Abstract: Treatment apparatus for continuous web for producing diecut blanks (for example) has two sets of treatment rolls and the speed of these is adjusted so that although driven at web speed during the treatment portion of each cycle they are accelerated and retarded (or vice versa) during the non-treatment portion of each cycle so as to synchronize the treatment forms on the rolls with the required web areas and avoid wastage. The speed variation is by control of the drive motors for the rolls, but using roll-carried cams connected to gas springs so that energy can be absorbed during retardation and released during acceleration to supplement the motors and thus enable smaller motors to be used.

Abstract: A rotary die-cutter is arranged for front or rear edge stripping by providing spring fingers which are moved rearwardly, relative to the rotation of the impression cylinder, to engage the front edge scrap and clamp it on the roll, for movement with the roll out of the plane of feed of the web while the remainder of the blank is fed onwardly into said plane.

Abstract: Stripping apparatus to remove scrap around die cut blanks in a web comprises a roll pair through which the web is passed, one roll carrying spikes to impale the scrap pieces and the other roll carrying abutments to contact the scrap pieces on the opposite side to the spikes. According to the invention the abutments are retractable, so that effectively the scrap piece is pinched between the spike and abutment shortly before the nip of the rolls. FIG. 1 illustrates the preferred arrangement.

Abstract: The invention provides a feeder having two stacks which are top fed by reciprocating suction boxes, the stacks feeding alternately and a belt being used to transfer blanks from the rear stack.

Abstract: A web is reciprocated through a treatment roll pair so that a succession of treated areas is formed on the web, one of said areas being formed on each forward movement, and the reverse movements serving to enable re-positioning of the web and avoiding waste between each two said areas. Two pairs of feed rolls are provided, one pair for forward feed and one pair for reverse feed. Each feed roll pair is engageable with and releasable from the web by having separable rolls. The feed rolls are all driven from a common camshaft.

Abstract: Apparatus for die-cutting preprinted web has an adjustable web feed mechanism which is controlled by circuitry for detecting mis-registration between die-cutting and the preprinted portions of the web, of which the following is a specification.

Abstract: A sheet handling device, especially for stacking sheets, includes overhead conveyor belts with a suction chamber to hold sheets against their undersides and mechanism for displacing the sheets from the belts onto a table. This mechanism includes a set of fingers which, as well as being displaceable through the plane of the belts, are also displaceable in the direction of sheet feed to enable them to engage the sheets while travelling in the same direction at substantially the same speed and thereafter slow down the sheets and displace them towards the table.

Abstract: The invention provides apparatus for producing printed and cut blanks from continuous webs of cardboard or the like, which avoids wastage between successive blanks when the length of the blank is not equal to the periphery of the treatment rolls of the apparatus by using two coupled accelerators which adjust the position of the web after each complete operation.