The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 16, 2004
Filed:
Oct. 30, 2002
John W. Clifford, Ashland, MA (US);
Andrew P. Butler, Marion, MA (US);
Peter E. Bianchetto, Foxboro, MA (US);
Pierre Gachet, Mouxy, FR;
Robert Mavilia, Braintree, MA (US);
Butler Automatic, Inc., Middleborough, MA (US);
Abstract
A web handling apparatus includes a base, a housing, a splicing head mounted in the housing, and first and second non-rotatable swing out roll shafts, each shaft having opposite first and second ends. The roll shafts are normally positioned in the housing substantially parallel to the splicing head so that web can travel through the splicing head to on from web rolls on the roll shafts. A web accumulator mounted to the housing conducts web to or from the splicing head and the housing is movably mounted to the base so that the housing can move relative to the base in either direction parallel to the roll shafts. An actuator connected between the housing and the base moves the housing relative to the base in response to signals from a web position sensor so as to minimize the side lay of web extending to or from the apparatus. The splicing head employs special mirror image upper and lower splicing sections which facilitate preparation of the leading end of the ready web while the other web is running and the two splicing sections cooperate to make a consistent high quality butt or lap splices between the two webs.