US3768801A

US3768801A - Apparatus and method for making multiple ply sets

Info

Publication number: US3768801A
Application number: US00218390A
Authority: US
Inventors: K Maynard; T Paulson
Original assignee: International Business Machines Corp
Current assignee: International Business Machines Corp
Priority date: 1972-01-17
Filing date: 1972-01-17
Publication date: 1973-10-30
Anticipated expiration: 1990-10-30
Also published as: DE2301586A1; GB1405280A; FR2174546A5; JPS4880809A

Abstract

Multiple ply sets having a primary (record) portion and a discardable (stub) portion are made by performing selected work operations concurrently with one set of tooling in a plurality of superposed webs. The webs are then diverted into paths of predetermined differing lengths, remerged, then severed into multiple ply sets. The differing path lengths assure that the manifestation of the selected work operations will be in the primary portion in those plies where it is desired (e.g., a thumb notch for carbon sheets) but effectively shifted into the discardable (detachable stub) portion in those plies (e.g., card or paper slip) where it is tolerable though not particularly desirable. This enables a significant reduction in number of work stations, and hence in equipment cost, set-up and maintenance time, overall machine size, and in-process web length. Some work operations are performed by pairs of rotary tool cylinders, each independently orientable in a predetermined number of rotative positions to provide a plurality of different combinations of rotative positions for performing correspondingly different work operations from one side or the other side of a web as it passes between said cylinders.

Description

United States Patent 1191 Maynard et al.

[ 1 Oct. 30, 1973 APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MAKING MULTIPLE PLY SETS [75] Inventors: Kenneth B. Maynard, Sherman,

Tex.; Thomas M. Paulson, East Brunswick, NJ.

[73] Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, N.Y.

22 Filed: Jan. 17, 1972 21 Appl. No.: 218,390

Primary ExaminerRobert W. Michell Assistant Examiner-L. R. Oremland Attorney-Henry E. Otto, Jr. et al.

57 ABSTRACT Multiple ply sets having a primary (record) portion and a discardable (stub) portion are made by performing selected work operations concurrently with one set of tooling in a plurality of superposed webs. The webs are then diverted into paths of predetermined differing lengths, remerged, then severed into multiple ply sets. The differing path lengths assure that the manifestation of the selected work operations will be in the primary portion in those plies where it is desired (e.g., a thumb notch for carbon sheets) but effectively shifted into the discardable (detachable stub) portion in those plies (e.g., card or paper slip) where it is tolerable though not particularly desirable. This enables a significant reduction in number of work stations, and hence in equipment cost, set-up and maintenance time, overall machine size, and in-process web length.

different work operations from one side or the other side of a web as it passes between said cylinders.

' 7 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures Patented Oct. 30, 1973 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 30, 1973 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MAKING MULTIPLE PLY SETS This invention relates to apparatus and methods for manufacturing multiple ply sets from webs of paper, cardstock, carbon paper, translucent paper, carbonless paper, or the like, and relates more particularly to an apparatus and method wherein a single set of tooling performs a work operation concurrently in a plurality of moving webs that are later displaced relative to each other, remerged and severed into discrete sets.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION One common method of making multiple ply sets is to advance a plurality of webs individually in parallel past a series of work stations at which only those particular work operations that are actually desired are performed on the webs involved. This method requires a considerable number of work stations, and hence equipment, space and in-process web length. To reduce equipment and space requirements, multiple ply sets have also been made by passing webs of similar type as superposed groups through respective series of work stations, then rearranging the webs by use of turn bars or winding, unwinding and collating to provide the desired strata of plies of the various types before severing the webs into discrete multiple ply sets.

