Partition manufacturing method and apparatus

An apparatus for making partitions for containers, the partitions each having a first set of first cards and a second set of second cards, the first set including at least one first card having at least one first card slot and the second set including at least one second card having at least one second card slot, the first and second sets of cards interfitting with one another at the respective first and second card slots to form a partition, the apparatus comprising:

• a first card stock supplier adapted to deliver an elongated first band of first card stock forming material from a first roll of such material, the first card stock supplier including a first card stock advancer adapted to advance the first band from the first roll;
• a first slot former adapted to repetitively engage the first band and cut the at least one first card slot in successive sections of the first band, each section corresponding to a portion of the first band from which a respective first card is to be formed;
• at least one first band feeder adapted to selectively advance the first band past the first slot former;
• a first card singulator adapted to selectively sever the sections of the first band into respective first cards;
• a first card transporter adapted to receive the singulated first cards from the first card singulator at a first location and to transport the singulated first cards from the first location to a delivery location;
• a card assembly station having a first card receiving location and a second card insertion location, the card assembly station including a card mover adapted to move respective sets of first cards from the first card receiving location to the second card insertion location;
• a first card transferor adapted to transfer first cards from the delivery location to the first card receiving location;
• a second card stock supplier adapted to provide an elongated second band of second card stock forming material from a second roll of such material, the second card stock supplier including a second card stock advancer adapted to advance the band of second card stock forming material from the second roll;
• a second slot former adapted to repetitively engage the second band and cut the at least one second card slot in successive sections of the second band, each section corresponding to a portion of the second band from which a respective second card is to be formed;
• at least one second band feeder adapted to selectively advance the second band past the second slot former;
• a second card singulator adapted to selectively sever the sections of the second band into respective second cards and to deliver the singulated second cards to the second card insertion location at which the first and second sets of cards are combined to form the partition;
• a programmed computer controller coupled to the first card stock supplier and operable to control the first card advancer, coupled to the first slot former and operable to control the first slot former to cut the first card slots, coupled to the at least one first band feeder and operable to control the advancing of the first band past the first slot former, coupled to the first card singulator and operable to control the first card singulator to control the severing of the sections of the first band into the respective first cards, coupled to the first card transporter and operable to control the first card transporter to control the transportation of the singulated first cards from the first location to the delivery location, coupled to the first card transferor to control the delivery of sets of first cards from the delivery location to the first card receiving location, coupled to the card mover and operable to control the moving of sets of first cards from the first card receiving location to the second card insertion location, coupled to the second card stock supplier and operable to control the second card advancer, coupled to the second slot former and operable to control the second slot former to cut the second card slots, coupled to the at least one second band feeder and operable to control the advancing of the second band past the second slot former, coupled to the second card singulator and operable to control the severing of the sections of the second band into the respective second cards and to control the delivery of singulated second cards to the second card insertion location, whereby the computer controller is operable to control the production of completed partitions;
• wherein at least one of the first and second card stock suppliers comprises:
• a roll carrier adapted to rotatably carry a respective roll of first or second card forming material;
• a card forming material advancer adapted to rotate the roll to deliver the respective first or second band from the roll;
• first and second band supports each adapted to support the respective first or second, the respective first or second band being delivered from the second support toward a respective one of the first and second slot formers;
• the card forming material advancer rotating the roll at a variable rate to provide a festoon of card forming material extending downwardly between the first and second band supports;
• a plurality of festoon sensors each positioned at a different elevation and adapted to sense the presence of the festoon at the elevation of the sensor, each sensor providing a sensor output signal indicating the sensing of the festoon by the sensor;
• and
• wherein the controller is responsive to the sensor output signals and adapted to control the card forming material advancer to control rate of delivery of the respective first or second bands in response to the sensor output signals.

