US2703681A - Paper machinery - Google Patents

Description

March 8, 1955 R. J. JACOBS PAPER MACHINERY 2 Sheets-Shee 1 Filed April 20. 1951 IN VEN TOR.

QBEW J. Mews 3 m w. 0 T T A March 8, 1955 R. J. JACOBS #03 81 PAPER MACHINERY Filed April 20. 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

BY ROBERT J. Mews r f I ll L 3% 518 6:0 :6, w hw ATTORNEYS United States Patent PAPER MACHINERY Robert J. Jacobs, Fulton, N. Y., assignor to The Black- Cfirwson Company, Hamilton, Ohio, a corporation of 0 io Application April 20, 1951, Serial No. 221,981

8 Claims. (Cl. 242-58) This invention relates to apparatus and a method for continuously unwinding rolls of paper and other web materials, and the invention has special application to apparatus and a method for handling and supporting relatively small rolls of such web materials for a continuous unwinding operation in which successive rolls are unwound into a continuous web by splicing the leading end of successive full rolls to a trailing portion of the web from the next preceding roll.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide an unwind stand or roll changer for unwinding successive rolls of web material which is of simple but rugged construction adapted for economical production,

which is operable to move each successive roll into unwinding position in timed relation with the unwinding'of the next preceding roll for continuous unwinding, and which incorporates a driving drum arranged to operate both as the driving element for bringing each successive full roll up to unwinding speed and continuing rotation thereof and also as the support for the web from each successive expiring roll as the next full roll is spliced thereto.

The invention accordingly provides an unwind stand or roll changer in which a driving drum is mounted within a reel for supporting the successive rolls for unwinding. This reel includes a plurality of angularly spaced yoke arms for receiving the ends of the core shaft projecting from the rolls to support the rolls for movement around the drum. These arms are arranged in such spaced relation that when one set of arms is in generally upright unwinding position to support the roll therein for unwinding on the upper portion of the drum, the next successive set of arms is in generally horizontal position to receive a full roll in out-of-contact relation with the drum, and the arms are provided with means such as detents for maintaining the full roll away from the drum until it is desired to change rolls.

Roll changing is accomplished quickly and easily by rotating the reel in the direction opposite the rotational direction of the drum so that the arms supporting the full roll move to upright or unwinding position, thus causing the roll therein to be delivered by gravity onto the drum to be brought up to unwinding speed. Adhesive is then applied to the end of the full roll, and the weight of the roll on the drum effects the desired splice of the gummed end thereof to the web passing over the drum from the expiring roll. The rotation of the reel also causes the arms carrying the expiring roll to move to a downward or release position and thus cause the spent roll therein to drop away from the drum for ready severing of the web therefrom, and a knife is mounted in the frame for effecting this severing operation when the splice is completed. The rotational movement of the reel brings another set of arms into horizontal position behind the-fresh roll being unwound to receive a new full roll, and thus the unwinding proceeds continuously without manual labor other than is required for replacing the spent cores with full rolls and for applying adhesive to the full roll for the splice and periodically operating the drive to index the reel as described.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an unwind stand or roll changer of simple construction which is semi-automatic in operation and which therefore is particularly well adapted for economical handling of relatively small rolls of paper or other web materials for continuous unwinding.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an 2,703,681 Patented Mar. 8, 1955 improved and simple method of unwinding successive rolls of web material into a continuous web while maintaining substantially uniform controlled tension m the web.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevational view illustrating an unwind stand or roll changer in accordance with the invention, the view being approximately as indicated by the line 1-1 of Fig. 2;

21is an elevational view looking from right to left in 1g.

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are somewhat diagrammatic views illustrating successive stages in a continuous unwinding operation with the roll changer of Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view on a larger scale showing the outer end construction of one of the yoke arms on the reel portion of the roll changer; and

Fig. 7 is a detail view showing a full roll prepared for splicing on the roll changer of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, the unwind stand or roll changer includes a pair of end stands 10 and 11 which form the base frame of the device. The reel for supporting the rolls to be unwound comprises a central shaft 13 journaled in the end stands 10 and 11 and having a pair of end members 15 pinned or otherwise secured thereto for rotation therewith. Adjustment of the reel laterally may be effected by means of the adjusting screw 16 having a handle 17 which provides a push-pull adjustment of the reel through the nut 18 received within a slot 19 in one end of shaft 13 and provided with a guide dowel 20.

