Abstract:
A web transfer and chop-off assembly for a paper web rewinder used in a paper converting operation capable of maintaining positive control of the web at all times. The web transfer and chop-off assembly delivers a web to an empty core faced with glue and supported on a mandrel of a web winding turret assembly, at about the same time the web is severed from a fully wound core supported on a second mandrel on the turret assembly.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to a web rewinder for unwinding parent rolls of web material such as, for example, paper, and rewinding the web onto cores to produce consumer rolls of web product such as rolls of paper towels, or rolls of toilet tissue. More specifically, the present invention relates to a web chop-off and transfer mechanism providing improved reliability for such web rewinder.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Rewinders are apparatus for unwinding parent rolls of web material such as paper and rewinding the web into consumer product rolls. Such product rolls include paper towels and toilet tissue each of which typically comprise multiple tear-apart sheets. Rewinders may include a perforating cylinder for making traverse lines of perforations in the web at sheet length intervals providing lines of weakening for tear apart convenience. The rewinders often include a rotating turret assembly supporting a plurality of mandrels which in turn support the cores on which the product is wound in order to produce consumer product rolls. The rotating turret assembly provides a mechanical means for core loading, core gluing, web rewinding, and log stripping. The transfer of the web from a fully wound core to an empty core is performed by a web transfer and web chop-off mechanism.  
           [0003]    For conventional turret winders, the web chop-off occurs at a position between adjacent mandrels. The turret winder may be equipped with a plurality, typically six or more mandrels, each of which goes through the same orbital path. This permits the mandrel to be equipped with a paperboard core on which the tissue or toweling is wound, the core faced with glue, the actual winding, and ultimately the removal of the wound roll from the mandrel. Near the end of the rewinding on a given mandrel core, the subsequent mandrel is in a position close to the fast traveling web so as to pick it up and continue the rewinding operation when the web has been severed. It has been the conventional practice to sever the web between the mandrel which has just finished its rewinding operation and the mandrel which is just to start its rewinding operation.  
           [0004]    For conventional turret winders rotation of the turret assembly is indexed in a stop and start manner to provide for core loading and log unloading while the mandrels are stationary. Such indexing turret winders are disclosed in the following U.S. Pat. No.: 2,769,600 issued Nov. 6, 1956 to Kwitek et al; U.S. Pat. No. 3,179,348 issued Sep. 17, 1962 to Nystrand et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,552,670issued Jun. 12, 1968 to Herman; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,687,153 issued Aug.18, 1987to McNeil. The McNeil Patent is incorporated herein by reference. Indexing turret assemblies are commercially available on Series 150, 200, and 250 rewinders manufactured by the Paper Converting Machine Company of Green Bay, Wis.  
           [0005]    The indexing of the turret assembly is undesirable because of the resulting inertia forces and vibration caused by accelerating and decelerating a rotating turret assembly. Consequently, the indexing turret assembly has been supplanted by a continuously rotating turret assembly as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,690,297 issued Nov. 25, 1997 to McNeil et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,667,162 issued Sep. 16, 1997 to McNeil et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,732,901 issued Mar. 31, 1998 to McNeil et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,660,350 issued Apr. 26, 1997 to McNeil et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,810,282 issued Sep. 22, 1998 to McNeil et al. all of which are incorporated herein by reference. The continuous motion turret assembly provides a means for uninterrupted core loading, core gluing, web rewinding, and log stripping.  
           [0006]    Although the continuous rotation turret assembly has resulted in a faster rewinder operating rate, the area which is still not optimized is the web chop-off and transfer procedure. Web chop-off generally requires severing the web at a discrete line of perforation on the web in order to achieve the necessary roll sheet count. To achieve transfer of the web from the one mandrel to another, it is necessary to synchronize the chop-off with transfer of the web to the new mandrel that is about to commence the web winding operation. If the two are not performed simultaneously, control of the web is momentarily lost upon severing the web, leaving an unsupported free end to be urged against an empty core resulting in a wrinkled, uneven web transfer to the empty core and consequently, a poor quality product.  