There is a need for a relatively inexpensive and reliable apparatus and method that will provide multiple ply sets at minimum cost by minimizing the number of work stations, in-process web length, set-up and maintenance time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Most multiple ply sets have stub portions, header portions, or other discardable portions that serve only a minor function like retaining the plies connected. Applicants have found, according to the invention, that manufacturing cost for such sets can be reduced significantly by performing in a group of superposed webs a work operation that is actually desired in only some of said webs; whereupon the webs of said group are advanced in paths of differing length, and then remerged and severed into discrete multiple ply sets. The path lengths are preselected to cause the manifestation of the work operation to appear at the proper location in those sets where it is desired, but to be shifted to the discardable portion in the remaining plies where it is tolerable but not desired or required.

The apparatus according to applicants invention thus differs from that disclosed in US. Pat. No. 2,307,142, wherein the work operation is one that is desired and required in all webs, but at different longituclinal positions on webs having no discardable portions.

Cost is further reduced by providing versatile work stations including pairs of rotary tool cylinders at opposite sides of at least one of the web paths; at least one of these cylinders is orientable in a plurality of rotative positions to perform any one of a number of different work operations from either or both sides of a web.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following more detailed description of the invention and from the following drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic elevational view of an apparatus embodying the inventions;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view, to enlarged scale, of a portion of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view, to further enlarged scale, of a versatile work station embodied in the apparatus shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the work station shown in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of a multiple ply set made by the apparatus of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION The invention is illustrated as being embodied in the apparatus partially shown in FIG. 1 and adapted to make so-called grain long sets of the type shown in FIG. 5. This apparatus comprises unwind sections and printing sections (not shown) in which webs A-G are successively unwound from respective supply reels and then each printed upon individually in respective rotary printing presses. Webs A-G then advance in superposed relation into a processing station 10 at which they are separated, scored, cross-perforated, thumbnotched, glue-hole punched and adhesive is applied intermittently at preselected longitudinal positions, in the manner presently to be described.

As they leave the processing station 10, the webs A-G are remerged and fed superposed between impactor rolls 11 that press the webs A-G together at said preselected locations to set the adhesive. Then punch rolls 12 punch pin feed line holes in the webs to receive the pins of a pin feed tractor 13 that draws all webs through the apparatus at a predetermined constant speed. Tractor 13 advances the webs, still superposed, to numbering

stations

14, 15 for crash numbering the webs in longitudinal and/or transverse directions. Then, the webs (if multiple set widths wide) are slit into single set widths by a slitter 16 as they are advanced by pin feed tractor pin 17 to a score unit 18 and cut-off unit 19 at which the webs AG are finally severed into discrete multiple plies AG to provide face-up grain long sets (see FIG. 5). A pair ofjuxtaposed endless belts 20 receive the series of side-by-side arranged single-width sets as they leave the cut-off rolls and advance them into cam-opened clips on a drum 21. This drum, like a drier drum on a rotary press, moves the sets through an arcuate path and then releases them, inverting the sets in the process to cause them to be stacked face down on an endless delivery belt 22 that conveys them to an off-load station.

The apparatus heretofore described, except for processing station 10, may be of any suitable type heretofore proposed. According to the invention, and as best shown in FIG. 2, processing section 10 comprises a plurality of driven tendency rolls 30, support idler rolls 31,

glue units including adhesive-applying gravure cylinders 32 and associated impression cylinders 32a, cross-perforation units 33, and shovel punch units 34. As illustrated, section 10 also comprises a thumb notch cylinder 35 and associated die cylinder 35a; a special stub score cylinder 36 and associated impression cylinder 36a; and a glue hole punch 37 cylinder and associated die cylinder 37a. For sake of illustration webs A, E are considered to be of cardstock; webs B,D,F, of carbon or other transfer material; and webs C,G of paper, to provide the so-called four-part set shown in FIG. 5 and comprising two card plies A,E, two paper plies C, G, and three interleaved carbon plies B',D,F.