An apparatus for making partitions for containers, the partitions each having a first set of first cards and a second set of second cards, the first set including at least one first card having at least one first card slot and the second set including at least one second card having at least one second card slot, the first and second sets of cards interfitting with one another at the respective first and second card slots to form a partition, the apparatus comprising:

• a first card stock supplier adapted to deliver an elongated first band of first card stock forming material from a first roll of such material, the first card stock supplier including a first card stock advancer adapted to advance the first band from the first roll;
• a first slot former adapted to repetitively engage the first band and cut the at least one first card slot in successive sections of the first band, each section corresponding to a portion of the first band from which a respective first card is to be formed;
• at least one first band feeder adapted to selectively advance the first band past the first slot former;
• a first card singulator adapted to selectively sever the sections of the first band into respective first cards;
• a first card transporter adapted to receive the singulated first cards from the first card singulator at a first location and to transport the singulated first cards from the first location to a delivery location;
• a card assembly station having a first card receiving location and a second card insertion location, the card assembly station including a card mover adapted to move respective sets of first cards from the first card receiving location to the second card insertion location;
• a first card transferor adapted to transfer first cards from the delivery location to the first card receiving location;
• a second card stock supplier adapted to provide an elongated second band of second card stock forming material from a second roll of such material, the second card stock supplier including a second card stock advancer adapted to advance the band of second card stock forming material from the second roll;
• a second slot former adapted to repetitively engage the second band and cut the at least one second card slot in successive sections of the second band, each section corresponding to a portion of the second band from which a respective second card is to be formed;
• at least one second band feeder adapted to selectively advance the second band past the second slot former;
• a second card singulator adapted to selectively sever the sections of the second band into respective second cards and to deliver the singulated second cards to the second card insertion location at which the first and second sets of cards are combined to form the partition;
• a programmed computer controller coupled to the first card stock supplier and operable to control the first card advancer, coupled to the first slot former and operable to control the first slot former to cut the first card slots, coupled to the at least one first band feeder and operable to control the advancing of the first band past the first slot former, coupled to the first card singulator and operable to control the first card singulator to control the severing of the sections of the first band into the respective first cards, coupled to the first card transporter and operable to control the first card transporter to control the transportation of the singulated first cards from the first location to the delivery location, coupled to the first card transferor to control the delivery of sets of first cards from the delivery location to the first card receiving location, coupled to the card mover and operable to control the moving of sets of first cards from the first card receiving location to the second card insertion location, coupled to the second card stock supplier and operable to control the second card advancer, coupled to the second slot former and operable to control the second slot former to cut the second card slots, coupled to the at least one second band feeder and operable to control the advancing of the second band past the second slot former, coupled to the second card singulator and operable to control the severing of the sections of the second band into the respective second cards and to control the delivery of singulated second cards to the second card insertion location, whereby the computer controller is operable to control the production of completed partitions;
• wherein the first and second card singulators each include a knife and a knife actuator, the knife actuator being adapted to selectively move the knife into engagement with the respective first and second bands to sever the sections and thereby the individual cards from the respective first and second bands of material;
• and
• the controller being programmed to control the knife actuator and knife to control the severing of the respective bands into first and second cards.

An apparatus for making partitions for containers, the partitions each having a first set of first cards and a second set of second cards, the first set including at least one first card having at least one first card slot and the second set including at least one second card having at least one second card slot, the first and second sets of cards interfitting with one another at the respective first and second card slots to form a partition, the apparatus comprising:

