Abstract: A mandrel cupping assembly for releaseably enraging the ends of a plurality of mandrels supported on a web winding turret assembly is disclosed. The turret assembly provides a plurality of mandrels extending parallel to a turret assembly central axis and driven in a closed mandrel path about the turret assembly central axis. The mandrel cupping assembly provides a cupping arm cooperatively associated with each mandrel, a cupping arm support having a hold-open cam track and a hold-closed cam track disposed radially about a surface thereof, and a first actuator for disposing the cupping arm from the hold-open cam track to the hold-closed cam track. The cupping arm has a mandrel cup for releaseably engaging the end of a mandrel. Each cupping arm is carried in a radial path about the turret assembly central axis while disposed in either of the hold-open cam track or the hold-closed cam track.

Abstract: A process for winding a web substrate is disclosed. The process provides the steps of: (a) providing a turret assembly having a plurality of mandrels each having an unsupported end; (b) providing a mandrel cupping assembly for releasably engaging the unsupported ends of each mandrel; (c) driving the turret assembly about a closed mandrel path; (d) indexibly rotating a first mandrel to a first position; (e) disposing a core upon the mandrel; (f) connectively engaging a first cupping arm with the unsupported end of the mandrel with an actuator; (g) engaging a web substrate to the core; (h) disposing the web substrate about the core; (i) indexibly rotating the mandrel to a second position; (j) disengaging the cupping arm from the mandrel at the second position; and, (k) removing the core and the convolutely wound web material from the mandrel.

Abstract: A web rewinding apparatus comprising a turret winder and a mandrel cupping assembly is disclosed. The turret winder has a rotatably driven turret supporting a plurality of rotatably driven mandrels capable of engaging cores upon which a web material is convolutely wound thereabout. The mandrel cupping assembly has a plurality of cupping arms each cooperatively associated with one of the plurality of mandrels and having a mandrel cup for releaseably engaging the unsupported ends of the cooperatively associated mandrel. The mandrel cupping assembly has a cupping arm support having a hold-open cam track and a hold-closed cam track. Each cupping arm is carried in a radial path while disposed in either of the hold-open cam track or said hold-closed cam track. A first actuator disposes the cupping arm from the hold-open cam track to the hold-closed cam track.

Abstract: A web rewinding apparatus comprising a turret winder and a mandrel cupping assembly is disclosed. The turret winder has a rotatably driven turret supporting a plurality of rotatably driven mandrels capable of engaging cores upon which a web material is convolutely wound thereabout. The mandrel cupping assembly has a plurality of cupping arms each cooperatively associated with one of the plurality of mandrels and having a mandrel cup for releaseably engaging the unsupported ends of the cooperatively associated mandrel. The mandrel cupping assembly has a cupping arm support having a hold-open cam track and a hold-closed cam track. Each cupping arm is carried in a radial path while disposed in either of the hold-open cam track or said hold-closed cam track. A first actuator disposes the cupping arm from the hold-open cam track to the hold-closed cam track.

Abstract: A mandrel cupping assembly for releaseably enraging the ends of a plurality of mandrels supported on a web winding turret assembly is disclosed. The turret assembly provides a plurality of mandrels extending parallel to a turret assembly central axis and driven in a closed mandrel path about the turret assembly central axis. The mandrel cupping assembly provides a cupping arm cooperatively associated with each mandrel, a cupping arm support having a hold-open cam track and a hold-closed cam track disposed radially about a surface thereof, and a first actuator for disposing the cupping arm from the hold-open cam track to the hold-closed cam track. The cupping arm has a mandrel cup for releaseably engaging the end of a mandrel. Each cupping arm is carried in a radial path about the turret assembly central axis while disposed in either of the hold-open cam track or the hold-closed cam track.

Abstract: A process for winding a web substrate is disclosed. The process provides the steps of: (a) providing a turret assembly having a plurality of mandrels each having an unsupported end; (b) providing a mandrel cupping assembly for releasably engaging the unsupported ends of each mandrel; (c) driving the turret assembly about a closed mandrel path; (d) indexibly rotating a first mandrel to a first position; (e) disposing a core upon the mandrel; (f) connectively engaging a first cupping arm with the unsupported end of the mandrel with an actuator; (g) engaging a web substrate to the core; (h) disposing the web substrate about the core; (i) indexibly rotating the mandrel to a second position; (j) disengaging the cupping arm from the mandrel at the second position; and, (k) removing the core and the convolutely wound web material from the mandrel.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for splicing web materials. The apparatus comprises a first nip roller, a second nip roller and an adhesive roller. The apparatus further comprises a first wind up roller and a second wind up roller. The apparatus also comprises a pair of infeed web cutting elements, and a pair of outfeed web cutting elements. First and second webs are received from upstream web supplies. One web proceeds downstream and the other is wound on a wind up roller. Adhesive is applied to one web and the two webs together with the adhesive pass between the nip rollers. One web is separated between the upstream supply and the splice and the other is separated between the splice and the wind up roller. The splice may proceed downstream.

Abstract: A process for making continuous stretchable substrate products comprising the steps of supplying a web of stretchable substrate having a first surface and a second surface, embossing at least one of the surfaces of the web substrate with an embossed image using at least one embossing roller, printing at least one of the surfaces of the web substrate with a printed image using at least one printing roller; wherein the embossed image and the printed image are disposed onto the substrate relative to each other such that a print/emboss registration is created, measuring the angular location of one embossing roller and translating that location into a digital signal, measuring the angular location of one printing roller and translating that location into a digital signal, manually zeroing the print/emboss registration; and automatically controlling the print and emboss rolls to maintain registration using a control program that comprises the steps of i) comparing the digital signal from the embossing roller and th

Abstract: An apparatus and method for splicing web materials. The apparatus comprises a first nip roller, a second nip roller and an adhesive roller. The apparatus further comprises a first wind up roller and a second wind up roller. The apparatus also comprises a pair of infeed web cutting elements, and a pair of outfeed web cutting elements. First and second webs are received from upstream web supplies. One web proceeds downstream and the other is wound on a wind up roller. Adhesive is applied to one web and the two webs together with the adhesive pass between the nip rollers. One web is separated between the upstream supply and the splice and the other is separated between the splice and the wind up roller. The splice may proceed downstream.

Abstract: A process for making continuous stretchable substrate products comprising the steps of supplying a web of stretchable substrate having a first surface and a second surface, embossing at least one of the surfaces of the web substrate with an embossed image using at least one embossing roller, printing at least one of the surfaces of the web substrate with a printed image using at least one printing roller; wherein the embossed image and the printed image are disposed onto the substrate relative to each other such that a print/emboss registration is created, measuring the angular location of one embossing roller and translating that location into a digital signal, measuring the angular location of one printing roller and translating that location into a digital signal, manually zeroing the print/emboss registration; and automatically controlling the print and emboss rolls to maintain registration using a control program that comprises the steps of i) comparing the digital signal from the embossing roller and th

Abstract: A web winding apparatus and a method of operating the apparatus include a turret assembly, a core loading apparatus, and a core stripping apparatus. The turret assembly supports rotatably driven mandrels for engaging hollow cores upon which a paper web is wound. Each mandrel is driven in a closed mandrel path, which can be non-circular. The core loading apparatus conveys cores onto the mandrels during movement of the mandrels along the core loading segment of the closed mandrel path, and the core stripping apparatus removes each web wound core from its respective mandrel during movement of the mandrel along the core stripping segment of the closed mandrel path. The turret assembly can be rotated continuously, and the sheet count per wound log can be changed as the turret assembly is rotating. The apparatus can also include a mandrel having a deformable core engaging member.