Japan Tobacco Inc.

Shuitiro Oku

Makoto Sakano

Shozo Horikawa

Yoshihiko Mashiko

Mituhalu Ikeda

A device for connecting a trailing end of a previously drawn-out web from a first web roll to a leading end portion of a newly drawn-out web from a second web roll has a vertical guide unit, a drawing-out unit, a feeding unit, an adhesive tape supplying unit and cutting members. The previously drawn-out web which is running vertically downward is guided by the vertical guide unit. The leading end portion of a web is drawn out from a new web roll by the drawing-out unit and moved vertically downward by the feeding unit in the vicinity of and along the previously drawn-out web. An adhesive tape is attached to the leading end portion of the newly drawn-out web by the adhesive tape supplying unit. The leading end of the newly drawn-out web is connected to the trailing end of the previously drawn-out web by the adhesive tape. After the previously and newly drawn-out webs have been connected together, the excess portions of both webs are removed by the cutting members.

Device for connecting web end portions

An apparatus for drawing out the leading end portion of the web from a web roll is provided with hubs rotatable in a vertical plane, and a drawing-out arm provided under the web roll, rotatable in a vertical plane and having a distal end portion abutting against the lowest portion of the web on the web roll. On the distal end portion of the drawing-out arm are provided a sucking unit for sucking the lowest portion of the web on the web roll, a leading end portion detector for detecting the leading end portion of the web and a chuck for holding the leading end portion of the web. The leading end portion of the web is separated under its own weight and a negative pressure from the body of the portion of the web, detected by the leading end portion detector and held by the chuck so as to be pulled out.

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Tokyo, Japan

Shuitiro Oku