METHOD AND ASSEMBLY FOR TRANSFERRING TISSUE PAPER ROLLS OFF FROM A REEL SHAFT

Abstract: A method and an assembly is disclosed for transferring tissue web rolls (10, 11) axially away from a core shaft (1) formed by a shell portion terminating at coupling portions (20) at both ends thereof. In the method, the core shaft (1) with the rolls resting thereon is transferred into a roll change position and is placed on support [means] (2, 3, 15), whereupon axially against the shell end of the core shaft (1) is placed a roll change tube (5) so that at least a portion of the tube end is brought to abut the shell portion of the core shaft (1). The core shaft (1) is supported over a portion remaining between the end of the web roll (11) resting on the core shaft and the end of said coupling portion (20), whereby the support [means] (15) can be removed from that end of the core shaft (1) which is adjacent to the roll change tube (5), whereupon the rolls (10, 11) resting on the core shaft (1) are pushed onto the roll change tube (5).

Description: Method and assembly for transferring tissue paper rolls off from a reel shaft The present invention relates to a method according to the preamble of claim 1 for transferring rolls of soft paper grades, also known as tissue paper grades, that are rolled on core shafts to further processing. The invention also relates to an assembly suitable for implementing the method. In the art of papermaking, high bulk paper grades also known as soft paper grades are generally called tissue webs. Tissue webs also include silk paper grades. Tissue web finds particular use in different products requiring good absorbency, such as towels and napkins, diapers and the like. For these products, tissue web is subjected to further processing in order to make the absorbent pads or other liquid-receiving bulk portions needed in the final product. All of these raw material grades are characterized by high compressibility even under small compressive forces, as well as a low specific weight in regard to the volume they assume. Due to their high compressibility, the handling of tissue web rolls is difficult. It is obvious that the large specific volume of the product per weight unit must be retained as unchanged as possible through all the manufacturing steps up to the end user in order to maintain the qualities of the product at an optimally high level. As such web rolls tend to collapse easily, the handling of the rolls must be carried out with maxi- mum caution to roll damage so that the rolls are not subjected to high forces nor supported on their outer plies. One problem in the handling of rolls is associated with the removal of the set of parent rolls from the core shafts. In the production of soft tissue, the web leaving the papermaking machine is slit in front of the winding of the web on the core shafts into parent rolls of a suitable width assuming that the width of the web is larger than 5000 mm. Prior to the start of the winding, the cores are already threaded onto the core shafts and thus the tissue paper rolls wound from the slit web have a width which is directly suitable for the further processing steps. Herein, a problematic phase occurs in the removal of the set of parent rolls from the core shaft. If the parent rolls are herein still supported by the core shaft on the reel rail, the core shaft cannot be pushed out from rolls without an external support of the rolls. The friction between the core and the core shaft caused by the weight of the parent rolls resting on the shaft would prevent free sliding of the reel shaft. In one prior-art method, this problem has been solved by supporting the parent rolls by their outer plies, whereby the weight of the rolls is relieved from resting on the reel shaft. However, this arrangement involves the risk of lowering the caliper of the tissue web that can be easily lost due to externally applied forces from the weight of the rolls. Additional problems are caused by the elasticity of the wound web causing the wound parent rolls to expand after the compressive pressure of the core shaft is removed. The winder of a prior-art arrangement is provided with a lift table that supports the parent roll and a downward sloped rolling ramp for transferring the rolls from the winder. For the handling of the core shaft, this apparatus construction is provided with core shaft puller means and other means for threading new cores onto a free shaft. Obviously, such supporting of the tissue web parent roll and the free rolling off the rolling ramp can readily degrade the compressibility properties of the tissue web and thus damage parent roll quality. An object of the present invention is to provide a method for supporting tissue parent rolls by their cores also during their removal off from the core shaft and, advantageously, also during their transfer to the further processing steps. The goal of the invention, to remove the set of parent rolls from the core shaft