A power drive is provided for rotating the reel 1315 and includes a motor 22, shown as of the gear head type, mounted at a convenient location such as on the end stand 10. The motor 22 drives a sprocket 23 connected through chain 24 to a sprocket 25 on a stub shaft journaled in a bracket 26 on end frame 10 and carrying a pinion 27 meshing with a gear 28 on the shaft 13. It will be noted that the pinion 27 is of substantial axial dimensions for continued meshing engagement with gear 28 as the reel is adjusted laterally of the frame as described.

A driving drum 30 is mounted for free rotation on the reel shaft 13 between the reel members 15, and the drum is provided with a power drive separate from the drive for the reel. As shown, a sprocket 32 is secured to the drum and is connected through a chain 33 with a sprocket 34 on a jack shaft 35 journaled in the end stands 10 and 11. The jack shaft 35 in turn carries a pulley 36 connected through a belt 37 with a drive pulley 38 operated by any suitable drive, not shown.

Each of the reel end members 15 is formed with a plurality of yoke arms 40 for receiving the ends of thecore shaft 41 projecting from the several rolls 42 to be unwound. Each member 15 is shown as having three of these yoke arms 40, each of which includes an elongated slot 43 which is arranged with its lower end approximately coincident with the periphery of the drum 30 for receiving the core shaft 41, which may be grooved as shown at 44 in Fig. 7 to fit in guided engagement within slots 43. At its outer end, each yoke arm 40 is provided with a latch unit comprising a retainer member 45 pivoted to one end of the yoke arm and a clamp member 46 carrying a clamp screw 47 and pivoted on the other end of the arm to fit over the free end of the member 45 to clamp it in locked position closing the slot 43. As best seen in Fig. 6, the retainer member 45 includes a semi-cylindrical central portion which forms a bearing for the core shaft 41 in one position of the reel and is provided with a layer 48 of brake lining or other friction material.

A knife 50 for severing the web from successive expiring rolls is mounted in the frame by means of the longer arm portions 51 of a pair of bell cranks 52 mounted on a shaft 53 journaled in the end stands 10 and 11 and carrying a guide roll 55. The shorter arms 56 of the bell cranks 52 are connected by a rod 57 which is in turn connected at its center to the piston rod 58 of a uni pressure cylinder 60, such as an air cylinder, mounted 111 the frame by means such as a pivoted connection 61 to a channel 62 extending across the device between the end stands. The arrangement of these parts IS such that when pressure is applied to the cylinder 60. the bell cranks52 will be rocked in counterclockwise directron as viewed in Fig. l.

e operation of this device for continuous unwinding of success ve rolls 42 is illustrated somewhat diagrammahcally In Fig. 1 and Figs. 3 to 5. Fi 3 shows the posit on of the reel while the roll 42:: in the arms 40a is being unwound. As shown. the reel is so positioned that the arms 40a are generally u ri ht to hold the roll fl2a above and in driven contact with the drum 30. which is rotating in clockwise direction, and the web 65 from the roll 42a passes over the drum and downwardlv around the guide roll 55 and a further guide roll 66 to a pair of pull rolls 67 shown as driven by the belt 68 from the same drive source 38 as the drum. Preferably a variab e speed drive is provided at 38 to establish a controlled ditferential peri heral speed of the ull rolls 67 with respect to drum 30 as desired to maintain proper tens on in the web.

Fig. 3 also shows the reel so positioned that the arms 40b extend enerally horizontally, and a full roll 42!; is positioned therein in pre aration for unwinding. However, In this position of the reel and the arms 40!). the full roll 42b is held out of contact with the drum by euga ement of the core shaft 41b in notches 70 formed in the tr ling orti n of each yoke arm as best seen in Fi 6. This notch 70 serves as a detent to hold the full roll awav from the drum when the arms are apnroximatelv horizontal and until the arms reach such an angle to the vertical that the weight of the roll will cause t t move out of the notches. Tt will als be noted in Fi 3 that the arms 40:: in the release position are empty. the spent core shaft previous v therein having been removed.

