Method and device for providing longitudinal and lateral stretch control in laminated webs

• US 4,610,739 A
• Filed: 11/02/1984
• Issued: 09/09/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Graphic Packaging Corporation (Graphic Packaging International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Adolph Coors Company (Molson Coors Beverage Co.)
• Inventors: Jensen, James W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dawson, Robert A.
• Application Number:
  US06/667,869
• Time in Patent Office: 676 Days
• Field of Search: 156/64, 156/324, 156/361, 226/2, 226/3, 226/15, 226/16, 226/17, 226/21
• US Class Current: 156/64
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2038/0028 Stretching, elongating
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2310/025 Electrostatic charges
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2317/12 Paper, e.g. cardboard
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2553/00 Packaging equipment or accessories not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/20 involving the assembly of continuous webs only
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/1841 during laying up
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 39/16 Associating two or more webs

Abstract

A method and apparatus for monitoring and controlling the longitudinal and lateral deformation and the lateral position of a moving web of plastic film material which is laminated to a moving web of paper material to form a laminated composite.

Claims

1. An apparatus for laminating a moving web of plastic film material to a moving web of paper material to form a moving web of laminated composite, the film material passing through the apparatus in a continuous longitudinally extending web having an upstream portion entering the apparatus and a downstream portion exiting the apparatus;

the film material normally being extensibly deformable such that the distance between any two reference points on the film web is stretchably variable prior to lamination;

the apparatus comprising;

(a) paper supply unwind roll means for providing a continuous supply of paper to be laminated;

(b) film supply unwind roll means for providing a continuous supply of film to be laminated;

(c) laminating nip means, for drawingly engaging said film web and said paper web in parallel touching contact whereby each said web is moved at the same web speed, and for bondingly compressing said film web to said paper web to form a laminated composite;

(d) film web lateral stretch control means positioned along said film web between said film supply unwind roll means and said laminating nip means for frictionally engaging said film web and for selectively varying the width of the portion of the film web passing therethrough from a first width at a position where the film web enters said lateral stretch control means to a second width at a position where the film web leaves said lateral stretch control means during continuous movement of the film web from said film unwind roll means through said laminating nip;

(e) film width monitoring means for measuring the width of predetermined portions of said film web at a position downstream from said film web lateral stretch control means and for providing a monitor signal to a signal processing means;

(f) signal processing means for comparing said monitor signal to a predetermined film width value and providing command signals responsive thereto to said film web lateral stretch control means for imparting a selected amount of lateral deformation to said film web whereby said film web is continuously extensibly adjusted to a predetermined width by said lateral stretch control means.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said film web lateral stretch control means comprises:

first longitudinally extending guide means having an upstream end and downstream end means for frictionally engaging a first lateral edge of said moving film web along a predetermined length thereof;

second longitudinally extending guide means for frictionally engaging a second lateral edge of said moving film web along a predetermined length thereof at a position laterally opposite said first longitudinally extending guide means;

said second longitudinally extending guide means comprising an upstream end and a downstream end and being pivotal at said upstream end about a second guide means pivotal axis positioned substantially perpendicular to the plane of said moving film web, whereby said second guide means is angularly displaceable relative said first guide means whereby said film web is stretchable from said first width at said upstream ends of said guide means to said second width at said downstream ends of said guide means by an amount proportionate to the amount of deflection of said second guide means from a parallel alignment with said first guide means.

3. The invention of claim 2 wherein said first guide means retains a fixed alignment relative said film web during operation of said film web lateral stretch control means whereby said lateral edge of said film web engaged by said first guide means retains a relatively straight line configuration from the entrance to the exit of said stretch control means.

4. The invention of claim 2 wherein said first guide means is angularly deflectably relative said second guide means by pivotal movement about a first guide means pivot axis positioned in substantially perpendicular alignment with the plane of said film web at said upstream end of said first guide means.

5. The invention of claim 4 wherein said first guide means and said second guide means are constructed and arranged whereby each said guide means pivots simultaneously about its respective pivot axis whereby the central longitudinal axis of said film web retains a straight line configuration from entrance to exit of said film web lateral stretch control means.

6. The invention of claim 2 said film web lateral stretch control means further comprising second guide means angular displacement means for pivoting said second guide means about said second guide means pivot axis in response to said command signal from said signal processing means.

