Abstract: A friction winding shaft for roll cutting and winding machines in which the shaft frictionally engages tubular winding cores for winding of strip-shaped bands or similar items. A plurality of winding rings adjoin each other as disposed on a central drive shaft. In addition spring-biased winding core holders protrude from and are distributed over the outer ring surface in the form of clamping elements. The clamping elements are seated in recesses of the rings and are capable of pivoting around axes that are parallel to the friction winding shaft axis. The recesses are provided with stop surfaces which limit the pivoting movement of the clamping elements. In order to further increase the application possibilities of the friction winding shaft the recesses are sized and arranged in such manner that the clamping elements, in their center positions, form a circular curve in which the clamping element tips have a diameter dt greater than dw the inside diameter of the winding core.