Roll support and feed apparatus

Apparatus for supporting and manipulating web material transferred between a roll having a support core and a utilization means, said apparatus comprising:

• frame means having a base with wheel means for support and movement of the frame so as to make the frame means portable, and upright support means extending from the base,
• arm means including a pair of spacedly disposed arms,
• chuck means supported at the free ends of the arms for receiving a roll core for support of a web material roll,
• the chuck means including means for gripping the support core to prevent slippage therebetween and also including a pair of chucks each having a plurality of concentric cylinders for mounting support cores having a plurality of inner diameters, succeeding cylinder being disposed within an outlying face of a preceding cylinder so that the largest diameter cylinder is located closest to an arm upon which the chuck is mounted and the smallest diameter cylinder is located further away from the arm upon which the chuck is mounted,
• means for supporting the arm means from the frame means with the arms extending therefrom in a spaced apart relative parallel position and disposed over the frame means base,
• drive means including a drive member for engaging the web material roll to drive the roll,
• the drive member including means for powering the chuck means to drive the roll,
• means for supporting the drive means from the frame means,
• roller means contacting the web material for supporting and guiding the web material between the web material roll and the utilization means,
• means for supporting the roller means at a location extending from the upright support means and disposed at a position over the arm means,
• control means for sensing the movement of the web material between the web material roll and the utilization means to, in turn, control the rate of the drive means,
• wherein the roller means is supported at the top of the upright support means to form a web material loop between the roller means and the utilization means,
• wherein the control means includes means for sensing the depth of the web material loop to, in turn, control the drive means to maintain a substantially constant web material loop depth,
• wherein the means for sensing comprises an ultrasonic detector positioned under the web material loop, and
• wherein a support bar is pivotly connected to the frame for holding the detector.

Apparatus for supporting and manipulating web material transferred between a roll having a support core and a utilization means, said apparatus comprising:

• frame means having a base with wheel means for support and movement of the frame so as to make the frame means portable, and upright support means extending from the base,
• arm means including a pair of spacedly disposed arms,
• chuck means supported at the free ends of the arms for receiving a roll core for support of a web material roll,
• the chuck means including means for gripping the support core to prevent slippage therebetween and including a pair of chucks each having a plurality of concentric cylinders disposed upon opposing sides of a flange, each succeeding cylinder on a given side of the flange being disposed within an outlying face of a preceding cylinder so that the largest diameter cylinder on a given side is located closest to the flange and the smallest diameter cylinder is located further away from the flange, and each opposing outlying end of the chuck having means for removably attaching the chuck to a shaft carried on the arm,
• means for supporting the arm means from the frame means with the arms extending therefrom in a spaced apart relative parallel position and disposed over the frame means base,
• drive means including a drive member for engaging the web material roll to drive the roll,
• the drive member including means for powering the chuck means to drive the roll,
• the drive member including means for powering the chuck means to drive the roll,
• means for supporting the drive means from the frame means,
• roller means contacting the web material for supporting and guiding the web material between the web material roll and the utilization means,
• means for supporting the roller means at a location extending from the upright support means and disposed at a position over the arm means,
• control means for sensing the movement of the web material between the web material roll and the utilization means to, in turn, control the rate of the drive means,
• wherein the roller means is supported at the top of the upright support means to form a web material loop between the roller means and the utilization means,
• wherein the control means includes means for sensing the depth of the web material loop to, in turn, control the drive means to maintain a substantially constant web material loop depth,
• wherein the means for sensing comprises an ultrasonic detector positioned under the web material loop, and
• wherein a support bar is pivotly connected to the frame for holding the detector.

