Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
190 words
A method of uniting the leading end of a fresh web with an expiring web which is being drawn from a source of supply by a cigarette rod making machine wherein the web is convoluted around a traveling tobacco rod when the rod cigarette machine is in operation, comprising the steps of scanning the supply of expiring web; interrupting the operation of the rod cigarette machine in response to depletion of said supply of expiring web to a predetermined minimum value; mechanically splicing the expiring web to the leading end of the fresh web while the rod cigarette machine is idle; and accelerating the cigarette rod making machine at a rate which is below that at which the thus accelerated united webs would tend to break, said accelerating step comprising accelerating the cigarette rod making machine to a lower first speed and thereupon accelerating the cigarette rod making machine to a higher second speed, the acceleration to said second speed being initiated with such a delay that the splice between the expiring and fresh webs at least reaches the tobacco rod while the machine is operated at said first speed.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
190 words
A method of uniting the leading end of a fresh web with an expiring web which is being drawn from a source of supply by a cigarette rod making machine wherein the web is convoluted around a traveling tobacco rod when the rod cigarette machine is in operation, comprising the steps of scanning the supply of expiring web; interrupting the operation of the rod cigarette machine in response to depletion of said supply of expiring web to a predetermined minimum value; mechanically splicing the expiring web to the leading end of the fresh web while the rod cigarette machine is idle; and accelerating the cigarette rod making machine at a rate which is below that at which the thus accelerated united webs would tend to break, said accelerating step comprising accelerating the cigarette rod making machine to a lower first speed and thereupon accelerating the cigarette rod making machine to a higher second speed, the acceleration to said second speed being initiated with such a delay that the splice between the expiring and fresh webs at least reaches the tobacco rod while the machine is operated at said first speed.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
129 words
A method of uniting the leading end of a fresh web with an expiring web which is being drawn from a source of supply by a tobacco processing machine which is normally operatEd at a predetermined speed, comprising the steps of scanning the supply of expiring web; reducing the speed of the tobacco processing machine and of the expiring web in response to depletion of said supply of expiring web to a predetermined minimum value; mechanically splicing the expiring web to the leading end of the fresh web upon completion of said speed reducing step; and accelerating the tobacco processing machine to said predetermined speed upon completion of said splicing step at a rate which is below that at which the thus accelerated united webs would tend to break.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
129 words
A method of uniting the leading end of a fresh web with an expiring web which is being drawn from a source of supply by a tobacco processing machine which is normally operatEd at a predetermined speed, comprising the steps of scanning the supply of expiring web; reducing the speed of the tobacco processing machine and of the expiring web in response to depletion of said supply of expiring web to a predetermined minimum value; mechanically splicing the expiring web to the leading end of the fresh web upon completion of said speed reducing step; and accelerating the tobacco processing machine to said predetermined speed upon completion of said splicing step at a rate which is below that at which the thus accelerated united webs would tend to break.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as defined in claim 2, wherein said splicing step is carried out with a predetermined delay following said speed reducing step.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as defined in claim 2, wherein said accelerating step is initiated with a predetermined delay following completion of said splicing step.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as defined in claim 2, wherein said accelerating step is initiated with a predetermined delay following said speed reducing step.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method as defined in claim 2, wherein said accelerating step includes accelerating the tobacco processing machine to a relatively lower first speed and thereupon accelerating the machine to said predetermined speed.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as defined in claim 6, wherein the acceleration to said predetermined speed is initiated with a predetermined delay following acceleration to said first speed.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method as defined in claim 2, further comprising the step of placing the leading end of the fresh web into a predetermined position with reference to the path of the expiring web prior to start of said splicing step.