Method of operating and threading a coater

Abstract

A coater and a method of operating such coater is disclosed. The method of operating the coater includes the steps of separating a first tail from a full width web unwound from an unwind stand at threading velocity and threading the first tail at the threading velocity through a pull stack. The first tail is widened to the full width of the web so that a full width web extends through the pull stack. The full width web emerging from the pull stack is dumped into a first broke chute which is disposed below the pull stack. The full width web extending through the pull stack is accelerated along with a coating apparatus to coating velocity so that both the full width web and the coating apparatus attain coating velocity. A second tail is cut in the full width web between the unwind stand and the pull stack and such second tail is threaded through the coating apparatus while the second tail is moving at coating velocity. Meanwhile, the full width web less the second tail continues to be disposed to the first broke chute. The second tail is widened to full width so that a full width web extends through the coating apparatus and the full width web is then coated during passage through the coating apparatus. Finally, the coated web is reeled into a windup reel.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.