Abstract: A system having a printer for customizing signatures delivered and processed on a conveyor line in groups of completed books of variable thickness includes an arrangement for maintaining a constant distance between the printer and the books regardless of the thickness of the books in order to preserve the quality of printing on the books. The system further includes an arrangement for selectively diverting completed books to a stacker, a mail stream conveyor and a poor quality book conveyor.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of forming a graphic image having the appearance of three-dimensionality, the method comprising the steps of: providing a preformed lenticular film having a flat side and having a side with lenticules opposite the flat side; and printing an image on the flat side of the lenticular film using web fed printing to produce a graphic image web in which the perceptible image possesses photographically acceptable quality, wherein the image elements are printed on the lenticular film at an angle which corresponds to the pitch of the lenticules of the lenticular film.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of manufacturing a display for a touch screen control system which is used to control plow heads in a web folder machine, the method comprising the steps of providing a touch screen interface; taking a picture of the plow head; digitizing the picture to create a digitized image of the plow head; and displaying the digitized image of the plow head on the touch screen interface.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for printing a multi-colored image is provided. The image is composed of a plurality of single-color images, each of which is printed by an inking means in a base color ink. The reflectance of the image is measured by a spectrophotometer. Based upon the reflectance of the image and the full-tone reflectance of the base colors in the image, the effective dot density of each of the base colors are determined. The effective dot densities of the base colors of the image are compared to the effective dot densities of the base colors of an exemplary image. Based on the comparison, control signals are sent to the inking means to adjust the amount of ink used to print the single-color images. The effective dot density of the base colors of the image are determined from the reflectance of the image using a prediction process that incorporates a modified form of Neugebauer's model.

Abstract: An apparatus for dispersing contaminants from the surface of a web moving in a processing direction within a web processing system, the web processing system including a web processing structure, the apparatus including a chill roll air bar disposed proximate to a surface of the web, for separating the contaminated air from the surface of the web before that surface of the web engages the processing structure.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electrodeposition apparatus and a method for reconditioning gravure cylinders through electrodeposition. The electrodeposition apparatus includes a container for holding an ionic fluid bath and a reservoir for holding a supply of deposition material in fluid communication with the ionic fluid bath. An object, such as a gravure cylinder, is held in contact with the ionic fluid bath. Charges of opposite polarity are applied to the object and to the supply of deposition material. A barrier member and a diffusion member disposed between the supply of electrodeposition material and the object prevent contaminants from moving into contact with the object and also facilitate the dispersion of ions moving through the fluid bath between the supply of electrodeposition material and the object.

Abstract: An apparatus for applying covers to books of signatures transported along a binding line includes cover feeders for feeding at least two covers upon a conveyor line and a fastening arrangement for joining the covers in substantially superimposed registration on the signatures at a covering station on the binding line. A spacer bar is supported on the conveyor line for temporarily separating the covers before they are joined to the signatures. A registration arrangement maintains the alignment of the covers upon the conveyor line.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for forming a graphic image web including a precursor image web combined with a congruent lenticular lens to produce the illusion of three dimensionality in a visually perceptible image on the graphic image web. To produce this illusion of three dimensionality, an image field including an object is defined. The object is imagewise exposed onto a photographically sensitive element over a plurality of spatially disparate views through a lenticular lens having a prescribed optical geometry. Upon developing the latent image on said element, it is printed to form the precursor image web. The congruent lenticular lens is then combined with the precursor image web to create the graphic image web having graphic information imparted with the illusion of three dimensionality.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for forming a graphic image web including a precursor image web combined with a congruent lenticular lens web to produce the illusion of three dimensionality in a visually perceptible image on the graphic image web. To produce this illusion of three dimensionality, an image field including an object is defined. The object is imagewise exposed onto a photographically sensitive element over a plurality of spatially disparate views through a lenticular lens having a prescribed optical geometry. Upon developing the latent image on said element, it is printed to form the precursor image web. The congruent lenticular lens web is then optically combined with the precursor image web to create the graphic image web having graphic information of photographically acceptable quality imparted with the illusion of three dimensionality.

