Continuous feed hot leaf imprinter

Abstract

A hot leaf imprinter is provided with first and second hot leaf supply rolls and a guide arrangement for guiding the hot leaf from said first and second supply rolls along first and second paths to a printing station. The respective portions of said first and second paths adjacent said printing station correspond with each other, the first and second paths being aligned in spaced relation at a portion thereof immediately in advance of the corresponding portion with the respective hot leaf from said first and second supply rolls in facing spaced relation. A selectively actuable plunger is provided for normally holding the beginning of the hot leaf of one of said first and second supply rolls in spaced relation to the hot leaf of the other of said first and second supply rolls and for selectively displacing said beginning of the hot leaf of said one of said first and second supply rolls into secured engagement with the hot leaf of the other of said first and second supply rolls. Means may be provided for detecting the end of the hot leaf of said other of said first and second supply rolls in its path for actuating the plunger so that the beginning of the hot leaf of one supply roll is automatically spliced to the end of the hot leaf of the other supply roll to provide continuous feed of hot leaf to the printing station.