maintaining the quality of the wound paper, is achieved by supporting the core shaft at one end by a reel rail and at the other end by a core change tube whose outer diameter is equal to the inner diameter of the roll core used and whose end is provided with means for supporting the end of the core shaft. When the core shaft is connected to parent roll change tube, the rolls wound on the core shaft can be pushed onto the roll change tube outside the reel and then transferred to a pole truck pick-up position for further processing or storage. More specifically, the method according to the invention is characterized by what is stated in the characterizing part of claim 1. Furthermore, the assembly according to the invention is characterized by what is stated in the characterizing part of claim 11. The invention offers significant benefits. By virtue of the method, tissue parent rolls can be transferred so that they are supported by their cores in a continuous manner also when they are pulled from the support of the core shaft, whereby there is no need to grab the roll or support the same by the outer plies of the roll. Hence, the risk of roll compression and damage can be eliminated from these steps of roll processing. The removal of parent rolls from the winder after being wound on a core becomes extremely fast and a new core shaft with the cores threaded thereon is rapidly placed into the vacant position of the just removed shaft. As the construction of the core-handling assembly is extremely uncomplicated, its cost as compared with its high roll-handling capacity remains very low. Furthermore, parent rolls removed from the core shaft can be handled by a lift truck having core chuck arms, whereby any postprocessing of the rolls can be carried out without supporting the parent rolls by their outer plies. In the following, the invention will be examined in greater detail with the help of exemplifying embodiments and making reference to the appended drawings in which FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic view of an embodiment according to the invention performing a first step of the method; FIG. 2 shows a diagrammatic view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 performing a second step of the method; FIG. 3 shows a diagrammatic view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 performing a subsequent step of the method; FIG. 4 shows a diagrammatic view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 performing a next subsequent step of the method; FIG. 5 shows a detail of the embodiment of FIG. 1; FIG. 6 shows another detail of the embodiment of FIG. 1; FIG. 7 shows a detail of a preferred embodiment of the invention; FIG. 8 shows a detail of the embodiment of FIG. 7 viewed from another direction; and FIG. 9 shows a component of the embodiment illustrated FIG. 7. FIG. 10 one further embodiment of the invention. The assembly according to the invention is mounted to operate in conjunction with a winder of a tissue-making paper machine. In the arrangement illustrated in FIG. 1, parent rolls 10, 11 are transported along transfer reel rails 2, 3 starting from the winder to a changer of a core shaft 1. The core shaft comprises a shell portion for supporting at least one roll core 9 and at least one coupling portion 20. At the reel changer, the reel rails 2, 3 terminate at rotatable supports 15 having crosswise aligned rails 14 located below the supports 15. A lift fork 4 is adapted to be movable on these crosswise rails 14. The fork 4 has at its end a slot 16 suitable for supporting the end of the core shaft 1. The rails 14 are adapted to extend beyond the width of the reel shaft 1 and the height of the lift fork 4 is dimensioned so that the fork 4 can move on the rails 14 underneath the core shaft 1 and the parent rolls 10, 11. At the opposite end of the lift fork 4 transfer rails 14 a roll core handler 12 is located adjacent to the core shaft reel rails 2, 3. The core handler 12 comprises a roll change tube 5 and a core change tube 8 cantilever mounted thereon. The roll change tube 5 and the core change tube 8 are mounted at a mutual 90° angle on the body of the roll core handler 12 and adapted to be rotatable so that either one of tubular charger tubes 5, 8 can be rotatably aligned parallel to the rails 14 and the center axis 17 of the core shaft 1. Additionally, the roll core handler 12 is made transferable, e.g., along the rails 14 of the lift fork in a parallel direction to the central axis 17 of the core shaft 1. Further, the roll core handler 12 is complemented with a core-handling table 13 in a position meeting the core change tube 8 when the roll change tube 5 is aligned parallel to the central axis 17 of the core shaft 1. Now referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, there are shown some details of the construction of the lift fork 4, the core shaft support 15 and the end of the roll change tube. The core shaft support 15 is implemented in