Apparatus for handling reels

An apparatus for handling a plurality of reels (10) of material webs of packaging material or cigarette paper, each reel being wound on an essentially cylindrical reel core (11) having a central opening (22) into which an elongate bearing journal (21) of a handling unit (19) downwardly enters to lift and transport the reel (10), said apparatus comprising:

• a) means for releasably anchoring the bearing journal (21) in the opening (22) of the reel core (11) in a non-positive and a positive locking manner,
• b) said means comprising a plurality of elongate clamping webs (23) arranged along an outer circumference of the elongate bearing journal (21) at a distance from one another, and
• c) the elongate clamping webs (23) extending along the outer circumference of the elongate bearing journal (21) in the longitudinal direction thereof;
• and
• d) means for radially extending the clamping webs (23), in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongate bearing journal (21), to grip the reel, said webs being pressed against an inner surface (13) of the reel core (11) in a clamping position in such a way that the clamping webs abut the inner surface (13) of the reel core (11) in a region extending within the opening (22),
• e) the clamping webs (23) having at least one outwardly directed radial projection (26) which enters a radial groove (14) in the inner surface (13) of the reel core (11).