Method for forming tabulating card sets
United States Patent 3883130
A method for producing tabulating card sets which comprises a bottom sheet of relatively inflexible paperboard and at least one overlying sheet of paper. The method includes the steps of printing an advancing web of paperboard and the necessary number of advancing webs of paper with a desired card indicia to thereby define a series of card outlines, with each card outline being oriented to lie transversely across the web such that the grain runs in the transverse or short direction of the card outline. The webs are then slit in both the longitudinal and transverse directions to separate the individual cards, the slits being maintained within a close tolerance of a few thousandths of an inch. The webs are collated at a point prior to the final transverse slitting operation such that the paper sheets overlie the paperboard with the printed card outlines of the various sheets being aligned with each other.
US Patent References:
Method and apparatus for making books
Rosenberg - March 1966 - 3237934
Production of books and the like
Matuschke - November 1966 - 3284077
Envelopes for use in computers and similar tabulating machines
Hiersteiner - June 1967 - 3325188
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING BOOKS
Bellanca - May 1973 - 3730512
Method and apparatus for making books
Rosenberg - March 1966 - 3237934
Production of books and the like
Matuschke - November 1966 - 3284077
Envelopes for use in computers and similar tabulating machines
Hiersteiner - June 1967 - 3325188
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING BOOKS
Bellanca - May 1973 - 3730512
Application Number:
05/296995
Publication Date:
05/13/1975
Filing Date:
10/12/1972
View Patent Images:
Export Citation:
Primary Class:
Other Classes:
493/325, 493/362, 493/346, 270/21.100, 270/52.090, 493/381
International Classes:
B42C3/00; B41F13/64
Field of Search:
270/18,19,52,53 11/1 281/21 282/11.5,11.5A,22,23
Primary Examiner:
Michell, Robert W.
Assistant Examiner:
Heinz A.
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
Parrott, Bell, Seltzer, Park & Gibson
Claims:
That which is claimed is
1. A method for producing tabulating card sets with each set comprising a bottom card of relatively inflexible paperboard and a plurality of alternately arranged carbon sheets and paper sheets overlying the paperboard card and interconnected thereto along a removable end portion, and with each tabulating card set having a dimensional tolerance within a few thousandths of an inch in both the longitudinal and transverse directions such that the paperboard card may be used as an information storage device such as a tabulating machine punch card or the like, and comprising the steps of
2. The method as defined in claim 1 comprising the further step of winding each of the advancing webs into a separate roll after the intermittently slitting step and the continuously slitting step.
3. The method as defined in claim 2 wherein the step of collating the continuous webs includes withdrawing each of the webs from its associated roll while withdrawing each of the continuous carbon sheets from a roll thereof.
1. A method for producing tabulating card sets with each set comprising a bottom card of relatively inflexible paperboard and a plurality of alternately arranged carbon sheets and paper sheets overlying the paperboard card and interconnected thereto along a removable end portion, and with each tabulating card set having a dimensional tolerance within a few thousandths of an inch in both the longitudinal and transverse directions such that the paperboard card may be used as an information storage device such as a tabulating machine punch card or the like, and comprising the steps of
2. The method as defined in claim 1 comprising the further step of winding each of the advancing webs into a separate roll after the intermittently slitting step and the continuously slitting step.
3. The method as defined in claim 2 wherein the step of collating the continuous webs includes withdrawing each of the webs from its associated roll while withdrawing each of the continuous carbon sheets from a roll thereof.
Description:
The present invention relates to a method for producing tabulating card sets having close dimensional tolerances such that commercially satisfactory cards having the grain thereof running in the transverse or short direction can be manufactured.
Tabulating card sets which comprise a bottom sheet of relatively inflexible paperboard and a number of overlying sheets of relatively flexible paper are in common usage in nearly every type of business. In particular, such card sets are used in great volume in credit card operations and for inventory control records. Normally, the bottom sheet of paperboard is designed to be used as an information storage device such as a tabulating machine punch card or the like, while the overlying paper sheets serve as receipts for the various parties to the transaction. Such tabulating punch cards typically are rectangular in shape and measure 73/8 by 31/4 inches, and they often are designed to have up to eighty columns of data in the longitudinal or major direction.
