Winding – tensioning – or guiding – Convolute winding of material – Simultaneous winding
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-26
2001-07-17
Jillions, John M. (Department: 3653)
Winding, tensioning, or guiding
Convolute winding of material
Simultaneous winding
C242S533300, C242S533700, C242S534200, C242S547000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06260787
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to material handling, and in particular, to equipment and methods for facilitating removal of finished rolls after rewinding.
2. Description of Related Art
Sheet material made of paper, plastic or other materials is manufactured in a web that is wound into a relatively large roll. In many instances, this roll is too large for use in other manufacturing processes. For that reason, the web is often unwound and rewound into smaller rolls. In some cases, the web is slit into a plurality of webs that are then simultaneously wound into a number of axially shorter rolls.
A difficulty with such rewinding is the labor involved with removing finished, rewound rolls. These rolls may be relatively heavy and require special handling equipment. Also, the finished rolls may be distributed on a number of separate mandrels and special techniques are needed to remove these rolls in an orderly fashion.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,611,769 a slitter feeds strips to one of the shafts on a turnstile. After a group of rolls is wound, the turnstile moves the shaft to an unloading position where the shaft is retracted to allow the rolls to fall onto an unloading plate. The retracted shaft is later moved with the turnstile to a loading position and redeployed to penetrate the centers of a fresh batch of empty cores. This arrangement is only satisfactory for relatively lightweight rolls that can be swung by a turnstile and later allowed to fall as a winding shaft retracts.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,845,915 shows a cantilevered shaft that is axially movable for either positioning or ejecting a roll. An ejected roll can fall “onto a hoisting device which then transports the roll out of the machine.” Column 3, lines 33-34. This reference has little disclosure on the unloading of the rolls.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,217,177 strips are wound on spindles that are mounted on a revolver. A loaded spindle can be taken off the revolver by a turret to a station where a comb can pull the rolls off the spindle while new cores are loaded from the opposite end. The spindle does not axially retract.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,620,151 a slitter feeds a rewinder. When a complete roll is wound, a lifter rises to support the roll. After contact with the roll is detected, chucks disengage the roll, which is then lowered to a carriage that carries the roll from the machine. This reference does not disclose techniques for axially shifting the rolls.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,346,852 a table moves between a core loading station and a station for winding and discharging rolls. When a roll is wound, holding devices are released and the rolls are lowered by receivers. Again, this reference does not disclose techniques for axially shifting the rolls.
For devices that lower a roll on swing arms, see U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,508,283; 4,749,140; 5,356,087; and 5,445,341. For a device that lowers a roll on hoisting hooks, see U.S. Pat. No. 5,121,885.
See also U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,458,853; and 5,782,425.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the illustrative embodiments demonstrating features and advantages of the present invention, there is provided a rewinder for rewinding a web into one or more rolls on separate cores. The rewinder includes at least one rewinding mandrel having a distal end. The rewinder also has a supply means for supplying the web to the rewinding mandrel, as well as a drive means. The drive means can (a) rotate the rewinding mandrel in order to wind at least a portion of the web onto the rewinding mandrel, and (b) axially retract the mandrel to unload the portion of the web wound on the mandrel. Also included is a holder for holding the one or more rolls. The rewinder also has a lift means for (a) raising the holder to support the portion of the web wound on the mandrel, and (b) lowering the holder.
According to another aspect of the invention, a method is provided employing a holder and at least one rewinding mandrel for rewinding a web into one or more rolls on separate cores. The method includes the step of rotating the rewinding mandrel in order to wind at least a portion of the web onto the rewinding mandrel. Another step in the method is raising the holder to support the portion of the web wound on the mandrel. The method also includes the step of axially retracting the mandrel to unload the portion of the web wound on the mandrel, and lowering the holder.
By employing apparatus and techniques of the foregoing type, an improved unloading technique is achieved. In a preferred embodiment, a web is pulled from a large roll, in some cases being divided into several strips by a web slitter. This preferred embodiment has a pair of mandrels, although a different number of mandrels may be employed instead. These mandrels may grip the cores on which the web is rewound firmly without slipping, or loosely with slipping permitted. The cores can be gripped preferably with a tab that is deployed by an inflatable bladder inside the mandrel. When slipping is permitted, the cores may be kept in a desired axial position by a number of locating tabs that are deployed by another inflatable bladder inside the mandrel. The web, if slit, may be wound into a plurality of separate rolls on the mandrels. Each roll will preferably be rewound with the incoming web passing over a touch roll that touches the growing roll in order to avoid air entrapment and to stabilize the rewinding process. A retractable center support can be articulated into a central position on the mandrel to prevent sagging for embodiments with relatively long mandrels.
When a roll has been rewound on a mandrel, the preferred control system will automatically stop rotation of the mandrels and allow the operator to cut the web. The resulting loose tail of the incoming web can be caught on a preferred tail support bar that rises into position to catch this loose tail and prevent it from becoming entangled with the rolls or roll holder during an unloading sequence.
The mandrels may be rotatably mounted on a journal that rides on axially extending tracks. The journal can be moved axially by a driving belt that connects to the journal. In one embodiment, the mandrel is rotated in the journal by a series of pulleys that are driven by an engagement wheel with a number of apertures. Spring-loaded pins on a motor-driven drive wheel can engage these apertures when the journal moves into a working position.
In a preferred embodiment, an urging means can axially shift finished rolls that are rewound onto cores on the mandrels. For the lower mandrel a pressure plate is mounted on a pressing bar that axially extends to shift the finished rolls to the distal end of the mandrel. For the upper mandrel a similar pressure plate and pressing bar can be deployed but by a lesser amount. In this latter case, the mandrel can be retracted to retract the finished rolls and stack them against the upper pressure plate. An excessively high bending moment could be applied to the upper mandrel if it were retracted unsupported, with a full load of finished rolls. For this reason, a hook-like grappling means is connected to the distal end of the upper mandrel to follow and support this distal end during retraction.
A preferred holder, in the form of a platform, is supported by end rollers that act as followers that ride between vertical guides. This platform is designed to rise and support finished rolls that are rewound onto cores on the mandrels. Preferably, load sensors on the platform can detect when the platform has reached and is supporting the finished rolls.
As an example, the platform can rise to support rolls on the lower mandrel, which can then fully retract as its journal is pulled back by the above mentioned drive belt. If the above mentioned pressure plate was just operated, all of these finished rolls will be positioned for delivery to one end of the platform. Under these circumstances, the platform can then rise to the upper mandrel. Assuming the upper mandrel has retracted to bring the finished rolls against the deployed pressure plate, these
Michel John
Wilkes John
Yermal Michael
Adams Thomas L.
Jillions John M.
John Dusenbery Co., Inc.
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