Abstract: An apparatus and method for providing disturbance-free speed and position references to drive units in a web-fed printing press to minimize or eliminate detrimental effects on printing speed and quality caused by transient mechanical disturbances occurring at one or more of the drive units during printing.

Abstract: A process and device for synchronizing a cylinder of a printing press, which is pivoted up to its countercylinder, and to a shaft encoder suitable for carrying out this process.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a control means for a printing machine, in particular a sheet-fed offset printing machine, having a plurality of units, such as feeders, printing units, varnishing and coating devices, deliverers, folding apparatus and the like, each unit being assigned a station having at least one computer and these stations being connected to one another via a first bus. It is intended to ensure that the switching processes which are to be carried out in the individual units of the printing machine at specific, predetermined angle positions can proceed exactly, even at the highest machine speeds. According to the present invention, for this purpose it is proposed that, in addition to the first bus, via which the stations exchange signals with one another, a second bus is provided, via which the individual stations may be fed with the angle position signals of a single-turn rotating angle encoder which is fitted on one unit of the printing machine.

Abstract: A method for detecting image position errors, includes forming a first pattern with a symbol embedded therein and a second pattern which, when superpositioned on the first pattern, exposes the symbol if the misalignment between the first and second patterns exceeds a position error tolerance. The symbol is perceivable with the unaided eye even if the misalignment is imperceivable to the unaided eye.

Abstract: An installation for decorating profiled strips comprises a conveyor suitable for transporting a plurality of strips, a separation station for separating the strips before they come onto the conveyor, and serving to place the strips in respective target positions in which they are spaced apart and parallel to the conveyor, a print station in which ink is applied to the surfaces of the strips, and a guide station disposed upstream from the print station and having spacer guides for the strips to constrain them to occupy their target positions before entering the print station. The method of decoration includes a step of separating the strips and of placing them in respective target positions, and a step of guiding the strips before printing on them.

Abstract: A printing press includes a plurality of individual digital imaging units. A raster image processor receives image data in a machine-independent data format, generates machine-specific image data from the machine-independent image data and delivers the machine-specific image data to the individual imaging units. An error detection device ascertains register errors of the imaging units and generates corresponding register error signals. An image data modification circuit connected upstream of the raster image processor communicates with the error detection device, for modifying the image data in the machine-independent format on the basis of the register error signals and delivering the modified machine-independent image data to the raster image processor.

Abstract: An apparatus and process for making sheets having indicia spaced in a machine direction. Between or among the indicia are perforations or chop-off cuts. The spacing, in the machine direction, between the indicia and perforations or chop-off cuts is maintained over long sheet lengths. The product produced using this apparatus and process is typically paper, and particularly can be used for paper towels or placemats.

Abstract: A double gear wheel of a turning device on printing presses comprises an adjustment gear wheel (4). On the adjustment gear wheel a conical seat (7) is formed, which conical seat (7) is engaged in a conical recess (9) formed on the corresponding stationary gear wheel (2), when the two gear wheels (2, 4) are clamped to one another by means of a clamping body (5). The double gear wheel described above has a compact construction, is easy to manufacture with a high degree of precision, and without the requirement for any additional elements essentially guarantees a frictional engagement which reliably prevents the mutual rotation of the two gear wheels (2, 4) during operation of the printing press, even on printing presses which consist of a large number of printing mechanisms.

Abstract: A complaint drive for use in a printing press. The compliant drive is coupled to a driving gear which can be on the plate cylinder of the printing press. The compliant drive includes an input gear meshing with the driving gear. A compliant coupling is connected between the input gear and a first output gear. The compliant coupling includes circumferentially-spaced compression springs between the input gear and the first output gear. The first output gear can drive a driven gear which in turn drives a vibrator in a dampener. The first output gear can also drive a second output gear. Each of the input gear, first output gear and second output gear are mounted on rolling contact bearings, which improves efficiency of the drive and, with the compliant coupling, prevents transmission of transient forces, shocks or vibrations to the plate cylinder, thereby eliminating doubling of the printed images.

Abstract: A speed control device for a multi-motor drive mechanism for driving printing press components is described. The speed control device allows the control of drive motors experiencing different instantaneous loads. This is achieved in accordance with the invention by assigning the motor having the greatest load fluctuation as the master, with the other motors assigned as slaves. A signal indicative of the demand experienced by the master is smoothed and used to control the slave motors.