• a first card stock supplier adapted to deliver an elongated first band of first card stock forming material from a first roll of such material, the first card stock supplier including a first card stock advancer adapted to advance the first band from the first roll;
• a first slot former adapted to repetitively engage the first band and cut the at least one first card slot in successive sections of the first band, each section corresponding to a portion of the first band from which a respective first card is to be formed;
• at least one first band feeder adapted to selectively advance the first band past the first slot former;
• a first card singulator adapted to selectively sever the sections of the first band into respective first cards;
• a first card transporter adapted to receive the singulated first cards from the first card singulator at a first location and to transport the singulated first cards from the first location to a delivery location;
• a card assembly station having a first card receiving location and a second card insertion location, the card assembly station including a card mover adapted to move respective sets of first cards from the first card receiving location to the second card insertion location;
• a first card transferor adapted to transfer first cards from the delivery location to the first card receiving location;
• a second card stock supplier adapted to provide an elongated second band of second card stock forming material from a second roll of such material, the second card stock supplier including a second card stock advancer adapted to advance the band of second card stock forming material from the second roll;
• a second slot former adapted to repetitively engage the second band and cut the at least one second card slot in successive sections of the second band, each section corresponding to a portion of the second band from which a respective second card is to be formed;
• at least one second band feeder adapted to selectively advance the second band past the second slot former;
• a second card singulator adapted to selectively sever the sections of the second band into respective second cards and to deliver the singulated second cards to the second card insertion location at which the first and second sets of cards are combined to form the partition;
• a programmed computer controller coupled to the first card stock supplier and operable to control the first card advancer, coupled to the first slot former and operable to control the first slot former to cut the first card slots, coupled to the at least one first band feeder and operable to control the advancing of the first band past the first slot former, coupled to the first card singulator and operable to control the first card singulator to control the severing of the sections of the first band into the respective first cards, coupled to the first card transporter and operable to control the first card transporter to control the transportation of the singulated first cards from the first location to the delivery location, coupled to the first card transferor to control the delivery of sets of first cards from the delivery location to the first card receiving location, coupled to the card mover and operable to control the moving of sets of first cards from the first card receiving location to the second card insertion location, coupled to the second card stock supplier and operable to control the second card advancer, coupled to the second slot former and operable to control the second slot former to cut the second card slots, coupled to the at least one second band feeder and operable to control the advancing of the second band past the second slot former, coupled to the second card singulator and operable to control the severing of the sections of the second band into the respective second cards and to control the delivery of singulated second cards to the second card insertion location, whereby the computer controller is operable to control the production of completed partitions;
• and
• wherein the first card transporter comprises first and second spaced apart rotatable card holder support wheels each having a periphery, a transporter drive including a transporter drive shaft, a transporter drive motor, a first endless transporter drive loop coupled to the transporter drive shaft and to the first card holder support wheel and a second endless drive loop coupled to the transporter drive shaft and to the second card holder support wheel, the card holders each comprising a set of first and second card supports positioned to extend at least in part between the first and second drive loops, a card receiving opening being provided between the first and second card supports of the set, a plurality of sets of first and second card supports being coupled to the first and second drive loops at spaced locations along the drive loops, the controller selectively coupling the motor to the drive shaft to advance the first and second drive loops to position a set of first and second card supports and thereby the card receiving opening and card holder in the card receiving position, and to advance card containing holders to the card transfer location, the first and second card supports being positioned on the first and second card holder support wheels such that a majority of each card in a card holder is positioned inwardly of the periphery of the card holder support wheels.

An apparatus for making partitions for containers, the partitions each having a first set of first cards and a second set of second cards, the first set including at least one first card having at least one first card slot and the second set including at least one second card having at least one second card slot, the first and second sets of cards interfitting with one another at the respective first and second card slots to form a partition, the apparatus comprising:

