Abstract: A method of manufacturing an expandable slotted tube fabricated from at least one tubular element and at least two annular elements connected to the opposite ends of the tubular element by means of butt joints wherein axially extending slots are formed at a uniform angular spacing around the periphery of the tube and in longitudinally overlapping relation characterized by cutting said annular elements in a pattern of overlapping positionally fixed slots in accordance with invariable parameters which are pre-determined relative to the dimensions of said annular elements and cutting in said tubular element a pattern of slots that is variable in accordance with measured parameters of the tube so as to achieve the required overlap between said positionally fixed and variable slots. A machine for carrying out the method is also described.

Abstract: The invention consists of a process for the control of the motorized feed drive for the movable workplace table of a machine tool, in particular the rolling carriage of a circular saw. The manual force that is applied by the operator in direction of the feed is sensed and converted to a corresponding measured value. From this a set value for the feed rate of the rolling carriage is created and from that is derived a control signal for the drive.

Abstract: The protective tape applied to the front surface of a semiconductor wafer to protect the wafer during backgrinding must be trimmed so that excess tape, known as tape bur, does not extend beyond the perimeter of the wafer. Tape bur may interfere with backgrinding by causing improper grinding, which may lead to wafer breakage. The tape cutter that trims the protective tape to eliminate tape bur is provided with a sensor which detects whether tape bur has been trimmed from the wafer. If tape bur has not been removed from the wafer, corrective action is taken to prevent the wafer from being backgrinded.

Abstract: A device for trimming edges of belt materials containing inserts, especially nylon or steel corded belts, by cutting off an edge region of the belt material with a cutting device, which engages the belt material between the inserts, extending in the longitudinal direction (cutting direction) of the belt and is held in a seat, suspended so that it can swivel at a framework transversely to the conveying direction, corresponding to the longitudinal direction of the belt, of the belt material passed by it, wherein the axis of rotation of the swinging suspension is disposed at a carriage, which can be moved by a motor transversely to the plane of swiveling and a device is provided, which detects the deflection of the pendulum and, when a specified value is exceeded, causes the carriage to move in the direction of deflection.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for setting the cutting gap between a rotor, having cutting blades and rotatable about its rotor axis, and a counter-blade body, which carries a cutting edge, can be fixed in position and can be set relative to the cutting blades of the rotor for optimizing the gap by an adjusting mechanism acting perpendicularly to the rotor axis, the adjusting mechanism having a slide guided in a linear guide, and the linear guide being arranged at an angle deviating slightly from the parallelism to the rotor axis, and the counter-blade body being arranged on the slide in such a way that the parallelism of cutting edge and cutting blade is ensured, or a U-shaped counter-blade body being provided, the legs of which are pressed apart elastically by pressure elements for setting the cutting gap. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method of setting the cutting gap between a rotor and a fixed cutting edge.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an expandable slotted tube (10) fabricated from at least one tubular element (12, 14) and at least two annular elements (11, 13, 15) connected to the opposite ends of the tubular element by way of butt joints wherein axially extending slots are formed at a uniform angular spacing around the periphery of the tube and in longitudinally overlapping relation characterized by cutting said annular elements (11, 13, 15) in a pattern of overlapping positionally fixed slots (27, 28, 29, 46, 37, 38, 39) in accordance with invariable parameters which are pre-determined relative to the dimensions of said annular elements (11, 13, 15) and cutting in said tubular element a pattern of slots (30, 45, 47, 40) that is variable in accordance with measured parameters of the tube so as to achieve the required overlap between said positionally fixed and variable slots. A machine for carrying out the method is also described.

Abstract: A method and arrangement for adjusting a feed rate of a crosscut saw (1), in particular, in a harvesting head of a forest machine during the crosscutting of wood (9) in the apparatus. A feed force (F) of the crosscut saw and/or a rotating rate (vchain) of a cutter chain (5) revolving around a guide bar (4) are thus controlled. The control is implemented such that first the feed rate (vfeed) of the crosscut saw (1) is measured at given intervals. By adjusting thereafter the feed force of the actuator (2) controlling the crosscut saw and/or the rotating rate (vchain) of the cutter chain (5) and by determining the effect of the performed adjustment on the feed rate of the crosscut saw any change (&dgr;v) in the feed rate and the most advantageous adjustment measure to be performed next is concluded.