Abstract: A printing unit for a web fed rotary printing press for printing newspapers is provided in which the central impression cylinder (2) is commonly rotatably mounted in the two side walls (14a, 14b) of the housing (14) of the printing press and the blanket cylinder (4) and/or print cylinder (6) are rotatably cantilevered on one end in the first side wall (14a) during the make ready operation of the printing press, allowing a quick and easy changing of the cylinders (4, 6) via an opening (30) formed in the second side wall (14b). When the printing press is in operation the blanket and print cylinders (4, 6) may be additionally rotatably supported in a side plate (32) fitted to the opening (30), or may remain unsupported on their other ends.

Abstract: In a printing unit with two printing groups working together using the blanket-to-blanket method, in order to rotate the form cylinder and the transfer cylinder equally during circumferential register adjustment, the transfer cylinders are drive connected via helical gears and the transfer cylinders and the form cylinders of each printing group are drive connected via straight spur gears. The drive of the printing unit is carried out on one of the helical gears. Circumferential register adjustment of a printing group is carried out by movement of its helical gear.

Abstract: A rotating printing machine comprises several printing stations with each station having a printing form cylinder being driven directly by an asynchronous vectorial electric motor controlled by an electronic circuit for monitoring and control of the angular position at a command value that changes over time and is received from a electronic calculating station for the synchronization of the stations with one another. Each of the printing cylinders has an axle connected to the axle of the rotor of the adjacent motor and the axle of the cylinder and motor can be moved in an axial translation for the correction of lateral registration of the printing forms of the cylinder.

Abstract: A pre-registration system for a printing press may be provided with a first detector for detecting an angular position of a first rotatable printing cylinder by sensing when a reference mark disposed on the first printing cylinder is in a predetermined angular position, a second detector for detecting an angular position of a second printing cylinder by sensing when a reference mark of the second printing cylinder is in a predetermined angular position, and an adjustment mechanism for automatically adjusting the angular position of one of the printing cylinders based on the circumference, a web distance, and the angular position of one of the printing cylinders. The adjustment mechanism may adjust the angular position based upon a stored phase data relating to the web distance and the circumference.

Abstract: A length of web material is worked by a number of individual work units each of which performs a work function on the material to progressively achieve an end result, the work units being arranged serially along an X coordinate direction extending lengthwise of the web material and the web material being moved unidirectionally by each work unit. Accumulators are provided between adjacent ones of the work units and one or both of the work units located immediately on opposite sides of an accumulator are controlled in response to the amount of slack web material contained in the accumulator, as by stopping the feeding of the web material by the upstream one of the work units when the accumulated slack material exceeds a given amount and/or by stopping the feeding of the web material by the downstream one of the work units when the amount of accumulated material falls below a given amount.

Abstract: A mechanism to exclude critical speeds from normal operating ranges is provided having at least one drive unit to drive at least one unit of a processing machine. The at least one unit of a processing machine has a known torsional stiffness. A single power transmission is provided linking said at least one drive unit to said at least one unit of a processing machine. Said power transmission includes an adjustment member coupling to tune all torsional critical speeds out of the range of normal operating speeds of the processing machine. A single power transmission unit can therefore be used for an entire family of processing machines, wherein each processing machine may have a different stiffness.

Abstract: A printing press is provided which may be adapted to print in multiple colors on paper or film. The press can then laminate film-to-film, laminate film-to-paper, or apply a PVA adhesive or cold seal adhesive to the substrate in line. The press is provided with a CPU and a plurality of motors each of which drives an individual roller, i.e. a printing station roller, a nip, or the rewind roller, and a plurality of sensors which monitor the speed of the laminate and substrate, the tension of the laminate in substrate in various places. In response to the signals received from the sensors, the CPU individually controls the motors to maintain the printing stations in registry with each other.

Abstract: This invention relates to controllers for printing presses. Such structures of this type, generally, utilize information gathered at earlier production stages, such as, the crease register to improve the through put of later stages, such as, printing.

Abstract: A method and a system for signal transmission between two computers is described, wherein one of the computers is fixedly mounted and the other computer is mounted in a rotational element, such as a plate cylinder of a printing machine. The transmission channel includes a rotational transformer. The rotational transformer utilized to transmit the signals is of single channel design. Data collisions resulting from the simultaneous transmission of messages are avoided through detection by the computers. Accordingly, both computers simultaneously transmit the signals present on the transmission channel during the transmission of a message and compare them with the transmitted signals. If an inequality is determined, the transmission procedure is aborted and restarted after a predetermined period of time.

