GB2029804A

GB2029804A - Unwinding and Feeding Webs

Info

Publication number: GB2029804A
Application number: GB7927864A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: MARATHON KNITWEAR Ltd
Current assignee: MARATHON KNITWEAR Ltd
Priority date: 1978-09-05
Filing date: 1979-08-10
Publication date: 1980-03-26

Abstract

Apparatus for unwinding rolls 35 of fabric (11) without stretching includes a movable support surface (an endless belt) (12) for supporting the roll, the support surface being movable in a given direction and frictionally gripping the fabric, and restraining means (rollers) (30) co- operating with the roll (35) to maintain it in a fixed location during movement of the support surface. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Apparatus for Unwinding Web Materials The present invention relates to an apparatus for unwinding web materials wound into a roll, in particular it is directed to such an apparatus for unwinding rolls of fabric.

When a web of fabric is produced, say by knitting or weaving techniques the fabric is conveniently wound into a roll. The roll may be formed with or without a corn. For subsequent treatment of the fabric, e.g. inspection, finishing treatment such as steam relaxing, steam setting, dyeing etc., it is necessary to unwind the fabric.

Conventional apparatus for unwinding such rolls of fabric rotatably support the roll either on a rotatable shaft if the roll has a core or on a bed of rollers if the roll does not have a core and the fabric is pulled off the roll either manually or by nip rollers remote from the point at which the roll is supported. A major problem associated with such apparatus is that the fabric is stretched when it is pulled off the roll.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided an apparatus for unwinding a roll of web material, the apparatus including a movable support surface for supporting the roll, the movable support surface being movable in a given direction and having a surface capable of frictionally gripping the material of the roll, and restraining means cooperating with the roll to maintain the roll in a fixed location during movement of the support surface in said given direction.

Preferably the support surface is defined by a continuous conveyor. Advantageously, the restraining means can take the form of a plurality of side by side rollers extending across the conveyor and which are arranged to contact the periphery of the roll. The upper run of the conveyor on which the roll may be supported may be either horizontal or inclined to the horizontal. If the upper run is inclined to the horizontal, the restraining means are arranged to prevent the roll from running down the incline of the conveyor and the surface of the conveyor is arranged to move up the incline. The speed of movement of the conveyor and the degree of incline are chosen so that the roll is maintained in surface contact with the restraining means during unwinding.

Preferably, the rollers are arranged so that their axes are parallel and co-planar, the plane containing the axes being substantially perpendicular to the surface of the upper run of the conveyor and being perpendicular to the direction of movement of the conveyor.

If the upper run of the conveyor is horizontal, then the restraining means are arranged to prevent the roll from travelling in the same direction as that as the conveyor.

The restraining means may take the form of a plate having a surface which possesses a low coefficient of friction so as to produce as little as possible drag on the roll.

Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a first embodiment; Figure 2 is a perspective view of an apparatus made in accordance with the first embodiment; Figure 3 is a schematic illustration of a second embodiment; Figure 4 is a schematic illustration of a third embodiment; Figure 5 is a schematic illustration of a fourth embodiment; Figure 6 is a schematic illustration of a fifth embodiment.

In Figures 1 and 2 there is shown a first embodiment 10 which includes a continuous conveyor 11 having an upper run 12 which is inclined to the horizontal.

The conveyor 11 conveniently comprises a pair of rollers 14, 1 5 about which a continuous conveyor belt 1 3 of web material is trained. As shown more clearly in Figure 2, the upper roller 14 is adjustably mounted in a housing 1 6 by support bracket 1 8 (only one shown) which slidably contain a journal 20 for rotatably supporting each end of roller 14. The position of the journal 20 within the bracket is adjusted by means of a threaded bolt 24. Thus roller 14 may be moved away from roller 1 5 in order to render the conveyor belt taut.

A plurality of freely rotating rollers 30 are provided which define restraining means for preventing a roll from rolling down the incline of the conveyor. The rollers 30 are mounted so that their axes are parallel to one another and are preferably located in the same plane. As seen in Figure 2, the rollers 30 are rotatably carried between a pair of uprights 31.

In use a roll 35 of material is placed on the upper run of the conveyor with the leading edge of the material facing up the incline. The roll 35 bears against the restraining means by virtue of gravity so that its axis is substantially parallel to the axes of the rollers 30. Since the rollers 30 are located in a plane perpendicular to the surface of the conveyor, the roll 35 only contacts one or possibly two rollers at any one time.

