Apparatus and method for splicing webs provided with repeated patterns

摘要

An apparatus for splicing a new web having repeated patterns, to a web in use moving along a predetermined path and also having repeated patterns. The apparatus having: a handling device to advance the new web at the same speed as the web in use and positioning a segment of the new web to overlap a segment of the web in use such that the corresponding patterns align; a cutting device for cutting the overlapping segments of the webs at the area interposed between two successive patterns and dividing each web into an upstream portion and a downstream portion; a folding device for selectively folding either the upstream portion of the web in use and the downstream portion of the new web outside the overlapping area; and an applicator for applying a splicing buffer on the adjacent the cut portions of the two webs to be joined.

主权项

1. An apparatus for splicing a new web, provided with repeated patterns, to a web in use, also provided with repeated patterns, unwound from a respective reel and fed along a predetermined path towards a processing machine; said apparatus comprising:
an actuator device selectively driven for splicing a segment of said new web to a segment of said web in use one on top of the other in overlapping positions and with the corresponding patterns aligned; wherein said actuator device comprises:
a cutting device selectively activated to perform a cutting operation of said overlapping segments of said webs at the area interposed between two successive patterns to divide each web in two distinct portions upstream and downstream of the cutting area with reference to said path;a folding device which can be selectively activated to fold, in the vicinity of said cutting area and outside of the overlapping area between said webs, one of an upstream portion of said web in use and the downstream portion of said new web formed by said cutting operation; anda applicator transversely movable to said path to apply a splicing buffer on the adjacent ends of the downstream portion of said web in use and of the upstream portion of said new web in order to connect to one another said ends head to head; a handling assembly which can be selectively activated just before the exhaustion of said reel for advancing said new web at the same speed of said web in use and with said segments overlapped and aligned, wherein the handling assembly comprises a first and a second carriage arranged on opposite sides of said webs, jointly movable in a direction parallel to at least a segment of said path and adapted to keep adhering to each other the overlapping segments of said webs.