Winding – tensioning – or guiding – Convolute winding of material – With spool loading or coil removal
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-28
2001-03-13
Jillions, John M. (Department: 3653)
Winding, tensioning, or guiding
Convolute winding of material
With spool loading or coil removal
C242S542200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06199789
ABSTRACT:
DESCRIPTION
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a winding or rewinding machine for the production of reels of wound weblike material, such as reels of paper, nonwoven or the like, and a corresponding winding method.
More specifically, the present invention relates to a machine of the kind that comprises a pair of lower supporting rolls on which is formed the roll or reel of weblike material or a plurality of axially aligned reels, and means for inserting winding cores into a cradle defined by said two rolls.
2. State of the Art
Reels of weblike material of relatively large diameter are currently produced on winding or rewinding machines comprising a pair of motorized lower rolls, also known as traction rolls, on which is laid a tubular member or winding core on which the reel of material is formed. Above the two motorized lower rolls there is usually a movable third or pressure winding roll which follows the growth of the reel during winding and allows the pressure on it to be adjusted in order to achieve uniform winding.
Machines of this kind are usually equipped with blades that cut the incoming weblike material to divide it into longitudinal strips which are then wound onto a plurality of separate, axially aligned winding cores in order to simultaneously produce a plurality of reels. This text will refer in a general way to the winding of a reel but it is intended that this term should be understood as meaning either a single reel or a plurality of axially aligned reels formed simultaneously by the winding of strips of weblike material.
Machines of this kind are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,422,588, U.S. Pat. No. 157,794, U.S. Pat. No. 3,727,854, U.S. Pat. No. 4,456,190, U.S. Pat. No. 4,338,147, U.S. Pat. No. 3,057,572, U.S. Pat. No. 4,811,915, U.S. Pat. No. 4,817,883, U.S. Pat. No. 3,841,578, GB-A-2,087,362 and GBA-2,050,317.
In known rewinding machines of this type, the lower rolls have fixed axes and the reel of weblike material that is being wound grows with a gradual movement of the reel axis away from the winding cradle defined by the two lower winding rolls, also known as supporting rolls. U.S. Pat. No. 3,841,578 also provides for a movement of the axes of the lower winding rolls, but this is only in order to allow insertion of the winding core which is inserted from below after a certain quantity of weblike material has been wound onto it.
In many cases, owing to the great weight of material which is wound onto the reel, a mandrel is inserted inside the tubular winding core to stiffen the reel axially during the winding process.
When a winding mandrel is used inside the tubular core, its vertical movement during the winding process places limits on its use and on the functions which it can perform during the winding.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In order to improve the functioning of rewinding machines of the type discussed above and make them more efficient and more reliable, according to the present invention the lower winding rolls are movable from an upper position toward a lower position during the winding of a reel, in order to keep the axis of the developing reel in an essentially fixed position. This makes it possible to use a winding mandrel which is inserted axially into the winding zone above the two lower winding rolls. The mandrel remains in a fixed axial position and is therefore easy to motorize. This facilitates winding in the case of very large reels. Furthermore, because there is only one mandrel and it is not recycled around the machine, as happens in some currently used rewinders, the size and weight of the mandrel can actually be made considerable in order to increase its strength. A support at both ends of the mandrel, on the two side frames of the machine, can if required be used to increase the strength of the mandrel and hence the reliability of operation of the machine even at high winding speeds.
The winding mandrel is preferably expandable, in a manner known per se.
The movement of insertion and withdrawal of the mandrel into and out of the winding zone may take place in various ways. In one particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, use may be made of a pair of motorized shaped rolls that engage with friction on the external surface of said winding mandrel in order to move it axially. The shaped rolls may advantageously be adjustable to enable them to act on winding mandrels of different diameters.
In one particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the lower winding rolls are supported by pivoting arms. This makes the roll movement system very simple. Moreover, by gradually pivoting the winding rolls downward, the winding rolls are also caused to move away from each other. This increases the support base of the developing reel because the lines of support of the reel on the winding rolls are moving further and further apart. This increases the reliability of operation of the machine.
Theoretically the machine could perform winding directly on the axial mandrel, which is then extracted from the finished reel so that the finished reel has no winding core. However, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the winding takes place on tubular cores into which the winding mandrel is inserted in an axial direction, in which case the machine also comprises a means for introducing tubular winding cores. This introducing means may be variously configured and arranged in accordance with one of the known solutions of the prior art. For example, if there is sufficient space, the cores can be inserted axially directly into the winding cradle between the lower winding rolls, typically from the opposite side of the machine to that on which the winding mandrel is supported. In a preferred embodiment, however, the introducing means is situated underneath the lower winding rolls, in a central position relative to the axes of said lower winding rolls. The result is to reduce the space occupied by the machine. It also avoids the use of complicated mechanisms for inserting the cores from above, which have to rotate about one of the winding rolls, as used in certain conventional machines. The winding cores of a reel can be inserted into the introducing means while the previous reel is being wound.
The machine preferably also has a third or upper winding roll, often known as a rider, acting in combination with the two lower winding rolls.
Other features of the machine according to the invention and of the method employed with said machine are indicated in the attached claims.
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A. Celli S.p.A.
Jillions John M.
McGlew and Tuttle , P.C.
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