Abstract: By performing an accurate cutting when a substrate is cut, a gap between the substrates when a plurality of substrates are arranged is made constant or is reduced or eliminated, thereby improving electric characteristics of the gap portion between the substrates. For this purpose, a slice line and a guide line are provided on the substrate, the substrate is cut along the slice line, and the guide line is detected upon cutting, thereby detecting a misalignment and cutting the substrate while correcting the misalignment.

Abstract: This invention relates to the monitoring of platen die cutting. Such structures of this type, generally, periodically examine the force profiles from a strain gage mounted near the platen die cutter mouth. This system measures not only the maximum forces developed, but also monitors other features of the loading curve, such as the paper-bursting point. Quality of cutting, as well as die wear, can be more readily assessed with this additional information and adjustments made to improve cutting results before the adverse effects show in visual inspections of the product.

Abstract: A device for trimming and automatically cutting of either multiple or single images is described produced for example through digital rendering on paper and other graphic and photographic substrates, wound in reel or being in single sheets (10), especially of large size. The problems met in using known devices of this type with feeding rollers (2) with a length corresponding to the substrate width have the consequence of a slowing down of the production owing to the excessive care to be taken when introducing at the same time parallel sheets of large size. These problems can be overcome by using rollers of reduced length, but only by adding errors in the forward movement of the substrate, errors which are remedied by means of optical sensors (4, 4′) for detecting the separation mark (M) between the images (10a, 10b . . . ) as well as its angle with respect to the cutting line (7), and by a pair of length differences measuring devices (6).

Abstract: A guard means for machines such as pressbrakes, guillotines, stamping machines and the like, in the case of which a first machine part performs working movements toward a second machine part. At least one photoelectric detector, more especially a laser photoelectric detector, has its light beam extending perpendicularly to the direction of working movement and is able to be so positioned between the two machine parts at one thereof that its light beam is at a safety distance from such machine part, such safety distance being able to be set by means of a guard means arranged adjustably on this one machine part, such guard means bearing the at least one photoelectric detector. A halting means is adapted to arrest the working movement on interruption of the light beam and a switching off means serves for switching off the halting means directly prior to interruption of the light beam.

Abstract: A punching device of the present invention is proposed which can perform positional alignment with high accuracy without generating positional deviation or vibration by shifting a workpiece, and which does not deteriorate the accuracy of determining the position of an image by shifting a photographic device. In this punching device, a CCD camera, which can photograph the position of the die hole upon the lower die and the position of the pattern upon the workpiece which shows the position thereon where punching is to be performed, is fixedly provided at a position removed from the raising and lowering track of the punch plate. Furthermore, a mirror may be provided between the CCD camera and the die hole upon the lower die.

Abstract: A method for creating a coating blanket for use in printing presses includes providing a sheet of work material having a laminated construction wherein a flexible layer is coupled to a carrier layer of semi-rigid material. A cutting apparatus employing a drag-type knife movable between a working and non-working position is employed to cut the coating blanket from the coating blanket material. A controller having graphic cutting data and carrier layer cutting data stored therein generates command signals to operate the cutting apparatus, causing the flexible layer of coating blanket material to be cut in a single pass in accordance with said graphic cutting data and the carrier layer of coating blanket material to be cut via multiple passes of the knife in accordance with the carrier layer cutting data.

Abstract: A machine for cutting stacked sheets of stock. The machine has a counter for accommodating the stock. The rear of the counter accommodates the stock to be cut and the front of the counter the cut stock. The rear of the counter also accommodates a mechanism for advancing the stack and a baffle for one side of the stack to rest against. A bent is positioned above the counter and accommodates a blade for cutting the stock and a holdfast that can be lowered onto the top of the stack. A control panel and a display panel are positioned on the front side. The machine in accordance with the present invention is characterized by at least one camera (22) at the rear (9) of the counter. The camera monitors the position of the stock in relation to the stack-advancing mechanism (10) or the lateral baffle (12) and displays on the display panel (17) a real-time image (26) of what it can discern.

Abstract: The protective tape applied to the front surface of a semiconductor wafer to protect the wafer during backgrinding must be trimmed so that excess tape, known as tape bur, does not extend beyond the perimeter of the wafer. Tape bur may interfere with backgrinding by causing improper grinding, which may lead to wafer breakage. The tape cutter that trims the protective tape to eliminate tape bur is provided with a sensor which detects whether tape bur has been trimmed from the wafer. If tape bur has not been removed from the wafer, corrective action is taken to prevent the wafer from being backgrinded.

