Transversely cutting and conveying a web

A method of cutting a piece off an elongated web and transporting the cut-off piece transversely from the web using an apparatus comprising:

• a gripper closable on the web and displaceable longitudinally of the web along a longitudinal path between an advanced position close to a stationary supply of the web and a retracted position spaced longitudinally from the supply;
• upper and lower downstream clamp parts extending transversely across and vertically flanking the path;
• and
• upper and lower longitudinally generally nondisplaceable upstream clamp parts extending transversely across and vertically flanking the path between the downstream clamp parts and the supply;
• the method comprising the steps of sequentially;
• a) with the upper clamp parts spaced vertically from the lower clamp parts, displacing the gripper upstream in a longitudinal direction toward the supply between the clamp parts, closing the gripper on the web, and pulling the web downstream along the path between the clamp parts so that a length of the web extends downstream along the path from the supply between the clamp parts, and closing the upstream clamp parts on the web to clamp it;
• b) transversely through cutting the web between the supply and the upstream clamp parts to create a separate downstream piece held between the gripper and the upstream clamp parts;
• c) displacing the gripper while still closed on the piece back upstream such that the piece forms a dependent loop between the gripper and the upstream clamp parts until the gripper is immediately downstream of the downstream clamp parts and displacing the lower downstream clamp part simultaneously upward and upstream toward the upper downstream clamp part to clamp the web between the upper and lower downstream clamp parts when the gripper is immediately downstream of the downstream clamp parts;
• d) releasing the web from the gripper;
• and
• e) transporting the piece as a dependent loop horizontally transversely of the direction with the clamp parts without significantly longitudinally displacing the clamp parts.