Abstract: The splicing of webs of packaging material delivered via a pair of individual feed zones into a common feed zone is accomplished through the use of a pair of cooperating change-over rollers located at the start of the common feed zone. A clamping device is provided for each web and the change-over rollers are provided with projections which cause the leading end of one web to be pinched against the other web to cause the two webs to be spliced together, the other web being subsequently severed at a point immediately upstream of the splice. The clamping devices, change-over rollers and severing devices may all be caused to operate automatically in the proper sequence.

Abstract: A tear-open strip is severed from a band of material having a width equal to the desired length of the tear-open strip by cooperation between a stationary knife-edge defining member and a pivotal knife-edge defining member. The knife edges form chords of a hyperboloid of revolution and are inclined relative to one another. The pivotal knive-edge defining member is provided with suction ports adjacent to the cutting edge whereby a severed strip may be transported by the knife to an intermittently moving sheet of packaging material to which the strip is subsequently bonded.