US2733019A - goodwillie - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 31, 1956 J. E. GOODWILLIE 2,733,019

WINDER MACHINE Filed Oct. 15, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet l IHFE 7222:?

MM M John 5', Gaoa'aa'l/Ze b H .4114) H I ZL 7775 Jan. 31, 1956 .1. E. GOODWILLIE WINDER MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 15, 1953 l M v//// a Jan. 31, 1956 J. E. GOODWILLIE 2,733,019

WINDER MACHINE Filed Oct. 15, 195:5 s Sheets-Sheet 3 a wi HgZ i E Uited States Patent C) WINDER MACHINE John E. Goodwillie, Beloit, Wis., assignor to Beloit Iron Works, Beloit, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application October 15, 1953, Serial No. 386,171 '8 Claims. (Cl. 242-66) This invention relates to a machine for winding web material, such as paper, to produce a roll of the desired hardness irrespective of the weight of the roll. In particular, the invention deals with a drum winder adapted to produce very soft rolls of paper, such as creped tissue paper, without being influenced by the weight of the roll being wound.

Drum winders characteristically produce Wound rolls of web material which increase in hardness as the weight of the roll increases. Prior attempts to counterbalance the weight of the roll being wound have not been successful, particularly because of the difliculty of controlling the operation. Another difiiculty which arose because the roll lifting force must be applied to the projecting end portions of the shaft on which the roll is being wound and, since this shaft must be of relatively small diameter in comparison with its length, deflection of the shaft and the roll occurred. As a result of this, the central portion of the roll was not benefited by such lifting, and uneven winding was obtained. This latter difliculty has now been cured by the use of certain anti-deflection roll assemblies, which are described and claimed in United States application Serial No. 233,657, owned by the assignee of this application, filed June 26, 1951, and since issued as U. S. Patent No. 2,654,546. Controlled lifting of the shaft has, however, presented an additional unsolved problem to the art.

According to this invention, a drum winder is equipped with fluid pressure operated jacks acting on "the ends of the winder shaft to relieve some of the load of the roll being wound from the winder drums, and control means are provided for the fluid pressure operated jacks which respond to the continuously increasing weight of the roll being wound upon the shaft.

It is, therefore, an important object of the instant invention to provide an improved winder drum assembly.

A further object of the instant invention is to provide an improved winder drum assembly wherein improved control means continuously sensing the increase in roll size and weight actuate fluid pressure mechanism to continuously change the lifting forces acting upon the ends of the shaft.

It is a further object to provide, in a winder machine of the underdrum type, in combination, a winder drum, a winder shaft carrying a transverse load urging the shaft toward the drum, bearing means rotatably receiving the ends of the shaft, fluid pressure actuated means engaging the bearing means and urging the bearing means and shaft received thereby away from the drum, and means responsive to a predetermined function of the distance between the shaft and the drum in control of the fluid pressure actuated means tending to urge the shaft away from the drum.

Still another object of the instant invention is to pro vide improved mechanism for controlling the load supported by a pair of winder drums in a web drum winder while a web roll is continuously building up on a winder shaft cooperating with the winder drums to support the to a cross shaft 22 which I leased from the ratchet 27 so as to roll, which comprises a pair of fluid pressure actuated supports rotatably carrying opposite ends of the shaft, valve means in control of actuating fluid pressure supplied to said supports, a cam rotating in response to movement of the shaft away from the winder drums during roll build up, and follow-up mechanism engaging said cam and operating said valve means in response to a predetermined function of said movement.

Other features, objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed disclosure thereof with reference to the annexed sheets of drawings which, by way of a preferred embodiment only, illustrate one winder machine according to this invention.

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is a broken front in vertical cross-section, of a to this invention;

Figure 2 is an end elevational view of the machine of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a detailed cross-sectional elevational view of a control valve used in the instant invention (and shown diagrammatically in Figure 4); and

elevational view, with parts winder machine according Figure 4 is a diagrammatical view showing the con-' trol mechanism employed in the instant device.

