Coreless surface winder and method

Apparatus for convolute winding an incipient web log comprising a frame, a first winding drum rotatably mounted in said frame and equipped with a slot, means for advancing a web for travel with said first winding drum, a second winding drum rotatably mounted in said frame adjacent said first winding drum and spaced therefrom to form a nip, a rider drum pivotally mounted in said frame and forming with said first and second winding drums a three drum cradle, a knife drum rotatably mounted in said frame adjacent said first winding drum and equipped with knife means for engaging said slot for severing said web along a transverse line, means operably associated with said first winding drum for immobilizing a free portion of said web against the surface of said first winding drum, said immobilizing being located a spaced distance from said slot rearward in the direction of rotation of said first winding drum to cause a severed web to fold rearwardly, said nip between said first and second drums being less than twice the web thickness so as to preclude passage of said web when the same is wound into an incipient log, and finger means mounted on said frame for limiting incipient log movement away from said nip upon increase in incipient log contact angle arising from increase in incipient log diameter.

In a method for convolute winding an elongated web log comprising the steps of providing a frame, a first winding drum rotatably mounted in said frame and equipped with a slot, means for advancing a web for travel with said first winding drum, a second winding drum rotatably mounted in said frame adjacent said first winding drum and spaced therefrom to form a nip, a rider drum pivotally mounted in said frame and forming with said first and second winding drums a three drum cradle, a knife drum rotatably mounted in said frame adjacent said first winding drum and equipped with knife means for engaging said slot for severing said web along a transverse line and means operably associated with said first winding drum for immobilizing a free portion of said web against the surface of said first winding drum, said immobilizing means being located a spaced distance from said slot rearward in the direction of rotation of said first winding drum to cause a severed web to fold rearwardly, and initially adjusting said nip to be less than twice the web thickness whereby said rearwardly folded severed web can be wound into an incipient log.

In a method of winding a web such as toilet tissue or toweling into a convolutely wound web without providing an axially extending opening, the steps of providing a three drum surface winding cradle including first and second winding drums and a rider drum, a knife roll associated with said one of said winding drums, said winding drums being spaced apart to provide a nip and the nip at the beginning of a wind being greater than the thickness of the web being wound but less than twice said web thickness, introducing a web into said nip for travel with said first winding drum, transversely severing said web and substantially simultaneously therewith immobilizing on said first drum a free portion of said web rearward in the direction of drum rotation of said transverse severing to develop a reverse fold in said web, subjecting said web reverse fold to rubbing action between said winding drums in said nip to cause said web fold to roll on itself to form an incipient log, and thereafter positioning said incipient log in said three drum winding cradle.