20 30a and 30b the actuation of the brakes 50a and 50b and in general the actuation and timing of the web feeding and splicing operations this involves the receipt of sensor signals and the transmission of control signals by the controller 52 over signal lines 53 the programming of the controller 52 and in general the generation of control signals in a feedback arrangement of the type illustrated and described herein are well known in the art to which the invention pertains when the size of the running roll 14 reaches a predetermined minimum diameter this is detected by a suitable sensor 54 which produces a signal that is processed by the controller 52 the controller 52 thereupon initiates the splicing procedure in this regard the controller 52 causes the brake 50a on the running roll 14 to be applied so that the roll 14 decelerates at a predetermined rate as the running roll 14 slows less and less web w is furnished to the main accumulator 20 and therefore it suffers a net depletion of its web as more web is delivered to the web consuming machine 12 then is received from the supply roll 14 as soon as the speed of the running web w reaches zero i e a complete stop or a selected minimum speed the control unit 52 emits a control signal to the splicing head or station 18 to initiate the splice for this the rolls 27 at splicing station 18 are brought together to press the tape t at the leading edge of the ready web w from roll 26 against the now stationary web w the two webs now being spliced together the control unit 52 actuates the knife 29 behind web w which cuts that web immediately behind.