Apparatus and method for splicing webs of indeterminate length
AssigneeEastman Kodak Company
InventorsMichael Long, Lyndon R. Huttemann, Robert W. Sanford
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and method are disclosed for splicing webs (14,18) such as photographic film in which the lead end of a new web and the tail end of an old web are trimmed at the parallel edges (82,84) of their input platens (36,38) and then shifted into abutment for application of a strip of tape. An automatic tape dispenser (128) cuts tape into predetermined lengths, transfers the lengths to a vacuum applicator wheel (130) and then rolls the lengths across the abutted lead and tail ends.
Claims13
Apparatus for trimming the tail end of a first length of web and the lead end of a second length of web and for placing such trimmed tail and lead ends in abutment, comprising:
- a first source of web of indeterminate length;
- a second source of web of indeterminate length;
- a first input platen for supporting web from said first source, said first platen having a first trailing edge;
- a second input platen for supporting web from said second source, said second platen having a second trailing edge parallel to said first trailing edge;
- means for selectively stopping movement of web from said first and second sources across said first and second platens;
- a process platen positioned opposite said trailing edges;
- means for relatively moving said platens between a first position in which said process platen receives web from said first platen and a second position in which said process platen receives web from said second platen;
- and
- means operable in each of said first and second positions for cutting at said trailing edges web extending from both said first and said second sources, respectively, past said first and second trailing edges;
- whereby a trimmed lead end of web on one of said first and second platens alternately may be abutted with a trimmed tail end of web on said process platen as said means for moving shifts said platens between said first and second positions after actuation of said means for cutting.
A method for abutting the tail end of a first length of web to the lead end of a second length of web, comprising the steps of:
- providing a first source of web of indeterminate length;
- providing a second source of web of indeterminate length
- providing a first input platen having a first trailing edge;
- providing a second input platen having a second trailing edge parallel to said first trailing edge;
- providing a process platen positioned opposite said first input platen;
- moving web from said first source across said first input platen and said process platen;
- positioning web from said second source across said second input platen with the end of said web extending past said second trailing edge;
- stopping movement of said web from said first source;
- while maintaining the positions of said input platens and said process platen, cutting at said trailing edges both of said webs from said first and second sources to produce as a result of said cutting a tail end from said first source on said process platen and a lead end from said second source on said second input platen;
- and
- following said cutting of both of said webs, relatively moving said process platen and said first and second input platens to abut said tail end with said lead end.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.