Patent ID: 8038827

Claim:
In a method for applying a cut portion of an adhesive tear tape to a web of a wrapper, which adapts the wrapper for tearing by the tear tape, including advancing the web in a machine direction, positioning the tear tape in alignment with a width of the web by a vacuum belt, cutting the tear tape with a cutting means to provide a cut portion while the tear tape is in alignment with the width of the web, and applying said cut portion to the web by a pressing device, the improvement comprising: directing a laser beam toward a top of the vacuum belt and cutting the tear tape to provide said cut portion of the tear tape before the vacuum belt advances said cut portion of the tear tape in the cross direction and then positions said cut portion of the tear tape in alignment with the width of the web; measuring a predetermined length of continuous movement of the web in the machine direction with a registration eye and an encoder roll; and signaling actuation of the pressing device in the form of a tamp roller to apply said cut portion of the tear tape to the web without stopping the web from said continuous movement in the machine direction.