As shown on the drawings:

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the winder machine 10 of this invention includes side frames 11, 11 carrying bearing supports for rotatably mounting a pair of spaced horizontally aligned winder drums 12, 12 coacting to define a winder nip 13 therebetween, which is substantially vertically aligned. Upstanding end frame portions 11a, 11a carry vertical tracks 14, 14 in which are slidably mounted carriages 15, 15 each having a split bearing clamp 16 at the lower end thereof projecting into alignment with the winder nip 13 beyond the ends of the winder drums 12, 12. The carriages 15, 15 have bosses 15a, 15a on the rear faces thereof slidably receiving mounting pins 17, 17

The pin 17 has heads 17a, of and compression springs 18, 18 are disposed around the pin 17 between these heads 17a, 17a and the adjacent ends of the boss 15a. Each head 17a is pivotally connected at its outer end with the end of a sprocket chain 19 that is trained around a bottom sprocket 20 rotatably mounted on the frame portion 111! and a top sprocket 21 secured is rotatably mounted on the end The shaft 22 is rotated by means one end thereof driven by a chain actuated from a sprocket 25 on a shaft 26 carried by the end frame. a ratchet 27 engaged by a pawl 28. The pawl 28 can be disengaged from the ratchet by raising a lever 29. The lever 29 is conveniently actuated by the end of the rod 30 which is raised and lowered from a foot pedal 31 pivoted 0n the bottom of the frame 11. The hand wheel actuated shaft 26 is operative to rotate the cross shaft 22 in the direction for causing the sprocket 21 to drive the chains 19 for, raising the carriages 15 in their tracks The pawl 28 is effective to hold the shaft 22 against rotation in the opposite direction but can be re permit this opposite rotation. The springs 18 serve to form resilient supports for the carriages 15 on the sprocket chain 19. The bearing clamps 16 carried by the carriages, therefore, have spring mountings on the lifting chains.

The frames 11, 11 also carry vertical jack cylinders 32a and 32b with pistons 33:: and 33b, respectively, slidable therein and actuating piston rods 34a and 34b, respectively, which project out of the open tops thereof. The upper ends of the piston rods 34a and 34b are pivotally connected to the bearing clamps 16 on the carriages 15,

frame portions 11a. of a sprocket 23 on 24 "which, in turn, is hand wheel operated The shaft 26 carries 17a at opposite ends there I A fluid (which may be a gas such as air or a liquid such as water) under pressure is admitted into the bottom ends of the jack cylinders 32a and 32b through the pipes 35a and 35b, respectively, fed from the valves 36a and raise the bearing clamps 16, 16.

A paper web W is fed to the nip 13 around the underside of one of the winder drums 12. As shown in Figure 2, the web W is directed into the winder machine around the top of a roll 37 and over an adjustable guide bar 38 which laps the web around the underside of the first winder drum 12.

' An ejector roll 39 for pushing a wound paper roll' out of the'nip 13 is carried on gear segments 40 at the ends of the first underdrum 12 and is swingable over the roll 12. Pinion gears 41 in engagement with the arcuate gear segment 48 are effective to swing the roll 39 through the nip 13 to eject the wound roll. 7

The split bearing clamps 16, 16 surround the winder shaft bearings 42, 42 on the ends of the winder shaft 43. As best shown in Figure 2, the bearing clamps 16 are split so as to be quickly engaged on the bearing portions of the shaft bearings 42. Each bearing clamp 16 includes a fixed lower half portion 16a on the carriage and a swingable top half portion 1612 which is pivoted on a pin 16c carried by the carriage 15. A keeper 16d on the free end of the swingable bearing portion 16b engages a latch 'or locking dog 44 which is pivoted on a pin 45 carried by the lower half 16a of the clamp. A spring 46 urges the latch 44 against the keeper 16a to lock the two halves 16a and 1611 together. An operating handle 47 on the lower end of the latch 44, however, is adapted to depress the spring 46 for releasing the latch 44 from the keeper 16d. A handle 43 is provided on the swingable section 16b to raise and lower the section for opening and closing the clmp.

As hereinbefore mentioned, the details of the anti-deflection roll assembly mounted on the shaft 43 form part of the invention disclosed and claimed in application Serial No. 233,657, filed June 26, 1951, now U. S. Patent No. 2,654,546, and as such do not form the subject matter of the instant invention. The instant invention is adapted for the use of any anti-deflection assembly for the shaft 43 and preferably that described in said U. S. Patent No. 2,654,546, wherein the bearings 42 have segmental spherical cap receiving portions which are adapted to tilt in the clamps 16, 16 to provide a self-aligning bearing connection, and the shaft 43 itself comprises a tubular axle 49 with stub shafts 43a, 43a at opposite ends mounting the bearings 42 and with a cylindrical shell 50 surrounding the tubular axle in spaced concentric relation mounted on the axle by a pair of rubber (or similar solid elastomeric material) mountings 51 adjacent to but inwardly spaced from the opposite ends of the shell 50, so as to substantially prevent distortion or deflection of the shell 50 even though the tubular axle 49 portion is deflected slightly by a load. Also, a cardboard core 52 is usually slipped over the shell to actually receive the paper being wound thereabout.

