System and method for preventing high tension from damaging a printing press

1. A method of preventing damage in a printing press comprising:

determining a minimum value at which tension in a web in the printing press is capable of damaging at least one web contacting component of the printing press;

sensing a tension in the web in the printing press;

severing the web when the sensed tension reaches the minimum determined tension value.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the tension in the web is sensed by at least one transducer.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the at least one web contacting component is upstream of at least one unit printing on or processing the web.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the at least one web contacting component includes at least one roll, the web being wrapped around a portion of an outer circumference of the at least one roll.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein a printing press controller determines the minimum value at which tension in the web is capable of damaging the at least one web contacting component, receives a signal indicating the sensed tension and instructs a web severer to sever the web.

6. The method as recited in claim 5 wherein the printing press controller instructs one or more motors in the press to stop.

7. The method as recited in claim 5 wherein the printing press controller instructs one or more motors in the press to reverse direction.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the minimum value at which tension in the web is capable of damaging the at least one web contacting component is a value at which the tension in the web pulls a mount supporting the at least one web contacting component over or dislodges the at least one web contacting component from the mount supporting the at least one web contacting component.

9. A printing press comprising:

at least one unit printing on or processing a web;

at least one web contacting component contacting the web;

at least one sensor for sensing a tension in the web;

a web severer for severing the web;

a controller connected to the at least one sensor and to the web severer, the controller configured and arranged to receive the sensed tension from the at least one sensor and instruct the web severer to sever the web when the sensed tension reaches a minimum value at which tension in the web is capable of damaging the at least one web contacting component.

10. The printing press as recited in claim 9 wherein the at least one sensor is a transducer.

11. The printing press as recited in claim 9 wherein the at least one web contacting component is upstream of the at least one unit printing on or processing the web.

12. The printing press as recited in claim 9 wherein the at least one web contacting component includes at least one roll, the web being wrapped around a portion of an outer circumference of the at least one roll.

13. The printing press as recited in claim 9 wherein the controller determines the minimum value at which tension in the web is capable of damaging the at least one web contacting component.

14. The printing press as recited in claim 9 wherein the minimum value at which tension in the web is capable of damaging the at least one web contacting component is a value at which the tension in the web pulls a mount supporting the at least one web contacting component over or dislodges the at least one web contacting component from the mount supporting the at least one web contacting component.

15. The method as recited in claim 9 wherein the printing press controller instructs one or more motors in the press to stop based on the sensed tension.

16. The method as recited in claim 9 wherein the printing press controller instructs one or more motors in the press to reverse direction based on the sensed tension.