Patent Publication Number: US-8540181-B2

Title: Foil roll with wound stiffening core, apparatus for winding the roll and method

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional Application 61/219,846, filed Jun. 24, 2009. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates generally to machines and methods for wrapping aluminum foil around a stiffly flexible material, and more specifically to a machine and method for simultaneously winding aluminum foil and a stiffening material to form a core around which aluminum foil may be wrapped. 
     Rolls of thin aluminum foil sold for domestic and commercial use are manufactured by winding aluminum foil web on preformed cylindrical cardboard cores. Roll winding machine rotate the cardboard cores to pull aluminum foil web from a larger supply until a desired quantity of foil is wound around the cardboard core. The cardboard cores are expensive to make, expensive to transport from the core manufacturer to the foil winding site and expensive to store at the foil winding site prior to winding of foil rolls. 
     It would be advantageous to provide a foil roll having a wound stiffener core that replaces known wound foil rolls having pre-formed cylindrical cardboard stiffener cores overcoming the above disadvantages. Further advantages would be realized by a machine and method enabling a web material for a stiffening core to be coextensively introduced with a leading end of the foil web and simultaneously formed into a spiral wound core around which a desired quantity of foil web can subsequently be wound. Still further advantages would be realized in a machine and method capable of simultaneously winding a sheet of stiffener material and a leading portion of a foil web without damage or deformation of the leading portion of the foil web. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The term “core” as subsequently used herein means a wound stiffener core formed in accordance with the present invention unless otherwise specified. 
     Accordingly, the present invention, in any of the embodiments described herein, may provide one or more of the following advantages: 
     The invention is an improved aluminum foil roll with a sheet core which is wound during winding of the roll and an apparatus and method for forming aluminum foil roll in which the roll core is wound from a flat core sheet simultaneously with winding the aluminum foil on the wound core. The aluminum foil is wound onto the core at high speed without creasing or deforming the highly malleable material. Creases and deformations in the foil are retained in the non-elastic foil and are unacceptable. 
     During winding of the roll, the lead end of the foil is preferably fed into the nip between the initial windings of the core sheet and the unwound remainder of the core sheet. Winding of the remainder of the core sheet in the coil captures the lead end of the foil in the core between windings of the sheet and frictionally holds the foil in the wound core without creasing or deforming the foil. The lead end of the foil may be fed into the winding mechanism prior to formation of the nip in the core sheet as long as the lead end of the foil lags the leading edge of the core sheet so that only the core sheet comes into contact with guide structures in the winding mechanism. Continued rotation of the core winds the remainder of the foil into the core without deformation. 
     The improved aluminum foil roll, with wound core, reduces the cost of the aluminum foil rolls by eliminating preformed cylindrical cardboard cores. Shipping of the core material, in the form of a wound roll of core sheet material, which may be Kraft paper, is reduced over the cost of shipping preformed cylindrical cores. Storage cost is reduced. There is no need to pre-manufacture a core or to store pre-manufactured cores prior to winding of foil rolls. 
     The apparatus for forming a wound core foil roll should also be durable in construction, simple and effective to use, and capable of producing wound core foil rolls at an economically high rate. 
