produced by said first signal comparing circuit means and said digital to analogue signal converting means.

Claim 22

In apparatus for measuring the length of an elongated strand and printing markings on the strand at accurately spaced intervals, in which the strand is advanced longitudinally by first power driven means and subsequently by a power driven takeup mechanism, and in which a rotaTable printing wheel mechanism is engageable with the advancing strand to print the markings thereon, the improvement which comprises: variable speed drive means for rotating the printing wheel mechanism; first and second signal generating devices driven by the first strand advancing means and said variable speed drive means, respectively, to produce separate signals representative of the speed of the first strand advancing means and the rotational speed of said variable speed drive means; first circuit means for comparing the signals from said first and second signal generating devices and for producing a coarse analogue control signal representative of any difference between the signals; a master control wheel of a preselected circumference and having its periphery frictionally engaged with the advancing strand whereby it is rotatably driven by the advancing strand; first and second digital signal generating devices driven by said master control wheel and said variable speed drive means for the printing wheel mechanism, respectively, to produce separate digital signals representative of the rotational speeds of said master control wheel and said variable speed drive means for the printing wheel mechanism; second circuit means for comparing the digital signals and for converting any difference between the digital signals to a fine analogue control signal which is representative of the difference and which is of a magnitude such that it will override any coarse analogue control signal produced by said first signal comparing means; and means for controlling the rotational speed of said variable speed drive means and thus of the printing wheel mechanism, said controlling means being responsive to any coarse and fine analogue control signals produced by said first signal comparing circuit means and said digital to analogue signal converting means.