Abstract: A registering apparatus for plate cylinders, comprising a helical tooth-carrying driving gear (16) mounted nonrotatably and slidably on an end portion of a cylinder shaft (10) at a driving side of a plate cylinder and meshed with a helical tooth-carrying driving gear (24) on a blanket cylinder, first crank arms (32) engaged with an end portion of the shaft (10) so as to apply a thrust in the axial direction of the shaft (10) and adapted to be pushed by a first thrust means (40), and second crank arms (34) engaged with a side portion of the driving gear (16) so as to apply a thrust to the plate cylinder in the axial direction thereof and adapted to be pushed by a second thrust means (46).

Abstract: A method for setting and regulating the position of webbing in a printing press using pre-marked makeready tape (10) having a top side (12) defining at least a first mark (22) and a second mark (10) spaced apart a distance equal to a whole multiple page length of printed matter and a bottom side (14) having an adhesive compound disposed about a substantial portion of the bottom side (14). The method involving the steps of threading the pre-marked makeready tape (10) along the path of the continuous web (18), aligning a mark (22) on the pre-marked makeready tape (10) near the former (48) with a mark (22) on the former (48) in the folder (42), and adjusting the compensator (40) to align a mark (22) on the makeready tape (10) near the impression cylinder (28) with a mark (30) on the impression cylinder (28) of the printing unit (26).

Abstract: A multi-motor drive for a printing machine includes a static drive and a highly-dynamic drive for providing angle-synchronous driving of the cylinders comprising the printing machine. The static drive imparts a torque to a cylinder to which it is coupled sufficient to rotate the cylinder. The highly-dynamic drive is coupled to the same cylinder and imparts a torque sufficient to compensate for loading moments experienced by the cylinder during rotation. A position encoder is utilized to provide synchronizing signals.

Abstract: An arrangement for controlling folding processes in roller rotary printing machines comprises a must for producing a fold, a cutter cylinder, and a displacing device which axially displaces the cutting cylinder before and/or during a folding process by a magnitude of a pre-folding.

Abstract: A flexographic printing press with one or several color printing units (12), which are disposed at the periphery of a common back pressure cylinder (10) and, in each case, have an impression cylinder (14; 14') and an applicator roll (16) and the impression cylinder of which can be driven independently of the back pressure cylinder, characterized in that each applicator roll (16) can be driven over a gear assembly (32, 40; 32') with a fixed transmission ratio by a central wheel (24) fixed on the shaft (22) of the back pressure cylinder (10).

Abstract: A highly flexible printing apparatus is provided comprising printing modules (A-F) and cassettes (8) containing different web processing means. Each of the cassettes (8) is adapted to be mounted on a selected printing module (A-F) to cooperate with the module (A-F) during production of printed matters and contains means for a specific web processing technology that will be provided by the selected printing module (A-F) when the cassette (8) has been mounted to it. The different cassettes (8) may contain web processing means of a great variety, such as offset printing means, dry offset printing means, letterpress printing means, serigraphy means, hot foil application means, flexographic means, raised printing means, punching means, means for printing electronically generated images, etc.

Abstract: In a phase adjustment fixing apparatus for a cam, a cam fixing shaft is supported by a frame to freely move and has a clamp for clamping a cam at one end portion. A pressure unit is slidably supported on the cam fixing shaft and has a slidably supported lever. A spring member is interposed between the other end portion of the cam fixing shaft and the pressure unit. A sliding element is arranged at a swinging end of the lever to slide on a surface of the frame. An actuator swings the lever to move the sliding element between a cam fixing position where the sliding element slightly goes across a dead center and a cam fixed state releasing position where the sliding element largely comes across the dead center. A dead center is a position where the sliding element crosses a center line of the cam fixing shaft.

