Abstract: Methods are provided for forming a butt splice to join a first web of material to a second web of material is provided. The first web of material is cut or trimmed to form a first edge. The second web of material is cut or trimmed to form a second edge, and the second edge is positioned with respect to and registered with the first edge to define a gap therebetween. A curable liquid adhesive, such as an ultraviolet (UV)-curable liquid adhesive, is dispensed or applied within the gap, and the liquid adhesive is cured to form the butt splice that joins or splices the first web of material to the second web of material.

Abstract: Methods are provided for forming a butt splice to join a first web of material to a second web of material is provided. The first web of material is cut or trimmed to form a first edge. The second web of material is cut or trimmed to form a second edge, and the second edge is positioned with respect to and registered with the first edge to define a gap therebetween. A curable liquid adhesive, such as an ultraviolet (UV)-curable liquid adhesive, is dispensed or applied within the gap, and the liquid adhesive is cured to form the butt splice that joins or splices the first web of material to the second web of material.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for splicing a web of layered material so that a new roll of material may be joined to an expiring web via a butt joint. A shear wheel is driven to ensure that the shear wheel positively rotates as it cuts across web material that is held against the side of an anvil. In the illustrated embodiment, a drive cable and shear wheel assembly are operably connected to a splicing apparatus, a portion of the drive cable being threaded through the splicing apparatus and wrapped around at least a portion of the shear wheel, the threaded drive cable being maintained under tension. The rapid movement of the shear wheel assembly, and the wrapping engagement between the taut threaded drive cable and shear wheel, forces the shear wheel to positively spin, thereby improving the cutting capabilities of the attached rotary cutter.

Abstract: A low inertia, low friction roller (12), which is particularly adapted for handling relatively high speed, relatively fragile running webs, comprises an inner tube (16) and an outer tube (14). The outer tube (14) is disposed substantially coaxially about the inner tube (16) and is rotatable with respect to the inner tube (16). An annular gap (46) is defined between the inner and outer tubes and has a first portion that is supplied with a restricted flow of a pressurized compressible fluid and that is adjacent the portion of the outer tube about which the web passes. A second portion of the annular gap is circumferentially spaced from the first portion of the annular gap and communicates with a fluid exhaust passage (66) in the inner tube.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for heat-seal splicing a trailing end of a first plastic web and a leading end of a second web. The apparatus includes a traverse cylinder actuated pulley system that is disposed transverse to the longitudinal axes of the web ends. The pulley system moves a shuttle that is attached to and that carries a spring biased wheel. In operation, the wheel is moved in either direction across the web ends and between the two ramps. The wheel is spring biased into contact with a heated sealing wire that, in turn, is brought into web sealing contact with sequential portions of web ends as the wheel is moved transversely across the web ends from one webs' side edges to the other webs' side edges and along the sealing wire so as to heat-seal splice the web ends.

Abstract: Relatively narrow width, relatively fragile ribbon is payed off of a traverse wound, relatively much larger width core and is guided over a bar, which has a concave, smoothly curved surface, so as to minimize back and forth, side to side wandering of the ribbon as the ribbon is being payed off the core. The curved surface of the bar includes a number of roller bearings that are mounted side by side on the bar and that serve to minimize friction as the ribbon is guided and passed over the curved surface of the bar.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling the speed and tension of a web being unwound from a rotating roll and being run through an inertia-compensated festoon and then to a web-using production process which requires the web to run at a preselected relatively high speed and a preselected relatively low tension. Based on sensing the amount of web stored in the festoon, a brake applies a decreasing braking-force to the running roll as the diameter of the roll decreases. When the roll has decreased to an intermediate diameter, where the decreasing tension torque is inadequate to continue to accelerate the roll, a motor engages the roll and adds assisting web-unwinding torque to the roll as the diameter of the roll continues to decrease. The brake is also used to brake the roll to a stop before a subsequent zero-speed web-splice. The motor is also used to rotate the roll to line speed after splicing.