7. The invention of claim 6 wherein said angular displacement means comprises an electrical motor.

8. The invention of claim 1 wherein said film width monitoring means comprises:

spaced apart indicia means on said film web and

indicia detection means for detecting the passage of said indicia means and generating a time based signal in response thereto; and

film web speed sensing means for sensing the speed of said film web and generating a speed based signal in response thereto.

9. The invention of claim 8 wherein said indicia means comprises:

a first series of longitudinally spaced apart marks printed along one longitudinally extending edge of said film web, and a second series of longitudinally spaced apart marks printed along the other longitudinally extending edge of said film web laterally opposite said first series of marks;

each said mark comprising a two dimensional shape having at least one linear mark edge portion extending from an associated edge of said film web at a predetermined nonperpendicular angle therewith whereby a laterally outwardly positioned point on said linear mark edge portion is positioned in longitudinally spaced relationship on said film web from a laterally inwardly positioned point, the difference in longitudinal distance between said inwardly and outwardly positioned points being proportional to the lateral distance between said points.

10. The invention of claim 8 wherein each of said marks comprises an identical triangular configuration each said triangle comprising a leading edge and a trailing edge.

11. The invention of claim 9 wherein said indicia detection means comprises photoelectric means for sensing the leading edge and trailing edge of said marks.

12. The invention of claim 11 wherein said photoelectric means comprises:

a first photoelectric unit positioned proximate one lateral edge of said film web for detecting said first series of marks;

a second photoelectric unit positioned proximate said second edge of said film web for detecting said second series of marks;

said first and second photoelectric units being positioned laterally opposite one another at a predetermined lateral distance.

13. The invention of claims 8 wherein said film web speed sensing means comprises electric encoder means operably lineked to a laiminating roll portion of said lamintaing nip means for generating a series of electrical pulses having a frequency proportional to the rotational speed of said laiminating roll.

14. A method of detecting the width of a moving web of material comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a first set of identical longitudinally spaced indicia having a leading edge and a trailing edge, on one longitudinally extending edge of the moving a web at predetermined distance therefrom and providing a second set of identical indicia on a second longitudinally extending edge of the web at a predetermined distance therefrom in mirror image relationship to the first set of indicia;

(b) at a first fixed moitoring point above the first side of the web, measuring the time between the passage of the leading edge and the passage of the trailing edge of a first indicia;

(c) substantially simultaneously with step (b), at a second fixed monitoring point above the second side of the web and laterally opposite the first monitoring point, measuring the time between the passage of the leading edge of a second indicia in mirror image relationship with said first indicia and the passage of the trailing edge of the second indicia;

(d) simultaneously with steps (b) and (c) measuring the velocity of the web;

(e) calculating the longitudinal distance between the detected portion of the leading edge and the detected portion of the trailing edge of said first indicia from the time value of step (b) and the velocity value of step (d);

(f) calculating the longitudinal distance between the detected portion of the leading edge and the detected portion of the trailing edge of said second indicia from the time value of step (c) and the velocity value of step (d);

(g) determining the lateral distance between the first monitoring point and the first longitudinally extending edge of the web from the calculated longitudinal distance of step (e) and the slopes of the edges of the first indicia;

(h) determining the lateral distance between the second monitoring point and the second side of the web from the calculated longitudinal distance of step (f) and the slopes of the edges of the second indicia;

(i) determining the width of the film web in the area between the two sets of marks by adding the lateral distance values of the two monitoring points from the respective sides of the web, determined by steps (g) and (h), to the lateral distance between the first and second monitoring points.

15. The method of claim 14 comprising the further steps of:

(j) comparing the measured width of the web to a preset width value; and

(k) deforming the web at a position upstream from said monitoring points to adjust the width of the web to said preset width value.

16. The invention of claim 15 wherein the step of deforming the web comprises the steps of:

(i) nippingly engaging a first side of the web along a predetermined length with a first guide nip;

(ii) nippingly engaging a second side of the web with a second guide nip along a length in mirror image relationship with the engaged portion of the first side;

(iii) angularly deflecting said first and second guide nips with respect to one another so as to provide a greater distance between downstream ends thereof than upstream ends thereof so as to laterally stretch the web a selected amount during movement of the web from the upstream ends to the downstream ends of said guides.

