US3049311A

US3049311A - Apparatus for web winding

Info

Publication number: US3049311A
Application number: US847942A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jr Clifford W Birch
Original assignee: Birch Brothers Inc
Current assignee: Birch Brothers Inc
Priority date: 1959-10-22
Filing date: 1959-10-22
Publication date: 1962-08-14
Anticipated expiration: 1979-08-14

Description

Aug. 14, 1962 c. w. BIRCH, JR 3,049,311

APPARATUS FOR WEB WINDING Filed Oct. 22, 1959 e Sheet-Sheet 1 /o :f'**i Iweiai'or Czaffoad W zwciz Jq 6y 7% EM Aug. 14, 1962 -c. w. BIRCH, JR

"APPARATUS FOR WEB WINDING 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 22, 1959 CiaJffor-d Aug. 14, 1962 c. w. BIRCH, JR 3,049,311

APPARATUS FOR WEB WINDING Filed Oct. 22. 1959 s Sheets-Sheet 3 Aug. 14, 1962 c. w. BIRCH, JR

APPARATUS FOR WEB WINDING 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 22. 1959 Aug. 14, 1962 c. w. BIRCH, JR 3,049,311

APPARATUS FOR WEB WINDING Filed Oct. 22. 1959 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Aug. 14, 1962 c. w. BIRCH, JR

APPARATUS FOR WEB WINDING 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Oct. 22. 1959 J l a J w 4 a w A V W. F Wm I.

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United States Patent ()1 3,049,311 APPARATUS FOR WEB WINDING Clifford W. Birch, Jr., Lexington, Mass., assignor to Birch Brothers, Inc., Middlesex County, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Oct. 22, 1959, Ser. No. 847,942 Claims. (Cl. 242-56) This invention relates in general to web winding and to methods and apparatus of the class in which a continuous web of cloth, or other material, is furnished from a source of supply and is wound about a shell to obtain a roll of a predetermined diameter.

In the type of winding machine with which the present invention is particularly concerned, winding starts on a rear driving roll and is completed on a forward driving roll. In the first stage, with the machine at rest, a cylindrical shell is mounted in a jaw mechanism in a raised position with respect to the rear driving roll. An end of cloth is led into the machine and hand wrapped around the shell. The jaw mechanism is closed and the shell lowered into contact with the rear driving roll. Winding is then initiated and continues on this rear driving roll until a partly wound roll of cloth is obtained, with the jaw mechanism becoming raised as the diameter of the roll increases. At a given point the jaw mechanism is opened to release the shell and cloth roll. The partly wound roll is immediately transferred onto a forward driving roll, Where a second stage of winding is continued until the required diameter is obtained. While the second stage of winding is thus taking place a new shell is inserted in the opened ja-w mechanism. When the second stage of winding is completed, the jaws are closed and the new shell is lowered into contact with the rear driving roll. Means are then employed to cut the web and mechanically lap the cut end of material around the new shell. The completed roll, now separated from the web, is doffed and the cycle is repeated.

Various difficulties arise in carrying out satisfactorily the several operations referred to and machines of many d-iiferent types have been devised from time to time in attempts to overcome these difficulties. All of these machines, so far as I am aware, are subject to certain limitations, or are incapable of performing specific operations as efiiciently as may be required. For example, there exists a problem in winding with a correct degree of pressure as the roll diameter increases. There also continues to be present difliculties in cutting the web; in starting the cut end of the web around a new shell; and in doffing a wound roll. In addition to handling of the wound roll, trouble often is experienced in placing a new shell in the winding machine in properly timed relationship to the cutting and dofiing operation.

Having in mind the various problems indicated, I have conceived of a method and apparatus for winding with a substantially constant downward pressure being exerted and maintained on the roll as it is wound so that a desirable uniformity may be realized. This improved method is based on the novel concept of mounting two opposite journals of a roll shell in pairs of fluid pressure controlled supporting jaws which exert a downward pressure while becoming displaced vertically upwardly as the roll diameter increases.

In conjunction with this step of exerting yieldable fluid pressure on the shell journal-s and the roll, I find I may also control the operation of jaws so that the cutting knife may only be operated when the upper jaws are locked in a lowered or down position, thus imparting safety and efficiency tothe step of severing the web and starting a new roll.