It has long been thought that the grain of the tabulating card must lie parallel to the longitudinal direction of the card in order to minimize elongation resulting from moisture absorption and to thus insure accurate performance of the card, note for example the U.S. Pat. to Lyall et al., No. 3,047,311. To achieve this result, manufacturers have fabricated such "long grain" cards by a process wherein the cards are printed on a running length of card stock with the longitudinal direction of the card outlines extending longitudinally on the web. After printing, the individual cards are separated by a die stamping operation, collated, and secured together to form the card set. The above die stamping operation is the source of considerable expense and problems in that the dies are initially expensive, and they become misaligned and worn in normal usage and thus require periodic adjustment and replacement.
In accordance with the present invention, it has been found that by maintaining very accurate dimensional tolerances during the manufacturing operation, cards with the grain running in the transverse or short direction can be made which are suitable for use as an information storage device in most applications. In addition, it has been found that the required dimensional tolerances can be readily achieved by employing a slitting operation to sever and form all four edges of the card, thus replacing the expensive and relatively slow die stamping operation as presently employed.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a process for the fabrication of tabulating card sets having very accurate dimensional tolerances such that commercially satisfactory cards having the grain thereof running in the short dimension can be fabricated.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a process for producing tabulating card sets wherein all four edges of the card sets are severed by an economical slitting operation and wherein very accurate dimensional tolerances may be maintained. These and other objects and advantages of the present invention are achieved in the embodiments of the invention illustrated herein by the provision of a method which comprises the steps of printing an advancing web of paperboard as well as a number of advancing webs of paper with a desired card indicia to thereby define a series of card outlines on each web, and with each card outline being oriented to lie transversely across the web. The webs are slit in both the longitudinal and transverse directions to separate the individual cards, the slits being maintained within a tolerance of a few thousandths of an inch in each direction. In one embodiment, the advancing webs are transversely cut after the longitudinal slitting has been accomplished to form cut lengths of the web and with each cut length including a plurality of printed card outlines. The cut lengths are then collated and interconnected prior to the transverse slitting operation.
In a second embodiment of the method of the present invention, the continuous webs are collated after the longitudinal slitting operations to form a continuous composite web. The composite web is interconnected along the side edge and then transversely cut to form a plurality of cut lengths each including a plurality of printed card outlines. The cut lengths are then transversely slit to form the individual card sets as in the first embodiment of the method.
Some of the objects and advantages of the invention having been stated, others will appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which
FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a tabulating card set produced by the method of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the various steps of one embodiment of the method of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of an apparatus adapted to carry out the initial steps of the method described in FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of an apparatus for collating and gluing the cut lengths as produced by the apparatus of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a schematic representation of an apparatus for slitting the cut lengths along a plurality of transverse lines to form the finished tabulating card sets;
FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of the transverse slitting apparatus and taken substantially along the line 6--6 of FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a second embodiment of the method of the present invention;
FIG. 8 is a schematic representation of an apparatus for carrying out the initial steps of the method set forth in FIG. 7;
FIG. 9 is a schematic representation of an apparatus for carrying out the intermedite steps of the method set forth in FIG. 7;
FIG. 10 is a schematic representation of an apparatus for slitting the cut lengths along a plurality of transverse lines and which generally corresponds in construction to the apparatus shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.
Referring more specifically to the drawings, a tabulating card set produced according to the method of the present invention is illustrated generally at 20 in FIG. 1, and comprises a bottom card 22 of relatively inflexible paperboard and a plurality of alternately arranged carbon sheets 24 and paper sheets 26 overlying the paperboard card. All of the layers are interconnected by intermediate glue lines positioned at the removable end portion 28 defined by the score line 30. In addition, the card 22 and each of the sheets 26 are printed with a desired card indicia indicated generally at 32. As illustrated, the card set has an overall dimension of 73/8 by 31/4 inches (exclusive of the end portion 28) which is a standard in the art, and the grain of the card 22 and sheets 26 lies in the short direction.
In use, the required entries are made on the top paper sheet 26, the entries being transferred to the card 22 and lower sheet 26 by the intermediate carbon sheets 24. The end portion 28 of all of the layers is then removed by tearing, and the card 22 and sheets 26 delivered to the appropriate parties to the transaction.