17. A method of laminating paper sheet material in roll form to plastic film sheet material in roll form by use of an adhesive material comprising the steps of:

mounting a roll of the paper sheet material on a first feed roll;

mounting a roll of the film sheet material on a second feed roll;

simultaneously, continuously unwinding the roll of paper sheet material and the roll of film sheet material to provide a length of paper sheet material and a length of film sheet material;

simultaneously continuously advancing the length of paper sheet material and the length of film sheet material to a laminating station comprising a main roll means and a compression roll means defining a nip area therebetween and an adhesive applying means located adjacent the nip area for laminating the film sheet material to the paper sheet material;

continuously applying adhesive material between the paper sheet material and the film material in the nip area;

applying pressure to the paper sheet material and the film sheet material and the adhesive material during passage through the nip area to form a fixed lamination;

passing the length of film sheet material past adjustable guide means located between the lamination station and the feed roll means and variably adjusting the guide means to laterally stretch the film material passing therethrough;

sampling the lateral distance between fixed indicia on the film web downstream of the adjustable guide means and generating a control signal representative of that distance; and

adjusting the guide means in accordance with the control signal so as to maintain the width of the film sheet material within a predetermined tolerance.

18. The method of claim 17 including the step, simultaneously with the step of applying pressure to the paper sheet material and the film sheet material during passage through the laminating area, of:

withdrawing heat from the paper sheet material and the film sheet material and the adhesive sheet material during passage through the nip area to form a fixed lamination.

19. The invention of claim 18 wherein the step of sampling the lateral distance between fixed indicia on the lamination comprises the steps of:

monitoring the speed of the lamination and generating a speed based control signal in response thereto;

monitoring the passage of selected portions of the fixed indicia on the lamination at a monitoring station downstream of the laminated station and generating a time-based control signal in response thereto;

calculating the longitudinal distance between the selected portions of the fixed indicia by comparing said time-based signal and said speed-based signal, and

calculating the lateral distance between the selected portions of the fixed indicia and associated portions of the web edge from the angular orientation of the fixed indicia and the calculated longitudinal distance between selected portions of the fixed indicia.

20. The invention of claim 19 wherein the method of continuously monitoring the speed of said lamination includes the step of continuously monitoring the rotational speed of a rotating portion of the apparatus.

21. The invention of claim 20 wherein the method of continuously monitoring the speed of said lamination includes the step of continuously monitoring the rotational speed of a rotating portion of the laminating nip.

22. An apparatus for laminating a moving web of plastic film material to a moving web of paper material to form a moving web of laminated composite, the film material passing through the apparatus in a continuous longitudinally extending web having an upstream portion entering the apparatus and a downstream portion exiting the apparatus;

the film material normally being extensibly deformable such that the distance between any two reference points on the film web is stretchably variable prior to lamination;

the apparatus comprising;

(a) paper supply unwind roll means for providing a continuous supply of paper to be laminated;

(b) film supply unwind roll means for providing a continuous supply of film to be laminated;

(c) laminating nip means, for drawingly engaging said film web and said paper web in parallel touching contact whereby each said web is moved at the same web speed, and for bondingly compressing said film web to said paper web to form a laminated composite;

(d) film web lateral stretch control means positioned along said film web between said film supply unwind roll means and said laminating nip means for frictionally engaging said film web and for selectively varying the width of the portion of the film web passing therethrough from a first width at a position where the film web enters said lateral stretch control means to a second width at a position where the film web leaves said lateral stretch control means during continuous movement of the film web from said film unwind roll means through said laminating nip;

(e) film width monitoring means for measuring the width of predetermined portions of said film web at a position downstream from said film web lateral stretch control means and for providing a monitor signal to a signal processing means;

(f) film web longitudinal stretch control means positioned along said film web between said film supply unwind roll means and said lamination nip means for frictionally engaging said film web and for selectively varying the length of the portion of said film positioned between said film web longitudinal stretch control means and a cooperating film web engaging nip positioned downstream of said film web longitudinal stretch control means;

(g) film length monitoring means for measuring the length of predetermined portions of said film web at a position downstream from said film web longitudinal stretch control means and for providing a length monitor signal to a signal processing means;

(h) signal processing means for comparing said monitor signal to a predetermined film width value and providing command signals responsive thereto to said film web lateral stretch control means for imparting a selected amount of lateral deformation to said film web whereby said film web is continuously extensibly adjusted to a predetermined width by said lateral stretch control means, and for comparing said monitor signal to a predetermined film length value and providing command signals responsive thereto to said film web longitudinal stretch control means for impacting a selected amount of longitudinal deformation to said film web whereby the longitudinal dimension of predetermined portions of said film web is continuously extensibly adjusted to a predetermined value.

