Importance

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Abstract

A die cutting press for processing web material has a registration system which is operable to provide precise alignment of a shiftable die cutting unit along two axes during the time that the web material is advanced along a third axis toward the die unit, so that as soon as a defined area of the web reaches the die unit, the press can be immediately actuated to subject the web to the die cutting operation. In preferred forms of the invention, an indicator strip is printed on the length of the web and is detected by two spaced photo optical sensors movable with the die unit. A first control means, coupled to the sensors, selectively actuates in stepwise fashion either of two servomotors as may be necessary to bring the die unit into registration with defined web areas in a direction laterally of the web length (which may be defined as a Y axis) as well as a rotative orientation with respect to the defined web areas about an upright axis (which may be termed the .theta. axis). Once a defined web area approaches a position proximal to the die unit, advancement of the web is decelerated to a creep speed until an indicia mark is detected by a third sensor, whereupon advancement of the web is interrupted and a press ram is actuated to reciprocate to die unit and cut the defined area from the web. Continuous monitoring of the elongated indicator strip enables the die unit to be shifted as necessary to insure Y axis and .theta. axis registration prior to the time that web advancement is interrupted, so that the die unit can process the defined web area as soon as the latter reaches a position aligned with the die unit along an X axis that is parallel to the path of travel of the web.

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First Claim