Fig. 4 shows the posi ion of the reel at an intermediate sta e 1n changin rolls. As shown in Fi 7. the t il of the web on the f ll roll is insecurely fastened to the remainder of the roll by a plurality of small paster tabs 75. When it is desired to chan e rolls. the reel is moved from the posi i n shown in Fig. 3 to that shown in ig. causin the full roll to slip out of the notches 70 and move into driven en a ement with the drum, hich immed atelv starts it rotati g and brings it up to the proper Ul'lWl 'ldlllI! speed. At the s me time. the ex iring roll 42/! is caused to drop awav from the drum and down to the end of the arms 40/1. but since. the roll by this time is relativelv li ht in wei ht. it will continue to be unwound by the p ll on he web 65. In this positi n of he reel. the c re shaft 41a will rest in the curved bearin por ions of the retainer members 45 and will be held a ainst overrunnin bv the retarding action of the fricti n material 48. thus preventing possible accumulation of loose web material between the roll 42a and the drum and maintainin we 65 under sufiicient tension for ready severing bv knife 50.

When the full ro l has been brought up to speed and is readv for the splice. the operator indexes the reel to the position shown in Fig. 5 and then applies a strip of suitable pressure sensitive adhesive to the tail of the roll. which is readilv done manually by means of a brush or s ray gun as indicated diagrammatically at 77 in Fi 5. The weight of the roll pressing down on the drum as it revolves will then effect a firm splice of its gummed tail to the web 65 between the full roll and drum, with the result that the paster tabs 75 will break so that the fresh roll wi l continue to unwind. Alternatively the splicing operation can be etfected by applying to the full roll a strip of solvent-actuated pressure sensitive adhesive as indicated at 80 in Fig. 7, and then during splicing instead of applying the adhesive itself to the roll, the o erator may apply a solvent solution to reactivate the adhesive. which may readily be done by means of a spray gun, also as indicated at 77 in Fig. 5. The selection of the adhesive is in no way critical, and satisfactory results are obtained utilizing an ordinary water-soluble glue and with water as the sprayed solvent.

As soon as the operator observes that a proper splice has been made of the full roll to the web from the expiring roll, he operates the cylinder 60. as by means of a solenoid valve (not shown), to swing the knife as shown in Fig. 5 into cutting engagement with the web. Thereafter the spent core shaft is removed, in order to avoid interference with the web unwinding from roll 42b and with the knife when the reel again has to be moved for changing rolls. At the same time, with the reel in the position shown in Fig. 5, a full roll may be mounted in the arms 400, where it is retained out of contact with the drum by the detent notches as described in connection with Fig. 3 until the roll 42b has been sufi'iciently unwound to be replaced.

It will accordingly be seen that this roll changer operates simply and etfectively for continuous unwinding of successive rolls of paper or other web material with minimum requirements of personal attention by the operator. In particular, it should be noted that this roll changer provides simple and accurate control of the tension in the web at all times during both unwinding and splicing. Thus as noted, during unwinding with the reel in the position shown in Fig. 3 with a controlled variable speed between the drum and the pull rolls 67, there will be a constant tension unwinding action, and there will be no loss of tension control during roll changing and splicing with the splice elfected as described when the new roll has been brought up to the unwinding speed since the elfect of the pull rolls 67 will be maintained during the splicing. The device has further advantages in the simplicity of its construction as well as its compact form and comparative lightness in weight, all of which contribute to its particular suitability for use in handling small rolls and for installations where space is at a premium.

