Abstract: An off-line web finishing system performs plural functions on a pre-printed and rewound web at a series of pieces of equipment arranged in a line. Tension in the web is set at a variable infeed at a substantially constant value that is sufficient to facilitate handling of the web. A common web-transport system drives all draw rolls in the line in unison, at substantially the same speed, and without slippage between the web and the rolls. A second drive system, preferably one using a second drive shaft, rotates the function cylinders of one or more registration sensitive pieces of equipment in unison. A continuously adjustable variable transmission is operatively connected between the secondary line shaft and a main line shaft for the web transport. A control system adjusts the variable transmission. It includes a central microprocessor, an optical scanner associated with each function cylinder, and an encoder to measure the speed of rotation of the function cylinder.

Abstract: Continuous motion apparatus having an offset blanket wheel for applying main images to cylindrical containers is also provided with a plurality of direct printing units that apply auxiliary images to the containers. All of the cassettes are mounted on the blanket wheel. Each cassette is provided with at least one belt having a plurality of auxiliary images in tandem. The belt or belts, as the case may be, is driven continuously at uniform speed along a closed loop path. The cylindrical outer surface having images applied thereto travels at the same linear speed as the offset blanket, and there is a difference in linear speeds between the belt with the auxiliary images thereon and the cylindrical outer surface, even while the auxiliary images are being applied to the cylindrical outer surface.

Abstract: A splicer tape is provided for holding down the leading end portion of the outer layer of a new roll of web and for enabling the leading end portion of the new roll to be spliced to the trailing end portion of an active web. The tape contains an elongated strip of carrier material having inner and outer sides with the inner side of the strip having a first and second longitudinally extending section and preferably having an intermediate longitudinally extending section located between the first and second sections, said intermediate section being free of adhesive. A first adhesive is applied onto the first section and comprises a non-releasable adhesive which is to be applied against the leading end portion of the new roll.

Abstract: A continuous motion decorator for cylindrical containers is provided with a direct printing unit for printing an auxiliary image on the cylindrical surface of a container that has been imprinted with a main image by an offset blanket segment of the decorator. The direct printing unit includes a plurality of direct printing plates disposed in tandem on a closed loop belt means with each of these plates bearing a different auxiliary image. The offset blanket segments are mounted on the periphery of a continuously rotating blanket wheel. An individual direct printing unit, mounted to the blanket wheel, is provided for each blanket segment and includes an anvil disposed at the upstream end of the blanket segment to support one printing plate at a time in its printing position. For each revolution of the blanket wheel the belt means is advanced by an incremental length to bring a new printing plate to printing position.

Abstract: A reflectometer for measuring absorption of light in selected regions of the light spectrum by a diffuse reflector. The reflectometer is adapted to precisely measure absorption resulting from the constituents present in body fluids. The sample to be measured is illuminated by a focused light source at an angle of 45.degree. to its surface. The light diffusely reflected about the normal to the sample falls on a small round bundle of optical fibers at the opposite end of the bundle, the fibers are arranged into a narrow rectangle. This rectangle forms the entrance slit for a concave holographic diffraction grating. The grating forms images of this entrance slit spectrally separated over a flat field suitable for recording the spectrum on film or on an array of discrete detectors.

Abstract: A continuous motion cylindrical can decorator is provided with mandrels that receive undecorated cans and a deco chain that carries decorated cans through a curing oven. The mandrels are mounted along the periphery of a continuously rotating carrier. Chain speed is much slower than linear mandrel speed and spacing between pins on the chain is much less than spacing between mandrels. Interposed between the chain and the mandrel carrier is a continuously rotating transfer carrier having a plurality of suction holding devices thereto. As the holding devices move through a transfer region they are in single file and receive cans that are blown from the mandrels. In the transfer region mandrel linear speed is substantially greater than linear speed of the holding devices, and spacing between the latter is much less than spacing between mandrels As the loaded suction holding devices move downstream through a pickup region cans thereon are loaded on two rows of pins carried by the deco chain.

