Patent ID: 6858105

Claim:
A method of splicing web material to afford a continuous feed of web material to an applicator, comprising the steps of: advancing a first web material along a path and around a roller; placing a length of splicing tape on an end portion of a second web material with a free end portion of the length of splicing tape extending beyond the end portion of the second web material; moving the free end portion of the length of splicing tape into engagement with the first web material as the first web material is moving about the roller to attach the length of splicing tape to the first web material; moving a cutting knife assembly comprising a cutting knife along an engagement direction from a standby position to a cutting position; and actuating the cutting knife to cut the first web material by moving the cutting knife in a cutting direction that is different from the engagement direction, wherein the first web material and the end portion of the second web material are connected by the splicing tape.