Still another important feature of the invention comprises a method and apparatus for improved dofiing of .a completed roll. In the dofiing step of the invention a novel rotary latch mechanism is employed as hereinafter described in detail.

Finally, I have devised a simplified and more positive step for engaging a cut end of a web around a newly installed shell in a manner such that the cut end is held in contact with the shell periphery throughout a sufficient area to prevent slipping and accidental disengagement of the cut end at any time. I accomplish this by a method of more completely holding the cut end in contact with the shell periphery for a short interval, making use of a special roller finger design which is specially formed for this purpose.

' The nature of the invention and its other objects and novel features will be more fully understood and appreciated from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational View of a preferred form of web winding machine suitable for carrying out the method of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the machine shown in FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken at a point designed to reveal the gate supported knife and actuating cylinder mechanism;

FIG. 4 is a detail elevational view of the gate operated knife and actuating cylinder shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a cross-section taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic view showing parts of the winding machine and particularly illustrating a wound roll of cloth or other material in a position of readiness to be transferred from a rear drum to a front drum;

FIG. 7 is another diagrammatic view similar to FIG. 6, but showing the wound roll of cloth having been transferred to a forward drum in accordance with the method of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic view corresponding to FIGS. 6 and 7, but further illustrating the wound roll further advanced over the front drum with the gate actuated knife having been raised into a cutting position and a new shell having been installed;

FIG. 9 is another diagrammatic view corresponding to FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 and further illustrating the method of dofling of the invention in which a rotary latch mechanism has been actuated to release a wound roll and simultaneously a cut end of the Web has been raised around a newly installed shell utilizing the special roller finger mechanism of the invention;

FIG. 10 is a detail elevational view of the jaw mecha nism of the invention;

FIG. 11 is a cross sectional view taken approximately on the line 11-11 of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a detail iew of the sectional cutter blade of the invention;

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary sectional view of a roll shell employed in the invention;

FIG. 14 is a diagrammatic View illustrating a fluid actuated system for controlling movement of some of the parts shown in FIGS. 1 to 9 inclusive; and 1 FIG. 15 is an electrical wiring diagram illustrating the electrical controlled circuit and the fluid actuated system of FIG. 14.

Considering in greater detail the apparatus which I have devised for carrying out the method of winding of the invention, I provide a main frame having a pair of spaced

vertical frame sides

2 and 4 secured by transverse hollow frame braces as 3. In accordance with the invention, I further provide in this frame a novel winding shell arrangement by means of which a roll of cloth may be supported and wound about a shell while contlnuously exerting a downward pressure through the shell as the diameter of the roll increases.

The basic components of this novel shell arrangement includes a shell element whose opposite extremities are releasably supported in two sets of vertically adjustable roller jaws; a rear driving roll arranged to come into rolling contact with the shell and wind a web of material therearound; and a pair of fluid cylinders which are operatively connected to the two sets of roller jaws in such a manner that the jaws may be opened and closed at desired points and yet may exert a downward pressure wh le becoming displaced upwardly as the roll diameter increases.

In FIG. 1, I have indicated in dotted lines a shell element inserted in the frame in one position of adjustment. As noted in FIG. 1, the shell 5 is releasably supported between the

frame sides

2 and 4 in two sets of vertically adjustable roller jaws. The shell 5 preferably consists of a shell supporting shaft of square cross section over which is mounted a wood or fibre cylinder. The extremities of the shaft are rounded to form journals 7 and these journals are rotatably received in the roller jaws as suggested in FIG. 1.

The roller jaws are also shown in more detail in FIGS. 7, 10 and 11. As will be apparent, the jaws occur in two sets, each of which includes

upper roller elements

9 and 11 and lower roller elements 9a and 11a. Both upper and lower rollers are spaced apart a distance slightly less than the diameter of the shell spindles to provide a rolling engagement.

In FIG. 3 there is illustrated a shaft 6, supported immediately below the shell 5 in the frame sides, to which is fixed rear driving roll 8 which is adapted to come into rolling contact with the shell 5 in a lowered position of the shell such as is illustrated in FIG. 1. In this lowered position of the shell the driving roll 8 is adapted to guide a web of material M and wind it around the shell in the well known manner.