In the operation of the winder machine 10 of this invention, the paper W is fed under the first underdrum 12 as explained hereinbefore and is directed upwardly into the nip 13. A winder tube or core is suitably clamped in position on the shaft assembly 43. As indicated at the location of the broken away portion of the winder drum 12 in Figure 1, the tubular axle 49 of the shaft assembly 43 has mounted thereon a concentric shell 50 resiliently carried on a rubber annulus 51 and a cardboard core52 may be slid thereover. The winder shaft 43 has the end bearings 42 thereof mounted in the bearing clamp 16 and the carriages 15 are loweredsuificiently so that the winding tube 52 on the shaft 43 will rest in the nip in engagement with both the drums 12, 12. In order to lower the eration.

winder shaft 43, fluid in the cylinders 32a and 32b is exhausted and the foot pedal 31 is depressed to permit the hand wheel to be swung in a direction for lowering the carriages 15, 15. The leading end of the paper web is then threaded around the winding tube 52. The leading end of the paper web is then clamped to the shell 50, and the drums 12, 12 are driven to rotate the shaft assembly 42 so that a roll of paper builds up on the shaft assembly 43 in contact with the underdrums 12, 12.

It will be understood that, as the roll increases in diameter, the winder shaft assembly 43 rises in the nip 13 and the weight of the roll increases, thereby increasing the pressure relationship between the paper and the winder drums 12, 12. In order to relieve the weight of the roll from the winder drums 12, 12 so as to maintain a desired pressure relation-ship between the paper being wound and the winder drums '12, 12 air or other fluid under pressure is fed from the control unit, which will be described in detail in connection with Figures 3 and 4, through the pipes 35:: and 35b to the cylinders 32a and 32b under the pistons 33a and 33b, respectively, for causing the piston rods 34:: and 34b to raise the bearing clamps 16, 16.

As the load of the roll being wound is transferred from the winder drums 12, 12 to the fluid pressure jacks 32a and 3217, the tubular axle portion 49 of the winder shaft assembly 43 will be deflected somewhat. This deflection will be appreciable as the Weight of the roll increases and as more and more of the roll weight is borne by the jacks 32a and 32b acting through through the bearings at the ends of the shaft assembly 43. However, the shell 50 on the tubular axle 49, being supported inwardly from the ends thereof by the rubber collars 51, 51 will only deflect in such a way as to prevent anytappreciable variation in pressure between the roll being wound and the winder drums along the length of the roll.

The difliculty heretofore encountered in connection with an arrangement of this type was that the operators would often have difficulty in making the necessary adjustments to constantly correct the amount of fluid pressure being used on the jacks 32a and 32b, so that a uniform pressure relationship between the roll being wound and the winder drums could be maintained during the entire windup op- The instant invention provides a control arrangement which correlates the various functioning elements of this device and which is capable of continuously supplying the required fluid pressure to each of the jacks 32a and 32b. This device is shown diagrammatically in Figure 4.

As will be appreciated, as the roll builds up on the winder shaft 43, the winder shaft 43 rises up on the nip 13. The bearing clamps 16 will be lifted therewith and the carriages 15 will rise in their tracks, causing the chains 19 to rotate the shaft 22 in a counterclockwise direction. This shaft 22, in turn, drives the chain 24 to rotate the ratchet 27 in a counterclockwise direction. The pawl 28 will not interfere with the counterclockwise rotation of the ratchet 27 and the carriages 15 can therefore rise in their tracks. In the instant device 16, a cam 53 is also mounted on the shaft 22 at one extremity thereof, so that rotation of the shaft 22 also causes rotation of the cam 53, and this rotation of the cam 53 takes place in response to movement of the winder shaft 43 away from the winder drums 12. In fact, the position of the cam 53 depends upon the distance between the shaft 43 and the drums 12, or the size of the roll on the shaft 43, or even the position of the shaft 43 (with respect to the other elements in the device 10).