Abstract: A method and web splicing assembly for heat-seal splicing together a trailing end of running first, two-sided plastic material web and a leading end of a second, two-sided plastic material web, and then for heat-seal splicing together a leading end of third, two-side plastic material web and the trailing of the then running, second web so that after the webs have been spliced and are running, like surfaces of the webs face the same direction. The web splicing assembly includes first and second splicing sub-assemblies. The first sub-assembly has a first, relatively movable slide bar and a first, relatively fixed nip bar. The second sub-assembly has a second, relatively movable slide bar and a second, relatively fixed nip bar. The sub-assemblies are each movable between a first position and a second position. In their first positions, the sub-assemblies are disposed so that portions of the webs to be heat-seal spliced are clamped between the first slide bar and the second nip bar.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for winding or rewinding a running web onto the center core shafts of rolls. While the running web is being wound, at a selected speed, onto a first roll which is, disposed in an operating position, a center core shaft of a new, second roll is disposed in a splicing position so that the center core shafts are side by side and adjacent to each other. A fixed drive assembly and a movable drive assembly control the speeds of the first and second rolls, respectively. The first roll has had a determined amount of web wound thereon, the running web is spliced onto the center core shaft of the second roll and thereafter is wound onto the second roll. Thereafter, the second roll is disconnected from the fixed drive assembly and is removed from the operating position. The second roll, with the running web now being wound thereon, is then moved, with the movable drive assembly, from the splicing position to the operation position.

Abstract: A flying paster is disclosed that achieves straight across splicing by utilizing web roll core drive technology. Splice calculations are based on input data sensed during preliminary acceleration of the new roll, which is disposed in a splicing position in the flying paster. Acceleration of the new roll is achieved by engagement between the center core shaft of a new roll and a movable brake and roll accelerator assembly. Then, calculations facilitate speed matching between the web running from a second, running roll mounted in the flying paster and the new roll. Splicing is facilitated by the utilization of two, two-sided adhesive strips. One adhesive strip is used to adhere the leading end of the new roll to the rest of the body of the new roll during the pre-splice speed matching, and the second adhesive strip is used for adhering the leading end of the new roll with the newly cut, trailing end of the running web.

Abstract: A flying paster is disclosed that achieves straight across splicing by utilizing web roll core drive technology. Splice calculations are based on input data sensed during preliminary acceleration of the new roll, which is disposed in a splicing position in the flying paster. Acceleration of the new roll is achieved by engagement between the center core shaft of a new roll and a movable brake and roll accelerator assembly. Then, calculations facilitate speed matching between the web running from a second, running roll mounted in the flying paster and the new roll. Splicing is facilitated by the utilization of two, two-sided adhesive strips. One adhesive strip is used to adhere the leading end of the new roll to the rest of the body of the new roll during the pre-splice speed matching, and the second adhesive strip is used for adhering the leading end of the new roll with the newly cut, trailing end of the running web.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for facilitating a splicer operator's pre-splice preparation and positioning of the leading end of a new web for splicing, in a splicer, to the running web of an expiring roll. The webs both include regular and longitudinally spaced registration marks and identical, repeating and longitudinally spaced patterns.A movable table is used for the initial, off line, pre-splice web preparations. It includes a fixture for guiding the leading end of the new web along a longitudinal path and a hole puncher adjacent to the path. An optical instrument is also mounted on the table and is movable transversely across the path. The optical instrument is spaced longitudinally a preselected distance from the hole puncher. The operator moves the new web along and the optical instrument across the path until a registration mark is aligned beneath the optical instrument. The operator then punches holes in the new web using the hole puncher.

Abstract: A web decurler for selectively removing the different degrees of curl from a running web. The decurler includes first, second and third relatively large diameter, rotatable rollers and a fourth roller assembly having at least one relatively small diameter, rotatable roller. All of the rollers are disposed adjacent to the web path so that the running web may wrap about a portion of their outer peripheral surfaces. The positions of the first and second rollers remain fixed with respect to the decurler, while the third roller is spaced a fixed predetermined distance and may be moved about the central longitudinal axis of one of the first and second rollers. The fourth roller assembly is spaced from and is movable about a preselected axis that is spaced from the other rollers. A first member supports the fourth roller assembly for movement about the preselected axis.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for forming a zero-speed, butt splice to join together a web from a new roll of material to a web which is from an expiring roll of material and which should be run, at a relatively high speed, through a web processing operation, such as a disposable diaper manufacturing line, under relatively constant, relatively low tension along a predetermined path of travel that includes a running web festoon means having floating dancer rollers and the running web processing operation. To form the butt splice, the leading end of the new web is trimmed by moving one knife wheel assembly along the cutting edge of an anvil. A piece of tape is applied to the leading end so that a portion of the tape projects downstream from that end. The expiring web is held against the anvil and trimmed along the same cutting edge of the anvil. The trailing end of the expiring roll is also simultaneously adhered to the downstream portion of the tape.