Abstract: An apparatus and methodology are presented for automatically infeeding workpieces to a saw. A first workpiece is selected at an input station. A servo-driven friction belt system is connected to the input station, and advances the workpiece under a laser projection system. The laser projection system projects a laser pattern onto the workpiece, the laser pattern corresponding to one of a plurality of patterns corresponding to the blade configuration of a fixed arbor gang rip saw. Finally, there is a pinch roller system for removing the workpiece from the friction belt system and moving the workpiece into the saw, while maintaining the workpiece's orientation under the laser pattern. Also provided is a sensor for measuring the board width while moving on the servo-driven friction belt system, where the width is input to a computer controlling the friction belt system and which determines the optimum laser pattern.

Abstract: A positioned sensing device measures and/or calculates the lateral position and movement of a saw blade. These measured and calculated values are used to automatically alter the work-feed rate and/or saw blade rim speed either up or down as sawing conditions change within the work piece or between different work pieces.

Abstract: A rotary knife incorporates the use of an electronically controlled, active damping system to control vibrations of knife cylinders. The system preferably uses pairs of electromagnetic actuators to provide opposing pulling forces on a ferromagnetic portion of a lever arm that is mechanically coupled to the stationary support shaft for the knife cylinder. Vibration sensors, preferably accelerometers, are used to monitor vibrations of the respective knife cylinders. A digital signal processor implementing a state space control system controls the electromagnetic actuators to actively cancel vibration energy in the knife cylinders.

Abstract: A positioned sensing device measures and/or calculates the lateral position and movement of a saw blade. These measured and calculated values are used to automatically alter the work-feed rate and/or saw blade rim speed either up or down as sawing conditions change within the work piece or between different work pieces.

Abstract: A positioned sensing device measures and/or calculates the lateral position and movement of a saw blade. These measured and calculated values are used to automatically alter the work-feed rate and/or saw blade rim speed either up or down as sawing conditions change within the work piece or between different work pieces.

Abstract: In a method of cutting roofing shingles, multiple webs of roofing material are moved to a cutter. The webs are positioned in stacked relationship prior to the cutter. The webs have distinct portions such as tabs. The locations of the distinct portions of the moving webs are sensed by sensors. End cuts are simultaneously cut through the multiple stacked webs with the cutter to produce separate roofing shingles from the webs. The movements of the webs are controlled, based on the sensed locations of the distinct portions, so that the end cuts of the roofing shingles are positioned at predetermined locations relative to the distinct portions.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an index divider sheet assembly adapted for feeding into ink jet printers and the like for a printing operation on the sheet body and/or the index tab of the assembly. The assembly includes a divider sheet having a tab extending out of one edge and a reinforced binding edge flap. The divider sheet can be manufactured from ink jet receptive top-coated white cardstock. A guide strip along the tab edge assists the assembly being fed and passing through the printer despite the presence of the tab. The binding edge flap is folded over onto the body of the sheet and held thereon to reduce the width dimension of the assembly so that it can be fed into and passed through the printer. After passing through the printer, the guide strip is removed and the flap is unfolded.

Abstract: Woodworking machines including cutting tools and motors adapted to drive the cutting tools are disclosed. The machines also include a detection system adapted to detect a dangerous condition between the cutting tool and a person, and a reaction system adapted to perform a specified action upon detection of the dangerous condition. The machines further include a control system adapted to test the operability of at least a portion of the detection system and/or the reaction system. The control system is adapted to disable the motor if the tested portion is inoperable.

Abstract: A monitoring device for the spacing between the knives is provided in a rotation cutting apparatus having a rotation cutting knife and a counter-knife which partly overlap in the cutting region and form a cutting gap.

Abstract: A machine for cutting stacked sheets of stock. The machine has a counter for accommodating the stock. The rear of the counter accommodates the stock to be cut and the front of the counter the cut stock. The rear of the counter also accommodates a mechanism for advancing the stack and a baffle for one side of the stack to rest against. A bent is positioned above the counter and accommodates a blade for cutting the stock and a holdfast that can be lowered onto the top of the stack. A control panel and a display panel are positioned on the front side.

