Winding apparatus

Abstract: An apparatus for slitting a web material (4) such as paper, plastic film and the like into a plurality of web materials and then winding the web materials to form a plurality of rolls (6,6'), the rolls being divided into two groups, one group of rolls (6) being arranged side by side and coaxially to each other at the front of the apparatus, the other group of rolls (6') being arranged side by side and coaxially to each other at the rear of the apparatus. Tracking rollers (12) are disposed on the upper side of one group of rolls and the upper side of the other group of rolls. Actuator means (18) press the tracking rollers against the corresponding groups of rolls with a contact pressure therebetween. One group of rolls and the other group of rolls are supported by carriage means (20). Drive means (24) moves the carriage means downwardly in response to the increases in diameters of the rolls to thereby enable the rolls to increase in diameters.

Description: FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to an apparatus for winding a web material such as paper, plastic film and the like to form a roll. In particular, but not exclusively, the invention relates to an apparatus for slitting the web material into a plurality of webs or web materials and then winding the web materials to form a plurality of rolls. Such an apparatus is known from US-A-4 909 454. PRIOR ART There has been generally used an apparatus for slitting a web material such as paper, plastic film and the like into a plurality of web materials and then winding the web materials to form a plurality of rolls, as disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 121350 of 1992. In the apparatus in the publication, the rolls are divided into two groups, one group of rolls being arranged side by side and coaxially to each other at the front of the apparatus, the other group of rolls being arranged side by side and coaxially to each other at the rear of the apparatus. The web materials are alternately directed to one group of rolls and the other group of rolls. The rolls each includes a core disposed between a pair of side plates. The side plates include chucking means for chucking the opposite ends of the cores. The chucking means are rotated integrally with the cores by motor means to wind the web materials about the cores to thereby form the rolls. The apparatus includes tracking rollers disposed on the inner side of one group of rolls and the inner side of the other group of rolls. The tracking rollers are horizontally opposed to the corresponding groups of rolls. The web materials are directed to the rolls via the tracking rollers. Air or hydraulic cylinders press the tracking rollers against the corresponding groups of rolls with a contact pressure therebetween to conveniently wind the webs onto the rolls. The apparatus further includes two carriages, the tracking rollers and the cylinders for one group of rolls being supported by one carriage, the tracking rollers and the cylinders for the other group of rolls being supported by the other carriage. Motors rotate ball screws to move the carriages inwardly of the apparatus in response to the increases in diameters of the rolls to thereby enable the rolls to increase in diameters. However, preparatory to winding the operator is required to extend his hands from the outside of the apparatus to manually direct the web materials to the tracking rollers and the cores. The tracking rollers are positioned on the inner side of the cores which are disposed between the side plates. The cores and the side plates therefore obstruct the operator from directing the web materials to the tracking rollers and the cores. It takes labour and time. In addition, a large space is required in a horizontal direction in which the tracking rollers are opposed to the corresponding groups of rolls, and in which the carriages and the tracking rollers thereon are moved in response to the increases in diameters of the rolls. Furthermore, in order to move the carriages inwardly of the apparatus, two separate drive means such as the motors for rotating the ball screws are required to move the carriages in the opposite directions, involving a high cost. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In a first aspect the present invention provides an apparatus for winding a web material such as paper, plastic film and the like to form at least one roll, said apparatus including at least one tracking roller, an actuator for pressing said tracking roller against said roll, carriage means by which said roll is supported, and drive means for moving said carriage means, said apparatus being characterized in that said tracking roller is disposed on the upper side of said roll, and that said drive means is adapted to move said carriage means downwardly in response to the increase in diameter of said roll to thereby enable said roll to increase in diameter. Preferably said apparatus is adapted to slit a web material such as paper, plastic film and the like into a plurality of webs and then wind the webs to form a plurality of said rolls, said rolls being in two groups, one group of rolls being arranged side by side and coaxially to each other at the front of the apparatus, the other group of rolls being arranged side by side and coaxially to each other