Abstract: An apparatus for applying covers to books of signatures transported along a binding line includes cover feeders for feeding at least two covers upon a conveyor line and a fastening arrangement for joining the covers in substantially superimposed registration on the signatures at a covering station on the binding line. A spacer bar is supported on the conveyor line for temporarily separating the covers before they are joined to the signatures.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for forming an insert assembly on a printing press includes at least one processing mechanism for delivering at least one first ribbon defining an insert and at least one second ribbon defining at least a binding hanger, and a fastening arrangement for joining the first ribbon and the second ribbon to facilitate attachment of the insert to at least one signature during a perfect binding or saddle stitching operation.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reliably detecting the occurrence of a web break in a web processing system is disclosed employing a non-contacting, non-optical sensor to detect the presence of the web. Cushion pressure in a cushion pressure zone adjacent the web is sensed to determine a web break condition. A sensor block is mounted within an enclosure through which the web passes. The sensor block is configured to sense the cushion pressure in the region between an air bar and the web. The cushion pressure is communicated outside the enclosure to a transducer which compares the cushion pressure to either the internal ambient pressure of the enclosure or to atmospheric pressure. The resulting differential pressure is compared to a threshold differential; if the measured differential pressure drops below the predetermined threshold pressure, a web break is indicated and web processing is terminated.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for transferring stacked and individual flexible products of variable height such as signatures to a wrapping machine having a continous packaging film includes a conveyor unit for transporting the signatures along a path substantially parallel to the packaging film, a main pushing unit for advancing the signatures transversely across the conveyor unit into the packaging film and a second pushing unit selectively engageable with the packaging film and travelling in advance of the signatures for adjusting the tension of the packaging film to prevent distortion of the signatures during wrapping.

Abstract: An apparatus for dispersing contaminants from the surface of a web moving in a processing direction within a web processing system, the web processing system including a web processing structure, the apparatus including a chill roll air bar disposed proximate to a surface of the web, for separating the contaminated air from the surface of the web before that surface of the web engages the processing structure.

Abstract: An imprinting system of the type including: a conveyer; a plurality of feeders for delivering signatures to a conveyer, the conveyer moving the signatures in a predetermined direction along a conveyer path; a printer disposed proximate to the conveyer along the path for imprinting on portions of signatures within a predetermined print field; improved in that the system further comprises: a scanner for scanning a field of view disposed along the path extending in the predetermined direction in predetermined relation to the print field and generating scanner output signals indicative of the position of the signature within the field of view; and the system for controlling the printer includes varying the position of the print field relative to the field of view in accordance with the movement of the signatures through the field of view.

Abstract: A printing system for customizing folded signatures in a collating and binding line having a number of spaced signature feeders includes an auxiliary feeder for conveying signatures in a particular orientation to a primary feeder located in the line, and a printer positioned between the auxiliary and primary feeders for printing signatures before their delivery to the line such that the printing on the signatures lies substantially transverse to the folds of the signatures. The system further includes an arrangement for aligning the signatures in a particular orientation between the auxiliary feeder and primary feeder.

Abstract: A system for generating indicia of registration error between the respective printing units of a web-fed, four-color printing press. An optical line scanner is disposed over a web to generate signals indicative of the brightness level of successive nominal pixels along a line transverse to the motion of the web. The respective printing units each generate registration marks on the web, the relative positions of which are indicative of the relative cyclical (rotational) and transverse (lateral) positions of the printing units with respect to the web. As the web moves past the scanners, successive line scans generated by the scanner provide the equivalent of a two-dimensional raster scan of a strip of the web centered on the expected center line of registration marks produced by the respective printing units.

Abstract: A system and method for stabilizing a moving web within a printing press having one or more printing units cooperating to print an image on the web, including an air driven stabilizer structure disposed proximate to the printing units associated therewith for controlling the arc length of blanket follow between the web and one or more of the printing cylinders by creating a Bernoulli effect.

Abstract: A customizing system for signatures delivered by signature feeders to a conveyor includes a variable selection device comprising a plurality of vanes, each of which has elongated guide members extending to the signature feeders and a switchplate selectively alignable with the vanes and cooperable with the guide members to define an extended travel path over which a signature selected from the feeders may be customized.

Abstract: A system for customizing signatures delivered and processed on a conveyor line according to coded information includes an arrangement for selectively diverting certain signatures on the line to a packaging station at which signatures are individually wrapped, and returning signatures selectively wrapped to the conveyor line in synchronism with other signatures delivered on the conveyor line according to the coded information.