Butt joint device for sheet-form members, and method of using same

In the present invention, an apparatus for butt joining sheet members has: a supporting plate (2); a movable arm (3) being capable of moving toward or away from the supporting plate (2); and a pair of opposed joint units (4a, 4b) arranged at the supporting plate (2) and the movable arm (3), respectively, each of the joint units (4a, 4b) being provided with two gear wheels (11a, 12a) and two drawing rolls (21a, 21b) aligned in a direction in which the movable arm (3) extends, the gear wheel having a circular truncated cone shape and a groove (12) extending in a circumferential direction on the outer circumferential surface of the gear wheel, the two gear wheels rotating synchronously, the drawing roll having a cylindrical shape and a similar groove (22) on the outer circumferential surface of the drawing roll, the two drawing rolls rotating synchronously, the supporting plate (2) and the movable arm (3) being moved toward one side in a longitudinal direction of the movable arm (3) with respective edges of the two sheet members to be joined being sandwiched between the pair of joint units (4a, 4b) to bring the edges closer together and butt join edge faces of the sheet members, wherein the drawing rolls (21a, 21b) are arranged ahead in an advancing direction, and the gear wheels (11a, 21 a) are arranged behind in the advancing direction.