     These and other objects are achieved by a foil roll having a wound stiffener core formed from an initially flat sheet of stiffener material fed into a spiral roll winder simultaneously with a feed end of a foil web. An apparatus and method for spirally winding a foil roll with a wound stiffener core in which a stiffener sheet is fed into a roll winder in adjacent outward contact with a foil web and a leading edge of the stiffener slightly ahead of a feed end of a foil web. The stiffener sheet is outwardly disposed from the foil web and in adjacent contact with the roll starter guides to prevent contact between guides and the foil web during initial core formation. Roll starter guides are moved from contact with the outer periphery of the roll once the initial core is formed allowing a desired length of foil web to be spirally wound around the core without damage to the web. The apparatus is configured to receive a continuous supply of foil and stiffener web material, cut each to predetermined lengths, and sequentially form wound core foil rolls at an economically high rate. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The advantages of this invention will be apparent upon consideration of the following detailed disclosure of the invention, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of a roll of aluminum foil wound around a wound paper stiffener core according to the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an end view of the roll of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is an enlarged sectional view taken along line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view illustrating a winding of a first embodiment of the roll shown in  FIGS. 1-3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the roll shown in  FIGS. 1-3 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view illustrating a winding of the roll shown in  FIG. 4  or  5 , during winding; 
         FIGS. 7 and 8  are side and end views of the roll shown in  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIGS. 9 ,  10  and  11  are views similar to  FIGS. 6 ,  7  and  8  showing a different roll where the core does not extend outwardly from the aluminum foil body; 
         FIGS. 12 ,  13  and  14  are views like  FIGS. 6 ,  7  and  8  showing a different roll where the width of the core is less than the width of the aluminum foil web and body; 
         FIGS. 15-19  are side views of a machine for winding rolls of aluminum foil around wound cylindrical cores illustrating the steps of winding a roll; 
         FIG. 20  is a side view of the machine illustrating section lines for subsequent described figures; 
         FIG. 21  is an enlarged side view of the coreless roll winder; 
         FIG. 22  is a sectional view of the roll winder taken generally along line H-H of  FIG. 20 ; 
         FIG. 23  is a sectional view taken through the roll winder along line I-I of  FIG. 22 ; 
         FIG. 24  is a sectional view taken along line R-R of  FIG. 20 ; 
         FIG. 25  is a sectional view taken along line K-K of  FIG. 20 ; 
         FIG. 26  is a sectional view taken along line U-U of  FIG. 20 ; 
         FIG. 27  is a sectional view taken along line V-V of  FIG. 20 ; 
         FIG. 28  is a sectional view taken along line M-M of  FIG. 20 ; 
         FIG. 29  is a sectional view taken along line L-L of  FIG. 20 ; 
         FIG. 30  is a sectional view taken along line N-N of  FIG. 20 ; and 
         FIG. 31  is a sectional view taken along line  31 - 31  of  FIG. 30 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S) 
     Many of the fastening, connection, processes and other means and components utilized in this invention are widely known and used in the field of the invention described, and their exact nature or type is not necessary for an understanding and use of the invention by a person skilled in the art, and they will not therefore be discussed in significant detail. Also, any reference herein to the terms “upstream” or “downstream” are used as a matter of mere convenience, and are in reference to the normal feed path of foil web through the machine. Furthermore, the various components shown or described herein for any specific application of this invention can be varied or altered as anticipated by this invention and the practice of a specific application of any element may already be widely known or used in the art by persons skilled in the art and each will likewise not therefore be discussed in significant detail. 
     First referring to  FIGS. 1 through 3 , wound aluminum foil roll  10  includes a spirally wound central core  12  and an aluminum foil body  14  spirally wound around core  12 . The core  12  is wound from a segment of a flat stiffening core sheet  16  which may be Kraft paper. Sheet  16  is cut from a length of stiffener paper web. The aluminum foil body  14  is wound from a length of aluminum foil. 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , core  12  is formed by spirally winding the lead end of flat sheet  16  into an initial spiral winding  18 . The inner spiral winding  18  may have a number of 360° wraps of sheet  16 . The number of wraps of sheet  16  determined by balancing material cost and desired roll stiffness. 
     After initiating a winding  18 , the lead or feed end  20  of aluminum foil sheet  22  is positioned over the trailing end  24  of sheet  16  on the side of the sheet facing winding  18 . While it is preferable to feed the lead end  20  of the foil sheet into the nip formed by the sheet  16  having completed at least one turn to create winding  18  (as shown in  FIG. 4 ), the feed end  20  of the foil sheet may be introduced into the winding prior to completion of the first turn of sheet  16 , that is, prior to a complete winding  18  as long as the lead end  20  of the foil sheet  22  trails the leading edge  34  of the sheet  16  by a slight distance so that the feed end  20  of foil sheet does not contact the winding mechanism while the sheet  16  is being fed. This trailing distance may be as little as ¼ to ½ inch. The trailing end  24  of sheet  16  and the lead portion of foil sheet  22  are coextensively moved toward and around the rotating winding  18  at the same speed so that the lead end  20  of the foil is either captured in the nip  26  at the junction between the flat portion of sheet  16  and winding  18  or biased forward by friction between sheet  16  and the foil. Continued rotation of roll core  12  pulls the foil sheet into the core and coextensively winds the lead end  20  of the aluminum foil sheet into the core between adjacent wraps of the stiffening sheet. 