the form of a rail as an extension of the transfer rail 3 and has a stop 18 at its end for stopping the movement of the reel shaft 1. The support 15 is mounted on the end of the transfer rail 3 so as to be rotatable about a pivotal joint 19. The lift fork 4 has a round slot 16 with a shape compatible with the outer shape of the core shaft 1. An alternative technique is to use, e.g., a V-shaped slot, whereby a single lift fork can be used for supportably lifting core shafts of different diameters. However, papermaking factories generally use only core shafts of the same size. The height position of the lift fork 4 as seen from the level of the rails 14 is adapted such that the fork 4 may be unobstructedly moved under the largest roll 11 to be handled in the roll change position. The outer diameter of the roll change tube 5 is dimensioned to be compatible with the inner diameter of the roll cores 9 used at the winder. The end of the roll change tube 5 is provided with an inner bushing whose inner diameter is compatible with the outer diameter of a coupling portion 20 adapted to the end of the core shaft, whereby the outer diameter of the coupling portion must be made smaller than the outer diameter of the core shaft shell. The end of the roll change tube 5 can be slidably fitted on the coupling portion 20 so that the end of the tube 5 remains resting on the end of the shell of the core shaft 1 that provides support to the roll cores 9. The diameters of roll-supporting shell portions of the core shaft 1 and the roll change tube 5 are obviously made equal. The end of the roll change tube 5 need not necessarily have a shaped bushing, but instead, the inner diameter of the tube 5 may be directly made compatible with the outer diameter of the reel shaft coupling portion 20. The function of the roll-handling system according to the invention is as follows. The core shaft 1, which in the exemplifying embodiment is shown having two rolls 10, 11 resting thereon, is rolled off from the slitter of a tissue-web-making machine up to the end of the transfer reel rails 2, 3. One of the transfer rails has its end equipped with the above-mentioned rotatable support 15, whereby the core shaft 1 can remain resting on the end of the second transfer rail 3 and the support 15. Next, the lift fork 4 is elevated to bear the load of the core shaft 1 at that end of shaft which is resting on the support 15, that is, the shaft removal end, and the support is rotated downward off from the trajectory of the core shaft 1 and the rolls 10, 11. The roll change tube 5 is next moved by the motion of the roll core handler 12 against the shell end of the core shaft 1 (see FIG. 2), whereby the core shaft 1 remains resting by its coupling portion 20 on the end of the roll change tube 5. It must be noted, that the lift fork 4 supports herein the core shaft 1 over its shell portion so that the roll change tube 5 can be threaded fully home against the end of the shaft shell. While the core shaft 1 is resting on the roll change tube 5, the lift fork 4 moves down and travels on the rails 14 to the other end of the core shaft 1 up to midway position between the transfer rail 2 and the roll 11 resting on the core shaft 1 , wherein it rises against the shell of the core shaft 1. Now, the rolls 10, 11 resting on the core shaft 1 can be pushed with their roll cores onto the roll change tube 5 that performs as an extension of the shell portion of the core shaft 1. The lift fork 4 pushes the rolls at the ends of the roll cores 9 and, as the cores are abutting each other, there is no need to impose the pushing force on the ends of the rolls 10, 11. Even here, the lift fork 4 provides support to the end of the outermost roll 11. Obviously, a separate fork-shaped pusher can be used herein in lieu of the lift fork. The core shaft 1 is prevented from moving with the roll cores 9, since the stationary roll transfer reel rail 2 and the roll change tube 5 lock the core shaft 1 stationary in regard to its movement along its longitudinal center axis. Next, the lift fork 4 moves to provide support to the core shaft 1 at its change-side end and, simultaneously, the roll change tube 5 is withdrawn apart from the coupling portion 20. After the roll change tube has been drawn apart from the coupling portion 20 and has roll 10, 11 on it, the roll core handler rotates 90° about its pivot point which is located on the extension of the core shaft longitudinal axis, whereby the core change tube 8 with new roll cores 9 threaded thereon will be aligned at the roll shaft center axis 17 and can thus be threaded in until pushed against the shell end of core shaft 1. Next, the lift fork 4 is lowered down and the roll cores 9 are pushed onto the core shaft 1 , then the lift fork 4 is elevated up again and the core change tube 8 is detached from the core shaft end by the movement of the roll core handler 12. As the next step, the support 15 is free to be rotated into a position under