Patent ID: 8127817

Claim:
A rubber sheet jointing apparatus for jointing end surfaces of two rubber sheets by butt joint, the apparatus comprising: first holding means for releasably holding a joint end portion of one of the two rubber sheets; second holding means provided movably relative to the first holding means for releasably holding a joint end portion of another of the two rubber sheets; and operating means for pressure-contacting the end surfaces of the two rubber sheets respectively held by the first and second holding means by effecting relative movement between the first and second holding means such that one of the first and second holding means moves toward the other of the first and second holding means in a first direction; wherein mutually facing surfaces of the first and second holding means are respectively provided with holder portions which are able to partly overlap to mesh with each other, wherein the holder portions provided on the mutually facing surfaces of the first and second holding means are formed as rugged portions each taking a comb tooth shape of rectangular protrusions and rectangular slots to joint the end surfaces of the two joint end portions of the two rubber sheets by allowing the holder portions to overlap with each other through complementary meshing of the rectangular protrusions with the rectangular slots, first and second walls of the rectangular slots being arranged parallel to the first direction, the first and second walls facing each other, wherein the holder portions respectively hold the two joint end portions with the end surfaces of the two joint end portions placed at respective positions which are recessed by an amount (L 1 ) from end surfaces of the rugged portions each taking the comb tooth shape of rectangular protrusions and rectangular slots, said end surfaces of the rugged portions being surfaces of the rectangular protrusions of one holder portion facing, in the first direction, another holder portion, wherein the relative movement between the first and second holding mears is linear, and wherein the rubber sheet comprises an elongated rubber sheet strip of a predetermined length in which an end surface to be jointed extends in a lengthwise direction of the elongated rubber sheet strip; the apparatus further including supply means for supplying the elongated rubber sheet strip of the predetermined length, in the form of a ribbon, prior to jointing the end surfaces of the two joint end portions, and for feeding the elongated rubber sheet strip directly to the first holding means in a direction perpendicular to the first direction.