at the rear of the apparatus, wherein said apparatus includes a plurality of said tracking rollers disposed on the upper side of said one group of rolls and the upper side of the other group of rolls, and a plurality of said actuators for pressing said tracking rollers against the corresponding groups of rolls, and wherein said one group of rolls and the other group of rolls are both supported by said carriage means, said drive means moving said carriage means downwardly in response to the increases in diameters of said rolls to thereby enable said rolls to increase in diameters. Preferably said apparatus is adapted to slit a web material such as paper, plastic film and the like into a plurality of webs and then wind the webs to form a plurality of said rolls, said rolls being in two groups, one group of rolls being arranged side by side and coaxially to each other at the front of the apparatus, the other group of rolls being arranged side by side and coaxially to each other at the rear of the apparatus, wherein said apparatus includes a plurality of said tracking rollers disposed on the upper side of said one group of rolls and the upper side of the other group of rolls, and a plurality of said actuators for pressing said tracking rollers against the corresponding groups of rolls, and wherein said one group of rolls and the other group of rolls are both supported by said carriage means, said drive means moving said carriage means downwardly in response to the increases in diameters of said rolls to thereby enable said rolls to increase in diameters. The carriage means may comprise a common carriage for said one group of rolls and the other group of rolls, wherein said rolls each includes a core disposed between a pair of side plates which are attached to said carriage, wherein said side plates include chucking means for chucking the opposite ends of said cores, said chucking means being rotated integrally with said cores to wind said webs about said cores to thereby form the rolls, wherein said carriage is mounted on a pillar for vertical movement, wherein said drive means comprises a motor for rotating ball screw means extending along said pillar, and wherein said carriage includes nut member means fixedly attached thereto and engaged with said ball screw means to move said carriage along said pillar. Alternatively the carriage means may comprise two separate carriages, one group of rolls being supported by one of the carriages, the other group of rolls being supported by the other carriage, wherein said rolls each includes a core disposed between a pair of side plates which are attached to said carriages, wherein said side plates include chucking mans for chucking the opposite ends of said cores, said chucking means being rotated integrally with said cores to wind said webs about said cores to thereby form the rolls, wherein said carriages are mounted on pillars for vertical movement, wherein said drive means comprises a motor for rotating ball screw means extending along said pillars, and wherein said carriages each includes nut members means fixedly attached thereto and engaged with said ball screw means to move said carriages along said pillars. In a second aspect the invention provides an apparatus for winding a web material such as paper, plastic film and the like to form at least one roll, said apparatus including at least one tracking roller, an actuator for pressing said tracking roller against said roll, carriage means by which said tracking roller and said actuator are supported, and drive means for moving said carriage means, said apparatus being characterized in that said tracking roller is disposed on the upper side of said roll, and that said drive means is adapted to move said carriage means upwardly in response to the increase in diameter of said roll to thereby enable said roll to increase in diameter. Preferably said apparatus is adapted to slit a web material such as paper, plastic film and the like into a plurality of webs and then wind the webs to form a plurality of said rolls, said rolls being in two groups, one group of rolls being arranged side by side and coaxially to each other at the front of the apparatus, the other group of rolls being arranged side by side and coaxially to each other at the rear of the apparatus, wherein said apparatus includes a plurality of said tracking rollers disposed on the upper side of said one group of rolls and the upper side of the other group of rolls, and a plurality of said actuators for pressing said tracking rollers against the corresponding groups of rolls and wherein the tracking rollers and the actuators are all supported by said carriage means, said drive means moving said carriage upwardly in response to the increases in diameter of said rolls to thereby enable said rolls to increase in diameter. In a preferred embodiment the carriage means comprises a common carriage for said tracking rollers are mounted on levers for rotation respectively, said levers being mounted on said carriage for swinging movement, wherein said actuators comprise a plurality of air or hydraulic cylinders which are mounted on said carriage and operatively connected to said levers to press said tracking rollers against said rolls, wherein said carriage is mounted on a pillar for vertical movement, said drive means comprises a motor for rotating ball screw means extending along said pillar, and wherein said carriage includes nut member means fixedly attached thereto and engaged with said ball screw means to move said carriage along said pillar. Such apparatus, in accordance with either aspect of the invention, has the advantage that, preparatory to winding, it is easy to manually direct the webs to the rolls, a large space is not required in a horizontal direction, and the cost is reduced. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a side view of a first preferred embodiment of the invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of drive means in Fig.1. Fig. 3 is a side view of a second embodiment of the invention. Fig. 4 is a side view of a third embodiment of the invention. DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to Fig. 1, an apparatus according to the invention is shown, which includes a plurality of slitting blades 2 for slitting a web material 4 such as paper, plastic film and the like into a plurality of webs or web materials. The apparatus is intended to then wind the web materials 4 to form a plurality of rolls. The rolls are divided into two groups, one group of rolls 6 being arranged side by side and coaxially to each other at the front of the apparatus, the other group of rolls 6' being arranged side by side and coaxially to each other at the rear of the apparatus. The web materials 4 are alternately directed to one group of rolls 6 and the other group of rolls 6'. The rolls 6 and 6' each includes a core 8 disposed between a pair of side plates 10. The side plates 10 include chucking means not shown for chucking the opposite ends of the cores 8. The chucking means are rotated integrally with the cores 8 by motor means not shown to wind the web materials 4 about the cores 8 to thereby form the rolls 6 and 6'. Tracking rollers 12 are disposed on the upper side of one group of rolls 6 and the upper side of the other group of rolls 6' and mounted on levers 14 for rotation respectively. The levers 14 are mounted on a frame 16 for swinging movement. The tracking rollers 12 are opposed to the corresponding groups of rolls 6 and 6' vertically. The web materials 4 are directed to the rolls 6 and 6' via the tracking rollers 12. The apparatus includes actuator means comprising a plurality of air or hydraulic cylinders 18 which are mounted on the frame 16 and operatively connected to the levers 14. The cylinders 18 cooperate with the levers 14 to press the tracking rollers 12 against the corresponding groups of rolls 6 and 6' with a contact pressure therebetween to conveniently wind the web materials 4 onto the rolls 6 and 6'. The apparatus further includes carriage means comprising a common carriage 20 for one group of rolls 6 and the other group of rolls 6'. The side plates 10 are attached to the carriage 20 so that one group of rolls 6 and the other group of rolls 6' are supported by the carriage 20, as shown in Fig. 2. The carriage 20 is mounted on a pillar 22 for vertical movement. The apparatus further includes drive means comprising a motor 24 for rotating ball screws 26 extending vertically and along the pillar 22. The carriage 20 includes nut members 28 fixedly attached thereto and engaged with the ball screws 26. The motor 24 is connected to a drive shaft 30 extending horizontally and supported by brackets 32 for rotation. The drive shaft 30 includes worms 34 attached thereto and received in the brackets 32. The ball screws 26 each includes a worm wheel 36 attached thereto, received in the bracket 32 and engaged with the worm 34. Accordingly, the ball screws 26 are rotated by the worms 34 and the worm wheels 36 when the drive shaft 30 is rotated by the motor 24 so that the carriage 20, the side plates 10 and the rolls 6 and 6' are moved vertically and along the pillar 22 by the ball screws 26 and the nut members 28. A control unit not shown is provided to compute the increasing diameters of the rolls 6 and 6', and drive the motor 24 and control the speed thereof in response to the increases in diameters of the rolls 6 and 6'. In addition, the apparatus includes roll lifters 38, cross cutters 40, web holders 42 and core feeders 44, which are known and therefore not explained in details herein. In the apparatus, the rolls 6 and 6' increase in diameters more and more as the web materials 4 are wound. The control unit drives the motor 24 and controls the speed thereof so that the ball screws 26 and the nut members 28 move the carriage 20, the side plates 10 and the rolls 6 and 6' downwardly in response to the increases in diameters of the rolls 6 and 6'. This enables the rolls 6 and 6' to increase in diameters. The tracking rollers 12 are therefore held in position. After winding, the control unit drives the motor 24 to move the carriage 20 downwardly a distance so that the rolls 6 and 6' are retracted and spaced from the tracking rollers 12. The cross cutters 40 are then moved toward the web materials 4 between the tracking rollers 12 and the rolls 6 and 6' to cut the web materials 4 widthwise. The leading ends of the web materials 4 are absorbed or adhered to the web holders 42. The lifters 38 are moved upwardly toward the rolls 6 and 6'. The rolls 6 and 6' are then released from the chucking means of the side plates 10 and supported on the lifters 38. The