Tube maker registration control

Claim 3

A cutting apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein the control means includes: driver means responsive to the first and second outputs for providing high and base speed signals; a motor controller connected to the driver means for receiving the high and base speed signals therefrom and for providing in response thereto a motor excitation voltage corresponding to the received signals; a motor connected to the motor controller for receiving the excitation voltage therefrom, said motor accelerates or decelerates to a speed corresponding to the excitation voltage; and means for connecting said motor to the knife means for varying the speed of the knife means.

Claim 4

A cutting apparatus as described in claim 2, wherein the motor controller additionally comprises an electronic torque adjustment means for varying the torque output of the motor and thereby controlling the acceleration thereof.

Claim 5

A cutting apparatus as described in claim 2, additionally comprising means for adjusting the level of the high and base speed signals from the driver means.

Claim 6

A cutting apparatus as described in claim 1, additionally comprising: high speed indicating means connected to the first output of the logic means and responsive thereto for providing an indication that the knife means is cutting prior to the specified position; and base speed indicating means connected to the second output of the logIc means and responsive thereto for providing an indication that the knife means is cutting after the specified position.

Claim 7

A cutting apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein the knife means comprises: a knife blade rotatably mounted adjacent the material; means for conveying the material past the knife blade; and drive means for rotating the knife blade and driving the conveying means.

Claim 8

A cutting apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein the material is cigarette tubing.

Claim 9

A cutting apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein the material is cigarette tubing having bands of simulated cork printed thereon at intervals of twice the nominal length of a cigarette, the printed bands having widths twice that required for a filter tip.

Claim 10

A cutting apparatus as described in claim 8, wherein the knife means cuts the tubing midway the printed bands and midway the unprinted portions and the second sensing means senses when the center of a printed band is adjacent the knife means and provides the position signal corresponding thereto.

Claim 13

A cutting apparatus as described in claim 10, wherein the material is cigarette tubing having bands of simulated cork printed at intervals equal to twice the nominal length of a cigarette, the bands having widths of twice that required for a filter tip, the knife means cuts the cigarette tubing midway the unprinted portions and the second sensing means senses when the center of a printed band is adjacent the knife means and provides the position signal corresponding thereto, the apparatus additionally comprising; third sensing means for sensing when the printed band is adjacent the knife means and for providing a signal corresponding thereto; and third gate means connected to the first sensing means and the third sensing means and responsive to the signals therefrom for providing an output when the knife means is cutting the unprinted portion, the output being connected to both the first and second Flip-Flops which are responsive thereto for switching the state of the Flip-Flops.

Claim 14

In combination with a cigarette spill cutting machine of the type wherein a tube of cigarette Paper, having bands of simulated cork twice as wide as a cigarette filter printed thereon and spaced at intervals twice the length of a cigarette, is advanced by a paper drive drum towards a rotating cutting knife for cutting the tube midway the printed bands and midway the unprinted portions, the knife and drive drum being driven by a main drive shaft, the improvement comprising: first sensing means for sensing when the knife is cutting the tube and for providing a cut signal corresponding thereto; second sensing means for sensing when the center of the printed band is adjacent the knife and for providing a position signal corresponding thereto; first gate means connected to the first and second sensing means and responsive to the signals therefrom for providing an output when a cut signal occurs prior to the position signal; second gate means connected to the first and second sensing means and responsive to the signals therefrom for providing an output when the position signal occurs prior to the cut signal; first and second Flip-Flops connected to the first and second gate means, respectively, and responsive to the outputs therefrom for switching states and providing output signals corresponding thereto; a third Flip-Flop having first and second inputs connected to the output signals of the first and second Flip-Flops respectively, the first input being responsive to the output signal from the first Flip-Flop for switching the third Flip-Flop to a first state and the second input being responsive to the output signal from the second Flip-Flop to a second state, the third Flip-Flop for providing a high speed output when in the first state and a base speed output when in the second state; control means connected to the third Flip-Flop for receiving the high speed and base speed outputs therefrom and for providing in response thereto a motor excitation voltage corresponding to the received outputs; a motor connected to the control means and responsive to the excitation voltage therefrom for accelerating or decelerating to a speed corresponding to the excitation voltage; and differential means interposed between the main drive shaft and the knife and connected to the motor for varying the knife rotation rate so that the cuts are maintained in registration with the centers of the printed bands.