     During winding of the lead end of the foil sheet into the core, the aluminum foil sheet is not exposed on the exterior surface of the roll and does not contact parts of the winding machine which rotate the core. In this way, the lead end of the aluminum foil sheet is protected from deformation by core sheet  16  as it is wound into the core. 
     After winding of the lead end of the foil sheet into the core and completion of coextensive winding of the stiffener sheet  16  into the core, the lead end of the foil is frictionally captured in the core and continued rotation of the core pulls the foil sheet toward the core and winds the foil sheet around the core without deformation of the delicate aluminum foil. The foil is tightly wound on the core, without deformation to form spiral aluminum foil body  14  with flat “book end” edges lying in planes perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the roll. 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 4-7 , the width of core sheet  16  is greater than the width of foil sheet  22 . The foil sheet is centered on the core sheet so that core sheet edges  28  extend laterally beyond the edges of the foil sheet. When wound into roll  18 , edges  28  form cylindrical collars  30  projecting outwardly from the edge  22  of the wound aluminum foil body  14 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the core  12  includes an inner portion  34  comprising a number of spiral windings of core sheet  16  overlying each other. These windings extend from the leading edge  34  of the core sheet to sheet trailing edge  24  underlying the feed end  20  of the foil. Continued rotation of the core sheet into the core  12  winds the feed end of the aluminum foil into the core between the overlapping and underlapping spiral windings of the trailing edge  24  of the core sheet to form spirally interwound core outer portion  36  surrounding inner core portion  35 . Outer portion  36  ends when the core sheet trailing end  24  is wound into the roll. Continued rotation of the completed core winds the aluminum foil sheet onto the core to form spirally wound aluminum foil body  14  with “book end” end walls  40 . 
     The core sheet  16  is formed from flexible material which, when wound, has sufficient strength to protect the foil during winding of the core, and to support the large and relatively heavy roll of aluminum foil tightly wound on the core. The sheet has a sufficiently high coefficient of friction to hold the lead end of the foil in the core during winding of the foil body  14 . 
     The collars  30  extend to either end of the aluminum foil body  14  protect the aluminum foil from deformation when the roll is placed in a storage box. The collars space the ends of the aluminum roll from the ends of the box. In aluminum foil roll  10 , collar  30  may extend out from the ends of the wound foil a distance of 1/16 to ⅛ inches. The outer diameter of the collars may be 1 to 1½ inches. The coil sheet  16  may have a length of about 18 inches with the lead end of the foil sheet positioned at the center of the core sheet so that approximate equal lengths of core sheet are wound into the inner and outer core portions  34  and  36 . The sheet  16  may be shorter to reduce cost or longer to provide improved support for aluminum foil body  14 . 
     Roll  10  may have an outside diameter of 2 inches. The core may have a diameter of 1 inch to 1½ inches. 
       FIGS. 9 ,  10  and  11  illustrate rolling a second wound aluminum foil roll  50 , like roll  10 , but with the exception that the core sheet  52  and aluminum foil sheet  54  have the same width so that the stiffening core does not extend outwardly beyond the wound aluminum sheet and the roll does not have collars like collars  30  in roll  10 . 
       FIGS. 12 ,  13  and  14  illustrate rolling a third aluminum foil roll  55 , like roll  10 , but with the exception that the core sheet  56  has a width less than the width of the aluminum foil sheet  57  so that the edges of the foil sheet  57  extend outwardly beyond the wound core  58 . Roll  55  does not have collars like collars  30  in roll  10 . 
       FIG. 15  illustrates winding machine  60  for forming a wound aluminum foil roll  10  or  50 . The winding machine  60  includes a straight, horizontal sheet feed path  62  extending from foil cut off station  64  to roll discharge location  66 . Rolling head  68  is located on path  62  and is spaced from location  66  by roll friction rotation bars  70  (only one illustrated). The upper runs of belts  72  of roll discharge conveyor  74  extend from the rolling head  68  to discharge location  66 . 
     The upper run  76  of foil feed conveyor  78  extends along the feed path from foil cut off station  64  toward winder  68 . Sheet stiffener and foil feed conveyor  80  includes an upwardly angled sheet stiffener feed run  82  which intersects feed path  62  at an acute angle downstream from the downstream end of upper run  76  of foil feed conveyor  78 . Conveyor  80  also includes a stiffener sheet and foil feed run  84  on feed path  62  extending downstream from run  82  toward the winder  68 . Stiffener cut off station  86  is located at the lower end of stiffener sheet feed run  82  away from feed path  62 . 