The cam 53 has a cooperating follower or follow-up means 54 in the form of the arm 54 pivotally mounted at 55 and resiliently urged against the peripheral surface of the cam'53.

As will be explained in detail hereinafter, the cam 53 and follower 54 form a part of the control mechanism which translates the distance between the shaft 43 and the drum '12 to roll size, then to roll weight and finally to fluid pressure required for the jacks 32a and 32b to counteract 'a sufi'icient amount of the roll weight to maintain a predetermined pressure between the roll and the winder drum 12. The Winder shaft 43 thus carries a transverse load in the form of the roll urging the shaft toward the drums 12; and the fluid pressure actuated jacks 32a and 32b coact with the shaft bearings 42 to urge the shaft 43 away from the drums 12, so that .the jacks 32a and 32b cooperate 'with the drum 12 to carry the entire weight of the roll (as well as the weight of the shaft assembly 43). The actual relative positions of the shaft 43 and drums 12 are positions which are determined by the size of the roll being wound and these posi tions are substantially independent of the pressure between the roll and the drums '12 or the pressure exerted at the jacks 32a and 32b (unless such pressure were to exceed the total weight of the roll and shaft 43). The cam 53 and follower 54 (being suitably connected to the shaft 43 by follower mechanism such as the sprocket chain 19, the shaft 22, etc.) operate in response to a predetermined function of the positional relationship between the shaft 43 and the drums 12 'to actuate "the jacks 32a and 32b to the extent desired.

Referring again to Figure 4, it will be seen that air under'pressure enters the control system through the supply line S and into a reservoir R. From the reservoir R the compressed air passes through a letdown 'valve 56 which maintains a predetermined air pressure in the line 57 leading to the control valve 58, as indicated by the air pressure gauge 59. The follow-up arm 54 controls the flow of air through the control valve 58 and, as the cam 53 rotates in the direction indicated by the arrow, it urges the follow-up arm 54 in the open direction at an increasing rate of speed per rate of angular rotation. In other words, as the distance between the shaft 43 and the winder arms 12 increases the cam 53 is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow and such rotation takes place as a linear function of the movement of the shaft 43, but the periphery of the cam 53 is so designed that the follow-up arm 54 moves as a function of the square of this distance, was to translate the distance between the-shaft 43 and "the drums 12 to roll size, or the cross-sectional area of the roll. The movement of the follow-up arm 54 controls the operation of the throttle valve 58, so that the valve 58 releases an air pressure signal that is a predetermined function of the roll size. This signal then passes through the valve exit line 60 and into a control valve 61 of the type known as a .totalizer.

Figure 3 shows a sectional view of a valve which may functionas a totalizer in that it is capable of receiving an air signal and multiplying or dividing this signal by a given factor and/or adding to or subtracting from this signal. As will be seen from Figure '3, air is fed from a constant pressure source in the header 62 through aflow control valve, here shown as a needle valve 63 and into the actuating pressure or operating pressure line 64, whence it goes to the device to which it is to actuate. The stem 65 of the needle valve 63 is operatively connected to separate diaphragms 66 and 67. Air pressure through the inlet line 68 acts against the bottom of the diaphragm 66 and tends to open the valve 63; whereas air pressure'through the inlet line 69 acts against the top of the diaphragm 67 and tends to close the valve 63. Also, his-preferable to employ a'jumper 7ilfbetween the actuating air line 64 and the top side of the diaphragm 66. The jumper 70 will tend to maintain the valve 63 in closed position when no actuating air is being received by the totalizer 61. As an example of the operation, if air of ten pounds pressure is received through the inlet 69 and air of fifteen pounds pressure is received through the inlet 68 the diaphragms will cooperate so as to open the valve 63 to the extent that the air pressure released to the actuating air line 64 is five pounds. In other words, the air pressure released for operative purposes is the difference between the air signals received. In like manner, the air pressure released may be the total of the signals received, merely by introducing the signals into the totalizer at the proper side of a diaphragm.