An important feature of the invention is the manner in which the shell 5 is positioned in relation to the driving roll 8 during the several stages of the winding operation. Change in position of the shell is accomplished by the

fluid cylinders

24 and 26 which cooperate with the two sets of jaws to actuate the shell journals in a predetermined sequence of steps. The fluid cylinders are best shown in FIG. 1, and as noted therein are mounted externally of the frame sides 2 and 4 in a raised position with vertically reciprocating plunger extremities 24a and 26a occuring at the upper ends of the respective cylinders.

The plunger extremities 24a and 26a are connected through slots in the frame sides 2 and 4 to vertically reciprocating bars preferably constructed in the form or rack elements. These rack elements are slidably received in channel means in the frame sides 2 and 4 as suggested in FIG. 3. One of the rack elements is denoted by numeral 15 in frame 4 as shown in FIG. 3 and channel means for this rack element is indicated at 17.

It will be understood that a similar rack and channel assembly is provided at the opposite frame side 2. Each of these rack elements 15 has fixed thereto roller jaw supports as 9 in which are rotatably mounted upper roller jaws as 9 and 11 (FIG. 10). When the

cylinders

24 and 26 are actuated, these upper roller jaw supports, together with

jaws

9 and 11 are caused to move up and down into different positions of adjustment.

Immediately below the upper roller jaw supports 9 are slidably supported lower roller jaw supports as 10' in which are rotatably mounted the lower roller jaws 9a and 11a as shown in FIG. 10. At the lower extremities of the roller supports 10 are provided stop members as 9d. Anchored to the stop means 9d are coiled springs as 30 which extend upwardly and are fastened at their upper ends to respective projecting parts as 36 extending outwardly from the members 15.

By means of this arrangement the lower jaw supports 10 are resiliently held in contact with respective upper jaw supports 9 to locate the two sets of jaws in suitably spaced relationship to receive and hold the spindles of the shell 5 in a position such as that shown in FIG. 1. In this position the stops 9d are not engaged. However, by means of the arrangement described it will be observed that the jaws may be raised as a pair of units until such time as the stops engage against the frame sides. Thereafter the lower jaws will remain in a fixed position while the upper jaws continue to rise to a desired point. This may occur either as a result of an increase in the diameter roll, or due to the action of the cylinders.

In positioning the shell and jaw assemblies by means of the fluid cylinders as described, I find that a definite sequence of operations may be carried out very advantageously. This sequence includes locating the jaws in an open position; closing the jaws and lowering the shell into a winding position; yieldably supporting the shell against the driving roll as the roll diameter increases; relocating the lower jaws at one point in a loading position; and disengaging the upper jaws when the roll is partly wound. The last described position of the jaws not only releases the shell of a partly wound roll, but also relocates the jaws in the open position in which a shell may be inserted.

In the open or released position of the jaws, with the machine at rest, a shell member is readily inserted by a machine operator and the operation of hand wrapping a cut end of cloth around the shell is facilitated as well as subsequent mechanical wrapping of cut ends as hereinafter described in detail. In this raised position of the shell the stops 9d are engaged against the frame and the lower jaws can move no higher; also the upper jaws are raised to separate them from the lower jaws and define a space through which the shell spindles are free to move. It is pointed out that the jaws will normally be located in a separated position with the shell occurring above the driving roll when the machine has been at rest and a winding operation is being started for the first time.

It will be seen that the basic winding shell arrangement now described constitutes an improved and efiicient means for carrying out a winding operation since a substantially uniform pressure may be exerted by means off the fluid cylinders as winding progresses and the roll diameter increases. In addition, the sequence of operations is especially advantageous in relation to two other steps which are required in a continuous web winding cycle, including (a) transferring a partly wound roll to a forward driving roll and cutting the web when a fully wound roll is obtained, and (b) mechanically engaging a cut end of cloth about a newly inserted shell above the rear driving roll.

In this connection I further provide in combination with the rear driving roll 8, a forward driving roll 10, which is supported in the machine frame in spaced relation to roll 8 to define a gate aperture 13. Both the driving rolls 8 and 10 may be power driven in some convenient manner by any suitable source of power such as the prime mover P indicated fragmentarily at the left hand side of FIG. 1. In the gate aperture 13 is adjustably mounted a gate structure 14 hearing a cutting member 18. The gate is normally supported in a position to lie below the driving rolls as suggested in FIG. 6 and is adapted to be raised upwardly to cut a web of cloth when a fully wound roll has been completed on the forward driving roll 10. As shown in FIG. 3 opposite extremities of the gate 14 are guided in some suitable manner as by channel means 16 in the frame sides 2 and 4.

