US 6,283,404 B1Granted

Lock shaft for paper cores

OwnerEmile Fournierinventor

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A material transfer system is disclosed using a hollow cylindrical lock shaft for rewinding flexible material from an original core to at least one transfer core. The shaft has an interior and exterior wall, a length, and at least one curved locking base recessed along the length. The bases have a first and second wall with a floor having a progressively decreasing radius from the first to the second wall. Multiple legs extend radially inwardly from the interior wall and have gripping feet are at their distal ends. A plurality of locking ribs extend the length of the locking bases and are affixed to the floor at the each end of the rib. The locking ribs have a diameter sufficient to enable the locking rib outer circumference to extend beyond the circumference of the shaft exterior. At least one locking strip is affixed to at least a portion of the shaft's length, extending beyond the circumference of the exterior wall to prevent the cores from moving freely. The locking strip can be affixed to the locking base floor or a channel can be placed in the shaft and the locking strip being affixed within the channel.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A material transfer system comprising a hollow cylindrical lock shaft for rewinding flexible material from an original core to at least one transfer core, said shaft having:

an interior wall,
an exterior wall,
a length,
multiple curved locking bases, each of said multiple curved locking bases extending along said length and being recessed within said exterior wall of said lock shaft, each of said locking bases having a first wall and a second wall with a floor there between, said floor having a progressively decreasing radius from said first wall to said second wall,
multiple legs, said legs extending radially inwardly from said interior wall, said legs having a length less than the radius of said lock shaft and extending along a substantial portion of said length;
multiple gripping feet, said gripping feet being at respective distal ends of each of said legs and being dimensioned to receive an inner shaft;
a plurality of flexible locking ribs having a first end and a second end, each of said locking ribs extending substantially said length of each of said locking bases approximately equidistant between said first wall and said second wall, said first end and said second end of each of said locking ribs being affixed to said floor of said locking bases;
at least one locking strip, said locking strip being a flexible material affixed to at least one of said locking bases and extending along, at least a portion of said length beyond said exterior wall circumference;
wherein a transfer core placed over said lock shaft and rotated in a first direction, causes each of said locking ribs to rotate toward said second wall enabling said transfer core to rotate around said lock shaft and rotating said transfer core in a second direction causes each of said locking ribs to rotate toward said first wall, thereby preventing said transfer core from further rotation relative to said lock shaft.

6 more elements

The method of transferring flexible material wound on a single core to multiple transfer cores using a hollow cylindrical lock shaft having an interior wall, an exterior wall, a length, at least one curved locking base extending along said length, said locking base being recessed within said exterior wall of said shaft and having a first wall and a second wall with a floor there between, said floor having a progressively decreasing radius from said first wall to said second wall, multiple griping members being dimensioned to receive and secure to an inner shaft;

at least one flexible locking rib extending said length of each of said at least one curved locking base, said at least one locking rib having ends affixed to said floor;
at least one locking strip, said locking strip affixed to, and extending along, said length of said locking base;
comprising the steps of:
a) placing an original core of flexible material on a relative rotatable mechanism;
b) placing said lock shaft onto an inner rotatable shaft parallel to said original core in a non-rotatable connection;
c) placing a least one transfer core onto said lock shaft;
d) securing an open end of said flexible material to said transfer core;
e) rotating said inner rotatable shaft in a first direction to move said at least one locking rib to form a wedge between said transfer core and said first wall to enable said transfer core to rotate in conjunction with said lock shaft;
f) rotating said transfer core in a second direction to move said locking rib to remove said wedge between said transfer core and said first wall;
g) removing said transfer core from said lock shaft.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.