23. The invention of claim 22 wherein said film web longitudinal stretch control means is positioned upstream of said film web lateral stretch control means and wherein said cooperating film web engaging nip positioned downstream of said film web longitudinal stretch control means comprises said lateral stretch control means.

24. The invention of claim 22 wherein said film web lateral stretch control means comprises:

first longitudinally extending guide means having an upstream end and a downstream end means for frictionally engaging a first lateral edge of said moving film web along a predetermined length thereof;

second longitudinally extending guide means for frictionally engaging a second lateral edge of said moving film web along a predetermined length thereof at a position laterally opposite said first longitudinally extending guide means;

said second longitudinally extending guide means comprising an upstream end and a downstream end and being pivotal at said upstream end about a second guide means pivotal axis positioned substantially perpendicular to the plane of said moving film web, whereby said second guide means is angularly displaceable relative said first guide means whereby said film web is stretchable from said first width at said upstream ends of said guide means to said second width at said downstream ends of said guide means by an amount proportionate to the amount of deflection of said second guide means from a parallel alignment with said first guide means.

25. The invention of claim 24 wherein said first guide means retains a fixed alignment relative said film web during operation of said film web lateral stretch control means whereby said lateral edge of said film web engaged by said first guide means retains a relatively straight line configuration from the entrance to the exit of said stretch control means.

26. The invention of claim 24 wherein said first guide means is angularly deflectably relative said second guide means by pivotal movement about a first guide means pivot axis positioned in substantially perpendicular alignment with the plane of said film web at said upstream end of said first guide means.

27. The invention of claim 26 wherein said first guide means and said second guide means are constructed and arranged whereby each said guide means pivots simultaneously about its respective pivot axis whereby the central longitudinal axis of said film web retains a straight line configuration from entrance to exit of said film web lateral stretch control means.

28. The invention of claim 24 said film web lateral stretch control means further comprising second guide means angular displacement means for pivoting said second guide means about said second guide means pivot axis in response to said command signal from said signal processing means.

29. The invention of claim 28 wherein said angular displacement means comprises an electrical motor.

30. The invention of claim 24 wherein said film width monitoring means comprises:

spaced apart indicia means on said film web and

indicia detection means for detecting the passage of said indicia means and generating a time based signal in response thereto; and

film web speed sensing means for sensing the speed of said film web and generating a speed based signal in response thereto.

31. The invention of claim 30 wherein said indicia means comprises:

a first series of longitudinally spaced apart marks printed along one longitudinally extending edge of said film web, and a second series of longitudinally spaced apart marks printed along the other longitudinally extending edge of said film web laterally opposite said first series of marks;

each said mark comprising a two dimensional shape having at least one linear mark edge portion extending from an associated edge of said film web at a predetermined nonperpendicular angle therewith whereby a laterally outwardly positioned point on said linear mark edge portion is positioned in longitudinally spaced relationship on said film web from a laterally inwardly positioned point, the difference in longitudinal distance between said inwardly and outwardly positioned points being proportional to the lateral distance between said points.

32. The invention of claim 30 wherein each of said marks comprises an identical triangular configuration each said triangle comprising a leading edge and a trailing edge.

33. The invention of claim 31 wherein said indicia detection means comprises photoelectric means for sensing the leading edge and trailing edge of said marks.

34. The invention of claim 33 wherein said photoelectric means comprises:

a first photoelectric unit positioned proximate one lateral edge of said film web for detecting said first series of marks;

a second photoelectric unit positioned proximate said second edge of said film web for detecting said second series of marks;

said first and second photoelectric units being positioned laterally opposite one another at a predetermined lateral distance.

35. The invention of claims 30 wherein said film web speed sensing means comprises electric encoder means operably linked to a laminating roll portion of said laminating nip means for generating a series of electrical pulses having a frequency proportional to the rotational speed of said laminating roll.