In accordance with the invention, I control movement of the gate 14 through a gate actuating fluid cylinder 20 which is in the fluid pressure actuating system for controlling the

fluid cylinders

24 and 26 earlier described. This common fluid pressure actuating system is illustrated diagrammatically in FIG. 14. The cylinder is located in the base of the machine frame as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 and at its upper end is secured centrally of the gate structure 14. Operation of the cylinder 20 to raise the gate 14 is controlled through a switch 39, indicated in an electrical wiring diagram shown in FIG. 15. By means of this arrangement the transfer of a partly wound roll onto the forward driving roll may be carried out after the

cylinders

24 and 26 have raised the upper roller jaws into a fully extended position. This provides for further winding to take place until a fully completed roll is accomplished, and then the cylinder 20 may be actuated through the switch 39 to cut the web at precisely the desired time.

An important feature in connection with the use of the gate raising cylinder 20 consists in a special electrical interlocking circuit which prevents the gate from being raised until a new shell is inserted and lowered into a starting position on the rear driving roll. This circuit is illustrated in FIG. 15. Controls for the circuit of FIG. 15 are mounted on one of the frame sides as suggested in FIG. 2 and include a warning signal 31, a signal shutoff switch 33, a pilot light 35, a jaw lowering push button 37, and a gate raising switch 3 9. These

switches

37 and 39 operate through a jaw solenoid 37a and a gate solenoid 39a. It Will be apparent that this interlocking switch arrangement provides for safety and efficiency in locating a new shell in the machine after a partly wound roll has been transferred onto the forward driving roll.

In addition to the manually operated switches described, I also provide a switch 38 Wihch is supported on the machine frame in a position such that it is actuated by movement of the projecting part 36 at one point. This point occurs when a roll has become partly wound to some desired diameter and is required to be transferred to the forward driving roll 10. The switch 38 controls the operation of the

cylinders

24 and 26 in a manner such that when the switch closes a circuit as shown in FIG. 15, the

cylinders

24 and 26 are caused to push upwardly on the respective racks, thereby raising the upper jaws in a manner already described. In thus raising the racks on opposite sides or" the machine, I may provide gear means 19 fixed on a shaft 21. These gears, when engaged by the racks, impart rotative movement to the shaft 21 thereby to synchronize upward travel of the two racks and lock them together.

A desirable and novel feature of the fluid cylinder system and electrical controls noted is provision of a novel reservoir which not only holds actuating fluid, in close proximity to

cylinders

20, 24 and '26, but also provides a reservoir of pressure. The reservoir of actuating fluid is contained in a tubular conduit comprised, for example, by the hollow cross-brace 3. By utilizing this reservoir of fluid and by causing it to be held at a relatively high pressure, by means of suitable check valves, it becomes possible to operate the machine for a considerable period without interruption.

It will be apparent that in the event of a drop in line pressure due, for example, to a failure at the pressure source, completion of an operating cycle may nevertheless be carried out. In fact, the volume of fluid contained in the hollow brace may be several times that necessary for a complete winding cycle. Consequently, if there is a failure at the source, it is possible to go on and complete several additional rolls entirely by means of the reservoir of pressure noted.

The gate 14 and cutting knife 18 are both specially designed to overcome objectionable features of prior art machines. In the case of the knife 18, I have formed this member of a number of cutting sections which are rigidly secured together, but any one of which may be detached for sharpening or replacment by a new section. This is a highly desirable feature enabling an operator '6 to avoid loss of time in repairing a faulty knife Without the entire machine having to be taken apart. Frequent sharpening of the blade sections results in more positive cutting and no interruption of the machine operation.

I also construct the gate itself in an improved manner to impart greater strength and resistance to flexing or bending. The body of the gate is formed as shown in FIG. 5 to constitute an elongated box section open on one side to receive the fingers, and arranged so that two spaced apart side portions are presented to resist downward cutting pressure. I find this arrangement resists any tendency for bending or flexing to occur and undesirable distortion is avoided regardless of the kind of material to be cut.

