Printing press instrumentation

Claim 2

In a printing press having at least two rotatable members, apparatus for making measurements regarding a first rotatable member comprising means for producing a first position-indicating signal when said first member arrives at a first predetermined position; first means for generating a first train of successive clock signals at equally spaced successive times; means for producing a second position-indicating signal when said first member arrives at a second predetermined position including means for ending said firSt train of signals thereupon; second means for generating a second train of successive signals upon the respective passage of equal successive increments of angular travel of a second rotatable member; means for ending said second train when said second member arrives at a predetermined position; means for selecting one of said first and second means of generating successive signals to provide selectively one of said first and second trains of signals; and means for counting the successive signals of said selected train occurring between said first position-indicating signal and the end of said selected train to produce a final count.

Claim 3

Measurement apparatus as defined in claim 1 and further comprising automatic adjustment means responsive to said final count to adjust the printing press to correct for an unsatisfactory final count.

Claim 4

Measurement apparatus as defined in claim 1 and further comprising means for performing a measurement to achieve a final count a plurality of times during one revolution of said first rotating member.

Claim 5

Measurement as defined in claim 1 and wherein said counting means comprises means for starting its count at a predetermined number, whereby said predetermined number is algebraically added to the count received to bias said final count.

Claim 6

Measurement apparatus as defined in claim 4 and wherein said counting means comprises means for recycling and starting over upon exceeding its maximum count capacity.

Claim 7

Measurement apparatus as defined in claim 1 and wherein said means for producing said first and second signals comprises optical sensor means for receiving light signals reflected from an optical target on a surface of said first rotating member.

Claim 8

Measurement apparatus as defined in claim 1 and further comprising means for recording said final count of said counting means.

Claim 9

Measurement apparatus as defined in claim 1 and in which each of said first and second means for producing position-indicating signals comprises first and second means for producing a change of signal level from one level to another level.

Claim 10

Measurement apparatus as defined in claim 31 and wherein each of said means for generating said first and second position-indicating signals comprises optical sensor means responsive to optical target positions on said first member.

Claim 11

In a printing press having at least two rotatable members, apparatus for making measurements regarding a first rotatable member relative to a second rotatable member comprising optical means for producing a first position-indicating signal when said first member arrives at a first predetermined position; a group of light-reflective targets equally spaced by angular units of travel throughout an angular portion less than 360* on a second rotatable member, said group ending at a preselected position; optical means at a stationary viewing station and viewing said group of targets for generating a train of successive signals upon equal respective successive ones of said angular units of travel of said second rotatable member; and means for counting the successive signals corresponding respectively to said targets of said group and occurring between said first position-indicating signal and an end of said train corresponding to an end of said group to produce a final count.

Claim 12

In a printing press having at least two rotatable members, apparatus for making measurements regarding a first rotatable member relative to a second rotatable member comprising optical means for producing a first position-indicating signal when said first member arrives at a first predetermined position; a group of light-reflective targets equally spaced by angular units of travel throughout an angular portion less than 360* on a second rotatable member, said group ending at a preselected position; optical means at a stationary viewing station and viewing said group of targets for generating a train of successive signals upon equal respective successive ones of said angular units of travel of said second rotatable member; and means for counting the successive signals corresponding respectively to said targets of said group and occurring between said first position-indicating signal and an end of said train corresponding to an end of said group to produce a final count.

Claim 13

Measurement apparatus as defined in claim 10 and further comprising data recording means for recording data responsive to said final count.

Claim 14

Measurement apparatus as defined in claim 11 and wherein said counter means is digital, and said data recording means comprises digital-to-analog converter means responsive to the count of said counter means for producing an analog signal and further comprises analog data recording means for recording said final count.

Claim 15

Measurement apparatus as defined in claim 10 and further comprising automatic adjustment means responsive to the final count in said counter means for automatically adjusting the printing press.

Claim 16

Measurement apparatus as defined in claim 10 and further comprising means for reinitializing said counter means, said means for reinitializing including count initializing means for presetting a predetermined initial count and means for delaying the presetting following achievement of said final count, whereby said final count is retained temporarily in said counting means.

Claim 17

In a printing press having first and second rotatable members, apparatus for making measurements regarding the first member comprising first optical target means rotating with said first member and defining an angular sector thereof; first light means for illuminating said first target means; first optical sensor means for receiving reflected light signals within a stationary field of view through which said target rotates for producing gating signals indicative of the angular extent of said first optical target means; second optical target means comprising a group of transverse lines rotating with said second rotatable member and equally spaced apart angularly, said group extending less than 360* on said second member; second light means for illuminating said second target means; second optical sensor means for receiving light signals in a stationary field of view as said second optical target means revolves through said field of view to produce a train of successive signals, each signal of said train corresponding to a respective one of said lines; gating means enabled and disabled by said gating signals for respectively unblocking and blocking transmission of said train of successive signals to an output of said gating means; and counter means starting from an initialized state and responsive to unblocked signals of said train to count said unblocked signals, at least one of the first and last line signals of said group occurring during an unblocked interval of said gating means and the other of said first and last line signals occurring in a blocked interval of said gating means; whereby a final count of said counter means is responsive to the position of said first member with respect to said second member.

Claim 18

In a printing press having first and second rotatable members, apparatus for making measurements regarding the first member comprising first optical target means rotating with said first member and defining an angular sector thereof; first light means for illuminating said first target means; first optical sensor means for receiving reflected light signals within a stationary field of view through which said target rotates for producing gating signals indicative of the angular extent of said first optical target means; second optical target means comprising a group of transverse lines rotating with said second rotatable member and equally spaced apart angularly, said group extending less than 360* on said second member; second light means for illuminating said second target means; second optical sensor means for receiving light signals in a stationary field of view as said second optical target means revolves through said field of view to produce a train of successive signals, each signal of said train corresponding to a respective one of said lines; gating means enabled and disabled by said gating signals for respectively unblocking and blocking transmission of said train of successive signals to an output of said gating means; and counter means starting from an initialized state and responsive to unblocked signals of said train to count said unblocked signals, at least one of the first and last line signals of said group occurring during an unblocked interval of said gating means and the other of said first and last line signals occurring in a blocked interval of said gating means; whereby a final count of said counter means is responsive to the position of said first member with respect to said second member.

Claim 19

Measurement apparatus as defined in claim 15 and wherein said counter means comprises count presetting means actuatable to initialize said counter means prior to unblocking of said gating means.

Claim 20

Measurement apparatus as defined in claim 15 and further comprising means for reinitializing said counter means including means for delaying the reinitializing following achievement of said final count, whereby said final count is retained temporarily in said counter means.

Claim 21

Measurement apparatus as defined in claim 15 and further including means for indicating a malfunction including means responsive to spurious waveform signals arriving when said first target means should be producing a blocking signal, for producing the indication of malfunction.

Claim 22

Measurement apparatus as defined in claim 15 and further comprising data recording means for recording data responsive to said final count.

Claim 23

Measurement apparatus as defined in claim 15 and wherein said counter means is digital, and said data recording means comprises digital-to-analog converter means responsive to the count of said counter means for producing an analog signal and further comprises analog data recording means for recording said final count.

Claim 24

Measurement apparatus as defined in claim 15 and further comprising automatic adjustment means responsive to the final count in said counter means for automatically adjusting the printing press.

Claim 25

Measurement apparatus as defined in claim 15 and wherein said first and second rotatable members have a plurality of corresponding first and second target means and wherein said counter means comprises means for reinitializing said counter before a count corresponding to each target of said plurality is started.