           [0007]    A web chop-off and transfer mechanism typically comprises a chopper roll in combination with a bedroll. The chopper roll and bedroll combination comprises a set of chop-off blades for separating the paper web by breaking the web along one of the lines of perforations. A rewinder of that type where one of the chop-off blades is disposed on the chop-off roll per se, and two on the bedroll, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,687,153 which issued Aug. 18, 1987 to McNeil which patent is incorporated herein by reference for the purpose of generally disclosing the operation of the bedroll and chopper roll in providing web transfer.  
           [0008]    In that rewinder, the bedroll is a hollow steel cylinder containing components that assist in chop-off and transfer of the web. These include cam actuated blades and transfer pins as well as transfer pads which operate independently from the blades and pins. The two bedroll blades comprise a leading bedroll blade and a trailing blade. The transfer pins are sharpened to a point enabling them to pierce and carry the chopped off web. Approaching chop-off, the bedroll blades are actuated by unlatching a spring loaded mechanism and subsequent contact with a cam in order to lift the web from the surface of the bedroll. Once the blades are fully extended, the web is constrained by contact with a sharp serrated edge of the leading bedroll blade. The blade on the chopper roll enters between the bedroll blades, meshing therebetween. As the meshing occurs, the length of the running web of paper which extends between the tips of the bedroll&#39;s chop-off blades is stretched into a deepening V-shape. The meshing must be adequate to ensure sufficient stretching to induce either tearing or breaking of the web. For more pliable paper running at low web tensions, the meshing operation cannot achieve the desired chop-off resulting in product rolls with incorrect sheet counts or equipment downtime due to a tangled web. Coincident with the blade meshing, the sharp pins which trail the bedroll chop-off blades penetrate the leading edge of the sheet trailing the web break point. During pin penetration the sheet is held against a foam pad mounted to the chopper roll.  
           [0009]    In effort to provide a larger chop-off window, an improved web transfer and chop-off assembly was devised providing a means for continuously maintaining the chop-off blades in parallel relationship during roll ending events. Such an assembly is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,919,351 Issued Apr. 24, 1990 to McNeil and is incorporated herein by reference. The improved transfer and chop-off assembly comprises two side-by-side blades on the chop-off roll and three side-by-side blades along with the transfer pins on the bedroll. The five blades mesh together in a motion parallel to the line between the centers of the bedroll and the chopper roll, allowing deeper blade mesh and a greater stretch while utilizing a wider chop-off window.  
           [0010]    For each of the web transfer and chop-off assemblies described, once the web is broken at the perforation, the bedroll pins support the cut end prior to being transferred to the next empty core. During this time, the edge of the cut end is blown in a direction opposite the web transfer, creating a reverse fold. This folded free edge is then transferred to the empty core resulting in a wrinkled, uneven web delivery to the empty core which can effect several revolutions of winding on the core producing a poor quality product and at times, resulting in equipment malfunction.  
           [0011]    The present invention provides a web transfer and chop-off assembly in which web transfer to an empty core on the turret assembly is initiated about the same time web chop-off from a roll having completed the web winding cycle occurs. Consequently, control of the web is maintained throughout the web rewinding cycle as the web is transferred from core to core resulting in improved product quality and rewinder reliability.  
           [0012]    Performance enhancing fluids are often added to paper webs to improve the properties of the web. For conventional set-ups, the fluid application occurs upstream of the perforator roll generally due to lack of space within the rewinder set-up as well as the consequential equipment downtime that would be required to rid the bedroll of the fluids. As a result, the perforator roll becomes coated affecting perforator performance and resulting in significant equipment downtime to clean the perforator roll.  