     During operation of machine  60 , aluminum foil  88  is fed continuously toward winder  68  at one or more pre-determined foil feed rates. Foil  88  extends from a foil roll between driven foil roll  90  and pinch roller  92  and around anvil roll  94  at cut off station  64 . Station  64  includes a cutter roll  96  with a cutting blade  98  and a drive for continuously rotating the roll. A drive is actuated to move cutter roll  96  toward roll  94  at an appropriate time to sever the foil  88  at the top of roll  94 . 
     Foil cut off station  64  is further illustrated in  FIGS. 30 and 31 . Cutter roll  96  is mounted on the ends of pivot arms  250  for movement toward and away from anvil roll  94  in order to position blade  98  to cut foil  88 . The anvil roll  94  includes an axial vacuum passage  252  which is connected to a vacuum source. Sets of seven small diameter radial vacuum passages  254  extend from passage  252  to the outer surface of roll  94  at spaced locations along the length of the roll as illustrated in  FIG. 30 .  FIG. 31  illustrates a set of vacuum passages  254  located in a plane perpendicular to the axis  256  of roll  94  and spaced around the circumference of the roll for 110 degrees upstream from cut slot  208 . The sets of passages are close together at the foil edges to assure transfer to path  62 . 
     The reduced pressure in passages  254  vacuum holds the web  88  to the roll  94  upstream from the cut slot  208  so that after cutting of the web, the newly formed upstream end is held on the roll during rotation of the roll and feeding of the lead end of the web onto foil transfer belts  100 . The belts strip the lead end of the web from the roll and assist in moving the lead end of the web downstream along path  62  for capture by vacuum belts  112 . The roll  94  pushes the foil end downstream. The 110 degree spacing of passages  254  around roll  94  assures that the foil is held on the roll and the lead end is fed onto belts  100  and belts  112  before vacuum holding of the web on the roll  94  is broken as the furthest upstream passage  254 ′ is rotated out of contact with the web. The slightly negative pressure at the circumferential ends of passages  254  is sufficient to hold the foil web on the roll and feed the lead end downstream along path  62  without deforming the foil, typically a few inches of water column. The passages  254  may be 3/16 inches in diameter. 
     Foil feed conveyor  78  includes two sets of feed belts. See FIGS.  15  and  27 - 30 . Round foil transfer belts  100  are fitted in grooves  102  in roll  94  and grooves  104  in roll  106 . The upper runs of belts  100  extend through grooves  108  in roll  110 . 
     Flat apertured vacuum belts  112  extend around roll  110  and downstream along path  62  past roll  106  around small diameter roll  114  and around drive roll  116 . A vacuum chamber  118  is located below the run of apertured belts  112  along path  62 . The vacuum chamber  118  is connected to a vacuum source through a dump valve so that vacuum can be applied to the box to hold the lead end of a foil sheet against belts  112  during movement down path  62 . Vacuum is dumped from chamber  118  after the lead end of the foil sheet has been wound into a roll core at winder  68 . Foil feed conveyor  78  includes a number of spaced transfer fingers  120  spaced across path  62  between belts  100  and  112  and extending downstream past roll  114 . Fingers  120  guide the lead end of a foil strip from belts  112  to the apertured vacuum belts  122  of conveyor  80 , as described below. 
     Sheet stiffener and foil feed conveyor  80  includes a series of transversely spaced apertured flat vacuum belts  122  which extend around rolls  124  and  126  on path  62 , roll  128  located below roll  126  and roll  130  located at the upstream end of run  82 . A drive motor (not illustrated) moves belts  122  downstream along run  82  and then downstream along path  62  toward winder  68 . 
     Vacuum chamber  132  is located under belts  122  between rolls  124  and  126 . The chamber  132  is connected to a vacuum source and to a dump valve so that vacuum is supplied to the box for holding the lead end of a stiffener sheet fed along path  62  by belts  122 . After the stiffener sheet has been wound into a coil by winder  68 , the dump valve is actuated to increase the pressure in the chamber  132  to atmospheric pressure during feeding of the foil during winding of the roll. 