36. The invention as in any of claims 24-35 wherein said film web longitudinal stretch control means comprises said first and second longitudinally extending guide means;

and wherein said cooperating film web engaging nip positioned downstream of said film web longitudinal stretch control means comprises said laminating nip;

said first and second longitudinally extending guide means being speed controlled relative to said laminating nip means whereby a film web portion positioned between said longitudinally extending guide means and said laminating nip means is adjustably stretchable by variation of the speed of said longitudinally extending guide means relative to said laminating nip means.

37. An apparatus for laminating a moving web of plastic film material to a moving web of paper material to form a moving web of laminated composite, the film material passing through the apparatus in a continuous longitudinally extending web having an upstream portion entering the apparatus and a downstream portion exiting the apparatus;

the film material normally being extensibly deformable such that the distance between any two reference points on the film web is stretchably variable prior to lamination;

the apparatus comprising;

(a) paper supply unwind roll means for providing a continuous supply of paper to be laminated;

(b) film supply unwind roll means for providing a continuous supply of film material to be laminated;

(c) laminating nip means, for drawingly engaging said film web and said paper web in parallel touching contact whereby each said web is moved at the same web speed, and for bondingly compressing said film web to said paper web to form a laminated composite;

(d) film web lateral stretch control means positioned along said film web between said film supply unwind roll means and said laminating nip means for frictionally engaging said film web and for selectively varying the width of the portion of the film web passing therethrough from a first width at a position where the film web enters said lateral stretch control means to a second width at a position where the film web leaves said lateral stretch control means during continuous movement of the film web from said film unwind roll means through said laminating nip;

(e) film width monitoring means for measuring the width of predetermined portions of said film web at a position downstream from said film web lateral stretch control means and for providing a width monitor signal to a signal processing means;

(f) film web longitudinal stretch control means positioned along said film web between said film supply unwind roll means and said lamination nip means for frictionally engaging said film web and for selectively varying the length of the portion of said film positioned between said film web longitudinal stretch control means and a cooperating film web engaging nip positioned downstream of said film web longitudinal stretch control means;

(g) film length monitoring means for measuring the length of predetermined portions of said film web at a position downstream from said film web longitudinal stretch control means and for providing a length monitor signal to a signal processing means;

(h) film web lateral positioning means operably associated with said film web at a position proximate said laminating nip means for moving the film web laterally to a selected alignment position;

(i) film web lateral position monitoring means for monitoring the lateral position of said film web relative to a predetermined reference position and for providing a lateral position monitor signal to a signal processing means;

(j) signal processing means for comparing said width monitor signal to a predetermined film width value and providing command signals responsive thereto to said film web lateral stretch control means for imparting a selected amount of lateral deformation to said film web whereby said film web is continuously extensibly adjusted to a predetermined width by said lateral stretch control means, and for comparing said length monitor signal to a predetermined film length value and providing command signals responsive thereto to said film web longitudinal stretch control means for imparting a selected amount of longitudinal deformation to said film web whereby the longitudinal dimension of predetermined portions of said film web is continuously extensibly adjusted to a predetermined value, and for comparing said lateral position monitor signal to a predetermined value indicative of a lateral alignment position and providing command signals responsive to said comparison to said film web lateral positioning means for laterally shifting said film web to said lateral alignment position whereby the lateral position of said film web is continuously laterally adjusted to said lateral alignment position.

38. An apparatus for laminating a moving web of plastic film material to a moving web of paper material to form a moving web of laminated composite, the film material passing through the apparatus in a continuous longitudinally extending web having an upstream portion entering the apparatus and a downstream portion exiting the apparatus;

the film material normally being extensibly deformable such that the distance between any two reference points on the film web is stretchably variable prior to lamination;

the apparatus comprising;

(a) paper supply unwind roll means for providing a continuous supply of paper to be laminated;

(b) film supply unwind roll means for providing a continuous supply of film material to be laminated;

(c) laminating nip means, for drawingly engaging said film web and said paper web in parallel touching contact whereby each said web is moved at the same web speed, and for bondingly compressing said film web to said paper web to form a laminated composite;