Abstract: An off-line web finishing system performs plural functions on a pre printed and rewound web at a series of pieces of equipment arranged in a line. Tension in the web is set at a variable infeed at a constant value that is sufficient to facilitate handling of the web. A common web-transport system drives all draw rolls in the line in unison, at the same speed, and without slippage between the web and the rolls. In the preferred form, a second drive line rotates in unison the function cylinders of pieces of equipment that are registration sensitive. The second line is driven by a main line shaft of the web transport system via a variable transmission that is adjusted in response to at least one optical scanner that senses misregistrations between the printed pattern on the web and the function cylinders. The registration sensitive function cylinders operate on the web only intermittently.

Abstract: A ram that is utilized in high speed apparatus for forming elongated one piece metal can bodies from shallow cups is constructed as a weldment in which there is an elongated relatively thin-walled tube, a tail piece metallurgically bonded to one end of the tube and a nose piece metallurgically bonded to the other end of the tube.

Abstract: Continuous motion apparatus for decorating cylindrical articles includes a plurality of removable and replaceable inker subassemblies each of which includes an inker section and a transmission section through which the inker section is mechanically connected to the main drive for the apparatus. Each inker subassembly applies a controlled film of ink to an individual associated printing cylinder that remains mounted to the main frame of the apparatus when its associated inker subassembly is dismounted from the main frame. The transmission section is a sealed unit that utilizes a liquid lubricant. Mounting stability is obtained by utilizing four mounting points where each inker unit engages the main frame. A readily releasable securing clamp is provided at each mounting point, and a sliding collar constitutes a readily disengageable coupling through which the input of the transmission section is driven by the main drive.

Abstract: A continuous motion cylindrical can decorator is provided with mandrels that receive undecorated cans and a deco chain that carries decorated cans through a curing oven. The mandrels are mounted along the periphery of a continuously rotating carrier. Chain speed is much slower than linear mandrel speed and spacing between pins on the chain is much less than spacing between mandrels. Interposed between the chain and the mandrel carrier is a continuously rotating transfer carrier having a plurality of suction holding devices thereto. As the holding devices move through a transfer region they are in single file and receive cans that are blown from the mandrels. In the transfer region mandrel linear speed is substantially greater than linear speed of the holding devices, and spacing between the latter is much less than spacing between the mandrels.

Abstract: An off-line web finishing system performs plural functions on a pre-printed and rewound web at a series of pieces of equipment arranged in a line. Tension in the web is set at a variable infeed at a constant value that is sufficient to facilitate handling of the web. A common web-transport system drives all draw rolls in the line in unison, at the same speed, and without slippage between the web and the rolls. In the preferred form, a second drive line rotates in unison the function cylinders of pieces of equipment that are registration sensitive. The second line is driven by a main line shaft of the web transport system via a variable transmission that is adjusted in response to at least one optical scanner that senses misregistrations between the printed pattern on the web and the function cylinders. The registration sensitive function cylinders operate on the web only intermittently.

Abstract: A continuous motion decorator of the type in which cans are supported on freely rotatable mandrels during decorating is provided with a plurality of equally spaced mandrel actuator subassemblies mounted along the periphery of a rotating carrier. Each subassembly is mounted for radial movement toward and away from the carrier's rotational axis with the radial position of the subassembly being controlled by a stationary closed loop cam track on which a follower roller of the subassembly is disposed. The subassembly also includes a rotary operator having a rotor that supports the mandrel and is on a pivot axis that is parallel to the axis of the carrier as well as being parallel to and laterally offset from the rotational axis of the mandrel. Sensors detect unloaded and misloaded mandrels, and upon doing so cause the rotary operator that is unloaded or misloaded to be actuated to withdraw the rotor from its normal decorating path so that it will not engage the printing blanket of a decorating unit.