     Downstream extending foil transfer fingers  134  are provided on the top of chamber  132 . The fingers extend between belts  122  past roll  126  and downstream to adjacent roll  136  in conveyor  74 . 
     Vacuum transfer table  140  on the upper surface of chamber  138  supports core sheets  16  during movement on belts  122  along run to path  62 . The table  140  extends between rolls  130  and  124 . The vacuum chamber is connected to a vacuum source during feeding of core sheets to path  62 . The box may be disconnected from the vacuum source after the stiffener core sheet has been fed to path  62  and during winding of foil into the roll. 
     Stiffener web cut off station  86  includes a fixed anvil  142  and a cutter blade on roll  146 . A servo-actuated drive rotates roll  146  to cut core sheets  16  from web  152 . Stiffener web pull roll  148  and idler roll  150  are located upstream from station  86 . The pull roll is selectively rotated to feed sheet stiffener web  152  into machine  60 . 
     Hold down wheels  154  are located above roll  130  to capture the free ends of sheet stiffener web fed into run  82 . Web hold down fingers  156  and  158  extend along the upper surface of run  82  to prevent core sheets from lifting above run  82 . 
     Round hold down belts  160  are wound around rolls  162  and  164  located above feed path  62  to either side of roll  124 . See  FIGS. 15 ,  25 , and  29 . Belts  160  prevent the lead end of aluminum foil  88  from lifting above path  62 . The belts also assure that the lead ends of core sheets which are fed along run  82  at an angle to path  62  are bent down to path  62  for capture by vacuum belts  122  as the belts move across vacuum box  132 . 
     Back guide fingers  184  are located above transfer fingers  134  and above feed path  62 . See  FIGS. 15 and 21 . Fingers  184  and fingers  134  cooperate to feed the lead ends of aluminum foil web and core sheets to rolling head  68 . 
     Rolling head  68  extends across feed path  62  downstream from rolls  126  and  164 . Rolling head  68  is illustrated in  FIGS. 21 ,  22  and  23  and includes an assembly  168  located above feed path  62  including a pivot arm  170 , and front and rear winding rollers  172  and  174  which extend transversely across path  62 . A number of circumferential slots  176  are provided in rollers  172  and  174  as illustrated in  FIG. 21 . Assembly  168  includes a plurality of thin top guide fingers  178  which extend downwardly between rollers  172  and  174 . The edges of the guide fingers  178  are fitted in slots  174  and  176 . See  FIGS. 22 and 23 . The lower ends  180  of fingers  178  are concave to guide winding of the stiffening web core sheets  16  and aluminum foil into roll  182  wound in winder  68 . 
     Assembly  168  is mounted on a support (not illustrated) rotatably mounted to the frame of machine  60  for rotation of the assembly about the longitudinal axis  188  of roller  174 . An extendable and contractible drive (not illustrated), such as a power cylinder, rotates the assembly up about axis  188  during winding of roll  182  and during release of the roll from the assembly. 
     The rolling head  68  also includes a number of front guide fingers  190  spaced across path  62  beneath assembly  168 . A finger  190  is located between each adjacent pair of flat bottom belts  72 . Belts  72  are shown in  FIG. 22 . One finger  190  is shown in  FIG. 23 . Each finger  190  has a concave upper end surface  192  which is positioned above belts  72  and adjacent concave surfaces  180  and  186  when the fingers are extended to the upper position between the belts as shown in  FIG. 23 . These surfaces, and the surfaces of rollers  172  and  174 , define a cylindrical recess  196  for winding the stiffening web sheet and foil into the roll core. 
     A front guide fingers drive (not illustrated) is operable to extend the front guide fingers  190  to an elevated position between belts  72  as shown in  FIG. 23  and to retract the fingers below the belts during discharge of a roll from rolling head  68 . 
     Rolling head  68  includes a pair of winding cone pivot arms  194  extending down from the frame of machine  60  with lower ends located to either end of the cylindrical roll winding recess  196 . A non-driven rotary winding cone  198  extends inwardly from the end of each arm  194  into recess  196 . The initial windings of the stiffener core sheet are wound around the surfaces of the cones. The cones stabilize the roll  182  in the winder during winding of the aluminum foil. The cones are slightly biased toward the roll to seat the cones in the wound stiffener core sheet. The cones rotate freely with the roll during winding. After winding has been completed and prior to discharge of a roll  182  from winder  68 , arms  194  are moved outwardly from the roll to withdraw the winding cones from the ends of the stiffening core. 