           [0013]    The present invention provides a web transfer and chop-off assembly having improved maintainability while occupying minimal space in the web rewinding set-up by eliminating the need for a bedroll. Such web transfer and chop-off assembly facilitates the installation of a fluid application means within the web rewinder between the perforator roll and the web transfer and chop-off assembly.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0014]    A web transfer and chop-off assembly for a web rewinder capable of delivering a web advancing along a path to an empty core faced with glue and supported on a first mandrel of a web winding turret assembly at about the same time the web is severed from a fully wound core supported on a second mandrel in sequence on the turret assembly. The web transfer and chop-off assembly comprises a web transfer assembly juxtaposed to the web path for pressing the web against the empty core and forming a transfer nip therewith during, web transfer. A means for accelerating the web is disposed downstream of the transfer nip for producing sufficient tension to break the web from a fully wound core once the delivery of the web to the empty core has been initiated.  
           [0015]    In several embodiments of the present invention, the web transfer and chop-off assembly includes a bedroll juxtaposed to the web path. For these embodiments, the web transfer assembly comprises a transfer pad mounted on the periphery of the bedroll. During the rotation of the bedroll, a leading edge of the transfer pad forms a transfer nip with the empty core. The length of the transfer pad is sized to maintain the transfer nip for one full revolution of the empty core and to clear the core during the web winding cycle.  
           [0016]    In other embodiments of the present invention, the bedroll has been eliminated and the web transfer assembly comprises a transfer roll having a surface speed that equals the web speed. The transfer roll is rotatably attached to a transfer roll pivot arm. The transfer roll pivot arm rotates the transfer roll about a pivot end from a first position forming a transfer nip with the empty core to a second position withdrawn away from the web, allowing the core to pass and complete the winding cycle.  
           [0017]    The web acceleration means of the present invention can comprise two chop-off rolls positioned on opposite sides of the web path downstream of the transfer nip. Each chop-off roll has a surface speed that exceeds the web speed. As the transfer roll forms the transfer nip with the empty core, the two chop-off rolls advance towards one another forming a chop-off nip with the web disposed therebetween. As the web is held at the transfer nip, the chop-off nip accelerates the web creating a tension sufficient to break the web. The two chop-off rolls withdraw from the web allowing the core to pass and complete the winding cycle. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0018]    These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 1 is a side view of a web rewinder assembly illustrating the web path, turret winder assembly, and the web transfer and web chop-off assembly.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 2 is a partially cut away front view of a turret winder.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 3 a side view showing the position of the closed mandrel path and mandrel drive system of the turret winder relative to an upstream conventional rewinder assembly.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 4 is a side view of web transfer and chop-off assembly comprising a bedroll incorporating a transfer pad for web transfer and two chop-off rolls for web chop-off.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 5 is a side view of web transfer and chop-off assembly of FIG. 4 where the first chop-off roll mounted on the bedroll has been replaced with a nip pad on the periphery of the bedroll.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 6 is a side view of web transfer and chop-off assembly of FIG. 5 where the second chop-off roll has been replaced with a chopper arm  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 7 is a side view of web transfer and chop-off assembly of FIG. 4 where the two chop-off rolls have been replaced with a vacuum roll rotatably mounted within the bedroll for web chop-off.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 8 is a side view of web transfer and chop-off assembly of FIG. 4 where the two chop-off rolls have been replaced with a vacuum roll rotatably mounted to a loading mechanism disposed opposite the bedroll.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 9 is a side view of a web rewinder assembly incorporating a fluid application system within the rewinder assembly wherein the web transfer assembly comprises a transfer roll mounted to a transfer roll pivot arm and forming a transfer nip with an empty core and the chop-off assembly comprises a first chop-off roll rotatably mounted to a chop-off roll pivot arm forming a chop-off nip with a second chop-off roll.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 10 is a side view of the web rewinder assembly shown in FIG. 9 wherein the web chop-off assembly comprises two chop-off pads mounted to pivoting linearly extendible rods.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 11 is a side view of the web transfer and chop-off assembly shown in FIG. 9 wherein the chop-off assembly includes two intermediate rolls forming an intermediate nip between the transfer nip and the chop-off nip. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0030]    Definitions  
         [0031]    As used herein, the following terms have the following meanings:  
         [0032]    “Machine direction”, designated MD, is the direction parallel to the flow of paper through the paper converting equipment.  
