Abstract: An apparatus and method for cutting a travelling paper winding on a spool and transferring the web onto an empty spool including a cutting tape passing through an elongated guideway from a near end to a far end; the apparatus and method characterized by attaching a releasable mechanical fastener element to the forward end of the cutting tape and a plurality of other cooperating releasable mechanical fastener element to the far end of an empty spool into grooves forward in the shaft surface and directing the fastener onto the cutting tape to the far end of the empty spool for engagement with the fastener element on the spool to attach the cutting tape to the empty spool. The plurality of fasteners may be employed with both pneumatically-expandable spool shafts and non-expandable shafts having either a steel or rubber surface.

Abstract: An assembly is provided to support a track for guiding a cutting tape across the width of a travelling web of paper being wound up on a roll, which must eventually be cut and transferred to an empty wind up roll. The assembly includes a track to guide the cutting tape, a track carrier to hold the track, and a track carrier support to be fastened to the track carrier and support it above a flat base.