     Belts  72  are moved downstream past rolling head  68  and to discharge location  66  at a speed greater than the speed at which core sheets and foil are fed to winder  68 . High speed belts  72  accelerate tail roll up after the foil has been cut at station  64 . High speed winding of the foil into the roll at winder  68  creates gap or separation  214  between the trailing end and lead ends of the foil  210 ,  212  formed when the foil is cut. 
     As the roll is wound and increases in diameter, winding assembly  168  is rotated upwardly about the axis  188  from the initial position shown in  FIG. 23  to position in  FIG. 21 . Upward rotation of the assembly moves the roll away from back guide fingers  184 . Front guide fingers  190  are withdrawn. The outer surface of the roll moves away from the guide surface on the fingers  178  and  184  but maintains large area contact with the winding rollers  172  and  174  and belts  72 . The rollers are connected to rotary drives which rotate the rollers at a circumferential speed equal to or greater than the speed at which the stiffening web and foil are fed along path  62  to the roll winder. The speed of the winding rollers may be adjusted to suit the characteristics of the foil web material. Winding roller circumferential speed is generally greater than or equal to the foil web speed along path  62  and less than the speed of belts  72 . 
     After winding of the stiffening web core sheet into the roll core, with inter-winding of the lead end of the aluminum foil web, the speed at which aluminum foil is delivered to the winder and the winding speed may be increased during winding of the foil on the roll. The feed speed may be decreased immediately prior to discharge of the roll  182  from winder  68 . 
     The roll is discharged from the winder  68  shortly before the full length of foil is wound into the roll. A trailing end or tail  210  of the foil extends upstream along feed path  62  from the roll. In this position, roller  172  has been elevated to a position where the lower surface of the roll is at the level of the lower surface of friction bars  70 . Further upward rotation of assembly  168  releases the partially wound roll from the winder for downstream movement with belt  72 . The top of the roll  182 ′ frictionally engages the lower surfaces of bars  70  so that the belt  72  rotates the roll in the direction of arrow  201  shown in  FIG. 21  during movement away from winder  68 . This rotation winds the foil tail  210  into the roll  182 ′ to complete roll winding before the roll reaches discharge location  66  at the end of feed path  62  and bar  70 . 
     The operation of winding machine  60  will now be described with particular reference to  FIGS. 15-19 . 
     In  FIG. 15 , the core sheet for the roll has been fed to winder  68  and wound to form a cylindrical core for roll  182 . The lead end of aluminum foil web  88  has then been fed into the winding assembly and wound into the assembly over/inwardly from the remaining portion of the core sheet to form the core.  FIG. 15  illustrates the position of machine  60  during winding of remaining aluminum foil into roll  182  shortly before completion of winding. The foil is pulled along feed path  62  and into the roll  182  by power-rotated winding rollers  172  and  174  and belts  72 . Guide fingers  190  have been retracted below belts  72 . All of the belts located on feed path  62  are moved in a downstream direction at the feed speed for web  88  along straight feed path  62 . Vacuum chambers  118  and  132  are at atmospheric pressure so that the delicate foil is not subjected to pressure differential forces and deformation or bending as the foil moves straight to the roll. The lower runs of belts  160  are above the foil. Fingers  184  are located a slight distance above the foil to avoid deforming contact with the foil. The foil is pulled freely along path  62  by winder  68  without deformation. It is wound smoothly into the roll. The winding rolls  172  and  174  engage the outside of the foil roll along the entire length of the foil roll, with the exception of narrow finger slots  176 , to wind the foil into the roll without deformation. 
     After initial winding of the core, with the inter-wound lead end of the foil captured in the core, the upward rotation of winding assembly  168  moves the roll  182  away from back guide fingers  184 . The increased diameter of roll  182  moves the roll away from top guide fingers  178 . Compare  FIGS. 23 and 21 . Movement of the roll  182  away from narrow guide fingers during winding of the foil strip on the core and retraction of fingers  190  permit the foil to be wound without deformation caused by contact between the delicate foil and the fingers. 