Abstract: In the operation of cutting a metallic work material, if the rotation of an electric motor 21 is reduced by a reduction gear mechanism including a gear mechanism and transmitted to a main shaft 23 and the metallic work material is cut by a circular saw 28 attached to one end of the main shaft, the moment of inertia I (kgf·m·sec2) of the main shaft is set to be more than F×(D/2)/[1000×250×(N/60)2] while an outside diameter of said circular saw is D (mm), the number of revolution is N (rpm) and a cutting force per tooth as a component of force in tangential direction is F (kgf). By so setting, at the initial cut positions of the work material and in a region in which the number of cutting related teeth Zi is 1.0 or less at the final cut positions, the moment of inertia is high compared with a cutting torque applied to the main shaft by intermittent cutting resistance, so that the rotational variation of the main shaft is very small.

Abstract: The invention is a method and apparatus for processing an Engine Wood Product member. The member is moved to a home position in a driving unit and the length of the EWP member is automatically measured by moving the EWP member from the home position while engaging the EWP member with a measuring assembly including a measuring wheel having a smooth hard facing, the facing contacting the EWP member. The member is moved to a first cutting position and cut to a predetermined length. Activating one or more position sensor devices, at least one of the position sensor devices positioned such that the EWP member engages the position sensor device while the member is in the home position, the length of the member is determined as it is moved from the home position.

Abstract: A slicing method and slicing apparatus eliminate occurrence of cracking and/or chipping of a to-be-machined object without reducing the processing speed thereof. To this end, the slicing method comprising cutting the to-be-machined object W by supporting the to-be-machined object W on a table 10 and causing this table 10 to travel in an x-axis direction while allowing a slicing blade 20 to rotate at a predetermined position. A sensor 12 detects a variable load F that the to-be-machined object receives during slicing and an actuator 11 operatively responds to receipt of a detection signal of the sensor 12. The actuator 11 forces the to-be-machined object W to deform in a direction which permits reduction of the aforesaid variable load F. The actuator is provided between the sensor 12 and table 10, or alternatively between the to-be-machined object W and sensor 12.

Abstract: The invention relates to a rotating cutting device for producing letter envelope cuts from a printed endless, moving material web. The position of the cut is pre-set by register marks printed on the web. In this process, the cutting device is fully automatically synchronized with the register marks. This is accomplished via a computer-supported controller which, via sensors, first determines the spacing between two adjacent marks, then adjusts the cutting device to the determined length of the section, and finally continually monitors the phase position between the knife and the register mark and changes the phase position by slightly accelerating or slowing down the material web until the cut and the register mark coincide.

Abstract: The invention involves a method and apparatus for automatic portioning of objects. More specifically, the invention utilizes both weighing and imaging data in order to calculate an estimated weight distribution of objects being processed. One or more weighing units, which weigh one or more parts of the objects, are installed before and/or after a cutting unit to obtain the weighing data. A computer system controls cutting based on the imaging data and the weighing data.

Abstract: Pressure working on each support mechanism or on a clearance adjusting mechanism disposed on opposite end portions of a knife rotor and a plain rotor while a sheet material being cut is measured. The clearance adjusting mechanism is actuated to adjust the contact pressure of the knife based on the measured pressure.

Abstract: There is described a cutting device for fabric and similar material which comprises a cutting table on the surface of which a material support is mounted; a cutting tool which is moveable over the table to penetrate and cut material lying on the support; and a control arrangement which measures the distance to the table surface under the support and thereby controls the depth of cutting tool penetration so that it extends a predetermined distance into the support, independently of applied pressure on the cutting tool.

Abstract: A work piece such as a semiconductor ingot is positioned and bonded to a work piece bonding block by a bonding jig which is provided separately from a wire saw in such a manner that the central axis of the work piece and respective horizontal and vertical surfaces of the work piece bonding block come into parallel to each other. Then, the work piece bonding block is positioned and mounted at a mounting jig which is provided on a cutting-feeding table of the wire saw and which has horizontal and vertical reference surfaces perpendicularly intersecting a cutting plane, so that the central axis of the work piece automatically and perpendicularly intersects the cutting plane.

Abstract: Pilot device for a suspended cutting knife of a cutting head of an automatically controlled cutting machine for cutting fabric sheet material spread out on a cutting table in multiple layers. The cutting head is controlled by moving the cutting head along the X- and Y-axes and pivoting about a Z-axis for moving the knife tangently along a predetermined cutting path. The cutting knife is reciprocally movable along the Z-axis. The cutting head includes a device for guiding the unsuspended part of the cutting knife and a pressure foot rigidly connected to the pivotal cutting head. The suspended end of the knife is mounted in the cutting head so as to be freely rotatable around the Z-axis.

