EP0163686B1

EP0163686B1 - A method and a paper for producing self-copying printed matter

Info

Publication number: EP0163686B1
Application number: EP84904204A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Lennart JÖRLER
Original assignee: EDSBYNS TRYCKERI AB
Current assignee: IRMANI AB TE EDSBYN, ZWEDEN.
Priority date: 1983-11-04
Filing date: 1984-11-01
Publication date: 1988-08-24
Also published as: FI852636A0; DK159490C; DK304385A; DK304385D0; NO852669L; FI81304B; EP0163686A1; SE8306064L; WO1985001916A1; FI81304C; FI852636L; SE458435B; DE3473583D1; DK159490B; SE8306064D0

Abstract

A method for producing self-copying printed matter comprising at least two sheets joined to form a so-called form set or the like, which sheets are coated with a copying layer and which printed matter is formed by bringing paper webs coated with copying layer and provided with print to lie one upon the other in an intended order of sequence in a form set or the like, whereafter the paper webs are partially fastened to one another and cut to a length corresponding to the length of a form set. In accordance with the invention, the paper webs are produced by coating a wide paper web (2), having a width corresponding to the total width of the sheets forming part of at least one item of printed matter, in web sections (16-19) of mutually equal width parallel with the paper web (2), each of the web sections having a width corresponding to the width of a finished item of printed matter, such that respective web sections (16-19) are coated with a copying layer on one side (20) the other (21) or on both sides of the paper (2) depending upon whether respective web sections (16-19) are intended to form the uppermost sheet, the lowermost sheet or intermediate sheets in a finished item of printed matter. A thus coated paper web (4) is divided into two or more longitudinally extending narrow paper webs prior to combining the webs to an item of printed matter, each of these narrow paper webs corresponding to a web section (16-19). The invention also relates to paper coated in web sections (16-19) of mutually equal widths parallel with the paper web (2).

