Abstract: According to the invention, winding apparatus comprises means for rotatably mounting a parent roll of web material, a mandril adapted to receive a hollow core sleeved thereon, means for driving the mandril in rotation, clutch means for providing limited torque transfer between the driving means and the core on the mandril, a core co-operating roll mounted for rotation, the core co-operating roll and mandril being relatively movable between an adjacent co-operating web feeding position to feed web led from the parent roll between the core co-operating roll and the core on the mandril to be nipped thereby and a separated position (constituting a loading and unloading station) to allow for sleeving of the core on and removal of the core from the mandril, and means for guiding the leading edge of the web nipped by the core co-operating roll and the core on said mandril around the core.

Abstract: According to the invention a tab pick up and applying mechanism comprises a picker head moveable between a pick up and an applying position and having a tab carrying face, to be presented at said positions, means for applying vacuum to said tab carrying face at said pick up position to effect pick up of a tab; for maintaining said vacuum at said face during picker head movement between said pick up and applying positions to hold a picked up tab on said face during such movement; for releasing said vacuum at said face at said applying station and for applying a positive air jet through said face at said applying station to deliver a tab held on said face away from said face under positive air pressure, and means for moving said picker head between said pick up and applying positions.