the core shaft 1 and, simultaneously, the lift fork 4 is lowered, whereupon the core shaft 1 can be transferred with the new roll cores threaded thereon ready for the next operation at the winder of the papermaking machine. As shown in FIG. 4, the rolls 10, 11 can be removed from the roll change tube 5 by using, e.g., a transfer truck 21 equipped with core chucks. After the removal of the rolls 10, 11, the roll core handler 12 is rotated back into its home position, whereupon the roll change tube 5 is ready to receive new rolls and the new cores can be threaded onto the core change tube 8. The loading of the core change tube 8 can be made manually or by an automatic core loader. In FIGS. 7 - 9 is shown a simplified embodiment of the invention. Due to its streamlined design, this embodiment is in many applications more cost-efficient than the arrangement described above. However, the above-described assembly is more suitable for use in locations where extremely heavy rolls are handled on core shafts, because it allows the lift fork to be designed sufficiently rugged. The simplified embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7 is, however, preferred in the handling of tissue web rolls on core shafts, because these rolls are relatively lightweight as compared with the heavy rolls of printing paper grades, whereby the handling of tissue web rolls does not require so rugged handling equipment. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, at the region where the roll change tube 5 reaches the rotable support 15, the end of the tube is provided with a cut-out relief portion 22 made by removing a portion of the tube 5 shell. Longitudinally, the cutout relief portion 22 extends from the end of the roll change tube 5 up to a given portion of the width dimension of the coupling portion 20 of the core shaft 1 so that the support element has a sufficient space to support from below the reel shaft 1 by its coupling portion 20. However, the width of the cut-out relief portion 22 must be made shorter than the longitudinal width of the core shaft coupling portion 20 so that the full-bore end of the roll change tube 5 can reach despite the cut-out relief portion 22 below the coupling portion 20, thereby being capable of supporting the core shaft 1. Due to this requirement, the length of the cut-out relief portion must be made shorter than the length of the coupling portion 20. The upper side of the roll change tube 5 must be contiguous at least at the highest position of the tube surface in order to allow the roll cores to slide smoothly away from the shell of the core shaft 1 onto the roll change tube 5. On the other hand, the underside of the roll change tube can be provided with a very short cut-out relief portion only, because the support 15 only makes touching contact with the underside of the coupling portion 20. Hence, the dimensioning of the cut-out relief portion within this region is chiefly determined by the dimensions and structure of the coupling portion 20 and the support 15. As to the strength of end of the roll change tube, it is obviously advantageous to make the cut- out relief portion as narrow as possible in the radial direction of the tube 5, because then the stiffness of the tube end is retained as high as possible. The function of the above-described embodiment is as follows. The core shaft 1 with the rolls 10, 11 resting thereon moves to the end of the transfer rails 2, 3 and the roll change tube 5 is moved against the shell end of the core shaft 1. The cut-out relief portion 22 made to the end of the roll change tube 5 facilitates the movement of the tube 5 without detachment thereof from the support 15 mounted to the end of the transfer rail 3, thus permitting the support element to provide a conti- nuous support to the core shaft 1 at the coupling portion 20. After the end of the roll change tube 5 meets the shell end of the core shaft 1 at the upper edge of the tube, the contiguous portion of the roll change tube 5 following its cut-out relief portion 20 surrounding the end of the coupling portion 20 thus allowing the roll change tube 5 to support the core shaft. In this position, the support 15 can be rotated down and thereby the core shaft 1 remains resting on the roll change tube. Subsequently, the rolls can be pushed by a pusher means onto the reel change tube. In this embodiment, the pusher does not need be a rugged lift fork, but a less rugged pusher means may serve as well. After the rolls 10, 11 have been moved onto the reel change tube, the support 15 is rotated upward and the reel change tube 5 is withdrawn away from surrounding the coupling 20 of the reel shaft. Next, the roll core handler 12 is rotated, whereby the reel change tube 5 and the rolls 10, 11 are moved into the roll delivery position, meanwhile the core change tube 8 with the new roll cores 9 threaded thereon is first aligned with the longitudinal axis of the reel shaft 1 and then pushed onto the