       FIG. 15  illustrates that stiffener web pull roll  148  has been actuated to feed the lead end of the stiffener web  152  through a slot between spaced transfer plates  204  and  206  located between the pull roll and cut off station  86 . The lead end of the stiffener web has been fed beneath the upstream end of hold down fingers  156  for capture between belts  122  and the hold down bar and wheels  154 . 
     In  FIG. 16 , pull roll  148  is feeding the sheet stiffener web along the feed run  82  toward path  62 . Winder  68  continues to wind aluminum foil  88  onto roll  182 . Continuously rotating cutter roll  96  is then lowered so that blade  98  is extended into cut slot  208  in roll  94  to sever the aluminum web. After the web is severed, rotating roll  96  is raised to the position of  FIG. 15 . Round belts  100  are located in deep grooves  102  in roll  94  below blade  98  and are not injured during cutting of the foil web. The downstream end of the foil web continues to be pulled downstream and wound into roll  182 . The new end of the foil web is fed around roll  94  and is stripped from the roll onto the top runs of downstream moving round belts  100  as previously described. 
     Air jet manifold  209  extends across feed path  62  between rolls  94  and  110 . Downward air jets from manifold  209  push the lead end of the web against belts  100  to assist feeding of the lead end of the foil to roll  110  and belts  112  over vacuum box  118  for vacuum capture of the foil on belts  112 . See also  FIG. 31 . 
       FIG. 17  illustrates the position of winding machine  60  after further rotation of winder  68 , release of roll  182  for downstream rotation against bars  70  by belts  72  and initial winding of the foil tail  210  into the roll. Winding of the foil tail into the roll pulls the trailing end of the foil  210  downstream along path  62  faster than lead end  212  is moved along the path causing a separation  214  between the ends. The lead end  212  of the foil is moving onto vacuum chamber  118  for vacuum capture on belts  112 . 
     Between the positions of  FIG. 16  and  FIG. 17 , stiffener cut off station  86  was actuated to cut a core sheet  16  from web  152  for feeding along feed run  82  toward feed path  62 . The pull roll  148  is then deactivated with the stiffening web lead end  216  located just upstream of roll  130  and pull down wheels  154 . Feed of the severed stiffening web segment  16  along run  82  forms a gap  218  between stiffening web lead end  216  and core sheet trailing end  220 . Vacuum chamber  138  holds web sheet  16  on vacuum belts  122  for movement along run  82  toward feed path  62 . The lead end  224  of sheet  16  is located a short distance below the junction between run  82  and path  62 . 
     In  FIG. 17 , roll  182  has been discharged from the roll winder which has been rotated down to the winding position to receive the lead end of sheet  16  for winding the next core. 
     In  FIG. 18 , roll  182  has been rotated downstream against bars  70  and the tail has been wound onto the roll sufficiently to move tail trailing end  210  beyond winding recess  196  in lowered winder  68 . After the trailing end  210  has moved beyond recess  196 , front guide fingers  190  are elevated between belts  72  to receive the lead end  224  of sheet  16  when the sheet is fed to recess  196 . Continued downstream feeding of roll  182  winds tail  202  into the roll to complete winding of the roll. Bars  70  and the upper runs of belts  72  may extend further to the left beyond the positions illustrated in  FIGS. 15-19  to complete winding of the tail into the roll before discharge from machine  60 . 
     In  FIG. 18 , the severed stiffening sheet  16  has been moved along run  82  to path  62  where the lead end of the sheet engaged the lower runs of round hold down belts  160  and was bent through the shallow angle from run  82  to path  62 . The resiliency of the stiffener web material, which may be Kraft paper, permits elastic bending of the segment around roll  124  at the junction of run  82  and path  62  without deforming the sheet. 
     After approximately one-half the length of the sheet  16  has been moved downstream onto path  62  from the intersection with run  82 , the lead end  212  of the foil web is moved along path  62  on top of sheet  16  between belts  160  and  122 . The foil web and the sheet are carried downstream together toward winding recess  196  without deforming the aluminum web. The aluminum web rests on the moving sheet and is carried downstream with the sheet. Both the foil and sheet are fed downstream at the same speed. Belts  160  run slightly above the foil and do not contact or deform the foil. The vacuum from chamber  132  holds the sheet  16  against belts  122  but does not engage the foil. The lead end  224  of the sheet is fed between fingers  134  and back guide fingers  184  as illustrated in  FIG. 18 . 