It will also be noted that the valve stem 65 is pivotally connected at 71 to a lever arm '72 which has a pivot connection 73 midway between the ends of the arm 72. A second actuating rod 74 comparable to the extension of the valve stem 65 is attached to the opposite end of the lever arm 72 by the pivot 75; and this actuating rod .74 has a pair of diaphragms 76 and 77 attached thereto. Air entering into the inlet 78 beneath the diaphragm 76 urges the rod 74 upwardly and the valve 'stem 65 downwardly by virtue of the lever arm 72; and air entering into the inlet 79 on top of the diaphragm '77 urges the rod 74 down and the valve stem 65 up in the same manner, so as to open the valve 63. 7

It will thus be seen that with the pivot 73 positioned in the middle of the lever arm '72, an air signal of five pounds going through the inlet 68 and air signal of ten pounds going through .the inlet '79 will result in the totaling of these two signals to obtain fifteen pounds pres- V by the totalizer 61 is divided in two,

sure in the air signal going past the valve 63 into the actuating line 64.

Multiplication and division of air signals may be effected usingthe instant totalizer 61 'by movement of the pivot 73 in one direction or another in the slot 8! and the lever arm 72. For example, if it is desired to multiply a given signal by three, then the pivot 73 may be shifted to the right to the position 73' so as to effect a mechanical advantage at the lover of three to one for .air entering the inlet 79. Thus arranged, the totalizer 61 operates to receive three pounds air pressure at the inlet 79 and to release nine pounds actuating air pressure in the line 64. The setting of the pivot 73 may be done manually in order to obtain the desired mechanical advantage (or disadvantage) in the lever 72; and thus set, the totalizer 61 constantly adds, subtracts, multiplies or divides the air signal or signals received.

Referring again to Figure 4, the air signal in the throttle valve exit line 60 which is received by the totalizer-61 represents the size of the roll (in crossesec tional area) but each of the jacks 32a and 3211 .will carry only approximately one-half of the total weight of the roll (which is a linear function of the cross-sectional area), so the totalizer 61 functions to divide the air signal received in half. This maybe done by moving the pivot 73 to the left (in the drawing of Figure 3) so as to obtain a mechanical disadvantage of one to two for the air signal entering the inlet 79.

Referring again to Figure 4, the air signal received .so that actuating air leaves the totalizer 61 in the line 81 with one-half the air pressure of the air in the line 60. The totalizer 61 is connected to an air source S" which feeds air under pressure through a filter F andinto header 82, 'then through the constant pressure output valve 83 and into 'the main header 84. From the main header 84 the air passes through the control valve indicated at 85 for the totalizer 61. The header 84 compares to the source line 62 of Figure 3, the valve .85 compares to the valve 63 of Figure 3 and the actuating air outlet line 81 compares to the outlet line 64 of Figure '3. The outlet air line 81 splits into two lines 81a" and 811; at the T 86, thereby 'initiat'ing the division or" controlling air to the twojacks 32a and 32b, respectively.

Tracing the a system the air in the inlet line 81a enters the totalizer 87a which effectively translates the incoming air signal from roll size to roll weight. Actually, the incoming air signal indicates only one-half of the total cross-sectional area of the roll and the totalizer 87a converts this to the weight of one-half of the roll, bymultiplying the received air'signal by a given factor, such as the factor .10, which will be determined on the basis of the type of paper and the compactness of the winding of the roll. It will thus be seen that the source air comes from the main header 84 through the line 84a and to the control valve 88a for the totalizer 87a, whereat it is translated to the inlet air pressure from the line 81a times the predetermined factor for which the totalizer 87a is set. If set for the factor 10, then the air passing through the valve 88a and into the actuating air outlet 89a will have a pressure of ten times the air entering through the inlet 81d.

The totalizer 87a also carries out an additional function, namely, that of including an air signal which is representative of the weight of the winder shaft assembly 43 (or approximately one-half of the weight of this assembly). This is done by passing the compressed air from the header 84 through a throttle valve 90a which may be manually set to produce a given air signal in the outlet line 91a which is representative of one-half ofthe weight of the shaft assembly and the air signal in the line 91a is merely added to the product resulting from the multiplication of the air signal entering through the inlet line 81a by the weight factor.v Referring to Figure 3, it will be seen that this may be accomplished by first setting the pivot 73 on the right side so as to obtain a mechanical advantage that is equal to the factor by which the air signal in the line 81a is to be multiplied. If this air signal is to be multiplied by ten then the pivot is moved to the right so as to obtain a mechanical advantage of ten to one in the lever 72 and the inlet air from the line 81a is directed into the inlet 79 (of Figure 3). The air signal in the throttle valve header 91a is, however, already based upon weight and it is necessary only to add this air signal, and this is accomplished by directing the air signal from the line 91a into the inlet 68 of Figure 3, so that the totalizer may accomplish simultaneously multiplication of one air signal and addition of another.