Each tendency roll 30 has laterally spaced collars or flanges with beveled facing sides to maintain one or more of the webs A-G in lateral registration as the webs are guided around such roll or through the channel defined between two such rolls. Each tendency roll 30 is driven by suitable means (not shown) at a constant speed approximately 5 percent less than the predetermined constant speed at which the webs A-G are drawn through the apparatus by pin feed tractor 13. This maintains each web under a desired minimum degree of tension to minimize variation in running registration, but does not create the excessive drag on the webs such as would occur if the rolls were idlers that had to be driven by the webs.

Rolls 31 support the webs A, G from drooping or festooning along the relatively long horizontal portions of their respective auxiliary paths.

Each gravure cylinder 32 is rotated partially immresed in a trough of liquid adhesive. As its immersed surface leaves the adhesive, it is wiped by a doctor blade 51 which removes adhesive except in those areas where the cylinder is etched. As cylinder 32 continues to rotate into contact with web A or G, as the case may be, the adhesive is applied to such web in the pattern prescribed by the etched areas, while such web is backed up by the corresponding impression cylinder 32a.

As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, each crossperforation unit 33 comprises a shaft having two oppositely arranged flat-bottomed recesses 61. Suitably inset in each recess 61 is an anvil element 62 that is secured to shaft 60 by countersunk screws 63. Elements 62 are thus diametrically opposite. Each projects radially from the periphery of shaft 60 and extends fully across the web feed path. Slidably encircling shaft 60 outboard of elements 62 are two rings 64 (FIG. 4), each having a pair of diametrically opposite sectorshaped recesses 65 in its periphery. A wedge-shaped blade-carrying member 66 is inset flush into each recess 65, and suitably secured to both rings 64, as by screws 67. Each member 66 carries a cross-perforating blade 68 that extends qcross the entire web feed path intermediate rings 64. Each of the plurality of shoulder bolts 69 passes through a common spacer block 70 and corresponding slot in blade 68 and is screw-threaded into a corresponding bore in member 66 to clamp the blade to the member at spaced points along the member. Block 70 has a lip or ledge 71 on which the radially innermost end of the blade rests. Between the bolts 69 are a series of adjusting screws 72 that extend radially toward a surface 73 defining the base of spacer-blockaccommodating recess 74. In assembly, bolts 69 are first adjusted to lightly, but not rigidly, retain blade 68; then shaft 60 is rotated to radially seat the blade by moving it pastand in contact with anvil surface 80 of unit 34; then with the inner end of screws 72 contacting surface 73, each screw is adjusted to position the blade radially as desired; whereupon bolts 69 are tightened to rigidly clamp the blade.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the diametrically opposite blades 68 revolve in unison about shaft 60 and can be positioned at any rotative position within the limits of an are x defined by lateral contact of member 66 with one or the other of the elements 62. Rings 64 are laterally secured to split hubs 75 that encircle shaft 60; by tightening screws 76, these hubs and hence the rings, members 66 and blade 68 can be clamped to the shaft, thus enabling the blades to be firmly positioned anywhere within are x and thus to correspondingly adjust the relative location along the web which a cross-perforation will be made by each blade 68 as and when such blade forces the web against either of two anvil surfaces of a corresponding shovel punch unit 34.

Each shovel punch unit 34 comprises a cylinder 81 having two sets of diametrically opposite recesses 82, 83 arcuately offset a slight angle relative to each other and extending inwardly from and between the respective complementary peripheral surfaces 80 of the cylinder. Inset in each of the oppositely arranged recesses 82 is a shovel punch score blade 84 that, like blade 68, extends across the entire web feed path. Each blade 84 rests on a lip 85 of a spacer block 86 and is laterally clamped to cylinder 81 at axially spaced points therealong by a plurality of shoulder bolts 87. Each bolt 87 (unlike bolt 69) is withdrawn from the common block 86 to spread the blade and bolt to effect clamping of the blade. Radial positioning of each blade 84 is, however, adjustable by a radially extending adjusting screw 88 carried by block 86 and operative in the same manner as screw 72.

