TEAR TAPE APPLICATOR FOR REAM WRAP AND OTHER PACKAGING MATERIALS

1 . A method of attaching tear tape to ream wrap or other packaging material comprising: pulling a web of ream wrap or other packaging material through a number of festoon or dancer rolls that move up and down;

momentarily stopping said ream wrap or other packaging material while wind-up and unwind roll speeds remain constant; and

cutting and applying a strip of tear tape across said web of ream wrap or other packaging material while said web is momentarily stopped.

2 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:

treating said tear tape with a self-adhesive material on one side and, when said web is stopped, pushing said web with a bar or other apparatus into said tear tape; and

adhering said tear tape to said web, and at the same time cutting said tear tape to match the width of said web.

3 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:

coating said tear tape with wax;

cutting said tear tape to match the width of said web; and

pushing said web in contact with said tear tape.

4 . The method of claim 3 further comprising adhering said tear tape to the web by either application of pressure or slight thermal energy.

5 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:

applying heat to said tear tape, which is comprised of polymer film or a paper/polymer film combination;

making said polymer tacky; and

adhering said tear tape to said ream wrap or other packaging material at the moment of cutting and when pressure is applied to contact said web and said tear tape.

6 . The method of claim 1 further comprising pulling said tear tape out of a spindle unit above or below said web, which is connected to a motor that drives a belt across said web at the moment said web is stopped.

7 . The method of claim 1 further comprising applying more than one tear tape in one application.