(d) film web longitudinal stretch control means positioned along said film web between said film supply unwind roll means and said lamination nip means for frictionally engaging said film web and for selectively varying the length of the portion of said film positioned between said film web longitudinal stretch control means and a cooperating film web engaging nip positioned downstream of said film web longitudinal stretch control means;

(e) film length monitoring means for measuring the length of predetermined portions of said film web at a position downstream from said film web longitudinal stretch control means and for providing a length monitor signal to a signal processing means;

(f) film web lateral positioning means operably associated with said film web at a position proximate said laminating nip means for moving the film web laterally to a selected alignment position;

(g) film web lateral position monitoring means for monitoring the lateral position of said film web relative to a predetermined reference position and for providing a lateral position monitor signal to a signal processing means;

(h) signal processing means for comparing said length monitor signal to a predetermined film length value and providing command signals responsive thereto to said film web longitudinal stretch control means for imparting a selected amount of longitudinal deformation to said film web whereby the longitudinal dimension of predetermined portions of said film web is continuously extensibly adjusted to a predetermined value, and for predetermined value indicative of a lateral alignment position and providing command signals responsive to said comparison to said film web lateral positioning means for laterally shifting said film web to said lateral alignment position whereby the lateral position of said film web is continuously laterally adjusted to said lateral alignment position.

39. An apparatus for laminating a moving web of plastic film material to a moving web of paper material to form a moving web of laminated composite, the film material passing through the apparatus in a continuous longitudinally extending web having an upstream portion entering the apparatus and a downstream portion exiting the apparatus;

the film material normally being extensibly deformable such that the distance between any two reference points on the film web is stretchably variable prior to lamination;

the apparatus comprising;

(a) paper supply unwind roll means for providing a continuous supply of paper to be laminated;

(b) film supply unwind roll means for providing a continuous supply of film material to be laminated;

(c) laminating nip means, for drawingly engaging said film web and said paper web in parallel touching contact whereby each said web is moved at the same web speed, and for bondingly compressing said film web to said paper web to form a laminated composite;

(d) film web lateral stretch control means positioned along said film web between said film supply unwind roll means and said laminating nip means for frictionally engaging said film web and for selectively varying the width of the portion of the film web passing therethrough from a first width at a position where the film web enters said lateral stretch control means to a second width at a position where the film web leaves said lateral stretch control means during continuous movement of the film web from said film unwind roll means through said laminating nip;

(e) film width monitoring means for measuring the width of predetermined portions of said film web at a position downstream from said film web lateral stretch control means and for providing a width monitor signal to a signal processing means;

(f) film web lateral positioning means operably associated with said film web at a position proximate said laminating nip means for moving the film web laterally to a selected alignment position;

(g) film web lateral position monitoring means for monitoring the lateral position of said film web relative to a predetermined reference position and for providing a lateral position monitor signal to a signal processing means;

(h) signal processing means for comparing said width monitor signal to a predetermined film width value and providing command signals responsive thereto to said film web lateral stretch control means for imparting a selected amount of lateral deformation to said film web whereby said film web is continuously extensibly adjusted to a predetermined width by said lateral stretch control means, and for comparing said lateral position monitor signal to a predetermined value indicative of a lateral alignment position and providing command signals responsive to said comparison to said film web lateral positioning means for laterally shifting said film web to said lateral alignment position whereby the lateral position of said film web is continuously laterally adjusted to said lateral alignment position.

40. An apparatus for laminating a moving web of plastic film material to a moving web of paper material to form a moving web of laminated composite, the film material passing through the apparatus in a continuous longitudinally extending web having an upstream portion entering the apparatus and a downstream portion exiting the apparatus;

the film material normally being extensibly deformable such that the distance between any two reference points on the film web is stretchably variable prior to lamination;

the apparatus comprising;

(a) paper supply unwind roll means for providing a continuous supply of paper to be laminated;

(b) film supply unwind roll means for providing a continuous supply of film material to be laminated;

(c) laminating nip means, for drawingly engaging said film web and said paper web in parallel touching contact whereby each said web is moved at the same web speed, and for bondingly compressing said film web to said paper web to form a laminated composite;

(d) film web lateral positioning means operably associated with said film web at a position proximate said laminating nip means for moving the film web laterally to a selected alignment position;

(e) film web lateral position monitoring means for monitoring the lateral position of said film web relative to a predetermined reference position and for providing a lateral position monitor signal to a signal processing means;

(f) signal processing means for comparing said lateral position monitor signal to a predetermined value indicative of a lateral alignment position and providing command signals responsive to said comparison to said film web lateral positioning means for laterally shifting said film web to said lateral alignment position whereby the lateral position of said film web is continuously laterally adjusted to said lateral alignment position.