• a first card stock supplier adapted to deliver an elongated first band of first card stock forming material from a first roll of such material, the first card stock supplier including a first card stock advancer adapted to advance the first band from the first roll;
• a first slot former adapted to repetitively engage the first band and cut the at least one first card slot in successive sections of the first band, each section corresponding to a portion of the first band from which a respective first card is to be formed;
• at least one first band feeder adapted to selectively advance the first band past the first slot former;
• a first card singulator adapted to selectively sever the sections of the first band into respective first cards;
• a first card transporter adapted to receive the singulated first cards from the first card singulator at a first location and to transport the singulated first cards from the first location to a delivery location;
• a card assembly station having a first card receiving location and a second card insertion location, the card assembly station including a card mover adapted to move respective sets of first cards from the first card receiving location to the second card insertion location;
• a first card transferor adapted to transfer first cards from the delivery location to the first card receiving location;
• a second card stock supplier adapted to provide an elongated second band of second card stock forming material from a second roll of such material, the second card stock supplier including a second card stock advancer adapted to advance the band of second card stock forming material from the second roll;
• a second slot former adapted to repetitively engage the second band and cut the at least one second card slot in successive sections of the second band, each section corresponding to a portion of the second band from which a respective second card is to be formed;
• at least one second band feeder adapted to selectively advance the second band past the second slot former;
• a second card singulator adapted to selectively sever the sections of the second band into respective second cards and to deliver the singulated second cards to the second card insertion location at which the first and second sets of cards are combined to form the partition;
• a programmed computer controller coupled to the first card stock supplier and operable to control the first card advancer, coupled to the first slot former and operable to control the first slot former to cut the first card slots, coupled to the at least one first band feeder and operable to control the advancing of the first band past the first slot former, coupled to the first card singulator and operable to control the first card singulator to control the severing of the sections of the first band into the respective first cards, coupled to the first card transporter and operable to control the first card transporter to control the transportation of the singulated first cards from the first location to the delivery location, coupled to the first card transferor to control the delivery of sets of first cards from the delivery location to the first card receiving location, coupled to the card mover and operable to control the moving of sets of first cards from the first card receiving location to the second card insertion location, coupled to the second card stock supplier and operable to control the second card advancer, coupled to the second slot former and operable to control the second slot former to cut the second card slots, coupled to the at least one second band feeder and operable to control the advancing of the second band past the second slot former, coupled to the second card singulator and operable to control the severing of the sections of the second band into the respective second cards and to control the delivery of singulated second cards to the second card insertion location, whereby the computer controller is operable to control the production of completed partitions;
• a first sensor positioned to sense the insertion of first cards into the first card transporter at the first location and for producing a first sensor output indicating the presence of a first card received by the first card transporter at the first location;
• a second sensor positioned to sense the delivery of first cards by the first card transferor from the delivery location to the first card receiving location and for producing a second sensor output signal upon detection of a failure to deliver a first card from the delivery location to the first card receiving location;
• a third sensor for detecting the receipt of first cards at a first card receiving location and for producing a third sensor output signal in the event the first card transferred from the delivery location to the first card receiving location is determined not to have been fully received at the first card receiving location;
• a fourth sensor positioned to detect the insertion of a second card into the set of first cards at the second card insertion location and for producing a fourth output signal indicating the failure of a second card to be inserted into the set of first cards at the second card insertion location;
• and
• the controller being coupled to the respective first, second, third and fourth sensors for receiving the first, second, third, and fourth sensor output signals, the controller selectively interrupting the operation of the apparatus in response to the first, second, third and fourth output signals.

An apparatus for making partition cards from an elongated band of card forming material comprising:

• a slot former positioned to receive the band of material, the slot former including a slot cutter adapted to selectively engage sections of the card forming material, each section corresponding to a portion of the band of material from which a single card is to be formed, a slot cutter actuator coupled to the slot cutter and adapted to control the engagement of the slot cutter with the sections of the band of material;
• a singulator including a knife and a knife actuator, the knife actuator being adapted to selectively move the knife into engagement with the band of material to sever the sections and thereby the individual cards from the band of material;
• a transporter including a plurality of card holders the transporter including a transporter driver adapted to shift individual card holders into a card receiving position to receive individual cards from the singulator and to shift card holders which contain cards to a card transfer location;
• at least one card material feeder adapted to engage the band of material and to advance the band of material through the slot former and to position cards into the card holders;
• a card transferor adapted to engage and transfer sets of card from the card holders at the card transfer location to a card delivery location from which the sets of cards are delivered from the apparatus, each set of cards including at least one of the individual cards, and a card transferor actuator adapted to cause the card transferor to transfer the sets of cards from the card transfer location to the card delivery location;
• and
• a programmed controller coupled to the slot cutter actuator, to the at least one card material feeder, to the knife actuator, to the transporter and to the card transferor, the controller being programmed to control the at least one card material feeder to advance each section of the elongated band of card forming material which is to form a single card in position for slotting by the slot former, the controller being programmed to actuate the slot cutter actuator to cause the slot cutter to form the slots in each section when in position for slotting, the controller being programmed to control the operation of the transporter driver to position an empty card holder in the card receiving position to receive individual cards severed by the knife, the controller being programmed to control the at least one card material feeder to position respective cards into the respective card holders, the controller being programmed to control the operation of the transporter driver to shift card containing holders from the card receiving position to the card transfer position, and the controller being programmed to control the card transferor to transfer the sets of cards from the card transfer location to the card delivery location.

