Paper web separator and guiding apparatus

A web handling device comprising:

• a web splitter cutting a moving web along a centerline into at least two split web sections;
• a web deflector downstream of said moving web and receiving said split web sections, said web deflector having a first pair of leading edges oblique to said centerline, said leading edges twisting said split web sections as the sections pass over said edges;
• a tension device receiving said split web sections downstream from said web deflector, said split web sections being substantially superimposed when received by said tension device, said tension device comprising first and second web guide surfaces oblique to one another and to said centerline, and said first and second web guide surfaces oriented to untwist said split web sections, and
• a web processing device receiving said split sections downstream of said tension device.

A web handling apparatus comprising:

• a slitter merger receiving a web stock and slitting the web into longitudinal sections, said slitter merger having an outlet from which slit sections of said web emerge;
• an interstacking web deflector adjacent said outlet and having leading edges, said leading edges skewed said web stock, said slit paper webs flowing over said leading edges twists such that said slit sections to flow toward the centerline of said web stock;
• at least two tension devices downstream in the web path from said web deflector, said tension devices causing said slit sections to flow in a loop from said web deflector, a loop from one said slit section substantially overlapping a second loop from a second slit section at the apex of said loops;
• and
• a burster receiving said slit sections of the paper web where said slit sections are substantially superimposed one over the other.