A shovel punch score blade 84 is clamped in desired position within each recess 83 by bolt 87, screw 88 and block 86, in precisely the same manner as already described in connection with recess 82. The only difference is that blade 84 makes a shovel punch that is different from that of blade 84.

As illustrated, cylinder 81 is rotatable on a shaft 89 and adapted to be oriented and locked by any suitable means in any one of three rotative positions relative to the shaft. In the embodiment illustrated, this locking means comprises a bullet-nosed pin 90 that is carried by a collar 91 locked by a key 91a to shaft 89. Pin 90 is normally spring biased (e.g., by a leaf spring, not shown) to project into one of three position-defining

bores

92, 93, 94 in the adjacent end face of cylinder 81; however, it is retractable against such spring bias. to permit manual rotation of the cylinder relative to the collar and shaft to enable selection of a different rotative position. To firmly lock cylinder 81 in selected rotative position, a locking screw is preferably provided which passes through hole 96 in collar 91 and is screw threaded into one of three

bores

92a, 93a, 94a diametrically opposite the corresponding positiondefining bores 92,93,94, respectively; this screw must, of course, be loosened and withdrawn from

bore

92a, 93a, or 94a to enable orientation of the cylinder in a new rotative position by pin 90.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, pin 90 and screw 95 extend into

bores

92,92a, respectively, to so orient the cylinder 81 on shaft 89 that as a web passes between

units

33 and 34, it will be pinched between the blades 84 and anvil element 62 and thus scored according to the shovel punch configuration of blades 84. If, however, it is desired to score a web according to the configuration of blades 84, screw 95 and pin 90 should be retracted; then cylinder 81 should be rotated counterclockwise on shaft 89 through an arc y; and-finally pin 90 and screw 95 should enter bores 93,93a, respectively, to position and lock the cylinder in the position in which blades 84 are shown in FIG. 3, and in which blades 84' will cooperate with anvil element 62 to punch the desired score.

If no shovel punch score is desired in a web, cylinder 81 is appropriately rotated counterclockwise through an arc z from the position in which it is shown in FIG. 3 and then positioned and locked by pin 90 and screw 95 in

bores

94,94a, respectively. Under this circumstance, the

blades

84 and 84 will have been rotated far enough past anvil elements 62 so'that the outer edge 86a of block 86 in recess 83 will be opposite elements 62 as the

shafts

60,89 of

units

33,34, respectively, rotate in unison. Each edge 86a is recessed sufficiently relative to the associated blade 84' to provide a clearance space between it and the corresponding element 62 sufficiently wide to enable a web to pass therethrough without any work operation being performed thereon.

On the other hand, if no cross perforation is desired, rings 64 of cross perforation unit 33 are rotated and locked by screws 76 in a position where cross perforation blades 68 will enter recess 82 or 83 at points spaced circumferentially from the

blades

84, 84 rather than pinching the web against anvil surfaces 80.

Thus, this versatile work station comprises at least one selectively positionable rotary tool cylinder (81) and at least one member (66) rotatively positionable on a rotary tool cylinder (60) to provide two cooperating rotary tool units having a plurality of different combinations of independently selectable rotative positions to provide a variety of desired combinations of work operation. This desirably reduces in-process .web length, equipment cost, and maintanance time.

The thumb notch cylinder 35 is merely a rotary punch cylinder having a semicircular punch element that mates with an appropriate die hole in die cylinder 35a.

Special stub score cylinder 36 may be identical with cross perforation unit 33, but with a blade that cuts either a similar or a different cross perforation pattern; and the impression cylinder 36a may merely be a hard anvil cylinder of constant outside diameter. Glue hole punch cylinder 37 comprises a plurality of punches arranged to provide a desired pattern of glue holes in webs B-F when they pass between said cylinder and its associated die cylinder 37a.

It should be noted that all the cylinders are driven at angular velocities which assure that when the respective blades strike their associated anvil surfaces or the punches enter their associated die surfaces their speeds will by synchronized with the aforementioned predetermined constant speed at which the tractor l3 advances the superposed webs A-G.