One embodiment of the method for producing the tabulating card sets 20 is illustrated in FIGS. 2 through 6. In this case, a continuous web 34 of the paperboard is advanced from a supply roll 35 into an apparatus which comprises a series of stations 36, 37, 38 and 39. The stations 36, 37, and 38 comprise conventional printing presses, and the number of such printing presses actually employed will depend upon the design and number of colors to be applied to the web 34. In many cases, such as where a single color is being printed, the stations 36 and 37 for example may be nonoperative, and the printing conducted only at station 38. In any event however, the advancing web 34 will be printed at one of the stations with the desired card indicia 32 to define a series of card outlines and with each card outline being oriented to lie transversely across the web. In addition, each card outline may be serially numbered at one of the printing stations if desired.
At station 39, a continuous carbon sheet 40 is withdrawn from the reel 42 and positioned to overlie the web 34. To secure the web thereto, a glue line is applied to the advancing web by a glue applicator 43 positioned immediately upstream of the point where the carbon sheet 40 comes in contact with the web 34. As illustrated, the glue line is applied immediately adjacent the far side edge of the web 34, and upon application of the carbon sheet, the two layers become interconnected.
The advancing web 34 and overlying carbon sheet are then intermittently slit by a suitable apparatus 44 to form the score line 30 and which extends along the side edge of the web 34 containing the glue line. The apparatus 44 for intermittently slitting the web and carbon sheet may for example comprise a circular blade having an interrupted edge and which rotates with the movement of the web and sheet and which mates with an underlying pressure roll (not shown). The score line 30 thus defines the removable end portion 28 as seen in FIG. 1.
The other or near side of the advancing web 34 is continuously slit by the apparatus 46 at a predetermined location which is maintained within a close tolerance of a few thousandths of an inch (typically within .003 inches) in relation to the score line 30. Normally, the carbon sheet will have insufficient width to overlie this side edge of the advancing web 34 and thus only the web 34 will be subject to the continuous slitting operation. As illustrated, the portion of the web 34 removed by the continuous slitting operation is drawn away from the station 39 by a suitable vacuum source 48. The continuous slitting apparatus 46 may also comprise a circular blade, but in this case the edge is continuous.
Immediately upon leaving the station 39, the web 34 and overlying carbon sheet 40 are transversely cut at regular space locations along the length thereof such that each cut length 50 includes a plurality of the printed card outlines. This operation is carried out by the rotating transverse cutting blade indicated at 52. In the illustrated embodiment, each cut length includes five card outlines and is about 17 inches in length.
The cut lengths 50 are piled to form a stack 54 which is placed in the collating apparatus 56. At this point, it should be pointed out that while the above description relates only to the processing of the paperboard web 34, a similar process is used in connection with the webs (not shown) from which the paper sheets 26 are fabricated. Thus the webs for the paper sheets 26 could be processed concurrently on the same or a separate apparatus, or they could be processed at a different time on the same equipment. In any event, the collating apparatus 56 is adapted to accept the stack 54 of cut lengths comprising the paperboard and an overlying carbon sheet, a stack 58 comprising cut lengths of paper sheets and an overlying carbon sheet, and a third stack 60 comprising only the cut lengths of paper. As will become apparent, there is no need to include the carbon sheet in the cut lengths of the third stack since these cut lengths become the top sheet of paper 26 in the tabulating card set 20.
The collating apparatus 56 is applied to collate a cut length from each of the stacks 54, 58, and 60, and arranged with the cut length from stack 54 on the bottom, a cut length from the stack 58 in the middle, and a cut length from the stack 60 on the top. By this arrangement, a carbon sheet will be positioned to overlie the paperboard and between the adjacent paper sheets. Also, the collating apparatus 56 is adapted to align the printed card outlines in each cut length with the printed card outlines on the adjacent cut lengths. Further, the collating apparatus 56 interconnects the collated cut lengths along the side thereof which includes the removable end portion 28. Preferably, the interconnection is carried out by applying dots of adhesive with the rotating applicators 62 along the appropriate side edge of the cut lengths from the stacks 54 and 58. The design of the collating apparatus 56 for carrying out these operations is conventional, and well known to those skilled in the art.
The collated cut lengths from the apparatus 56 are placed in a stack 64, and positioned within the slitting apparatus 66. The slitting apparatus is designed to sequentially withdraw individual ones of the collated cut lengths, and feed the same longitudinally through the slitting apparatus 68 as best seen in FIG. 6 such that the cut lengths are slit along transverse lines to thereby sever the sides of each card outline and form completed card sets 20. In particular, the slitting apparatus 68 comprises upper and lower shafts 70, 71 which mount a total of six cooperating roller knives 72, 73 positioned 3.250 inches apart, with the knives 72 being carried on the shaft 70 and the knives 73 being carried on the shaft 71. Intermediate each pair of knives are cooperating rubber rollers 75, 76 which are designed to grip the collated cut lengths and feed the same therethrough as the shafts rotate. The lateral positioning of the knives on their associated shafts is maintained by a set screw 78. Thus it will be apparent that the desired close dimensional tolerance of a few thousandths of an inch (typically 0.003 inches) between adjacent pairs of knives may be easily maintained.
