Abstract: A slitter and readily removable head includes a drive housing and an idle housing projecting from a base with the arbors for the slitting knives extending between the housings. The lower arbor is journaled in vertically movable blocks with a jack system in the base thus moving the lower arbor. The idle housing and arbors are movable on the base as a unit away from the drive housing so that the idle housing and arbors may readily be removed and replaced. The lower arbor journal block of the idle housing includes a T-slot socket engageable with one or more jacks at a certain horizontal position so that arbors of different length may be employed. The idle housing and arbors forming the removable head contain no gearing, jacks, jack drive connections or fluid or electrical lines requiring connection or disconnection. A turntable may be employed to move the disconnected head to a storage or retooling location.

Abstract: A method and combination for eliminating slack in one or more of a plurality of strands of web material being wound into coils on a take-up drum, where the strands have different thicknesses, include connecting a portion of each strand to the drum so that rotation of the drum will cause the strands simultaneously to wind onto the drum. The strands are wound onto the drum and a portion of each strand is connected to a previously wound portion of the same strand for forming a plurality of fixed diameter loops about the drum, the portion of each strand adjacent to the drum substantially conforming in size and shape to the outer surface of the drum.