Abstract: A method for transferring unwinders (36) using a transfer facility (38) comprising a control unit (39) for controlling the unwinders, and at least one autonomous mobile platform (40) is disclosed. The facility comprises measurement means for measuring the quantity of product wound on reels (22) supported by the unwinders and communication means. The method comprises the following successive operations: measuring the quantity of product wound on the reels and communicating the measured data to the control unit; on the basis of the measured data, determining the moment at which to transmit a removal or supply mission instruction to a mobile platform; transmitting to a mobile platform at the previously-determined moment, a mission instruction to remove or to supply a unwinder; and moving the mobile platform in such a way that it becomes positioned under a unwinder.

Abstract: Various arrangements are presented of a paper roll sensing device that can be installed within a paper roll dispenser. The paper roll sensing device may include a housing, a wireless transceiver, and a time-of-flight sensor. The time of flight sensor may measure a distance from the time-of-flight sensor to a target region. The paper roll sensing device may include one or more processors, located within the housing that communicates with the wireless transceiver and the time-of-flight sensor. The paper roll sending device may include a fastener that permits the housing to be attached to a location within a paper roll dispenser such that the time-of-flight sensor is pointed at a paper roll, wherein the target region is a portion of the paper roll.

Abstract: A device for automatically unwinding web-shaped materials (8) from a master roll (3), and to a method for operating a device of this type are disclosed. The device has an infeed arm (2) and a first drive unit (6), wherein the master roll (3) by way of the winding core (4) thereof is rotatably mountable on the infeed arm (2), and the first drive unit (6) serves for introducing a driving force into the master roll (3). In order for high productivity to be achieved, the unwinder (1) has an outfeed arm (13) to which a second drive unit (14) for introducing a driving force into the master roll (3) is assigned, wherein the master roll (3) during an unwinding procedure is transferable from the infeed arm (2) to the outfeed arm (13).

Abstract: The unwinder of reels of web material wound around winding spindles (A), comprises a unwinding station (13) with at least one unwinding member (23) to rotate a reel (B) that is located in said unwinding station and feed the web material toward a delivery path (E). Lifting members (51, 53) are provided to lift a spindle of a first exhausted reel from the unwinding station (13), in a removal position (PR). An insertion member (7; 33) is further provided to insert a second reel into the unwinding station (13). A pressing member (61) is arranged to press the web material coming from the first reel in removal position (PR) against the second reel in the unwinding station (13).

Abstract: A winder for winding a web to produce a rolled product is provided. The winder includes a web transport apparatus that is used for conveying the web. Also included in one exemplary embodiment is a plurality of independent winding modules. The winding modules are independently positioned to independently engage the web as the web is conveyed by the web transport apparatus. The winding modules may be configured to wind the web to form a rolled product by center winding, surface winding, and combinations of center and surface winding. The winding modules are structurally and operationally independent of one another where if one module is disabled, another may still operate to produce the rolled product without shutting down the winder.

Abstract: In a method for calculating the diameter of a continuous-material reel on a roller, with which the roller is mounted on a swivel arm that is swivelable about a swiveling axis; the roller rotates at a changeable winding speed, and the continuous material is unwound from the roller and directed to a continuous-material machine, or it is removed from a continuous-material machine and wound onto the roller, the winding speed is set as a function of the web-conveyance speed, and the diameter of the continuous-material reel is calculated in a reel-control system; the winding speed is changed when the swivel arm on which the roller is mounted is swiveled about its swiveling axis during the winding motion; a correction value for correcting the change in winding speed is incorporated in the calculation of the diameter of the continuous-material reel, the correction value being determined within the reel-control system, and a related reel-control system is provided.

Abstract: The apparatus discloses a multi-roll toilet paper dispenser that automatically dispenses toilet paper. When a person places their hand in proximity of the sensor, the dispenser begins to dispense paper. A finite amount of toilet paper is dispensed allowing the user to tear off the dispensed paper from a roll. After the portion of toilet paper has been removed from the dispenser the dispenser can then dispense subsequent finite amounts of toilet paper. The dispenser allows for dispensing one or more additional rolls of toilet paper after the first roll has been expended. The dispenser can detect the wrapped orientation of each roll and feed accordingly. The presence of the user's hand is detected with an optical or thermal sensor.

