A bag-making and packaging apparatus includes a bag-making and packaging unit, a film feeding unit, a splicing device, and a control unit. The control unit allows a bag-making operation to continue by utilizing an auto-feeding function that feeds to the bag-making and packaging unit a film F spliced by the splicing device to take the place of a film F currently being fed to the bag-making and packaging unit. When the control unit judges that at least one of the film feeding unit and the splicing device is malfunctioning in a case where the control unit is utilizing the auto-feeding function, the control unit stops the auto-feeding function and executes a non-auto-feeding mode. The non-auto-feeding mode allows the bag-making operation to be continued by the bag-making and packaging unit and a film roll holding unit that is operable among plural film roll holding units.

Splicing method and unit for a packaging machine, whereby a first film is spliced to a second film which is a spare film. The splicing is performed by means of an adhesive element with two opposing adhesive surfaces, one for each film, and a longitudinal adhering element. First an adhesive surface is adhered to the adhering element and said adhering element moves so that the other adhesive surface comes into contact with the second film and adheres to it. Then the adhering element is separated from said second film, the adhesive element being adhered to said second film, and the first film is caused to come into contact with said adhesive element already adhered to the second film.

An unwinder for web material includes: a first and second reel holder, a dynamic storage device, a junction device arranged between the first or second reel holder and the dynamic storage device and configured to join an end portion of web material running out on the first reel to an initial portion of web material of the second reel, an actuator configured to pull the web material. The dynamic storage device includes: a plurality of first return rollers, a carriage mounted on a guide and free to move along the guide approaching or moving away from the first return rollers, a plurality of second return rollers mounted idly on the carriage. The return rollers define a zigzag path for the web material. The dynamic storage device includes a plurality of motorized shafts and each first return roller is mounted by means of two rolling bearings on a respective motorized shaft.

An unwinder for web material includes: a first and second reel holder, a dynamic storage device, a junction device arranged between the first or second reel holder and the dynamic storage device and configured to join an end portion of web material running out on the first reel to an initial portion of web material of the second reel, an actuator configured to pull the web material. The dynamic storage device includes: a plurality of first return rollers, a carriage mounted on a guide and free to move along the guide approaching or moving away from the first return rollers, a plurality of second return rollers mounted idly on the carriage. The return rollers define a zigzag path for the web material. The dynamic storage device includes a plurality of motorized shafts and each first return roller is mounted by means of two rolling bearings on a respective motorized shaft.

The apparatus for combining tobacco sheets (3, 4) comprises a first shaft for carrying a first bobbin (30) of tobacco sheet (3) and a second shaft for carrying a second bobbin (40) of tobacco sheet (4). The apparatus also comprises a splicing unit (2) for combining an end portion of tobacco sheet from the first bobbin (30) to a head portion of tobacco sheet from the second bobbin. The splicing unit comprises a cutting device (20) for cutting the tobacco sheets such as to provide complementary cuts to the tobacco sheets (3) from the first bobbin and from the second bobbin (4), a dispensing device (23) for dispensing water to at least one of the tobacco sheets (3, 4), and a combining device (24) for applying force onto the tobacco sheets thereby producing a spliced tobacco sheet.

The apparatus for combining tobacco sheets (3, 4) comprises a first shaft for carrying a first bobbin (30) of tobacco sheet (3) and a second shaft for carrying a second bobbin (40) of tobacco sheet (4). The apparatus also comprises a splicing unit (2) for combining an end portion of tobacco sheet from the first bobbin (30) to a head portion of tobacco sheet from the second bobbin. The splicing unit comprises a cutting device (20) for cutting the tobacco sheets such as to provide complementary cuts to the tobacco sheets (3) from the first bobbin and from the second bobbin (4), a dispensing device (23) for dispensing water to at least one of the tobacco sheets (3, 4), and a combining device (24) for applying force onto the tobacco sheets thereby producing a spliced tobacco sheet.

Methods and systems for preventing wrinkles in a web passing through an accumulator. The accumulator comprises a plurality of rollers including at least one roller having an axis of revolution movable toward and away from the axis of revolution of another roller to release and store varying amounts of the web. At least one of the rollers has a nominally flat outer surface and at least one of the rollers has a profiled outer surface.

Methods and systems for preventing wrinkles in a web passing through an accumulator. The accumulator comprises a plurality of rollers including at least one roller having an axis of revolution movable toward and away from the axis of revolution of another roller to release and store varying amounts of the web. At least one of the rollers has a nominally flat outer surface and at least one of the rollers has a profiled outer surface.

A splice arrangement includes an unwinding arrangement for unwinding a finite first material web from a first material roll or a finite second material web from a second material roll, a braking arrangement for applying a braking force to the unwinding arrangement and/or the finite material web being unwound, a connection arrangement for connecting the finite material webs to form an endless material web, a storage trolley for the uninterrupted conveying of the endless material web, at least one material web tension-influencing device arranged before the storage trolley, and an actuation device, which is in signal connection with the at least one material web tension-influencing device for actuating the same.

A splice arrangement includes an unwinding arrangement for unwinding a finite first material web from a first material roll or a finite second material web from a second material roll, a braking arrangement for applying a braking force to the unwinding arrangement and/or the finite material web being unwound, a connection arrangement for connecting the finite material webs to form an endless material web, a storage trolley for the uninterrupted conveying of the endless material web, at least one material web tension-influencing device arranged before the storage trolley, and an actuation device, which is in signal connection with the at least one material web tension-influencing device for actuating the same.