Claim 15

In combination with a cigarette spill cutting machine of the type wherein a tube of cigarette Paper, having bands of simulated cork twice as wide as a cigarette filter printed thereon and spaced at intervals twice the length of a cigarette, is advanced by a paper drive drum towards a rotating cutting knife for cutting the tube midway the printed bands and midway the unprinted portions, the knife and drive drum being driven by a main drive shaft, the improvement comprising: first sensing means for sensing when the knife is cutting the tube and for providing a cut signal corresponding thereto; second sensing means for sensing when the center of the printed band is adjacent the knife and for providing a position signal corresponding thereto; first gate means connected to the first and second sensing means and responsive to the signals therefrom for providing an output when a cut signal occurs prior to the position signal; second gate means connected to the first and second sensing means and responsive to the signals therefrom for providing an output when the position signal occurs prior to the cut signal; first and second Flip-Flops connected to the first and second gate means, respectively, and responsive to the outputs therefrom for switching states and providing output signals corresponding thereto; a third Flip-Flop having first and second inputs connected to the output signals of the first and second Flip-Flops respectively, the first input being responsive to the output signal from the first Flip-Flop for switching the third Flip-Flop to a first state and the second input being responsive to the output signal from the second Flip-Flop to a second state, the third Flip-Flop for providing a high speed output when in the first state and a base speed output when in the second state; control means connected to the third Flip-Flop for receiving the high speed and base speed outputs therefrom and for providing in response thereto a motor excitation voltage corresponding to the received outputs; a motor connected to the control means and responsive to the excitation voltage therefrom for accelerating or decelerating to a speed corresponding to the excitation voltage; and differential means interposed between the main drive shaft and the knife and connected to the motor for varying the knife rotation rate so that the cuts are maintained in registration with the centers of the printed bands.

Claim 16

In combination with a cigarette spill cutting machine of the type, wherein a tube of cigarette paper, having bands of simulated cork twice as wide as a cigarette filter printed thereon and spaced at intervals twice the length of a cigarette, is advanced by a paper drive drum towards a rotating cutting knife for cutting the tube midway the printed bands and midway the unprinted portions, the knife and drive drum being driven by a main drive shaft, the improvement comprising; first sensing means for sensing when the knife is cutting the tube and for providing a cut signal corresponding thereto; second sensing means for sensing when the center of the printed band is adjacent the knife and for providing a position signal corresponding thereto; third sensing means for sensing when a printed band is adjacent the cutting knife and for providing a signal corresponding thereto; logic means responsive to the cut and position signals for providing a high speed output and when the cut signal occurs prior to the position signal and a base speed output when the signal cut occurs after the position signal the logic means also being responsive to the signal from the third sensing means for rendering the logic means non-responsive to the cut signal when the third sensing means is not sensing a printed band; control means connected to the logic means for receiving the outputs therefrom and for providing in response thereto a motor excitation voltage corresponding to the received outputs; a motor connected to the control means and responsive to the excitation voltage therefrom for accelerating or decelerating to a speed corresponding to the excitation voltage; and differential means interposed between the main drive shaft and the knife and connected to the motor for varying the knife rotation rate so that the cuts are maintained in registration with the centers of the printed bands.

Claim 17

In combination with a cigarette spill cutting machine of the type, wherein a tube of cigarette paper, having bands of simulated cork twice as wide as a cigarette filter printed thereon and spaced at intervals twice the length of a cigarette, is advanced by a paper drive drum towards a rotating cutting knife for cutting the tube midway the printed bands and midway the unprinted portions, the knife and drive drum being driven by a main drive shaft, the improvement comprising; first sensing means for sensing when the knife is cutting the tube and for providing a cut signal corresponding thereto; second sensing means for sensing when the center of the printed band is adjacent the knife and for providing a position signal corresponding thereto; third sensing means for sensing when a printed band is adjacent the cutting knife and for providing a signal corresponding thereto; logic means responsive to the cut and position signals for providing a high speed output and when the cut signal occurs prior to the position signal and a base speed output when the signal cut occurs after the position signal the logic means also being responsive to the signal from the third sensing means for rendering the logic means non-responsive to the cut signal when the third sensing means is not sensing a printed band; control means connected to the logic means for receiving the outputs therefrom and for providing in response thereto a motor excitation voltage corresponding to the received outputs; a motor connected to the control means and responsive to the excitation voltage therefrom for accelerating or decelerating to a speed corresponding to the excitation voltage; and differential means interposed between the main drive shaft and the knife and connected to the motor for varying the knife rotation rate so that the cuts are maintained in registration with the centers of the printed bands.