43. The invention of claim 40 wherein said film web lateral position monitoring means comprises:

spaced apart indicia means on said film web;

indicia detection means for detecting the passage of said indicia means and generating a time based signal in response thereto; and

film web speed sensing means for sensing the speed of said film web and generating a speed based signal in response thereto;

wherein said indicia means comprises;

a first series of longitudinally spaced apart marks printed along one longitudinally extending edge of said film web;

each said mark comprising a two dimensional shape having at least one linear mark edge portion extending from an associated edge of said film web at a predetermined nonperpendicularly angle therewith whereby a laterally outwardly positioned point on said linear mark edge portion is positioned in longitudinally spaced relationship on said film web from a laterally inwardly positioned point, the difference in longitudinal distance between said inwardly and outwardly positioned points being proportional to the lateral distance between said points;

wherein said film web speed sensing means comprises electric encoder means operably linked to a laminating roll portion of said laminating nip means for generating a series of electrical pulses having a frequency proportional to the rotational speed of said laminating roll.

41. A method of detecting the relative lateral position of a moving web of material comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a first set of identical longitudinally spaced indicia having a leading edge and a trailing edge, on one longitudinally extending edge of the moving web at a predetermined distance therefrom;

(b) at a fixed monitoring point above the first side of the web, measuring the time between the passage of the leading edge and the passage of the trailing edge of a first indicia;

(c) simultaneously with steps (b) measuring the velocity of the web;

(d) calculating the longitudinal distance between the detected portion of the leading edge and the detected portion of the trailing edge of said first indicia from the time value of step (b) and the velocity value of step (c);

(e) determining the lateral distance between the first monitoring point and the first longitudinally extending edge of the web from the calculated longitudinal distance of step (d) and the slopes of the edges of the first indicia.

42. A method of detecting the alignment error of a moving web of a first material with respect to a moving web of a second material comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a first set of identical longitudinally spaced indicia having a leading edge and a trailing edge, on one longitudinally extending edge of the first moving web at a predetermined distance therefrom and providing a second set of identical indicia on a second longitudinally extending edge of the second moving web at a predetermined distance therefrom;

(b) at a first fixed monitoring point above the first edge of the first web, measuring the time between the passage of the leading edge and the passage of the trailing edge of a first indicia;

(c) substantially simultaneously with step (b), at a second fixed monitoring point above the second edge of the second web and laterally opposite the first monitoring point, measuring the time between the passage of the leading edge of a second indicia on the second web and the passage of the trailing edge of the second indicia;

(d) simultaneously with steps (b) and (c) measuring the velocity of each web;

(e) calculating the longitudinal distance between the detected portion of the leading edge and the detected portion of the trailing edge of said first indicia from the time value of step (b) and the velocity value of step (d);

(f) calculating the longitudinal distance between the detected portion of the leading edge and the detected portion of the trailing edge of said second indicia from the time value of step (c) and the velocity value of step (d);

(g) determining the lateral distance between the first monitoring point and the first longitudinally extending edge of the first web from the calculated longitudinal distance of step (e) and the slopes of the edges of the first indicia;

(h) determining the lateral distance between the second monitoring point and the second side of the second web from the calculated longitudinal distance of step (f) and the slopes of the edges of the second indicia;

(i) determining the relative lateral displacement of the first edge at the first web from the second edge of the second web from the lateral distance values of the two monitoring points from the respective sides of the two webs determined by steps (g) and (h), and the known lateral positions of the two monitoring points.

