Martin Automatic, Inc.

Keene Technology Inc.,

Christopher J Plude

Roger Cederholm

John F Keene

John Siebel

A film splicer apparatus is disclosed for splicing a film used for bagging snack foods. The apparatus includes a frame and an axle which is rotatably supported by the frame for rotatably supporting a first roll of the film used for the bagging of the snack foods. A further axle is disposed spaced from the axle for rotatably supporting a replacement second roll of film for replacing the first roll of the film when spent. The first roll and the replacement second roll are rotatable about a first and second axis respectively, the first and second axes being disposed spaced and parallel relative to each other. A tail grabber is provided for grabbing a tail end of the spent first roll. Also, a tracking control is used for tracking the tail end of the spent first roll. A registration device is controlled by the tracking control for registering the tail end of the first roll with an aligned leading edge of the replacement second roll. Additionally, a splice head splices together the registered tail end and the leading edge such that the replacement roll is brought into operation without stopping the operation of bagging the snack foods.

Film splicer apparatus and method for splicing a film used for bagging snack foods

A method and apparatus for facilitating a splicer operator's pre-splice preparation and positioning of the leading end of a new web for splicing, in a splicer, to the running web of an expiring roll. The webs both include regular and longitudinally spaced registration marks and identical, repeating and longitudinally spaced patterns. A movable table is used for the initial, off line, pre-splice web preparations. It includes a fixture for guiding the leading end of the new web along a longitudinal path and a hole puncher adjacent to the path. An optical instrument is also mounted on the table and is movable transversely across the path. The optical instrument is spaced longitudinally a preselected distance from the hole puncher. The operator moves the new web along and the optical instrument across the path until a registration mark is aligned beneath the optical instrument. The operator then punches holes in the new web using the hole puncher. The leading end of the web is next introduced into the splicer and the web holes are placed over splicer locating pins mounted a preselected distance from a splicing reference position. An optical sensor is disposed a predetermined distance from the reference position and initiates the web splicing by signaling the passage of a registration mark on the running web.

Method and apparatus for preparing and positioning a web for splicing

A web decurler for selectively removing the different degrees of curl from a running web. The decurler includes first, second and third relatively large diameter, rotatable rollers and a fourth roller assembly having at least one relatively small diameter, rotatable roller. All of the rollers are disposed adjacent to the web path so that the running web may wrap about a portion of their outer peripheral surfaces. The positions of the first and second rollers remain fixed with respect to the decurler, while the third roller is spaced a fixed predetermined distance and may be moved about the central longitudinal axis of one of the first and second rollers. The fourth roller assembly is spaced from and is movable about a preselected axis that is spaced from the other rollers. A first member supports the fourth roller assembly for movement about the preselected axis. A cam profile, carried by the first member, cooperates with a cam follower, associated with the third roller, so that the position of the third roller is determined by the position of the fourth roller assembly and so that the length of the web path in the decurler remains constant regardless of the relative positions of the rollers.

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Beloit, WI, United States of America

Christopher J Plude