Apparatus for supporting and manipulating web material transferred between a roll having a support core and a utilization means, said apparatus comprising:

• frame means having a base with wheel means for support and movement of the frame so as to make the frame means portable, an upright support means extending from the base,
• arm means including a pair of spacedly disposed arms,
• chuck means supported at the free ends of the arms for receiving a roll core for support of a web material roll,
• the chuck means including means for gripping the support core to prevent slippage therebetween,
• means for supporting the arm means from the frame means with the arms extending therefrom in a spaced apart relative parallel position and disposed over the frame means base,
• drive means including a drive member having a means for powering the chuck means to drive the roll, the drive means further including a driving belt means for engaging the outer periphery of the roll to drive the roll,
• means for supporting the drive means from the frame means,
• controller means for providing variable power to each of the drive member and the driving belt means based upon whether the roll is accelerating, decelerating or rotating at a steady rate,
• roller means contacting the web material for supporting and guiding the web material between the web material roll and the utilization means,
• means for supporting the roller means at a location extending from the upright support means and disposed at a position over the arm means,
• control means for sensing the movement of the web material between the web material roll and the utilization means to, in turn, control the rate of the drive means,
• wherein the roller means is supported at the top of the upright support means to form a web material loop between the roller means and the utilization means,
• wherein the control means includes means for sensing the depth of the web material loop to, in turn, control the drive means to maintain a substantially constant web material loop depth,
• wherein the means for sensing comprises and ultrasonic detector positioned under the web material loop, and
• wherein a support bar is pivotly connected to the frame for holding the detector.

Apparatus for supporting and manipulating web material transferred between a roll having a support core and a utilization means, said apparatus comprising:

• frame means having a base with wheel means for support and movement of the frame so as to make the frame means portable,
• arm means including a pair of spacedly disposed arms,
• chuck means supported at the free ends of the arms for receiving a roll core for support of a web material roll,
• means for supporting the arm means from the frame means with the arms extending therefrom in a spaced-apart relative parallel position and disposed over the frame means base,
• drive means including a drive member that engages the web material roll to drive the roll,
• the drive member including means for powering the chuck means to drive the roll,
• the drive means further including a driving belt means for engaging the outer periphery of the roll to drive the roll,
• controller means for providing variable power to each of the drive member and the driving belt means based upon whether the roll is accelerating, decelerating or rotating at a steady rate,
• means for supporting the drive means from the frame means,
• roller means contacting the web material for supporting and guiding the web material between the web material roll and the utilization means,
• means for supporting the roller means at a location extending from the upright support means and disposed at a position over the arm means,
• control means for sensing the movement of the web material between the web material roll and the utilization means to, in turn, control the rate of the drive means, and
• a support loop member for receiving the web material and a support bar means extending from the upright support means and supporting the support loop member to form a web material loop between the upright support means and the support loop member, the support bar means extending from the upright support means in a direction opposite to the direction that the arms extend from the upright support means.

Apparatus for supporting and manipulating web material transferred between a roll having a support core and a utilization device, said apparatus comprising:

• a frame having a base with wheels so as to make the frame portable,
• a pair of spacedly disposed arms,
• the arms including free ends that rotatably support a roll core to support a web material roll,
• the arms being supported from the frame with the arms extending therefrom in a spaced-apart relative position and disposed over the frame base,
• the arms being movable horizontally toward and away from each other to allow respective attachment and detachment of a roll core from the arms and vertically toward and away from the frame base,
• a drive, supported from the frame, including a drive member that engages the web material roll to drive the roll,
• the drive member being positioned so that the arms can be moved horizontally toward and away from each other and vertically toward and away from the frame base,
• means for contacting, supporting and guiding the web material between the web material roll and the utilization device,
• a control for sensing the movement of the web material between the web material roll and the utilization device sensing the movement of the web material between the web material roll and the utilization device to, in turn, control the rate of the drive, and
• a support loop for receiving the web material and a support bar extending from the frame and supporting the support loop member to form a web material loop between the frame and the support loop member, the support bar extending from the frame in a direction opposite to the direction that the arms extend from the frame, wherein the support loop member includes a shoe for supporting the web material and a tensioner for applying pressure to a side of the web material opposite that contacted by the shoe.

