Variable roll cage machine and process

A process for rolling up material comprising:

• forming a roll chamber, the roll chamber having a longitudinal central axis and comprising a plurality of rollers located around a circumference of the roll chamber;
• forming the plurality of rollers into two roll groups, each roll group comprising two rollers;
• moving the two roll groups into a pre-determined first position defining a first diameter of the roll chamber before the material enters a nip area upstream of the roll chamber;
• driving the material toward the roll chamber;
• moving the two roll groups into a pre-determined second position defining a second diameter of the roll chamber as the material enters the nip area, with the second diameter being greater than the first diameter;
• driving a nose of the material into the roll chamber and against at least one of the plurality of rollers;
• rolling the plurality of rollers to cause the nose of the material to travel along the circumference of the roll chamber as material continues to enter the roll chamber;
• moving the two roll groups into a pre-determined final position defining a third diameter of the roll chamber as the material continues to enter the roll chamber and before the nose of the material is about to impact a middle portion of the material entering the roll chamber, with the third diameter being greater than the second diameter;
• maintaining the two roll groups in the pre-determined final position until the material is completely inside the roll chamber and finished rolling up.

A process for rolling up compressed high expansion force material comprising:

• forming a roll chamber, the roll chamber having a longitudinal central axis and comprising a plurality of rollers located around a circumference of the roll chamber;
• forming the plurality of rollers into two roll groups, each roll group comprising two rollers;
• driving the material into the roll chamber against at least one of the plurality of rollers;
• rolling the plurality of rollers to cause a the nose of the material to travel along the circumference of the roll chamber as material continues to enter the roll chamber;
• moving one of the rollers in each of the two roll groups:
• (i) away from the longitudinal central axis independent of one other roller in the roll group, and
• (ii) from a first position to a final position, where the first position is located closer to the longitudinal central axis than the final position is located to the longitudinal central axis;
• and,
• maintaining the two roll groups in the final position until the material is completely inside the roll chamber and finished rolling up.

A process for rolling up material comprising:

• forming a roll chamber, the roll chamber having a longitudinal central axis and comprising a plurality of rollers located around a circumference of the roll chamber;
• forming the plurality of rollers into two roll groups, each roll group comprising two rollers;
• moving the two roll groups into a pre-determined first position defining a first diameter of the roll chamber before the material enters a nip area upstream of the roll chamber;
• driving the material toward the roll chamber;
• moving the two roll groups into a pre-determined second position defining a second diameter of the roll chamber as the material enters the nip area, with the second diameter being greater than the first diameter;
• driving a nose of the material into the roll chamber and against at least one of the plurality of rollers;
• rolling the plurality of rollers to cause the nose of the material to travel along the circumference of the roll chamber as material continues to enter the roll chamber;
• moving the two roll groups into a pre-determined final position defining a third diameter of the roll chamber as the material continues to enter the roll chamber and before the nose of the material is about to impact a middle portion of the material entering the roll chamber, with the third diameter being greater than the second diameter;
• maintaining the two roll groups in the pre-determined final position until the material is completely inside the roll chamber and finished rolling up;
• and,
• fixing one of the rollers in each roll group relative to the longitudinal central axis and moving one of the rollers in each roll group toward or away from the longitudinal central axis.

A process for rolling up material comprising:

• forming a roll chamber, the roll chamber having a longitudinal central axis and comprising a plurality of rollers located around a circumference of the roll chamber;
• forming the plurality of rollers into two roll groups, each roll group comprising two rollers;
• moving the two roll groups into a pre-determined first position defining a first diameter of the roll chamber before the material enters a nip area upstream of the roll chamber;
• driving the material toward the roll chamber;
• moving the two roll groups into a pre-determined second position defining a second diameter of the roll chamber as the material enters the nip area, with the second diameter being greater than the first diameter;
• driving a nose of the material into the roll chamber and against at least one of the plurality of rollers wherein driving the material into the roll chamber is further comprising forming a material infeed gap in the circumference of the roll chamber and driving the material through the material infeed gap;
• rolling the plurality of rollers to cause the nose of the material to travel along the circumference of the roll chamber as material continues to enter the roll chamber;
• moving the two roll groups into a pre-determined final position defining a third diameter of the roll chamber as the material continues to enter the roll chamber and before the nose of the material is about to impact a middle portion of the material entering the roll chamber, with the third diameter being greater than the second diameter;
• maintaining the two roll groups in the pre-determined final position until the material is completely inside the roll chamber and finished rolling up;
• and,
• locating a lug roller adjacent to the material infeed gap and powering the lug roller to provide at least 50% of a force needed to drive rolling up the material for the last 20% length of travel of the material entering the roll chamber.