Fabric unrolling device

A device for unrolling a roll of fabric or the like supported on a roll core comprising a pair of endcaps secured under tension to opposite ends of the roll core and handle means attached to the end caps in such a manner as to allow the roll core to rotate.

The present invention relates to a fabric unrolling device. 
Laminate systems such as those used as pond and ditch liners, roofing, 
roadbed paving and the like, are well known. In one such system, as 
asphaltic coating is applied to the surface to be coated, a sheet material 
is laid down over the asphaltic coating and a second asphaltic layer such 
as asphaltic concrete is applied over the sheet material. 
The sheet materials commonly used in such laminate systems include woven 
fibrous fabric materials, woven wire mesh, felt paper, nonwoven polymeric 
fabric materials and the like. Such sheet materials are supplied in rolls 
of varying length and width. Of particular interest are nonwoven sheet 
materials formed from polypropylene fibers. 
It is highly desirable for the sheet material to be applied to the 
asphaltic undercoat uniformly in as straight a path as possible, without 
wrinkles, and under at least minimal longitudinal tension. Application of 
the sheet material leaves no room for error; it is virtually impossible to 
reapply the fabric after it has been taken up because of an error in 
laying. 
One device which has been found in providing better control when unrolling 
such fabric rolls is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,913,854. While that 
device is very useful under some applications, it is quite complex 
mechanically and it is quite bulky. Generally, the device requires the 
employment of some sort of motor vehicle. 
Often it is desired to unroll such fabric upon terrain that does not 
readily permit travel by a motor vehicle. Accordingly, there is a need for 
a light and mechanically simple device which will allow such fabric rolls 
to be unrolled manually.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a device for 
unrolling a roll of fabric or other material supported on a roll core, 
said device comprising a pair of end caps adapted to fit over the opposite 
ends of the roll core, a spring means adapted for being passed through 
said roll core and attached to the respective end caps to put tension on 
the end caps to clamp the roll core between the end caps, spring 
attachment means for securing said spring means to said end caps, handle 
attachment means adapted to be secured to the end caps and adapted to 
permit the end caps to rotate relative thereto, and a handle means secured 
to said handle attachment means. Roll cores used with the invention are 
well known in the art and can be made of spiral wound paperboard or the 
like. 
The end caps can be employed in any suitable form. The end caps could for 
example be nearly flat disks larger than the hole in the roll core. Since 
the end of the roll cores generally extend slightly beyond the outer ends 
of the fabric roll, it is preferable for the end caps to include flange 
portions which slide over the outer surface of the exposed portion of the 
roll core. These flange portions help to insure that the end caps will not 
be accidentally displaced when the device is being utilized. In especially 
preferred embodiments the flange portion is generally cylindrical so that 
it totally surrounds the outer portion of the exposed end of the roll 
core. The end caps can be constructed of any suitable material as for 
example, mild steel. 
The spring means can likewise be constructed of any suitable material. In a 
preferred embodiment the spring means comprises a heavy duty steel spring 
having chain attached to each end. In an especially preferred embodiment 
the chain attached to one end of the spring is larger than the chain 
attached to the other end of the spring such that the device can be used 
on roll cores of different length merely by attaching different links of 
the larger chain to the respective end cap or by removing or adding links 
of chain. 
The handle means can be constructed in any fashion which will permit the 
device to be used to unroll fabric. If the device is to be operated by two 
persons, handles can be employed which allow unrolling of the fabric as 
each walks either along side or in front of the device. Preferably handle 
means are provided which permit one person to control the unrolling of the 
device. Such can be accomplished by use of a single length of rope, chain, 
etc., as the handle means. Each free end of the rope, chain, etc., is 
attached to one of the handle attachment means. With such an arrangement 
the operator need only grab the handle means somewhere near the center and 
begin to pull. The length of the handle means can be readily selected to 
assure that the operator does not pull the fabric roll up against his feet 
as he unrolls fabric. Employing chain, rope, or the like, for the handle 
means is particularly useful in that it results in a device which can be 
stored in a very small space. Suitable relatively inflexible handles, i.e. 
metal tubing, could of course be employed, but such results in a device 
which is not as easily stored or transported as one having flexible handle 
means. 
A further understanding of the present invention will be provided by 
referring to the attached drawings. In the drawings, identical numbers 
refer to identical parts: 
FIG. 1 illustrates a specific embodiment of the present device. In FIG. 1 
there is illustrated a fabric roll core 2 having a roll of fabric 4, 
illustrated diagrammtically by phantom lines. Each end of the roll core 2 
has applied thereon an end cap 6. The specific end cap 6 is most clearly 
illustrated in FIG. 2. The end cap comprises a cylindrical ring 8 adapted 
to fit around the outer end of the roll core 2. Secured to the ring 8 by 
welding there is a flat bar 10 having a hole 12 through its center. 
Inside the roll core 2, there is a spring 14 having snaps 16 attached to 
each end. A first length of chain 18 is attached to one of the snaps 16 
and extends outward through the hole 12 in the respective end cap 6. The 
other snap 16 is attached to a second length of chain 20 which in turn is 
connected to a snap 22 which is further connected to a third length of 
chain 24. The third length of chain 24 extends outward through the hole 12 
in the other end cap 6. A swivel snap 26 is attached to the end of the 
chain extending through the hole in each end cap 6. A length of rope 28 is 
attached to each of said swivel snaps 26. 
Also, inside the roll core 2 and adjacent the end caps 6, there are cable 
clamps 30 attached to the chains 18 and 24 in such a manner as to preclude 
outward movement of the chains through the holes 12 of the end caps 6. 
The swivel snaps 26 and the cable clamps 30 are attached such that there is 
tension holding both end caps on the roll core 2. 
To use the device illustrated one only has to secure the free leading end 
of the fabric and walk away holding the handle. A spring tension is 
selected that will assure that the end caps remain in place as illustrated 
in the attached drawings. The direction of travel can be varied by 
applying more pulling force to one end of the roll. 
It is to be understood that the attached drawings merely illustrate one 
embodiment of the present invention. Various modifications can be made in 
view of the foregoing disclosure without departing from the spirit or the 
scope of the invention.