Method and apparatus for accumulating, cutting and stacking a continuously moving supply of material

An apparatus for accommodating a substantially constant velocity flow of a material web to be processed at a downstream position of a web processing device, the apparatus comprising:

• a substantially flat support base;
• spring means positioned generally parallel to said support base, said spring means comprising a resilient, deformable plate member and being displaceable by the material web between a rest position and an expanded position;
• web drive means for driving the web at a substantially constant velocity between the support base and the spring means;
• and
• braking means engageable with the web for stopping the flow of the web downstream of said support base and said spring means, actuation of said braking means being operable to cause buckling of the web between the support base and the spring means and displacement of said spring means to said expanded position, and release of said braking means being operable in combination with said expanded spring means to unbuckle the web and accelerate the web in a downstream direction away from the support base.

A method for allowing a substantially uniform velocity flow of a material web to be processed in a web processing device having a substantially flat web support base and a spring assembly having a resilient plate member positioned generally parallel to the support base, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving the web between the support base and the plate member;
• stopping the web flow by frictionally engaging the web at a downstream end of the support base, thereby causing the web to deform the overlying plate member so as to form a buckled portion of web material between the support base and the plate member;
• and
• releasing the web from the support base and depressing the buckled web portion with the plate member so as to accelerate the buckled web portion downstream from the plate member.