Device for butt splicing webs

In an apparatus for butt splicing of webs including a framework, a first cutting drum provided with a cutting member on the periphery thereof, a second cutting and splicing drum having a cutting member on its periphery cooperating with said cutting member of said first drum, and a third splicing drum including means for holding a piece of splicing tape thereon for movement therewith, the improvement comprising:

• means for rotatably supporting said drums on said framework for rotation in synchronism with the second drum positioned intermediate of and closely adjacent to said first drum and said third drum,
• means for feeding the leading end of a new web and the trailing end of an old web along a path extending in the direction of feed between said second drum and said first drum and said second drum and said third drum, such that the leading end of the succeeding web and the trailing end of the preceding web are sandwiched between said first and second drums to simultaneously sever the same by said cooperating cutting members, and the abutting ends of the succeeding and preceding webs are subsequently sandwiched along with said piece of splicing tape between said second and third drums such that said splicing tape overlies said abutting web ends to splice the same,
• said first cutting drum including means on the periphery thereof trailing the cutting member carried by said first cutting drum for holding the trailing end of the preceding web to said first cutting drum after severance thereof,
• means on the periphery of the second drum leading said second drum cutting means for holding the leading end of said succeeding web on the periphery of said second and splicing drum, and for holding the leading end of the succeeding web after cutting, on the periphery of said second cutting and splicing drum to the position where the abutting ends of the preceding and succeeding webs are spliced by the piece of splicing tape at the splicing zone;
• whereby, the cut portion of the trailing end of the preceding web is maintained in contact with the periphery of the first cutting drum and the cut portion of the leading end of the succeeding web is maintained on the periphery of the second cutting and splicing drum.