In combination with the gate structure 14, I also provide novel roller fingers R best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 and also indicated in several different positions in FIGS. 7, 8 and 9. These fingers are employed to lap a cut end of cloth around a newly inserted shell and are fixed to a shaft S pivotally contained in spaced bearings B fixed to the lower section of gate 14. Coiled springs C anchored to the gate, normally seek to hold the fingers in the position shown in FIG. 5 and to urge the rolls to follow the contour of the shell as best shown in FIG. 9. At their extremities the fingers are formed with hearing portions P in which are mounted rollers O. The fingers R are constructed with a special arcuate shape with an extended arc of structure chosen such that each of the rollers 0 may, in a raised position of the gate, such as that shown in FIG. 5, extend over the peripheral surface of the shell 5 to a point where overlapping is positively insured. I find that by supporting these roller fingers in a raised position as described, I am enabled to wrap a cloth end around the shell in a positive manner so that lapping is assured and failure to engage the cloth is avoided.

In FIGS. 1-3 and 6-9 inclusive is illustrated an improved latch mechanism for receiving a partly wound roll from the rear drum 8 and releasably holding the roll until winding is completed and the roll is ready for dofling. Numerals 41 and 42 denote transfer arms fixed to a shaft 43 at the end of which is a handle 40. Manual operation of the handle 40 moves the partly wound roll forwardly onto driving roll 10.

As the partly wound roll moves forwardly, opposite shell journals are received and held by a pair of holding arms 52, 52'. These arms are pivotally supported on opposite sides of the frame on pins as 54 (FIGS. 2 and 3), and each of these arms include projecting edges as 50 extending into the path of travel of the shell spindles.

As the journals come into contact with the retaining edges 50 they are guided downwardly into engagement with roller latch assemblies which are pivotally mounted at the lower extremities of the holding

arms

52 and 52. Each of these roller latch assemblies include roll supporting heads as 66 which are rotatably mounted at 66 as shown in FIGS. 6-9 inclusive. In each roll support are mounted roller elements as 68, 70and 72 in spaced relation such that in one position of the roll support the roller elements constitute a three point bearing into which the journals of the shell 5 may be received and held as indicated in FIG. 8. The axis of the mountings 66' are aligned to permit simultaneous movement of the supporting heads 66.

It is pointed out that a mechanism for receiving and holding the relatively heavy roll of cloth or other material must have a reliable latch arrangement which will resist accidental disengagement when sudden load forces of a transferred roll are exerted. With this in mind I have devised a special locking linkage for holding the roll supports and rolls in a locked position until the linkage is released by hand. One set of linkages is shown in FIGS. 6-9 and includes

links

56, 5 8, 60, 61 inclusive. Link 61 is fixed to a shaft 62 which is manually turned by means of a handle 64. Link 58 has its lower extremity pivotally connected at 58a to the roll support 66. The upper extremity of link 58 is pinned to link 56 at pivot point 58b.

The location of pivot point 58b is specially placed in offset relation to pivot points 56a, 56b and 58a of

links

56 and 58 as shown. This arrangement thus provides a unique locking action since forces acting through the roll support only tend to lock the linkage more securely. Thus, in the relative position of the links and pivot points described, it is impossible for a partly wound roll to act on the roller supports and cause accidental rotation of these members and release of the roll. In order for the roll supports to be swung the linkage must be released from the handle 64 with the link 56 pulling the link 58 into the position shown in FIG. 9.

FIGS. 6-9 inclusive illustrate successive steps in transferring a partly wound roll onto a forward driving roll, completing winding on this forward roll, and then dofling the fully wound roll using the novel latch mechanism of the invention. A partly wound roll W is shown in FIG. 6. In FIG. 7, the roll W has been transferred to forward driving roll 10, and the shell spindles are being guided along the edges 50 of the holding

arms

52, 52. In PEG. 8 the shell spindles of roll W are shown fully engaged in and held by the

rollers

68, 70, 72 in which position winding is continued until a fully wound roll is obtained and the web is cut. In FIG. 9 the roll W is shown in a doffing or released position resulting from operating the handle 64 and unlocking the linkages so that the roller latches are swung into a position to release the spindles of the shell 5. From this position it will be understood that the roll W will be discharged onto a chute 69.