While the method and form of apparatus herein described constitute preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this precise method and form of apparatus, and that changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An unwind stand for use in continuously unwinding successive rolls of web material, comprising a base, a driving drum supported for rotation on said base, a reel mounted for rotation on said base in enclosing and substantially coaxial relation with said drum, said reel including a plurality of angularly spaced arms adapted to receive and support said rolls for movement thereon toward and away from said drum and for movement therewith around said drum, means for rotating said reel in the opposite direction from said drum to move said arms successively from a generally upright position to a downward position while causing said web unwinding therefrom to travel over the top of said drum, means on said arms for retaining a full roll thereon, means for effecting gravity delivery of said full roll into driven engagement with said drum through said unwinding web for splicing thereto in said upright position of said arms, means for eifecting gravity delivery of a substantially spent roll out of driven engagement with said drum upon movement of said arms to said downward position, while causing the web unwinding therefrom to continue to travel over the top of said drum and means on said arms for restraining said spent roll against free rotation in said downward position of said arms to maintain the portion of the web between said substantially spent roll and said drum under tension.

2. An unwind stand for use in continuously unwinding successive rolls of web material. comprising a base, a driving drum supported for rotation on said base, a reel mounted for rotation on said base in enclosing relation with said drum, said reel including a plurality of angularly spaced arms adapted to receive and support said rolls for movement thereon toward and away from said drum and for movement therewith around said drum, means for rotating said reel in the opposite direction from said drum to move said arms successively from a generally upright position to a downward position while causing said web unwinding therefrom to travel over the top of said drum, means on said arms for retaining a full roll thereon, means for effecting gravity delivery of said full roll into driven engagement with said drum through said unwinding web for splicing thereto in said upright position of said arms, means for effecting gravity delivery of a substantially spent roll out of driven engagement with said drum upon movement of said arms to said downward position, and means on said base for severing said web from said substantially spent roll in said downward position of said arms.

3. An unwind stand for use in continuously unwinding successive rolls of web material each having a core shaft projecting at the ends thereof, comprising a base, a reel mounted for rotation on said base to support a plurality of said rolls to be unwound, a driving drum mounted within said reel for rotation with respect thereto to effect unwinding rotation of successive said rolls in driven contact therewith, said reel including a plurality of yoke arms for receiving said core shafts to support said rolls, said arms being arranged in angularly spaced relation such that when one set thereof is upright to support a roll on said drum the next preceding set of arms will extend downwardly to cause the roll thereon to drop out of contact with said drum and the next following set of arms will extend generally horizontally to receive a full roll, a periodically operable drive for rotating said reel in the opposite direction from said drum to move the respective said arms successively to each said position for successively bringing said full roll into driven engagement With said drum while causing the substantially spent roll to drop to the lower ends of the downwardly extending arms, friction means at the outermost ends of said arms for engaging the core shaft of said substantially spent roll in said downwardly extending position of said arms to restrain said core against overrunning and to maintain tension in the portion of the web from said substantially spent roll between the core thereof and said drum, and means on said base for severing said web from said substantially spent roll in said downward position of said arms.

4. An unwind stand for use in continuously unwinding successive rolls of web material each having a core shaft projecting at the ends thereof, comprising a base, a reel mounted for rotation on said base to support a plurality of said rolls to be unwound, a driving drum mounted withinsaid reel for rotation in the opposite direction with respect thereto to effect unwinding rotation of successive said rolls in driven contact therewith, said reel including three sets of yoke arms arranged in angularly spaced relation to receive said core shafts for supporting said rolls, said yoke arms being equally spaced on said reel so that when one set thereof is in generally horizontal position the next preceding set will be in generally upright position to support a roll in driven engagement on said drum while the third said set will extend downwardly to cause the substantially spent roll therein to drop away from said drum, each said yoke arm having a detent therein positioned to retain a full roll out of contact with said drum in said horizontal position of said arms while providing for movement of said roll into engagement with said drum as said arms move to an upright position, releasable means at the outer ends of said arms for retaining a core shaft therein in said downward position of said arms, said retaining means having portions forming bearings for said core shafts in the downward position of said arms, said bearing portions of said retaining means including friction material for restraining said core shafts against free rotation to maintain tension in the portion of the web between each said spent roll and said drum, and means on said base for severing said tensioned portion of said web intermediate said spent roll and said drum in said downward position of said arms.

