Process and apparatus for loading and unloading an unwinding machine

A core handling station for automatically and sequentially preparing rolls of tissue wound on cores, such cores defining an interior having a central axis, for transfer to an unwinding station and for sequentially receiving spent cores of tissue from the unwinding station and preparing the spent cores of tissue for transfer to a spent core station comprising, in combination:

• a core processing station having a lifting frame engaged with a pulling frame and a lifting drive member for providing vertical motion to the pulling frame, the pulling frame including a pair of opposed clamp members defining a horizontal center line, a pulling drive member for providing horizontal the clamp members engaing and disengaging being aligned on the horizontal center line, and a sensor for providing signals to assist in aligning the roll of tissue with the horizontal centerline;
• a roll cart for receiving the roll of tissue, the roll cart including a turntable and a drive member, wherein the drive member acts to move the roll cart and roll of tissue into proximity with the core processing station, whereby the sensor member provides signals to the drive member to horizontally align the central axis of the roll of tissue with the horizontal center line and provides signals to the turn table to rotate the roll of tissue to angularly align the central axis of the roll of tissue with the horizontal center line and provide signals to the lifting frame to raise or lower the pulling frame to vertically align the horizontal center line with the central axis of the roll of tissue, whereby upon complete alignment of the central axis of the roll of tissue with the horizontal center line, the clamp members carrying the core plugs are horizontally moved to engage the core plugs with the interior of the core, whereby the clamp is opened to release the core plugs and return to a disengaged position leaving the core plugs engaged with the interior of the core.