OPERATION In operation, assume that the webs AG have been printed upon and are now entering processing station as a superposed group A-G. As these superposed webs pass between tendency rolls 30a, the two outermost webs A,G are directed into separate auxiliary paths that diverge at substantially equal angles from straight-line main path. Further downstream along the main path, after webs B-F pass between another set of tendency rolls 3011, the then outer webs B,F are directed into separate auxiliary paths that also diverge at substantially equal angles from the straight main path. Finally, still further downstream along the main path, after webs C,D,E pass between still another set of tendency rolls 30c, the remaining outer webs C,E are directed into separate auxiliary paths that likewise diverge at substantially equal angles from the main path through which the single carbon web D now passes temporarily until the webs are remerged in reverse sequence; i.e., webs C,E rejoin D and pass between tendency rolls 30d, then webs B,F rejoin C,D,E and pass between tendency rolls 30c, and finally webs A,G rejoin webs B-F and pass between tendency rolls 30f, whence all seven webs A-G pass in superposed relation into the nip of impactor rolls 11. During their movement along the main and respective auxiliary paths, various work operations are performed on the webs either separately or concurrently in order to provide multiple ply sets of the type illustrated in FIG. 5.

As illustrated, each set 100 comprises a plurality of plies A-G each having a main or indicia-receptive record portion 101 and a stub or other discardable portion 102 that has a minor function (e.g., interconnecting plies into a detachable set). As shown in FlG. 2, in the respective auxiliary feed path for each of the webs A and G is a set of

units

33, 34 and downstream thereof a glue unit 32. The rotative positions of blades 68 and of these units 33 are adjusted, in the manner heretofore described, to provide cross perforations 103 at the respective longitudinal points indicated in FIG. 5; whereas the cylinders 81 of the respective units 34 are rotatively positioned, in the manner also hereinabove described, so that a shovel punch 104 of the configuration prescribed by blades 84 will be provided in the cardstock web A, but no shovel punch will be provided in web G as it passes between the

units

33, 34 because such punches are not desired in paper plies like G. The glue units apply to the inner side of webs A and G a glue pattern 105 (see FIG. 5) corresponding to the etched pattern on the adhesive applying gravure cylinder 32.

Meanwhile, semicircular thumb notches 106 (FIG. 5) will be punched simultaneously in webs B-F as they proceed along the straight main feed path and through the nip of thumb notch cylinder 35 and its die cylinder 35a. After carbon webs B and F are diverted into their respective auxiliary feed paths, the special stub score cylinder 36 and its die cylinder 36a will provide a special score, such as a special or additional cross perforation 107, in the webs C,D,E at a suitable location; whereupon, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the outer webs C and E are diverted from the remaining carbon web D and past respective sets of

units

33,34.

The

units

33,34 in the feed path of paper web C are adjusted to provide a cross perforation 108 of either of the types possible with

blades

84 or 84, but no shovel punch, as none is desired. On the other hand, the

units

33, 34 in the feed path for cardstock web E are adjusted to provide both a cross perforation score 109 and a shovel punch 110. Meanwhile, carbon web D moves along the straight feed path without any special work operation being performed thereon.

After webs B-F have remerged, glue hole punch cylinder 37 in cooperation with its die cylinder 37a will punch glue holes 111 simultaneously in these webs in a pattern identical with that of the glue pattern 105; this is so that after all webs A-G remerge and pass through the impactor rolls 11, the adhesive applied to the outer webs A,G will be forced into the holes 111 in the intervening webs to interlockingly but detachably connect said webs at longitudinally spaced points.