end of the core shaft 1. The core change tube 8 has a similar cut-out relief portion as that made on the roll change tube 5. After the support 15 is again lowered, the roll cores can be pushed onto the reel shaft, whereupon the support may again rise and the core shaft is again ready for the next winding steps and the roll change tube can be withdrawn from the end of the reel shaft. Fig. 10 shows a further embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment the end of the roll change tube 5 is left on the end of the core shaft 1. This leaves a gap of 500 - 600 mm between the end of the roll change tube 5 and the end of the core shaft 1 shell. Since the parent rolls 10, 11 are usually several even up to 5 meters long, the rolls can be easily pushed over the gap. Or course, it is clear that this embodiment is not suitable for processes handling very short rolls. On the operation of this embodiment it must be noted that the core shaft must be locked in axial direction either by a stopper built within the roll change tube 5 or a suitable restraining apparatus at the opposite end of the core shaft 1. Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, also embodiments different from those described above may be contemplated. It is to be understood that non-split web should be wound on a single core threaded on the core shaft and if the web is split more than twice, the number of cores increases accordingly. For instance, the mutual position of the tubes 5, 8 may be arranged different from what is described above. The tubes 5, 8 may be located on the same axis for instance, whereby the rotational movement of the roll core handler may cover an angle of, e.g., 90° or 180°. However, the exemplifying embodiment described above can offer smaller movements combined with a short transfer time. The roll core handler need not necessarily be designed movable, but instead the movements of the roll change tube and the core change tube in the direction of the core shaft longitudinal axis can be implemented by virtue of moving the tubes on guides or supported on telescoping cylinders or the like. Obviously, the lift fork could be moved above the core shaft, but this arrangement makes connection to the core shaft more difficult. A single lift fork may be replaced by a combination of two separate fork ends, whereby their movement toward the core shaft ends can be implemented in different manners. It is even possible to omit the lift fork totally. In such an embodiment the roll change tube is pushed over the end of the core shaft so that it engages the outer end of the coupling means and supports the core shaft. When the support at the end of the transfer rail is removed, the roll change tube can be pushed further over the end of the core shaft to make the support more secure. The roll change tube can be pushed against the shell end of the core shaft or left at a distance thereof. The disadvantage of the this embodiment is that the weight of the parent rolls and the shaft rests largely on the end of the roll change tube whereby it is heavily stressed and moving it requires high force because of friction. Furthermore, an additional separate roll core handler can be placed close to the other end of the core shaft, thus achieving a reduced core change time. Correspondingly, the core change tube and the roll change tube can be located on different sides of the core shaft. The roll change tube may also be made movable only in the direction of the core shaft longitudinal axis, whereby it can also serve as the core change tube. Instead of running on the transfer rails, the core shafts may be introduced into the roll change position by lifting and then placed there on suitable support blocks or directly on the lift forks. Although certain elements in the foregoing text have been called as a "tube", it is obvious that these elements may as well be implemented using bar cages or other similar constructions known in the art. Hence, their outer surface need not necessarily defined by a cylindrical shell inasmuch an equivalent element with a prismatic or even a radially outwardly ridged envelope of an elongated shape will serve the desired purpose with the provision that the longitudinal projections of the element mate in the desired manner with inner diameter of the core. Similarly, all other terms used about the different elements must be understood as descriptive and general names of the elements only, rather than as technical terms limiting to the implementation of the invention. For instance, the construction of the lift fork may in reality occur as any other form of a support element instead of being a forked structure. Instead of utilizing rotation, the support element or elements mounted at the end of the transfer rail can be arranged to be movable in the horizontal or vertical direction, along an inclined trajectory or the support(s) may be located on the opposite side of the core shaft in regard to the transfer rails.