44. A method of determining certain spacial relationships of a first moving web of material having opposite longitudinally and laterally extending side surface and having first and second laterally opposite, longitudinally extending edges comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a first set of identical longitudinally spaced indicia, each having a leading edge and a trailing edge with preset different slopes, proximate the first longitudinally extending edge of the moving web at a predetermined lateral distance from said first edge of the web;

(b) at a first fixed monitoring point positioned opposite one side surface of the web and proximate the first longitudinally extending edge of the web, detecting the passage of the leading edge and the passage of the trailing edge of a first indicia in the first set of indicia of define a first measuring interval;

(c) during said first measuring interval counting the number of pulses produced by an encoder having a pulse frequency proportionate to the web speed;

(d) calculating the longitudinal distance between the detected portion of the leading edge and the detected portion of the trailing edge of said first indicia from the number of pulse counted during said first measuring interval;

(e) determining the lateral distance between the first fixed monitoring point and the first longitudinally extending edge of the web from the calculated longitudinal distance of step (d) and the slopes of the edges of the first indicia.

45. The method of claim 44 comprising the further steps of:

(a) providing a second set of identical longitudinally spaced indicia, each having a leading edge and a trailing edge with preset different slopes, proximate a second longitudinally extending edge of the web at a predetermined lateral distance from said second edge of the web;

(b) at a second monitoring point positioned opposite the first side of the web proximate the second longitudinally extending edge of the web and laterally opposite the first monitoring point, detecting the passage of the leading edge of a second indicia in said second set of indicia and the passage of the trailing edge of the second indicia to define a second measuring interval;

(c) counting the number of pulses produced by an encoder having a pulse frequency proprotionate to the web speed during said second measuring interval;

(d) calculating the longitudinal distance between the detecting portion of the leading edge and the detected portion of the trailing edge of said second indicia from the number of pulses counted in said second measuring interval;

(e) determining the lateral distance between the second monitoring point and the second side of the web from the calculated longitudinal distance of step (d) and the slopes of the edges of the second indicia;

(f) determining the width of the film web in the area between the two sets of indicia by adding the determined lateral distance values of the two monitoring points from the respective sides of the web to the lateral distance between the first and second monitoring points.

46. The method of claim 44 comprising the further step of:

(a) providing a second set of identical longitudinally spaced indicia, each having a leading edge and a trailing edge with preset different slopes, proximate a second longitudinally extending edge of a second moving web, to be aligned with said first longitudinally extending edge of said first web, at a predetermined lateral distance from said second edge;

(b) at a second fixed monitoring point positioned proximate the second edge of the second web, detecting the passage of the leading edge of a second indicia on the second web and the passage of the trailing edge of the second indicia to define a second measuring interval;

(c) counting the number of pulses produced by an encoder having a pulse frequency proportionate to the second web speed during said second measuring interval;

(d) calculating the longitudinal distance between the detected portion of the leading edge and the detected portion of the trailing edge of said second indicia from the number of pulses counted in said second measuring interval;

(e) determining the lateral distance between the second monitoring point and the second side of the second web from the calculated longitudinal distance of step (d) and the slopes of edges of the second indicia;

(f) determining the relative lateral displacement of the first edge at the first web from the second edge of the second web from the determined lateral distance values of the two monitoring points from the respective sides of the two webs and the know lateral positions of the two monitoring points.

47. The method of claim 44 comprising the further steps of:

(a) comparing the determined lateral distance between the monitoring point and the first longitudinally extending edge of the web to a preset lateral alignment distance value; and

(b) shifting the web laterally to adjust the position of said first longitudinally extending edge of the web in response to any difference between said determined lateral distance and said preset lateral distance value.

48. The method of claim 45 comprising the further steps of:

(a) comparing the measured width of the web to a preset width value; and

(b) deforming the web at a position upstream from said monitoring points to adjust the width of the web to said preset width value.

49. The invention of claim 48 wherein the step of deforming the web comprises the steps of:

(a) nippingly engaging a first side of the web along a predetermined length with a first guide nip;

(b) nipplingly engaging a second side of the web with a second guide nip along a length in mirror image relationship with the engaged portion of the first side;

(c) angularly deflecting said first and second guide nips with respect to one another so as to provide a greater distance between downstream ends thereof than upstream ends thereof so as to laterally stretch the web a selected amount during movement of the web from the upstream ends to the downstream ends of said guides.

50. The method of claim 46 comprising the further step of:

shiftingly adjusting said first and second film webs laterally, one relative the other, in response to said determined relative lateral displacement between said first edge of said first web and said second edge of said second web to maintain said web edges in substantially aligned relationship.