As previously indicated, the resulting air signal leav-' ing the totalizer 87a is in the actuating air pressure line 89a; and the compressed air therein passes through the valve 92a, the line 93a with the gauge 94a therein, the valve 36a and the inlet line 35a for the jack 32a.

The corresponding parts in the b system of Figure 4 are given the same reference numerals followed by the letter b and these elements function in an identical manner. It will thus be seen that using the instant control device on automatic the cam 53 and the follower 54 operate to continuously adjust the control device in response to changes in the distance between the shaft 43 and the winder drum 12 so that the increased weight of the roll is constantly compensated for automatically. In addition, further adjustment may be employed using the throttle valves 90a and 90b. These valves are originally set to compensate for the share of the weight of the shaft assembly which the individual jack must carry, but if during windup, it appears that one side of the roll is being wound up more tightly than the other (for example, because of irregularities in the thickness of the paper) the manual throttle valves 90a and 90b may be employed to make an adjustment, so that the amount of air being fed through these throttle valves need not be the same.

It will be noted that the valves 92a and 92b are both set so as to afford direct communication between the lines 89a93a and 89b93b, respectively, for automatic control. When it is desired to put the instrument on manual control, the valves 92a and 92b are shifted, for example, by movement of the handle indicated symbolically at 94 to shift the handle 94 in the direction indicated by the arrow whereby the valves 92a and 92b are each rotated 90 in the direction indicated by the arrow.

This results in cutting off the communication between the lines 89a and 93a. and the lines 8% and 93b; and instead, communication at the valve 92a is established between the line 93a and a jumper 95:: which connects directly into the exit line 91a of the throttle valve 90a. In this manner, the throttle valve 901: may be used as the sole parallel tracks on said machine adjacent the ends of the 1 winder drums, awinder shaft extending along the length" 8 control for feeding actuating air pressure through the lines 91a, 95a, the valve 92a, the lines 93a and 35a into the jack 32a. In like manner, the valve 92b is shifted by the same movement which shifts the valve 92a and communication is thus established between the line 91b, the jumper 95b, and the line 93b leading through the valve 36b and the line 35b into the jack 32b. 7

The valves 36a and 36b serve to vent the jack 32a and 32b, respectively through the lines 96a and 96b, respectively, the header 97 and the valve 98. To accomplish this, the valve 36a is rotated in a counterclockwise direction while the valve 98 is maintained in the position shown in the drawing; and the valve 36b is rotated in a clockwise direction 90 to accomplish the same thing.

It will be understood that modifications'and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A winder machine adapted to produce a wound roll of a controlled uniform degree of hardness irrespective of the weight thereof, which comprises a pair of under mounted on each end of the shaft and accommodating.

relative tilting of the shaft and slidably retained in the,

tracks, separate and independent fluid pressure actuated support means engaging the bearing means at opposite ends of the shaft for movement thereof in the tracks, means re-' sponsive to a predetermined function of the distance between the shaft and the winding nip connected to each of said support means for supplying actuating fluid pressure thereto and separate and apart independently controlled inlet means connected to each of said support means adapted to supply different amounts of additional actuating fluid pressure thereto.

2. A winder machine adapted to produce a wound roll ofa controlled uniformdegree of hardness irrespective of the weight thereof, which comprises a pair of under winder drums defining a vertical winding nip, upright parallel tracks on said machine adjacent the ends of the engaging the bearing means at opposite ends of the shaft for movement thereof in the tracks, said support meansv cooperating with the winder drums to support the total Weight of the bearing means, shaft and roll, means re-- sponsive to a predetermined function of the roll size supplying actuating fluid pressure to each of said support means, and separate and apart inlet means each responsive to a predetermined function of the bearing and shaft weight connected to each of said support means supplying v additional actuating fluid thereto.