lifters 38 are then moved downwardly to take out the rolls 6 and 6'. The cross cutters 40 are moved back to the position shown in Fig. 1. The carriage 20 are then moved upwardly to the position shown in Fig. 1. The cylinders 18 cooperate with the levers 14 to lift the tracking rollers 12 from the side plates 10. New cores are then led by the core feeders 44 and chucked by the chucking means of the side plates 10. The cylinders 18 then lower and press the tracking rollers 12 against the web materials 4 on the cores. The chucking means is again rotated integrally with the cores to wind the web materials 4. In the second embodiment, shown in Fig. 3, the carriage means comprises two separate carriages 46 and 46'. The side plates 10 are attached to the carriages 46 and 46' so that one group of rolls 6 are supported by one carriage 46 and the other group of rolls 6' are supported by the other carriage 46'. The carriages 46 and 46' are mounted on pillars 22 for vertical movement. The carriages 46 and 46' each includes nut members 28 fixedly attached thereto and engaged with ball screws 26 which extend along the pillars 22 and rotated by a motor 24, as the apparatus in Fig. 1. The control until drives the motor 24 and controls the speed thereof so that the ball screws 26 and the nut members 28 move the carriages 46 and 46' downwardly in response to the increase in diameters of the rolls 6 and 6' to thereby enable the rolls 6 and 6' to increase in diameters. In the third embodiment, shown in Fig. 4, the apparatus includes carriage means comprising a common carriage 48 for the tracking rollers 12 and the cylinders 18. The tracking rollers 12 are mounted on levers 14 for rotation respectively, the levers 14 being mounted on the carriage 48 for swinging movement. The cylinders 18 are mounted on the carriage 48 and operatively connected to the levers 14 so that the tracking rollers 12 and the cylinders 18 are supported by the carriage 48. The carriage 48 is mounted on the pillar 22 for vertical movement. The carriage 48 includes nut members 50 fixedly attached thereto and engaged with the hall screws 26 which extend along the pillar 22 and rotated by a motor 24, as the apparatus in Fig. 1. In the apparatus in Fig. 4, the control unit drives the motor 24 and controls the speed thereof so that the ball screws 26 and the nut members 50 move the carriage 48, the tracking rollers 12 and the cylinders 18 upwardly in response to the increases in diameters of the rolls 6 and 6'. This enable the rolls 6 and 6' to increase in diameters. The rolls 6 and 6' are therefore held in position. The carriage means may comprise two separate carriages, the tracking rollers 12 and the cylinders 18 for one group of rolls 6 being supported by one carriage, the tracking rollers 12 and the cylinders 18 for the other group of rolls 6' being supported by the other carriage. In the above apparatuses, preparatory to winding, the operator extends his hands from the outside of the apparatus to manually direct the web materials 4 to the tracking rollers 12 and the cores 8. The tracking rollers 12 are positioned not on the inner side of the cores 8 but upper side thereof. It is therefore easy to manually direct the web materials 4 to the tracking rollers 12 and the cores 8 without obstruction. It does not take much labour and time. In addition, a large space is not required in a horizontal direction since the tracking rollers 12 are opposed to the corresponding groups of rolls 6 and 6' not horizontally but vertically, the carriage means 20, 46, 46' or 48 being moved not horizontally but vertically. Furthermore, only the carriage means 20, 46, 46' or 48 have to move downwardly or upwardly. A single means such as a motor 24 can be used therefor. Two separate drive means are not required. Costs are therefore reduced.

Claims: An apparatus for winding a web material such as paper, plastic film and the like to form at least one roll (6, 6'), said apparatus including at least one tracking roller (12), an actuator (18) lor pressing said tracking roller (12) against said roll (6, 6'), carriage means (20, 46, 46') by which said roll (6, 6') is supported, and drive means (24) for moving said carriage means (20, 46, 46'), said apparatus being characterized in that said tracking roller (12) is disposed on the upper side of said roll (6, 6'), and that said drive means (24) is adapted to move said carriage means (20, 46, 46') downwardly in response to the increase in diameter of said roll (6, 6') to thereby enable said roll (6, 6') to increase in diameter. