Winder roll starting apparatus for thick webs

An apparatus for attaching a stiff fiber web start to a winding core, the apparatus comprising:

• a rear winder drum, having a first cylindrical surface and a first axis of rotation, wherein the direction in which the axis extends defines a cross machine direction;
• a front winder drum, having a second cylindrical surface and a second axis of rotation, the front winder drum being in spaced parallel relation to the rear winding drum;
• a winding core having a cylindrical surface, and being of a selected length and a selected winding core radius, the cylinder surface forming a first cross machine direction extending nip with the first cylindrical surface of the rear winder drum, and a second cross machine direction extending nip with the second cylindrical surface of the front winder drum;
• a cross machine direction extending beam mounted above the winding core;
• a flexible blade of a selected spring constant, mounted to the beam and extending in the cross machine direction, wherein the beam is mounted for movement with respect to the first winder drum, so that the flexible blade moves along a portion of the first cylindrical surface of the winder drum upstream of the first nip, toward the winding core, and is further mounted so the flexible blade comes into engagement with the cylindrical surface of the winding core and then moves across the winding core in a wiping action.

A method for starting a reel about a winding core in a twin drum winder comprising the steps of:

• moving a cross machine direction extending scraping and pressing structure from a position above the twin drum winder to a position between a fibrous web start having a thickness greater than about 0.010 inches, and a surface of a rear winding drum of the twin drum winder;
• moving the cross machine direction extending scraping and pressing structure so as to push the web start against a winding core positioned between the rear winding drum and a front winding drum of the twin drum winder;
• mechanically pressing with the cross machine direction extending scraping and pressing structure the web start against a sticky portion of the winding core to bond the web start to the winding core;
• wherein the cross machine direction extending scraping and pressing structure has a portion biased by a selected spring constant which is wiped over the winding core to press the web start over a region corresponding to the sticky portion of the winding core.