Abstract: A drive for a printer includes a printing roller which is driven by a step motor located at one axial end of the roller. A monitoring unit for the printing roller is disposed at the other axial end of the roller and comprises a belt which is mounted on two guide rollers. The rotational axes of the guide rollers are parallel to the rotational axis of the printing roller. The outer surface of the belt frictionally engages a portion of the peripheral surface of the printing roller so that the belt moves in response to rotation of the printing roller. One of the guide rollers for the belt drives a synchronizing disc having indicating elements which are sensed by a detector. The detector generates a synchronizing signal whenever an indicating element is detected, and the synchronizing signals are sent to a control unit. The control unit compares the synchronizing signals with reference signals and sends control signals to the motor when the synchronizing signals deviate from the reference signals.

Abstract: In a rotary printing press with at least one folder, which comprises at least one cutting cylinder and one folding jaw cylinder, each folder is driven, due to being equipped with at least one separate drive motor, mechanically independently at least from the printing units of the printing press, and can be installed and registered independently therefrom.

Abstract: In a rotary printing press, an apparatus for adjusting the lateral and circumferential position of the plate cylinder is provided. The apparatus includes a sleeve having an inner surface with threads disposed thereon; a shaft disposed within the sleeve, and connected to the machine element such that when the shaft moves laterally the machine element is moved laterally, the shaft having an outer surface with threads disposed thereon which engage the threads disposed on the inner surface of the shaft; a gear assembly coupled to the sleeve, such that a rotational movement of the sleeve causes a circumferential movement of the machine element; a first drive for rotating the shaft, such that when the shaft is rotated, the shaft moves the machine element laterally; and a second drive for rotating the sleeve, such that when the sleeve is rotated, the sleeve moves the gear, and the gear rotates the machine element circumferentially.

Abstract: A computer interface unit of an electronic control system is configured for providing a user-oriented selection arrangement for selecting an appropriate adjustment sequence for changing the alignment of a flexible membrane on a cylinder. The interface unit can be directly connected with a computer processor unit for directing the computer processor unit in the selection of an appropriate correction algorithm for operating the control devices for carrying out the adjustment. In general, a control console can be provided with operating elements for inputting control commands, display elements for displaying a respective status, and control keys for inputting the necessary information for carrying out the control operation.

Abstract: In a stencil printing machine, when a printing drum is set at its operating position in the direction of its axis, a drum switch is turned on, and a locking piece is engaged with a groove formed in an engaging rod integral with the printing drum, so that a lock switch is also turned on. In the case where the printing drum pushed into the printing machine is not at the operating position, the drum presence/absence switch is turned on, and the locking piece is not engaged with the groove, so that the lock switch is off. In this case, the locking piece is reciprocated a predetermined distance in both directions. As a result, the locking piece is engaged with the groove of the engaging rod; that is, the printing drum is moved axially to the operating position.

Abstract: A process for correcting misregistration between imprinted images from successive printing stations comprising measuring the width of the imprinted image of each station and comparing the width to determine any difference, and creating a correction signal if a difference does exist to change the humidity in the web passing through the printing unit. The device includes photoelectric devices for determining the width of each image created at each station, an electronic device for comparing the width of each image and, if a difference exists, creating an error signal which is applied to the first drying unit and a secondary error signal applied to the second unit to correct the humidity of the web leaving each dryer.

Abstract: An apparatus for interlocking eccentric bearings for a printing cylinder in a printing press, wherein a connecting shaft is penetratingly arranged in the cylinder of the printing cylinder which is rotatively supported through a pair of eccentric side bearings mounted on a pair of side frames respectively, and each of the eccentric bearings is connected to the connecting shaft.

Abstract: A scanner senses the position of the individual images on the web. A cutting cylinder position is monitored by a signal generator, and may be altered by mechanically changing the phase of the cutting cylinders in relation to the image on the web based on commands relating to the image registration error, the first derivative of the image registration error and/or the second derivative of the image registration error.

Abstract: In a stencil printing machine, when a printing drum is set at its operating position in the direction of its axis, a drum switch is turned on, and a locking piece is engaged with a groove formed in an engaging rod integral with the printing drum, so that a lock switch is also turned on, In the case where the printing drum pushed into the printing machine is not at the operating position, the drum presence/absence switch is turned on, and the locking piece is not engaged with the groove, so that the lock switch is off. In this case, the locking piece is reciprocated a predetermined distance in both directions.

