Butt splicer

Apparatus for butt splicing the end of a supply web to a running web including stationary knife means having a pair of spaced knife edges;

• first and second moveable knife members each selectively cooperating with a respective one of said knife edges to sever said running web;
• means on said stationary knife means for holding the end of said supply web at either of said knife edges, the running web being positioned on the opposite side of said stationary knife means from the supply web and between the knife edge and the moveable knife member cooperating therewith;
• each of said knife members including a leading surface, means on each said surface for holding the lower portion of a strip of adhesive tape, and means providing a recess adjacent each said leading surface for receiving the upper portion of a strip of tape carried by the moveable knife which is adjacent the running web;
• means for moving the moveable knife member adjacent the supply web into a ready position where the leading surface thereof is aligned with the end of the supply web and holds the end of a strip of tape which is affixed to the end of the supply web, and means for moving said knife member adjacent to the running web toward the other knife member so that the running web is cut and the leading surfaces act against each other to press the two tape strips to opposite sides of the web ends, each said recess being formed to keep the upper portion of the tape strip out of contact with the web ends during the splicing operation until it is drawn from the recess by movement of the spliced web.