Abstract: A roll transport and splicing vehicle is disclosed which is adapted to splice a new roll onto an expiring roll supported in an unwind station. The vehicle lifts and transports new rolls of material prepared with an adhesive splice pattern in the conventional manner of flying splices. The vehicle then carries the roll into an exact position next to an unwind stand and this roll is then automatically spliced into the expiring web in the unwind stand. The expired roll is severed from the web, and its coreshaft or corechucks are moved from the unwind stand to a position over the new roll, and the new roll is moved into the position formerly occupied by the expired roll. The vehicle then moves from the unwind stand, conveying the expired roll assembly to a roll storage location from which another new roll may be retrieved.

Abstract: A system and method for splicing reeled media using operational feedback. According to certain embodiments, the method of operating a media production system involves sensing speed parameters of first and second reeled media, tracking an unwinding parameter of the first reeled media, and positionally tracking a leading end position of the second reeled media. The method also involves controlling splicing between the first and second reeled media based at least partially on the speed parameters, the unwinding parameter, and the leading end position.

Abstract: The leading end of a running fresh web of cigarette paper or the like is spliced to the trailing end of a running expiring web while the ends travel at the same speed, in the same direction and next to each other. The splicing unit includes a rotatable roll at one side of the path for the advancing ends, and a rotary carrier at the other side of such path opposite the roll. The carrier is provided with a segment having a convex knurling surface which cooperates with the peripheral surface of the roll to provide the webs with a splice while the segment engages the adjacent web. Prior to splicing, the carrier is rotated in a first direction to move the segment away from the path for the webs, and such movement is followed by rotation of the carrier in a second direction to accelerate the knurling surface at least close (a) to the common speed of the webs and (b) at least close to the speed of the peripheral surface of the roll.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process and to a machine for splicing the trailing end of a running expiring web (e.g., a web of cigarette paper) to the leading end of a fresh web while the ends of the webs travel next to each other, in the same direction and at an at least substantially identical speed between a rotary knurling surface and a complementary second rotary surface which may but need not be a knurling surface. The rolls which constitute or mount the carriers for the two surfaces are driven in such a way that each n-th (e.g., each tenth) revolution results in the making of a splice between the leading and trailing ends of the webs. The forwardly and/or rearwardly extending remnants of the fresh and expiring webs are torn off the spliced-together webs at the respective ends of the splice.

Abstract: A system and process for unwinding rolls of material is disclosed. The system is particularly well suited for unwinding soft, high-bulk tissue webs. In one embodiment, the system includes the combination of a center unwind device and a surface unwind device to unwind the roll of material in a primary unwind location. Once the roll of material is partially unwound, the roll is then moved to a secondary unwind location while a new roll of material is moved into the primary unwind location. In this manner, multiple rolls of material can be continuously unwound without substantial downtime. The system of the present invention can be used to unwind a single roll of material or can be designed to unroll multiple rolls of material simultaneously.

Abstract: A system and process for unwinding rolls of material is disclosed. The system is particularly well suited for unwinding soft, high-bulk tissue webs. In one embodiment, the system includes the combination of a center unwind device and a surface unwind device to unwind the roll of material in a primary unwind location. Once the roll of material is partially unwound, the roll is then moved to a secondary unwind location while a new roll of material is moved into the primary unwind location. In this manner, multiple rolls of material can be continuously unwound without substantial downtime.