     In  FIG. 19 , the lead portion of the stiffener sheet  16  has been fed into winding recess  196  and has been wound to form the inner portion of spiral stiffener core  12 . The lead end of the foil web on top of the tail of sheet  16  has been wound into the core on top of the tail of sheet  16 . The segment trailing end  220  has been moved from run  82  to path  62 . Extended front guide fingers  190  guided the lead end  224  of sheet  16  into recess  196  for winding to form spiral stiffener core  12  as previously described. 
     Continued downstream feeding of the stiffener core sheet  16  and aluminum foil web  88  will complete winding of the spiral core with the lead end of the foil spirally wound in the outer portion of the core. During winding of the core, the strong, resilient stiffening web sheet  16  engages fingers  190 , roll  172 , fingers  178  (see also  FIG. 23 ), roll  174  and fingers  184 . The stiffener web sheet  16  protects the lead end of the aluminum foil  88  from direct contact with these members to assure that the foil is not deformed during winding of the core. Contact with the fingers may deform the foil and result in permanent deformation which causes an unsightly and unacceptable wound foil roll. Winding of the sheet  16  on both sides of the foil forms a friction connection holding the foil in the core and permitting winding of foil web onto the roll body  14 . 
     After all of the stiffening web sheet  16  has been wound into recess  196 , continued operation of winding machine  60  winds aluminum web  88  onto the spiral core to form wound foil body  14 . During this winding, belts  72  and rolls  172  and  174  rotate the growing foil roll as web is fed to and wound onto the roll. The belts and rolls contact the web at large surface areas under relatively low pressure and do not permanently deform the web. 
     During operation of winding machine  60 , aluminum foil web may be fed along path  62  at a roll starting speed or a roll winding speed. These speeds may be adjusted to suit the foil web material being wound. Stiffening core sheet is fed into the machine at the roll starting speed only at a time when the foil web is being fed at the starting speed. The winding speed is equal to or greater than the starting speed. Foil web speeds may range between 400 and 1,000 feet per minute or more depending on the foil characteristics. The roll starting speed is generally at the low end of the speed range. 
     During winding of the aluminum foil body  14 , the web is fed into machine  60  by feed pull roll  90  and is wound into the roll by winder  68  at the same speed. At this time, the vacuum boxes  118  and  132  are at atmospheric pressure and do not exert forces on the web as the web is rapidly wound onto the roll. 
     Winding of the aluminum web into the roll at recess  196  returns winding machine to the position of  FIG. 16  and completes the one cycle of operation for winding a roll  10  (as shown in  FIG. 1 ). 
     During operation of winding machine  60 , vacuum chamber  118  is maintained at a slight negative pressure sufficient to hold the foil web against the vacuum without deforming the foil during feed of the lead end of the foil along path  62  until the foil is wound into the roll at recess  196 . At this time, the pressure in box  118  is dumped and increased to atmospheric pressure. 
     During feed of stiffener sheet  16  along run  82  the vacuum chamber  138  is maintained at a negative pressure sufficient to hold the sheet  16  on belts  122  without deforming the stiffener sheet. During feeding of segment  16  along path  62  past vacuum chamber  132 , the pressure in chamber  132  is maintained at a slight negative pressure sufficient to hold the stiffener sheet against belts  122  without deforming the stiffener sheet. 
     The aluminum foil wound into roll  10  preferably has a thickness between 0.00043 inches and 0.001 inches. 
     The core sheets  16  are preferably formed from strengthened Kraft paper. This paper has a stiffness greater than Kraft paper of the type used for grocery bags. The Kraft paper may be from 0.008 inches to 0.010 inches thick. 
     The foil is wound into rolls at a tension of about 1 to 1.5 pounds for each inch of web width. A 12 inch wide web would be wound at a tension of 12 to 18 pounds. 
     It will be understood that changes in the details, materials, steps and arrangements of parts which have been described and illustrated to explain the nature of the invention will occur to and may be made by those skilled in the art upon a reading of this disclosure within the principles and scope of the invention. The foregoing description illustrates the preferred embodiment of the invention; however, concepts, as based upon the description, may be employed in other embodiments without departing from the scope of the inventions.