Claim 18

A cigarette spill cutting machine as described in claim 13, wherein the logic means additionally comprises a third gate means connected to the first sensing means and the third sensing and responsive to the signals therefrom, for providing an output when the knife is cutting the unprinted portion, the output being connected to both the first and second Flip-Flops which are responsive thereto for switching into a reset state.

Claim 19

A registration control, for maintaining registration between the cut of a rotating knife and a specified position relative to a pattern printed at intervals on material being cut by the knife, comprising: first means for providing a cut signal having a first level when the knife is not cutting the material and a second level when the knife is cutting the material; second means for providing a position signal having a first level when the specified position is not adjacent the knife and a second level when the specified position is adjacent the knife; a first inverter connected to the first means for inverting the first and second levels of the cut signal; a second inverted connected to the second means for inverting the first and second levels of the position signal; first gate means connected to the first means and the second inverter and responsive to simultaneous second level signals therefrom for providing an output; second gate means connected to the firs inverter and the second means and responsive to simultaneous second level signals therefrom for providing an output; a first Flip-Flop, having a first input connected to the output of the first gate means and having a first output connected to an input of the second gate means, the first Flip-Flop being responsive to the output of the first gate means for providing a first level signal on the first output, thereby inhibiting the second gate means from providing an output; a second Flip-Flop having a first input connected to the output of the second gate means and having a first output connected to an input of the first gate means, the second Flip-Flop being responsive to the output of the second gate means for providing a first level signal on the first output, thereby inhibiting the first gate means from providing an output; a third Flip-Flop, having first and second inputs connected to the first outputs of the first and second Flip-Flops respectively, the first input being responsive to a first level signal for switching the third Flip-Flop to a first state and the second input being responsive to a first level signal for switching the Flip-Flop to a second state, the third Flip-Flop having a first output providing a first level signal when in a second state and a second level signal when in the first state and a first level signal when in the second state; means connected to the first output of the third Flip-Flop for providing a high speed signal when the first output provides a second level signal; means connected to the second output for providing a base speed signal when the second output provides a second level signal; and control means responsive to the high speed and base speed outputs for decreasing and increasing respectively the speed of the rotating knife so that the cut is maintained in registration with the specified position.

Claim 20

A registration control, for maintaining registration between the cut of a rotating knife and a specified position relative to a pattern printed at intervals on material being cut by the knife, comprising: first means for providing a cut signal having a first level when the knife is not cutting the material and a second level when the knife is cutting the material; second means for providing a position signal having a first level when the specified position is not adjacent the knife and a second level when the specified position is adjacent the knife; a first inverter connected to the first means for inverting the first and second levels of the cut signal; a second inverted connected to the second means for inverting the first and second levels of the position signal; first gate means connected to the first means and the second inverter and responsive to simultaneous second level signals therefrom for providing an output; second gate means connected to the firs inverter and the second means and responsive to simultaneous second level signals therefrom for providing an output; a first Flip-Flop, having a first input connected to the output of the first gate means and having a first output connected to an input of the second gate means, the first Flip-Flop being responsive to the output of the first gate means for providing a first level signal on the first output, thereby inhibiting the second gate means from providing an output; a second Flip-Flop having a first input connected to the output of the second gate means and having a first output connected to an input of the first gate means, the second Flip-Flop being responsive to the output of the second gate means for providing a first level signal on the first output, thereby inhibiting the first gate means from providing an output; a third Flip-Flop, having first and second inputs connected to the first outputs of the first and second Flip-Flops respectively, the first input being responsive to a first level signal for switching the third Flip-Flop to a first state and the second input being responsive to a first level signal for switching the Flip-Flop to a second state, the third Flip-Flop having a first output providing a first level signal when in a second state and a second level signal when in the first state and a first level signal when in the second state; means connected to the first output of the third Flip-Flop for providing a high speed signal when the first output provides a second level signal; means connected to the second output for providing a base speed signal when the second output provides a second level signal; and control means responsive to the high speed and base speed outputs for decreasing and increasing respectively the speed of the rotating knife so that the cut is maintained in registration with the specified position.

Claim 21

A registration control as described in claim 15, wherein the means for providing a high speed signal and the means for providing a base speed signal additionally comprise means for varying the level of the high speed and base speed signals respectively.