GB2170177A

GB2170177A - Joining webs

Info

Publication number: GB2170177A
Application number: GB08502225A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alan Thomas Robert Nuttall
Original assignee: Harland Machine Systems Ltd
Current assignee: Harland Machine Systems Ltd
Priority date: 1985-01-29
Filing date: 1985-01-29
Publication date: 1986-07-30
Also published as: GB8502225D0

Abstract

Webs (1, 6), particularly pressure-sensitive adhesive-backed label-carrying webs for use in labelling machines, are spliced end-to-end by overlapping the leading end portion of one web (6) with the trailing end portion of the other web (1). The superimposed end portions are fixed together, for example with a piece of adhesive tape (7), and the overlapped trailing end portion is cut away to leave the two webs (1, 6) joined in end-to-end abutment. The trailing end portion may be cut away with a wire (8) which is pulled through the web material whilst this is supported on a surface (9) containing a slit. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Method of joining elongate material This invention relates to a method of joining elongate material and is more particularly concerned with the splicing of label-carrying webs in automatic labelling machines.

A well-known kind of automatic labelling machine has a labelling head to which an elongate web carrying pressure sensitive adhesive backed labels is fed from a supply reel. At the labelling head the labels are stripped one at a time from the web, by passing this around a sharp edge, and are applied to articles to be labelled e.g. as such articles are advanced past the head on a conveyor.

The support web passes to a take-up reel after the labels have been stripped off at the labelling head.

When the supply reel is spent, the trailing end of the web is spliced to the leading end of a web of fresh reel. This splicing has to be effected accurately to ensure trouble-free passage of the labelcarrying web through the labelling head and to maintain the required spacing of the labels. Customarily this has been achieved by stopping the trailing end of the spent reel, carefully butting this end against a pre-cut leading end of the fresh reel, and fixing the two ends together with adhesive tape. This procedure can however be difficult to perform satisfactory without stopping the labelling machine especially in the case of modern high speed labelling systems.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method applicable to the splicing of label-carrying webs with which such splicing can be effected quickly and accurately.

According to the invention therefore there is provided a method of joining first and second lengths of elongate material comprising the steps of disposing an end portion of the first length in superimposed relationship relative to an end portion of the second length, fixing the free end of the end portion of the first length to the adjacent portion of the second length, and cutting away said end portion of the second length level with said free end of the first length.

With this arrangement, to achieve accurate splicing it is not necessary to ensure that both ends are correctly pre-cut and carefully butted against each other. It is only necessary to ensure proper superimposition whereupon correct butting can then be automaticlly attained when the said end portion is cut away. Accordingly, accurate splicing can be achieved in a particular simple, convenient and quick manner.

Conveniently the cutting operation may be effected with a wire or the like which is pulled through the second length of elongate material as such material is supported over a slit in a surface, such slit being dimensioned to receive the wire or the like. One or both edges of the slit may be appropriately sharpened to facilitate cutting.

The fixing of the free end of the first length to the adjacent portion of the second length may be effected with adhesive tape and this tape may be attached to said free end so as to project therefrom before superimposition of the length is effected.

The abovementioned wire may also be attached to the adhesive tape along said free end before said superimposition is effected.

Each of the various procedural steps of the method of the invention may be performed manually or wholly or partially automatically as desired and as appropriate.

In a preferred embodiment, the first length is disposed above the second length and the abovementioned wire is pulled downwardly to cut off the end portions. However other dispositions may also be possible.

The invention is of particular application in relation to pressure-sensitive adhesive-backed label carrying webs in automatic labelling machines but may also apply to other contexts.

The invention will now be described further by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view showing spliced label-carrying webs; and Figures 2 to 4 are diagrammatic perspective views showing different stages in the procedure utilised in splicing the webs together in accordance with the method of the invention.

In a labelling machine (not illustrated) an elongate web 1 carrying pressure-sensitive adhesivebacked labels 2 at regular intervals on a surface 3 of the web having easy release properties is fed from a supply reel to a take-up reel via a labelling head as hereinbefore described.