Abstract: A rotary die cutter includes an anvil roll and at least one die roll. One or more sheet metal dies with raised cutting edges are carried on the die roll to cut patterns in a web of material passing between the die and the anvil roll. The die cutter has a pair of rigid side frames spanned by a very rigid spreader. While the anvil roll is end-mounted between the side frames, the die roll is mounted from the spreader. A drive shaft rotatable in the side frames and driven from a lineshaft by a gear system transits rotation to the die roll, while allowing the die roll freedom of movement for independent vertical, axial and circumferential adjustments. This mounting and drive of the die roll can accommodate a full width press web using die rolls having a small diameter, typically a single repeat roll, and one whose length is comparable to its circumference. A pair of mutually slidable wedges acting against a spring clamping force adjusts the vertical position of bearing blocks that rotatably mount the die roll.

Abstract: Apparatus for forming elongated metal cans from relatively short cups by utilizing a reciprocating ram to drive the cups one at a time through a die pack, is provided with a continuously rotating feeder that transfers the cups from the exit of a gravity feed chute to a receiving station where each cup is indexed for engagement by the ram as it moves forward in its working stroke. The feeder rotates through one complete revolution for each forward-return cycle of the ram and during each revolution thereof a pocket in the feeder receives a cup from the chute, which cup then moves along a curved guideway to a receiving station. Prior to being engaged by a registry formation at the receiving station the cup is engaged by a stripper that removes the cup from the feeder pocket. The feeder continues to drive the cup toward the registry formation while the cup is being stripped from the feeder pocket.

Abstract: A high speed can decorator includes an infeed section having a rotating pocket wheel which receives cans from the downstream end of a chute wherein the cans arranged side by side. While being carried by the pocket wheel to a transfer region where these cans are moved axially from peripheral pockets of the pocket wheel to be received by mandrels that are mounted on a rotating mandrel wheel that is coaxial with the pocket wheel. Immediately after a can is seated within a pocket wheel, a suction force is applied to the side of the can to fully seat and stabilize same in the pocket. This suction force is applied until the can reaches the transfer region.

Abstract: A stacking apparatus for signatures includes a signature-carrying belt positioned with respect to incoming signatures to raise the trailing edge of each signature and form a reverse shingle stream of signatures. A retarding wheel positioned above the signature carrying belt slows the travel of the signatures as they enter the stacker. The signatures pass through a nip created between the retarding wheel and the signature carrying belt. The signature carrying belt carries the reverse shingle stream from a horizontal orientation to a vertical orientation and then to a signature collector that includes a transport belt. A belt drive activated by a sensor of the pressure in the stack collected on the belt carriers the stack in a direction away from the signature carrying belt. The collector includes a vertical barrier that supports the collected signatures in a vertical orientation and automatically adjusts its position to accommodate varying quantities of signatures stacked in the collector.

Abstract: A paper product traverses a straight line path through a folding apparatus defined by two folding stations that are mounted independently of one another. Each station includes supports, a central frame extending along the paper folding path, and belt arrangements for gripping, propelling and folding a laterally projecting portion of the paper. Each station is mounted for a lateral translation of the entire station perpendicular to the paper path. In the preferred form, this translation is accomplished with racks associated with each stand and pinions carried on a common drive shaft that engage the racks. Both stations also preferably include an arrangement for rotating the station as a whole in the horizontal plane to adjust the squareness of the fold.

Abstract: Disclosed is an automatic paper folding apparatus and method for folding cut sheet paper products, whether single sheets or multiple plies as in a "signature" that is already folded by a printing press. The apparatus of the invention contains at least one pair of opposed belts which continuously grip the products and carry then through the apparatus. At least one set of freely rotatable rollers is arrayed along the direction of travel. Each belt has a flat paper-gripping surface, a longitudinal groove on the opposite surface that receives a guide roller, and at least one side surface that slopes away from the folding line. Each roller has a conical forming surface. The angle of inclination of the conical surfaces of the rollers in a set increases incrementally along the direction of travel.