Patent ID: 6893531

Claim:
Apparatus for splicing sheets, comprising: a slitter, for transversely slitting a pair of overlapping sheets held within clamping means by cutting along a path which creates a linear butt line therebetween, which pair of sheets comprises a first sheet and a second sheet; clamp means, for holding said pair of sheets in overlapping fashion, comprising a base having a surface for supporting and frictionally engaging a sheet; and a top, movably mating with the base, for pressing sheet against the base surface; the top having a first resilient strip and a second resilient strip, spaced apart on either side of said linear butt line path, for contacting and pressing on sheet lying upon the surface of the base; wherein the frictional resistance between said first strip and a sheet is substantially less than the frictional resistance between said surface of the base and the same sheet; taping means, for applying tape to the surface of the sheets along the linear butt line; and, guide means, for guiding both the slitter and the taping means along said butt line path.