Abstract: A process and a device for register-correct positioning of printing form sleeves on printing cylinders of a rotary printing machine, each with a pressure gas cushion producible for shifting the elastically expandable printing form sleeve on the printing form cylinder. In order to provide quick register-correct positioning of the printing form sleeves without placing particular demands on the operating personnel, the positions of the printing form sleeves fitting tightly onto the printing cylinders are determined and then the printing form sleeves are individually set and released using the pressure gas cushion of the particular printing cylinder. Then the printing cylinder is turned relative to the printing form sleeve by its angular deviation relative to the register-correct position to be realized. Subsequently the printing form sleeve is again released as well as set relative to the printing cylinder by turning off of the pressure gas cushion.

Abstract: A present invention relates to a gear reducer for printing machine or the like comprising a hand wheel adapted to provide rough and fine adjustment nodes. The hand wheel is mounted on a sleeve adapted to be engaged with a drive shaft of said printing machine. A planet wheel mounted on the hand wheel by means of a pin shaft extending parallel to the sleeve. A drive gear mounted on the sleeve, said drive gear adapted to turn together with the sleeve. A lock means is adapted to retain the hand wheel locked on the sleeve. A fixed gear is mounted on a frame of said press machine, the fixed gear being coaxial with said drive gear. The fixed gear has a number of teeth which differs from the number of teeth of the drive gear. The hand wheel is adapted to move together with the planet wheel gear axially forwardly towards said fixed gear.

Abstract: A device for presetting a cut-off register in a folder of a web-fed printing press, includes a marking device for applying at least one mark in an image-free region between two printed images of a web, a detector for detecting the image-free region on the web, the detector being connected to the marking device for signalling the marking device when the image-free region is detected thereby, the marking device being disposed a defined distance in front of a nip located between cylinders of at least one printing unit, and a device for activating the marking device to apply a mark to the image-free region of the web when a respective output signal of the detector indicates the presence of the image-free region on the web.

Abstract: In a rotary printing press, an apparatus for adjusting the lateral and circumferential position of the plate cylinder is provided. The apparatus includes a sleeve having an inner surface with threads disposed thereon; a shaft disposed within the sleeve, and connected to the machine element such that when the shaft moves laterally the machine element is moved laterally, the shaft having an outer surface with threads disposed thereon which engage the threads disposed on the inner surface of the shaft; a gear assembly coupled to the sleeve, such that a rotational movement of the sleeve causes a circumferential movement of the machine element; a first drive for rotating the shaft, such that when the shaft is rotated, the shaft moves the machine element laterally; and a second drive for rotating the sleeve, such that when the sleeve is rotated, the sleeve moves the gear, and the gear rotates the machine element circumferentially.

Abstract: A printing method and apparatus for printing different indicia, such as account numbers, on selected documents without changing plates or stopping the press during a press run. Different indicia are provided at two or more lines on a printing plate, each line being separated from an adjacent line on the plate by a predetermined distance relative to movement of the plate in a press. The plate transfers images to a blanket having a region that does not contact the plate and thus receives no image of the plate area that registers with the noncontacting region of the blanket. The plate and blanket initially are aligned so that the noncontacting region registers with one set of indicia on the plate, so that the blanket receives a partial inked image lacking that indicia. That partial inked image is transferred to sheets passing through the press.

Abstract: In a stencil printer in which a printing drum is carried by a carrier mounted in a frame body of the printer to be transversely withdrawable from the frame body on its one side for maintenance, etc., the carrier is selectively engaged with a transverse position adjustment device at its operating position inside the frame body, wherein the transverse position adjustment device engages the carrier to adjust its transverse position for adjustment of transverse position of print image via a latching mechanism so that, when the carrier is to be disengaged from the transverse position adjustment device for the withdrawal, the transverse position adjustment device once shifts the carrier to its terminal biasing position toward the withdrawal direction and returns to its standard transverse position, while disengaging the latching mechanism at the moment of reversing its biasing movement.

Abstract: A printing system having a plurality of printing stations in series is provided with a web width sensor system that detects the change in width of a paper web by monitoring the position of both edges of the sheet after it leaves a printing station to determine the change in position of each side edge and thereby the change in width of the web.

Abstract: A device (10) and a method for positioning a rotatable printing cylinder (16) for a printing press (12). A drive (24) can rotate the cylinder (16) about a cylinder axis (52) at relatively high and low speeds. A sensor (68) is positioned adjacent to the cylinder (16) for detecting rotational positions of the cylinder (16) and providing a signal which varies in response to detected rotational positions of the cylinder (16). A sensor exciting target (66) has first and second edges (74 and 76) at first and second ends, respectively, of a sector of the cylinder (16). The sensor (68) is aligned with the first edge (74) at a first rotational position of the cylinder (16) and is aligned with the second edge (76) at a second rotational position of the cylinder (16).