Claims: What is claimed is: 1. Method for transferring tissue web rolls (10, 11) away from a core shaft (1) formed by a shell portion terminating at coupling portions (20) at both ends thereof, in which method said core shaft (1) is transferred into a roll change position and is placed on support [means] (2, 3, 15), characterized [in] by - placing a roll change tube (5) axially to the core shaft (1) so that the roll change tube (5) is engaging at least partially to the coupling portion (20) of the shaft (1) and supporting the first end of the shaft (1), - removing the support (15) from the first end of the core shaft (1) which is adjacent to the roll change tube (5), and - pushing axially the rolls (10, 11) resting on the core shaft (1) onto the roll change tube (5). 2. Method according to the claim 1, wherein the core shaft (1) is supported over the area of the shaft (1) that is between the end of the shaft and the shell of the shaft (1), the support location being distanced from the end of the shaft (1), characterized [in that] by engaging the roll change tube (5) [ is ] with the coupling portion (20) so that the support location is being between the end of the roll change tube (5) and the shell of the core shaft (1) whereby a gap is being left therebetween. 3. Method for transferring tissue web rolls (10, 11) away from a core shaft (1) formed by a shell portion terminating at coupling portions (20) at both ends thereof, in which method said core shaft (1) is transferred into a roll change position and is placed on support [means] (2, 3, 15), characterized [in] by - placing a roll change tube (5)against the shell end of the core shaft (1), whereby at least a portion of the tube end is brought to abut the shell end of the core shaft (1), - supporting the core shaft (1) over a portion remaining between the end of the parent roll (11) resting on the core shaft and the end of said coupling portion (20), - removing the support [means] (1 ) from that end of the core shaft (1) which is adjacent to the roll change tube (5), and - pushing the rolls (10, 11) resting on the core shaft (1) onto the roll change tube (5). 4. Method according to claim 2, characterized [in] by moving a roll change tube (5) against the shell end of the core shaft (1) so that the end of its upper part becomes abutting the shell end of the core shaft, while the lower part of said roll change tube (5) end has a cut-out relief portion made thereto so as to extend by a given length longitudinally from the end of the roll change tube (5), whereby said given length is shorter than the longitudinal width of the core shaft coupling portion (20), thus allowing the uncut full-bore portion of the roll change tube (5) to support the roll shaft (1) about its coupling portion. 5. Method according to claim 1 or 3, characterized [in] by - supporting at least one end of the core shaft (1) about the shell portion of said core shaft (1) so that the coupling portion (20) of the shaft remains free, - moving against the shell portion of the core shaft (1) a roll change tube (5) having its end adapted to fit about said coupling portion (20) of said core shaft (1) and the outer surface contour of the roll change tube (5) made compatible with the shell shape of said core shaft (1), and - removing the support from contacting the shell portion of said core shaft (1)- 6. Method according to any one of claims 1 - 5, characterized [in] by - transferring the core shaft (1) into the core shaft change position supported- ly resting on [transfer rails] the supports (2, 3), whereby the end of at least one of the [transfer rails] supports is equipped with a movable support (15) and - removing said movable support (15) from contacting said core shaft (1) after at least one end of the core shaft has been properly engaged with the roll change tube (5). 7. Method according to claim 6, characterized [in] by supporting the core shaft (1) in the direction of its longitudinal center axis (17) by said [transfer rail] support (2) and the end of said roll change tube (5) during the axial pushing of the parent rolls (10, 11) onto said roll change tube (5). 