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said apparatus is adapted to slit a web material such as paper, plastic film and the like into a plurality of webs and then wind the webs to form a plurality of said rolls (6, 6'), said rolls (6, 6') being in two groups, one group of rolls (6) being arranged side by side and coaxially to each other at the front of the apparatus, the other group of rolls (6') being arranged side by side and coaxially to each other at the rear of the apparatus, wherein said apparatus includes a plurality of said tracking rollers (12) disposed on the upper side of said one group of rolls (6) and the upper side of the other group of rolls (6'), and a plurality of said actuators (18) for pressing said tracking rollers (12) against the corresponding groups of rolls (6, 6'), and wherein said one group of rolls (6) and the other group of rolls (6') are both supported by said carriage means (20, 46, 46'), said drive means moving said carriage means (20, 46, 46') downwardly in response to the increases in diameters of said rolls (6, 6') to thereby enable said rolls (6, 6') to increase in diameters. An apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein said carriage means comprises a common carriage (20) for said one group of rolls (6) and the other group of rolls (6'), wherein said rolls (6, 6') each includes a Core (8) disposed between a pair of side plates (10) which are attached to said carriage (20), wherein said side plates (10) include chucking mans for chucking the opposite ends of said cores (8), said chucking means being rotated integrally with said cores (8) to wind said webs about said cores (8) to thereby form the rolls (6, 6'), wherein said carriage (20) is mounted on a pillar (22) for vertical movement, wherein said drive means comprises a motor (24) for rotating ball screw means (26) extending along said pillar (22), and wherein said carriage (20) includes nut member means (28) fixedly attached thereto and engaged with said ball screw means (26) to move said carriage (20) along said pillar (22). An apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein said carriage means comprises two separate carriages (46, 46'), one group of rolls (6) being supported by one of the carriages (46), the other group of rolls (6') being supported by the other carriage (46'), wherein said rolls (6, 6') each includes a core (8) disposed between a pair of side plates (10) which are attached to said carriages (46, 46'), wherein said side plates (10) include chucking means for chucking the opposite ends of said cores (8), said chucking means being rotated integrally with said cores (8) to wind said webs about said cores (8) to thereby form the rolls (6, 6'), wherein said carriages (46, 46') are mounted on pillars (22) for vertical movement, wherein said drive means comprises a motor (24) for rotating ball screw means (26) extending along said pillars (22), and wherein said carriages (46, 46') each includes nut members means (28) fixedly attached thereto and engaged with said ball screw means (26) to move said carriages (46, 46') along said pillars (22). An apparatus for winding a web material such as paper, plastic film and the like to form at least one roll (6,6'), said apparatus including at least one tracking roller (12), an actuator (18) for pressing said tracking roller (12) against said roll (6,6'), carriage means (48) by which said tracking roller (12) and said actuator (18) are supported, and drive means (24) for moving said carriage means (48), said apparatus being characterized in that said tracking roller (12) is disposed on the upper side of said roll (6,6'), and that said drive means (24) is adapted to move said carriage means (48) upwardly in response to the increase in diameter of said roll (6,6') to thereby enable said roll (6,6') to increase in diameter. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein said apparatus is adapted to slit a web material such as paper, plastic film and the like into a plurality of webs and then wind the webs to form a plurality of said rolls (6,6'), said rolls (6,6') being in two groups, one group of rolls (6) being arranged side by side and coaxially to each other at the front of the apparatus, the other group of rolls (6') being arranged side by side and coaxially to each other at the rear of the apparatus, wherein said apparatus includes a plurality of said tracking rollers (12) disposed on the upper side of said one group of rolls (6) and the upper side of the other group of rolls (6'), and a plurality of said actuators (18) for pressing said tracking rollers (12) against the corresponding groups of rolls (6,6') and wherein the tracking rollers (12) and the actuators (18) are all supported by said carriage means (48), said drive means moving said carriage means (48) upwardly in response to the increases in diameter of said rolls (6,6') to thereby enable said rolls (6,6') to increase in diameter. An apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein said carriage means comprises a common carriage (48) for said tracking rollers (12) and said actuators (18), wherein said tracking rollers (12) are mounted on levers (14) for rotation respectively, said levers (14) being mounted on said carriage (48) for swinging movement, wherein said actuators comprise a plurality of air or hydraulic cylinders (18) which are mounted on said carriage (48) and operatively connected to said levers (14) to press said tracking rollers (12) against said rolls (6,6'), wherein said carriage (48) is mounted on a pillar (22) for vertical movement, said drive means comprises a motor (24) for rotating ball screw means (26) extending along said pillar (22), and wherein said carriage (48) includes nut member means (50) fixedly attached thereto and engaged with said ball screw means (26) to move said carriage (48) along said pillar (22).

Inventors: HATANAKA MASAYUKI, KAMIKUBO YASUNARI, NARITA KEIZO, HATANAKA, MASAYUKI, KAMIKUBO, YASUNARI, NARITA, KEIZO
Applicants: NISHIMURA SEISAKUSHO CO, NISHIMURA SEISAKUSHO CO. LTD.
Application year: 1995
Main classification: B65H18
IPC codes: B65H18