Printing machine with label stock indexing mechanism

Abstract

A printing machine for printing labels, for example, comprises an indexing mechanism for use in indexing predetermined lengths of label stock or web through a printing mechanism. The indexing mechanism comprises an indexing roller, a motor for driving the roller, a transmission operatively connecting the motor and the indexing roller and including a driven shaft coupled to the indexing roller and mounting a fast clutch, a slow clutch and a brake. Control circuitry for controlling the clutches and the brake is provided and includes means for pre-setting the length of stock or web to be indexed, signal-generating means operated by the printing mechanism to generate a "start" signal adapted to load the pre-set indexed length into a counter, encoding means operated from the indexing roller drive transmission to provide a pulsed output, one pulse equalling a predetermined distance of length travel, and to decrement the counter, and gating logic driven from the counter output to control the clutches and brake either to give a fast and subsequently slow pull to each pre-set index length or a slow pull to the pre-set index length dependent upon the value of the pre-set indexed length.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.