A second embodiment of the method for producing the tabulating card sets 20 according to the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 7 through 10. In this case, the continuous web 80 of the paperboard is advanced from a supply roll 82 into an apparatus which comprises a series of stations 83, 84, 85, and 86. The stations 83, 84, and 85 generally correspond to the station 36, 37, and 38 of the previous embodiment, and they each comprise a conventional printing press. Thus the advancing web 80 may be printed at one or all of these stations with the desired card indicia and with the card outline being oriented to lie transversely across the web. Also, each card outline may, if desired, be serially numbered.
At the station 86, the advancing web 80 is intermittently slit by a suitable apparatus 87 to form the score line 30 along one side edge thereof. The apparatus 87 is generally similar to the apparatus 44 of the prior embodiment, and may for example comprise a circular blade having an interrupted edge. The other side of the advancing web 80 is continuously slit by the apparatus 88 at a predetermined location which is maintained within a tolerance of 0.003 inches in relation to the score line 30. As illustrated, the portion of the web removed by the continuous slitting operation is drawn away from the station 86 by a suitable vacuum source 90.
Upon leaving the station 86, the web 80 is wound onto a take-up reel to form the roll 92 of paperboard. As will be understood, a similar process and apparatus is used in connection with the webs from which the paper sheets 26 are fabricated, and such webs could be processed concurrently on the same or a separate apparatus, or they could be processed at a different time on the same equipment. In each case, the webs are wound into a roll for further processing.
The collating apparatus 94 is adapted to collate the continuous webs of paperboard and paper with intermediate continuous carbon sheets to form a continuous composite web 95. In particular, the apparatus 94 is adapted to mount the roll 92 of paperboard, together with rolls 96 and 98 of paper produced in the manner described above, and also two rolls 100 of continuous carbon sheeting. The various rolls are oriented on the apparatus 94 such that the composite web 95 has the paperboard along the bottom, and with the carbon and paper sheets alternately arranged thereupon. In operation, the apparatus 44 is designed to collate the continuous webs such that the printed card outlines of each web are aligned with the card outlines of each adjacent web. Also, the apparatus includes suitable glue applying means 102 for applying a line of adhesive to one side edge of the webs emanating from the rolls 92, 96, and 100. Thus in the composite web 95, the various layers will be interconnected by the adhesive which is positioned along the side edge which forms the removable end portion 28 of the card set 20.
The composite web 95 is next drawn through a transverse cutting apparatus which comprises the rotating transverse cutting blade 104. As in the first embodiment, each cut length 105 formed from the composite web includes five card outlines, and is about 17 inches in length. Thus the cut lengths 105 resulting from the method of FIGS. 7 through 10 are substantially similar in construction to the cut lengths 50 resulting from the first embodiment of the present method.
The cut lengths 105 are piled to form a stack 106 which is placed in the transverse slitting apparatus 108. The slitting apparatus 108 is substantially equivalent in structure and function to the above described apparatus 66, and thus will not be described further herein.
As will be apparent, the second embodiment of the method of the present invention and as illustrated in FIGS. 7 through 10 is well adapted for high speed operations, and thus is normally employed in the case of large orders. The first embodiment of the method and as shown in FIGS. 2 through 6 is generally employed in the case of smaller short run orders.
In addition, it should be pointed out that while the paperboard has been described herein as the "bottom sheet" of the tabulating card set for purposes of description, it will be understood that the paperboard could be positioned on the top or at any intermediate level in certain isolated cases.
In the drawings and specification, there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.
Tabulating card sets which comprise a bottom sheet of relatively inflexible paperboard and a number of overlying sheets of relatively flexible paper are in common usage in nearly every type of business. In particular, such card sets are used in great volume in credit card operations and for inventory control records. Normally, the bottom sheet of paperboard is designed to be used as an information storage device such as a tabulating machine punch card or the like, while the overlying paper sheets serve as receipts for the various parties to the transaction. Such tabulating punch cards typically are rectangular in shape and measure 73/8 by 31/4 inches, and they often are designed to have up to eighty columns of data in the longitudinal or major direction.