Description

The present invention relates to a method and a paper for producing items of self-copying printed matter comprising at least two sheets combined in a so-called form set or the like.
Primarily there is meant herewith a so-called form set which typically comprises, for example, three or four sheets of self-copying paper with which the intention is to record notations by hand or by machine on the uppermost sheet which are automatically reproduced on the sheets lying therebeneath.
In printed matter of this kind comprising four sheets for example, the uppermost sheet is coated on the undersurface thereof with a so-called coated-back layer (CB-layer), the bottom is coated on the upper surface thereof with so-called coated-front layer (CF-layer) while the two intermediate sheets are coated with a CF-layer on the upper surfaces thereof and with a CB-layer on the under surfaces. Such a printed matter is disclosed in DE-A-2 519 496. However, according to DE-A-2 519 496 there is disclosed a technique where two different chemical systems of CF-layers and CB- layers are used.
According to known techniques the properties of a self-copying layer are such that when a CB-layer is written upon, with a pen for example, and therewith comes into contact with CF-layer the substances present in the respective CB-layer and CF-layer are chemically combined in a manner which is rendered visible on at least the sheet coated with a CF-layer.
Accordingly, in the manufacture of such form sets a first paper web is coated on one side with a CF-layer, a second paper web is coated on one side with a CB-layer, and a third paper web is coated with a CB-layer on one side and a CF-layer on the other.
The paper webs are then placed in the successive order in a printing machine and provided with printed text etc., whereafter a thus printed paper web is divided longitudinally into narrower paper webs of a width corresponding to the width of the intended form set, and is then rolled up.
When the aforesaid three paper webs have been printed and rolled-up, one paper roll intended for the upper side, one paper roll intended for the underside, and the requisite number of paper rolls for the intermediate sheets are transferred to a joining machine in which the sheets in said rolls are joined together and cut into lengths corresponding to the length of the intended form set. The papers are also here bound together to form a form set. When the method according to DE-A-2 519 496 is used at least three different paper rolls need to be used in order to make a three sheet printed matter.
Thus, the method employed to produce such form sets is highly complicated, partly because of the need of various rolls of paper coated in different ways, and partly because printed paper divided into narrow paper webs has to be placed in a following joining machine.
Such manufacturing processes normally use as their starting point paper which is coated in the paper mill or like establishment and which is delivered in rolls where widths are a number of times greater than the width of the intended form set.
This means that a large amount of paper intended for the upper sheets and a large amount of paper intended for the bottom sheets is obtained from such a roll. The technique contributes hereby to the difficulty in producing small editions of self-copying stationary or printed matter at reasonable costs. Another reason as to why it is difficult to produce printed matter in smaller numbers at a reasonable cost is because the aforesaid complicated procedure must be carried irrespective of how large the edition is.
In DE-A-2 709 767 a method is disclosed where one and the same paper web is coated on both sides. Thereafter the web is provided with print and the web is subsequently divided into two or more narrow paper webs prior to combining the narrower webs to an item of printed matter.
However, DE-A-2 709 767 does not disclose a method where one and same paper web is coated with different coatings in different width sections of the paper web.
The present invention relates to a method which is much simpler to perform than known methods for producing self-copying form sets or the like comprising sheets with a CF-layer only, sheets with a CB-layer only and intermediate sheets coated on one side with a CF-layer and coated on the other side with a CB-layer.
The invention also relates to a paper whose manufacture is incorporated in the method according to the invention.
Thus, the present invention relates to a method for producing self-copying printed matter comprising at least two sheets combined to form a so-called form set or the like, said sheets being coated with a copying layer and said printed matter being produced by causing paper webs which are coated with copying layer and provided with print to lie one upon the other in an intended order of sequence in a form set or the like, whereafter the paper webs are partially joined together and cut to a length corresponding to the length of a form set, where said paper webs are produced by coating a wide paper web having a width corresponding to the combined widths of the sheets present in at least one item of printed matter with said layer and where a thus coated paper web prior to said combination to form an item of printed matter is divided into two or more longitudinally extending narrow paper webs, each of said web sections having a width corresponding to the width of a finished item of printed matter, the method being characterized in that said wide paper web is coated in web sections of mutually equal width parallel with the paper web, which web sections correspond to said paper webs in a manner such that a web section intended to form the uppermost sheets in an item of printed matter is coated on its undersurface with a copying layer of a first type known per se, namely a so-called coated back layer (CB-layer); in that a web section intended to form the lowermost sheet is coated on its upper surface with a copying layer of a section type known per se, namely a so-called coated front-layer (CF-layer; and in that a web section or web sections intended to form an intermediate sheet or sheets is, or are, coated on the upper surface with a copying layer of said second type (CF-layer) and on their undersurface with a copying layer of said first type (CB-layer).
The invention also relates to a coated paper for producing self-copying printed matter comprising at least two sheets, which sheets are coated with a copying layer, which paper consists of a wide paper web having a width corresponding to the total widths of the sheets forming part of at least one item of printed matter, said coated paper being characterized in that the paper web is coated in web sections of mutually equal length parallel with the paper web, each of the web sections having a width corresponding to the width of a finished item of printed matter, in such a manner that a web section intended for use as the uppermost sheet in an item of printed matter is coated on its undersurface with a copying layer of a first type known per se, namely a so-called coated back layer (CB-layer); in that a web section intended for use as the lowermost sheet in an item of printed matter is coated on its upper side with a coating layer of the second type known per se, namely a so-called coated front layer (CF-layer); and in that a web section or sections intended for use as an intermediate sheet or sheets is or are coated on their upper surfaces with a copying layer of said second type (CF-layer) and on their underside with a copying layer of said first type (CF-layer).
The present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying illustrative embodiment shown schematically in the accompanying drawing, in which