An apparatus for making partition cards from an elongated band of card forming material comprising:

• a slot former positioned to receive the band of material, the slot former including a slot cutter adapted to selectively engage sections of the card forming material, each section corresponding to a portion of the band of material from which a single card is to be formed, a slot cutter actuator coupled to the slot cutter and adapted to control the engagement of the slot cutter with the sections of the band of material;
• a singulator including a knife and a knife actuator, the knife actuator being adapted to selectively move the knife into engagement with the band of material to sever the sections and thereby the individual cards from the band of material;
• a transporter including a plurality of card holders the transporter including a transporter driver adapted to shift individual card holders into a card receiving position to receive individual cards from the singulator and to shift card holders which contain cards to a card transfer location;
• at least one card material feeder adapted to engage the band of material and to advance the band of material through the slot former and to position cards into the card holders;
• a card transferor adapted to engage and transfer sets of card from the card holders at the card transfer location to a card delivery location from which the sets of cards are delivered from the apparatus, each set of cards including at least one of the individual cards, and a card transferor actuator adapted to cause the card transferor to transfer the sets of cards from the card transfer location to the card delivery location;
• and
• a programmed controller coupled to the slot cutter actuator, to the at least one card material feeder, to the knife actuator, to the transporter and to the card transferor, the controller being programmed to control the at least one card material feeder to advance each section of the elongated band of card forming material which is to form a single card in position for slotting by the slot former, the controller being programmed to actuate the slot cutter actuator to cause the slot cutter to form the slots in each section when in position for slotting, the controller being programmed to control the operation of the transporter driver to position an empty card holder in the card receiving position to receive individual cards severed by the knife, the controller being programmed to control the at least one card material feeder to position respective cards into the respective card holders, the controller being programmed to control the operation of the transporter driver to shift card containing holders from the card receiving position to the card transfer position, and the controller being programmed to control the card transferor to transfer the sets of cards from the card transfer location to the card delivery location;
• and
• wherein the at least one card material feeder comprises first and second elongated rotatable rollers defining a nip therebetween, the band of material passing through the nip and being driven by the rollers as the rollers rotate, the rollers each having a plurality of spaced apart elongated lands extending along the length of the rollers, the lands of the first roller being aligned with the lands of the second roller as the rollers rotate with the nip defined by the spacing between adjacent lands, and a motor controlled by the controller to selectively rotate at least one of the first and second rollers.

A method of operating an apparatus which makes partition cards from a band of partition card forming material, the method comprising:

• a) moving a first card holder to a first position;
• b) positioning a section of the band of material into the first card holder in the first position;
• c) severing the section of material from the band to provide an individual card in the first card holder in the first position;
• d) moving the first card holder to a second position and positioning a second card holder in the first position;
• e) positioning a section of the band of material into the second card holder in the first position;
• f) severing the section of material from the band to provide an individual card in the second card holder in the first position;
• g) moving the second card holder to the second position, the first card holder to a third position, and positioning a third card holder in the first position;
• h) repeating the acts of paragraphs a) through g);
• i) interrupting the acts of paragraphs a) through g) in the event a section of the band of material is not positioned in a card holder at the first position prior to severing the section of material from the band.