It has long been thought that the grain of the tabulating card must lie parallel to the longitudinal direction of the card in order to minimize elongation resulting from moisture absorption and to thus insure accurate performance of the card, note for example the U.S. Pat. to Lyall et al., No. 3,047,311. To achieve this result, manufacturers have fabricated such "long grain" cards by a process wherein the cards are printed on a running length of card stock with the longitudinal direction of the card outlines extending longitudinally on the web. After printing, the individual cards are separated by a die stamping operation, collated, and secured together to form the card set. The above die stamping operation is the source of considerable expense and problems in that the dies are initially expensive, and they become misaligned and worn in normal usage and thus require periodic adjustment and replacement.
In accordance with the present invention, it has been found that by maintaining very accurate dimensional tolerances during the manufacturing operation, cards with the grain running in the transverse or short direction can be made which are suitable for use as an information storage device in most applications. In addition, it has been found that the required dimensional tolerances can be readily achieved by employing a slitting operation to sever and form all four edges of the card, thus replacing the expensive and relatively slow die stamping operation as presently employed.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a process for the fabrication of tabulating card sets having very accurate dimensional tolerances such that commercially satisfactory cards having the grain thereof running in the short dimension can be fabricated.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a process for producing tabulating card sets wherein all four edges of the card sets are severed by an economical slitting operation and wherein very accurate dimensional tolerances may be maintained. These and other objects and advantages of the present invention are achieved in the embodiments of the invention illustrated herein by the provision of a method which comprises the steps of printing an advancing web of paperboard as well as a number of advancing webs of paper with a desired card indicia to thereby define a series of card outlines on each web, and with each card outline being oriented to lie transversely across the web. The webs are slit in both the longitudinal and transverse directions to separate the individual cards, the slits being maintained within a tolerance of a few thousandths of an inch in each direction. In one embodiment, the advancing webs are transversely cut after the longitudinal slitting has been accomplished to form cut lengths of the web and with each cut length including a plurality of printed card outlines. The cut lengths are then collated and interconnected prior to the transverse slitting operation.
In a second embodiment of the method of the present invention, the continuous webs are collated after the longitudinal slitting operations to form a continuous composite web. The composite web is interconnected along the side edge and then transversely cut to form a plurality of cut lengths each including a plurality of printed card outlines. The cut lengths are then transversely slit to form the individual card sets as in the first embodiment of the method.
Some of the objects and advantages of the invention having been stated, others will appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which
FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a tabulating card set produced by the method of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the various steps of one embodiment of the method of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of an apparatus adapted to carry out the initial steps of the method described in FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of an apparatus for collating and gluing the cut lengths as produced by the apparatus of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a schematic representation of an apparatus for slitting the cut lengths along a plurality of transverse lines to form the finished tabulating card sets;
FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of the transverse slitting apparatus and taken substantially along the line 6--6 of FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a second embodiment of the method of the present invention;
FIG. 8 is a schematic representation of an apparatus for carrying out the initial steps of the method set forth in FIG. 7;
FIG. 9 is a schematic representation of an apparatus for carrying out the intermedite steps of the method set forth in FIG. 7;
FIG. 10 is a schematic representation of an apparatus for slitting the cut lengths along a plurality of transverse lines and which generally corresponds in construction to the apparatus shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.
Referring more specifically to the drawings, a tabulating card set produced according to the method of the present invention is illustrated generally at 20 in FIG. 1, and comprises a bottom card 22 of relatively inflexible paperboard and a plurality of alternately arranged carbon sheets 24 and paper sheets 26 overlying the paperboard card. All of the layers are interconnected by intermediate glue lines positioned at the removable end portion 28 defined by the score line 30. In addition, the card 22 and each of the sheets 26 are printed with a desired card indicia indicated generally at 32. As illustrated, the card set has an overall dimension of 73/8 by 31/4 inches (exclusive of the end portion 28) which is a standard in the art, and the grain of the card 22 and sheets 26 lies in the short direction.
In use, the required entries are made on the top paper sheet 26, the entries being transferred to the card 22 and lower sheet 26 by the intermediate carbon sheets 24. The end portion 28 of all of the layers is then removed by tearing, and the card 22 and sheets 26 delivered to the appropriate parties to the transaction.
