Apparatus suitable for guaranteeing a quick and automatic change of materials wound on reels, said apparatus consisting mainly of a reel-alternating mechanism combined with a mechanism for cutting and reconnecting the reeled material.

An unwinder of reels of web material wound around winding spindles (A), includes a unwinding station (13) with at least one unwinding member (23) to rotate a reel (B) that is located in the unwinding station and feed the web material toward a delivery path (E). Lifting members (51, 53) are provided to lift a spindle of a first exhausted reel from the unwinding station (13), in a removal position (PR). An insertion member (7; 33) is further provided to insert a second reel into the unwinding station (13). A pressing member (61) is arranged to press the web material coming from the first reel in removal position (PR) against the second reel in the unwinding station (13).

Apparatus suitable for guaranteeing a quick and automatic change of materials wound on reels, said apparatus consisting mainly of a reel-alternating mechanism combined with a mechanism for cutting and reconnecting the reeled material.

A system and method for automatic splicing of rolls of sleeve material used in various packaging markets is provided. The system will automatically splice the prepared end of a new roll onto the expiring end of the prior roll. The system performs an automatic cut and splice operation resulting in a butt splice of the two rolls with tape applied to both sides of the splice joint. The splice can be done in-registration to provide a consistent product repeat length between expiring and new rolls.

An unwinder of reels of web material wound around winding spindles (A), includes a unwinding station (13) with at least one unwinding member (23) to rotate a reel (B) that is located in the unwinding station and feed the web material toward a delivery path (E). Lifting members (51, 53) are provided to lift a spindle of a first exhausted reel from the unwinding station (13), in a removal position (PR). An insertion member (7; 33) is further provided to insert a second reel into the unwinding station (13). A pressing member (61) is arranged to press the web material coming from the first reel in removal position (PR) against the second reel in the unwinding station (13).

The unwinder of reels of web material wound around winding spindles (A), comprises a unwinding station (13) with at least one unwinding member (23) to rotate a reel (B) that is located in said unwinding station and feed the web material toward a delivery path (E). Lifting members (51, 53) are provided to lift a spindle of a first exhausted reel from the unwinding station (13), in a removal position (PR). An insertion member (7; 33) is further provided to insert a second reel into the unwinding station (13). A pressing member (61) is arranged to press the web material coming from the first reel in removal position (PR) against the second reel in the unwinding station (13).

An apparatus and method for automatic splicing of rolls of sleeve material used in various packaging applications. The disclosed system will automatically splice the leading end of a new roll onto the trailing end of the old roll in an overlapped configuration. The apparatus performs an automatic cut and splice operation resulting in a splice of the two film rolls with tape applied to both sides of the splice joint where the new roll overlaps the cut end of the prior roll.

A material-joining device is provided for joining a trailing end of a first material sheet to a leading end of a new supply of material sheeting. The joining device comprises a main body and a gate coupled to the main body. A plurality of rods are moveably held within the main body along with at least one actuator coupled to the plurality of rods. The actuators can move the rods from a retracted position to an extended position. The gate includes a plurality of chambers aligned with the rods. The chambers accommodate a portion of the rods when in the extended position. Using the material-joining device, at least portions of the first material and the new supply of material fit within the space between the main body and the gate. When the at least one actuator moves the rods to the extended position, the separate material sheets are joined together.

Described is a web feeding system for feeding a web of labelling material to a labelling module that includes a splicing device. The feeding system includes a positioning device for automatically positioning the web leading portion of the web in a splicing position with respect to the splicing device.

The invention relates to a device for joining webs of material for the production of energy cells, in particular electrode webs, wherein a running-out web of material can be joined to a new web of material. A first pivoting element is provided for the new web of material and a second pivoting element is provided for the running-out web of material, wherein the first pivoting element is adapted to hold the leading end of the new web of material and wherein the second pivoting element is adapted to deflect the running-out web of material in the direction of the first pivoting element. A cutting device is provided, which is adapted to cut or weaken the running-out web of material deflected by the second pivoting element to produce a web end of the running-out web of material at a separating line. The device is adapted to accelerate the leading end of the new web of material with the first pivoting element and to synchronize with the running-out web of material at the speed at which the web end of the running-out web of material deflected by the second pivoting element is conveyed. The leading end of the new web of material can be joined to the web end of the running-out web of material between the first and second pivoting elements by means of at least one adhesive tape.