3. A winder machine adapted to produce a Wound roll of a controlled uniform degree of hardness irrespective of the Weight thereof, which comprises a pair of under winder drums defining a vertical winding nip, upright of said winding nip for receiving the roll being wound thereabout, bearing means rotatably mounted on each end of the shaft and slidably retained in the tracks, separate and independent fluid pressure actuated support means engaging the bearing means at opposite ends of the shaft for movement thereof in the tracks, cam and follow-up mechanism connected to said shaft translating the distance from the shaft to the winding nip to a fluid pressure signal indicating the rollsize, control means receiving said signal and translating the same to actuating fluid pressure that is a predetermined function of the roll size and supplying such actuating fluid pressure to each of said supports, and separate and apart inlet means each responsive to a predetermined function of the bearing and in said tracks, bearing clamps carried by said carriages adjacent the ends of said nip, upper and lower sprockets at opposite ends of each track, a lifting chain for each carriage trained around the adjacent upper and lower sprockets, locking means for selectively locking the upper sprockets against rotation in a direction permitting lowering of the carriages, a fluid pressure jack adjacent each end of the nip, a piston rod projecting from each jack acting on the adjacent bearing clamp to raise and lower the clamps relative to the nip, said winder shaft having bearings on the ends thereof receivable in said bearing clamps and accommodating relative tilting movement therebetween, a cam mounted for rotation with an upper sprocket, follow-up means engaging said cam, and valve means controlled by the follow-up means supplying actuating fluid pressure independently to each of said jacks for controlling the weight of the roll supported by said winder drums.

5. Mechanism for controlling the load supported by a pair of winder drums in a web drum winder while a web roll is continuously building up on a winder shaft cooperating with the winder drums to support the roll, which comprises bearing means rotatably carrying opposite ends of the shaft and movable therewith away from the Winder drums during roll build up, fluid pressure actuated supports carrying said bearing means, a cam connected to said bearing means and rotating in response to movement of said bearing means, follow-up means operatively engaging said cam, a first control valve actuated by said foliow-up means, said cam and follow-up means cooperating to translate bearing movement to a fluid pressure signal at the first control valve that is a predetermined function of the roll size, a second control valve responsive to the roll density receiving the first control valve signal and translating the same to a second signal that is a function of the roll weight, and fluid pressure inlet means for said supports being actuated by said second control valve.

6. Mechanism for actuating a pair of independent hydraulic jacks carrying opposite ends of a Winder shaft having a web roll continuously building up on the shaft and partially supported by under winder drums, which comprises a cam movable in response to movement of the shaft away from the drums, follow-up means operatively engaging the cam, a first control valve actuated by the follow-up means to translate movement of the cam to a first fluid pressure signal that is a predetermined function of the roll size, a second control valve responsive to the roll density receiving the first fluid pressure signal and translating the same to a second signal that is a function of the roll weight, and fluid pressure inlet means for the jacks receiving the second signal to urge the shaft away from the drums therewith.

7. Mechanism for actuating a pair of independent hydraulic jacks carrying opposite ends of a winder shaft having a web roll continuously building up on the shaft and partially supported by under winder drums, which comprises a cam movable in response to movement of the shaft away from the drums, follow-up means operatively engaging the cam, a first control valve actuated by the follow-up means to translate movement of the cam to a first fluid pressure signal that is a predetermined function of the roll size, separate fluid pressure inlet means for each jack, second control valve means receiving the first fluid pressure signal, translating the same to a pair of second fluid pressure signals each a function of approximately one-half the roll weight and conveying one of said second signals to each of said inlet means, and independent fluid pressure supply means for each of said jacks supply additional fluid pressure to each of said second signals.

8. Mechanism for actuating a pair of independent hydraulic jacks carrying opposite ends of a Winder shaft having a web roll continuously building up on the shaft and partially supported by under winder drums, which comprises a cam movable in response to movement of the shaft away from the drums, follow-up means operatively engaging the cam, a first control valve actuated by the follow-up means to translate movement of the cam to a first fluid pressure signal that is a predetermined function of the roll size, separate fluid pressure inlet means for each jack, and second control valve means receiving the first fluid pressure signal, translating the same to a pair of second fluid pressure signals each a function of approximately one-half the roll weight and conveying one of said second signals to each of said inlet means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,562,028 Foss July 24, 1951 2,609,157 Asmussen et al Sept. 2, 1952 2,564,546 Hornbostel Oct. 6, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 438,640 Great Britain Nov. 20, 1935

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