Patent ID: 9731933
Date: 2017-08-15
CPC Classifications: B25J,B65H

Claim:
1. A mandrel suitable for supporting and unwinding a convolutely wound web material, a portion of said convolutely wound web material forming a hollow core therein, said mandrel comprising: a. a mandrel shaft having a longitudinal axis, said mandrel shaft being capable of rotating about said longitudinal axis; b. a plurality of mandrel arms extending from said mandrel shaft, each of said mandrel arms being disposed and rotatable about said longitudinal axis; c. at least one expansion element disposed upon one of said mandrel arms, said at least one expansion element being expandable radially away from said mandrel arm relative to said longitudinal axis; d. said core of said convolutely wound web material being disposable about each of said mandrel arms, said at least one expansion element being expandable into contacting and releasable engagement with said portion of said convolutely wound web material forming said hollow core, said convolutely wound web material being fixably and releasably disposed about each of said mandrel arms; and, e. wherein said plurality of mandrel arms are coextensively and cooperatively interengageable with a second mandrel.