Abstract: A continuous web printing press (100) having a control system (202) for automatically identifying which one of a plurality of paper webs (108, 120) is running through which one of a plurality of compensators (146, 148) is provided. First and second marking devices (138, 140) apply reference marks (142, 144) on the respective webs (108, 120) to uniquely identify each web (108, 120). Preferably, the reference marks (142, 144) are comprised of a magnetized material, such as a magnetized label. A sensor (154, 156) is positioned at each of the compensators (146, 148) for sensing the reference marks (142, 144) located on the web (108, 120) running through the compensator (146, 148) to automatically identify which web (108, 120) is running through which compensator (146, 148). The marks (142, 144) on the web (108, 120) are preferably positioned on the webs (108, 120) to uniquely identify the webs (108, 120).

Abstract: A printing press includes two opposite mounting walls formed with aligned horizontally extending openings in which two sliding seats are mounted slidably and respectively, a printing roller extending horizontally between the mounting walls and having a longitudinal axis and two opposite ends mounted rotatably and respectively to the sliding seats, a printing plate unit mounted securely on the printing roller, a first retaining assembly provided on one of the mounting walls for retaining releasably a first one of the sliding seats in a desired position in the respective opening, and a second retaining assembly provided on the other one of the mounting walls for retaining releasably a second one of the sliding seats in a desired position in the respective opening.

Abstract: An improved printer for plastic bags is provided. The improvement includes a counter which is incremented responsive to rotation of an upper wheel of a feeder. The counter enables a clutch. The clutch couples a driving wheel to the shaft of the rotating upper wheel. The driving wheel drives a blanket wheel through one revolution to print a design on a plastic bag. A photoelectric switch senses the one revolution of the blanket wheel and resets the counter, disengaging the clutch and enabling a brake to stop further rotation of the blanket wheel.

Abstract: In order to place web offset printing presses A and B in a synchronous operation condition by simple operation with a reduce burden to the operator, actuation of a drive clutch and a folder clutch of the machine A alone and actuation of a drive clutch of the machine B along are made detectable on a synchronous operation control panel and, under control of the control panel, a synchronous operation clutch is actuated with phase matching between the machines A and B, thereby enabling synchronous operation.

Abstract: A device for presetting a cut-off register in a folder of a web-fed printing press, includes a marking device for applying at least one mark in an image-free region between two printed images of a web, a detector for detecting the image-free region on the web, the detector being connected to the marking device for signalling the marking device when the image-free region is detected thereby, the marking device being disposed a defined distance in front of a nip located between cylinders of at least one printing unit, and a device for activating the marking device to apply a mark to the image-free region of the web when a respective output signal of the detector indicates the presence of the image-free region on the web.

Abstract: A printing switching apparatus for a sheet-fed rotary press with a reversing mechanism includes a fixed gear, a rotary gear, a first inclined surface, an engaging member, and an actuating unit. The fixed gear is fixed to a shaft of a cylinder. The rotary gear is coaxial with the fixed gear, coupled to be driven with a cylinder adjacent to the cylinder, and phase-adjustable with respect to the fixed gear in a circumferential direction. The first inclined surface is formed on the rotary gear. The engaging member is movable with respect to the fixed gear and has a second inclined surface pressed against the first inclined surface of the rotary gear. The actuating unit moves the engaging means in a direction to be separated from or come close to the fixed gear, presses or releases the first inclined surface of the rotary gear and the second inclined surface of the engaging member against or from each other, and connects or disconnects rotational transmission between the fixed gear and the rotary gear.

Abstract: A high speed media management device has tractor means for moving a web through the device past a plurality of work stations at each of which the web may be treated. Relatively high web tension is maintained throughout its travel path. Counting means near the beginning of the web path generate a count signal with the passage of each increment of web. The accumulated count signals are compared to numbers stored in a plurality of registers, each register associated with a work station and each containing a count representative of web travel distance relative to the work station. The first register count corresponds to the distance required to accelerate the web from a stop. The remaining registers store that count and a separate count representing the distance between the first station and the corresponding station. When the counter contents equals the count in a register, an actuating signal initiates a treatment activity at the associated work station.