Apparatus for supporting and manipulating web material transferred between a roll having a support core and a utilization means, said apparatus comprising:

• frame means having a base with wheel means for support and movement of the frame so as to make the frame means portable,
• arm means including a pair of spacedly disposed arms,
• means supported at the free ends of the arms for receiving a roll core for support of a web material roll,
• the means for receiving including means for gripping the support core to prevent slippage therebetween,
• means for supporting the arm means from the frame means with the arms extending therefrom in a spaced apart relative position and disposed over the frame means base,
• drive means, supported from the frame means, including a drive member having means for powering the means for receiving to drive the roll and the drive means including a driving belt means for engaging the outer periphery of the roll to drive the roll,
• controller means for providing variable power to each of the drive member and the driving belt means based upon whether the roll is accelerating, decelerating or rotating at a steady rate,
• means for contacting, supporting and guiding the web material between the web material roll and the utilization means,
• control means for sensing the movement of the web material between the web material roll and the utilization means to, in turn, control the rate of the drive means, and
• a support loop member for receiving the web material and support bar means extending from the frame means and supporting the support loop member to form a web material loop between the frame means and the support loop member, the support bar means extending from the frame means in a direction opposite to the direction that the arms extend from the frame means.

Apparatus for supporting and manipulating web material transferred between a roll having a support core and a utilization means, said apparatus comprising:

• frame means having a base with wheel means for supporting movement of the frame so as to make the frame means portable,
• arm means including a pair of spacedly disposed arms,
• means supported at the free ends of the arms for receiving a roll core for support of a web material roll,
• the means for receiving including means for gripping the support core to prevent slippage therebetween,
• means for supporting the arm means from the frame means with the arms extending therefrom in a spaced apart relative position and disposed over the frame means base,
• drive means, supported from the frame means, including a drive member for engaging the web material roll to drive the roll, the drive member including means for powering the means for receiving to drive the roll, the drive means further including a driving belt means for engaging the outer periphery of the roll to drive the roll,
• controller means for providing variable power to each of the drive member and the driving belt means based upon whether the roll is accelerating, decelerating or rotating at a steady rate,
• means for contacting, supporting and guiding the web material between the web material roll and the utilization means,
• control means for sensing the movement of the web material between the web material roll and the utilization means to, in turn, control the rate of the drive means, and
• torque means engaging a web material between the web material roll and the utilization means to provide tensioning of the web material as it moves between the web material roll and the utilization means.

Apparatus for supporting and manipulating web material transferred between a roll having a support core and a utilization device, said apparatus comprising:

• a frame having a base with wheels so as to make the frame portable,
• a pair of arms that support a roll core, the arms extending from the frame and being positioned over the frame base,
• a roll drive, supported from the frame and including a drive member that drives the roll,
• a guide structure that supports the web material between the web material roll and the utilization device,
• a controller that senses movement of the web between the web material roll and the utilization device to, in turn, control a rate of the roll drive, and
• a torque roller engaging the web material between the web material roll and the utilization device to provide tensioning of the web material as it moves between the web material roll and the utilization device, the torque roller being positioned so that the web defines between the torque roller and the utilization device a sensing loop, the controller controlling the rate of the roll drive based upon a size of the sensing loop.

Apparatus for supporting and manipulating web material transferred between a roll having a support core and a utilization device, said apparatus comprising:

• a frame having a base with wheels so as to make the frame portable,
• a pair of arms that support a roll core, the arms extending from the frame and being positioned over the frame base,
• a roll drive, supported from the frame and including a drive member that contacts the web material roll and thereby drives the roll,
• a guide structure that supports the web material between the web material roll and the utilization device,
• a controller that senses movement senses movement of the web between the web material roll and the utilization device to, in turn, control a rate of the roll drive,
• a support loop member for receiving the web material and a support bar extending from the frame and supporting the support loop member to form a web material loop between the frame and the support loop member, the support bar extending from the frame in a direction substantially opposite to the direction that the arms extend from the frame, and
• a torque roller engaging the web material between the web material roll and the utilization device to provide tensioning of the web material as it moves between the web material roll and the utilization device, the torque roller being positioned on the frame adjacent the support bar so that the torque roller forms the web material loop within the support loop member, the loop being slack in the support loop member and being supported at one end by the torque roller and the loop being unsupported along a substantial distance therebetween and further comprising a loop sensor located remote from the loop, the sensor sensing a size of the loop to control the controllers so that the rate of web rotation is based upon movement of the web by the utilization device.