5. Apparatus for continuously unwinding successive rolls of Web material comprising a driving drum, means for supporting an unwinding roll for movement generally circumferentially around said drum, means for pulling the web unwinding from said roll over the upper surface of said drum, means for supporting a full roll adjacent said drum but out of contact therewith, means for moving said unwinding roll out of engagement with said drum while maintaining said web unwinding therefrom traveling over the upper surface of said drum under tension, means for moving said full roll onto the upper surface of said drum to accelerate said full roll to the peripheral speed of said drum while supporting said full roll with substantially the full weight thereof pressing against the web passing over said drum from said unwinding roll to splice the tail of said full roll to said web upon application of adhesive thereto, and means for severing said tensioned portion of said web following splicing thereto of said full roll.

6. The method of continuously unwinding successive rolls of web material to produce a continuing traveling web which includes the steps of supporting an unwinding roll above a driving drum and in driven contact therewith, pulling the web unwinding from said roll over the upper surface of said drum, moving said unwinding roll out of engagement with said drum and around said drum in the direction opposite the rotational direction of said drum while maintaining the portion of the web between said unwinding roll and said drum under tension, supporting a full roll adjacent said drum, moving said full roll onto the upper surface of said drum to accelerate said full roll to the peripheral speed of said drum, splicing the tail of said full roll to said unwinding web while maintaining said full roll with substantially the full weight thereof pressing against the web passing over said drum from said unwinding roll, and then severing said tensioned portion of said web.

7. A roll unwinding stand for producing a continuous traveling web which comprises a reel having a plurality of pairs of arms for receiving rolls of the material to be unwound, means including a frame mounting said reel for rotational movement to advance said pairs of arms progressively from a fresh roll receiving position to an unwinding position and then to an empty roll releasing position, a drum rotatably mounted on said frame substantially coaxial with said reel, means for driving said drum in the opposite direction from said rotational movement of said reel, means operable in said fresh roll receiving position of each successive said pair of arms for receiving and retaining a fresh roll, means operable during movement of a first pair of said arms from the unwinding position to the release position thereof and simultaneous movement of an adjacent said pair of arms to the unwinding position thereof for guiding the web unwinding from the roll in said first pair of arms between said drum and a fresh roll in said adjacent pair of arms, means operable in the unwinding position of said adjacent pair of arms for bringing the roll therein into driving contact with said drum through said unwinding web for splicing thereto, and means operable in the release position of said pairs of arms for releasing the successive empty rolls carried thereby.

8. A roll unwinding stand, for producing a continuous traveling web which comprises a reel having a plurality of pairs of arms for receiving rolls of the material to be unwound, a drum rotatably mounted substantially coaxially with said reel, means including a frame mounting said reel for rotatational movement to advance said pairs of arms progressively from a fresh roll receiving position on one side of said drum to an unwinding position above the axis of said drum and then to an empty roll releasing position below said drum axis, means for driving said drum in the opposite direction from said rotational movement of said reel, means operable in said fresh roll receiving position of each said pair of arms for receiving and retaining a fresh roll, means operable in the unwinding position of each said pair of arms for bringing the roll in that position into driving contact with said drum, pull rolls spaced from said drum for receiving and advancing said web, means for driving said pull rolls at a predetermined higher peripheral speed from said drum to maintain tension in said web, means for guiding said web from a roll in the release position of one said pair of arms over said drum to said pull rolls to provide for splicing thereto of said fresh roll in the unwinding position of another said pair of arms, and means operable in the release position of said pairs of arms for releasing the empty roll therein.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,085,907 Hoe Feb. 3, 1914 1,402,989 Wood Jan. 10, 1922 1,613,963 Scott Jan. 11, 1927 1,633,595 Liebeck June 28, 1927 1,699,928 Stone Jan. 22, 1929 1,722,508 Stone July 30, 1929 1,856,341 Kohler May 3, 1932 1,885,262 Horton Nov. 1, 1932 2,047,813 Wood July 14, 1936 2,117,676 Patitz May 17, 1938 2,182,760 Horton Dec. 5, 1939 2,334,160 Caffrey Nov. 16, 1943 2,486,006 Clem Oct. 25, 1949

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