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.