         [0033]    “Cross machine direction”, designated CD, is the direction perpendicular to the machine direction.  
         [0034]    A “nip” is a loading plane connecting the centers of two parallel axes.  
         [0035]    A “core winding cycle” is the time required to complete the rewinding of a desired length of paper onto a single core to produce a consumer product roll of paper.  
         [0036]    A “log” is a roll of paper wound on a core that has completed the core winding cycle.  
         [0037]    Illustrated in FIG. 1 is a web rewinding assembly  60  for rewinding a paper web  50  from a parent roll (not shown) to individual cores  302  supported on mandrels  300  of a rotating turret winder assembly  100 . During the web rewinding process, the web  50  travels along a path  53  in the machine direction and enters a perforator roll  54  which produces lines of perforations running in the cross machine direction on the web  50 . The web  50  may travel across a web slitter roll  56  before entering the web transfer and web chop off assembly  500 . For the present invention, the web transfer and chop-off assembly  500  provides the delivery of the web  50  to an empty core  302  generally at about the same time the web  50  is severed from a log  51  having completed the web winding cycle. (For the present invention, “at about the same time” includes a period of time ranging from concurrently to the time required for the empty core  302  to complete one revolution or less of web transfer). Although the present invention is equally applicable to all types of rewinders, the web transfer and chop-off assemblies  500  described herein are applicable to web rewinder assemblies including continuous motion turret systems used in producing consumer rolls of paper products such as paper towels and toilet tissue as well as Geneva wheel rewinders.  
         [0038]    Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, a turret winder  100  supports a plurality of mandrels  300 . The mandrels  300  engage cores  302  upon which a paper web is wound. The mandrels  300  are driven in a closed mandrel path  320  about a turret assembly central axis  202 . Each mandrel  300  extends along a mandrel axis  314  generally parallel to the turret assembly central axis  202 , from a first mandrel end  310  to a second mandrel end  312 . The mandrels  300  are supported at their first ends  310  by a rotatably driven turret assembly  200 . The mandrels  300  are releasably supported at their second ends  312  by a mandrel cupping assembly  400 . The turret winder  100  preferably supports at least three mandrels  300 , more preferably at least  6  mandrels  300 , and in one embodiment the turret winder  100  supports ten mandrels  300 . A turret winder  100  supporting at least  10  mandrels  300  can have a rotatably driven turret assembly  200  which is rotated at a relatively low angular velocity to reduce vibration and inertia loads, while providing increased throughput relative to a indexing turret winder which is intermittently rotated at higher angular velocities.  
         [0039]    As shown in FIG. 3, the closed mandrel path  320  can be non-circular, and can include a core loading segment  322 , a web winding segment  324 , and a core stripping segment  326 .  
         [0040]    Once core loading is complete on a particular mandrel  300 , the core  302  is carried to the web winding segment  324  of the closed mandrel path  320 . Intermediate the core loading segment  322  and the web winding segment  324 , a web securing adhesive can be applied to the core  302  by an adhesive application apparatus as the core and its associated mandrel are carried along the closed mandrel path  320 .  
