Apparatus for continuously supplying sheets from supply rolls

An apparatus for continuously supplying sheets from supply rolls, comprising:

• a rotary disc vertically disposed such that a central axis thereof extends in a horizontal direction, the rotary disc being rotatable about the central axis;
• a first supply roll mounted at a peripheral portion of the rotary disc and including a roll of sheet material, the first supply roll having a first axis parallel to the central axis of the rotary disc, the first supply roll being rotatable about the first axis;
• means for feeding the sheet from the first supply roll, the feeding means having a sheet feeding path;
• a second supply roll mounted at a peripheral portion of the rotary disc and including a roll of sheet material, the second supply roll having a second axis parallel to the central axis of the rotary disc and being rotatable about the second axis, the second supply roll being provided with an adhesive tape for partially fixing a distal end of the sheet to an outer surface of the second supply roll;
• a cutting/feeding device, located near the rotary disc, for cutting the adhesive tape of the second supply roll and feeding the sheet therefrom, the cutting/feeding device including driving means for reversibly rotating the second supply roll, knife means provided with a knife to come into contact with or to be separated from an outer surface of the second supply roll, and actuating means for moving the knife along a direction parallel to the second axis of the second supply roll when the knife of the knife means is inserted under the distal end of the sheet of the second supply roll, the knife being adapted to be inserted under a portion excluding a region of the distal end of the sheet of the second supply roll upon driving of the second supply roll by the driving means, the region being fixed to the outer surface of the second supply roll by means of the adhesive tape, whereby the adhesive tape of the second supply roll is cut upon cooperation of the knife and the actuating means and, thereafter, the sheet of the second supply roll is fed therefrom upon rotation of the second supply roll by the driving means;
• guiding means for guiding the sheet fed from the second supply roll and hence the distal end thereof to a predetermined connection position in the feed path of the feeding means;
• adhering means for adhering the sheet from the first supply roll to the distal end of the sheet from the second supply roll at the connection position;
• and
• cutting means, disposed in the feed path between the connection position and the first supply roll, for cutting the sheet fed from the first supply roll.