Method and apparatus for handling large fabric rolls for slitting

A method of handling a roll comprising a length of web material wound around a cylindrical spool, particularly a roll of a large size having a width of the order 144 inches and a diameter of the order of 45 inches, for slitting into a plurality of rolls of equal diameter and lesser width by rotating said roll and a circular cutter about their axes in parallel relation at an initial slitting position wherein the exterior periphery of the cutter is exterior to the exterior periphery of the web material of the roll and effecting a relative lateral movement between said roll and said cutter from said initial slitting positions to final slitting positions wherein the exterior periphery of the cutter is interior of the interior periphery of the spool of said roll, said handling method comprising the steps of moving a roll into an initial handling position wherein its axis is disposed generally parallel with the axis of rotation at said initial slitting position, supporting the weight of the roll along its lower exterior periphery at said initial handling position, disposing a spindle of a size to fit said spool with end portions extending outwardly thereof in an initial position spaced longitudinally from said roll with the axis of said spindle generally aligned with the axis of said roll, supporting the weight of said spindle at said initial position along the lower periphery thereof at a first position adjacent the end portion thereof adjacent said roll and at a longitudinally spaced second position at the remote end portion thereof, applying longitudinally opposed forces to said roll and to the remote rear end portion of said spindle acting in a direction toward one another to effect a relative longitudinal movement of said roll and spindle together from said initial positions to interengaged positions wherein said spindle is engaged within the spool of said roll and the end portions thereof extend outwardly of said roll, maintaining the aforesaid support of said roll throughout the aforesaid relative longitudinal movement, maintaining the aforesaid support of said spindle at said second position through said relative longitudinal movement, progressively changing the support of said spindle at said first position longitudinally along the lower periphery of the spindle in a direction toward said second position during an initial portion of said relative longitudinal movement wherein the adjacent end portion of said spindle is engaged within said roll, removing the changing support of said spindle during a final portion of said relative longitudinal movement, removing the application of force to said remote spindle end after said relative longitudinal movement, transferring the aforesaid support of said roll to said spindle by supporting the outwardly extending end portions of said spindle and laterally translationally moving said roll into said initial slitting position through the support of the end portions of said spindle.