         [0041]    During movement of the mandrel and core along the web winding segment  324 , a mandrel drive apparatus  330  provides rotation of each mandrel  300  and its associated core  302  about the mandrel axis  314 . The mandrel drive apparatus  330  thereby provides winding of the web  50  upon the core  302  supported on the mandrel  300  to form a log  51  of web material wound around the core  302 . The mandrel drive apparatus  330  provides center winding of the paper web  50  upon the cores  302  (that is, by connecting the mandrel with a drive which rotates the mandrel  300  about its axis  314 , so that the web is pulled onto the core), as opposed to surface winding wherein a portion of the outer surface on the log  51  is contacted by a rotating winding drum such that the web is pushed, by friction, onto the mandrel. The present invention can be applicable to both center winding and surface winding mandrels  
         [0042]    As the core  302  is carried along the web winding segment  324  of the closed mandrel path  320 , a web  50  is directed to the core  302  by a rewinder assembly  60  disposed upstream of the turret winder  100 . The rewinder assembly  60  is shown in FIG. 1, and includes feed rolls  52  for carrying the web  50  to a perforator roll  54 , a web slitter bed roll  56 , and a web transfer and chop-off assembly  500 .  
         [0043]    The perforator roll  54  provides lines of perforations extending along the width of the web  50  in the cross machine direction. Adjacent lines of perforations are spaced apart a predetermined distance along the length of the web  50  to provide individual sheets joined together at the perforations. The sheet length of the individual sheets is the distance between adjacent lines of perforations.  
         [0044]    During web transfer and web chop-off, the web  50  is transferred to an empty core  302  on a turret winder mandrel  300  at about the same time the web  50  is severed from a log  51 , having completed the core winding cycle. The log  51  is supported on an adjacent mandrel in sequence on the turret assembly. The severance of the web  50  occurs at a predetermined perforation separating the last sheet on the log  51  from the first sheet transferred to the empty core  302  by creating enough tension in the web section to break the web at the predetermined perforation.  
         [0045]    The present invention web transfer and chop off assembly  500  can include a bedroll  510  juxtaposed to the web path  53 , rotating about an axis  512  which is parallel to the turret assembly axis  202 . Such bedroll  510  can provide a transfer pad  514  and a chop-off assembly  520  for providing web transfer concurrently with web chop-off.  
         [0046]    As shown in FIG. 4, the transfer pad  514  is mounted on the periphery  511  of the bedroll  510 . The bedroll  510  completes an integer number of revolutions during the web rewinding cycle and is synchronized with the turret assembly  100  so that the transfer pad  514  forms a transfer nip  516  with the empty core  302  during web transfer.  
         [0047]    The duration of the transfer nip  516  is controlled by the length of the pad covering the bedroll  510  which typically corresponds to the circumferential length of an empty core  302  so that during web transfer, the transfer nip  516  endures one revolution of the empty core  302 . The rotation of the bedroll  510  is such that the surface speed of the outer surface of the transfer pad  514  is equal to the web speed  
         [0048]    The chop-off assembly  520  can comprise two counterrotating chop-off rolls, a first chop-off roll  522  rotatably mounted within the bedroll  510  and a second chop-off roll  524  positioned opposite the bedroll  510  and rotatably mounted to the turret assembly. Each chop-off roll  522 ,  524  can be approximately 3.0 inches in diameter and rotate at an angular velocity providing a surface speed that exceeds the web speed. Preferably, the chop-off rolls exceed the web speed by about 20% to about 40%. During web chop-off, the first and second chop-off rolls  522 ,  524  form a chop-off nip  526  which accelerates a section of the web  50  downstream of the transfer nip  516  creating sufficient tension to break the web  50  at a desired perforation.  
         [0049]    The first chop-off roll  522  includes an axis  523  which runs parallel to and eccentric from the bedroll axis  512  such that the outer periphery  525  of the first chop-off roll  522  extends above the outer periphery  511  of the bedroll  510  approximately 0.125 inches allowing it to clear the core during the core winding cycle. The second chop-off roll  524  is rotatably mounted to a loading mechanism  527  that conveys the second chop-off roll  524  in to make contact with the first chop-off roll  522  during web chop-off and retracts the second chop-off roll  524  to allow the core to pass during the web winding cycle.  