Abstract: An automatic splicing system is provided that includes a motor (20a) for rotating an active roll (R1) while a web (P1) is drawn from the roll (R1) toward a cigarette rod-manufacturing machine, a motor (20b) for rotating a standby roll (R2) when a residual of the roll (R1) reaches a predetermined amount or less so that a web (P2) is fed from the roll (R2), a splicing section (70) splicing the webs (P1; P2) and changing over the feeding of web from the roll (R1) to the roll (R2) when feed speeds of the webs match each other, and suction casings (42) disposed on feed paths of the webs, respectively, the suction casings drawing the webs thereinto temporarily. The rotational speeds of the motors (20a and 20b) are controlled so as to maintain drawn amounts of the webs in the respective suction casings (42) within a predetermined range.

Abstract: There is provided an automatic splicing system comprising a motor (20a) for rotating an active roll (R1) while a web (P1) is drawn from the roll (R1) toward a cigarette rod-manufacturing machine, a motor (20b) for rotating a standby roll (R2) when a residual of the roll (R1) reaches a predetermined amount or less so that a web (P2) is fed from the roll (R2), a splicing section (70) splicing the webs (P1; P2) and changing over the feeding of web from the roll (R1) to the roll (R2) when feed speeds of the webs match each other, and suction casings (42) disposed on feed paths of the webs, respectively, the suction casings drawing the webs thereinto temporarily; wherein rotational speeds of the motors (20a and 20b) are controlled so as to maintain drawn amounts of the webs in the respective suction casings (42) within a predetermined range.

Abstract: A flying web splice apparatus and method for splicing a moving web of material to another web of material without tape or adhesives being used at the splice. Two splicer assemblies are provided which each have a rotatable parent roll feeding web material into the splicer apparatus. Each splicer assembly has a series of substantially parallel vacuum belts and a series of vacuum boxes therein. The vacuum boxes for each splicer assembly are evacuated by a vacuum blower, which creates a vacuum causing a suction through holes within a portion of the vacuum belts in order to hold web material to the vacuum belts. The series of belts for each splicer assembly are preferably rotatable about a top pivot to bring a bottom portion of each series of belts together.

Abstract: An improved web splicing apparatus that permits better handling of rolls of paper and other materials and the automatic splicing of the beginning of one roll of paper onto the approximate end of a second roll of paper without discontinuing the flow of paper to the utilizing device and without the use of core shafts. The apparatus utilizes two opposed pairs of independently controlled and positioned web roll support arms which are pivoted about spaced shafts and rotatably support cores of the paper rolls. This invention also allows sequential splicing of rolls having unequal web widths. This configuration also allows the right and left roll support arms to move the rolls upward in an overlapping path from a single loading position, thus providing a machine having considerably reduced dimensions and floor-space requirements. Another aspect of this invention is the automatic ejection of depleted roll-cores.

Abstract: A roll stand with a frame, a holder arm arranged in the frame, a shaft for the holder, a holder, a motor, and a transmission agent. The transmission agent includes a first and second toothed wheel mounted on an incoming shaft, which is arranged to be driven by the motor, a third toothed wheel and a fifth toothed wheel are arranged on the shaft for the holder, freewheel hubs are arranged at the shaft for the holder between the third and the fifth toothed wheel. The freewheel hubs are capable of locking a toothed wheel in one direction of rotation. Due to the arrangement of the toothed wheels, a first and second drive path is formed so that the transmission agent is capable of achieving two gear changes on an outgoing shaft, depending on the direction of rotation of the motor.

Abstract: The severed trailing edge of a two-ply web is spliced to a leading edge of a replacement web on a replacement roll in a two-part operation which permits on-the-fly splicing. The upper ply of the replacement web is trimmed back to reveal a strip of the lower ply. A splice tape is placed under the edge of the lower ply with a portion of the splice tape exposed. A splice roll is prepared with a splice sheet having first and second adhesive strips spaced apart on it. The replacement roll and splice roll are accelerated to synchronize their peripheral speeds with the web speed. The rotational phases of the replacement roll and splice roll are coordinated. A bump roll is triggered to urge the web against the replacement roll. A cut-off knife is triggered to sever the web. The bump roll and cut-off knife trigger are timed so that the trailing edge of the severed web falls into contact with the exposed portion of the splice tape. This splices the lower plies together.