Patent ID: 7832682

Claim:
A method of orienting a material roll being transported to a roll changer including: providing a material roll having a material roll longitudinal axis; providing a transfer table which is movable in a direction transverse to said material roll longitudinal axis into a roll transfer position between bearing journals of the roll changer; providing a transport carriage and a roll transport structure forming said transfer table; supporting said material roll on said transfer table for orienting said material roll transversely to, as well as along said longitudinal axis of said material roll; providing a rotary drive on said transfer table; moving said transfer table and said material roll transversely to said material roll longitudinal axis; providing a roll diameter sensor; using said roll diameter sensor for determining a diameter of said material roll; providing material roll oblique position sensors; determining an oblique position of said material roll on said transfer table using said material roll oblique position sensors; using said rotary drive on said transfer table for pivoting said material roll and said roll transport structure about a vertical axis with respect to said transport carriage in response to said determining of said oblique position of said material roll for accomplishing an oblique positioning of said material roll on said transfer table; determining a position of a first end surface of said material roll on said transfer table; determining a position of a second end surface of said material roll on said transfer table; providing roll support arms on said roll changer; providing bearing journals on said roll support arms of said roll changer and having a rotational axis; determining an axle-loading position for said roll support arms using said determined roll diameter; positioning said roll support arms in said axle-loading position determined by said roll diameter; establishing an axle-loading position for said transfer table using said roll diameter and said oblique position of said material roll; moving said bearing journals of said roll support arms in a direction of said material roll longitudinal axis; and loading said material roll onto said bearing journals of said roll support arms in said established axle-loading position based on said oblique position of said roll on said transfer table, based on said roll diameter and based on said determined positions of said first and second end surfaces of said material roll.