One embodiment of the method for producing the tabulating card sets 20 is illustrated in FIGS. 2 through 6. In this case, a continuous web 34 of the paperboard is advanced from a supply roll 35 into an apparatus which comprises a series of stations 36, 37, 38 and 39. The stations 36, 37, and 38 comprise conventional printing presses, and the number of such printing presses actually employed will depend upon the design and number of colors to be applied to the web 34. In many cases, such as where a single color is being printed, the stations 36 and 37 for example may be nonoperative, and the printing conducted only at station 38. In any event however, the advancing web 34 will be printed at one of the stations with the desired card indicia 32 to define a series of card outlines and with each card outline being oriented to lie transversely across the web. In addition, each card outline may be serially numbered at one of the printing stations if desired.
At station 39, a continuous carbon sheet 40 is withdrawn from the reel 42 and positioned to overlie the web 34. To secure the web thereto, a glue line is applied to the advancing web by a glue applicator 43 positioned immediately upstream of the point where the carbon sheet 40 comes in contact with the web 34. As illustrated, the glue line is applied immediately adjacent the far side edge of the web 34, and upon application of the carbon sheet, the two layers become interconnected.
The advancing web 34 and overlying carbon sheet are then intermittently slit by a suitable apparatus 44 to form the score line 30 and which extends along the side edge of the web 34 containing the glue line. The apparatus 44 for intermittently slitting the web and carbon sheet may for example comprise a circular blade having an interrupted edge and which rotates with the movement of the web and sheet and which mates with an underlying pressure roll (not shown). The score line 30 thus defines the removable end portion 28 as seen in FIG. 1.
The other or near side of the advancing web 34 is continuously slit by the apparatus 46 at a predetermined location which is maintained within a close tolerance of a few thousandths of an inch (typically within .003 inches) in relation to the score line 30. Normally, the carbon sheet will have insufficient width to overlie this side edge of the advancing web 34 and thus only the web 34 will be subject to the continuous slitting operation. As illustrated, the portion of the web 34 removed by the continuous slitting operation is drawn away from the station 39 by a suitable vacuum source 48. The continuous slitting apparatus 46 may also comprise a circular blade, but in this case the edge is continuous.
Immediately upon leaving the station 39, the web 34 and overlying carbon sheet 40 are transversely cut at regular space locations along the length thereof such that each cut length 50 includes a plurality of the printed card outlines. This operation is carried out by the rotating transverse cutting blade indicated at 52. In the illustrated embodiment, each cut length includes five card outlines and is about 17 inches in length.
The cut lengths 50 are piled to form a stack 54 which is placed in the collating apparatus 56. At this point, it should be pointed out that while the above description relates only to the processing of the paperboard web 34, a similar process is used in connection with the webs (not shown) from which the paper sheets 26 are fabricated. Thus the webs for the paper sheets 26 could be processed concurrently on the same or a separate apparatus, or they could be processed at a different time on the same equipment. In any event, the collating apparatus 56 is adapted to accept the stack 54 of cut lengths comprising the paperboard and an overlying carbon sheet, a stack 58 comprising cut lengths of paper sheets and an overlying carbon sheet, and a third stack 60 comprising only the cut lengths of paper. As will become apparent, there is no need to include the carbon sheet in the cut lengths of the third stack since these cut lengths become the top sheet of paper 26 in the tabulating card set 20.
The collating apparatus 56 is applied to collate a cut length from each of the stacks 54, 58, and 60, and arranged with the cut length from stack 54 on the bottom, a cut length from the stack 58 in the middle, and a cut length from the stack 60 on the top. By this arrangement, a carbon sheet will be positioned to overlie the paperboard and between the adjacent paper sheets. Also, the collating apparatus 56 is adapted to align the printed card outlines in each cut length with the printed card outlines on the adjacent cut lengths. Further, the collating apparatus 56 interconnects the collated cut lengths along the side thereof which includes the removable end portion 28. Preferably, the interconnection is carried out by applying dots of adhesive with the rotating applicators 62 along the appropriate side edge of the cut lengths from the stacks 54 and 58. The design of the collating apparatus 56 for carrying out these operations is conventional, and well known to those skilled in the art.