According to an important feature of the invention, the lengths of the main web path and respective auxiliary paths through the processing station 10 are predetermined in the following manner. Assume that each set 100 has a total length L (see FIG. 5) of which S represents that of discardable stub portion 102. Assume further that all feed path lengths are measured between points Q and R (i.e., between the web-engaging points on tendency rolls 30a and the nip of impactor rolls ll Under these assumed conditions, the lengths of the main feed path (which is followed exclusively by web D) and of the auxiliary feed paths followed by web A,B,F,G, will be integral multiples of L; but the length of the respective auxiliary paths followed by webs C and E will be an integral multiple of L, plus a preselected constant distance that is preferably somewhat less than, but in no case exceeds, the dimension S. Since the paths traversed by webs C and E will thus be slightly longer than an integral number of set lengths L, the manifestations of the work operations performed in these webs will have effectively been shifted said preselected constant distance backward in those webs at the instant the superposed webs A-G are severed by cut-off unit 19; note that score unit 18 makes a final stub score 112 (see FIG. at the same time cut-off unit 19 severs the webs along an edge 113 to form the discrete sets 100.

As a result of this shift of webs C and E, the thumb notches 106 in corresponding plies C, E of each set 100 will have been effectively shifted from the trailing edge of the set (see plies B,D,F' in FIG. 5) back into the stub portion 102 of the immediately succeeding set; and the special stub score 107 in plies C,E' will have been effectively shifted from stub portion 102 (see ply D) back into the leading part of the main portions 101 of the same set.

It will thus be seen that, in accordance with the invention, manifestations of work operations simultaneously performed in a plurality of webs can be shifted either into or from what later becomes discardable portion 102 of a multiple ply set 100 so that said manifestations will appear in the main portions 101 only of those plies in which it is actually desired.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the method and apparatus without departing from the spirit, scope and teaching of the present invention. Accordingly, the method and apparatus herein disclosed are to be considered merely as illustrative, and the scope of the invention is to be limited only as specified in the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Method of manufacturing from a plurality of webs a multiple plyset in which each ply of the set has a primary portion and a discardable portion, comprising the steps of:

performing with a single set of tools concurrently on a group of webs while they are in superposed relation a selected work operation to produce a manifestation actually desired in only some of the webs of the group,

directing at least one of the webs of the group into a path of different length than that of the others, and then remerging them to cause the manifestation of the work operation in each such one web to become displaced a preselected amount relative to that in the other webs,

transversely scoring the remerged webs concurrently with a single set of tools to create one transverse boundary between the primary portion and discardable portion, and

transversely severing the remerged webs concurrently with another single set of tools to cut the webs into discrete sets of superposed plies along a line defining the other boundary between said primary and discardable portions in succeeding discrete sets, the particular webs so displaced and said preselected amount of displacement being such as to cause the manifestation to be present in the primary portion in those plies where it is desired and in the discardable portion in the remaining plies where it is tolerable.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the work operation is performed on said group at any of a plurality of locations displaced longitudinally along the web feed path,

one location selected to cause the manifestation to appear in the primary portion of the plies severed from the non-displaced webs, and in the discardable portion of the plies severed from the displaced webs, and

another location selected to cause the manifestation to appear in the discardable portion of the plies severed from the non-displaced webs, and in the primary portion of the plies severed from the displaced webs.

3. The method according to claim 1, including the step of prc viding tooling that is prepositionable into different combinations of rotative positions to perform any one of a plurality of different selectable additional work operations on at least some of the webs while they are directed into such paths of different length.

4. Apparatus for manufacturing from a plurality of webs discrete multiple ply sets in which each ply of the set comprises a primary portion and a discardable portion, said apparatus comprising means for performing at least one selected work operation concurrently on a group of the webs while they are in superposed relation,

means for thereafter directing at least a certain web of the group along a path of a length different from that of others of the group to cause the manifestations of the work operations in such certain web to be longitudinally displaced a predetermined amount relative to that in said others,

