Abstract: A quick change punch reel for a rotary press comprises a transversely split annular main body member having radially extending cylindrical sockets for receiving individual punches, each punch having a head and a base and an outer cylindrical sidewall with a circumferential undercut including a tapered wall extending toward the base of the punch. The sockets are adjacent a planar side face of the main body member and cylindrical bores are formed through the side face in alignment with and intersecting the sockets with the bores having counterbores at the side face. Punch retaining plungers are spring-biased into the bores and counterbores by means of a transversely split cap plate which is secured to the side face of the main body member. Cylindrical punches may be exchanged in the sockets by retracting the plungers against the compressive force of individual springs such that the punches are received within the sockets and retained by spherical heads of the plungers within the undercuts of the punches.

Abstract: A collating apparatus having a collating unit, a perforating unit and a fan-folding unit, all gear driven by a single main drive gear, and having a gear assembly driven by the drive gear which includes a gear having an adjustable rotational eccentricity and an adjustable phase of eccentricity relative to the other gears. In a preferred embodiment, the adjustable gear includes an inner hub mounted on a rotatable shaft, an intermediate hub having an eccentric bore rotatably receiving the inner hub, a gear ring having an eccentric bore rotatably receiving the intermediate hub and a clamp bar attached to the gear ring and to the shaft. The bar includes an adjustment mechanism for varying the orientation of the gear ring, intermediate hub and inner hub relative to each other.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for measuring the relative circumferential setting of at least two rotating elements of a machine for operating on a moving web are provided wherein a first of the elements serves as a measurement reference. An electric reference pulse is generated for each revolution of the first element, along with a train of clock pulses wherein each count corresponds to an increment of rotation. A marker pulse is generated for each revolution of the second element, and the count pulses generated subsequent to generation of a reference pulse and up to and simultaneous with generation of the next succeeding marker pulse are counted, thereby providing a relative rotational measurement. The count is retained in a memory until the next succeeding count is completed.