         [0050]    Prior to the empty core  302  reaching the transfer position, the second chop-off roll  524  starts to load towards the bedroll  510 . The second chop-off roll  524  contacts the web  50  and deflects it toward the bedroll  510  as it continues to load. The empty core  302  reaches the transfer position and contacts the leading edge  515  of the transfer pad  514 . A perforation is positioned between the transfer nip  516  and the chop-off nip  526 . While the web  50  is secured between the empty core  302  and the transfer pad  514 , the second chop-off roll  524  contacts the first chop-off roll  522  pinching the web  50  therebetween. The transfer pad  514  continues to press the web  50  against the core  302  for one core revolution as the over-speed of the chop-off rolls  522 ,  524  produces sufficient tension in the web  50  to separate the perforation.  
         [0051]    In an alternate embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the first chop-off roll  522  is replaced with a nip pad  528  located on the periphery  511  of the bedroll  510  adjacent to the leading edge  515  of the transfer pad  514 . While the web  50  is pinched at the transfer nip  516 , the second chop-off roll  524  contacts the web  50 , deflects it towards the bedroll  510  and forms a chop-off nip  526  with the nip pad  528 . The section of the web  50  between the transfer nip  516  and the chop-off nip  526  is accelerated, creating sufficient tension in the web  50  to separate the perforation.  
         [0052]    In another embodiment incorporating the nip pad  528  on the periphery  511  of the bedroll  510 , the second chop-off roll  524  may be replaced with a driven chopper arm  530  as shown in FIG. 6. The chopper arm  530  rotates creating a surface speed that exceeds the speed of the web  50 . The chopper arm  530  is mounted to a loading mechanism  532  which feeds the chopper arm in to make contact with the optional nip pad  528  forming the chop-off nip  526  during web chop-off and retracts the chopper arm to clear the core during the winding cycle.  
         [0053]    In another embodiment, the chop-off assembly  520  can comprise a vacuum roll  534  rotatably mounted within the bedroll  510  as shown in FIG. 7. The vacuum roll  534  includes a chamber  536  covering a limited portion of the vacuum roll periphery  538  providing suction to grab a hold of the web  50  during web chop-off. Although the size of the vacuum roll  534  can vary, it is preferred that the vacuum roll  534  be about 3.0 inches in diameter. The vacuum roll  534  rotates at an angular velocity providing a surface speed that exceeds the web speed. The vacuum roll  534  includes an axis  537  which runs parallel to and eccentric from the bedroll axis  512  such that the outer periphery  538  of the vacuum roll  534  extends above the bedroll periphery  511  a limited amount, allowing it to clear the core during the winding cycle.  
         [0054]    At the start of the transfer sequence, the leading edge  515  of the transfer pad  514  forms the transfer nip  516  with the empty core  302  and the vacuum chamber  536  engages the web  50 . A perforation is positioned between the transfer nip  516  and the vacuum chamber  536 . As the transfer pad  514  continues to press the web  50  against the empty core  302  for one full revolution of the core  302 , the over-speed of the vacuum roll  534  creates sufficient tension to separate the web  50  at the perforation.  
         [0055]    Alternatively, the vacuum roll  534  can be rotatably mounted to a loading mechanism  539  positioned opposite the bedroll  510  and counterrotating with respect thereto as shown in FIG. 8. For this embodiment, the vacuum roll  534  starts to load in towards the bedroll  510  prior to the empty core  302  reaching the transfer position. As the empty core  302  forms the transfer nip  516  with the transfer pad  514 , the vacuum roll  534  contacts the web  50 . As the transfer pad  514  continues to press the web  50  against the empty core  302  for one full revolution of the core  302 , the over-speed of the vacuum roll  534  creates sufficient tension to separate the web  50  at the perforation. Once the web  50  is severed, the vacuum roll  534  retracts allowing the core to pass and complete the winding cycle.  
