Tape roll liner/tab, application apparatus and method

A liner/tab combination for masking the trailing edge and the leading edge of a roll of pressure sensitive adhesive tape having an adhesive side, the liner/tab combination comprising:

• a first segment and a second segment each adhered to the adhesive side of a length of pressure sensitive tape on a roll of tape, with the first segment defining a mask for the first wrap of the roll of tape and the second segment defining a mask for the outermost end of the roll of tape, wherein:
• the first wrap of the roll of tape and the first segment each has a lateral severance perimeter, with the two lateral severance perimeters being colinear in the lateral direction as a result of laterally severing a first masking sheet and the tape together, wherein the first masking sheet is a predecessor of the first segment, adhered to the tape prior to the lateral severance which forms the first segment;
• and
• the outermost end of the roll of tape and the second segment each has a lateral severance perimeter, with the two lateral severance perimeters being colinear in the lateral direction as a result of laterally severing a second masking sheet and the tape together, wherein the second masking sheet is a predecessor of the second segment, adhered to the tape prior to the lateral severance which forms the second segment.