Abstract: Learning control is adopted in slide control of a press, and the actual behavior pattern of the slide is converged to the optimum pattern thereby breakage of a metal mold or the like can be prevented. The slide control device is provided with a linear motor or a servo motor driving the slide in reciprocation, a position detector detecting position of the slide, and a control circuit fixing and storing previously the command value of the optimum pattern of behavior of the slide, and calculating error between the real position data from the position detector and the fixed command value of the optimum pattern in a prescribed period of time from the drive start of the slide, and correcting the command value to be outputted in order to eliminate the error and outputting the command value after the correction and controlling the linear motor or the servo motor.

Abstract: An apparatus for adjusting the rotation speed of a cross-cutting saw of a tree handling machine, especially grapple harvester is provided. The apparatus is arranged to control a hydraulic cylinder connected to the guide bar of the cross-cutting saw in a power transmitting way. A line communicating with the source of pressure medium and having an adjusting unit for adjusting the pressure of the cylinder is connected to the hydraulic cylinder. The system further includes a computing unit, and a rotation speed sensor in conjunction with the cross-cutting saw for measuring the rotational speed of the cross-cutting saw. The rotational speed sensor has a data transmitting connection with the computing unit arranged to control the adjusting unit according to the measured speed.

Abstract: A rotary knife incorporates the use of an electronically controlled, tuned mass active damping system to control vibrations of the knife cylinder. The system preferably uses one or more electromagnetic actuators to provide force on a tuned mass which is mechanically coupled to the knife cylinder. Vibration sensors, preferably accelerometers, are used to monitor vibrations of the respective knife cylinders and tuned masses. A digital signal processor implementing a state space control system controls the electromagnetic actuators to remove vibration energy from the system. An active damping system in accordance with the invention is more effective in removing vibration energy than passive systems, especially in heavy-duty applications.

Abstract: A slicing method and slicing apparatus eliminate occurrence of cracking and/or chipping of a to-be-machined object without reducing the processing speed thereof. To this end, the slicing method comprising cutting the to-be-machined object W by supporting the to-be-machined object W on a table 10 and causing this table 10 to travel in an x-axis direction while allowing a slicing blade 20 to rotate at a predetermined position. A sensor 12 detects a variable load F that the to-be-machined object receives during slicing and an actuator 11 operatively responds to receipt of a detection signal of the sensor 12. The actuator 11 forces the to-be-machined object W to deform in a direction which permits reduction of the aforesaid variable load F. The actuator is provided between the sensor 12 and table 10, or alternatively between the to-be-machined object W and sensor 12.

Abstract: A device that increases the range of speeds at which the servo-motor may be used and stops insufficient output at times of slow speed, wherein an intermediate terminal is arranged in a primary winding as an output characteristic adjustment means for adjusting the torque with respect to the speed of the servo-motor and a switching control means is arranged for switching the connection of the power supply from a final terminal to an intermediate terminal when the punch speed exceeds a predetermined value.

Abstract: An apparatus for cutting the peripheral portion of a film projecting from the peripheral edge of a laminated glass plate having the film sandwiched between a pair of glass plates has a robot arm and a robot hand connected to the the robot arm. The robot hand has a releasable cutting blade, a device for biasing the cutting blade against the peripheral edge of a laminated glass plate, a device for biasing the cutting blade away from the peripheral edge of the laminated glass plate when the resistance force acting on the cutting edge of the cutting blade becomes larger than a predetermined level, and a device for biasing the cutting blade close to the peripheral edge of the laminated glass plate.

Abstract: The invention relates to a cutter assembly for slitting of coils of relatively large width into one coil of desired width or into several coils. The material for slitting is preferably metal, for example steel or aluminum, but coils of other material can also be slit. The invention is directed to make a very strong and stable slitting device, having a minimum of plays in order be able to slit steel coils from a thickness of up to 15 mm. The invention is also designed to slit coils of aluminum having a thickness of at least 0.1 mm.

Abstract: The invention has utility generally for monitoring any part for severance of the part. The invention is specifically useful for monitoring severance of a tension blade in a tension blade grid. For general monitoring of a part, the apparatus has wireless connection between the sensing unit and the control unit. The wireless connection is achieved with a transmit/receive unit using radiofrequency power transfer for electrical power and using infrared transmitters and receivers for signal transfer. For food processing, specifically for a vegetable cutting method employing at least one tension blade in a first tension blade grid through which vegetables are passed for cutting the vegetables wherein the at least one tension blade is severed during the cutting, the invention provides for diverting the vegetables to a second tension blade grid.

