Reel bar loading mechanism with outwardly pivoting guide rails

A reel bar loader for loading a reel into winding position in a paper making machine, comprising:

• first rail means including a pair of parallel first rails each of which gently slopes downwardly from one end towards the other end thereof and which together provide a track for carrying at least one reel;
• second rail means including a pair of second rails each having an upper end portion, a downwardly sloping portion and a lower end portion, each of the upper end portions of the second rails being pivotally connected about a vertical axis to the other end of a corresponding one of the first rails;
• transfer arm means being pivotally movable between a first loaded position adjacent the lower end portions of the second rails for accepting the reel from the lower end portions of the second rails and a second loaded position positioning the reel in a winding position remote from the lower end portions of the second rails;
• means for controlling pivotal movement of the second rails in an outward direction away from one another from a first position, where the second rails are parallel to one another and are in alignment with the first rails providing a continuum of the track and allowing movement of the reel over the second rails into the transfer arm means, to a second position, where the second rails are in non-alignment with the first rails such that the lower end portions thereof are positioned remote of the transfer arm means precluding movement of a further reel over the second rails and permitting movement of the transfer arm means into the second loaded position which movement of the transfer arm means in loaded condition would otherwise be prohibited by the second rails when in their first position;
• and,
• means for controlling the descent of the reel as the reel moves over the second rails into the transfer arm means.