931,829. Feeding webs. BLAW-KNOX CO. June 28, 1960 [July 13, 1959], No. 22590/60. Class 100 (1). [Also in Groups XV and XXII] Relates to a method and apparatus for effecting a taped spliced joint in a continuously produced metal strip and in particular to feeding tin strip to a can-forming machine and to means for effecting the following operations :- (a) severing the continuously-produced strip at the point where poor quality strip commences ; (b) leading off the " reject " strip to apparatus for disposing of the same; (c) severing the strip a second time when good quality strip is again being produced; (d) joining the leading end of the newlyproduced good quality strip with trailing end of the previously produced good quality strip by means of adhesive tape. In addition the reject strip cut off is also joined by adhesive tape to the trailing end of a previously severed reject strip to facilitate its removal to the disposal apparatus. According to the invention a strip shear 106, Fig. 5, and a taping device 107 comprising upper and lower taping rolls 252 spring-urged towards each other and each fed with adhesive tape with the adhesive sides facing each other, are located in an elongated opening 116 in a carriage 105 mounted for reciprocating movement along the length of the opening 116 and laterally of the strip which passes through the opening. The arrangement is such that when the strip has been sheared by the shear 106 with the taping device 107 at one side edge of the strip, the adjacent ends of the strip are moved apart by means of clamps to permit movement of the carriage 105 which carries the taping device 107 between the adjacent ends to a position at the opposite side of the strip. In the position, as in the previous position, the two leading ends of the adhesive tape protruding from the nip between the taping rolls 252 are already adhered to each other. Depending on whether this is the first or second shear operation at the start or end of the reject portion, one or other of the strips is moved away and replaced by the end of a corresponding and previously sheared good quality or reject strip required to be joined, which end is brought into butt joint relation with the other severed end. The carriage 105 then moves back and the taping device 107 moves across the line of join, one roll on the top surfaces of the adjacent portions of the strip and the other on the bottom surfaces, to leave adhesive tape on both the upper and lower surfaces of the joint and on leaving the strips the two mutually facing tapes are joined together. The tapes are then severed by a tape shear 153, 154 mounted on the carriage 105 adjacent the rolls 25 to leave the portion of the outer ends of the tape pressed together. Each roll 252, Figs. 5, 9, is carried by a pair of arms 143 pivotally mounted at 259 on the sides of the opening 116 and are urged towards each other by springs 286. The adhesive tape, which is of fibre glass, is fed from upper and lower tape spools 265 between the rolls 252 so that initially the protruding leading ends of the tape are joined together as shown at 300, Fig. 9. A foot 150 is pivotally mounted with respect to each arm 143 and ensure that the severed ends of the strip which are to be joined are in alignment with one another just prior to application of the tape. Fig. 1 shows the complete lay-out of the delivery end of a tin strip line. Incoming strip 1 being continuously produced is fed past a visual inspection tower (not shown) into a storage loop tower 2 which normally runs empty with the carriage 3 at the top thereof. The strip then passes through bridle 5, clamp 6 and thence into the splicer device 7 comprising the shearing and taping mechanisms. When the strip is of good quality, it passes freely through the device 7 a second clamp 8 and on through a clamp 11 mounted on a framework 14, tension rolls 10, shear 12 and deflector roll 13 and finally to either of the two tension coiling reels 9, 9a. During normal operation both clamps 6 and 8 are open. Tension rolls 10, clamp 11, shear 12 and roll 13 are employed when the inincoming good quality strip is to be fed into the next coil, i.e. alternately 9 and 9a. The framework 14 supports a third clamp 15 which is adapted to swing aside during normal operation and clamp 8 is also supported by the framework 14. Clamp 15 is used in conjunction with reject line 18 for directing reject strip 19 to a shear 20 via rolls 21 and loop 22, the shear 20 being used to slice up the reject strip and thus facilitate its disposal. Framework 14 is slidably mounted on track means rigidly attached to base 16 and the coiling reels 9, 9a are similarly mounted to tracks attached to bases 40, 40a. Movement along the tracks is transverse to motion of the line. Clamps 6, 8, Fig. 3, are mounted on arms 27, 28 movable about pivots 29, 30, pivot 30 being attached to the framework 14. Clamps 6, 8 are actuated by hydraulic cylinders 31, 32 and the arms 27, 28 are moved by hydraulic cylinders 33, 34. Clamp 15 is mounted on an arm 35 pivoted at 36 on the framework 14, the arm being actuated by hydraulic cylinder 38. Framework 14 is adapted to move in response to a signal from a sensing nozzle 17 of a strip centring control which is sensitive to lateral movements of the incoming strip 1, and ensures that the rigidly clamped trailing end of either the prime strip (in clamp 8) or the reject strip (in clamp 15) is kept in lateral registry with the incoming strip. When poor quality strip is observed approaching the bridle 5 the following operations ensue. Bridle 5 and coiling reel 9 (or 9a) cease to rotate and clamps 6, 8 close to grip the incoming strip at either side of the splicer 7, which then shears across the strip between the clamps. Clamp 6 then swings away as shown in Fig. 3, as does also clamp 8 gripping the trailing end 42 of the prime strip. Clamp 15 is already in the remote position shown in Fig. 3, gripping the trailing end 43 of a previously sheared reject strip, and in these positions of the clamps the splicer device 7 moves between the strips to the other side ready to effect the taping operation. Clamps 6 and 15 are then swung back to bring the strip ends 41, 43 in butt joint relation and the taping operation then takes place. Clamps 6 and 15 then open to release the strip and the incoming strip 1 then moves forward into the reject line 18. When good quality strip again commences, clamps 6, 15 are closed, splicer device 7 shears the strip and the clamps 6, 15 then swing away to permit lateral movement of the splicer 7. Clamp 6 is then swung back and at the same time clamp 8 gripping the prime strip is swung back and then taping operation again takes place. Clamps 6, 8 then open to release the strip and normal operation of the tin line continues.