Apparatus for processing a web of material without a standstill

Apparatus for processing a moving web of material without a standstill at positions disposed at particular longitudinal intervals, comprising a plurality of tool carriers adapted to accept operative tools for performing said processing on said web which are guided in opposing pairs on endless chains arranged in front of and behind and on both sides of a planar processing path determined by the moving web and wherein a said opposing pair of guided tool holders are located in front of and behind said planar path and each pair serving to attach an opposing operative tool disposed transversely of the web and enclosing the web therebetween, the tool carriers being guided in endless circulating paths, characterised in that the semi-circular guide path curves (40) of the circulating paths, which curves are connected by rectilinear guide path sections entering at a tangent, are displaceable and settable relatively to one another to change their lengths said tool carriers (14) being movable along the circulating paths by juxtaposed parallel and overlapping endless chains (15, 16) guided over sprockets (23 to 26) of which the shafts (23.1 to 26.1) are relatively displaceable and settable in pairs in a manner corresponding to the displaceable portions of the circulating paths, the runs of the chains extending in one plane or at the same elevation at the zone of overlap, that the link pins or lugs of the chains are provided with extensions (28) which, in the overlapping section, are directed towards one another and leave a gap between each other, and said tool carriers (14) moving in circulating paths have at least two receptacles (30) engaging a corresponding number of successive extensions in the overlapping section, at the start of which the extensions (28) of one chain enter the receptacles (30) and at the end of which the extensions (28) of the other chain leave same.