Abstract: An inertia compensated festoon assembly useable to control the tension in a moving web that is subject to tension changes due to, among other things, frequent zero-speed splices of the web to a new web and that must run continuously, downstream from the assembly, at relatively high speed and under relatively constant, relatively low tensions. The assembly includes a first, inertia compensated multiple floating dancer roller festoon, in series with an isolation driven roller, and a second, inertia compensated single floating dancer roller festoon.

Abstract: A knife wheel assembly suitable for forming a butt splice to join together a web from a new roll of material to a web which is from an expiring roll of material and which is being run, downstream from the expiring roll, under tension along a predetermined path of travel that includes a running web storage means and a press or other web handling means. To form the butt splice, the leading end of the new web is trimmed by moving one knife wheel assembly along the cutting edge of an anvil. The trimmed leading end is held against the anvil, and a piece of tape is applied to the leading end so that a portion of the tape projects downstream from that end. The portion of the expiring web, adjacent to the anvil, is then momentarily stopped, held against the anvil, and trimmed by another knife wheel assembly, along the same cutting edge of the anvil, by movement of the knife wheel assembly across the web, from side-to-side, along the cutting edge of the anvil.

Abstract: The disclosed web splicing apparatus and method provide for the in-registry lap splicing of a new web, that has a spaced, regularly repeating pattern thereon to an expiring web that has an identical, spaced, regularly repeating pattern thereon and that is moving under tension and at a relatively high speed along a predetermined path of travel. The leading end =of the new web is prepared for a splice so that a pattern thereon is aligned with a first pre-selected point. During a splice, a portion of the expiring web is substantially stopped and then moved at a relatively slow speed past a sensor that is positioned at a second pre-selected point downstream from the first pre-selected point and that senses the passage of the next pattern on the slowly moving expiring web.

Abstract: An improved machine and method for lifting, loading, and maintaining a web roll on a cantelevered spindle so that the web roll may rotate about the longitudinal axis of the spindle thereby permitting the web to be unwound from the web roll. The cantelevered spindle of this machine may be moved, vertically and horizontally, from its normal, unwind position so as to be insertable into the central core opening of the web roll while the web roll is positioned on the floor adjacent to the machine. Thereafter the spindle, and the web roll mounted on the spindle, are moved vertically and horizontally and are returned to the spindle's normal web unwind position. The means utilized to move the spindle horizontally during web roll lifting and loading is also used, in part, to adjust the position of the web roll, during the web unwinding operation, in response to signals from a side-lay sensing device employed to sense the position of the side edge of the web being unwound.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for forming a butt splice to join together a web from a new roll of material to a web which is from an expiring roll of material and which is being run, downstream from the expiring roll, under tension along a predetermined path of travel that includes a running web storage means and a press or other web handling means. To form the butt splice, the leading end of the new web is trimmed along the cutting edge of an anvil. The trimmed leading end is held against the anvil, and a piece of tape is applied to the leading end so that a portion of the tape projects downstream from that end. The portion of the expiring web, adjacent to the anvil, is then momentarily stopped, held against the anvil, and trimmed along the same cutting edge of the anvil. As the trailing end of the expiring roll is trimmed, it is simultaneously adhered to the downstream portion of the tape. This serves to join this trailing end of the expiring roll and the leading end of the new roll together.

Abstract: The disclosed butt splicing apparatus and method is adapted to be used with rolls of material supported on turret-type roll unwind stands. A splicer embodying the invention includes a nip assembly, a new web preparation assembly, a new web and tape holding assembly, and a web cutting and adhering assembly. The nip assembly serves to clamp the expiring web during a splicing operation. The new web preparation assembly serves to prepare the leading end of the new web for the splicing operation. The new web and tape holding assembly serves to hold a portion of the new web, immediately upstream of its leading end, and to hold a strip of adhesive tape in preparation for the splicing operation and during the splicing operation itself. The web cutting and adhering assembly serves to cut the expiring web during the splicing operation and to cause the cut part of the trailing end of the web and the leading end of the web to adhere to the adhesive tape simultaneously as the cutting of the expiring web occurs.