Abstract: A web winding apparatus includes a frame support having a horizontal track arrangement; a first mandrel rotatably mounted at a first fixed position on the frame support above the track arrangement, for removably holding a core thereon; a second mandrel rotatably mounted at a second fixed position on the frame support above the track arrangement, for removably holding a core thereon; a motor drive for rotating the first and second mandrels; a carriage movable between first and second carriage positions along the track arrangement below the first and second fixed positions, respectively, for guiding a web onto the core on the first mandrel at the first carriage position and cutting the web thereat, and for guiding a web onto the core on the second mandrel at the second carriage position and cutting the web thereat, the carriage including a first support, first guide rollers mounted to the first support for riding along the linear track arrangement, second guide rollers mounted to the first support, a second sup

Abstract: A lap splicing apparatus for lap splicing first and second webs together, with each of the first and second webs alternately constituting a running web and a new web to be spliced to the running web, includes a frame; a first spindle mounted at a first fixed position on the frame for holding a roll containing the first web at a first orientation; a second spindle mounted at a second fixed position on the frame for holding a roll containing the second web at the first orientation; a single lap splicing device immovably mounted at a fixed position on the frame for lap splicing the first and second webs together with the trailing tail end of the lap splice always being on the same side; a first transfer assembly of rollers for bringing the first web to the lap splicing device, and for turning the first web by at least one angle from the first orientation; and second transfer assembly of rollers for bringing the second web to the lap splicing device, and for turning the second web by at least one angle from the f

Abstract: A heat seal splice assembly for heat splicing first and second webs together, with each web alternately constituting a running web moving in first direction and a new web to be spliced to the running web upon depletion of the running web from a roll, includes a central guide having first and second sides, with the first web being located to the first side of the central guide and the second web being located to the second side of the central guide, the central guide having a hold down assembly for holding the new web to the central guide, a rotation assembly for rotating the central guide such that the new web held to one side of the central guide can be positioned to an opposite side of the central guide at which the running web is positioned, a clamping assembly for clamping the first and second webs together, a first heat seal assembly movable toward and away from the first side of the central guide to heat seal the first and second webs together against the first side of the central guide when the first a