MX9709402A - Turret winder mandrel support apparatus. - Google Patents

Abstract

A web winding apparatus (90) and a method of operating the apparatus are disclosed. The apparatus can include a turret assembly (200), a core loading apparatus (1000), and a core stripping apparatus (2000). The turret assembly (200) supports rotatably driven mandrels (300) for engaging hollow cores (302) upon which a paper web (50) is wound. Each mandrel (300) is driven in a closed mandrel path (320), which can be non-circular. The core loading apparatus (1000) conveys cores (302) onto the mandrels (300) during movement of the mandrels (300) along the core loading segment (322) of the closed mandrel path (320), and the core stripping apparatus (2000) removes each web wound core (302, 51) from its respective mandrel (300) during movement of the mandrel (200) along the core stripping segment (326) of the closed mandrel path (320). The turret assembly (200) can be rotated continuously, and the sheet count per wound log (51) can be changed as the turret assembly (200) is rotating. The apparatus (90) can also include a mandrel (300) having a deformable core engaging member (3100). A mandrel cupping assembly (400) releasably supports the second ends (312) of the mandrels (300) along a portion of the closed mandrel path (320). Along a portion of the closed mandrel path (320) intermediate the core stripping segment (326) and the web winding segment (324) the second ends (312) of the mandrels (300) are unsupported. At least one mandrel support (610, 710) supports the individual mandrel (300) intermediate the first end (310) and the second unsupported end (312) during movement of the mandrel (300) intermediate the core stripping segment (326) and the web winding segment (324) of the closed mandrel path (320). The mandrel support (610, 710) comprises a rotating mandrel support surface (620, 720), which has a variable radius, and which can be helical.