It will be observed that the holding

arms

52, 52 will be displaced outwardly when the fully wound roll is dofied and to cushion the impact of these arms as they fall back I provide rubber cushions as 51a which are set into the frame sides as suggested in FIGS. 2 and 3.

I have found that the linkage and roll latch mechanism above described is reliable and will resist accidental release of a cloth roll. The rotary latch mechanism greatly simplifies both engagement and release of the shell journals of a roll. Moreover, when a fully wound roll has been released, the latch mechanism automatically relocks in readiness to receive the next roll.

Considering the various operations now described in their correct sequence, it may be assumed that the machine is at rest and that the jaws are in a normally opened position. The operator inserts a shell in the lower jaws. He then presses the jaw lowering push-button 3'7 and closes the jaws with the shell then being dropped down into contact with the rear driving roll. It will be understood that the web of material has been hand wrapped around the shell as earlier described so that winding then takes place.

Winding continues on the rear driving roll until the diameter of the roll reaches a predetermined diameter which will cause the projection 36 to actuate the switch 38. At this point a circuit is closed which reverses the pressure exerted by the

cylinders

24 and 26 and the upper jaws are raised upwardly thus releasing the shell spindles. The roll thus partly wound then moves onto the driving roll 10 with the shell spindles being received and held by the rotary latch mechanism. In this position winding continues for a period of time until a fully wound roll of desired diameter is obtained.

While the roll is being completed, as noted above, the operator inserts a new shell in the lower jaws. He then waits until a fully wound roll is obtained of a desired diameter and then presses the jaw lowering push button 37 to close the jaws and locate the second shell in contact with the rear driving roll. When this has been done he operates the gate raising switch 39 and cuts the cloth as has been diagrammatically suggested in FIG. 8. Simultaneously the roller fingers R engage the cut end of cloth around the new shell 5 as shown in FIG. 8 and carry this cut end all the way around the shell 5 into a fully lapped position such as shown in FIG. 9. The driving roll 8 immediately continues to wind material around the shell to start a new roll. Thereafter the operator turns the handle 64 which releases the locking latch mechanism and the fully wound roll W is released.

Attention is again directed to the important functioning of the roller fingers just above referred to in connection with the cutting of the web. It is pointed out that concurrently with the cutting operation the roller fingers are brought up into contact with a portion of the web occurring just in back of the line of cutting so that the fingers may instantly engage the cut end of the web against an underside of the new shell as has been suggested in FIG. 8. As the gate continues to rise into the position shown in FIG. 9 and as the roller fingers are spring-loaded, they revolve around the shell periphery with sufficient pressure to hold the leading edge of the cut web firmly against the shell at all points. By reason of the formation of the fingers with their greatly extended arcs or curvature it is possible to contain the cut end all the way around the shell up to a point just prior to where the cut edge is overlapped by the next turn of material on the shell periphery. I find it is this precise positioning and roll follower action of the fingers which completely eliminates the difiiculties heretofore experienced from cloth slipping or from faulty lapping requiring interruption of machine operation.

From the foregoing description of the method and apparatus of the invention, it will be apparent that I have provided a number of desirable improvements in the art of web winding. Thus, the use of a fluid pressure system in the manner disclosed provides for a constant uniform pressure being exerted on a roll of material as it increases in diameter and this results in a superior winding operation which eliminates difficulties heretofore encountered where variation in pressure has necessarily resulted from the use of prior art braking means. Use of the fiuid pressure system in the manner employed in the invention further provides for reversing the pressure exerted through the upper jaws and makes it possible to very desirably control both the actual winding and the release of the jaws. Also by using fluid pressure to motivate the gate and cutting knife, it becomes possible to relate the successive operations in a desirable sequence with saving of time and labor.

