Patent ID: 7815764

Claim:
An apparatus for continually joining paper webs, the apparatus comprising: a compressing roller comprising a rigid cylinder, an elastic coating and a rigid outer surface structure, said elastic coating having an outer elastic surface and an inner elastic surface, said inner elastic surface engaging said rigid cylinder, said outer elastic surface being connected to said rigid outer surface structure, said elastic coating having an elastic coating hardness, said rigid outer surface structure having a rigid outer surface structure hardness, said rigid outer surface structure hardness being greater than said elastic coating hardness; an impression cylinder, said impression cylinder having a surface defining one or more depressions; a first paper web; a second paper web, said rigid outer surface structure and said surface of said impression cylinder defining a nip, said first paper web and said second paper web extending through said nip, said compressing roller pressing said first paper web and said second paper web in a direction of said impression cylinder to form a continuous web, said elastic coating supporting said rigid outer surface structure when said compressing roller presses said first paper web and said second paper web such that said rigid outer surface structure does not flexurally bend along an entire length thereof, wherein said first paper web and said second paper web do not penetrate said one or more depressions of said impression cylinder with said compressing roller pressing said first paper web and said second paper web in said direction of said impression cylinder.