On actuating the conveyor, the material of the roll is carried up the incline whilst the roll freely rotates against the rollers 30. The material is therefore removed from the roller without being stretched. The axes of the rollers 30 are preferably arranged to be perpendicular to the direction of movement of the conveyor so that the edges of material moving up the conveyor are substantially parallel to the direction of movement of the conveyor. The material on reaching the top of the conveyor falls onto a collecting container 38.

As seen in Figure 2, the roller 1 5 is driven by a motor 40 through transmission assembly 41. As an illustration of the speed involved, it has been found that for a conveyor having an upper run of about 2- feet that a linear speed of about 100 ft.

per minute has produced satisfactory results.

The construction of the conveyor befit is chosen so as to provide a surface which will frictionally grip the material to be unwound to a sufficient extent to carry the material up the incline.

In Figures 3 to 6 parts which are similar to those illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 have been designated the same number.

In Figure 3, a second embodiment is shown which incorporates a folding device 50 working in conjunction with the conveyor 11 to fold the material into a neat pile 51.

In Figure 4 a third embodiment is shown which incorporates a winding device 60 co-operating with the roller 14 to wind material leaving the conveyor 11 onto, say, a cardboard tube. Such a winding device may comprise a metal shaft supported in vertical guides and driven by frictional contact with the conveyor belt. This embodiment would be particularly useful for warpknit fabrics.

In the fourth embodiment a nip or free running roller 70 is provided to enable the material leaving the conveyor 11 to be fed directly to the intake of material processing machine e.g. a steam relaxing machine. The speed of the conveyor belt would be adjusted so as to match the speed of intake required by the processing machine.

A fifth embodiment is shown in Figure 6 in which conveyor 11 is arranged so that its upper run 12 is inclined, the conveyor being driven so that its upper run moves down the incline. Rollers 30 are provided to prevent the roll 35 from running down the incline. The fabric of the roll 35 is fed below the lowermost roller and is collected in a collecting container 38.

The present apparatus has been found to possess several important advantages, namely, 1. It unwinds rolls of material without tension i.e. without stretching the material.

2. It enables several separate rolls of material, located side by side, to be unwound simultaneously.

3. The material leaving the conveyor does so in a linear fashion thereby enabling the apparatus to directly feed material to other material processing machines.

4. As the material travels along the conveyor it enables an operative to visably inspect the material for faults.

5. Loading of the apparatus with a roll is straight-forward and simple.

6. Uneven rolls, e.g. rolls which are not circular in cross-section may be unwound.

Claims

1. Apparatus for unwinding a roll of web material, the apparatus including a movable support surface for supporting the roll, the movable support surface being movable in a given direction and having a surface capable of frictionally gripping the material of the roll, and restraining means co-operating with the roll to maintain the roll in a fixed location during movement of the support surface in said given direction.

2. An apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein the support surface is defined by a continuous conveyor.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 2 wherein the restraining means extend across the conveyor and are arranged, in use, to contact the periphery of the roll.

4. Apparatus according to Claim 3 in which the upper run of the conveyor is inclined and, the surface of the conveyor is arranged to move up the incline, the restraining means being arranged to prevent the roll, in use, from running down the incline of the conveyor, the speed of movement of the conveyor and the degree of incline being chosen so that, in use, the roll is maintained in surface contact with the restraining means during unwinding.

5. Apparatus according to Claim 3 wherein the upper run of the conveyor is inclined and the surface of the conveyor is arranged to move down the incline, the restraining means being arranged to prevent the roll, in use, from running down the incline of the conveyor.

6. Apparatus according to Claim 3 in which the upper run of the conveyor is horizontal, and the restraining means are arranged to prevent the roll from travelling in the same direction as that as the conveyor.

7. Apparatus according to any of Claims 3 to 6 wherein the restraining means comprise a plurality of side by side rollers extending across the conveyor.

8. Apparatus according to Claim 6 wherein the rollers are arranged so that their axes are parallel and co-planar, the plane containing the axes being substantially perpendicular to the surface of the upper run of the conveyor and being perpendicular to the direction of movement of the conveyor

9. Apparatus accoarding to any of Claims 3 to 6 wherein the restraining means comprises a plate having a surface possessing a low coefficient of friction.

10. Apparatus for unwinding a roll of web material substantially as described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.