Splice assembly for paper web transport apparatus

A splice assembly for a paper web transport apparatus of the type including first and second webs of paper with each said web alternately constituting a running web moving in first direction and a new web to be spliced to the running web upon depletion of the running web from a roll, the splice assembly comprising:

• knife guide means for providing a cutting edge for cutting said running web and said new web;
• moving means for moving said knife guide means back and forth in a direction of movement of said running web;
• first clamping means for selectively clamping said running web and said new web, said first clamping means being positioned on one side of said knife guide means in the direction of movement of said running web;
• second clamping means for clamping said running web, said second clamping means being positioned on an opposite side of said knife guide means from the first clamping means in the direction of movement of said running web;
• knife means for selectively cutting said running web and said new web against said knife guide means;
• tape applicator means for applying a piece of tape to the same side of a splice of the running web and the new web, regardless of which of said first and second webs is the running web and which of said first and second webs is the new web, without indexing rolls of said first and second webs;
• and
• tape backing means for providing a backing pressure for said tape applicator means such that the cut running web and the cut new web are sandwiched between said tape backing means and said tape applicator means and said piece of tape is applied to said splice during the sandwiching operation.