8. Method according to claim 1, characterized [in] by - resupporting the end of the core shaft (1) at the first end meeting said roll change tube (5), - withdrawing said roll change tube (5) from engaging the coupling portion (20) of the core shaft, and - rotating the roll change tube (5) about its end pivot point away from its position aligned with the longitudinal center axis (17) of the core shaft (1) thus moving the roll change tube (5) into the delivery position of the parent rolls (10, 11). 9. Method according to claim 8, characterized [in] by rotating the roll change tube (5) is [by] about 90°. 10. Method according to claim 8, characterized [in] by [that] - simultaneously with rotation of the roll change tube (5) [is] rotating a core change tube (8) about the same end pivot point in a respective manner so that said core change tube (8) is moving into a position aligned with the longitudinal center axis (17) of said core shaft, whereby new cores are resting on said core change tube and are [can be] moving onto said core shaft in the same manner as the rolls are removed therefrom. 11. Assembly for transferring tissue web rolls (10, 11) away from a core shaft (1) comprising a shell portion terminating at coupling portions (20) at both ends thereof, said assembly comprising support [elements] (2, 3, 15) for supporting said core shaft (1), characterized [by] in that - at least one roll change tube (5) is arranged to have its end adapted to fit at least partially about said coupling portion (20) of said core shaft (1) and further [having] a shape of its outer surface is adapted to be compatible with the shell portion of the core shaft (1), - [means] device (12) is arranged to [for] place the roll change tube (5) axially aligned in relation to the core shaft (1), - [means] device (12, 14) is arranged to [for] move axially the end of said roll change tube (5) into an engaging position with the coupling portion (20) of said core shaft (1) , and [means] device (4) is arranged to [for] push parent rolls (10, 11) resting on said core shaft axially away from said roll shaft (1) by a force applied to the cores (9) of said web rolls (10, J 1). 12. Assembly according to claim 11, characterized in that said roll change tube (5) has an end design wherein the upper part is contoured compatible with the shell shape of the core shaft (1) and the lower part has a cut-out relief portion made thereto so as to extend by a given length longitudinally from the end of the roll change tube (5), whereby said given length is shorter than the longitudinal width of the roll shaft coupling portion (20), thus allowing the uncut portion of the roll change tube (5) to support the core shaft (1) about its coupling portion. 13. Assembly according to claim 11, characterized [by] in that at least one [lift fork] device (4) is arranged to supporting] at least one of the ends of said core shaft (1) by the shell portion of said [reel] core shaft (1). 14. Assembly according to claim 11, characterized in that said core change tube (5) is adapted to operate together with a roll core handler (12) which includes [means] a device for moving said roll change tube (5) in direction of the longitudinal center axis (17) of the core shaft (1) and for rotating said roll change tube (5) about a pivot point located on the extension of said longitudinal center axis (17) of said core shaft (1). 15. Assembly according to claim 14, characterized [by] in that a core change tube (8) is adapted to said roll core handler (12) at 90° angle relative to said roll change tube (5). 16. Assembly according to claim 11, said assembly comprising [including transfer rails] supports (2, 3) for supporting the ends of said core shaft (1), characterized in that at least one [first] support [element] thereof is a movable support (15) adapted to be detachable from said core shaft (1) after the core shaft has been placed resting on the second support. 17. Assembly according to claim 16, characterized in that at least one of the supports [elements] is shaped to prevent the movement of said core shaft (1) in the direction of its longitudinal center axis by [way of contacting] interaction of said support [rail] with [by] said coupling portion (20) of said core shaft (1).

Inventors: JOUTSJOKI JUKKA, JOUTSJOKI, JUKKA
Applicants: JOUTSJOKI JUKKA, METSO PAPER INC, JOUTSJOKI, JUKKA, METSO PAPER, INC.
Application year: 2001
Main classification: B65H19
IPC codes: B65H19