While I have shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that various changes and modifications may be resorted to in keeping with the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A web winding machine comprising a frame, power driving rolls supported in the frame in spaced apart relationship to define a gate aperture therebetween, jaw means for releasably supporting a shell in rolling contact with one of the driving rolls, fluid pressure means for vertically adjusting and opening and closing the jaw means, a second shell supporting means being pivotally supported on said frame, said second shell supporting means including aligned arcuately arranged bearings for receiving the ends of the shell, means rotatably mounting said aligned bearings, a latch mechanism for holding said bearings in position for retaining said shell, a mechanism for transferring a partly wound roll of material on said shell from the first jaw supporting means to the second supporting means, a vertically adjustable gate structure including side walls normally supported within the gate aperture, fluid means for moving said gate in said gate aperture, a sectional web cutting device mounted at the upper portion of said gate for cutting said web when the latter is supported in one position on the rotatable driving rolls, and means for engaging and lapping a cut portion of the web around a shell, said last named means including a plurality of arcuate fingers mounted at their lower end portions and normally positioned between the side walls of said gate when in its lowered position, said fingers having roller engaging elements at their free ends, said spring means normally urging said fingers laterally 9 of said gate for engaging said web, and means for actuating a latch mechanism to release a fully wound roll when the gate is raised and the web is cut.

2. The structure of claim 1 in which the fluid pressure means for acjusting and opening the jaw rreans which releasably supports the shell in holding contact with one f the driving rolls is automatically controlled to position the jaws for loading, positively opening the jaws in the loading position and lowering the jaws to position the shell into a winding position.

3. The structure of claim 1 in which the fluid pressure means for adjusting and opening the jaw means which releasably supports the shell in holding contact with one of the driving rolls is automatically controlled to position the jaws for loading, one of the jaws being disabled against movement at a predetermined point and the other jaw continuing its movement whereby the jaws are separated.

4. The structure of claim 1 in which the fluid pressure means for adjusting and opening the jaw means which relasahly supports the shell in holding contact with one of the driving rolls yieldingly supports the shell against the driving roll as the roll diameter increases.

5. The structure of claim 1 in which the fluid pressure means for adjusting and opening the jaw means which releasably supports the shell in holding contact with one of the driving rolls yieldingly supports the shell against the driving roll regardless of the roll diameter.

6. A web winding machine comprising a frame having a rear driving roll and a front driving roll supported thereon in spaced apart relationship to define a gate aperture therebetween, jaw means for releasably supporting a shell in contact with one of the driving rolls, fluid pressure means for adjusting and opening and closing the jaw means, a mechanism for transferring a partly wound roll of material on said shell from one of the driving rolls to the other, a pair of pivotally mounted holding arms each including guide means and axially aligned shell supporting heads for receiving the shell from the transfer mechanism, said axially aligned supporting heads being rotatably mounted at the lower portions of said holding arms and each including spaced inwardly projecting bearing elements providing a three-point support for an end of the shell, a latch mechanism for locking a supporting head, said latch mechanism including linkage connected at its ends with the rotating head and the associated pivotally mounted arm, said linkage being constructed and arranged to be moved to a dead center position when the mounting heads are under load, and manual means for shifting said linkage out of line to permit the heads to rotate to shift the spaced inwardly projecting bearing elements to a position for discharge or" the shell.

7. The structure of claim 6 in which the fluid pressure means for adjusting and opening the jaw means which releasably supports the shell in holding contact with one of the driving rolls is automatically controlled to position the jaws for loading, positively opening the jaws in the loading position and lowering the jaws to position the shell into a winding position.

8. The structure of claim 6 in which the fluid pressure means for adjusting and opening the jaw means which releasably supports the shell in holding contact with one or" the driving rolls is automatically controlled to position the jaws for loading, one of the jaws being disabled against movement at a predetermined point and the other jaw continuing its movement whereby the jaws are separated.

9. The structure of claim 6 in which the fluid pressure means for adjusting and opening the jaw means which releasahly supports the shell in holding contact with one of the driving rolls yieldingly supports the shell against the driving roll as the roll diameter increases.

1O. The structure of claim 6 in which the fluid pressure means for adjusting and opening the jaw means which releasahly supports the shell in holding contact with one of the driving rolls yieldingly supports the shell against the driving roll regardless of the roll diameter.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,379,588 Flick May 24, 1921 2,194,078 Simonds Mar. 19, 1940 2,416,540 Nordberg Feb. 25, 1947 2,617,605 Weiss Nov. 11, 1952 2,619,298 Aulen NOV. 25, 1952 2,646,230 Aulen July 21, 1953 2,677,598 Locke May 4, 1954 2,682,379 Piper et a1 June 29, 1954 2,733,018 Nitchie Jan. 31, 1956