An apparatus for making partition cards from an elongated band of card forming material comprising:

• means for forming slots in sections of the card forming material, each section corresponding to a portion of the band of material from which a single card is to be formed;
• singulator means for severing the sections and thereby the individual cards from the band of material;
• transporter means for receiving individual cards from the singulator means and for shifting the received cards to a card transfer location;
• card material feeder means for engaging the band of material and advancing the band of material through the slot former means and into the transporter means;
• card transferor means for engaging and transferring sets of card from the transporter means at the card transfer location and for transferring such sets of cards to a card delivery location with the sets of cards being in an upright orientation at the card delivery location, each set of cards including at least one of the individual cards;
• and
• a programmed controller means coupled to the slot forming means, to the card material feeder means, to the singulator means, to the transporter means and to the card transferor means, the controller means comprising means for controlling the card material feeder means to advance each section of the elongated band of card forming material which is to form a single card in position for slotting by the slot former means, for controlling the slot forming means to form the slots in each section when in position for slotting, for controlling the transporter means to receive individual cards, for controlling the card material feeder means to position respective cards into the transporting means, for controlling the transporter means to shift cards, to the card transfer position, and for controlling the card transferor to transfer the sets of cards from the card transfer location to the card delivery location.

A card stock forming material supplier for delivering an elongated band of partition card forming material from a roll of such card forming material comprising:

• a roll carrier adapted to rotatably carry a roll of card forming material;
• a card forming material advancer adapted to rotate the roll to deliver the elongated band of card forming material from the roll;
• first and second band supports each adapted to support the elongated band of card forming material, the band of card forming material being delivered from the second support to a downstream location;
• the card forming material advancer rotating the roll at a variable rate to provide a festoon of card forming material extending downwardly between the first and second band supports;
• a plurality of festoon sensors each positioned at a different elevation and adapted to sense the presence of the festoon at the elevation of the sensor, each sensor providing a sensor output signal indicating the sensing of the festoon by the sensor;
• and
• the material advancer including a controller responsive to the sensor output signals and adapted to control the rate of delivery of the elongated band in response to the sensor output signals;
• and
• including at least four such sensors, the first sensor being at a first elevation, the second sensor being at a second elevation below the first elevation, the third sensor being at a third elevation below the second elevation and the fourth sensor being at a fourth elevation below the third elevation, whereby detection of the festoon by the fourth sensor indicates a festoon which is larger than a festoon detected by any of the first, second and third sensors and not by the fourth sensor, whereby detection of the festoon by the third sensor indicates a festoon which is larger than a festoon which is detected by any of the first and second sensors and not by any of the third and fourth sensors, whereby detection of the festoon by the second sensor indicates a festoon which is larger than a festoon which is detected by the first sensor and not by any of the second, third and fourth sensors, the controller being operable to control the rate of delivery of the elongated band at a first rate in the event the festoon is detected by the second sensor and not by any of the third and fourth sensors, at a second rate which is greater than the first rate in the event the festoon is detected by the first sensor and not by any of the second, third and fourth sensors, at a third rate which is less than the first rate in the event the festoon is detected by the third sensor and not by the fourth sensor, and at a rate which halts the delivery of the elongated band of material in the event the festoon is detected by the fourth sensor.

A card stock forming material supplier for delivering an elongated band of partition card forming material from a roll of such card forming material comprising:

• a roll carrier adapted to rotatably carry a roll of card forming material;
• a card forming material advancer adapted to rotate the roll to deliver the elongated band of card forming material from the roll;
• first and second band supports each adapted to support the elongated band of card forming material, the band of card forming material being delivered from the second support to a downstream location;
• the card forming material advancer rotating the roll at a variable rate to provide a festoon of card forming material extending downwardly between the first and second band supports;
• a plurality of festoon sensors each positioned at a different elevation and adapted to sense the presence of the festoon at the elevation of the sensor, each sensor providing a sensor output signal indicating the sensing of the festoon by the sensor;
• and
• the material advancer including a controller responsive to the sensor output signals and adapted to control the rate of delivery of the elongated band in response to the sensor output signals;
• and
• including at least three such sensors, the first sensor being at a first elevation, the second sensor being at a second elevation below the first elevation and the third sensor being at a third elevation below the second elevation, whereby detection of the festoon by the third sensor indicates a festoon which is larger than a festoon which is detected by any of the first and second sensors and not by the third sensor, and whereby detection of the festoon by the second sensor indicates a festoon which is larger than a festoon which is detected by the first sensor and not by the second sensor, the controller being operable to control the rate of delivery of the elongated band at a first rate in the event the festoon is detected by the second sensor and not by the third sensor, at a second rate which is greater than the first rate in the event the festoon is detected by the first sensor and not by the second sensor, and at a third rate which is less than the first rate in the event the festoon is detected by the third sensor.

