Method of and apparatus for correcting deviations in length and registration in a continuous strip of material

Claim 3

A method as called for in claim 1, wherein the press repeat is constant, and wherein the spacing of the register indicia of the rewound strip of material is variable.

Claim 4

A method as called for in claim 21, wherein the phase relationship of said press-repeat and register indicia signals are compared to indicate the presence and extend of deviations in phase between the spacing of the register indicia and press repeat for determining the amount of alteration to be imparted to the rate of metering of the strip of material in order to match the spacing of the register indicia with the press repeat.

Claim 5

A method as called for in claim 1, wherein the stretch of the strip of material is predictable.

Claim 6

A method as called for in claim 1, wherein the register indicia was previously applied to the strip of material at regular, equally spaced intervals.

Claim 7

A method as called for in claim 1, which includes the steps of generating a signal each time the register indicia on the strip of material passes a predEtermined point; generating a signal in synchronization with each press repeat; and of comparing the phase relationship of said generated signals to indicate the presence and extent of deviations in phase between the spacing of the register indicia and the press repeat for determining the amount of alteration to be imparted to the rate of metering of the strip of material in order to match the spacing of the register indicia with the press repeat.

Claim 8

A rotary printing press including a plurality of printing stations and of the type which includes a variable speed infeed means to control the rate at which a continuous strip of material having preapplied register indicia thereon is fed to the press; said printing stations including printing cylinders; press drive means connected with the infeed means and the printing cylinders to drive said infeed means and the cylinders of each station; means connected with the printing cylinders for altering the phase relationship of the printing cylinders relative to said strip of material; sensing means adjacent said strip of material to translate the spacing of the register indicia into a register-induced signal as the register indicia passes a predetermined point as the strip of material passes through the press; signal producing means connected with said press drive means to translate the rotational speed of said cylinders into press-repeat signals; first control means connected with said sensing means and said signal producing means to compare said register-indicia induced and said press-repeat induced signals to obtain a first control signal; a pair of differential gear units connected in tandem between said press drive means and said infeed means to selectively vary the speed of the infeed means to match the register indicia on said strip of material with the press repeat; first drive means connected to said first control means and to one of said differential units and responsive to said first control signal to provide one input to said one differential unit which is a function of said first control signal for effecting immediate corrections in registration, a second drive means connected to said first drive means and to said one differential unit to provide another input to said one differential unit which is a function of the first control signal and the press repeat for effecting long range corrections based on the trend of the immediate corrections, the output of said one differential unit comprising a variable input to the other differential unit, said press drive means connected to said other differential unit to provide another input thereto which is substantially constant, the output of said other differential unit connected to drive said infeed means, whereby hunting is prevented and accurate registration control is achieved.

Claim 9

A rotary printing press including a plurality of printing stations and of the type which includes a variable speed infeed means to control the rate at which a continuous strip of material having preapplied register indicia thereon is fed to the press; said printing stations including printing cylinders; press drive means connected with the infeed means and the printing cylinders to drive said infeed means and the cylinders of each station; means connected with the printing cylinders for altering the phase relationship of the printing cylinders relative to said strip of material; sensing means adjacent said strip of material to translate the spacing of the register indicia into a register-induced signal as the register indicia passes a predetermined point as the strip of material passes through the press; signal producing means connected with said press drive means to translate the rotational speed of said cylinders into press-repeat signals; first control means connected with said sensing means and said signal producing means to compare said register-indicia induced and said press-repeat induced signals to obtain a first control signal; a pair of differential gear units connected in tandem between said press drive means and said infeed means to selectively vary the speed of the infeed means to match the register indicia on said strip of material with the press repeat; first drive means connected to said first control means and to one of said differential units and responsive to said first control signal to provide one input to said one differential unit which is a function of said first control signal for effecting immediate corrections in registration, a second drive means connected to said first drive means and to said one differential unit to provide another input to said one differential unit which is a function of the first control signal and the press repeat for effecting long range corrections based on the trend of the immediate corrections, the output of said one differential unit comprising a variable input to the other differential unit, said press drive means connected to said other differential unit to provide another input thereto which is substantially constant, the output of said other differential unit connected to drive said infeed means, whereby hunting is prevented and accurate registration control is achieved.

Claim 10

A rotary printing press as called for in claim 7, wherein the said predetermined point is located in the press after the first printing station and immediately in advance of the printing cylinders of a subsequent station.

Claim 11

A rotary printing press as called for in claim 7, wherein the said predetermined point is disposed between the infeed means and the printing cylinders of the first station of said press.

Claim 12

A rotary printing press as called for in claim 9, wherein the first drive means for said one differential unit comprises a first electric motor connected to provide said one input of said one differential; and said second drive means to drive the other input to said differential including a variable speed transmission and a second electric motor connected to alter the output of said variable speed transmission.

Claim 13

A rotary printing press as called for in claim 10, wherein the speed and direction of rotation of said first electric motor is controlled by the first control signal and first control means, which are responsive to differences in the phases of said register-induced and said press-repeat induced signals.

Claim 14

A rotary printing press as called for in claim 10, includIng second control means connected to be driven by said first electric motor, and wherein the speed and direction of rotation of said second electric motor is controlled by said second control means driven by said first electric motor.

Claim 15

A rotary printing press as called for in claim 10, wherein a tachometer is connected to be driven by said first electric motor and the tachometer has an output connected to the second electric motor, so that the speed and direction of rotation of said second electric motor is a function of the output of said tachometer.

Claim 16

A rotary printing press as in claim 7, wherein means is connected with the printing cylinders of each station to simultaneously and proportionally vary the phase relationship of each of the cylinders relative to the strip of material, said means including said variable speed transmission having a power input connected thereto and an output connected to drive a proportional registration shaft, which is connected in driving relationship to the printing cylinders of each station.

Claim 17

A rotary printing press as called for in claim 14, wherein the said second electric motor is connected to the variable speed transmission and comprises the input thereto, the output of the variable speed transmission connected to drive a differential unit which is connected to the proportional registration shaft to simultaneously and proportionally vary the phase relationship of the cylinders of each of said printing stations relative to the strip of material being processed.

Claim 18

A rotary printing press as called for in claim 15, wherein the said variable speed transmission comprises a differential one input of which is in driven relationship with the said second electric motor, the other input of which is in driven relationship with a third electric motor which includes manually operable control means.