The collated cut lengths from the apparatus 56 are placed in a stack 64, and positioned within the slitting apparatus 66. The slitting apparatus is designed to sequentially withdraw individual ones of the collated cut lengths, and feed the same longitudinally through the slitting apparatus 68 as best seen in FIG. 6 such that the cut lengths are slit along transverse lines to thereby sever the sides of each card outline and form completed card sets 20. In particular, the slitting apparatus 68 comprises upper and lower shafts 70, 71 which mount a total of six cooperating roller knives 72, 73 positioned 3.250 inches apart, with the knives 72 being carried on the shaft 70 and the knives 73 being carried on the shaft 71. Intermediate each pair of knives are cooperating rubber rollers 75, 76 which are designed to grip the collated cut lengths and feed the same therethrough as the shafts rotate. The lateral positioning of the knives on their associated shafts is maintained by a set screw 78. Thus it will be apparent that the desired close dimensional tolerance of a few thousandths of an inch (typically 0.003 inches) between adjacent pairs of knives may be easily maintained.
A second embodiment of the method for producing the tabulating card sets 20 according to the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 7 through 10. In this case, the continuous web 80 of the paperboard is advanced from a supply roll 82 into an apparatus which comprises a series of stations 83, 84, 85, and 86. The stations 83, 84, and 85 generally correspond to the station 36, 37, and 38 of the previous embodiment, and they each comprise a conventional printing press. Thus the advancing web 80 may be printed at one or all of these stations with the desired card indicia and with the card outline being oriented to lie transversely across the web. Also, each card outline may, if desired, be serially numbered.
At the station 86, the advancing web 80 is intermittently slit by a suitable apparatus 87 to form the score line 30 along one side edge thereof. The apparatus 87 is generally similar to the apparatus 44 of the prior embodiment, and may for example comprise a circular blade having an interrupted edge. The other side of the advancing web 80 is continuously slit by the apparatus 88 at a predetermined location which is maintained within a tolerance of 0.003 inches in relation to the score line 30. As illustrated, the portion of the web removed by the continuous slitting operation is drawn away from the station 86 by a suitable vacuum source 90.
Upon leaving the station 86, the web 80 is wound onto a take-up reel to form the roll 92 of paperboard. As will be understood, a similar process and apparatus is used in connection with the webs from which the paper sheets 26 are fabricated, and such webs could be processed concurrently on the same or a separate apparatus, or they could be processed at a different time on the same equipment. In each case, the webs are wound into a roll for further processing.
The collating apparatus 94 is adapted to collate the continuous webs of paperboard and paper with intermediate continuous carbon sheets to form a continuous composite web 95. In particular, the apparatus 94 is adapted to mount the roll 92 of paperboard, together with rolls 96 and 98 of paper produced in the manner described above, and also two rolls 100 of continuous carbon sheeting. The various rolls are oriented on the apparatus 94 such that the composite web 95 has the paperboard along the bottom, and with the carbon and paper sheets alternately arranged thereupon. In operation, the apparatus 44 is designed to collate the continuous webs such that the printed card outlines of each web are aligned with the card outlines of each adjacent web. Also, the apparatus includes suitable glue applying means 102 for applying a line of adhesive to one side edge of the webs emanating from the rolls 92, 96, and 100. Thus in the composite web 95, the various layers will be interconnected by the adhesive which is positioned along the side edge which forms the removable end portion 28 of the card set 20.
The composite web 95 is next drawn through a transverse cutting apparatus which comprises the rotating transverse cutting blade 104. As in the first embodiment, each cut length 105 formed from the composite web includes five card outlines, and is about 17 inches in length. Thus the cut lengths 105 resulting from the method of FIGS. 7 through 10 are substantially similar in construction to the cut lengths 50 resulting from the first embodiment of the present method.
The cut lengths 105 are piled to form a stack 106 which is placed in the transverse slitting apparatus 108. The slitting apparatus 108 is substantially equivalent in structure and function to the above described apparatus 66, and thus will not be described further herein.
As will be apparent, the second embodiment of the method of the present invention and as illustrated in FIGS. 7 through 10 is well adapted for high speed operations, and thus is normally employed in the case of large orders. The first embodiment of the method and as shown in FIGS. 2 through 6 is generally employed in the case of smaller short run orders.
In addition, it should be pointed out that while the paperboard has been described herein as the "bottom sheet" of the tabulating card set for purposes of description, it will be understood that the paperboard could be positioned on the top or at any intermediate level in certain isolated cases.
In the drawings and specification, there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.