A card stock forming material supplier for delivering an elongated band of partition card forming material from a roll of such card forming material comprising:

• a roll carrier adapted to rotatably carry a roll of card forming material;
• a card forming material advancer adapted to rotate the roll to deliver the
• elongated band of card forming material from the roll;
• first and second band supports each adapted to support the elongated band of card forming material, the band of card forming material being delivered from the second support to a downstream location;
• the card forming material advancer rotating the roll at a variable rate to provide a festoon of card forming material extending downwardly between the first and second band supports;
• a plurality of festoon sensors each positioned at a different elevation and adapted to sense the presence of the festoon at the elevation of the sensor, each sensor providing a sensor output signal indicating the sensing of the festoon by the sensor;
• the material advancer including a controller responsive to the sensor output signals and adapted to control the rate of delivery of the elongated band in response to the sensor output signals;
• wherein the apparatus includes at least three such sensors, the first sensor being at a first elevation, the second sensor being at a second elevation below the first elevation and the third sensor being at a third elevation below the second elevation, whereby detection of the festoon by the third sensor indicates a festoon which is larger than a festoon which is detected by any of the first and second sensors and not by the third sensor, and whereby detection of the festoon by the second sensor indicates a festoon which is larger than a festoon which is detected by the first sensor and not by the second sensor, the controller being operable to control the rate of delivery of the elongated band at a first rate in the event the festoon is detected by the second sensor and not by the third sensor, at a second rate which is greater than the first rate in the event the festoon is detected by the first sensor and not by the second sensor, and at a third rate which is less than the first rate in the event the festoon is detected by the third sensor;
• and
• wherein the advancer includes first and second material feed rolls which form a nip therebetween, the elongated band of material passing through the nip, at least one of the first and second material feed rolls being rotatable to pull the elongated band from the roll and rotate the roll as the band is pulled from the roll, a computer controlled motor adapted to drive the rotation of said at least one of the first and second feed rolls, the controller comprising a programmed computer coupled to the sensors for receiving the sensor output signals and to the motor for controlling the operation of the motor in response to the sensor output signals.

A conveyor for moving a set of first partition cards, each set containing at least one first card, from a first card receiving location to a second card insertion location at which second cards are inserted into the first set of cards, the conveyor comprising:

• an elongated conveyor frame having a longitudinal or lengthwise axis;
• first and second spaced apart elongated endless drive chain loops extending lengthwise along the frame, each drive chain loop being comprised of a plurality of interconnected chain links with the links including insert receiving openings, at least one of the drive chain loops being movable in a transverse direction so as to permit spreading apart of the drive chain loops, a plurality of spaced apart partition movers extending transversely at least partially between the first and second drive chain loops, the partition movers each having first and second end portions, a first chain coupler at a first end portion of the partition mover and a second chain coupler at the second end portion of the partition mover, the first and second chain couplers each including at least one coupling insert sized for insertion into respective insert receiving openings of the first and second drive chain loops to releasably couple the partition movers to the first and second drive chain loops;
• and
• a chain driver coupled to the first and second drive chain loops and adapted to move the drive chain loops thereby the coupled partition movers and sets of first cards engaged by the partition movers along the conveyor with the partition movers being movable from the first card receiving location to the second card insertion location, whereby the spacing between the partition movers along the drive chain loops is adjustable by spreading apart the chains, detaching the partition movers to be shifted and recoupling the partition movers to the chains at the desired spacing.