Apparatus for controlling the registration of two continuously moving layers of material

An apparatus for controllably registering a plurality of reference marks of a continuously moving first layer with a plurality of corresponding reference marks of a continuously moving second layer, comprising:

• means for providing a continuously moving first layer including a plurality of reference marks selectively positioned thereon,
• means for providing a continuously moving second layer including a plurality of corresponding reference marks selectively positioned thereon,
• means for sensing each of the reference marks of one of the continuously moving layers and means for generating a signal in response thereto,
• means for measuring the distance between two reference mark signals,
• means for adjusting the length of the continuously moving one layer in response to the measured distance,
• means for superimposing the continuously moving layers together,
• means for detecting a reference mark of the continuously moving one layer and its corresponding reference mark of the continuously moving other layer, and means for generating a signal in response thereto, and
• means for adjusting the speed of the continuously moving one layer in response to a generated signal in accordance with preprogrammed instructions to controllably register a reference mark of the continuously moving one layer with its corresponding reference mark on the continuously moving other layer.