means for thereafter remerging the webs into superposed relation,

means for scoring the webs concurrently in a direction generally transversely of the web feed direction to create a line of demarcation between the primary and discardable portions and, through such longitudinal displacement of each such certain Web, cause the manifestation to be physically I present at one side of such line in each such certain web and at the other side of such line in the other webs, and

means for thereafter severing the webs into discrete sets of superposed plies, such that the manifestation of the work operation will be present in one of the portions of each such certain web and be present in the other portion of each other web.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, including means for drawing all the webs through the apparatus at a predetermined constant speed, and

tendency rolls in each such path driven at about 5 percent less than said constant speed to maintain operations from one side or the other side of such web.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein at least one of the tool cylinders of each pair has relieved portions that in one of said combination of rotative positions is positioned opposite a blade member carried by the other'cylinder to provide a clearance gap at the nip' sufficient to enable passage of the web without scoring.

Claims

1. Method of manufacturing from a plurality of webs a multiple ply set in which each ply of the set has a primary portion and a discardable portion, comprising the steps of: performing with a single set of tools concurrently on a group of webs while they are in superposed relation a selected work operation to produce a manifestation actually desired in only some of the webs of the group, directing at least one of the webs of the group into a path of different length than that of the others, and then remerging them to cause the manifestation of the work operation in each such one web to become displaced a preselected amount relative to that in the other webs, transversely scoring the remerged webs concurrently with a single set of tools to create one transverse boundary between the primary portion and discardable portion, and transversely severing the remerged webs concurrently with another single set of tools to cut the webs into discrete sets of superposed plies along a line defining the other boundary between said primary and discardable portions in succeeding discrete sets, the particular webs so displaced and said preselected amount of displacement being such as to cause the manifestation to be present in the primary portion in those plies where it is desired and in the discardable portion in the remaining plies where it is tolerable.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the work operation is performed on said group at any of a plurality of locations displaced longitudinally along the web feed path, one location selected to cause the manifestation to appear in the primary portion of the plies severed from the non-displaced webs, and in the discardable portion of the plies severed from the displaced webs, and another location selected to cause the manifestation to appear in the discardable portion of the plies severed from the non-displaced webs, and in the primary portion of the plies severed from the displaced webs.

3. The method according to claim 1, including the step of providing tooling that is prepositionable into different combinations of rotative positions to perform any one of a plurality of different selectable additional work operations on at least some of the webs while they are directed into such paths of different length.

4. Apparatus for manufacturing from a plurality of webs discrete multiple ply sets in which each ply of the set comprises a primary portion and a discardable portion, said apparatus comprising means for performing at least one selected work operation concurrently on a group of the webs while they are in superposed relation, means for thereafter directing at least a certain web of the group along a paTh of a length different from that of others of the group to cause the manifestations of the work operations in such certain web to be longitudinally displaced a predetermined amount relative to that in said others, means for thereafter remerging the webs into super-posed relation, means for scoring the webs concurrently in a direction generally transversely of the web feed direction to create a line of demarcation between the primary and discardable portions and, through such longitudinal displacement of each such certain web, cause the manifestation to be physically present at one side of such line in each such certain web and at the other side of such line in the other webs, and means for thereafter severing the webs into discrete sets of superposed plies, such that the manifestation of the work operation will be present in one of the portions of each such certain web and be present in the other portion of each other web.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, including means for drawing all the webs through the apparatus at a predetermined constant speed, and tendency rolls in each such path driven at about 5 percent less than said constant speed to maintain each web under a desired minimum degree of tension to minimize variation in running registration.

6. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein at least one pair of rotary tool cylinders are disposed at opposite sides of at least one of said webs, at least one such cylinder being independently orientable in a predetermined number of rotative positions to provide a plurality of different selectable combinations of rotative positions for performing correspondingly different work operations from one side or the other side of such web.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein at least one of the tool cylinders of each pair has relieved portions that in one of said combination of rotative positions is positioned opposite a blade member carried by the other cylinder to provide a clearance gap at the nip sufficient to enable passage of the web without scoring.