Abstract: The board positioning device of the present invention selectively positions in a lateral direction in a generally horizontal plane a board translating in a longitudinal direction in the horizontal plane, wherein the board is aligned along its length in the lateral direction, and the device includes a flexible fence lying in the generally horizontal plane, a fence positioner for selectively positioning the flexible fence in the lateral direction in the generally horizontal plane along a transition path as determined by an optimizer whereby the board may be laterally selectively positioned optimally relative to trimmer saws located downstream from the flexible fence in the longitudinal direction when the board is urged laterally against the flexible fence by lateral ending rolls.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing a roll or log of bathroom tissue or kitchen toweling with a pattern being repeated between each pair of transverse perforations wherein an extensible web having a pattern thereon repeated at equally longitudinally spaced position is advanced along a path toward a rewinder having a knife-equipped perforator and a cutoff mechanism. A detector senses the position of each pattern and also sensed is the position of the perforation knife with the positions being reported to a controller. The perforation knife is adjusted to insure that each perforation is between pattern positions and the cutoff mechanism is adjusted to stay in time with the transverse lines of perforations to provide a selected count of patterns in each winding cycle.

Abstract: Apparatus for processing chopped fibers from essentially continuous tows, each consisting of individual strands, comprises independently or selectively feeding at least two tows to a venturi pump and associated cutter mechanism where the tows are cut or chopped into relatively short lengths to form chopped fibers. The apparatus includes sensors for monitoring the movement of each of the tows to the pump and cutter mechanism, and a controller which adjusts the feed rate of the tows and the rate of operation of the cutter mechanism in the event movement of one of the tows varies from a predetermined feed rate.

Abstract: An improved bandmill tilt and strain apparatus of the type in which there is a bandmill having a frame support, a driven wheel mounted on the frame support, tracks attached to the interior of the frame support, bearing assemblies received within the tracks, an idle wheel mounted on an arbor which is rotatably received in the bearing assemblies, wherein there is provided a first bearing assembly, a second bearing assembly, a tilt means located directly in one of the assemblies, a tilt control means associated with the tilt means, a common pivot shaft mounted on the support frame, a pair of tilt arms, each arm being pivotally connected at one end to the common pivot shaft, and at the other end bearing the weight of the first bearing assembly member or the second bearing assembly member, the tilt means being disposed between a selected one of the tilt arms and the selected bearing assembly, a strain producing arm rigidly connected to the common pivot shaft at one end, a strain means pivotally connected to the st

Abstract: A processing control system in a processing apparatus, for repetitive processing of a plurality of marked sections of uniform length forming a continuous elongate material, the processing controller outputting a corrected material feed length signal for maintaining registration between marks on the sections and processing positions on the sections within a tolerance.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for correctively guiding an item on a desired path along a material is provided wherein a guide path matching a desired path for an item to be guided along a material and a plurality of templates containing images of the material are inputted into a computer. The item is guided along the material in a path following the inputted guide path, and a need for correction of the actual path of the item along the material is checked and, where necessary, correction is made at predetermined, inputted intervals. Self-correction of the path the item follows along material is accomplished by visual recognition of templates containing images of the material matching previously inputted templates.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for feeding a web having two portions in a path of travel. The apparatus comprises a first module including a device for feeding the two web portions in side-by-side relationship and a second module located downstream in the path of travel from the first module where the second module includes a device for feeding the two web portions in upper-lower relationship. Accordingly, the two web portions each form a loop between the first module and the second module so as to reorient from side-by-side to upper-lower relationship. The apparatus further comprises a controller operatively connected to the first module feed a device and the second module feed a device for setting the feed speed of the first module feed a device corresponding to the feed speed of the second module feed device. The method includes the steps of: (a) determining the feed speed of the second module; and (b) setting the feed speed of the first module to a corresponding value for a given feed speed of the second module.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for selectively cutting sheets of paper of variable length from a paper supply having a continuous web moving from an upstream location to a downstream location through a pair of pinch rollers and along a predetermined path to a rotary cutter. A controller controls the rotation of the rotary cutter. First and second sensors sense the angular positions of the rotary cutter and pinch rollers, respectively, to provide respective input signals to the controller indicative thereof. A format selector, controlled by an operator, provides a third input signal to the controller indicative of the speed and format for cutting individual sheets from the web. The controller is responsive to the first, second and third signals so that the rotary cutter cuts the sheets to the desired length and the pinch rollers feed the web at a desired speed.