Apparatus for supporting and feeding web material between a roll having a support core and a utilization device, said apparatus comprising:

• a frame having a base with wheels for support and movement of the frame, and an upright support extending from said base at one side thereof;
• a pair of spacedly disposed arms that support the roll core, the arms being supported from said frame with the arms extending from said upright support in a spaced-apart relative parallel position and being disposed over the frame base;
• a roll drive including a drive belt that engages the outer periphery of the roll to drive the roll, the roll drive further including a drive motor connected to the drive belt to move the drive belt;
• the roll drive being supported from the frame, the roll drive further including a support member that supports the drive belt, the support member pivotally connected at one end thereof to said upright support at a position over said arms;
• rollers that receive the web material from the roll for support and guiding of the web material between the roll and the utilization device;
• the rollers being supported at a location on the upright support that is above a position where the arms extend from the upright support in a direction taken from the base toward a top of the upright support opposite the base;
• and
• a controller that senses a rate of draw of the web material into the utilization device to, in turn, control a rate of the roll drive, the controller sensing a size of a loop of the web material located between the utilization device and the upright support, the loop including a pair of ends and a slack portion therebetween formed by gravity, and the controller including an electronic loop sensor positioned remote from the loop and free of contact with the loop and an electronic motor control that transmits a control signal to the drive motor to control the rate of movement of the drive motor.

Apparatus for supporting and manipulating web material transferred between a roll having a roll core and a utilization device, the apparatus comprising:

• a frame having a base the frame being constructed and arranged to be portable;
• arms that extend from the frame over the frame base, the arms rotatably supporting the roll;
• a drive that rotates the roll;
• a guide structure that supports the web material between the web material roll and the utilization device;
• a controller that senses movement of the web between the web material roll and the utilization device, the controller controlling a rate of roll rotation;
• a torque roller engaging the web material at a location between the web material roll and the utilization device;
• and
• a torque motor that drives the torque roller, the torque motor being constructed and arranged to provide slippage to the torque roller so that the tensioning on the web material does not exceed a predetermined force value and wherein tension is substantially continuously applied to the web throughout a predetermined range of roll rotation rates.

Apparatus for supporting and manipulating web material transferred between a roll having a roll core and a utilization device, the apparatus comprising:

• a frame having a base the base being constructed and arranged to be portable;
• arms that extend from the frame over the frame base, the arms supporting the roll core of the roll;
• a drive that rotates the roll;
• a guide structure that supports the web material between the web material roll and the utilization device;
• a controller that senses movement of the web between the web material roll and the utilization device, the controller controlling the drive to control a rate of roll rotation;
• a support loop member that receives the web material and a support bar extending from the frame and supporting the support loop member to form a web material loop between the frame and the support loop member, the support bar extending from the frame in a direction substantially opposite to the direction that the arms extend from the frame, the loop on the support loop member including a pair of ends and a slack portion therebetween wherein the slack portion therebetween is formed into a loop by gravity;
• and
• an electronic loop sensor positioned remote from the loop and free of contact with the loop, the sensor transmitting an electronic signal to the controller to control the rate of roll rotation based upon a size of the loop.

Apparatus for supporting and manipulating web material transferred between a roll and a utilization device, the roll having a roll core, the apparatus comprising:

• a frame having a base with wheels so that the frame is portable, the frame further including arms extending over the frame base, the arms rotatably supporting the roll;
• a roll drive supported by the frame and including first and second drive members, the second drive member being rotatably mounted to the first drive member, the second drive member being operatively connected to the roll so that the roll is rotatably driven;
• a guide structure supporting the web material between the web material roll and the utilization device;
• a controller for sensing movement of the web material between the web material roll and the utilization device, the controller controlling the roll drive to control a rate of roll rotation;
• and
• a torque roller engaging the web material at a location between the web material roll and the utilization device to provide tensioning of the web material as it moves between the rotating web material roll and the utilization device, the torque roll including a torque motor that drives the torque roller, the torque motor being constructed and arranged to provide slippage to the torque roller so that the tensioning on the web material does not exceed a predetermined force value and wherein tension is substantially continuously applied to the web throughout a predetermined range of roll rotation rates.