         [0056]    Paper products such as paper towels and toilet tissue are often treated with performance enhancing fluids. Performance enhancing fluids are typically added prior to the rewinding process resulting in a fluid contaminated perforator roll which affects perforation reliability and results in equipment downtime. Although the fluid application system  600  may be installed downstream of the perforator roll  54  prior to the bedroll  510 , the size of the bedroll  510  often leaves little room for the installation of such a system. In addition, the bedroll  510  would become coated with the performance enhancing fluids and require frequent cleaning, resulting in significant equipment downtime.  
         [0057]    Transferring the web  50  to an empty core can be completed, absent a bedroll, in a number of different ways such as dynamically utilizing air in the form of a jet or a vacuum or mechanically by way of a cam or a bell crank operation. Furthermore, the web transfer assembly can include a transfer roll  540 . The transfer roll  540 , which can be about 3.0 inches in diameter, counterrotates with respect to the core at an angular velocity providing a surface speed that equals the web speed. The transfer roll  540  can be rotatably attached to a loading mechanism positioned opposite the turret assembly. The loading mechanism moves the transfer roll  540  from a first position forming a transfer nip  516  with the empty core  302  to a second position withdrawn away from the web  50  allowing the core to pass during the core winding cycle. The loading mechanism can comprise a linear electric motor or a linear hydraulic cylinder.  
         [0058]    In one embodiment shown in FIG. 9, the loading mechanism for the transfer roll  540  comprises a transfer roll pivot arm  542 . The transfer roll pivot arm  542  includes a pivot end  543  and a second end  545 . The transfer roll  540  is rotatably attached to the second end  545  of the pivot arm  542  which can be sized such that the distance between the pivot end  543  and the transfer roll axis  541  is about 3.5 inches.  
         [0059]    During the rewinding process, the transfer roll  540  rotates about the pivot end  543  of the transfer roll pivot arm  542  from a first position forming the transfer nip  516  with the empty core  302  to a second position withdrawn away from the web  50 . For this embodiment, the rotation of the transfer roll pivot arm  542  is synchronized with the turret assembly  100  and can be made to maintain the transfer nip  516  for one full revolution of the core as well as complete one revolution about the pivot end  543  in one core winding cycle.  
         [0060]    The chop-off assembly can also be provided absent a bedroll  510 . Two chop off rolls  522 ,  524  (each about 3.0 inches in diameter) can be disposed on opposite sides of the web  50  to form a chop-off nip  526  downstream of the transfer nip  516  during web transfer. The two chop-off rolls  522 ,  524  counterrotate at angular velocities such that the outer surface speed of the two chop-off rolls exceed the web speed.  
         [0061]    Each chop-off roll  522 ,  524  can be rotatably attached to a separate loading mechanism. The loading mechanisms move the two chop-off rolls from first positions forming a chop-off nip  526  pinching the web  50  therebetween to a second position withdrawn away from the web  50 . Like the transfer roll  540 , the loading mechanisms for the two chop-off rolls  522 ,  524  can comprise linear electric motors or hydraulic linear actuators.  
         [0062]    Prior to the empty core  302  reaching the transfer position, the two chop-off rolls  522 ,  524  advance towards the web  50  forming the chop-off nip  526 . At the start of the transfer sequence, the web is secured at the transfer nip  516 , and a perforation is positioned between the transfer nip  516  and the chop-off nip  526 . The over-speed of the two chop-off rolls  522 ,  524  accelerates the web section between the two nips  516 ,  526  breaking the perforation.  
         [0063]    In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 9, the loading mechanism for the first chop-off roll  522  comprises a chop-off roll pivot arm  546  having a pivot end  547  and a second end  549 . The first chop-off roll  522  is rotatably attached to the second end  549  of the chop-off roll pivot arm  546 . The chop-off roll pivot arm  546  can be sized such that the distance between the pivot end  547  and the first chop-off roll axis  523  is about 3.5 inches.  
