Method and apparatus for reeling a traveling web into a wound web roll

Apparatus for reeling a traveling web having upper and lower sides into a wound web roll onto a reel spool, comprising, in combination:

• a frame;
• support means for engaging the web roll along a nip line of contact during the reeling process;
• rail means, including a pair of laterally spaced, substantially horizontally disposed rails, mounted on the frame for supporting a reel spool in an initial position, and for supporting the reel spool for linear movement substantially horizontally from the initial position upstream, relative to the support means and the direction of web travel, to a downstream winding position relative to the support means and the direction of web travel;
• carriage means, including a carriage disposed on each side of the apparatus, for engaging either end of a reel spool in the initial position, and for linear movement of the reel spool substantially horizontally along the rail means to move the reel spool translationally from the initial position to the winding position;
• support beam means, including at least two support beams arranged as a pair of support beams with one such beam disposed on either side of the apparatus near a corresponding rail, each beam pivotally mounted on the frame above the rail means, each support beam for supporting a carriage spaced above its corresponding rail, for translational movement longitudinally of the carriages along the beam, and for moving the reel spool with the carriages in a controlled manner along the rail means;
• drive means for applying torque to the reel spool to rotatively drive the reel spool in its initial position, during its horizontal translational movement from its initial position to the winding position, and while it is in the winding position;
• web turn-up means mounted on the frame for bringing the severed end of a traveling web onto the reel spool to be wrapped thereon in its initial position to commence winding the traveling web into a wound web roll thereon;
• the support means includes a translationally, substantially vertically, movable support drum for receiving the traveling web with the lower side of the web facing outwardly from the support drum surface, and for directing the traveling web onto the reel spool in its initial position to be wound into a web roll with the upper side of the web facing outwardly on the wound web roll;
• drive means operatively connected to the support drum for rotatively driving the support drum, the rotation of which provides at least a component in the force for maintaining tension in the web being wound into a roll.