Reversible measuring means

A reversible measuring means for measuring material moving past a station in a forward direction while taking into account movement in a reverse direction comprising a main counter for counting in the forward increasing direction only and a reversible counter for counting up from a fixed count and counting down to said fixed count, detector means including a plurality of sequentially energizable detectors delivering output signals indicative of the forward and reverse directions of movement and quantity of material moving past a station, and control means receiving signals from said detector means and activating said main counter for counting material moving past said station in the forward direction by increasing its count when the reversible counter has said fixed count and activating said reversible counter for counting up when material moves past said station in the reverse direction and activating said reversible counter for counting down to said fixed count when said material moves in the forward direction.