Glass web including a first glass-web portion (30), a second portion (40), and a splice joint (50) coupling the first glass-web portion to the second portion, wherein the slice joint includes a splice member (60) with at least one gas-permeable attachment portion. In further examples, methods of splicing a first glass-web portion to a second portion include the step of splicing the first glass-web portion to the second portion with a splice member, wherein the step of splicing includes attaching a gas-permeable attachment portion of the splice member to the first glass-web portion.

Glass web including a first glass-web portion (30), a second portion (40), and a splice joint (50) coupling the first glass-web portion to the second portion, wherein the slice joint includes a splice member (60) with at least one gas-permeable attachment portion. In further examples, methods of splicing a first glass-web portion to a second portion include the step of splicing the first glass-web portion to the second portion with a splice member, wherein the step of splicing includes attaching a gas-permeable attachment portion of the splice member to the first glass-web portion.

Apparatus, system and methods for transferring of a ferromagnetic metal ribbon from a roll mounted on a mandrel to another mandrel, including a mandrel located around electrical coils of a transformer. The system includes an apparatus for securing a free end of a ribbon roll including a reel onto which the ribbon roll is mounted and a ribbon retention mechanism having retaining elements movable between a retaining position in which the free end of the ribbon roll is secured on the reel and a releasing position in which the free end of the ribbon roll is free from the reel. An apparatus and method for rolling up a cuttable ferromagnetic ribbon on a mandrel are also disclosed. An apparatus and method for rolling up a cuttable ferromagnetic ribbon on a mandrel are also disclosed. An apparatus and method for manipulating and displacing ferromagnetic material along a path are also disclosed.

Apparatus for splicing expiring and replenishing webs of a web material includes first and second spaced platens having respective facing inner surfaces defining a passageway for transit of the expiring web, where the platens are adapted for displacement toward and away from one another in a reciprocating manner. The first platen is adapted to engage an end of the replenishing web, while the second platen is adapted to engage and position the moving expiring web. Moving the platens together with their respective inner surfaces in close proximity to one another causes a cutting die on the first platen to sever the expiring web forming outfeeding and infeeding ends of the expiring web, and to attach the expiring web's outfeeding end to the replenishing web. Attached to the second platen in facing relation to the first platen and engaging the expiring web is an ironing pad to ensure firm contact and adhesion of expiring web to the replenishing web. During web splicing, the cutting die is transferred from the first platen to the second platen to free the replenishing web from the first platen, with the cutting die engaging and collecting or holding the expiring web's infeeding end.

Apparatus for producing a rod of aerosol-generating material is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a first feed device adapted to supply a first web of aerosol-generating material to a processing unit, a second feed device adapted to supply a second web of aerosol-generating material, and a web changeover unit arranged to change supply of aerosol-generating material to the processing unit from the first web of aerosol-generating material to the second web of aerosol-generating material. The web changeover unit is configured to position a leading edge of the second web of aerosol-generating material adjacent to a trailing edge of the first web of aerosol-generating material upstream of the processing unit during changeover from the first web of aerosol-generating material to the second web of aerosol-generating material. A method of producing a rod of aerosol-generating material is also disclosed.

A method is described for joining a first sheet and a second sheet of packaging material, which includes: preparing the first sheet with a first joint edge transverse to a longitudinal axis of the first sheet, and having a particular configuration with a non-straight edge; arranging the second sheet with a second joint edge transverse to a longitudinal axis of the second sheet; superimposing the first and second joint edges to join the first and second sheets so that the longitudinal axes are aligned, and the second sheet constitutes a continuation of the first sheet along the longitudinal axes; welding together the first and second joint edges superimposed on each other.

The invention relates to a method for automatically splicing a first article, unwound from a first reel, to a second article wound around a second reel, the articles being flexible and in the form of webs or strips. According to the invention, the method comprises steps consisting in: positioning an adhesive tape on an end that is to be spliced belonging to the second article; automatically moving a portion of the first article to a cutting plane situated facing the end that is to be spliced belonging to the second article; holding the portion of the first article downstream of the cutting plane with respect to the first reel; cutting the first article transversely; automatically moving the end that is to be spliced belonging to the second article as far as the cutting plane; and pressing a cut end of the first article at the cutting plane against the end that is to be spliced belonging to the second article in order to stick them together using the adhesive tape.

A sheet delivery system includes: a joining unit which joins, to an intermediate section of a sheet being delivered from a delivery-side original material roll, an end section of a sheet W of a standby-side original material roll; and an operation robot which retrieves the end section of the sheet from the standby-side original material roll and which conveys the end section of the sheet to the joining unit. The sheet delivery system sets, in advance, a sheet retrieval position at which the sheet is retrieved from each of the original material rolls, for each of the original material rolls. The operation robot is configured to convey the end section of the sheet from each of the sheet retrieval positions to the joining unit.

A sheet delivery system includes: an end section detector which detects a position of an end section of a sheet; an operation robot which holds the end section of the sheet and which conveys the end section of the sheet to a joining unit; a roll driving motor which rotationally drives the standby-side original material roll around a central axis thereof; and a suction roller which is capable of coming into rolling contact with an outer peripheral surface of the standby-side original material roll, and which includes an outer peripheral surface capable of suctioning the end section of the sheet in order to separate the end section of the sheet from the standby-side original material roll. The end section detector is attached at a position which enables detection of the end section of the sheet separated from the standby-side original material roll by the suction roller.

A joining unit includes: a suction holding member having a suction surface configured to suction an end section of a sheet; a moving mechanism configured to move the suction surface toward an intermediate section of a sheet of a delivery-side original material roll along a path set in advance so that tension is applied to the sheet; and a regulating mechanism that is configured to switch between a regulated state in which a movement of the end section of the sheet with respect to the suction holding member due to the tension is regulated and an allowable state in which the movement of the end section of the sheet with respect to the suction holding member is allowed. The controller switches the regulating mechanism to the regulated state during the movement of the suction surface toward the intermediate section of the sheet of the delivery-side original material roll.