When the supply reel is spent, a cut trailing end 4 of the web 1 is spliced to a pre-cut leading end 5 of a similar label-carrying web 6 of a fresh reel. As shown in Figure 1, the two ends 4, 5 of the respective webs 1, 6 are butted together and interconnected by means of a piece of adhesive tape 7 fixed to the webs 1, 6 on the opposite faces to the labels 2. As can be seen, the splicing is effected such that the two webs 1, 6 are accurately in alignment with each other and the gap between the last label 2 on the web 1 and the first label on the web 6 is the same as the fixed gap between each pair of adjacent labels 2 on each web 1, 6.

The splicing is effected in the following manner.

As shown in Figure 2, the leading end 5 from the fresh reel is provided with the piece of adhesive tape 7 fixed to the face of the web opposite the labels 2 so that approximately half of the tape 7 projects freely beyond the end 5. This leading end 5 is defined by pre-cutting the web transversely midway between two labels 2. A length of springly steel wire 8 (piano wire) approximately 0.5mm diameter is stuck to the tape 7 in contact with and parallel to the end 5 of the web 6. The length of wire 8 is greater than the width of the web 6 whereby the wire 8 projects beyond the web on each side by about 20mm.

The web 1 of the spent reel over a flat surface 9 having a slit 10 extending transversely to the longitudinai axis of the web, the width of such slit 10 being slightly greater than the diameter of the piano wire 8. The edges of the slit are sharp.

When the end 11 of the spent reel is near to the slit 10 the web 1 is stopped at a position in which the gap between two labels 2 is above the slit 10.

the leading end 5 of the web 6 is positioned on top of the web 1 in the vicinity of the slit 10 so that the labels 2 on the two webs 1, 6 are accurately in registration with each other and the leading end 5 is fixed in this position by pressing the tape 7 on to the web 1. The wire 8 is then pulled sharply down, in the manner of a cheese cutter, so as to cause the end portion of the web 1 between the end 11 and the slit 10 to be cut away by the action of the wire 8 and the sharp edges bounding the slit 10.

The severed end portion is removed and discarded.

The cut end 4 of the web 1 is securely fixed in abutment with the free end 5 of the web 6 with all labels 2 at the desired spacing.

With the foregoing procedure it is possible to achieve secure and accurate splicing in a particular quick and convenient manner.

The web 1 may be arrested at the desired position on the surface by means of an automatic system which detects approach of the 11 of the spent reel and stops the web 1 when the appropriate of gap between the labels 2 (e.g. the gap which is nearest to a predetermined distance away from the end 11 of the web 1) is over the slit 10. This automatic system may utilise sensors e.g. light beam sensors responsive to the change in light reflection or transmission occurring at the edges of the labels 2.

Positioning of the web 6 on the web 1 and serving with the piano wire 8 may be effected manually or automatically. Using a manual system a web accumulator will be required (e.g. a suitable device of known kind which forms festoons or loops of the web 1) whereby feed of labels 2 to the labelling head can continue without interruption (i.e. without arresting feed of the web 1) whilst permitting the end portion of the web 1 to be stopped for splicing purposes. With an automatic system the different procedures can be synchronised and performed rapidly whereby an accumulator may not be necessary.

With the procedure described above a butt splice joined by adhesive tape of conventional structure is achieved in a particularly convenient and rapid manner whereby interruption of the labelling operation can be avoided.

It is of course to be understood that the invention is not intended to be restricted to the details of the above embodiment which are described by way of example only.

Claims

1. A method of joining first and second lengths of elongate material comprising the steps of disposing an end portion of the first length in superimposed relationship relative to an end portion of the second length, fixing the free end of the end portion of the first length to the adjacent portion of the second length, and cutting away said end portion of the second length level with said free end of the first length.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the cutting operation is effected with a wire which is pulled through the second length of elongate material as such material is supported over a slit in a surface, which slit is dimensioned to receive the wire.

3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the fixing of the free end of the first length to the adjacent portion of the second length is effected with adhesive tape.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the tape is attached to said free end so as to project therefrom before said superimposition of the length effected.

5. A method according to claim 4, when dependent on claim 2, wherein the wire is attached to the adhesive tape along said free end before said superimposition is effected.

6. A method according to claim 2 or any claim dependent thereon, wherein the first length is disposed above the second length and the wire is pulled downwardly to cut off the end portions.

7. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the lengths of elongate material comprise pressure-sensitive adhesive-backed label-carrying webs.

8. A method according to claim 1, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

9. First and second lengths of elongate material when joined according to the method of any one of claims 1 to 8.