Apparatus for locating, engaging and transporting the leader of convoluted cigarette paper or the like

Abstract

Apparatus for removing and advancing the leader of a cigarette paper web which forms a roll and whose leader adheres to the adjacent convolution has tongs one jaw of which is formed with a scraping edge movable against the periphery of the roll while the roll is rotated in a direction to pay out the web whereby the leader strikes against the edge and is separated from the adjacent convolution. The impact of the leader against the scraping edge releases a catch which normally holds the spring-biased other jaw of the tongs against movement toward engagement with the one jaw whereby the two jaws clamp the leader preparatory to transport directly to a splicing mechanism wherein the leader is attached to the trailing end of the preceding web or to a conveyor which transports the leader to the splicing mechanism.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.