Registration system

Apparatus for bringing a first article traveling in a first path to a processing station into predetermined registration with a second article traveling in a second path to said station, said apparatus comprising:

• first transport means adapted to move said first article at a first transport speed along said first path;
• first detection means for detecting said first article at a predetermined position in said first path;
• first means responsive to said first transport means and said detection means for periodically measuring the distance travelled by said first article beyond said first path position following detection of said first article by said first detection means;
• second transport means adapted to move said second article along said second path at least at a second transport speed different from said first transport speed;
• second detection means for detecting said second article at a predetermined position in said second path;
• second means responsive to said second transport means and second detection means for periodically measuring the distance travelled by said second article beyond said second path position following detection of said second article by said second detection means;
• means for comparing the respective distances measured by said first and second measuring means;
• and
• means responsive to said comparing means for substantially equalizing said first and second transport speeds upon the occurrence of a predetermined relationship between said respective distances.

In a high-speed case maker wherein individual boards taken successively from a stack of boards are brought into registration with successive sheet areas defined on a continuous web provided by a web supply;

• a registration system comprising:
• a station for joining said boards to said sheet areas;
• a web path extending between said web supply and said joining station;
• a board path extending between said stack and said joining station;
• a web drive adapted to transport said web at a substantially constant, predetermined speed along said web path;
• means for notching said web edgewise at spaced intervals along the length thereof, each notch having a leading edge normal to the edge of said web, each pair of successive notches defining one of said sheet areas therebetween;
• a first photocell stationed along said web path and adapted to provide an output signal when said leading notch edge passes said cell;
• a first pulse generator coupled to said web drive adapted to provide a pulse train wherein each pulse represents a unit of distance by which said web is advanced;
• a second photocell stationed along said board path and adapted to provide an output signal when a board edge transverse to said board path passes said cell;
• board drive means including a pair of board drive rolls adapted to transport said board at a variable speed;
• a second pulse generator coupled to said board drive rolls adapted to provide a pulse train wherein each pulse represents the advance of a board by said board drive rolls by an amount equal to one of said units of distance;
• counter means;
• means responsive to said first photocell output signal for incrementing the count of said counter means for each pulse received from said first pulse generator;
• means responsive to said second photocell output signal indicative of a leading board edge of decrement the count of said counter for each pulse received from said second pulse generator;
• means for deriving a signal at the output of said counter means representative of said count;
• and
• means responsive to said counter output signal for driving said board drive rolls respectively at a speed greater than said predetermined web speed when said count departs from zero and at said predetermined web speed when said count is zero, said board drive roll speeds being adapted to bring said board into registration with a corresponding one of said sheet areas before said joining station is reached;
• whereby said board and said sheet area are adapted to proceed in registration to said joining station at said predetermined web speed.