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Apparatus and method for forming a butt splice

  • US 4,769,098 A
  • Filed: 09/10/1987
  • Issued: 09/06/1988
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1987
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. An improved apparatus for forming a butt splice adapted to join together a web, which is from an expiring roll of material supported in a first roll supporting position and which is being run downstream from the expiring roll under tension along a predetermined path of travel that includes an initial substantially horizontal section and then proceeds to a running web storage means, to a web which is from a new roll, which is initially supported in a second roll supporting position above the expiring roll, and which is moved, while the new web is being run off, to the first roll supporting position, the improved apparatus comprising:

  • means disposed adjacent to the substantially horizontal section of the path of travel for holding a portion of the new web in a first position above the expiring web as the expiring web is running along the substantially horizontal section of the path of travel;

    first means, including an anvil having a transverse cutting edge extending across the substantially horizontal section of the path of travel, for trimming the leading end of the new web along the cutting edge of the anvil when the first means is positioned in a first position adjacent to the downstream end of the held portion of the new web so that a trimmed, leading end is formed on the new web a preselected distance downstream from the held portion of the new web and so that the trimmed leading end of the new web is aligned with and congruent to the cutting edge of the anvil;

    means for moving the first means between its first position and a second position wherein the first means is remote from the held portion of the new web and the path of travel;

    means for holding a strip of tape, adhesive face out, in a first position above and spaced from the expiring web roll as the expiring web is running along the substantially horizontal path of travel, with the strip of adhesive tape having a length substantially equal to the width of the new and expiring webs;

    means for momentarily stopping the running of the portion of the expiring web in the substantially horizontal section while permitting the other portions of the expiring web downstream from the substantially horizontal section to continue to run under tension;

    means for moving the means for holding the portion of the new web between its first position and a second position that is closely adjacent to the stopped portion of the expiring web;

    means for moving the strip of adhesive tape between its first position and a second position that is closely adjacent to the stopped portion of the expiring web, so that in its second position, a first, upstream part of the strip of adhesive tape overlies the trimmed leading end of the new web and so that a second, downstream part of the strip of adhesive tape extends downstream beyond the vertical plane of the cutting edge of the anvil when the first means is in its first position;

    means for trimming the stopped portion of the expiring web by cutting the stopped portion of the expiring web a part at a time, across the expiring web and beginning at one side edge thereof, so that the point of cutting moves across the stopped portion of the expiring web from the one side edge to the other side edge, so that the uncut part of the expiring web remains under tension ahead of the point of cutting, and so that the trimmed trailing end of the stopped portion of the expiring web is aligned with and congruent to the vertical plane of the cutting edge of the anvil when the first means is in its first position;

    means for adhering the cut part of the trimmed trailing end of the stopped portion of the expiring web, immediately behind the point of cutting, to the vertically adjacent portion of the second part of the face of the adhesive tape and for adhering the part of the trimmed leading end of the new web, that is adjacent to the just cut part of the trimmed trailing end of the expiring web, to the vertically adjacent portion of the first part of the face of the adhesive tape, simultaneously as the point of cutting moves across the stopped portion of the expiring web so that the trimmed leading end of the new web abuts and is disposed closely adjacent to the trimmed trailing end of the stopped portion of the expiring web and so that the adhesive tape secures together the trimmed leading end of the new web and the trimmed trailing end of the expiring web; and

    means for permitting the joined leading end of the new web and trailing end of the expiring web to run again, along the substantially horizontal section of the path of travel, with the downstream portions of the expiring web as soon as all of the trimmed leading end of the new web and the trimmed trailing end of the expiring web are adhered together by the strip of adhesive tape.

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