         [0064]    During the rewinding process, the first chop-off roll  522  rotates about the pivot end  547  of the chop-off roll pivot arm  546  from a first position forming the chop-off nip  526  with the second chop-off roll  524  pinching the web therebetween to a second position withdrawn away from the web  50 . The chop-off roll pivot arm  546  can be made to complete one revolution in one core winding cycle.  
         [0065]    In another embodiment illustrated in FIG. 10, the chop-off assembly  520  comprises a first chop-off pad  552  mounted to a first pivoting linearly extendible rod  553  and a second chop-off pad  554 , disposed opposite the first chop-off pad  552 , mounted to a second pivoting linearly extendible rod  555 . The linearly extendible rods  553 ,  555  advance the pads  552 ,  554  towards the web  50  to a first position forming a chop-off nip  526  pinching the web therebetween during web chop-off, and retract the pads  552 ,  554  away from the web  50  during the core winding cycle.  
         [0066]    Prior to the empty core  302  reaching the transfer position the pivoting linearly extendible rods  553 ,  555  advance the chop-off pads toward the web path  53  converging the pads  552 ,  554  at the chop-off nip  526 . As the web  50  is secured at the transfer nip  516 , a perforation is positioned between the transfer nip  516  and the chop-off nip  526 . In order to break the perforation, the pivoting linearly extendible rods  553 ,  555  continue to elongate in unison to their full extensions while pinching the web  50  at the chop-off nip.  
         [0067]    In another embodiment shown in FIG. 11, the chop-off assembly can include a first intermediate roll  562  and a second intermediate roll  564  disposed on opposite sides of the web path  53  between the transfer nip  516  and the chop-off nip  526 . Each intermediate roll is rotatably mounted to a loading mechanism for moving the intermediate rolls from first positions, forming an intermediate nip  506  and pinching the web  50  therebetween, to second positions retracted away from the web path  53 .  
         [0068]    For this embodiment, the two intermediate rolls  562 ,  564  counterrotate at surface speeds that differ from the surface speeds of the two chop-off rolls  522 ,  524 . Once the intermediate nip  506  and the chop-off nip  526  are formed, the speed differential produces sufficient tension to break the web  50  at the desired perforation. Thus, the two chop-off rolls  522 ,  524  can be made to counterrotate at surface speeds that equal the web speed while the intermediate rolls  562 ,  564  counterrotate at surface speeds less than the web speed. Conversely, the two intermediate rolls  562 ,  564  can be made to counterrotate at surface speeds that equal the web speed while the two chop-off rolls  522 ,  524  rotate at surface speeds exceeding the web speed.  
         [0069]    In either case, at the start of the transfer sequence, the web is secured at the transfer nip  516 , and a perforation is positioned between the intermediate nip  506  and the chop-off nip  526  locations. The intermediate rolls  562 ,  564  and the chop-off rolls  522 ,  524  advance towards the web forming the respective nips  506  and  526 . As the transfer roil  540  continues to maintain the transfer nip  516  for one full revolution of the empty core  302 , the difference in surface speed between the two nips  506  and  526  produces a tension in the web section interposed therebetween sufficient to separate the web  50  at the perforation.  
         [0070]    In another embodiment, the two intermediate rolls  562 ,  564  can be made to counterrotate producing surface speeds in the direction opposite the web path  53 . For this embodiment, the two chop-off rolls  562 ,  564  can counterrotate at surface speeds that equal the web speed. As the web is secured at the transfer nip  516 , a perforation is positioned between the intermediate nip  506  and the chop-off nip  526  locations. The intermediate rolls  562 ,  564  and the chop-off rolls  522 ,  524  advance towards the web path forming the respective intermediate nip  506  and the chop-off nip  526 . The opposing surface speeds at the two nips  506 ,  526  pull the web in counter directions creating sufficient tension to break the web  50  at the perforation.  
         [0071]    While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of the invention.