Figure 1 illustrates very schematically an apparatus for producing paper according to the invention;
Figure 2 illustrates very schematically an apparatus for producing self-copying printed matter starting from paper manufactured in an apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 1 illustrates very schematically an apparatus for producing paper according to the invention. Manufacture of the paper is incorporated in the method according to the invention for producing self-copying printed matter.
The self-copying printed matter referred to primarily concerns form sets comprising at least two sheets which have been coated with a copying layer.
Other products can also be produced by the method according to the invention, however, such as web-like printed matter, for example multi-layer paper for data print-out machines etc.
Although the invention is not limited to any particular type of self-copying printed matter it will be described hereinafter with reference to a form set comprising four sheets, namely a top sheet, a bottom sheet and two intermediate sheets.
In Fig. 1 the reference 1 identifies a first roll of wide paper which forms a wide paper web 2 extending through a coating apparatus generally referenced 3 in Fig. 1. The reference 4 identifies a second roll of paper coated with a copying layer.
Fig. 2 illustrates very schematically an apparatus in which an item of printed matter is produced with the coated paper according to the invention as its starting point.
In Fig. 2 the references 5,6 and 7 identify printing stations in which the paper web 2 is supplied with print such as printed text, borders etc., in one or more colours. The reference 8 identifies means for dividing the paper web 2 into various narrow paper webs 9, 10, 11, 12.
A device for combining the web sections 9-12 is constructed in a known manner so that several paper webs 9-12 will lie one upon the other in the order intended, whereafter the paper webs are partially connected together in a device 14 and cut to a length corresponding to the length, in the feed direction, of a form set 13 by means of shears 15.
In accordance with the method according to the invention the narrow, coated paper webs 9-12 are produced by coating a wide paper web 2, having a width corresponding to the total widths of the sheets forming part of at least one item of printed matter, in web sections 16, 17, 18, 19 of mutually equal width parallel with the paper web 2, each of the sections having a width corresponding to the width of a finished item of printed matter 13.
Respective web sections are coated with a copying layer on one side of the paper web 2, on the other side thereof or on both sides 20, 21 thereof, depending on whether respective web sections 16-19 are intended to form the uppermost sheet, the lowermost sheet or the intermediate sheets of a finished item of printed matter 13.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment the paper web 2 is coated with two types of copying layer. The first type is a so-called coated back- layer (CB-layer) and the second type is a so-called coated front-layer (CF-layer). The CB-layer and CF-layer are of the kind mentioned in the introduction. When using such copying layers, the aforesaid web sections 16-19 are coated so that the web section 16 intended to form the top sheet of an item of printed matter is coated on its under surface with a CB-layer, that a web section 19 intended to form the bottom sheet is coated with a CF-layer on its upper surface, and that the web sections 17, 18 intended to form intermediate sheets are coated on their respective upper surfaces with a CF-layer and on their respective undersurfaces with a CB-layer.
This is effected with the aid of preferably two coating stations 22, 23, where one station 22 is intended for CF-coating and the other 23 is intended for CB-coating. In the illustrated embodiment the respective upper surfaces of the web sections 17, 18 and 19 are coated with CF-coating in the first station 22 by means of a roll 24. The web section 16 is thus not coated in this station. The respective undersurfaces of the web sections 16, 17 and 18 are coated with CB-coating in the second station 23 by means of a roll 25. The web section 19 is thus not coated in this station. The rolls 23, 24 are axially divided into at least two sections, and preferably into as many sections as the number of desired web sections, i.e. in the illustrated embodiment four roll sections 16, 17, 18, 19, where in each roll section coating can be carried out or prevented irrespective of whether coating has been carried out in other roll sections or not.
The actual coating technique and also the chemical composition of the coating layers are well known to the art and will not therefore be described in more detail.
Thus, the coated paper 4 comprises a wide paper web 2 which is coated with copying layers in longitudinally extending web sections 16-19 in dependence on where respective web sections are to be placed in an item of printed matter.
According to a preferred embodiment the wide paper web 2 has a width which is equal to the total width of the sheets forming part of solely one item of printed matter, where the web section 16 along one side edge of the paper web 2 is only coated on one side, where the web section 19 along the other side edge of the paper web 2 is solely coated on the other side, and where the part of the paper web 17, 18 located between the web sections 16,19 situated along the side edges is coated on both sides. This means that the whole of the paper web is used in the manufacture of a given item of printed matter, which facilitates planning of the manufacturing process.
It often happens that an item of self-copying printed matter is only intended to copy text written over a given part of its surface or area and not text written on other parts thereof. To this end when necessary one or more of said web sections 16,19 is only coated partially on the one 20 or the other 21 side of the wide paper web 2.
A coating apparatus of the kind illustrated in Fig. 1 normally has a capacity which is much greater, for example three times greater, than the capacity of a printing press, which is illustrated schematically in Fig. 2. For this reason it is therefore suitable to roll-up the coated paper 4, and to transfer such a roll of paper to a printing press for finally producing printed matter. In this way, a coating apparatus can be used to coat paper while, for example, three printing presses can be used to finally prepare the items of printed matter.
It will be understood, of course, that the coating apparatus may be incorporated with the printing press, the paper web 2 remaining unbroken through the plant.
Subsequent to supplying the coated paper web with print, the paper web 2 is divided longitudinally, in accordance with the invention, into two or more narrow paper webs 9, 10, 11, 12, where each of said narrow paper webs 9-12 corresponds to a web section 16-19. The narrow paper webs 9-12 are brought together, fastened to one another and cut, therewith to provide a finished intended item of printed matter.
It will readily be perceived that the present invention eliminates the disadvantages mentioned in the introduction. The invention enables self-copying printed matter to be produced in a highly rational manner. The method avoids the necessity of starting with wide paper webs 5 having a given coating and requiring to be printed upon, divided into longitudinal sections and rolled onto an equal number of rolls as there are sections and to then mount a number of different such rolls in a machine for combining various sections to form an item of printed matter.
Thus, a number of working steps are saved by coating the paper 1 in a manner particular to an intended item of printed matter. In addition hereto, storage costs are reduced, since it is not necessary to store a large number of rolls of paper which has been coated in different ways.
One further important advantage is that subsequent to having coated a given length of the paper 1 in a given manner, the coating apparatus can be re-set to coat the paper in a different manner. This also contributes to the possibility of producing relatively small editions of self-copying paper at reasonable costs.
It will be understood that the invention is not restricted to the production of form sets and neither to the production of printed matter comprising four sheets.
The invention can, of course, be applied in the manufacture of any type of printed matter which includes sheets coated in various ways.
Thus, the invention shall not be considered limited to the aforedescribed embodiments, but that modifications can be made within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. A method for producing self-copying printed matter comprising at least two sheets combined to form a so-called form set or the like, said sheets being coated with a copying layer and said printed matter being produced by causing paper webs which are coated with copying layer and provided with print to lie one upon the other in an intended order of sequence in a form set or the like, whereafter the paper webs are partially joined together and cut to a length corresponding to the length of a form set, where said paper webs (9-12) are produced by coating a wide paper web (2) having a width corresponding to the combined widths of the sheets present in at least one item of printed matter (13) with said layer and where a thus coated paper web (4) prior to said combination to form an item of printed matter (13) is divided into two or more longitudinally extending narrow paper webs (9-12), each of said web sections having a width corresponding to the width of a finished item of printed matter (13), characterized in that said wide paper web (2) is coated in web sections (16-19) of mutually equal width parallel with the paper web (2), which web sections (16-19) correspond to said paper webs (9-12), in a manner such that a web section (16) intended to form the uppermost sheets in an item of printed matter is coated on its undersurface (21) with a copying layer of a first type known per se, namely a so-called coated back layer (CB-layer); in that a web section (19) intended to form the lowermost sheet is coated on its upper surface (20) with a copying layer of a section type known per se, namely a so-called coated front-layer (CF-layer); and in that a web section or web sections (17, 18) intended to form an intermediate sheet or sheets is, or are, coated on the upper surface (20) with a copying layer of said second type (CF-layer) and on their undersurface (21) with a copying layer of said first type (CB-layer).

2. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that said wide paper web (2) has a width equal to the total width of the sheets forming part of solely one item of printed matter (13); and in that the paper web (2) in the web section (16; 19) along its one side edge is solely coated on one side; in that the paper web (2) at the web section along the other side edge (19; 16) is solely coated on the other side; and in that the part of the paper web (17,18) located between the web sections (i6,19) situated along said side edges is coated on both sides.

3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that one or more of said web sections (16-19) is only partially coated on one or the other side of the wide paper web (2).

4. Paper for producing self-copying printed matter comprising at least two sheets, which sheets are coated with a copying layer, which paper consists of a wide paper web (4) having a width corresponding to the total widths of the sheets forming part of at least one item of printed matter (13), characterized in that the paper web (4) is coated in web sections (16-19) of mutually equal length parallel with the paper web (4), each of the web sections (16-19) having a width corresponding to the width of a finished item of printed matter (13), in such a manner that a web section (16) intended for use as the uppermost sheet in an item of printed matter (13) is coated on its undersurface (21) with a copying layer of a first type known per se, namely a so-called coated back layer (CB-layer); in that a web section (19) intended for use as the lowermost sheet in an item of printed matter is coated on its upper side (20) with a coating layer of the second type known per se, namely a so-called coated front layer (CF-layer); and in that a web section or sections (17, 18) intended for use as an intermediate sheet or sheets is or are coated on their upper surfaces (20) with a copying layer of said second type (CF-layer) and on their underside (21) with a copying layer of said first type (CB-layer).

5. Paper according to claim 4, characterized in that one or more of said web sections (16-19) is or are only partially coated with a copying layer on one or the other side of the wide paper web (4).