US 10,246,285 B2 · Web roll handling and loading system

Abstract

A web roll handling and loading system and methods employ hubs positioned on opposing sides of a roll of web material wound on a hollow tubular core. Hub faces have an annular shape configured to be seated in respective ends of the hollow tubular core. The hubs are pivotably supported for pivoting between an operational position and a deflected position. The roll of web material is loaded on the hubs by lifting it from beneath the hubs to deflect the hub faces arcuately upward, then lowering the roll to allow the hub faces to pivot downward and become seated in the ends of the hollow tubular core. Alternatively, the roll is loaded into a pick-up tool by lowering the pick-up tool downward to the roll so the hubs deflect arcuately upward, then raising the tool so the hubs pivot downward and become seated in the hollow tubular core.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A roll handling and loading system for a roll of web material comprising web material wound on a hollow tubular core, the roll of web material having a horizontally-oriented length, the system comprising:

a frame having a horizontally-oriented space between opposing sides of the frame;
a pair of hubs positioned on the opposing sides of the frame, each of the hubs mounted on a movable bar for moving the movable bar and the hubs in a vertical direction relative to the frame, at least one of the hubs comprising a compression spring positioned within the at least one of the hubs along a horizontal rotational axis to provide an inward force toward the roll of web material, and each of the hubs pivotably supported on a pivot mechanism for pivoting movement between an operational position on the horizontal rotational axis and a deflected position in which a hub face of each of the hubs is deflected in an arcuate direction away from the horizontal rotational axis.

A method of handling and loading a roll of web material comprising a web material wound on a hollow tubular core, the roll of web material having a horizontally-oriented length, the method comprising the steps of:

mounting a pair of hubs on movable bars positioned on opposing sides of a frame with a horizontally-oriented space between the hubs and for vertical movement of the hubs and the movable bars relative to a frame;
positioning a compression spring within at least one of the hubs along a horizontal rotational axis to provide an inward force toward the horizontally-oriented space;
positioning the frame such that the roll of web material is within the horizontally-oriented space;
lowering the pair of hubs from a position above the roll of web material to a position where the pair of hubs engages respective ends of the roll of web material so that each of the hubs is deflected arcuately upward by the roll of web material to a deflected position;
and
raising the pair of hubs relative to the frame to allow the hub face of each of the hubs to pivot downward and become seated in a respective end of the hollow tubular core of the roll of web material in an operational position;
and
biasing the pair of hubs toward each other along the horizontal rotational axis of the roll of web material with the compression spring positioned in at least one of the hubs.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Web roll handling and loading system

Life of this patent

Web roll handling and loading system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20